This thesis is focused on two main areas of organic synthesis, palladium-catalyzed functionalization of alkenes and allylic alcohols, as well as development of new allylboration reactions. We have developed a palladium-catalyzed selective allylic trifluoroacetoxylation reaction based on C−H functionalization. Allylic trifluoroacetates were synthesized from functionalized olefins under oxidative conditions. The reactions proceed under mild conditions with a high level of diastereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies of the allylic C−H trifluoroacetoxylation indicate that the reaction proceeds via (η3-allyl)palladium(IV) intermediate. Palladium-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective synthesis of allylboronic acids from allylic alcohols has been demonstrated. Diboronic acid B2(OH)4 was used as the boron source in this process. The reactivity of the allylboronic acids were studied in three types of allylboration reactions: allylboration of ketones, imines and acyl hydrazones. All three processes are conducted under mild conditions without any additives. The reactions proceeded with remarkably high regio- and stereoselectivity. An asymmetric version of the allylboration of ketones was also developed. In this process chiral BINOL derivatives were used as catalysts. The reaction using γ-disubstituted allylboronic acids and various aromatic and aliphatic ketones afforded homoallylic alcohols bearing two adjacent quaternary stereocenters with excellent regio-, diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to 97:3 er) in high yield. The stereoselectivity in the allylboration reactions could be rationalized on the basis of the Zimmerman-Traxler TS model.

A summary of research conducted since September 2007 at the University of Toronto in the laboratory of Professor Robert A. Batey is presented in this thesis, which is divided into four chapters. The first chapter contains a two-part introduction, where aryl- and aliphatic-Claisen rearrangements are discussed in part 1, and the nucleophilic addition of organoboron reagents to unsaturated C–N functionalities is described in part 2. Chapter 2 contains research involving synthetic and theoretical studies of aryl-Claisen rearrangements and other sigmatropic reactions. The work towards developing the lanthanide-catalyzed domino aryl-Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of contiguous aryl–C(sp³) moieties is presented first. This is followed by computational studies involving E/Z-selectivity differences for the aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was an issue noted for the domino aryl-Claisen reaction of a linear substrate. The mechanistic origins of E/Z-selectivity differences for the mono aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was experimentally ambiguous for over 40 years, is resolved through computational methods. A theoretical analysis of selectivity differences for the allylic azide rearrangement is also described. The third section contains a discussion of Eu(fod)3-catalyzed aryl-Claisen rearrangements on vinyl bromide systems and preliminary studies involving application of the substrates in cross-coupling reactions, and other attempted mono- and domino sigmatropic rearrangements are presented in the fourth section. In chapter 3, the search for computational methods that can accurately predict experimental free energy of activation barriers for the aliphatic-Claisen rearrangement through benchmarking studies with a priori kinetic barrier and kinetic isotope effect data is described. Methods were found to predict new valid transition states and predict ΔG‡ values with a mean unsigned error of 0.3 kcal/mol relative to experimental values. In chapter 4, the development of new allylboration reaction is outlined, involving the double allylboration of nitriles and anhydrides, and initial studies towards the first aminoallylboration reactions of N-aluminoaldimines to form 1,2-diamines.

A summary of research conducted since September 2007 at the University of Toronto in the laboratory of Professor Robert A. Batey is presented in this thesis, which is divided into four chapters. The first chapter contains a two-part introduction, where aryl- and aliphatic-Claisen rearrangements are discussed in part 1, and the nucleophilic addition of organoboron reagents to unsaturated C–N functionalities is described in part 2. Chapter 2 contains research involving synthetic and theoretical studies of aryl-Claisen rearrangements and other sigmatropic reactions. The work towards developing the lanthanide-catalyzed domino aryl-Claisen rearrangement for the synthesis of contiguous aryl–C(sp³) moieties is presented first. This is followed by computational studies involving E/Z-selectivity differences for the aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was an issue noted for the domino aryl-Claisen reaction of a linear substrate. The mechanistic origins of E/Z-selectivity differences for the mono aryl-Claisen rearrangement, which was experimentally ambiguous for over 40 years, is resolved through computational methods. A theoretical analysis of selectivity differences for the allylic azide rearrangement is also described. The third section contains a discussion of Eu(fod)3-catalyzed aryl-Claisen rearrangements on vinyl bromide systems and preliminary studies involving application of the substrates in cross-coupling reactions, and other attempted mono- and domino sigmatropic rearrangements are presented in the fourth section. In chapter 3, the search for computational methods that can accurately predict experimental free energy of activation barriers for the aliphatic-Claisen rearrangement through benchmarking studies with a priori kinetic barrier and kinetic isotope effect data is described. Methods were found to predict new valid transition states and predict ΔG‡ values with a mean unsigned error of 0.3 kcal/mol relative to experimental values. In chapter 4, the development of new allylboration reaction is outlined, involving the double allylboration of nitriles and anhydrides, and initial studies towards the first aminoallylboration reactions of N-aluminoaldimines to form 1,2-diamines.

This thesis deals with the development of transition metal-catalyzed silaborations of 1,3-dienes and 1,6-enynes. The first part of the thesis describes the development of the enantioselective 1,4-silaboration of 1,3-cyclohexadiene. A number of chiral metal-ligand complexes were evaluated. Up to 82% enantiomeric excess was obtained using a catalyst system derived from Pt(acac)2 and a phosphoramidite ligand. The product formed was employed in allylborations of aldehydes, giving homo-allylic alcohols in good yields with good to moderate diastereoselectivity. In attempts to widen the scope of silaborations to include acyclic, terminally substituted 1,3-dienes, products from H-B exchange with, and H-Si addition to, the dienes were obtained. The second part describes the development of silaborative carbocyclization of 1,6-enynes. A Pd N-heterocylic carbene complex was found to be effective for the silaborative carbocyclization of unsubstituted enynes, giving the products in good to excellent yields. Employing terminally substituted enynes resulted in low or no yields. The last part describes investigations into the reaction mechanisms of the processes developed in the first part. It was found that the silylborane undergoes oxidative addition to a Pt(0) complex generated from Pt(acac)2 and DIBALH. After insertion of 1,3-cyclohexadiene into the Pt-B bond a π-allyl complex was observed experimentally. In the addition of silylborane to acyclic, terminally substituted, 1,3-dienes it was shown by deuterium labeling experiments that one diene loses a hydride via H-B exchange and that this hydride is then added to another diene via H-Si addition. A reaction mechanism was proposed for this process. / QC 20100924