The cobalt-catalysed alkylative aldol cyclisations of α,β-unsaturated amides with an appendant ketone were studied using a range of trialkylaluminium reagents. Investigations revealed that Co(acac)2·2H2O acts as an effective precatalyst for this transformation and the reaction provides β-hydroxylactam products containing three contiguous stereocentres with high levels of diastereoselection. The substrate scope of the reaction was explored and attempts were made to develop an asymmetric variant of this process. Two plausible reaction mechanisms have been proposed; the first invokes a π-allylcobalt species as a key intermediate in the reaction mechanism and the second involves a radical-mediated pathway. A stereochemical rationale for the observed relative stereochemistry of the β-hydroxylactam products has been discussed. II. Rhodium-Catalysed Carbometallations of Ynamides in the Preparation of Multisubstituted Enamides A highly stereo- and regioselective rhodium-catalysed carbozincation of ynamides using organozinc reagents has been disclosed. A careful examination of ligand effects on the rhodium catalyst yielded a complementary set of hydrozincation conditions. The alkenylzinc intermediates produced during the course of these reactions have been harnessed in further transformations with electrophilic species and in cross-couplings, thus providing access to multisubstituted enamides in a stereo- and regioselective fashion. Additionally, a rhodium-catalysed tandem carbometallation−conjugate addition with ortho-boronate substituted cinnamic acid derivatives has been described. The enamide−indene products were obtained in good yields and regioselectivities. Preliminary work has been undertaken on an asymmetric variant of this transformation and the initial results have been reported.

Thesis advisor: James Morken / This dissertation will present two main projects focusing on the construction of enantiomerically enriched α-boryl organometallic reagents by transition metal catalysis. The first project describes the development of a platinum-catalyzed enantioselective hydrosilylation reaction of alkenyl boronic esters, which provides a general and efficient route to α-borylsilane species. Such species are configurationally stable and exhibit significant synthetic utilities. The second project depicts a nickel-catalyzed enantioselective carbozincation reaction of vinyl boronic esters, which for the first time giving approach to enantioenriched α-borylzinc reagents. These reagents possess good configurational stability at low temperatures and can participate in copper-catalyzed allylation, palladium-catalyzed Negishi cross-coupling and electrophilic halogenation reactions in stereospecific fashion to furnish a broad array of chiral boronic esters. These compounds are important and versatile building blocks in organic synthesis and utilized in the synthesis of (–)-aphanorphine and (–)-enterolactone. Detailed mechanistic studies were carried out, which revealed a nickel(I)-based redox neutral catalytic cycle. The properties of α-borylzinc compounds were also studied by 1H NMR and enabled the development of a stereoconvergent cross-coupling of racemic α-borylzinc reagents. Such catalytic system is also effective for an enantioselective silylzincation of vinyl boronic esters. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

La réactivité de l’α-bromoacrylate d’éthyle et du benzylidène malonate d’éthyle vis à vis des dialkylzincs en milieu aérobie a été étudiée afin d’évaluer la capacité des radicaux α-alcoxycarbonyle tertiaires à évoluer par SH2 sur le métal pour conduire à un énolate de zinc. Le travail expérimental réalisé à partir de l’α-bromoacrylate d’éthyle a permis la synthèse de cyclopropanes et de céto-esters. Dans le cas des benzylidène malonates la réversibilité de l’addition du diéthylzinc sur le substrat, a été mise en évidence. L’effet inhibiteur d’additifs tels que TMSCl ou CuCl concourt à indiquer que les peroxydes de zinc formés dans le milieu pourraient y tenir un rôle clé. L’étude théorique a mis en évidence pour les 2 substrats étudiés, le rôle crucial de la stabilisation de l’énolate formé sous la forme d’un chélate à 5 ou 6 chaînons. Les carbozincations d’ynamides via le CuI ou le FeCl2 en présence de dialkylzincs ont été étudiées pour la synthèse régio-et stéréosélective d'énamides tri- ou tétrasubstitués. Le CuI s’est montré plus performant et moins substrat-dépendant que FeCl2. Une étude théorique a été réalisée afin de mieux comprendre ce phénomène. Enfin, l'addition intermoléculaire des radicaux sulfanyle sur les ynamides a été revisitée. Les calculs théoriques et les résultats expérimentaux montrent que la régio- et stéréosélectivité de la réaction dépendent de la nature du substituant porté par le carbone en β de l’atome d’azote et des conditions expérimentales. L’addition intermoléculaire inédite d’un radical carboné électrophile sur ces substrats a pu être décrite et ouvre de nouvelles perspectives quant à la synthèse d’énamides tétrasubstitués originaux. / The reactivity of ethyl α-bromoacrylate and ethyl benzylidene malonate towards dialkylzincs in aerobic medium was studied in order to evaluate the capacity of tertiary α-alcoxycarbonyl radicals to undergo SH2 at zinc leading to a zinc enolate. The use of ethyl α-bromoacrylate allowed the synthesis of cyclopropanes and keto-esters. With the second substrate, the addition of the alkyl group was shown to be reversible. The inhibitor effect of additives like TMSCl or CuCl suggested that zinc peroxydes formed in situ could play a key role in the process. Theoretical studies highlighted the crucial role of the stabilization of the zinc enolate through the formation of a 5 or 6-membered chelate. Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of tri- and tetra-substituted enamides was achieved through the carbozincation of ynamides in the presence of dialkylzincs and CuI or FeCl2 as catalyst. CuI was shown to be more efficient and less substrate-dependent than FeCl2. Molecular modelings were performed to better understand this phenomen. Finally, intermolecular addition of sulfanyl radicals onto ynamides was revisited. Theoretical calculations and experimental results showed that the regio- and stereo-selectivity of the process depended on the nature of the substituent on the carbon in β position of the nitrogen atom and on experimental conditions. Unprecedented intermolecular addition of a carbon-centered radical has been described and opened new perspectives for the synthesis of original tetrasubstituted enamides.