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1. Alkynyl Prins and Alkynyl Aza-Prins Annulations: Scope and Synthetic Applications

   https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1690869  

   Abdul-Rashed, Shukree; Holt, Connor; Frontier, Alison J. (July 2020, Synthesis)

   This review focuses on alkynyl Prins and alkynyl aza-Prins cyclization­ processes, which involve intramolecular coupling of an alkyne with either an oxocarbenium or iminium electrophile. The oxocarbenium or iminium species can be generated through condensation- or elimination-type processes, to achieve an overall bimolecular annulation that enables the synthesis of both oxygen- and nitrogen-containing­ saturated heterocycles with different ring sizes and substitution patterns. Also discussed are cascade processes in which alkynyl Prins heterocyclic adducts react to trigger subsequent pericyclic reactions, including [4+2] cycloadditions and Nazarov electrocyclizations, to rapidly construct complex small molecules. Finally, examples of the use of alkynyl Prins and alkynyl aza-Prins reactions in the synthesis of natural products are described. The review covers the literature through the end of 2019. 1 Introduction 1.1 Alkyne-Carbonyl Coupling Pathways 1.2 Coupling/Cyclization Cascades Using the Alkynyl Prins Reaction 2 Alkynyl Prins Annulation (Oxocarbenium Electrophiles) 2.1 Early Work 2.2 Halide as Terminal Nucleophile 2.3 Oxygen as Terminal Nucleophile 2.4 Arene as Terminal Nucleophile (Intermolecular) 2.5 Arene Terminal Nucleophile (Intramolecular) 2.6 Cyclizations Terminated by Elimination 3 Synthetic Utility of Alkynyl Prins Annulation 3.1 Alkynyl Prins-Mediated Synthesis of Dienes for a [4+2] Cyclo­- addition­-Oxidation Sequence 3.2 Alkynyl Prins Cyclization Adducts as Nazarov Cyclization Precursors 3.3 Alkynyl Prins Cyclization in Natural Product Synthesis 4 Alkynyl Aza-Prins Annulation 4.1 Iminium Electrophiles 4.2 Activated Iminium Electrophiles 5 Alkynyl Aza-Prins Cyclizations in Natural Product Synthesis 6 Summary and Outlook 

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2. Alkynes as Synthetic Equivalents of Ketones and Aldehydes: A Hidden Entry into Carbonyl Chemistry

   https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24061036  

   Alabugin, Igor; Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Edgar; Kawade, Rahul; Stepanov, Aleksandr; Vasilevsky, Sergei (March 2019, Molecules)

   The high energy packed in alkyne functional group makes alkyne reactions highly thermodynamically favorable and generally irreversible. Furthermore, the presence of two orthogonal π-bonds that can be manipulated separately enables flexible synthetic cascades stemming from alkynes. Behind these “obvious” traits, there are other more subtle, often concealed aspects of this functional group’s appeal. This review is focused on yet another interesting but underappreciated alkyne feature: the fact that the CC alkyne unit has the same oxidation state as the -CH2C(O)- unit of a typical carbonyl compound. Thus, “classic carbonyl chemistry” can be accessed through alkynes, and new transformations can be engineered by unmasking the hidden carbonyl nature of alkynes. The goal of this review is to illustrate the advantages of using alkynes as an entry point to carbonyl reactions while highlighting reports from the literature where, sometimes without full appreciation, the concept of using alkynes as a hidden entry into carbonyl chemistry has been applied. 

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3. Ring Expansion of Alkylidenecarbenes Derived from Lactams, Lactones, and Thiolactones into Strained Heterocyclic Alkynes: A Theoretical Study

   https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24030593  

   Le, Nguyen Nhat; Just, Josefine; Pankauski, Jonathan M.; Rablen, Paul R.; Thamattoor, Dasan M. (February 2019, Molecules)

   Strained cycloalkynes are of considerable interest to theoreticians and experimentalists, and possess much synthetic value as well. Herein, a series of cyclic alkylidenecarbenes—formally obtained by replacing the carbonyl oxygen of four-, five-, and six-membered lactams, lactones, and thiolactones with a divalent carbon—were modeled at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//B3LYP/6-311+G** and CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ//CCSD/6-311+G** levels of theory. The singlet carbenes were found to be more stable than the triplets. The strained heterocyclic alkynes formed by ring expansion of these singlet carbenes were also modeled. Interestingly, the C≡C bonds in the five-membered heterocycles, obtained from the rearrangement of β-lactam- and β-lactone-derived alkylidenecarbenes, displayed lengths intermediate between formal double and triple bonds. Furthermore, 2-(1-azacyclobutylidene)carbene was found to be nearly isoenergetic with its ring-expanded isomer, and 1-oxacyclopent-2-yne was notably higher in energy than its precursor carbene. In all other cases, the cycloalkynes were lower in energy than the corresponding carbenes. The transition states for ring-expansion were always lower for the 1,2-carbon shifts than for 1,2-nitrogen or oxygen shifts, but higher than for the 1,2-sulfur shifts. These predictions should be verifiable using carbenes bearing appropriate isotopic labels. Computed vibrational spectra for the carbenes, and their ring-expanded isomers, are presented and could be of value to matrix isolation experiments. 

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4. N-Acylphthalimides: Efficient Acyl Coupling Reagents in Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling by N–C Cleavage Catalyzed by Pd–PEPPSI Precatalysts

   https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9020129  

   Rahman, Md.; Buchspies, Jonathan; Szostak, Michal (February 2019, Catalysts)

   We report a general, highly selective method for Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling of N-acylphthalimides via N–C(O) acyl cleavage catalyzed by Pd–PEPPSI-type precatalysts. Of broad synthetic interest, the method introduces N-acylphthalimides as new, bench-stable, highly reactive, twist-controlled, amide-based precursors to acyl-metal intermediates. The reaction delivers functionalized biaryl ketones by acylative Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling with readily available boronic acids. Studies demonstrate that cheap, easily prepared, and broadly applicable Pd–PEPPSI-type precatalysts supported by a sterically demanding IPr (1,3-Bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene) ancillary ligand provide high yields in this reaction. Preliminary selectivity studies and the effect of Pd–N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) complexes with allyl-type throw-away ligands are described. We expect that N-acylphthalimides will find significant use as amide-based acyl coupling reagents and cross-coupling precursors to acyl-metal intermediates. 

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5. Cascade Reactions of Alkynyl Ketones and Amides to Generate Unsaturated Oxacycles and Aromatic Carbocycles

   https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202403270  

   Rajapaksa, Kumudi_J_W; Yan_Wong, Hang; Lee, Daesung (November 2024, Chemistry – A European Journal)

   Abstract We describe novel amine‐mediated transformation of alkynyl ketones and amides to generate 2‐methylene‐2H‐pyrans, substituted 3‐hydroxy‐9H‐fluoren‐9‐ones, and amine‐incorporated arenes. These cascade processes are initiated by conjugate addition of secondary amine followed by hydrolysis of the enamine/vinylogous amide intermediates. The product distribution is highly sensitive to the steric and electronic effects of the substituents on both the alkyne moieties, the tether structure connecting them, and the nature of the amine. Alkynyl amide participates in the Alder‐ene reaction favorably to generate more reactive allene amide that reacts with amine to generate amine‐incorporated arene products. These metal‐free cascade reactions are a useful synthetic method that can be exploited for the construction of various hetero‐ and carbocyclic systems. 

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