Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025

Facile Preparation of 2Z,4E-Dienamides by the Olefination of Electron-deficient Alkenes with Allyl Acetate
Published on: June 21, 2017
Diastereo- and Enantioselective CuH-Catalyzed Hydroamination of Strained Trisubstituted Alkenes
Sheng Feng1, Hua Hao2, Peng Liu2
1Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
Abstract:
Amine-substituted cyclobutanes and cyclopropanes are important substructures in biologically active compounds. Moreover, many of the cycloalkane units bear multiple substituents and stereocenters. Therefore, synthetic methods that produce polysubstituted aminocyclobutanes and aminocyclopropanes in a highly diastereo- and enantioselective manner are of importance. Herein, we describe the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of various types of polysubstituted aminocyclobutanes and aminocyclopropanes through CuH-catalyzed hydroamination of 1-substituted cyclobutenes and cyclopropenes. These strained trisubstituted alkenes exhibit much higher reactivity compared to their unstrained analogues in the initial hydrocupration step of the reaction. Moreover, an interesting reversal of regioselectivity was observed in the hydroamination of 1-aryl-substituted cyclobutenes compared to the cyclopropene analogues. The origins of the enhanced reactivity of strained trisubstituted alkenes as well as the differences in the regio- and enantioselectivity between reactions with cyclobutenes and cyclopropenes were investigated computationally.
Related Concept Videos
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Acid-Catalyzed Hydration
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.
Alkynes to Aldehydes and Ketones: Hydroboration-Oxidation
One of the convenient methods for the preparation of aldehydes and ketones is via hydration of alkynes. Hydroboration-oxidation of alkynes is an indirect hydration reaction in which an alkyne is treated with borane followed by oxidation with alkaline peroxide to form an enol that rapidly converts into an aldehyde or a ketone. Terminal alkynes form aldehydes, whereas internal alkynes give ketones as the final product.
Regioselectivity and Stereochemistry of Hydroboration
Hydroboration proceeds in a concerted fashion with the attack of borane on the π bond, giving a cyclic four-centered transition state. The –BH2 group is bonded to the less substituted carbon and –H to the more substituted carbon. The concerted nature requires the simultaneous addition of –H and –BH2 across the same face of the alkene giving syn stereochemistry.
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...

