Synthesis of chiral cyclohexane-linked bisimidazolines

• Changmeng Xi,
• Qingshan Sun and
• Jiaxi Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1786–1790, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.140

• transition states can be regulated depending upon the structures of substrates, achieving excellent stereoselectivities among various substrates in the catalytic asymmetric aziridination of α,β-unsaturated ketones [21]. The steric effect of cHBOX ligands can be changed easily by the use of different chiral

New advances in asymmetric organocatalysis II

• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 766–769, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.60

• describes the enantioselective Michael addition of pyrazoline-5-ones to α,β-unsaturated ketones. The enantioselectivity and chemical efficiency of this transformation were achieved with a cinchona-alkaloid-derived primary-amine–Brønsted acid composite [22]. A good demonstration of how organocatalysis

gem-Difluorovinyl and trifluorovinyl Michael acceptors in the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated fluorinated and nonfluorinated amides

• Monika Bilska-Markowska,
• Marcin Kaźmierczak,
• Wojciech Jankowski and
• Marcin Hoffmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2946–2953, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.247

• of 1-fluorobis(phenylsulfonyl)methane (FBSM) to α,β-unsaturated ketones with cinchona alkaloids [9]. Fluorinated Michael acceptors usually contain one fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group in the structure [10][11][12]. There are also known examples of gem-difluoroalkenes being used as Michael

Facile preparation of fluorine-containing 2,3-epoxypropanoates and their epoxy ring-opening reactions with various nucleophiles

• Yutaro Miyashita,
• Sae Someya,
• Tomoko Kawasaki-Takasuka,
• Tomohiro Agou and
• Takashi Yamazaki

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2421–2433, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.206

• usefulness for the epoxidation of the β-CF3-α,β-unsaturated ketones [40], we applied this method at first for the epoxidation of 1b. However, contrary to our anticipation, only a total recovery of the substrate was observed, and further search for an oxidant reached the usage of a NaClO aqueous solution with

Selective hydrolysis of α-oxo ketene N,S-acetals in water: switchable aqueous synthesis of β-keto thioesters and β-keto amides

• Haifeng Yu,
• Wanting Zhang,
• Xuejing Cui,
• Zida Liu,
• Xifu Zhang and
• Xiaobo Zhao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2225–2233, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.190

• ketene dithioacetals [67] or β-ethylthio-β-indolyl-substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones [68], the cyclocondensation reaction of β-ethylthio-β-indolyl-substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones with hydrazines/hydroxylamine [69][70][71] and the tandem [5C + 1C/1N]-cycloaromatization of α-alkenoyl ketene

Heterocycle-guided synthesis of m-hetarylanilines via three-component benzannulation

• Andrey R. Galeev,
• Maksim V. Dmitriev,
• Alexander S. Novikov and
• Andrey N. Maslivets

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2208–2216, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.188

• ) substituent in the meta-position [38][39][40][41][42][43]. For example, several methods based on the Michael condensation–oxidation sequence starting from α,β-unsaturated ketones have been described (Scheme 1B) [44][45][46][47][48][49][50]. Recently, several methods have been developed based on the

Multicomponent syntheses of pyrazoles via (3 + 2)-cyclocondensation and (3 + 2)-cycloaddition key steps

• Ignaz Betcke,
• Alissa C. Götzinger,
• Maryna M. Kornet and
• Thomas J. J. Müller

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2024–2077, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.178

• were overcome by the addition–cyclocondensation of α,β-unsaturated ketones. Embedding 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions into a one-pot process has additionally been developed for concise syntheses of pyrazoles. The MCR strategy also allows for concatenating classical condensation-based methodology with modern

• phosphane ligands is crucial for the selectivity in this reaction. Suzuki coupling can also serve for the functionalization of iodochromones 55, which, as α,β-unsaturated ketones, undergo ring opening under the reaction conditions, followed by Michael addition–cyclocondensation. Xie et al. devised a method

• hindrances. α,β-Unsaturated ketones embedded and tethered in chromene systems 58 were successfully employed in a pseudo-five-component reaction with hydrazine in boiling acetic acid to give the corresponding 4-acylpyrazolinylpyrazoles 59 (Scheme 17) [76]. The Michael addition–cyclocondensation of the α,β

Syntheses and medicinal chemistry of spiro heterocyclic steroids

• Laura L. Romero-Hernández,
• Ana Isabel Ahuja-Casarín,
• Penélope Merino-Montiel,
• Sara Montiel-Smith,
• José Luis Vega-Báez and
• Jesús Sandoval-Ramírez

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1713–1745, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.152

• starting material (35%). 16-Spiropyrazoline steroids In 2009 Mernyák et al. described the synthesis of 16-spiropyrazolines from 16-methylene-13α-estrone derivatives via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between the methylene of α,β-unsaturated ketones 53a,b and the ylide produced from the

• stereocenter C-3 was not provided. The same research group later reported a method for synthesizing steroidal spiro 1,3-thiazolidin-4-one derivatives in a two-step process starting from α,β-unsaturated ketones [48]. Initially, steroidal iminophenyl compounds 85 were synthesized in yields ranging from 70% to 75

Primary amine-catalyzed enantioselective 1,4-Michael addition reaction of pyrazolin-5-ones to α,β-unsaturated ketones

• Pooja Goyal,
• Akhil K. Dubey,
• Raghunath Chowdhury and
• Amey Wadawale

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1518–1526, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.136

• 10.3762/bjoc.20.136 Abstract The enantioselective 1,4-addition reaction of pyrazolin-5-ones to α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by a cinchona alkaloid-derived primary amine–Brønsted acid composite is reported. Both enantiomers of the anticipated pyrazole derivatives were obtained in good to excellent

• yields (up to 97%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 98.5% ee) under mild reaction conditions. In addition, this protocol was further expanded to synthesize highly enantioenriched hybrid molecules bearing biologically relevant heterocycles. Keywords: α,β-unsaturated ketones; iminium catalysis

• [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. Among the developed organocatalyzed enantioselective 1,4-addition reactions of pyrazolin-5-ones, the catalytic asymmetric reactions of pyrazolin-5-ones with α,β-unsaturated ketones are comparatively less studied. In 2009, Zhao’s group were the first

Oxidative hydrolysis of aliphatic bromoalkenes: scope study and reactivity insights

• Amol P. Jadhav and
• Claude Y. Legault

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1286–1291, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.111

• for the synthesis of dialkyl bromoketones would result in a mixture of regioisomers given the presence of enolizable protons on each side of the ketone (Scheme 1b). Recently Toy et al. have disclosed the selective synthesis of unsymmetrical α-haloketones by reductive halogenation of an α,β-unsaturated

• ketones using external halide source [30]. We envisioned that dialkyl bromoalkenes 1 could be used as enol analogs with an improvement in reaction conditions in the presence of I(III) reagents to directly get both symmetrical and unsymmetrical dialkyl bromoketones 2 (Scheme 1c). Recent methods have been

Manganese-catalyzed C–C and C–N bond formation with alcohols via borrowing hydrogen or hydrogen auto-transfer

• Mohd Farhan Ansari,
• Atul Kumar Maurya,
• Abhishek Kumar and
• Saravanakumar Elangovan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1111–1166, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.98

• of t-BuOK (1.5 equiv) at 125 °C for 18 h (Scheme 28B). The proposed mechanism suggested the formation of α,β-unsaturated ketones as the intermediates, similar to the previous report [58] and the selective hydrogenation of the C=C bond was the last step. In 2018, Banerjee’s group developed the

• ). The reaction proceeded via the dehydrogenation of the alcohol, aldol condensation, and hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated ketones. In 2019, Leitner and his group introduced an outstanding cascade BH approach for the synthesis of various substituted cycloalkanes by coupling diols and secondary alcohols

Carbonylative synthesis and functionalization of indoles

• Alex De Salvo,
• Raffaella Mancuso and
• Xiao-Feng Wu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 973–1000, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.87

• of indoles/CO/alkynes (alkynylcarboxylates) towards linear α,β-unsaturated ketones [72]. The reactions occurred in the presence of Pd(CH3CN)4(BF4)2/Xantphos as catalyst system under 20.7 bar of CO at 105 °C in THF. After 15 h, each reaction led selectively to the desired products (Scheme 40). More

Mechanisms for radical reactions initiating from N-hydroxyphthalimide esters

• Carlos R. Azpilcueta-Nicolas and
• Jean-Philip Lumb

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 346–378, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.35

• type addition reactions (Scheme 4A). In 1991, Okada and co-workers reported the addition of alkyl radicals to α,β-unsaturated ketones, by subjecting NHPI esters to visible-light irradiation in the presence of the photocatalyst [Ru(bpy)3]Cl2 and the reductant 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (BNAH) [37

Application of N-heterocyclic carbene–Cu(I) complexes as catalysts in organic synthesis: a review

• Nosheen Beig,
• Varsha Goyal and
• Raj K. Bansal

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1408–1442, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.102

• similar approach, Sawamura, Ohmiya and co-worker [62] accomplished the enantioselective conjugate addition of alkylboranes to α,β-unsaturated ketones in the presence of NHC–Cu(I) catalyst generated in situ from a chiral imidazolium salt and PhOK. A variety of functional groups are tolerated in the

Non-noble metal-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenation coupling (CDC) involving ether α-C(sp³)–H to construct C–C bonds

• Hui Yu and
• Feng Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1259–1288, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.94

• -catalyzed CDC reaction of N-methylaniline with ethers. Fe-catalyzed CDC of C(sp3)–H/C(sp3)–H bonds. Fe-catalyzed hydroalkylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones with ethers. Solvent-free Fe(NO3)3-catalyzed CDC of C(sp3)–H/C(sp2)–H bonds. Alkylation of disulfide compounds to afford tetrasubstituted alkenes. Fe

• method allows the efficient alkylation of aromatic rings, can directly afford pharmaceutically significant heterocycles, and the raw materials and iron catalysts are safe and readily available. In 2017, Xu, Loh, and co-workers, demonstrated an iron-catalyzed hydroalkylation reaction of α,β-unsaturated

• ketones 94 with ethers [81]. Contrary to what was obtained for the alkylation of coumarin at the carbonyl α-position, vinyl ketone undergoes Michael addition and ether addition at the β-position of the carbonyl (Scheme 20). The reaction delivered various alkylation products in good to excellent yields

Enolates ambushed – asymmetric tandem conjugate addition and subsequent enolate trapping with conventional and less traditional electrophiles

• Péter Kisszékelyi and
• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 593–634, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.44

• stereoselective methodologies have been published that demonstrate the Cu- or Ni-catalyzed conjugate addition of organozincs to α,β-unsaturated ketones 14 followed by the reaction of the metal enolate with a nitroolefin (20) (Table 1) [30][31][32][33]. These reactions were facilitated by different ligand families

• nucleophile (R3Zn−) to the ketone with moderate yields but still good stereoselectivities (Scheme 9B). In 2018, Wang and co-workers extended the group of applicable electrophiles for the zinc enolate-based tandem reactions. Following the conjugate addition of Et2Zn to acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones 41, they

• sequence, were isolated in moderate to good yields and with high enantiopurities. Continuing with other Rh-based catalysts, the group of Lautens has also studied the stereoselective conjugate addition of alkynyl species to α,β-unsaturated ketones with subsequent trapping of the metal enolate by aldol

Oxa-Michael-initiated cascade reactions of levoglucosenone

• Julian Klepp,
• Thomas Bousfield,
• Hugh Cummins,
• Sarah V. A.-M. Legendre,
• Jason E. Camp and
• Ben W. Greatrex

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1457–1462, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.151

• , United Kingdom 10.3762/bjoc.18.151 Abstract The reactions of aromatic aldehydes and levoglucosenone promoted by methoxide gives bridged α,β-unsaturated ketones, formed by a series of oxa-Michael-initiated cascade reactions in yields of up to 91% (14 examples). A complex series of equilibria operate

• unreported mode of reaction between α,β-unsaturated ketones and aromatic aldehydes promoted by base. Results and Discussion The reactions of 1 with aromatic aldehydes and sodium methoxide in methanol were investigated at ambient and elevated temperatures (Table 1). In the reaction of benzaldehyde and 1 at 60

• bridged α,β-unsaturated ketones; however, these reactions do not involve initiation by an oxa-Michael addition [23][24]. The reaction between 1 and aromatic ketones under basic conditions is analogous to the well-known aldol/Michael cascade reaction observed between aldehydes and enolates giving di- and

Tosylhydrazine-promoted self-conjugate reduction–Michael/aldol reaction of 3-phenacylideneoxindoles towards dispirocyclopentanebisoxindole derivatives

• Sayan Pramanik and
• Chhanda Mukhopadhyay

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 469–478, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.49

• generation of new cascade reactions to construct carbo- and heterocyclic moieties [27][28], we aimed to synthesize dispirocyclopentanebisoxindoles in one pot operation using a new protocol. Chemical hydrogenation of double bonded compounds like α,β-unsaturated ketones, approaching to saturated ketones, is an

• important functional group transformation for the synthesis of heterocyclic and carbocyclic building blocks and reactive intermediates. Besides the use of various reducing agents, it is observed that tosylhydrazine develops the transition-metal-free and highly chemoselective conjugate reduction of α,β

• -unsaturated ketones [29]. Using this method, we developed the in situ reduction of 3-phenacylideneoxindoles by tosylhydrazine and sequential Micheal addition/cyclization with another molecule of 3-phenacylideneoxindole towards bisspirocyclopentenebisoxindole derivatives. Although Shanthi et al. [30] reported

Recent advances in organocatalytic asymmetric aza-Michael reactions of amines and amides

• Pratibha Sharma,
• Raakhi Gupta and
• Raj K. Bansal

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2585–2610, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.173

• al. reported cinchona-based primary amine catalyzed cascade aza-Michael-aldol reaction of α,β-unsaturated ketones 6 with 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-2-oxoacetates 5 where triphenylacetic acid was used as an additive. This cascade reaction afforded highly functionalized chiral pyrrolizines 8 in good yields (70

• aza-Michael addition of 4-nitrophthalimide (17) with α,β-unsaturated ketones 18 using 9-epi-9-amino-9-deoxyquinine 19 as the catalyst, the corresponding Michael adducts being obtained in moderate to good yields (49–98%) with excellent ee (95–99%) (Table 4) [32]. Jakkampudi et al. [33] adopted a

• -nitroamines 96 in good yields (65–85%), but with only a moderate level of ee (19–70%) (Table 21) [60]. Feng et al. accomplished an asymmetric intramolecular aza-Michael addition of activated α,β-unsaturated ketones 97 by using chiral N-triflylphosphoramide as catalyst (cat. 98). The products, namely 2-aryl

Asymmetric organocatalyzed synthesis of coumarin derivatives

• Natália M. Moreira,
• Lorena S. R. Martelli and
• Arlene G. Corrêa

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1952–1980, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.128

• was synthesized by Kumagai et al. and applied in the Michael addition of 4-hydroxycoumarin 1 with α,β-unsaturated ketones 2 [42]. This chiral primary amino amide organocatalyst 32 afforded the desired products 3, including warfarin (3a) in 86% yield, although in moderate enantioselectivity (up to 56

• Scheme 30. An asymmetric Michael addition of 4-hydroxycoumarin (1) to α,β-unsaturated ketones 2 promoted by chiral primary amine thiourea bifunctional catalyst 97 was reported by Mei et al. [66]. Using the optimized conditions, a series of Michael adducts 3 were obtained in excellent yields (up to 97

• -hydroxycoumarin 1 with α,β-unsaturated ketones 2 catalyzed by a chiral primary amino amide 32. Catalytic asymmetric β-C–H functionalization of ketones via enamine oxidation. Enantioselective synthesis of polycyclic coumarin derivatives 37 catalyzed by an primary amine-imine catalyst 38. Allylic alkylation

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

• cascade aza-Michael addition/olefin hydroalkylation reaction between N-tosylallylamines and α,β-unsaturated ketones using a catalytic system of a gold(I) complex and a silver salt [45]. The spiro compound 25, which was obtained in moderate yield and with poor diastereoselectivity after a 20 h reaction

A comprehensive review of flow chemistry techniques tailored to the flavours and fragrances industries

• Guido Gambacorta,
• James S. Sharley and
• Ian R. Baxendale

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1181–1312, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.90

The synthesis of chiral β-naphthyl-β-sulfanyl ketones via enantioselective sulfa-Michael reaction in the presence of a bifunctional cinchona/sulfonamide organocatalyst

• Deniz Tözendemir and
• Cihangir Tanyeli

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 494–503, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.43

• synthetic organic chemistry [22]. Thus, the SMA with thiols and α,β-unsaturated ketones are generally carried out at low temperatures and with high catalyst loading [23][24][25][26]. The studies that employ mild conditions and low catalyst loading use thiophenol derivatives or simple alkylthiols as

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

• -additions of cuprates derived from a silyllithium [47] to α,β-unsaturated ketones [48]. There was no effort made at that time to convert these reactions to the corresponding catalytic processes, rather, the accent was more towards using the silyl group introduced as a hydroxy group equivalent [49][50][51

• silane, 1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-1,2-diphenyldisilane, also commercially available, can be used for nucleophilic additions to α,β-unsaturated ketones. Thus, by cleaving the Si–Si bond in the presence of a Cu(I) salt, an active [Cu–Si] species is generated leading to β-silylated ketones [54]. More than a

• coordination of (t-Bu)3P to CuCl is far greater than that with the diboron species, which results in an enhancement of the catalytic activity (Scheme 65) [128]. The one-pot borylation/protodeboronation of α,β-unsaturated ketones 405 in the presence of CuBr, B2pin2 and H2O as the hydrogen source was developed

Recent advances in photocatalyzed reactions using well-defined copper(I) complexes

• Mingbing Zhong,
• Xavier Pannecoucke,
• Philippe Jubault and
• Thomas Poisson

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 451–481, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.42

• chlorides [20]. This ATRA reaction was carried out with various fluoroalkylsulfonyl chlorides, such as CFH2SO2Cl, CF2HSO2Cl, CF3SO2Cl, CF3CH2SO2Cl, and C4F9SO2Cl, electron-deficient alkenes, including α,β-unsaturated ketones, amides, esters, carboxylic acids, sulfones, and phosphonates (Scheme 4). In