Recent advances in synthetic approaches for bioactive cinnamic acid derivatives

• Betty A. Kustiana,
• Galuh Widiyarti and
• Teni Ernawati

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1031–1086, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.85

• -cinnamic acid esters 383–385 and amides 386 and 387 via zwitterionic allene species 389 (Scheme 83B) [142]. 3.1.2 Ylide reactions: The construction of double bond ylide reactions (e.g. Wittig and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reactions) is one of the most reliable and stereoselective methods. Several

Recent advances in controllable/divergent synthesis

• Jilei Cao,
• Leiyang Bai and
• Xuefeng Jiang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 890–914, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.73

• utilizing in situ-generated π-allylpalladium complexes to capture strained cyclic allene intermediates (Scheme 4) [22]. By modulating the ligands in the reaction system, two distinct polycyclic scaffolds, 13 or 14, could be synthesized with high selectivity. Mechanistically, the Pd(0) catalyst coordinates

• to substrate 11, followed by oxidative addition and release of carbon dioxide to form the zwitterionic π-allylpalladium intermediate Int-21. Under the reaction conditions, silyl triflate 12 undergoes a fluoride-mediated 1,2-elimination to generate the cyclic allene intermediate Int-22. Through a

Regioselective formal hydrocyanation of allenes: synthesis of β,γ-unsaturated nitriles with α-all-carbon quaternary centers

• Seeun Lim,
• Teresa Kim and
• Yunmi Lee

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 800–806, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.63

• ]. The limited investigation of allene hydrocyanation can be attributed to the significant challenges posed by the two orthogonal π-systems in allenes. These challenges include achieving high regioselectivity and controlling (E)/(Z)-stereoselectivity, as 1,2-addition processes to allenes can generate up

• for the in situ generation of hydrogen cyanide (Scheme 1a). This method achieved high regioselectivity and enantioselectivity, highlighting the potential of allene hydrocyanation for the synthesis of complex nitrile-containing products. In another approach, the Minakata group used electrophilic

• its synthetic utility and potential applicability in complex molecule synthesis. Results and Discussion We began by optimizing the hydrocyanation of allene 1a using DIBAL-H as the hydride source and p-toluenesulfonyl cyanide as the cyanating reagent (Scheme 2). Under previously established conditions

Recent advances in organocatalytic atroposelective reactions

• Henrich Szabados and
• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 55–121, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.6

• ring in 159. Based on these findings, a potential reaction pathway was proposed. It starts with a chiral phosphoric acid-supported dehydration of 160 and reaction with the favored configuration of bisindoles 159 to form an allene intermediate Int-38. Proton transfer and subsequent intramolecular

• . The proposed reaction pathway follows hydrogen bonding with alkynylnaphthylamine and later nucleophilic addition of the allene intermediate. The synthesis on the preparative scale provided product 183 with almost no deterioration in yield or enantioselectivity (90%, 91% ee). This product could then be

• catalyst C43 leads to allene intermediate Int-41. The enantiospecific intramolecular enamine–aldol cyclization and further dehydration provide the enantioenriched heterobiaryl product 189. The 5-endo-dig-cyclization reaction of N-pyrroloalkynylanilines 190 catalyzed by SPINOL-derived CPA C44 was utilized

Enantioselective regiospecific addition of propargyltrichlorosilane to aldehydes catalyzed by biisoquinoline N,N’-dioxide

• Noble Brako,
• Sreerag Moorkkannur Narayanan,
• Amber Burns,
• Layla Auter,
• Valentino Cesiliano,
• Rajeev Prabhakar and
• Norito Takenaka

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3069–3076, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.255

• ; Introduction Enantioenriched α-allenic alcohols are an important class of chiral building blocks used for the chemical synthesis of biologically relevant molecules [1][2][3][4][5]. Their strength comes from the rich synthetic versatility [6][7][8][9] and biological relevance [10] of the allene functionality

Advances in radical peroxidation with hydroperoxides

• Oleg V. Bityukov,
• Pavel Yu. Serdyuchenko,
• Andrey S. Kirillov,
• Gennady I. Nikishin,
• Vera A. Vil’ and
• Alexander O. Terent’ev

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2959–3006, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.249

• ), abstracts hydrogen atom from silyl allene 122 to form the C-centered propargylic radical B. Fe(III) oxidizes radical B to carbocation C which reacts with Fe(III)OO-t-Bu complex D to yield the target peroxide 123. Cyclopropanols 124 [101] and their derivatives 128 [102] were used as a source of alkyl moiety

Copper-catalyzed yne-allylic substitutions: concept and recent developments

• Shuang Yang and
• Xinqiang Fang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2739–2775, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.232

• the formation of allene is very fast. It is speculated that in the formation of allene the copper catalyst still plays a key role in activating the alkyne unit (Scheme 35). Han and Huang et al. [76] also achieved the yne-allylic substitution and Conia-ene cyclization process using vinyl

Synthesis of fluoroalkenes and fluoroenynes via cross-coupling reactions using novel multihalogenated vinyl ethers

• Yukiko Karuo,
• Keita Hirata,
• Atsushi Tarui,
• Kazuyuki Sato,
• Kentaro Kawai and
• Masaaki Omote

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2691–2703, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.226

• fluoroalkenes could be synthesized by applying other cross-couplings to 2. In addition, enynes 3 could be converted into derivatives, such as fluorine-containing alkynylalcohols [47], allene compounds [48][49][50], and heterocycles [51][52]. However, further experiments are required to expand the abilities of 2

Catalysing (organo-)catalysis: Trends in the application of machine learning to enantioselective organocatalysis

• Stefan P. Schmid,
• Leon Schlosser,
• Frank Glorius and
• Kjell Jorner

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2280–2304, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.196

The Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé reaction in its maturity: innovation and improvements since its 21st birthday (2019–2023)

• Cristina Martini,
• Muhammad Idham Darussalam Mardjan and
• Andrea Basso

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1839–1879, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.162

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

• process, the carbonyl group at C-17 was stereoselectively attacked by α-lithio-α-methoxyallene at −78 °C to produce allene 25. A further cyclization reaction was induced by potassium tert-butoxide in the presence of catalytic dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6. The final 17-spirodihydro-(2H)-furan-3-one 27 was

Synthetic applications of the Cannizzaro reaction

• Bhaskar Chatterjee,
• Dhananjoy Mondal and
• Smritilekha Bera

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1376–1395, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.120

• exchange and transmetalation to the organocuprate 83. The latter undergoes an SN2’ addition to the propargyl chloride 84 and the resulting allene intermediate 85 undergoes an intramolecular Cannizzaro-type hydride transfer via 86 to produce the 8-membered cyclized target 87 in good yield (70%) (Scheme 24

SOMOphilic alkyne vs radical-polar crossover approaches: The full story of the azido-alkynylation of alkenes

• Julien Borrel and
• Jerome Waser

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 701–713, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.64

• diasteroisomer was determined to be trans. Diyne 4l could be accessed in 44% yield from the exclusive 1,2-functionalization of the corresponding ene-yne. Crude NMR of the reaction did not show the presence of an allene product which could have been formed by a 1,4-functionalization. Enol ether could also be

Palladium-catalyzed three-component radical-polar crossover carboamination of 1,3-dienes or allenes with diazo esters and amines

• Geng-Xin Liu,
• Xiao-Ting Jie,
• Ge-Jun Niu,
• Li-Sheng Yang,
• Xing-Lin Li,
• Jian Luo and
• Wen-Hao Hu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 661–671, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.59

• alkylpalladium radical with the release of dinitrogen. The radical intermediate selectively adds to the double bond of a 1,3-diene or allene, followed by the allylpalladium radical-polar crossover path and selective allylic substitution with the amine substrate, thereby leading to a single unsaturated γ- or ε

• modification of pharmaceutical scaffolds. Naturally, we were eager to acquire detailed mechanistic insights into this protocol. To validate the radical nature of this transformation, both model reactions of 1,3-diene 2a and allene 5a were terminated completely with 2.5 equiv 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxyl

• subsequent attack of amine 3 at the latter stage would afford the unsaturated ε-AA derivative 4 and regenerates the Pd(0)Ln to close the catalytic cycle. Different from the reactive site of 1,3-diene, the hybrid alkylPd radical I selectively adds to the central position of the allenyl group of allene 5a

Ligand effects, solvent cooperation, and large kinetic solvent deuterium isotope effects in gold(I)-catalyzed intramolecular alkene hydroamination

• Ruichen Lan,
• Brock Yager,
• Yoonsun Jee,
• Cynthia S. Day and
• Amanda C. Jones

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 479–496, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.43

• Since the seminal 1998 report by Teles et al. on the gold(I)-catalyzed addition of alcohols to alkynes [1], a multitude of gold-catalyzed reactions have been reported. Great successes in mechanistic analysis and synthetic methods have been achieved for allene and alkyne activation, while the activation

• competing Brønsted acid catalysis in gold-catalyzed alkene functionalization remains a consideration [2], and while it is assumed that alkene activations follow the same prototypical mechanisms as allene and alkyne activations, that is (1) π-activation with nucleophilic attack followed by (2

• intermediates (expected from allene/alkyne addition) are more reactive than the C(sp3)-alkylgold intermediates expected from alkene addition [29]. Another study demonstrated the inefficiency of protodeauration in the presence of (albeit more basic) alkylamines [30]. These studies cast doubt on protodeauration

(E,Z)-1,1,1,4,4,4-Hexafluorobut-2-enes: hydrofluoroolefins halogenation/dehydrohalogenation cascade to reach new fluorinated allene

• Nataliia V. Kirij,
• Andrey A. Filatov,
• Yurii L. Yagupolskii,
• Sheng Peng and
• Lee Sprague

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 452–459, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.40

• -1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobut-2-enes have been investigated. A simple, one-pot procedure for the preparation of a new allene (1,1,4,4,4-pentafluorobuta-1,2-diene) and some of its transformations is presented. Keywords: allenes; dehydrohalogenation; halogenation; 1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobut-2-enes; isomerization

• 11 had an allene structure. It was also important to note that the reaction proceeded more selectively in ether, which significantly reduced the amount of byproducts. Pure final alcohol 10 was isolated by column chromatography on SiO2 in 46% yield and 1H, 19F and 13C NMR spectra were in full

• aldehyde 9, elimination of MgBrF results in the formation of allene 11. To confirm our hypothesis, we studied the reaction of haloolefins 3 and 7 with iPrMgCl and BuLi. Thus, olefin 3a in Et2O reacted with iPrMgCl solution in THF at −80 °C to form Grignard reagent 12 and by heating the reaction mixture to

Perspectives on push–pull chromophores derived from click-type [2 + 2] cycloaddition–retroelectrocyclization reactions of electron-rich alkynes and electron-deficient alkenes

• Michio Yamada

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 125–154, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.13

• congestion. In previous studies, chiral induction in TCBD structures was accomplished by introducing chiral allene (51) [124][125] or binaphthyl (52 and 53) [126][127] moieties, as shown in Figure 1. These molecules exhibited Cotton effects related to ICT absorptions, and chiral induction in TCBD moieties

N-Sulfenylsuccinimide/phthalimide: an alternative sulfenylating reagent in organic transformations

• Fatemeh Doraghi,
• Seyedeh Pegah Aledavoud,
• Mehdi Ghanbarlou,
• Bagher Larijani and
• Mohammad Mahdavi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1471–1502, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.106

• sulfide molecules 137 (Scheme 58) [90]. The Lewis basicity nature of PhSePh as a catalyst and the presence of Lewis acid TMSOTf improved the chemical yields. It is interesting to note that the reaction carried out at a lower temperature because of the high reactivity of allene 136. When the reaction was

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

Pyridine C(sp²)–H bond functionalization under transition-metal and rare earth metal catalysis

• Haritha Sindhe,
• Malladi Mounika Reddy,
• Karthikeyan Rajkumar,
• Akshay Kamble,
• Amardeep Singh,
• Anand Kumar and
• Satyasheel Sharma

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 820–863, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.62

• optimized conditions in hand, diverse 2-arylated pyridines were screened resulting in the corresponding products 74 in good yields. Allene, a cumulated diene and an important building block in organic synthesis has versatile biological properties and is also an important subunit in various natural products

• ). The half-sandwich scandium complex 76 along with the tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate and pyridine forms a cationic Sc-pyridyl complex 78, which after addition of allene 75, forms a transient pentacyclic intermediate 80 via intermediate 79. Next, another molecule of pyridine adds to intermediate 80

Transition-metal-catalyzed domino reactions of strained bicyclic alkenes

• Austin Pounder,
• Eric Neufeld,
• Peter Myler and
• William Tam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 487–540, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.38

• would afford the [2 + 2] adduct. Hydroruthenation of the allene produces 103 which can either undergo reductive elimination to afford the cyclopropanated bicyclic alkene or undergo a [2 + 2] cycloreversion to generate the Ru–carbene 104. The Ru–carbene 104 can rearrange to 100 through a 1,3-migration of

Group 13 exchange and transborylation in catalysis

• Dominic R. Willcox and
• Stephen P. Thomas

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 325–348, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.28

• of allenes, using various boronates as the terminal reductant (Scheme 5) [68]. Experimental and computational studies suggested the reaction proceeded by hydroboration of the allene 14 by bis(pentafluorophenyl)borane to give an allylborane 15, which underwent allylation of a second equivalent of the

• allene 14, giving a boryl diene 16. A Cope rearrangement of the boryl diene 16 followed by transborylation gave the dienyl boronic ester 18 and regenerated the catalyst (Scheme 5). Chang reported the alkoxide-promoted hydroboration of N-heteroarenes with HBpin, the first explicit example of a B‒N/B‒H

• isotopic labelling and proposed to proceed by hydroboration of the allene 62 by the borane catalyst (H-B-9-BBN or 10-phenyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.2]decane [Ph-BBD]) followed by rapid isomerisation from the (Z)-63 to (E)-allylborane 64 which underwent allylation of the ketone 65 to give an allylic borinic ester

Strategies to access the [5-8] bicyclic core encountered in the sesquiterpene, diterpene and sesterterpene series

• Cécile Alleman,
• Charlène Gadais,
• Laurent Legentil and
• François-Hugues Porée

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 245–281, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.23

• allowed the functionalization for each natural product. Their general method consisted in using an intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction catalyzed by a rhodium complex from an allene-yne substrate to build the eight-membered ring, which was quite challenging. Starting from commercial (R)-limonene (51), Li

• and co-workers synthesized allene-yne intermediate 182 (Scheme 36) in 7 steps, with a 16% overall yield. To access the allene moiety 182, they first tried addition of propadienyllithium to aldehyde 180, but they obtained a complex mixture of allenic alcohol and homopropargylic alcohol. Then, they were

• internal position of the allene (51%). In the same conditions, an excellent yield (86%) was obtained for the synthesis of a precursor of schindilactone

Enantioselective total synthesis of putative dihydrorosefuran, a monoterpene with an unique 2,5-dihydrofuran structure

• Irene Torres-García,
• Josefa L. López-Martínez,
• Rocío López-Domene,
• Manuel Muñoz-Dorado,
• Ignacio Rodríguez-García and
• Miriam Álvarez-Corral

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1264–1269, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.132

• of the hydroxy group to the terminal double bond of the allene in compound 3. Another key step is the Ti(III)-mediated straightforward synthesis of this α-hydroxyallene, which could be achieved through a regioselective Barbier-type coupling of a propargylic halide (1-bromo-2-butyne) with the aldehyde

• some contamination of the product with lactone 5 can arise at low pH values, which goes in detriment of the yield. The 2,5-dihydrofuran ring in target compound 1 was obtained through a Ag(I)-mediated intramolecular addition of the hydroxy to the allene group, a process that transformed allene 3 into

Recent advances in the asymmetric phosphoric acid-catalyzed synthesis of axially chiral compounds

• Alemayehu Gashaw Woldegiorgis and
• Xufeng Lin

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2729–2764, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.185

• -yl)methanols 87 as electrophile and 2-naphthols 88 or phenols 90 as nucleophile (Scheme 29) [45]. The (3-alkynylindol-2-yl)methanol 87 is expected to convert to the allene-iminium intermediate I-24 by accepting a proton from CPA 14. Then, the CPA anion activates the nucleophilic addition between 2

• -naphthol (88) and allene-iminium intermediate I-24 to form axially chiral I-25, followed by rearomatization of the naphthol ring of I-25 and isomerization to I-26. Thereafter, CPA forms two hydrogen bonds with the two OH groups of I-26 to generate a carbocation and facilitates an intramolecular

• regio- and stereoselective γ-addition reaction of isoxazol-5(4H)-ones 103 to β,γ-alkynyl-α-imino esters 102 for the synthesis of axially chiral tetrasubstituted α-amino allenoates 104 containing an adjacent quaternary carbon stereocenter and an axially chiral tetrasubstituted allene scaffold [104