The rhenium(I)-catalyzed generation of α,β-unsaturated carbene complex intermediates from easily available propargyl ethers was achieved for the concise construction of cycloheptadiene derivatives through the formal [4+3] cycloaddition reaction with siloxydienes.

The rhenium(I)-catalyzed generation of α,β-unsaturated carbene complex intermediates from easily available propargyl ethers was achieved for the concise construction of cycloheptadiene derivatives through the formal [4+3] cycloaddition reaction with siloxydienes.

The total synthesis of (±)-integrifolin has been achieved for the first time through the stereoselective preparation of the bicyclo[5.3.0]decane skeleton based on the tungsten-catalyzed cyclization of acyclic trienynes under photoirradiation conditions. Further key transformations of the cyclized product are the Tamao oxidation through cyclic silyl ether, the introduction of two oxygen functionalities by the oxidation of the diene and the construction of three exo-methylene moieties.

Total synthesis of (±)-Englerin A has been achieved starting from γ,δ-ynone 5 in 14 steps. The key feature of this synthesis is the highly efficient and stereoselective preparation of 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane derivative 6, a core skeleton of Englerin A, based on an inverse electron-demand [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of the platinum-containing carbonyl ylide, which was developed in our laboratory.

Total synthesis of the proposed structure of yuremamine has been achieved for the first time based on the intermolecular [3+2]-cycloaddition reaction of the platinum-containing azomethine ylide. All the possible diastereomers of yuremamine were also synthesized via the common intermediate. Through these syntheses, it was confirmed that the proposed structure of yuremamine and the diastereomers differ from the natural product.

The inclusion of two different guest molecules in a macrocyclic boronic ester in organic solvent utilizing only π-stacking interactions has been successfully realized. For this purpose, a new tetrol which has an appropriate distance between two 1,2-diol units for the inclusion of two aromatic molecules is designed and synthesized. Simple mixing of the new tetrol with 2,7-pyrenediboronic acid in the presence of pyrene-4,5-quinone efficiently affords the desired macrocyclic boronic ester, which is found by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS, and isothermal titration calorimetry studies to include one molecule each of a dinitronaphthalimide derivative and pyrene. Furthermore, inclusion of two planar molecules within the macrocyclic boronic ester is revealed by X-ray analysis.

The mechanism and origin of the facile β-hydrogen elimination and hydrometalation of a palladium complex bearing a phenylene-bridged PSiP pincer ligand are clarified. Experimental and theoretical studies demonstrate a new mechanism for β-hydrogen elimination and hydrometalation mediated by a silyl ligand at palladium, which enables direct interconversion between an ethylpalladium(II) complex and an η²-(Si-H)palladium(0) complex without formation of a square-planar palladium(II) hydride intermediate. The flexibility of the PSiP pincer ligand enables it to act as an efficient scaffold to deliver the hydrogen atom as a hydride ligand.

Efficient inclusion of electron-deficient aromatic guest molecules in an organic solvent utilizing π-stacking interactions was achieved by using two kinds of macrocyclic boronic esters, 1,4-naph-[2+2] and 1,5-naph-[2+2], which were easily prepared by self-assembly of 1,4-naphthalenediboronic acid (3) or 1,5-naphthalenediboronic acid (4) and racemic tetrol 1 with an indacene framework in a protic solvent. The X-ray crystallographic analyses revealed that the tilt angles of the two naphthalene rings are different: that of 1,4-naph-[2+2] is about 15° and that of 1,5-naph-[2+2] is about 0°. Owing to the parallel alignment of two aromatic rings, 1,5-naph-[2+2] has a much higher binding ability than 1,4-naph-[2+2]. This knowledge could be useful for the design of the new host molecules in organic solvents.

Tungsten(0)- and rhenium(I)-catalyzed reactions of acetylenic dienol silyl ethers based on the concept of geminal carbo-functionalization of alkynes are reported. Treatment of 3-siloxy-1,3-diene-7-ynes with catalytic amounts of [W(CO)₆] or [ReCl(CO)₅] under photoirradiation conditions gives synthetically useful bicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives in good yields. Extremely high catalytic activity is noted for the rhenium(I) complex. The reaction has been extended to substrates containing a nitrogen atom in their tethers. In this case, two kinds of synthetically useful heterocyclic compounds—the 2-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives 9 and the monocyclic dihydropyrroles 10, with allenyl substituents—are obtained, and selective preparation of either product can be achieved through the use of an appropriate combination of the nitrogen substituent and the type of the rhenium(I) catalyst. The 2-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives 9 are obtained selectively by carrying out treatment of NNs derivatives in the presence of [ReCl(CO)₄(PPh₃)], whereas the dihydropyrrole derivatives 10 are obtained by treatment of NMbs derivatives with [ReCl(CO)₅]/AgSbF₆. Finally, we have applied this geminal carbo-functionalization to one-carbon-elongated substrates containing NTs moieties in their tethers. Selective 5-exo cyclization is achieved in the presence of gold(I) or rhenium(I) catalysts, whereas 6-endo cyclization is observed on use of [W(CO)₆].

Stereoselective preparation of a variety of synthetically useful functionalized bicyclo[5.3.0]decane derivatives was achieved by tandem cyclization of 3-siloxy-1,3,9-triene-7-yne derivatives based on the electrophilic activation of alkynes catalyzed by [W(CO)₅(L)]. The reaction proceeded smoothly under photoirradiation, and various substrates were cyclized to give the corresponding bicyclic compounds with up to four chiral centers stereospecifically. Reactions of siloxydienes with a silyl substituent as an equivalent of a hydroxyl group also proceeded with wide generality to afford silyl-substituted bicyclo[5.3.0]decanes, which were highly useful as synthetic intermediates. Stereochemical studies concerning the silyl enol ether moiety suggested that two types of reaction pathway for the formation of seven-membered rings were present. The reaction of (Z)-enol silyl ethers proceeded through Cope rearrangement of cis-divinylcyclopropane intermediates, and that of (E)-enol silyl ethers by 1,4-addition of the dienyl tungsten species at the position δ to the metal atom. In the reactions of siloxydiene derivatives with silyl substituents, all possible diastereomers could be synthesized stereoselectively by changing the geometry of the silyl enol ether and enyne moieties.

Macrocyclic boronic esters of different sizes can be prepared selectively from the same starting diboronic acid and 1,2-diol by means of an interesting dynamic self-assembly phenomena. More specifically, two kinds of macrocyclic boronic esters could be formed diastereoselectively and nearly quantitatively under neutral conditions by the addition of an appropriate guest molecule that acts as a template. Although a mixture of tetrol 1 and di(boronic acid) 2 in methanol gave only insoluble polymeric boronic esters, a soluble macrocyclic boronic ester, homo-[2+2], was obtained selectively in the presence of toluene as a guest molecule. Furthermore, when benzene was employed as a guest molecule, the selective formation of another macrocyclic boronic ester, hetero-[3+3], occurred. Interestingly, each of these macrocycles could be converted into the other in the presence of methanol and the appropriate guest molecule; however, under aprotic conditions, guest molecules encaged by the macrocyclic boronic ester could be exchanged without affecting its structure. Thus the presence or absence of a protic solvent could be used as a regulator to switch on or off the dynamic equilibrium of the system. In addition, investigation of the effect of reaction time, direct observation of the reaction mixture by NMR spectroscopy, and carrying out the reaction using optically active tetrol suggested that precipitation plays an essentially important role in the selective formation of the macrocyclic boronic esters. Thus, although both of [2+2] and [3+3] were present as solutes in the reaction mixture, the type of added guest molecule induced the selective precipitation of only one form of macrocyclic boronic ester, hence displacing the equilibrium of the system.

The [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of a tungsten-containing carbonyl ylide with methyl vinyl ether and the insertion reactions of the nonstabilized carbene complex intermediates produced have been investigated through the use of B3LYP density functional theory. The [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of the tungsten-containing carbonyl ylide has been proven to proceed concertedly, reversibly, and with high endo selectivity. The intermolecular SiH insertion reactions of the carbene complex intermediates have been proven to be favored over the intramolecular CH insertion, in good agreement with experimental results. Moreover, the kinetic endo/exo ratio of the [3+2] cycloaddition reaction has been shown to determine the endo/exo selectivity of the SiH insertion products. In addition, secondary orbital interactions involving the benzene ring and the carbonyl ligand on the metal center have turned out to strongly influence the high endo selectivity of the [3+2] cycloaddition reaction with methyl vinyl ether.