Radical chemistry is a crucial tool to organic chemists. Recent trends in the field have been directed towards the development of photocatalysts capable of generating a radical through a renewable source like sunlight using a single electron transfer mechanism. The use of Au2dppm2Cl2, having a stronger reducing potential, allows an expansion of the reactivity to those achieved by iridium and ruthenium catalysts.1 The focus of this thesis is axed on the development of Au2dppm2Cl2 as an efficient photoredox catalyst for a tandem one-pot catalysis and its application in a dual catalytic system. The use of Au2dppm2Cl2 in a dual catalysis for the synthesis of β-amino acids was undertaken. The problems encountered over the course of the investigation showed an insufficient oxidation potential of the photoredox catalyst in addition to the facile homolytic cleavage of the C-halogen bond under UV light. However, this shows great promise for the achievement of beta amino acids using solely organocatalysis. The development of a tandem one-pot radical cyclization for the synthesis of fused- carbocycles, which are frequently encountered scaffolds in diterpenoid natural products, is reported. The initial experiments were conducted on a model substrate, enabling the verification of the proposed hypothesis. The success of this methodology was then applied to various substrates affording the desired fused 5 membered rings in good yields. These reactions show tremendous potential in the field of total synthesis for the rapid access of complex molecular structures. (1) Revol, G.; McCallum, T.; Morin, M.; Gagosz, F.; Barriault, L. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 13342.

Lyconadin A is an alkaloid possessing a unique structure and antitumor activity. The total synthesis of Lyconadin A was proposed via an acyl radical cascade reaction. To investigate the possibility and stereoselectivity of the cascade cyclization, phenyl selenoester 16 was chosen as a model substrate to study the 7-exo-5-exo radical cyclization. A synthetic route to phenyl selenoester 16 was developed. The 7-exo-5-exo radical cyclization was found to occur with a high yield and excellent stereoselectivty. Attempts were also tried to synthesize another radical precursor 14 albeit with less success. A synthetic pathway to the synthesis of 14 as well as its potential use in the context of the synthesis of Lyconadin A was proposed.

Lyconadin A (1) is a structurally unique Lycopodium alkaloid with antitumor properties, isolated from the club moss Lycopodium complanatum. We are developing a synthetic route to 1 based on a novel 7-exo-trig/6-exo-trig acyl radical cascade cyclization. The synthesis of model acyl radical cascade precursor 23 will be presented. Key features of this synthesis include the suppression of competing elimination during the alkylation of a hindered phenethyl bromide and the use of a lactone as a precursor to a compound bearing two differentially protected primary alcohols. An account of our studies on the model acyl radical cascade cyclization (23 to 24 above) will also be given, including a stereochemical analysis of the product. Our findings have been applied to develop a more detailed stereoselective synthetic plan for Lyconadin A (1).

Thesis advisor: X. Peter Zhang / Thesis advisor: James P. Morken / Chapter 1. Stereoselective Cyclopropanation of Alkenes with Alkynyl- and Vinyl-Substituted Diazo Compounds Alkynyl- and vinyl-substituted cyclopropanes are ubiquitous structural motifs in drug molecules and bioactive compounds. In addition, alkynyl- and vinyl-substituted cyclopropanes may serve as useful intermediates for stereoselective organic synthesis. Metal-catalyzed cyclopropanation of alkenes with alkynyl- and vinyl-substituted diazo compounds offers a potentially general approach for stereoselective construction of these valuable three-membered ring structures. This chapter summarizes the development of stereoselective olefin cyclopropanation with alkynyl- and vinyl-substituted diazo compounds. Chapter 2. Metalloradical Activation of In Situ-Generated α-Alkynyldiazomethanes for Asymmetric Radical Cyclopropanation of Alkenes We have developed a Co(II)-based metalloradical system that is highly effective for asymmetric radical cyclopropanation of alkenes with in situ-generated α-alkynyldiazomethanes. Through fine-tuning the cavity-like environments of D₂-symmetric chiral amidoporphyrins as the supporting ligand, the optimized Co(II)-based metalloradical system is broadly applicable to different alkynyldiazomethanes for asymmetric cyclopropanation of a broad range of alkenes, providing general access to valuable chiral alkynyl cyclopropanes in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities. Chapter 3. Asymmetric Radical Process for Cyclopropanation of Alkenes with In Situ-Generated α-Vinyldiazomethanes We have demonstrated the feasibility of using vinyl aldehyde-derived sulfonylhydrazones as new metalloradicophiles for the generation of allylic radicals. Through fine-tuning the cavity-like environments of D₂-symmetric chiral amidoporphyrins as supporting ligands, the key α-Co(III)-allylic radical intermediates are exclusively engaged in the highly asymmetric cyclopropanation with wide-ranging alkenes in the optimized Co(II)-based metalloradical system, as shown broadly applicable to activate different α-vinyldiazomethanes. Chapter 4. Asymmetric Synthesis of Vinyl-Substituted Cyclopropanes by Radical C-H Alkylation from Alkynes and In Situ-Generated Alkyldiazomethanes via Co(II)-Based Metalloradical Catalysis We have successfully expanded the application of Co(II)-based MRC by applying in-situ generated alkyldiazomethanes as new radical precursors for stereoselective synthesis of vinyl-substituted cyclopropanes by radical cascade C-H alkylation of alkynes. Through fine-tuning of D₂-symmetric chiral amidoporphyrins as the supporting ligands, the Co(II)-catalyzed radical cascade process, which proceeds in a single operation under mild conditions, enables asymmetric construction of vinyl-substituted cyclopropanes in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivities and good enantioselectivities. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

Ces travaux de thèse ont consisté à développer de nouvelles réactions radicalaires dans le domaine de la glycochimie. Deux cascades radicalaires, n’utilisant aucun dérivé stannylé et impliquant un transfert d’hydrogène intramoléculaire, ont été étudiées. La première permet de synthétiser des motifs spirocétaliques [6.5] nonanomériques et la deuxième consiste à débenzyler régiosélectivement un éther de benzyle par proximité. Les spirocétals [6.5] nonanomériques sont des motifs présents dans de nombreuses structures de produits naturels. Pour obtenir ce squelette, dont la synthèse est généralement difficile, nous avons développé une cascade radicalaire en chaîne impliquant des précurseurs homopropargyliques et des dérivés phosphorés non toxiques. Plusieurs étapes se succèdent dont l’addition du radical phosphoré sur la triple liaison, un transfert 1,5 d’hydrogène permettant de générer un radical anomère de O-glycoside, à l’origine de la diastéréosélectivité du centre spiranique, et une cyclisation 5-exo-trig. Cette stratégie s’est révélée particulièrement efficace puisque de bons rendements et une excellente diastéréosélectivité ont été obtenus notamment en série glucose et glucosamine. La nouvelle réaction de O-débenzylation par proximité, développée dans la deuxième partie, permet de déprotéger sélectivement un éther de benzyle en α d’un groupement hydroxyle préalablement fonctionnalisé sous forme d’éther de silyle xanthate. Cette réaction se déroule en deux étapes successives dans le même ballon. La première est une cascade radicalaire constituée, entre autres, d’un transfert 1,7 d’hydrogène et de l’addition du radical benzylique, ainsi formé, sur le peroxyde de dilauroyle. L’acétal mixte intermédiaire obtenu est alors hydrolysé lors de la deuxième étape. Cette méthodologie a été appliquée avec succès à divers mono- et disaccharides polybenzylés et s’est révélée efficace en présence de nombreuses autres fonctionnalités chimiques (acétal de benzylidène, azido..). / The aim of this thesis was the development of new tin-free radical reactions in the field of glycochemistry. For this purpose, an intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer was the key step of these methodologies. The first reaction allowed the access to nonanomeric [6.5] spiroketals and the second one is a new regioselective de-O-benzylation reaction through proximity effect. The nonanomeric [6.5] spiroketals are widely distributed in natural products and have been difficult to access. To synthesize this scaffold, we have developed a chain radical cascade involving homopropargyl precursors and non-toxic phosphorus derivatives. The phosphorus-centered radical adds to the triple bond followed by a radical translocation through intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer. This key step of the reaction provides an intermediate O-glycoside anomeric radical, which ensure the diastereoselectivity of the reaction. Finally a 5-exo-trig cyclization yields the desired spiroketal. This strategy has been proved to be highly efficient since good yields and selectivity were obtained especially in glucose and glucosamine series. The new regioselective de-O-benzylation reaction through proximity effect, developed in the second part, allowed the deprotection of a benzyl ether in α position of a hydroxyl group previously functionalized as a xanthate silyl ether. This reaction occurs in two successive steps in the same flask. The first one is a radical cascade involving an 1,7 intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer and the addition of the newly formed benzylic radical on dilauroyl peroxide. The mixed ketal intermediate thus obtained is then hydrolyzed during the second step. This methodology has been successfully applied to several polybenzylated mono- and disaccharides and tolerates the presence of various chemical functions (benzylidene ketal, azido...) showing its versatility.