Tandem catalysis can offer unique and powerful strategies for converting simple starting materials into more complex products in a single reaction vessel while generating less waste and minimizing handling. In this regard, Grubbs' ruthenium alkylidene (Cy3P)2Cl2Ru=CHPh is shown to catalyze two mechanistically distinct transformations to offer a unique protocol that effects multiple bond changes in a single operation. A tandem ruthenium-catalyzed olefin ring-closing metathesis (RCM)/Kharasch addition allows for the facile preparation of bicyclic [3.3.0], [4.3.0], and [5.3.0] ring systems in one step from the appropriately functionalized acyclic precursors. For substrates where the intramolecular Kharasch addition fails, an intermolecular Kharasch addition is possible. By combining the intra- and intermolecular Kharasch additions with RCM, three new contiguous carbon-carbon bonds with multiple stereocenters can be generated by the ruthenium catalyst in a controlled fashion in one operation through two mechanistically distinct pathways.

The m-chloroperoxybenzoate anion (generated from m-CPBA and bases such as K(2)CO(3) or KOH) is a highly efficient nucleophilic epoxidating reagent for strongly deactivated olefins containing two electron-withdrawing groups at the same carbon, under mild conditions which affect neither other double bonds nor electrophilic oxidizable centers such as sulfoxides.

1,3-Dipolar reactions of thiazolium azomethine ylides to enantiopure cyclic and acyclic vinyl sulfoxides provide an efficient access to polyfunctionalized pyrrolo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazoles in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner. Regioselectivity can be inverted by modifying the position of the sulfinyl group at the double bond of the sulfinylfuranones. The sulfoxide is the main controller of the endo selectivity of these processes as well as of the pi-facial selectivity in reactions of (Z)-3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitriles. In contrast, the pi-facial selectivity in reactions of 5-alkoxy-3-p-tolylsulfinyl furan-2(5H)-ones is mainly controlled by the configuration at C-5, affording the anti adducts with respect to the alkoxy group as the major or exclusive adducts.

Enantiomerically pure pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives are obtained by 1,3-dipolar reactions of isoquinolinium azomethine ylides with enantiopure 3-p-tolylsulfinylacrylonitriles, tert-butyl (2E)-4,4-diethoxy-2-p-tolylsulfinylbut-2-enoate, and 5-ethoxy-3-p-tolylsulfinylfuran-2(5H)-ones. Reactions evolve through the anti conformation of the ylide with complete regioselectivity. The facial selectivity is completely controlled by the configuration of the sulfinyl sulfur for acyclic dipolarophiles, whereas it is high (dr 83/17 or 89/11) but controlled by the C-5 configuration for sulfinylfuranones. Complete endo selectivity is observed with cyclic dipolarophiles and substituted acrylonitriles, but it is low with butenoate. The sulfinyl group also exerts a positive influence on the dipolarophilic reactivity toward these ylides.

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