Reactions that convert carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds into carbon–carbon (C–C) or carbon–heteroatom (C–Y) bonds are attractive tools for organic chemists, potentially expediting the synthesis of target molecules through new disconnections in retrosynthetic analysis. Despite extensive inorganic and organometallic study of the insertion of homogeneous metal species into unactivated C–H bonds, practical applications of this technology in organic chemistry are still rare. Only in the past decade have metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization reactions become more widely utilized in organic synthesis.Research in the area of homogeneous transition metal–catalyzed C–H functionalization can be broadly grouped into two subfields. They reflect different approaches and goals and thus have different challenges and opportunities. One approach involves reactions of completely unfunctionalized aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, which we refer to as “first functionalization”. Here the substrates are nonpolar and hydrophobic a...

Weak coordination as a powerful means for developing broadly useful C-H functionalization reactions.

1,2-Amino Alcohols and Their Heterocyclic Derivatives as Chiral Auxiliaries in Asymmetric Synthesis

This critical review discusses historical and contemporary research in the field of transition metal-catalyzed carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bond activation through the lens of stereoselectivity. Research concerning both diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity in C–H activation processes is examined, and the application of concepts in this area for the development of novel carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond-forming reactions is described. Throughout this review, an emphasis is placed on reactions that are (or may soon become) relevant in the realm of organic synthesis (221 references).

Transition metal-catalyzed C–H activation reactions: diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity

2.1.8. Michael Reaction 2245 2.1.9. Others 2247 2.2. Cyclization Reactions 2248 2.2.1. Carbon Diels−Alder Reactions 2248 2.2.2. Aza-Diels−Alder Reactions 2252 2.2.3. Other Hetero-Diels−Alder Reactions 2255 2.2.4. Ionic Diels−Alder Reaction 2256 2.2.5. 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions 2256 2.2.6. Other Cycloaddition Reactions 2258 2.2.7. Prins-type Cyclization 2259 2.3. Friedel−Crafts Acylation and Alkylation 2259 2.4. Baylis−Hillman Reaction 2263 2.5. Radical Addition 2264 2.6. Heterocycle Synthesis 2267 2.7. Diazocarbonyl Insertion 2270 3. C−X (X ) N, O, P, Etc.) Bond Formation 2271 3.1. Aromatic Nitration and Sulfonylation 2271 3.2. Michael Reaction 2272 3.3. Glycosylation 2273 3.4. Aziridination 2275 3.5. Diazocarbonyl Insertion 2276 3.6. Ring-Opening Reactions 2277 3.7. Other C−X Bond Formations 2280 4. Oxidation and Reduction 2280 4.1. Oxidation 2280 4.2. Reduction 2281 5. Rearrangement 2283 6. Protection and Deprotection 2285 6.1. Protection 2285 6.2. Deprotection 2288 7. Polymerization 2291 8. Miscellaneous Reactions 2291 9. Lanthanide(II) Triflates in Organic Synthesis 2295 10. Conclusion 2295 11. Acknowledgment 2295 12. References 2295

Rare-earth metal triflates in organic synthesis

Stereochemical Control in Organic-Synthesis Using Silicon-Containing Compounds

The use of pseudoephedrine as a practical chiral auxiliary for asymmetric synthesis is described in full. Both enantiomers of pseudoephedrine are inexpensive commodity chemicals and can be N-acylated in high yields to form tertiary amides. In the presence of lithium chloride, the enolates of the corresponding pseudoephedrine amides undergo highly diastereoselective alkylations with a wide range of alkyl halides to afford α-substituted products in high yields. These products can then be transformed in a single operation into highly enantiomerically enriched carboxylic acids, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones.

Pseudoephedrine as a Practical Chiral Auxiliary for the Synthesis of Highly Enantiomerically Enriched Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Aldehydes, and Ketones

The use of pseudoephedrine as a practical chiral auxiliary for asymmetric synthesis is describe. Both enantiomers of pseudoephedrine are inexpensive commodity chemicals and can be N-acylated in high yields to form tertiary amides. In the presence of lithium chloride, the enolates of the corresponding pseudoephedrine amides undergo highly diastereoselective a1kylations with a wide range of alkyl halides to afford α-substituted products in high yields. These products can then be transformed in a single operation into highly enantiomerically enriched carboxylic acids, alcohols, and aldehydes. Lithium amidotrihydroborate (LAB) is shown to be a powerful reductant for the selective reduction of tertiary amides in general and pseudoephedrine amides in particular to form primary alcohols.

Hou Chen

Papers

Pseudoephedrine as a Practical Chiral Auxiliary for the Synthesis of Highly Enantiomerically Enriched Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Aldehydes, and Ketones

Use of Pseudoephedrine as a Practical Chiral Auxiliary for Asymmetric Synthesis

Silicon-directed aldol reactions. Rate acceleration by small rings

Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,3-Dialkyl-Substituted Carbon Chains of any Stereochemical Configuration by an Iterable Process

Pseudoephedrine as a Practical Chiral Auxiliary for the Synthesis of Highly Enantiomerically Enriched Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Aldehydes, and Ketones