Pd-Catalyzed asymmetric allylic amination with isatin using a P,olefin-type chiral ligand with C–N bond axial chirality

• Natsume Akimoto,
• Kaho Takaya,
• Yoshio Kasashima,
• Kohei Watanabe,
• Yasushi Yoshida and
• Takashi Mino

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1018–1023, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.83

• synthesis of spirocyclic compounds [1][2][3]. The nucleophilicity of isatin at the nitrogen atom allows it to participate in reactions such as alkylation [4], arylation [5], and aza-Michael addition [6][7][8]. However, the products obtained from these reactions are primarily achiral or racemic, and only a

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

• activation, atroposelective aza-Michael addition, and intramolecular aldol reaction to form the cationic intermediate Int-6. Release of the catalyst C2, reduction with NaBH4, and dehydration with acetic acid leads to the desired product 6. Recently, an organocatalytic atroposelective intramolecular (4 + 2

Non-covalent organocatalyzed enantioselective cyclization reactions of α,β-unsaturated imines

• Sergio Torres-Oya and
• Mercedes Zurro

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3221–3255, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.268

• azadiene in a stepwise mechanism: firstly, the vinylogous Michael addition of the dienolate to the double bond of the α,β-unsaturated N-sulfonylimine occurs in a stereoselective fashion. Subsequently, cyclization due to an intramolecular aza-Michael reaction and protonation leads to the enantioenriched

• under Brønsted base conditions. The authors claimed that the reactions to obtain the complex fused polycyclic diastereomeric products is proceeding through a cascade Michael addition–aza-Michael addition, however, they did not propose a plausible reaction pathway for the transformations. In order to

Synthesis of extended fluorinated tripeptides based on the tetrahydropyridazine scaffold

• Thierry Milcent,
• Pascal Retailleau,
• Benoit Crousse and
• Sandrine Ongeri

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3174–3181, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.262

• strategy, the control of the stereoselectivity of the intramolecular aza-Michael addition could be envisaged with various chiral catalysts in further studies. These heterocyclic hydrazino acids, when incorporated into the peptidic structure, appear to confer an extended conformation. These interesting

Synthesis and antimycotic activity of new derivatives of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines

• Dmitriy Yu. Vandyshev,
• Daria A. Mangusheva,
• Khidmet S. Shikhaliev,
• Kirill A. Scherbakov,
• Oleg N. Burov,
• Alexander D. Zagrebaev,
• Tatiana N. Khmelevskaya,
• Alexey S. Trenin and
• Fedor I. Zubkov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2806–2817, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.236

• , it is worth mentioning the work of Li and co-workers (2011) [20], who described a single example of the formation of such structures by carrying out an organocatalytic domino aza-Michael–Mannich reaction between benzylidene-1H-imidazol-2-amine and cinnamaldehyde. Although the imidazo[1,2-a

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

• aza-Michael addition, leading to the benzoxazepinium triflate salt 89. To broaden the scope of the reaction, 2-aminopyrazine and 2-aminoquinoline were also introduced to the one-pot process, furnishing 6-7-5-6 and 6-7-5-6-6 polycycles, respectively (not shown). Chen et al. [63] developed an

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

• who reported a chiral amine-catalysed aza-Michael addition reaction of pyrazolin-5-ones with α,β-unsaturated ketones to access β-(3-hydroxypyrazol-1-yl)ketones (Scheme 1a) [22]. The developed reaction was restricted to α,β-unsaturated ketones with aliphatic substituents (Scheme 1a) [22]. Ji and Wang

Synthesis of 2-benzyl N-substituted anilines via imine condensation–isoaromatization of (E)-2-arylidene-3-cyclohexenones and primary amines

• Lu Li,
• Na Li,
• Xiao-Tian Mo,
• Ming-Wei Yuan,
• Lin Jiang and
• Ming-Long Yuan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1468–1475, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.130

• molecular sieves as water scavengers, but it showed no positive influence on the reaction efficiency (Table 1, entry 20). It should be noted that no competing aza-Michael adduct was monitored in all of the evaluated reaction conditions. According to the above screening results, the generality of the

Additive-controlled chemoselective inter-/intramolecular hydroamination via electrochemical PCET process

• Kazuhiro Okamoto,
• Naoki Shida and
• Mahito Atobe

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 264–271, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.27

• , entry 3); thus, the phosphate base plays a crucial role in N-alkylation, while its basicity is insufficient to promote aza-Michael addition (pKa of the conjugate acid of the phosphate base is 1.72 in H2O) [12]. Furthermore, N-alkylation proceeded in a divided cell (anodic chamber); thus, the possibility

A novel recyclable organocatalyst for the gram-scale enantioselective synthesis of (S)-baclofen

• Gyula Dargó,
• Dóra Erdélyi,
• Balázs Molnár,
• Péter Kisszékelyi,
• Zsófia Garádi and
• József Kupai

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1811–1824, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.133

• (Figure 1). Results and Discussion Synthesis of the lipophilic cinchona squaramide organocatalyst Previously, we successfully applied quinine-derived squaramide (SQ) organocatalyst 1 in stereoselective Michael and aza-Michael additions with excellent enantiomeric excess values [26]. Our aim was to recycle

Synthesis of 7-azabicyclo[4.3.1]decane ring systems from tricarbonyl(tropone)iron via intramolecular Heck reactions

• Aaron H. Shoemaker,
• Elizabeth A. Foker,
• Elena P. Uttaro,
• Sarah K. Beitel and
• Daniel R. Griffith

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1615–1619, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.118

• number of alkaloid natural products can be accessed from commercially available tropone in as little as five steps: 1) formation of tricarbonyl(tropone)iron, 2) aza-Michael addition, 3) amine protection, 4) photodemetallation, and 5) intramolecular Heck reaction (two steps – aza-Michael addition and

Metal catalyst-free N-allylation/alkylation of imidazole and benzimidazole with Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) alcohols and acetates

• Olfa Mhasni,
• Jalloul Bouajila and
• Farhat Rezgui

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1251–1258, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.93

• reflux with an azeotropic distillation, was successfully carried out with no catalysts or additives, affording the corresponding N-substituted imidazole derivatives in good yields. On the other hand, in refluxing toluene or methanol, the aza-Michael addition of imidazole onto acyclic MBH alcohols was

• performed using DABCO as an additive, leading to the corresponding 1,4-adducts in 70–84% yields. Keywords: allylic substitution; aza-Michael addition; imidazole; Morita–Baylis–Hillman; Introduction Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) adducts are multifunctionalized compounds having both a hydroxy moiety and a

Aromatic C–H bond functionalization through organocatalyzed asymmetric intermolecular aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction: a recent update

• Anup Biswas

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 956–981, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.72

• of the Boc-protecting group with the Teoc group then gave phenol 136. Compound 136 was then subjected to a highly diastereoselective oxidative phenolic coupling giving fused tetracyclic architecture 137. Follow-up acid-mediated intramolecular aza-Michael addition and subsequent alkene reduction

Synthetic strategies for the preparation of γ-phostams: 1,2-azaphospholidine 2-oxides and 1,2-azaphospholine 2-oxides

• Jiaxi Xu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 889–915, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.90

• 1-substituted 2-ethoxy-1,2-azaphospholidine-4-carboxylate 2-oxides 203 were synthesized in 70% and 39% yields, respectively, from ethyl 2-((chloro(ethoxy)phosphoryl)methyl)acrylate (202) and benzyl- and adamantylmethylamines via aza-Michael addition and intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. The

• synthetic method showed very limited substrate scope. Only less bulky primary amines underwent the first aza-Michael addition and then intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. However, aromatic amines, aniline, 2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-4-amine, and the bulky aliphatic primary amine adamantylamine did not

• -phenylphosphonamidates 240a (R’ = OEt) and diaryl-N-phenylphosphinamides 240b–d (R’ = Ar), respectively, with methyl acrylate (241) via the rhodium-catalyzed oxidative coupling and subsequent intramolecular aza-Michael addition. Methyl acrylate (241) could be replaced by various electron-deficient olefins 244, including

Regioselectivity of the S_EAr-based cyclizations and S_EAr-terminated annulations of 3,5-unsubstituted, 4-substituted indoles

• Jonali Das and
• Sajal Kumar Das

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 293–302, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.33

• assigned as 1-alkyl-3,5,5-trimethyl-5,6-dihydro-1H-azepino[4,3,2-cd]indoles 8. The authors proposed that aza-Michael addition of 4-aminoindoles 7 to in situ generated mesityl oxide gives compound 9 which undergoes a regioselective intramolecular cyclization–dehydration sequence to furnish 8. In 2019, Zou

• [4,3,2-cd]indoles via indole C3 regioselective aza-Michael addition/cyclization/dehydration sequence. Indole C3 regioselective Pictet−Spengler reaction of 2-(1H-indol-4-yl)ethanamines. Indole C3 regioselective hydroindolation of cis-β-(α′,α′-dimethyl)-4′-methindolylstyrenes. Indole C3 regioselective

New advances in asymmetric organocatalysis

• Radovan Šebesta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 240–242, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.28

• by a review article devoted to aza-Michael reactions of amines and amides [17]. The evolution of the understanding of noncovalent activation modes led to the realization that anion-binding is a critical feature in many transformations. Halide anions are highly relevant and widely occurring within

Highly stereocontrolled total synthesis of racemic codonopsinol B through isoxazolidine-4,5-diol vinylation

• Lukáš Ďurina,
• Anna Ďurinová,
• František Trejtnar,
• Ľuboš Janotka,
• Lucia Messingerová,
• Jana Doháňošová,
• Ján Moncol and
• Róbert Fischer

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2781–2786, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.188

• racemic codonopsinol B (1) and its N-nor-methyl analogue 2 starting from achiral materials. Four consecutive stereocenters in the target molecules were accomplished sequentially by the organocatalytic aza-Michael addition of N-Cbz-protected hydroxylamine to (E)-4-methoxycinnamaldehyde, the trans

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

• asymmetric aza-Michael reaction (aza-MR) alone or in tandem with other organic reaction(s) is an important synthetic tool to form new C–N bond(s) leading to developing new libraries of diverse types of bioactive nitrogen compounds. The synthesis and application of a variety of organocatalysts for

• organocatalysts in asymmetric aza-MR. Keywords: asymmetric aza-Michael reaction; covalent bonding catalysis; nitrogen heterocycles; non-covalent bonding catalysis; organocatalysis; Introduction The Michael reaction though discovered about 135 years ago [1][2] continues to attract attention of the chemists owing

• to its potential of making a vast variety of organic compounds particularly of pharmacological importance accessible. Over the years, its many versions known as aza-Michael, thio-Michael, oxa-Michael, phospha-Michael, etc. have been developed and well exploited for their synthetic applications [3][4

Recent advances in the tandem annulation of 1,3-enynes to functionalized pyridine and pyrrole derivatives

• Yi Liu,
• Puying Luo,
• Yang Fu,
• Tianxin Hao,
• Xuan Liu,
• Qiuping Ding and
• Yiyuan Peng

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2462–2476, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.163

• yield. Aliphatic amines were also tolerated, providing the desired products in only moderate yield. The plausible mechanism involves a tandem base-promoted aza-Michael addition, 1,2-iodocyclization, and iodine-mediated oxidative aromatization. In 2017, Zhang and co-workers reported a silver-catalyzed

• standard conditions. The proposed catalytic cycle included aza-Michael addition of arylamines, Lewis acid copper(II)-catalyzed intramolecular 5-endo-dig cyclization, protonation, and oxidation to provide the final products, tetrasubstituted pyrroles 39. The introduction of a trifluoromethyl group into

Electron-rich triarylphosphines as nucleophilic catalysts for oxa-Michael reactions

• Susanne M. Fischer,
• Simon Renner,
• A. Daniel Boese and
• Christian Slugovc

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1689–1697, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.117

• ) after 24 h. To illustrate that the reaction does not stop after 24 h the conversions were re-checked after 21 d. After this time with TMTPP as the catalyst, conversions of 44% (3a), 92% (3b), 98% (3c), and 91% (3d) are obtained. No indications for aza-Michael reactions potentially leading to polyamide 3

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

• , was the only example reported of a quaternary carbon center synthesis (Scheme 12). The observations that no reaction was detected in the absence of AgOCl and that only an aza-Michael adduct was observed in the absence of the gold(I) complex led the authors to propose that the silver(I) salt promoted

• the aza-Michael addition and that only the cationic gold(I) complex was associated with the intramolecular hydroalkylation reaction. These observations justified the use of a three-fold excess of AgOCl in relation to the gold complex since the silver salt participated both as a source of a non

Icilio Guareschi and his amazing “1897 reaction”

• Gian Cesare Tron,
• Alberto Minassi,
• Giovanni Sorba,
• Mara Fausone and
• Giovanni Appendino

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1335–1351, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.93

• Zentralblatt summary. Additionally, ambiguities exist on the molecularity of the various reactions since Guareschi was often preparing β-aminocarbonyl derivatives in situ from the self-condensation of acetone and the aza-Michael trapping of mesityl oxide. This method works well only for acetone, while further

N-tert-Butanesulfinyl imines in the asymmetric synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles

• Joseane A. Mendes,
• Paulo R. R. Costa,
• Miguel Yus,
• Francisco Foubelo and
• Camilla D. Buarque

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1096–1140, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.86

• -workers found that combining an asymmetric nucleophilic addition to the chiral imine, with an intramolecular conjugate aza-Michael reaction, the expected 1,3-disubstituted isoindolines were produced with high diastereoselectivity [96]. Importantly, depending on the base involved in the intramolecular aza

• -Michael reaction, it was possible to reach either cis- or trans-isoindolines, 69 and 70, respectively, from the same precursor 68. The authors proposed that the thermodynamically more stable cis-isomer 69 is formed when TBAF was used. Meanwhile, working under kinetic conditions (DBU as base), trans-isomer

Coupling biocatalysis with high-energy flow reactions for the synthesis of carbamates and β-amino acid derivatives

• Alexander Leslie,
• Thomas S. Moody,
• Megan Smyth,
• Scott Wharry and
• Marcus Baumann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 379–384, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.33

• utilizing electron-poor alkenes as the reaction partners that would undergo aza-Michael addition reactions on the Cbz-carbamates (Scheme 4). Driven by the desire to develop readily scalable routes towards the target products 8, continuous flow processing was again exploited. In a first approach the use of

• -based aza-Michael addition reactions. This novel approach allows for the creation of important chemical building blocks whilst demonstrating a new use of biocatalysts in continuous flow processes. Scope of Cbz-carbamate products obtained via flow process (*tRes = 60 min, **T = 80 °C; isolated yields

Recent advances on the transition-metal-catalyzed synthesis of imidazopyridines: an updated coverage

• Gagandeep Kour Reen,
• Ashok Kumar and
• Pratibha Sharma

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1612–1704, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.165

• organic processes and have attracted considerable interest in this regard. Ru has efficiently catalyzed C–H activation reactions for C–C bond formation, aza-Michael reactions and many more MCRs [27][76][77]. During the writing of this review, we came through the fact that ruthenium catalysts were mostly

• -benzenedicarboxylate), Puthiaraj and co-workers have unprecedently discovered the catalytic activity of this metal-organic framework (MOF) for the synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines [100]. The three-component, one-pot reaction between 1, 3 and nitromethane (10, Scheme 5) involved an intermolecular aza-Michael

• addition with a subsequent intramolecular cyclization catalyzed by Cu(BDC)MOF. Further, the LC–MS study of the reaction mixture has shown the imine formation to be the major pathway rather than β-nitrostyrene. The reaction involved a two-step reaction mechanism in which aza-Michael adduct 13 was formed in