In the investigation of efficient chemical transformations, the carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions play an outstanding role. In this context, organocatalytic processes have achieved considerable attention. 1 Beside their facile reaction course, selectivity, and environmental friendliness, new synthetic strategies are made possible. Particularly, the inversion of the classical reactivity (Umpolung) opens up new synthetic pathways. 2 In nature, the coenzyme thiamine (vitamin B1), a natural thiazolium salt, utilizes a catalytic variant of this concept in biochemical processes as nucleophilic acylations. 3 The catalytically active species is a nucleophilic carbene. 4

Organocatalysis by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes

Asymmetric enamine catalysis.

Small-molecule H-bond donors in asymmetric catalysis.

4.2.8. Reductive Coupling 3109 5. Reaction of Aromatic Compounds 3110 5.1. Electrophilic Substitutions 3110 5.2. Radical Substitution 3111 5.3. Oxidative Coupling 3111 5.4. Photochemical Reactions 3111 6. Reaction of Carbonyl Compounds 3111 6.1. Nucleophilic Additions 3111 6.1.1. Allylation 3111 6.1.2. Propargylation 3120 6.1.3. Benzylation 3121 6.1.4. Arylation/Vinylation 3121 6.1.5. Alkynylation 3121 6.1.6. Alkylation 3121 6.1.7. Reformatsky-Type Reaction 3122 6.1.8. Direct Aldol Reaction 3122 6.1.9. Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction 3124 6.1.10. Hydrogen Cyanide Addition 3125 6.2. Pinacol Coupling 3126 6.3. Wittig Reactions 3126 7. Reaction of R,â-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds 3127

Organic Reactions in Aqueous Media with a Focus on Carbon−Carbon Bond Formations: A Decade Update

Over the past decade, the most significant, conceptual advances in the field of fluorination were enabled most prominently by organo- and transition-metal catalysis. The most challenging transformation remains the formation of the parent C-F bond, primarily as a consequence of the high hydration energy of fluoride, strong metal-fluorine bonds, and highly polarized bonds to fluorine. Most fluorination reactions still lack generality, predictability, and cost-efficiency. Despite all current limitations, modern fluorination methods have made fluorinated molecules more readily available than ever before and have begun to have an impact on research areas that do not require large amounts of material, such as drug discovery and positron emission tomography. This Review gives a brief summary of conventional fluorination reactions, including those reactions that introduce fluorinated functional groups, and focuses on modern developments in the field.

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Introduction of Fluorine and Fluorine-Containing Functional Groups

Asymmetric Neutral Amination of Nitroolefins Catalyzed by Chiral Bifunctional Ammonium Salts in Water-Rich Biphasic Solvent.

The present invention provides a method for producing asymmetrical mono-substituted alkylated compounds of α-amino acids that are represented by a specific formula, using an aldimine-type Schiff base. In the method of the present invention, the process of alkylating an aldimine-type Schiff base in a medium in the presence of an optically-active quaternary ammonium salt phase-transfer catalyst and an inorganic base is initiated, and subsequently the reaction is quenched at a time earlier than a time for completion of the stoichiometric reaction of the alkylation reaction, so that a mono-substituted alkylated product with high optical purity can be obtained.

Process for production of mono-substituted alkylated compound using aldimine or derivative thereof

syn-Selective and Enantioselective Direct Cross-Aldol Reactions Between Aldehydes Catalyzed by an Axially Chiral Amino Sulfonamide.

N-Spiro Chiral Quaternary Ammonium Bromide Catalyzed Diastereo- and Enantioselective Conjugate Addition of Nitroalkanes to Cyclic α,β-Unsaturated Ketones under Phase-Transfer Conditions.

Synthesis and X-ray crystallographic characterization of fluorotetraphenylbismuth (1) has been achieved for the first time, revealing that the bismuth center of 1 adopts a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry with three ipso carbons at the equatorial sites and one ipso carbon and fluorine atom at the apical sites. Contrary to the previous common understanding of this type of organobismuth(V) compound, 1 was found to be thermally stable, maintaining its amphiphilic property. Hence, 1 can be used as an off-the-shelf reagent in organic synthesis, and its utility has been clearly demonstrated in applications to the efficient alpha-phenylation of ketones and esters. For instance, simple mixing of 1 and 1-trimethylsiloxy-3,4-dihydronaphthalene in THF at -40 degrees C and stirring at room temperature for 10 min gave rise to 2-phenyl-1-tetralone almost quantitatively without formation of the polyphenylated products. In addition to the generality of this method, applicability of our approach to the selective alpha-alkenylation of carbonyl compounds was also demonstrated by the use of fluoro(2-phenylethenyl)tris(p-tolyl)bismuth (2) as a representative reagent. These results imply the vast potential of organobismuth(V) compounds of type 1 and 2 as useful precursors of a wide variety of pentavalent organobismuth compounds based on the utilization of the eminent fluorine-silicon interaction or the inherent basicity of the fluorine atom.

Keiji Maruoka

Papers

Asymmetric Neutral Amination of Nitroolefins Catalyzed by Chiral Bifunctional Ammonium Salts in Water-Rich Biphasic Solvent.

Process for production of mono-substituted alkylated compound using aldimine or derivative thereof

syn-Selective and Enantioselective Direct Cross-Aldol Reactions Between Aldehydes Catalyzed by an Axially Chiral Amino Sulfonamide.

N-Spiro Chiral Quaternary Ammonium Bromide Catalyzed Diastereo- and Enantioselective Conjugate Addition of Nitroalkanes to Cyclic α,β-Unsaturated Ketones under Phase-Transfer Conditions.

Fluorotetraphenylbismuth: A New Reagent for Efficient Regioselective α‐Phenylation of Carbonyl Compounds.