TY  - JOUR
A1  - Krüger, Tobias
A1  - Bramborg, Andrea
A1  - Kelling, Alexandra
A1  - Sperlich, Eric
A1  - Linker, Torsten
T1  - Birch Reduction of Arenes as an Easy Entry to γ-Spirolactones
JF  - European journal of organic chemistry
N2  - A convenient method for the synthesis of γ-spirolactones in only 2–3 steps is described. Birch reduction of inexpensive and commercially available aromatic carboxylic acids in the presence of ethylene oxide affords hydroxy acids, which undergo direct lactonization during work-up. Suitable precursors are methyl-substituted benzoic acids, naphthoic, and dicarboxylic acids. Subsequent hydrogenation proceeds smoothly with Pd/C as catalyst and saturated γ-spirolactones are isolated in excellent yields and stereoselectivities. Thus, up to 3 new stereogenic centers can be constructed as sole diastereomers from achiral benzoic acids. Furthermore, it is possible to control the degree of saturation with Raney nickel or Wilkinson's catalyst to obtain products with 1 double bond. Overall, more than 30 new γ-spirolactones have been synthesized in analytically pure form.
KW  - Arenes
KW  - Birch reduction
KW  - Hydrogenation
KW  - Lactones
KW  - Synthetic methods
Y1  - 2021
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.202101018
SN  - 1434-193X
SN  - 1099-0690
VL  - 2021
IS  - 46
SP  - 6383
EP  - 6391
PB  - Wiley-VCH
CY  - Weinheim
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Baier, Heiko
A1  - Kelling, Alexandra
A1  - Holdt, Hans-Jürgen
T1  - PEPPSI-Effect on Suzuki-Miyaura Reactions Using 4,5-Dicyano-1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene-Palladium Complexes: A Comparison between trans-Ligands
JF  - European journal of inorganic chemistry : a journal of ChemPubSoc Europe
N2  - The PEPPSI (Pyridine Enhanced Precatalyst Preparation, Stabilization and Initiation) complexes 12-15 with the structure [PdCl2{(CN)(2)IMes}(3-R-py)] (12: R = H; 13: R = Cl; 14: R = Br; 15: R = CN) bearing the maleonitrile-based N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) (CN)(2)IMes ({(CN)(2)IMes}: 4,5-dicyano-1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene) were prepared. Solid state structures of 14 and 15 were obtained. Complexes 14 and 15 adopt a slightly distorted square-planar coordination geometry in the solid state with the substituted pyridine ligand trans to the NHC. Catalytic activities of precatalysts 12-15 were studied and subsequently compared to complexes [PdCl2{(CN)(2)IMes}(PPh3)] (4) and [PdCl(dmba){(CN)(2)IMes}] (5) recently reported by our group in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction of various aryl halides and phenylboronic acid. Reactions using previously reported [PdCl2(IMes)(py)] (IMes: 1,3-dimesitylimidazol-2-ylidene) (1) were also carried out and their results contrasted to those involving 12-15, 4 and 5. Differences in initiation rates and the catalytically active species related to the seven complexes in regards to the throw away ligand were investigated. Poisoning experiments with mercury show that palladium nanoparticles are responsible for the catalytic activity.
KW  - Carbene ligands
KW  - Palladium
KW  - Cross-coupling
KW  - Arenes
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201500010
SN  - 1434-1948
SN  - 1099-0682
IS  - 11
SP  - 1950
EP  - 1957
PB  - Wiley-VCH
CY  - Weinheim
ER  -