Enantioselective Cyclopropenation of Alkynes with Acceptor/Acceptor-Substituted Diazo Reagents via Co(II)-Based Metalloradical Catalysis

The cobalt(II) complex of a new D2-symmetric chiral porphyrin 3,5-diMes-ChenPhyrin, [Co(P2)], has been shown to be a highly effective chiral metalloradical catalyst for enantioselective cyclopropenation of alkynes with acceptor/acceptor-substituted diazo reagents, such as α-cyanodiazoacetamides and α-cyanodiazoacetates. The [Co(P2)]-mediated metalloradical cyclopropenation is suitable to a wide range of terminal aromatic and related conjugated alkynes with varied steric and electronic properties, providing the corresponding trisubstituted cyclopropenes in high yields with excellent enantiocontrol of the all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers. In addition to mild reaction conditions, the Co(II)-based metalloradical catalysis for cyclopropenation features a high degree of functional group tolerance.