Volume 64, Issue 24 e202506873
Research Article

Bis(pinacolato)Diboron-Enabled Nickel-Catalyzed Regio- and Enantioselective Reductive [3 + 2] Annulation of β-Bromoenones with Alkynes

Wangyang Li

Wangyang Li

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Yanping Zheng

Yanping Zheng

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Yunya Gu

Yunya Gu

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Shanshan Cheng

Shanshan Cheng

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Jinhui Xie

Jinhui Xie

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Yong Lu

Yong Lu

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Shanglin Chen

Shanglin Chen

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

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Qiuling Song

Corresponding Author

Qiuling Song

Key Laboratory of Molecule Synthesis and Function Discovery, Fujian Province University, College of Chemistry at Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108 P.R.China

State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 P.R.China

E-mail: [email protected]

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First published: 07 April 2025
Citations: 2

Graphical Abstract

We report the first bis(pinacolato)diboron-enabled Ni-catalyzed regio- and enantioselective reductive [3 + 2] annulation of β-bromoenones with alkynes, providing convenient access to synthetically valuable chiral five-membered cyclic tertiary alcohols via axial chirality transfer to central chirality. A broad substrate scope, late-stage functionalization of complex molecules, and diverse transformations highlight the utility of this reaction.

Abstract

Chiral five-membered cyclic tertiary alcohols are important structural motifs in functional materials, pharmaceuticals, and bioactive molecules. Hence, developing efficient methodologies for synthesizing compounds featuring these privileged scaffolds represents a crucial pursuit within synthetic chemistry. Herein, we present a regio- and enantioselective Ni-catalyzed strategy for the reductive [3 + 2] annulation of β-bromoenones with alkynes, providing convenient access to chiral five-membered cyclic tertiary alcohols with high levels of regio-, and enantioselectivity via axial chirality transfer to central chirality. The utilization of an environmentally sustainable bis(pinacolato)diboron (B2pin2) is crucial for the success of this asymmetric reductive cyclization reaction. Simultaneously, the mild reaction environment greatly enhances functional group compatibility. This has been demonstrated by the broad substrate scope, late-stage functionalizations of bioactive compounds or drug molecules, and subsequent transformations. Amongst, it is worth emphasizing that these functionally enriched chiral five-membered cyclic tertiary alcohols can efficiently participate in Diels–Alder reactions to synthesize enantioenriched polycyclic and heterocyclic molecules, thereby further validating the significance of introducing a cyclopentadiene skeleton. The preliminary mechanistic studies revealed the mode of action of B2pin2 in mononuclear Ni-catalyzed asymmetric reductive [3 + 2] annulation reactions and density functional theory (DFT) calculations clarified the origin of the experimentally observed regio- and enantioselectivity.

Conflict of Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the Supporting Information of this article.

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