Synlett 2024; 35(16): 1924-1928
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1751562
letter

Regioselective Aldehyde Decarbonylation through Palladium-Catalyzed Nitrile Boronic Acid Cross-Coupling

Zachary E. Paikin
,
John M. Talbott
,
Monika Raj
This research was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants (1R35GM133719-01 and 1R01HG012941-01) to M.R. M.R. was also supported by a Research Scholar Grant (RSG-22-025-01-CDP) from the American Cancer Society.


Abstract

Aldehyde decarbonylation is a vital chemical transformation in the synthesis of natural products. Nature accomplishes this process through a family of decarbonylase enzymes, while in the laboratory, harsh transition metals and elevated temperatures are required. Herein, we report a mild aldehyde decarbonylation reaction that exhibits exclusive selectivity for ortho-aldehydes during a tandem nitrile boronic acid cross-coupling reaction. A wide substrate scope is displayed that includes regioselective removal of the ortho-aldehyde from phenyl boronic acids in the presence of meta- or para-aldehydes. A mechanistic investigation of the observed regioselectivity for ortho-aldehydes by density functional theory (DFT) calculations shows that the CO ligand extrusion is energetically more favorable for the ortho position as compared to the para position.

Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 15 November 2023

Accepted after revision: 01 February 2024

Article published online:
14 February 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany