A nickel‐catalyzed conjunctive cross‐coupling of alkenyl carboxylic acids, aryl iodides, and aryl/alkenyl boronic esters is reported. The reaction delivers the desired 1,2‐diarylated and 1,2‐arylalkenylated products with excellent regiocontrol. To demonstrate the synthetic utility of the method, a representative product is prepared on gram scale and then diversified to eight 1,2,3‐trifunctionalized building blocks using two‐electron and one‐electron logic. Using this method, three routes toward bioactive molecules are improved in terms of yield and/or step count. This method represents the first example of catalytic 1,2‐diarylation of an alkene directed by a native carboxylate group.

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A catalytic γ-selective syn-hydroarylation of alkenyl carbonyl compounds using arylboronic acids has been developed using a substrate directivity approach with a palladium(ii) catalyst.

We report a one-step, Ru(II)-catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction that is conceptually different from the previously reported protocols that include Corey-Chaykovsky, Simmons-Smith, and metal catalyzed carbene attack on olefins. Under the current protocol, various alcohols are transformed into sulfone substituted cyclopropanes with excellent isolated yields and diastereoselectivities. This new reaction forms highly congested cyclopropane products with three new C-C bonds, three or two new chiral centers and one new quaternary carbon center. 22 examples of isolated substrates are given. Previously reported synthetic routes for similar substrates are all multi-step, linear routes that proceed with overall low yields and poor control of stereochemistry. Experimental mechanistic investigations suggest initial metal-catalyzed dehydrogenation of the alcohol substrate and catalyst independent stepwise attack of two equivalents of sulfone on the aldehyde under basic conditions. While the Ru(II) is only responsible for the initial dehydrogenation step, the rate of aldehyde formation is crucial to maintaining the right balance of intermediates needed to afford the cyclopropane product. File list (2)download file view on ChemRxiv ChemRxiv Khaskin.pdf (1.69 MiB) download file view on ChemRxiv ChemRxiv SI Khaskin.pdf (13.79 MiB)

Viable anionic exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysis for H2 production requires highly active hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts that are also robust and cost-effective. Traditionally juxtaposition of two transition metals with one being more oxophilic is necessary for easier access to water in the inner Helmholtz plane as a source of protons in the crucial Volmer step for enhanced HER activity. However, they are prone to passivation at anodic potentials or deactivation via the formation of sub-surface metal hydrides at high cathodic overpotentials. Here we report a method of enabling close juxtaposition of Ni-Ni-oxide surfaces by functionalizing Ni-based catalysts via the careful thermal treatment of carbon-supported Ni nano-particles chelated with a select organic chelating compound referred to as cupferron. This functionalization results in an embedded Ni surface with a clear graphitic coating engendering long-term stability for passivation and subsurface hydride formation. The stability and activity of the functionalized Ni catalyst are demonstrated in half-cell RDE and full-cell AEM membrane-based hydrogen pump experiments. In the case of the latter, the functionalized Ni outperforms carbon-supported Pt.

A flurry of recent research has centered on harnessing the power of nickel catalysis in organic synthesis. These efforts have been bolstered by contemporaneous development of well‐defined nickel (pre)catalysts with diverse structure and reactivity. In this report, we present ten different bench‐stable, 18‐electron, formally zero‐valent nickel–olefin complexes that are competent pre‐catalysts in various reactions. Our investigation includes preparations of novel, bench‐stable Ni(COD)(L) complexes (COD=1,5‐cyclooctadiene), in which L=quinone, cyclopentadienone, thiophene‐S‐oxide, and fulvene. Characterization by NMR, IR, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and natural bond orbital analysis sheds light on the structure, bonding, and properties of these complexes. Applications in an assortment of nickel‐catalyzed reactions underscore the complementary nature of the different pre‐catalysts within this toolkit.

A tungsten-catalyzed hydroboration of unactivated alkenes at distal C(sp 3 )−H bonds aided by native directing groups is described herein. The method is characterized by its simplicity, exquisite regio-and chemoselectivity, and wide substrate scope, offering a complementary site-selectivity pattern to other metal-catalyzed borylation reactions and chain-walking protocols.

Antagonism of the adenosine A2A receptor on T cells blocks the hypoxia-adenosinergic pathway to promote tumor rejection. Using an in vivo immunoassay based on the Concanavalin A mouse model, a series of A2A antagonists were studied and identified preladenant as a potent lead compound for development. Molecular modeling was employed to assist drug design and subsequent synthesis of analogs and those of tozadenant, including fluorinated polyethylene glycol PEGylated derivatives. The efficacy of the analogs was evaluated using two in vitro functional bioassays, and compound 29, a fluorinated triethylene glycol derivative of preladenant, was confirmed as a potential immunotherapeutic agent.