We developed a novel method of synthesizing nitrogen-containing fused-polycyclic compounds using tyramine derivatives as substrates. The method is based on the dearomatization of phenols via an intramolecular ipso-Friedel-Crafts allenylation and sequential bond-forming-cleavage reactions initiated by the construction of an indole skeleton. Structurally diverse fused-heterocycles were produced i...

The first enantioselective synthesis of the fungal metabolite (+)-O-methylasparvenone was achieved in eight steps and 22% overall yield from inexpensive 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde dimethyl acetal. Key steps include (i) early-stage asymmetric alkynylation of an aromatic aldehyde with a propiolate, (ii) intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation, and (iii) site-selective cleavage of an aryl methyl...

The first asymmetric aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of indoles and pyrroles with isatin-derived N-Boc ketimines catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids is reported. In general, derivatives of substituted 3-amino-2-oxindoles were obtained with excellent enantioselectivities and high yields.

An iridium(I) catalyst system, modified with the wide-bite-angle and electron-deficient bisphosphine d(F) ppb (1,4-bis(di(pentafluorophenyl)phosphino)butane) promotes highly branch-selective hydroarylation reactions between diverse acetanilides and aryl- or alkyl-substituted alkenes. This provides direct and ortho-selective access to synthetically challenging anilines, and addresses long-standi...

The enantioselective tandem Friedel-Crafts alkylation/Michael addition reaction of indoles with nitroolefin enoates catalyzed by a diphenylamine-linked bis(oxazoline)-Zn(OTf)2 complex was investigated. This tandem reaction afforded functionalized chiral chromans in good yields with moderate to high stereoselectivities (up to 95:5 dr, up to 99% ee).

The large-pore iron(III) carboxylate MIL-100(Fe) with a zeotype architecture has been isolated under hydrothermal conditions, its structure solved from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, while Friedel-Crafts benzylation catalytic tests indicate a high activity and selectivity for MIL-100(Fe).

An organocatalytic quadruple cascade initiated by a Friedel-Crafts-type reaction is described. The (S)-diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether catalyzed reaction yields highly functionalized cyclohexenecarbaldehydes bearing a 1,1-bis[4-(dialkylamino)phenyl]ethene moiety and three contiguous stereogenic centers. The reaction tolerates various functional groups and all products are obtained with ve...

An asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of 2-furfuryl ketones with β-trifluoromethyl enones has been developed via formal trienamine catalysis of a bifunctional primary amine-thiourea substance derived from L-tert-leucine, delivering the furan derivatives incorporating a stereogenic trifluoromethyl (CF3) group in good to high yields with excellent enantioselectivity.

An efficient and practical catalytic system for the anti-Markovnikov ruthenium-catalyzed hydroarylation of styrenes with acetophenone, allowing a straightforward access to bibenzyl backbones, is described for the first time: this process, involving regioselective C-H bond activation, is complementary to a Friedel-Crafts type reaction giving the branched adduct.