Advances in mercury(II)-salt-mediated cyclization reactions of unsaturated bonds

• Sumana Mandal,
• Raju D. Chaudhari and
• Goutam Biswas

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2348–2376, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.153

• proved that the reaction mechanism proceeds via activation of the alkynyl group with Hg(OTf)2 salt and addition of 2-chloropyridine N-oxide. The resulting activated alkynyl complex was demercurated, followed by the SN2′ reaction thus formed undergoes demercuration to yield 3-coumaranone (Scheme 51) [111

Base-free enantioselective S_N2 alkylation of 2-oxindoles via bifunctional phase-transfer catalysis

• Mili Litvajova,
• Emiliano Sorrentino,
• Brendan Twamley and
• Stephen J. Connon

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2287–2294, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.146

• highly valuable synthetic building blocks [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Both pyrroloindolines 1 and spirooxindoles 2 are conceivably available from key 3,3-disubstituted intermediates 3, which could be prepared via an enantioselective SN2 alkylation involving enolate 3a (Figure 1B). The versatility of

• charged intermediates, could be an excellent methodology for the enantioselective SN2 alkylation of enolates derived from the 2-oxindole core [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]. In recent years, several examples regarding the alkylation of 3-subsituted-2-oxindoles, via asymmetric phase-transfer

• the SN2 alkylation of methylene ester-substituted 2-oxindole 4 [31]. The utility of this methodology has been demonstrated through the total synthesis of (−)-debromoflustramine B (Scheme 1B). In an attempt to devise variants of this reaction of greater versatility and synthetic utility; we sought to

Halides as versatile anions in asymmetric anion-binding organocatalysis

• Lukas Schifferer,
• Martin Stinglhamer,
• Kirandeep Kaur and
• Olga García Macheño

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2270–2286, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.145

• participates in the ionization step by an anion abstraction-type process (Figure 2b). In the latter approach, the C–X bond cleavage can then either follow a SN1 or SN2 pathway. For enantioselective purposes, solvation of the ion pair is crucial for obtaining high stereoinduction. While more polar solvents give

• -bonding to the carbonyl group was proposed as the binding mode of the catalyst and the reaction to proceed via a SN2-type mechanism (Scheme 2b, left). Not considered at that time was the anion-binding pathway through the iminium chloride salt II, which would proceed via a SN1-type mechanism (Scheme 2b

• cyclization reaction of succinimide and glutarimide-derived hydroxylactams 7 (Scheme 3) [33]. This system was designed in a way that key experimental observations could be made to analyze whether a SN1 or SN2-type mechanism takes place. A strong dependence of the enantioselectivity on the counterion and

Progress and challenges in the synthesis of sequence controlled polysaccharides

• Giulio Fittolani,
• Theodore Tyrikos-Ergas,
• Denisa Vargová,
• Manishkumar A. Chaube and
• Martina Delbianco

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1981–2025, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.129

• trichloroacetimidate donor 75 was controlled by SN2 displacement of the α-trichloroacetimidate LG upon activation with BF3·OEt2 in CH2Cl2/n-hexane (3:2) (Scheme 11B). The orthogonal N-trichloroacetyl (N-TCA) and N-benzyloxycarbonyl (N-Cbz) PGs permitted the synthesis of chitobioses with different PA. N-TCA groups

Development of N-F fluorinating agents and their fluorinations: Historical perspective

• Teruo Umemoto,
• Yuhao Yang and
• Gerald B. Hammond

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1752–1813, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.123

Methodologies for the synthesis of quaternary carbon centers via hydroalkylation of unactivated olefins: twenty years of advances

• Thiago S. Silva and
• Fernando Coelho

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1565–1590, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.112

• in Fe(III)-promoted hydroalkylation/cyclization cascades (Scheme 26A) [93]. Here, the carbocyclization occurred via a SN2 mechanism between the enolate intermediate and the tethered halide (Scheme 26B). Using arylidene diones 67 as radical acceptors, spiro compounds 69 were obtained in moderate to

Cascade intramolecular Prins/Friedel–Crafts cyclization for the synthesis of 4-aryltetralin-2-ols and 5-aryltetrahydro-5H-benzo[7]annulen-7-ols

• Jie Zheng,
• Shuyu Meng and
• Quanrui Wang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1481–1489, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.104

• 21 was obtained with full retention of the expected stereochemistry (cis/trans =1:99) (see Supporting Information File 1 for details). The conversion of tosylate 21 to product 22 proceeded in a typical SN2 manner resulting in the expected inversion of the configuration. To unequivocally support the

Microwave-assisted multicomponent reactions in heterocyclic chemistry and mechanistic aspects

• Shivani Gulati,
• Stephy Elza John and
• Nagula Shankaraiah

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 819–865, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.71

• with N,O-acetyl intermediate E, this may lead to the formation of a very hindered intermediate C via SN2 inversion of B and thus favors the involvement of pathway A rather than pathway B. Simultaneously, Li and co-workers [46] reported a three-component reaction for the synthesis of benzo[f]azulen-1

Synthesis of bis(aryloxy)fluoromethanes using a heterodihalocarbene strategy

• Carl Recsei and
• Yaniv Barda

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 813–818, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.70

• . An attempt to react dibromofluoromethane with n-pentanol in the presence of potassium hydroxide or sodium tert-butoxide did not produce di(n-pentoxy)fluoromethane at ambient temperature. Since elevated temperatures are typically required for the direct, SN2 attack upon dibromomethanes by alcohols or

CF₃-substituted carbocations: underexploited intermediates with great potential in modern synthetic chemistry

• Anthony J. Fernandes,
• Armen Panossian,
• Bastien Michelet,
• Agnès Martin-Mingot,
• Frédéric R. Leroux and
• Sébastien Thibaudeau

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 343–378, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.32

• process generating a carbenium ion in highly ionizing solvents (TFA, HFIP, etc.) for the tosylates derivatives, and with the concomitant formation of a contact ion pair 25fOTf favoring the SN2 process in less ionizing solvents (Figure 5c). Recent studies conducted by Moran et al. support the ionization

• be observed in the case of a displacement–elimination mechanism. Promising results were first obtained during investigations conducted on CF3-substituted derivatives in SN1- and SN2-mechanism-based reactions (Scheme 23). A profound retardation effect for the solvolysis of 81 in acetone–H2O (SN1) with

• kCH3/kCF3 = 5.4 × 105 was observed, while 85 promoted the Finkelstein reaction (SN2) about 11 times faster than 84 (kCH3/kCF3 = 8.9 × 10−2, Scheme 23). This is the result of a destabilized cationic intermediate in the first case and a stabilized negatively charged transition state in the second. When

The preparation and properties of 1,1-difluorocyclopropane derivatives

• Kymbat S. Adekenova,
• Peter B. Wyatt and
• Sergazy M. Adekenov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 245–272, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.25

• reaction, a cleavage of the proximal bond accompanied the nucleophilic ring opening. The authors concluded that reactions mediated by weak acids resulted in the cleavage of the distal bond. This occurred by an SN2 attack at the less hindered carbon of the cyclopropyl group. In contrast to this, reactions

• by nucleophiles. As is the case for the nucleophilic opening of epoxides, the regiochemistry of this process is often controlled very effectively by the combined steric and electronic effects of the substituents attached to the ring, with a spectrum of SN1 and SN2-like reactivity possible. Several

Recent progress in the synthesis of homotropane alkaloids adaline, euphococcinine and N-methyleuphococcinine

• Dimas J. P. Lima,
• Antonio E. G. Santana,
• Michael A. Birkett and
• Ricardo S. Porto

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 28–41, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.4

• developed by the authors conferred an excellent methodology to obtain the 9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane ring present in (±)-euphococcinine (2). Kibayashi synthesis – 2002 Kibayashi et al. performed the enantioselective synthesis of (−)-adaline (1). Their approach had as key steps SN2-type alkynylation

Dirhamnolipid ester – formation of reverse wormlike micelles in a binary (primerless) system

• David Liese,
• Hans Henning Wenk,
• Xin Lu,
• Jochen Kleinen and
• Gebhard Haberhauer

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 2820–2830, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.232

• chain length without the production of side products (Scheme 1). Under mild and basic conditions, with this SN2 reaction of the dirhamnolipid and any primary alkyl halide, the desired product was obtained with a high yield ranging from 70–85%. Also, a gemini-like structure 7 was synthesized. Solubility

Syntheses of spliceostatins and thailanstatins: a review

• William A. Donaldson

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1991–2006, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.166

• produced 46. The hydrozirconation of 46 with Schwartz’s reagent under equilibrating conditions, followed by the reaction with I2 gave the vinyl iodide 47. Finally, the activation of the C-14 hydroxy group and the SN2 displacement with azide gave the C-8–C-16 fragment 48. Ghosh relied on a reductive

Models of necessity

• Timothy Clark and
• Martin G. Hicks

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1649–1661, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.137

• instance, an MO picture of the SN2 reaction is attractive but less common than the compact and informative “curly arrow” picture. The Diels–Alder reaction or aromaticity, on the other hand, cannot really be treated adequately within the Lewis picture without resorting to the Dewar–Zimmerman rules [80][81

Recent synthesis of thietanes

• Jiaxi Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1357–1410, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.116

• strongly favored over the ring closure between the thiolate and the 2-position, since the SN2 displacement of a mesylate leaving group adjacent to the anomeric center is known to be restricted [50] (Scheme 20). The same group synthesized a thietane-fused gulopyranoside starting from methyl 4,6-O

• approach, the thietane ring was constructed more efficiently through a two-step displacement sequence from the D-xylose-derived dimesylate 114 (Scheme 24). The first step displacement involved the selective SN2 reaction of the primary mesylate with KSAc to yield a monothioacetate 115 in 80% yield. The

• second displacement was an intramolecular SN2 process performed under mild basic conditions, affording the desired thietane 116 in 92% yield. After deprotection, oxidative cleavage, and reduction, a thietanose 117 was obtained in 63% overall yield. The thietanose 117 was further applied to synthesize a

Recent advances in Cu-catalyzed C(sp³)–Si and C(sp³)–B bond formation

• Balaram S. Takale,
• Ruchita R. Thakore,
• Elham Etemadi-Davan and
• Bruce H. Lipshutz

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 691–737, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.67

• formations of enantioenriched α-substituted allylic boronates take place in high yields and site-selectivity (>98% SN2′) starting with either trans- or cis-disubstituted alkenes 313, as well as linear or branched alkyl and aryl trisubstituted allylic carbonates 314. The further oxidation of the boronated

KOt-Bu-promoted selective ring-opening N-alkylation of 2-oxazolines to access 2-aminoethyl acetates and N-substituted thiazolidinones

• Qiao Lin,
• Shiling Zhang and
• Bin Li

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 492–501, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.44

• epoxides as substrates via alternative synthetic procedures [6]. However, under acidic conditions, oxazolines transform into β-substituted carboxamides through nucleophilic ring opening with SN2 attack at the C5 position of the ring [7][8]. Recently, Guo’s group developed an efficient method for the

Copper-promoted/copper-catalyzed trifluoromethylselenolation reactions

• Clément Ghiazza and
• Anis Tlili

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 305–316, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.30

• were performed at temperatures between 40–45 °C. Interestingly, a tertiary α-bromoketone furnished the product in 66% yield, excluding an SN2 mechanism. However, it is worth mentioning that diazoacetates bearing pyridine motifs were not suitable to be used under these conditions. Following this, the

• , which is in line with an SN2 mechanism. The authors proposed a mechanism where difluorocarbene is first generated upon thermal decomposition of the starting difluorophosphobetaine. The carbene then reacts with elemental selenium to yield difluoroselenophosgene, and in the presence of fluoride anions

Microwave-assisted synthesis of 2-substituted 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-thiazepines from 4-aminobutanol

• María C. Mollo,
• Natalia B. Kilimciler,
• Juan A. Bisceglia and
• Liliana R. Orelli

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 32–38, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.5

• alcohols promoted by trimethylsilyl polyphosphate (PPSE) in solvent-free conditions allowed for the synthesis of several hitherto unreported seven-membered iminothioethers bearing 2-aryl, alkenyl, aralkyl and alkyl substituents. The cyclodehydration reaction is likely to involve an SN2-type displacement

• alcohols. In both cases, PPSE would activate the OH group for nucleophilic attack, and the plausible reaction mechanism would involve an intramolecular SN2-type displacement. However, the lower reactivity of the carboxamide oxygen (as an O-nucleophile), together with the comparatively high activation

• literature. The method involves as the key step the microwave-assisted ring closure of thioamido alcohols promoted by PPSE, presumably via an intramolecular SN2-type displacement of the PPSE-activated OH group. The precursors were easily prepared in a three-step sequence from 4-aminobutanol in high overall

Synthesis of novel sulfide-based cyclic peptidomimetic analogues to solonamides

• José Brango-Vanegas,
• Luan A. Martinho,
• Lucinda J. Bessa,
• Andreanne G. Vasconcelos,
• Alexandra Plácido,
• Alex L. Pereira,
• José R. S. A. Leite and
• Angelo H. L. Machado

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 2544–2551, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.247

• have been synthesized via solid-phase peptide synthesis and SN2’ reaction on a Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) residue introduced at the N-terminal of a tetrapeptide. This last step takes advantage of the electrophilic feature of the MBH residue and represents a new cyclization strategy occurring. The

• structurally related to these natural peptidomimetics has been used as a promising strategy for the attenuation of bacterial virulence in strains of S. aureus [12][13][14][15]. Herein, we report the synthesis of new sulfide-based cyclic peptidomimetics through the allylic nucleophilic substitution (SN2’) of

• , this is the first report on the participation of MBH residues as electrophilic sites to allow an SN2’-based macrocyclization of peptidomimetics [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. Two of these new compounds were able to interfere with the hemolytic activity of S. aureus, and

Recent advances in transition-metal-catalyzed incorporation of fluorine-containing groups

• Xiaowei Li,
• Xiaolin Shi,
• Xiangqian Li and
• Dayong Shi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 2213–2270, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.218

• that the allylic fluorination was achieved by an SN2-type attack of fluoride on an electrophilic Pd(II)-allyl intermediate. One year later, the same author extended this method to a highly regio- and enantioselective fluorination of acyclic allylic chlorides. Compared to the previous process, this

• phenanthroline derivative. This complex was applied to the SN2 fluorination of primary and secondary alkyl bromides, producing the corresponding alkyl fluorides in 40–90% yield (Scheme 26). In 2014, the group of Lalic [69] developed a mild fluorination of alkyl triflates with potassium fluoride catalyzed by a

Reactions of 2-carbonyl- and 2-hydroxy(or methoxy)alkyl-substituted benzimidazoles with arenes in the superacid CF₃SO₃H. NMR and DFT studies of dicationic electrophilic species

• Dmitry S. Ryabukhin,
• Alexey N. Turdakov,
• Natalia S. Soldatova,
• Mikhail O. Kompanets,
• Alexander Yu. Ivanov,
• Irina A. Boyarskaya and
• Aleksander V. Vasilyev

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1962–1973, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.191

• also transformed into compound 10 by reaction with arenes in TfOH (see Scheme 2 and the corresponding discussion). Hydroxy(or methoxy)alkyl-substituted benzimidazoles 3–8 form cations III', V', VII', and VIII', respectively. These species react with arenes, the most probably, in SN2 way to give

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of immunostimulating mannosylated desmuramyl peptides

• Rosana Ribić,
• Ranko Stojković,
• Lidija Milković,
• Mariastefania Antica,
• Marko Cigler and
• Srđanka Tomić

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1805–1814, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.174

• peracetylated mannose 8 was performed using the mild acidic catalyst, zinc acetate hydrate [33]. The reaction progress was monitored by thin-layer chromatography. Within the first 20 hours compound 9 was the only product and further progress resulted in gradual removal of the remaining acetate groups. The SN2

N-(1-Phenylethyl)aziridine-2-carboxylate esters in the synthesis of biologically relevant compounds

• Iwona E. Głowacka,
• Aleksandra Trocha,
• Andrzej E. Wróblewski and
• Dorota G. Piotrowska

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1722–1757, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.168

• -hydroxypropyl fragment which could also be derived from the aziridine amide (2R,1'S)-8 (Scheme 28) [19]. N-Boc-protected amine (2S,1'S)-108 was converted to a key 1,3-oxazolidin-2-one (5S,1'S)-109 by trifluoroborate-catalyzed regioselective and stereospecific (SN2 displacement) cyclization. N-Arylation and