Assessing the Activity of Lewis Bases Organocatalysts in Halonium-Induced Carbocyclization Reactions

Lewis bases were evaluated as catalysts for halocarbocyclization reactions of alkynylstyrenes and a cinnamylaniline derivative. Phosphines and phosphorus chalcogenides exhibited high activity for the conversion of alkynylstyrenes in the presence of N -halosuccinimides with up to a 30-fold increase of the initial reaction rate with respect to the background reaction. Phosphorus sulfides and selenides showed the best catalytic activity for the iodocarbocyclization of a cinnamylaniline derivative in the presence of diiodohydantoin. An asymmetric variant of the iodocarbocyclization reaction of an alkynylstyrene using a chiral phosphorus selenide resulted in a modest enantioselectivity.