Visible-light-promoted organic reactions can offer increased reactivity and selectivity via unique reaction pathways to address a multitude of practical synthetic problems, yet few practical solutions exist to employ these reactions for multikilogram production. We have developed a simple and versatile continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) equipped with a high-intensity laser to drive photochemical reactions at unprecedented rates in continuous flow, achieving kg/day throughput using a 100 mL reactor. Our approach to flow reactor design uses the Beer–Lambert law as a guideline to optimize catalyst concentration and reactor depth for maximum throughput. This laser CSTR platform coupled with the rationale for design can be applied to a breadth of photochemical reactions.

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The enantioselective synthesis of endothelin-A antagonist ABT-546 has been accomplished via the discovery and development of a highly selective catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of ketoesters to nitroolefins. Employing just 4 mol % bis(oxazoline)-Mg(OTf)(2) complex with an amine cocatalyst, we obtained the product nitroketone with 88% selectivity at the aryl-bearing stereocenter and in good yield on scales ranging to 13 mol. The effects of ligand structure, metal salt, and solvent on the reaction are described. Particularly important to the reaction is the water content. While water is necessary during the generation of the catalyst, the water must be then removed to maximize stereoselectivity and reactivity. The reaction has been extended to other dicarbonyl substrates, and a variety of substitution patterns are tolerated on the nitroolefin partner. The reaction has also been employed in the synthesis of the antidepressant rolipram. Investigations relating to the mechanism of the reaction are also described.

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[reaction: see text] Treatment of a variety of alcohols, amines, and N-hydroxylamines with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl formate gave the corresponding formylated adducts in high yields.

Thioaldehydes containing virtually any -substitutent can be generated by photofragmentation of phenacyl sulfides. Donor-substituted derivatives are reactive toward electron-rich dienes and give 2 + 4 cycloadducts with regiochemistry corresponding to advanced C-C bonding in the transition state. Acceptor-substituted thioaldehydes react in the opposite regiochemical sense with C-S bonding advanced. A number of unusual thioaldehydes have been trapped, including the parent HCH=S, Me3SiCHS, Ph2P(0)CH=S, PhS02CH=S, and CNCH=S, as well as more conventional alkylor acyl-substituted derivatives.

Fiduxosin (1) has been under development at Abbott Laboratories for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. A convergent strategy required methodologies for preparation of an enantiomerically pure 3,4-cis-disubstituted pyrrolidine and a 2,3,5-trisubstituted thienopyrazine in a regiospecific manner. A [3+2] cycloaddition of an enantiopure azomethine ylide followed by a diastereoselective crystallization was employed to prepare the benzopyranopyrrolidine in high diastereomeric and enantiomeric purity. Conditions for reduction of an O-aryl lactone susceptible to epimerization were developed, and cyclization of the alcohol/phenol to the ether was accomplished in high yield. The thienopyrazine was prepared by condensation of methyl thioglycolate and a regiospecifically prepared 2-bromo-3-cyano-5-phenylpyrazine. Conditions for effective halogen substitutive deamination to prepare regiospecific trisubstituted pyrazines will be described.