Direct synthesis of gem‐difluorinated carbocyclic molecules represents a longstanding challenge in organic chemistry. Herein, a Rh‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition reaction between readily available gem‐difluorinated cyclopropanes (gem‐DFCPs) and internal olefins has been developed, enabling the efficient synthesis of gem‐difluorinated cyclopentanes with good functional group compatibility, excellent regioselectivity and good diastereoselectivity. The resulting gem‐difluorinated products can undergo downstream transformations to access various mono‐fluorinated cyclopentenes and cyclopentanes. This reaction demonstrates the use of gem‐DFCPs as a type of “CF2” C3 synthon for cycloaddition under transition metal catalysis, which provides potential strategy for synthesizing other gem‐difluorinated carbocyclic molecules.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the European Journal of Organic ChemistryAxial chirality is an interesting stereoisomeric phenomenon in organic chemistry and a key structural feature of several organic compounds. Atropisomers such as biaryls, anilides and diaryl ethers are one type of axially chiral compounds, whose axial chirality is resulted from rotationally blocked single bond. Allenes, spiranes and alkylidenecycloalkanes are another type of axially chiral compounds and their axial chirality come from the perpendicular geometry of two pairs of substituents. The axial chirality in atropisomers, allenes and spiranes has been widely investigated and well developed, while the similar chirality in alkylidene-cyclic molecules gained very limited attentions. This concept focuses on summarizing recent advances of axial chirality in alkylidene-cyclic molecules and arouses the research interests to this promising field.

Direct synthesis of gem‐difluorinated carbocyclic molecules represents a longstanding challenge in organic chemistry. Herein, a Rh‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition reaction between readily available gem‐difluorinated cyclopropanes (gem‐DFCPs) and internal olefins has been developed, enabling the efficient synthesis of gem‐difluorinated cyclopentanes with good functional group compatibility, excellent regioselectivity and good diastereoselectivity. The resulting gem‐difluorinated products can undergo downstream transformations to access various mono‐fluorinated cyclopentenes and cyclopentanes. This reaction demonstrates the use of gem‐DFCPs as a type of “CF2” C3 synthon for cycloaddition under transition metal catalysis, which provides potential strategy for synthesizing other gem‐difluorinated carbocyclic molecules.

We report that a nickel catalyst system with a modified 1,1′‐spirobiindane‐7,7′‐diol‐phosphoramidite (SPINOL) as the chiral ligand can enable the coupling of tertiary cyclobutenols and arylboroxines in an enantioconvergent manner, providing cyclobutenes with an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter in good yields (up to 84 % yield) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee). Moreover, the catalytic system can be applied in the kinetic resolution of cyclobutenols under slightly modified conditions, giving enantioenriched tertiary cyclobutenols with an s factor of up to >200. The reaction uses free hydroxyl groups as the leaving group without additional activation while the strained ring remains untouched. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that the inherent discrepant reactivity of the two enantiomers is the key to the controllable enantioconvergent and kinetic resolution process.

We report that a nickel catalyst system with a modified 1,1′‐spirobiindane‐7,7′‐diol‐phosphoramidite (SPINOL) as the chiral ligand can enable the coupling of tertiary cyclobutenols and arylboroxines in an enantioconvergent manner, providing cyclobutenes with an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter in good yields (up to 84 % yield) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee). Moreover, the catalytic system can be applied in the kinetic resolution of cyclobutenols under slightly modified conditions, giving enantioenriched tertiary cyclobutenols with an s factor of up to >200. The reaction uses free hydroxyl groups as the leaving group without additional activation while the strained ring remains untouched. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal that the inherent discrepant reactivity of the two enantiomers is the key to the controllable enantioconvergent and kinetic resolution process.