Chromones, six-membered oxygen heterocycles, and pyrazoles, five-membered two-adjacent-nitrogen-containing heterocycles, represent two important classes of biologically active compounds. Certain derivatives of these scaffolds play an important role in medicinal chemistry and have been extensively used as versatile building blocks in organic synthesis. In this context, we will discuss the most r...

A newly designed PE-supported arsine has been developed as an excellent catalyst for catalytic Wittig-type olefination. Simple ketones, in particular inactive ketones prove to be suitable substrates for the first time. This reaction provides an easy access to di-, tri-, and tetra-substituted olefins in high yield.

Di-, tri- and tetra-substituted oxetane derivatives with combinations of ester, amide, nitrile, aryl, sulfone and phosphonate substituents are prepared as fragments or building blocks for drug discovery. The synthesis of these novel oxetane functional groups, in new chemical space, is achieved via rhodium-catalysed O-H insertion and C-C bond forming cyclisation.

Microwave assisted indirect functionalization of alcohols with 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid followed by spirocyclisation employing a sequential one-pot Ir(III)/Pd(0) catalysed process, involving the formation of three new C-C bonds, one spirocyclic ring and one di- or tri-substituted exocyclic alkene, is described.

A new family of phosphine ligands bearing a bulky carbazolyl scaffold is described. With the combination of ligand 2a and Pd(OAc)(2), difficult tri-ortho-substituted biaryl couplings are accomplished smoothly. In particular, the catalyst loading as low as 0.02 mol% of Pd for non-activated 2,6-disubstituted aryl chloride coupling can be achieved.

The diastereo- and enantioselective direct vinylogous Michael addition reaction of γ-substituted butenolides to 2-enoylpyridines has been achieved. A range of γ,γ-disubstituted butenolide derivatives, bearing two consecutive tri- and tetrasubstituted stereogenic centers, were readily obtained in good yields with excellent stereoselectivities (up to >99 : 1 dr and >99% ee).

Paradoxically, N- and O-donor substituted tri-arylphosphanes are shown to be weaker donors than PPh3 when binding the soft Lewis acid moiety [PPh2]+. This arises from internal solvation and rehybridisation at phosphorus, precluding chelation and increasing steric demand, in direct contrast to coordination modes observed for metal complexes.

This study develops a process for enhancing the photostabilization of PVC films blended with low concentration mefenamate–tin complex. One tri-substituted and three di-substituted organotin complexes containing mefenamate unit are synthesized, their chemical structures established. The reactions mefenamic acid number substituted tin chlorides gave corresponding in 70–77% yields. Tin were thin f...

An efficient synthesis of 1,1?,2,2?-tetraiodoferrocene is described that uses 1,1?,2,2?-tetrakis(tri-n-butylstannyl)ferrocene as a key intermediate in its synthesis. In an attempt to examine the stepwise mechanism, reaction tetratin-substituted ferrocene with iodine was monitored by 1H NMR and series coexisting compounds such 1,1?-bis(tri-n-butylstannyl)-2,2?-diodoferrocene were observed. The c...