The work in this thesis describes the development of new heteroarylation methodology based on transition metal-catalysed C-H functionalisation and the properties of organomain group compounds. The underlying reaction mechanisms and reactivity patterns of the (hetero)arene substrates are also investigated. The selective C2-H arylation indoles, which are key pharmaceutically-relevant units, was achieved using N-pyrimidyl directing groups, RuII catalysis and arylboronic acids as the coupling reagents (paper I). The use of this set of conditions enabled a remarkable functional group tolerance, highlighted by the preservation of halide substituents on both coupling partners. Mechanistic experiments suggest that cleavage of the C2-H bond occurs through an electrophilic aromatic substitution type pathway. The dehydrogenative C2-H silylation of unprotected gramine and tryptamine alkaloids and other related heteroarenes using hydrosilanes under Ru0 catalysis is described in paper II. The protocol does not require protecting groups and undirected C2-H silylation of heteroarenes is possible at higher temperatures. Significantly, H/D-exchange studies revealed deuterium incorporation at the C4 and C7 positions of the indole unit, apart from C2-H silylation. This study represents the first account of C4-H activation using an electron-rich metal catalyst. Paper III describes an unexpected and profound influence of boronate substituents on the regioselectivity of aryne trapping reactions. The boronates may be introduced easily to the backbone of established fluoride-activated precursors via Ir-catalysed C-H functionalisation. Optimisation and mechanistic studies on the unprecedented level of regioselectivity control these substituents permit using external additives is presented.

This thesis concerned about the Ru-catalyzed C-H functionalizations on the synthesis of 2-arylindole unit, silylation of heteroarenes and preparation of aryne precursor. In the first project, we developed the Ru-catalyzed C2-H arylation of N-(2-pyrimidyl) indoles and pyrroles with nucleophilic arylboronic acids under oxidative conditions. Wide variety of arylboronic acids afforded the desired product in excellent yield regardless of the substituents or functional group electronic nature. Electron-rich heteroarenes are well suited for this method than electron-poor heteroarenes. Halides such as bromide and iodide also survived, further derivatisation of the halide is shown by Heck alkenylation. In order to find catalytic on-cycle intermediate extensive mechanistic experiments have been carried out by preparing presumed ruthenacyclic complexes and C-H/D exchange reactions. It suggested that para-cymene ligand is not present in the catalytic on-cycle intermediate and we suspect that metalation occurs with electrophilic ruthenium center via SEAr mechanism. In the second project, we developed the Ru-catalyzed silylation of gramine, tryptamine and their congeners using silanes as coupling partner. The transformation worked well with many different silanes. Regarding directing group, nitrogen atom containing directing groups are more favoured than the oxygen containing directing groups. Wide range of gramines and tryptamines also yielded the desired product in poor to excellent yield. At higher temperature, albeit in low yield, undirected silylation occurred. In order to get some insights about the reaction pathway of the silylation C-H/D exchange experiments were performed, and it revealed the possibility of C4-H activation of gramines by an electron rich metal- Si-H/D experiments showed Si-H activation by Ru is easy. In the final project, we presented the closely related aryne precursors from arylboronic acids via Ru-catalyzed C-H silylation of arylboronates and their selective oxidation. Worthy of note, the aryne capture products obtained from arylboronic acids in a single purification.

We report a palladium-catalyzed, norbornene mediated synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinolines via a domino ortho-alkylation/Heck reaction sequence. The desired products are obtained in moderate to excellent yields starting from readily available aryl iodides. The reaction conditions can be extended to the formation of tetrahydroisoquinolinones and tetrahydrobenzo[c]azepines. The reaction allows for sequential intermolecular and intramolecular ortho-alkylations. However, the product yields are higher with ortho-blocked aryl iodides, which simplify the domino process to one intramolecular ortho-alkylation and a Heck reaction. The Lautens group has previously reported diastereoselective aryne Diels-Alder reactions of benzyne with dienes supporting a chiral auxiliary at its terminal carbon. In an effort to extend this work and allow access to a wider variety of 1,4-dihydronaphthalenes, we attempted the synthesis of dienes supporting a chiral auxiliary at a central carbon. Chiral pyridyne precursors were also synthesized, in an attempt to vary the source of chirality in diastereoselective cycloadditions.

We report a palladium-catalyzed, norbornene mediated synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinolines via a domino ortho-alkylation/Heck reaction sequence. The desired products are obtained in moderate to excellent yields starting from readily available aryl iodides. The reaction conditions can be extended to the formation of tetrahydroisoquinolinones and tetrahydrobenzo[c]azepines. The reaction allows for sequential intermolecular and intramolecular ortho-alkylations. However, the product yields are higher with ortho-blocked aryl iodides, which simplify the domino process to one intramolecular ortho-alkylation and a Heck reaction. The Lautens group has previously reported diastereoselective aryne Diels-Alder reactions of benzyne with dienes supporting a chiral auxiliary at its terminal carbon. In an effort to extend this work and allow access to a wider variety of 1,4-dihydronaphthalenes, we attempted the synthesis of dienes supporting a chiral auxiliary at a central carbon. Chiral pyridyne precursors were also synthesized, in an attempt to vary the source of chirality in diastereoselective cycloadditions.

No description available.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit ont eu pour but d’étudier le « couplage aryne », une technique de synthèse qui produit des biaryles sans l’intervention de métaux de transition, grâce à la réaction entre deux intermédiaires réactionnels générés in situ : un aryllithien nucléophile et un aryne électrophile. Les travaux réalisés ont consisté en l’optimisation de la version diastéréosélective du couplage, ensuite appliquée à la synthèse formelle de la (-)-stéganacine. Dans un second temps, les premières études sur la version énantiosélective du couplage ont été réalisées, en introduisant des ligands chiraux à la réaction et en évaluant l’influence de différents paramètres réactionnels. Les premiers excès énantiomériques ont ainsi été obtenus, parfois accompagnés de la formation de divers sous-produits, parmi lesquels des dérivés de biphénylène. Devant l’intérêt que représentent ces composés, une partie des travaux a été consacrée à leur synthèse par dimérisation des arynes. / This work consisted in the study of the “aryne coupling”, a transition-metal free process to access biaryl moieties, which involves the reaction between two in situ generated intermediates: a nucleophilic aryllithium derivative and an electrophilic aryne. This work resided in the optimization of the atropoenantioselective version of the aryne coupling and its application to the formal synthesis of (-)-steganacin. We then moved to the atropoenantioselective version of the reaction, by introducing chiral ligands in the reaction mixture, which aim was to coordinate the aryllithium species and to transfer their chiral information to the biaryl axis. After optimization of various reaction parameters, some enantiomeric excesses were obtained as well as various side products in some cases, among which biphenylene derivatives. According to the potential applications of these compounds, another part of this work was dedicated to their synthesis by means of aryne dimerization reactions.

L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est de développer une nouvelle voie d’accès aux hétérobiaryles à chiralité axiale selon une stratégie de synthèse atropoénantiosélective réalisée en l’absence de métaux de transition. Le projet combine une méthode de construction de la liaison Csp2-Csp2 appelée couplage Aryne, et une approche énantiosélective, le concept ICE (ionic chiral environment). Ce concept repose sur la mise en œuvre de ligands chiraux en tant que stabilisants du métal (Li) à partir d’un partenaire de couplage organolithié. L’environnement chiral résultant des agrégats chiraux générés doit permettre d’induire la chiralité lors de l’étape de couplage. La première partie de ce travail a consisté à développer une version hétérocyclique du couplage Aryne en conditions achirales. Les résultats obtenus à l’issue de cette étude ont permis de relier la nature électronique du partenaire hétérocyclique à sa réactivité dans le couplage. Le thiophène en particulier a fourni de très bons résultats ce qui nous a permis de développer davantage la méthode. La seconde partie de ce travail a eu pour objectif de développer le couplage étudié dans des conditions de solvants adaptées à la formation des agrégats mixtes chiraux envisagés. Cette étude a permis de mettre en évidence l’influence remarquable d’une gamme de plusieurs ligands (polyéthers, polyamines, aminoalcoolates,…) et sels (Li, Zn, K,…) sur le couplage développé en solvant apolaire. Par la suite, les conditions de couplages optimales ont été étendues à différents hétérocycles avec succès. En parallèle, des calculs théoriques de la densité fonctionnelle ont permis d’appuyer plusieurs de nos résultats ; ces calculs ont également fourni une analyse détaillée du mécanisme du couplage Aryne. Enfin, la dernière partie de ce manuscrit a concerné le couplage d’un partenaire hétérocyclique encombré des dérivés du thiophène et du benzothiophène / The aim of this thesis work was to provide novel access to axially chiral heterobiaryls following a transition metal free atropoenantioselective synthetic route. This project combines the Csp2-Csp2 Aryne coupling methodology, and an enantioselective approach, the ICE concept (ionic chiral environment). This concept relies on the implementation of chiral ligands as metal (Li) stabilizers with organolithium coupling partners. The chiral environment resulting from the chiral aggregates obtained must induce chirality during the coupling step. The first part of this work aimed to develop an heterocyclic version of the Aryne route in achiral conditions. The results of this study revealed a clear correlation between the electronic nature of the heterocyclic partner and its reactivity in the Aryne coupling. Thiophene, especially, proved to furnish promising results and allowed us to further develop the method. Second part of this work aimed to develop the reaction in the appropriate solvent conditions so that chiral mixed metal aggregates could be envisioned. This study outlined the remarkable effect of external chelating ligands (polyethers, polyamines, aminoalkoxides,…) and salt additives (Li, Zn, K,…) on the aryne coupling reaction in apolar media. The best reaction conditions emerging from this work were then successfully applied to others heterocyclic coupling partners. In parallel, theoretical calculations using density functional theory showed good agreement with experimental work and allowed us to propose mechanistic scheme for the reaction. Last part of this work focused on the reaction of hindered heterocyclic coupling partners with thiophene and benzothiophene derivatives