A one-step preparation of xanthones via Pd-catalyzed annulation of 1,2-dibromoarenes and salicylaldehydes was developed.

Controlled isomerization of the double bond of certain Diels-Alder reactions provides substrates that, upon oxidation, give rise to products whose gross structure corresponds to that of a Robinson annulation. In these cases, the stereochemistry of the Robinson annulation product reflects the fact that the initial combination occurred in a Diels-Alder mode. Using these principles, we have synthe...

The preparation and synthetic uses of a number of bifunctional reagents (5-chloro-2-trimethylstannyl-2-pentene and related substances, (~)-1-bromo-4-methyl-3-trimethylstannyl-2-pentene, and alkyl (z)and (~)-2,3-bis(trimethylstannyl)-2-alkenoates) are described. In this work a number of useful annulation methods were developed and these annulation sequences played key roles in effecting total sy...

An efficient organocatalytic Michael-aldol cascade reaction for the asymmetric synthesis of spirocyclic oxindole derivatives fused with tetrahydrothiophenes has been developed through a formal [3+2] annulation strategy.

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...