A ligand-free method for the Pd-catalyzed direct arylation of cyclic enaminones using aryl iodides was developed. This method can be applied to a wide range of cyclic enaminones and aryl iodides with excellent C5-regioselectivity. Using widely available aryl iodides, the generality of this transformation provides easy access to a variety of 3-arylpiperidine structural motifs.

A general synthesis of 3-amidoindoles from easily available arylhydrazines and acylated propargylamines is described. In the presence of inexpensive Zn salts, alkyne amination and subsequent Fischer indole-cyclization took place in good yields with excellent regioselectivity providing an interesting scaffold for potentially bio-active compounds.

A direct and regioselective C1-acyloxylation of indolizines was developed via palladium-catalyzed C-H functionalization. A series of indolizines were successfully acyloxylated at the C1 position with the tolerance of a broad range of functional groups. In this reaction, high regioselectivity was achieved in the absence of a directing group. This work represents the first example of indolizine a...

Structure-guided active-site redesign of a family GT-80 β-D-galactoside sialyltransferase (from Pasteurella dagmatis) to change enzyme regioselectivity from α-2,3 in the wild type to α-2,6 in a P7H-M117A double mutant is reported. Biochemical data for sialylation of lactose together with protein crystal structures demonstrate highly precise enzyme engineering.

Regioselectivity of Larock indole synthesis, a palladium-catalyzed heteroannulation between o-iodoaniline and internal acetylene, was estimated using acetylenes substituted with ester and/or Boc-protected amine at the homopropargylic position and with perbenzyl- and unprotected glucose. Low to moderate regioselectivities were observed in all the cases, indicating these functional groups do not ...

A P450 monooxygenase from Nocardia farcinica (CYP154A8) catalyses the stereo- and regioselective hydroxylation of n-alkanes, still a challenging task in chemical catalysis. In a biphasic reaction system, the regioselectivity for the C2-position of C7-C9 alkanes was over 90%. The enzyme showed strict S-selectivity for all tested substrates, with enantiomeric excess (ee) of up to 91%.

The development of intermolecular [2 + 2]-cycloaddition of α-iodo-unsaturated ketones in the presence of diisobutylaluminum hydride (Dibal-H) is reported to produce various trispirocyclic derivatives containing a cyclobutane ring. This sequential lactonization/[2 + 2]-cycloaddition proceeds in high regioselectivity under mild conditions.

The first catalytic allylic C-H fluorination reaction using a nucleophilic fluoride source is reported. Under the influence of a Pd/Cr cocatalyst system, simple olefin substrates undergo fluorination with Et3N·3HF in good yields with high branched:linear regioselectivity. The mild conditions and broad scope make this reaction a powerful alternative to established methods for the preparation of ...