Cheol‐Hong Cheon

Abstract A cyanide‐catalyzed synthesis of 2‐substituted benzoxazoles from Schiff bases via aerobic oxidation has been developed. The products from various Schiff bases were obtained in high yields in an open flask under ambient conditions without other external oxidants. We have also developed a simple one‐step protocol for the synthesis of benzoxazoles from aminophenol and the corresponding aldehydes in the presence of cyanide without isolation of imine intermediates.

The total synthesis of rutaecarpine (1) and luotonin A (2) is described through controlled cyclization of a common aldimine intermediate 5 derived from ethyl-2-aminocinnamate and quinazolinone-2-carbaldehyde. The cyanide-mediated imino-Stetter reaction of aldimine 5 provided the corresponding indole derivative 3, from which the total synthesis of rutaecarpine (1) was completed via the formation of a 6-membered C-ring. On the other hand, microwave-assisted thermal 6π-electrocyclization of the com

The first metal-free thermal protodeboronation of ortho- and para-phenol boronic acids in DMSO was developed. The protodeboronation was successfully applied to the synthesis of ortho- and meta-functionalized phenols using the boronic acid moiety as a blocking group and a directing group, respectively. Mechanistic studies suggested that this protodeboronation proceeds through the coordination of water to the boron atom followed by σ-bond metathesis.

A new protocol for the synthesis of 2,2'-bisindole-3-acetic acid derivatives from aldimines derived from 2-aminocinnamic acid derivatives and indole-2-carboxaldehyde was developed via a cyanide-catalyzed imino-Stetter reaction. With this protocol, the divergent total syntheses of arcyriaflavin A, a representative indolocarbazole natural product, and calothrixin B, a representative indolo[3,2-j]phenanthridine natural product, were completed using a 2,2'-bisindole-3-acetic acid derivative as the c

The metal-free thermal protodeboronation of various electron-rich arene boronic acids was studied. Several reaction parameters controlling this protodeboronation, such as solvent, temperature, and a proton source, have been investigated. On the basis of these studies, suitable reaction conditions for protodeboronation of several types of electron-rich arene boronic acids were provided. On the basis of this protodeboronation, a new protocol for the synthesis of ortho-functionalized electron-rich

Abstract A general method to generate umpolung of aldimines with cyanide was developed via the addition of cyanide to aldimines followed by a proton transfer from the carbon atom to the nitrogen atom in the resulting cyanide adducts. This novel method was successfully applied to the first imino‐Stetter reaction of aldimines obtained from 2‐aminocinnamic acid derivatives and aromatic aldehydes with cyanide, affording 2‐aryl‐substituted indole‐3‐acetic acid derivatives. Furthermore, the usefulness

A new protocol for the direct formation of amides from imines derived from aromatic aldehydes via metal-free aerobic oxidation in the presence of cyanide is described. This protocol was applicable to various aldimines, and the desired amides were obtained in moderate to good yields. Mechanistic studies suggested that this aerobic oxidative amidation might proceed via the addition of cyanide to imines followed by proton transfer from carbon to nitrogen in the original imines, leading to carbanion

On-water synthesis of 2-substituted quinolines from 2-aminochalcone derivatives was developed using benzylamine as the nucleophilic catalyst. Various 2-aminochalcones could be applied to this protocol, and the desired 2-substituted quinoline products were isolated in excellent yields by simple filtration. Furthermore, we elucidated the role of benzylamine in this transformation and provided the detailed reaction mechanism. This protocol has several additional advantages, such as simple operation

A new method for the synthesis of chiral β-aryl amines via chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed enantioselective reductive amination of benzyl methyl ketone derivatives with Hantzsch ester was developed. Various chiral β-aryl amines were obtained in high yields and with good to high enantioselectivities. This transformation is applicable to gram-scale reactions, and the catalyst loading can be reduced to 1 mol % without sacrificing any catalytic efficacy. Furthermore, the resulting β-aryl amine was

The total synthesis of (±)-hinckdentine A is described herein. A cyanide-catalyzed imino-Stetter reaction of the aldimine derived from ethyl 2-amino-3,5-dibromocinnamate and 5-bromo-2-nitrobenzaldehyde followed by oxidative rearrangement afforded a 2,2-disubstituted 3-indolinone derivative containing the carbon skeleton and all of the functional groups present in the natural product correctly positioned, including three bromine atoms. Subsequent D-ring formation and seven-membered C-ring constru

A new asymmetric protocol for the synthesis of chiral tetrahydroquinolines from 2-aminochalcones via a two-step one-pot consecutive process (cyclization/asymmetric reduction) has been developed using chiral phosphoric acid as the sole catalyst. 2-Aminochalcones were converted into the corresponding quinolines through chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed dehydrative cyclization, and the resultant quinolines were subsequently reduced to the chiral tetrahydroquinolines via chiral phosphoric acid-cataly

A highly efficient synthesis of 2-aminoquinoxalines has been developed via the one-pot two-step cyanide-mediated sequential reactions of ortho-phenylenediamines with aldehydes under aerobic oxidation conditions. A variety of substrates, including aliphatic aldehydes bearing acidic α-protons, are applicable to this protocol and afford the desired 2-aminoquinoxalines in high yields.

A new method for the synthesis of 2-vinylindole-3-acetic acid derivatives from aldimines, which are derived from 2-aminocinnamic acid derivatives and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, via a cyanide-catalyzed imino-Stetter reaction is described. Various types of 2-aminocinnamic acid derivatives and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes could be used in this protocol, and the desired 2-vinyl substituted indole-3-acetic acid derivatives were obtained in high yields. This cyanide-catalyzed imino-Stetter reaction was f