The CN shuffle: The described intramolecular alkenyl‐ and acylcyanation reaction of activated alkenes proceed by cleavage of a CN bond. This protocol provides access to functionalized acyclic nitriles with quaternary carbon centers under neutral and mild reaction conditions, demonstrates broad scope, and good functional‐group compatibility and versatility. Y=O or CHR4; R1,R4=electron‐withdrawing group;
Treatment of 2-acyl (or sulfonyl)-1-cyano-1, 2-dihydroisoquinolines with bromine and CH3OH gave 2-acyl (or sulfonyl)-4-bromo-1-cyano-3-methoxy-1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinolines in a highly stereoselective manner in high yields. The stereochemistry, with 1, 4-cis and 3, 4-trans configurations, was determined by X-ray crystallography.
A facile protocol to construct β-selective allylic 1, 2-dihydroisoquinoline with high E/Z selectivity from its γ-regioisomer through an unexpected Lewis base or thermo-initiated rearrangement is described. This rearrangement transformation proceeds under mild reaction conditions with efficiency and atom economy. The control experiments demonstrated that these rearrangement processes initiated by different