We successfully demonstrated that Friedel−Crafts‐type allylation of phenol derivatives and allylic phosphates is catalyzed by the AgTFA/trimethylsilyl cyanide (Me3SiCN) and Pd(OAc)2/Me3SiCN combined systems to afford the C‐allylated product in a highly regioselective manner. The corresponding silyl cyanometallates generated in situ are proposed to be the active catalytic species. Lewis acidity of the reversibly formed ion pairs is appropriately regulated for this reaction. The para‐allylated anisole and phenol derivatives are selectively obtained. The para‐substituted ones are converted to the ortho‐allylated products. The reactivity of the catalytic systems is strongly dependent on the electronic nature of both electrophile and nucleophile. Substitution of an aromatic ring on the allylic phosphate is essential for the reaction. Thus, the competitive reaction of a 1 : 1 mixture of cinnamyl and simple allyl phosphates affords only the cinnamyl‐substituted product.
We investigated the previously unknown enantioselective Nicatalyzed hydrocyanation of 1,3-diarylpropenes (homostilbenes). For this purpose, a series of (E)-homostilbenes were prepared by (microwave-assisted) Pd-catalyzed coupling of allylic alcohols with aryl-boronic acids. Employing our established catalyst system formed from Ni(cod) 2 and a TADDOLderived chiral phosphine-phosphite ligand and using TMSCN as an in situ source of HCN, the hydrocyanation of various homostilbenes was studied. The synthetic usefulness of the methodology was demonstrated in a short synthesis of the new (allo-) colchicine analogue 7-cyano-11-methoxy-colchinol involving an PIDA-mediated oxidative cyclization of the corresponding hydrocyanation product to set up the 7-membered ring. The absolute configuration of 2,4-diphenylbutyronitrile was assigned by comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.