The aerobic direct dehydrogenative annulation of N-iminopyridinium ylides with terminal alkynes leading to pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine derivatives has been developed.

Cyclization and annulation reactions initiated by ring-opening of small rings, especially cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes are now well-established in synthetic chemistry. Nevertheless, the potential of aminocyclopropanes and cyclobutanes, an important subclass for the synthesis of nitrogen-rich building blocks, has remained unexploited for a long time, despite important pioneering results. In th...

Many abundant and highly bioactive natural alkaloids contain an indolizidine skeleton. A simple, high yielding method to synthesize this scaffold from N-heterocycles was developed. A wide range of pyridines, quinolines and isoquinolines reacted with donor-acceptor (DA)-aminocyclopropanes via an ytterbium(iii) catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation reaction to give tetrahydroindolizine derivatives. The pr...

The [3 + 2] annulation reaction of C,C,N-trisubstituted ketenimines with donor-acceptor cyclopropanes bearing aryl, styryl and vinyl substituents at the C2 position, triggered by the Lewis acid Sc(OTf)3, supplies highly substituted pyrrolidines. Activated cyclopropanes fused to naphthalene and [1]benzopyrane nuclei are also suitable substrates in similar transformations, yielding partially satu...

In efforts directed toward the synthesis of seco-prezizaane sesquiterpenoids, a stereoselective annulation reaction has been developed between 4-hydroxy-1,6-enynes and TMS-alkynes that delivers cross-conjugated triene-containing hydroindanes. Contrary to previous reports, enyne substrates bearing two propargylic ethers enable the presumed organometallic intermediate to be trapped by double elim...

The direct C-H annulation of anilines or related compounds with internal alkynes provides straightforward access to 2,3-disubstituted indole products. However, this transformation proceeds with poor regioselectivity in the synthesis of unsymmetrically 2,3-diaryl substituted indoles. Herein, we report the rhodium(III)-catalyzed C-H annulation of nitrones with symmetrical diaryl alkynes as an alt...

A convenient method for construction of polycyclic fused nitrogen-containing heterocycles has been developed. The methodology involves palladium-catalyzed intermolecular carbopalladation-annulation cascade reaction of haloaryl heterocyclic derivatives with different alkynes under relatively mild reaction conditions. Thus, the palladium-catalyzed cascade cyclization of bromophenyl derivatives of...

The one-carbon bridge stereochemistry of bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane products formed in the Robinson annulation reactions of 2-substituted cyclohex-2-enones was investigated. In contrast to previous reports, it was found that the major diastereomer formed places the one-carbon bridge substituent anti to the beta-keto ester/amide unit introduced in the Robinson annulation. This stereoselectivity appear...

The reaction of a sec-nitrodienamine 3 with aldehyde compounds afforded 2-substituted 3-nitro-1,2-dihydropyridines 5, providing a heterocyclic annulation reaction.

A modular approach to 3-substituted 2-quinolones via a cascade annulation reaction between 4-nitroketones and hydrazines has been developed.