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. 2021 Oct 11;60(42):22818-22825.
doi: 10.1002/anie.202107438. Epub 2021 Sep 9.

Practical Chemoselective Acylation: Organocatalytic Chemodivergent Esterification and Amidation of Amino Alcohols with N-Carbonylimidazoles

Hope Nelson  1 , William Richard  1 , Hailee Brown  1 , Abigail Medlin  1 , Christina Light  1 , Stephen T Heller  1
Affiliations

Practical Chemoselective Acylation: Organocatalytic Chemodivergent Esterification and Amidation of Amino Alcohols with N-Carbonylimidazoles

Hope Nelson et al. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. .

Abstract

Chemoselective transformations are a cornerstone of efficient organic synthesis; however, achieving this goal for even simple transformations, such as acylation reactions, is often a challenge. We report that N-carbonylimidazoles enable catalytic chemodivergent aniline or alcohol acylation in the presence of pyridinium ions or 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), respectively. Both acylation reactions display high and broad chemoselectivity for the target group. Unprecedented levels of chemoselectivity were observed in the DBU-catalyzed esterification: A single esterification product was obtained from a molecule containing primary aniline, alcohol, phenol, secondary amide, and N-H indole groups. These acylation reactions are highly practical as they involve only readily available, inexpensive, and relatively safe reagents; can be performed on a multigram scale; and can be used on carboxylic acids directly by in situ formation of the acylimidazole electrophile.

Keywords: amidation; carbonylimidazoles; chemoselectivity; esterification; organocatalysis.

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