Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 3, 2026

Facile Preparation of 2Z,4E-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Cobalt-Catalyzed Cyclization of Aliphatic Amides and Terminal Alkynes with Silver-Cocatalyst
Jitan Zhang1, Hui Chen1, Cong Lin1
1Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310027, China.
Abstract:
A new method of cobalt-catalyzed synthesis of pyrrolidinones from aliphatic amides and terminal alkynes was discovered through a C-H bond functionalization process on unactivated sp(3) carbons with the silver cocatalyst using a bidentate auxiliary. For the first time, a broad range of easily accessible alkynes are exploited as the reaction partner in C(sp(3))-H bond activation to give the important 5-ethylidene-pyrrolidin-2-ones in a site-selective fashion. The reaction tolerates a wide variety of functional groups including -F, -Cl, -Br, -CF3, ether, cyclopropane, and thiophene. Both pyridine ligand and aromatic solvent play the important role for the promotion of reactivity. This cobalt-catalyzed cyclization reaction can be successfully extended to a variety of aromatic amides to afford a variety of isoindolinones. Attractive features of this catalytic system include its low cost, easy operation, and convenient access to a wide range of pyrrolidinones and isoindolinones.
More Related Videos
12:27Synthesis of Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflates for the Application of Generating Cyanocarbenes
Published on: September 8, 2013
09:35Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by CopperI-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Preparation of Alkynes: Alkylation Reaction
Alkylation of terminal alkynes with primary alkyl halides in the presence of a strong base like sodium amide is one of the common methods for the synthesis of longer carbon-chain alkynes. For example, treatment of 1-propyne with sodium amide followed by reaction with ethyl bromide yields 2-pentyne.
Alkenes via Reductive Coupling of Aldehydes or Ketones: McMurry Reaction
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Preparation of Amides
The DCC-promoted synthesis of amides begins with the protonation of DCC by carboxylic acid. The protonation makes it a better acceptor. Next, the addition of carboxylate to the protonated carbodiimide gives a reactive acylating agent.
Subsequently, the amine acts as a nucleophile that attacks the acylating agent to form a tetrahedral intermediate. In the...
Amides to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
Amide reduction requires two equivalents of the reducing agent, acting as a source of hydride ions. As shown in the figure, the reaction is initiated with a nucleophilic attack by the hydride ion at the carbonyl carbon to form a tetrahedral intermediate.
Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis
Azide ions act as good nucleophiles and react with unhindered alkyl halides to form alkyl azides. Alkyl azides do not participate in further nucleophilic substitution reactions, thereby eliminating the chances of polyalkylated products. Alkyl azides are reduced by hydride-based reducing agents, like lithium aluminum...