Stabilization of proline enamine carboxylates by amine bases

As part of our ongoing studies to provide an experimental basis for the improved understanding of organocatalytic reaction mechanisms we present a study on the influence of amine bases on enamine intermediate stabilization in proline catalysis. The (partial) deprotonation of the proline acid function is displayed by characteristic shifts of certain proton resonances and is also manifested by an increase of the amount of enamine intermediate upon reaching a critical pK(aH). Strong bases, such as 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU), allow for outstanding enamine stabilization in various solvents and, hence, permit the detection of enamine species that have been inaccessible until now (illustrated by the observation of minor amounts of Z enamines). The in situ NMR detection of a prolinate-DBUH(+) ion pair supports the well-documented reversal of enantioselectivity of proline-catalyzed aminations in the presence of amine bases by disabling the bifunctional activity and switching to a "simple" stereocontrol effect (as known from the J?rgensen/Hayashi-type diarylprolinol ethers). In addition, the possibility of attractive ionic interactions between both the iminium ion and prolinate enamines available in the presence of strong amine bases suggests promotion of the Mannich pathway in aldol reactions to mainly form condensation products.     

Synthesis of azasugars through a proline-catalyzed reaction

We report an efficient route to obtain azasugars from the enantiomerically pure L- and D-diethyltartrate. The key step is a proline-catalyzed aldol condensation, in which both enantiomers of proline have been used as catalyst, affording complementary anti-aldol products.     

Selective reduction of c-c double bonds in conjugated enones by benzylamine. A variant of the sommelet reaction.

Prolonged reaction of some ketones with benzylamine at reflux converts them into α-benzyl derivatives by a route involving aldol condensation of the related ketimine with benzaldimine followed by exclusive reduction of the resultant C-C double bond by hydride transfer from benzylamine. This efficient procedure is a variant of the Sommelet reaction for the synthesis of aldehydes.     

A kinetic and mechanistic study of the amino acid catalyzed aldol condensation of acetaldehyde in aqueous and salt solutions

The amino acid catalyzed aldol condensation is of great interest in organic synthesis and natural environments such as atmospheric particles. However, kinetic and mechanistic information on these reactions is limited. In this work the kinetics of the aldol condensation of acetaldehyde in water and aqueous salt solutions (NaCl, CaCl2, Na2SO4, MgSO4) catalyzed by five amino acids (glycine, alanine, serine, arginine, and proline) at room temperature (295 +/- 2 K) has been studied. Monitoring the formation of three products, crotonaldehyde, 2,4-hexadienal, and 2,4,6-octatrienal, by UV-vis absorption over 200-1100 nm revealed two distinct kinetic regimes: at low amino acid concentrations (in all cases, below 0.1 M), the overall reaction was first-order with respect to acetaldehyde and kinetically limited by the formation of the enamine intermediate. At larger amino acid concentrations (at least 0.3 M), the kinetics was second order and controlled by the C-C bond-forming step. The first-order rate constants increased linearly with amino acid concentration consistent with the enamine formation. Inorganic salts further accelerated the enamine formation according to their pKb plausibly by facilitating the iminium or enamine formation. The rate constant of the C-C bond-forming step varied with the square of amino acid concentration suggesting the involvement of two amino acid molecules. Thus, the reaction proceeded via a Mannich pathway. However, the contribution of an aldol pathway, first-order in amino acid, could not be excluded. Our results show that the rate constant for the self-condensation of acetaldehyde in aqueous atmospheric aerosols (up to 10 mM of amino acids) is identical to that in sulfuric acid 10-15 M (kI approximately 10-7-10-6 s-1) clearly illustrating the potential importance of amino acid catalysis in natural environments. This work also demonstrates that under usual laboratory conditions and in natural environments aldol condensation is likely to be kinetically controlled by the enamine formation. Notably, kinetic investigations of the C-C bond-forming addition step would only be possible with high concentrations of amino acids.     

Mechanism and optimisation of the homoboroproline bifunctional catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction: Lewis acid tuning through in situ esterification

The use of homoboroproline as a bifunctional catalyst in the asymmetric aldol reaction has been investigated mechanistically, particularly with respect to tuning the Lewis acidity of boron by in situ esterification with mildly sigma-electron withdrawing diols such as hydrobenzoin and tartrate esters. The stability of simple cyclohexyl and cyclopentyl boronate diol esters shows that the 5-ring boronate esters are more stable, which sheds light on the mode of action of esterified homoboroproline catalyst in the enamine-mediated aldol reaction, which is also studied by NMR. The result is reaction optimisation to provide an efficient aldol reaction and a proposed mechanistic proposal.     

Organocatalytic kinetic resolution of a planar-chiral ferrocenecarbaldehyde

The proline-catalyzed aldol reaction of racemic 2-(2′-pyrimidyl)ferrocenecarbaldehyde with acetone in DMSO at room temperature constitutes as the first example of an organocatalytic kinetic resolution of a planar-chiral compound. The selectivity factor of the kinetic resolution is 9.2, and the stereochemical outcome of the process can be easily rationalized by the standard mechanistic model of the proline-catalyzed aldol reaction.     

Catalytic enantioselective alkylative aldol reaction: efficient multicomponent assembly of dialkylzincs, allenic esters, and ketones toward highly functionalized delta-lactones with tetrasubstituted chiral centers

A general catalytic asymmetric alkylative aldol reaction is described as a new entry to the catalytic asymmetric multicomponent reaction (CAMCR). Highly functionalized delta-lactones were produced in the presence of a catalytic amount of the Cu(OAc)2-DIFLUORPHOS complex through three-component assembly of dialkylzincs, allenic esters, and unactivated ketones. This CAMCR constructs two C-C bonds and one tetrasubstituted chiral center simultaneously. Conjugate addition of alkylcopper species to an allenic ester produced highly active copper enolate in situ, and the successive asymmetric aldol addition to ketones followed by lactonization afforded the desired products. The addition of MS4A and Lewis base (Ph2S=O, DMSO, or HMPA) is important for obtaining a high yield, with suppression of the undesired alpha-addition pathway. Control/crossover experiments suggest that the addition of a Lewis base facilitated the retro-aldol reaction of the alpha-adducts (proofreading effect). The ketone and copper enolate generated through the retro-aldol reaction were converted to the desired lactone through the gamma-aldol pathway, which was trapped by irreversible lactone formation.     

Bifunctional Brønsted Base Catalyzes Direct Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of α‐Keto Amides

The first enantioselective direct cross‐aldol reaction of α‐keto amides with aldehydes, mediated by a bifunctional ureidopeptide‐based Brønsted base catalyst, is described. The appropriate combination of a tertiary amine base and an aminal, and urea hydrogen‐bond donor groups in the catalyst structure promoted the exclusive generation of the α‐keto amide enolate which reacted with either non‐enolizable or enolizable aldehydes to produce highly enantioenriched polyoxygenated aldol adducts without side‐products resulting from dehydration, α‐keto amide self‐condensation, aldehyde enolization, and isotetronic acid formation.     

Building carbohydrates on the dioxanone scaffold: stereoselective synthesis of d-glycero-d-manno-2-octulose

The title compound has been synthesized via two proline-catalyzed aldol addition reactions of 2,2-dialkyl-1,3-dioxan-5-ones: the first addition to 1,3-dithiane-2-carboxaldehyde, followed by reduction to the corresponding diol, protection of the OH groups and dithiane hydrolysis afforded a protected d-ribose that was used in the second aldol addition reaction.     

Effect of additives on the proline-catalyzed ketone–aldehyde aldol reactions

The effect of bases, acids, and water as additives in proline-catalyzed ketone–aldehyde aldol reactions has been studied. While the reaction appears to be relatively tolerant to small amounts of tertiary amine bases or weak acids, it stops completely with strong acids. The use of water as an additive had a highly beneficial effect on reactions that were conducted with a stoichiometric ratio of ketone to aldehyde, especially with cyclic ketones. This allows the efficient use of more precious ketones such as 4-thianone as donors in the direct enantioselective aldol and facilitates purification.     

A DFT theoretical analysis of aldehyde condensation pathways onto methyllithium, lithium dimethylamide, and their aggregates

A DFT analysis of the condensation of monomeric methyllithium and lithium dimethylamide (LMA), as well as their homo and hetero dimers, on formaldehyde and acetaldehyde is reported. A stable complex, exhibiting a directional interaction between a lone pair of the oxygen on the aldehyde and a lithium, is first found. At this stage, the aldehyde carbonyl and the Li-X (X = C or N) bonds lie in the same plane. To proceed, the condensation reaction has to go through a transition state that mainly consists of a rotation of the aldehyde plane, placing it perpendicular to the C-C or C-N forming bond. The reaction then leads, in a strongly exothermic final step, to the addition product that is a lithium alcoholate or alpha-amino alcoholate, associating into an hetero-aggregate with the remaining moiety of the initial dimer. From the relative heights of the activation barriers, it appears that, for the heterodimer MeLi-LMA, the formation of the C-N bond should be kinetically favored over the C-C one, while the lithium ethylate resulting from the C-C binding is the thermodynamic product. A decomposition of the activation energy barriers has been carried out in order to determine the physicochemical forces responsible for the variation of the condensation activation barriers with the structure of the final species formed. The results obtained are discussed in relation with corresponding experimental data.     

Development of a Simple Adjustable Zinc Acid/Base Hybrid Catalyst for C−C and C−O Bond‐Forming and C−C Bond‐Cleavage Reactions

A newly designed zinc Lewis acid/base hybrid catalyst was developed. By adjusting the Lewis acidity of the zinc center, aldol‐type additions of 2‐picolylamine Schiff base to aldehydes proceeded smoothly to afford syn‐aldol adduct equivalents, trans‐N,O‐acetal adducts, in high yields with high selectivities. NMR experiments, including microchanneled cell for synthesis monitoring (MICCS) NMR analysis, revealed that anti‐aldol adducts were formed at the initial stage of the reactions under kinetic control, but the final products were the trans‐(syn)‐N,O‐acetal adducts that were produced through a retro‐aldol process under thermodynamic control. In the whole reaction process, the zinc catalyst played three important roles: i) promotion of the aldol process (C?C bond formation), ii) cyclization process to the N,O‐acetal product (C?O bond formation), and iii) retro‐aldol process from the anti‐aldol adduct to the syn‐aldol adduct (C?C bond cleavage and C?C bond formation).     

新型2,5-二(取代苯基亚甲基)环戊酮的合成

在碱催化下,环戊酮与芳醛经醇醛缩合反应合成了4个新型的2,5-二(取代苯基亚甲基)环戊酮,其结构经1H NMR,IR,MS和元素分析表征。     

Bifunctional transition metal-based molecular catalysts for asymmetric syntheses

The discovery and development of conceptually new chiral bifunctional transition metal-based catalysts for asymmetric reactions is described. The chiral bifunctional Ru catalyst was originally developed for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines and is now successfully applicable to enantioselective C-C bond formation reaction with a wide scope and high practicability. The deprotonation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with the chiral amido Ru complexes leading to the amine Ru complexes bearing C- or O-bonded enolates, followed by further reactions with electrophlies gives C-C bond formation products. The present bifunctional Ru catalyst offers a great opportunity to open up new fundamentals for stereoselective molecular transformation including enantioselective C-H and C-C as well as C-O, C-N bond formation.     

Supported choline hydroxide (ionic liquid) as heterogeneous catalyst for aldol condensation reactions

Choline hydroxide was used as a basic catalyst for aldol condensation reactions to produce new C-C bonds between several ketones and aldehydes. Choline supported on MgO exhibits higher TOF values than other well known basic catalysts in these reactions.     

Hydrothermal C-C bond formation and disproportionation of acetaldehyde with formic acid

Reaction pathways and kinetics of C2 (carbon-two) aldehyde, acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), and formic acid HCOOH or HOCHO, are studied in neutral and acidic subcritical water at 200-250 degrees C. Acetaldehyde is found to exhibit (i) the acid-catalyzed C-C bond formation between acetaldehyde and formic acid, which generates lactic acid (CH3CH(OH)COOH), (ii) the cross-disproportionation, where formic acid reduces acetaldehyde into ethanol, and (iii) the aldol condensation. The lactic acid formation is a green C-C bond formation, proceeding without any organic solvents or metal catalysts. The new C-C bond formation takes place between formic acid and aldehydes irrespective of the presence of alpha-hydrogens. The hydrothermal cross-disproportionation produces ethanol without base catalysts and proceeds even in acidic condition, in sharp contrast to the classical base-catalyzed Cannizzaro reaction. The rate constants of the reactions (i)-(iii) and the equilibrium constant of the lactic acid formation are determined in the temperature range of 200-250 degrees C and at HCl concentrations of 0.2-0.6 M (mol/dm(3)). The reaction pathways are controlled so that the lactic acid or ethanol yield may be maximized by tuning the reactant concentrations and the temperature. A high lactic acid yield of 68% is achieved when acetaldehyde and formic acid are mixed in hot water, respectively, at 0.01 and 2.0 M in the presence of 0.6 M HCl at 225 degrees C. The ethanol yield attained 75% by the disproportionation of acetaldehyde (0.3 M) and formic acid (2.0 M) at 225 degrees C in the absence of added HCl.     

Borrowing hydrogen: iridium-catalysed reactions for the formation of C-C bonds from alcohols

Alcohols have been employed as substrates for C-C bond-forming reactions which involve initial activation by the temporary removal of hydrogen to form an aldehyde. The intermediate aldehyde is converted into an alkene via a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, nitroaldol and aldol reactions. The 'borrowed hydrogen' is then returned to the alkene to form a C-C bond.     

Brønsted acids as additives for the direct asymmetric aldol reaction catalyzed by l-prolinethioamides. direct evidence for enamine-iminium catalysis

The use of protonated l-prolinethioamide instead of the free base derivative 1 as the organocatalyst for the direct aldol addition has a profound and appreciable effect on both the yield and the stereochemical course of the reaction. 4-Nitrobenzaldehyde (2) reacts with acetone in the presence of the protonated catalyst 1.TFA, affording aldol product 3 with a yield up to 99% and an ee up to 98%. The catalyst loading can be lowered to 2.5 mol %. More than 20 different acids were investigated as an additive, and its role as cocatalyst has been discussed. Furthermore, reactions of l-prolinethioamide salts with acetone have been monitored using ESI-MS and 1H NMR techniques, giving insight into the mechanism of the direct aldol reaction. The presumed formation of the iminium salt 10 has been unambiguously confirmed.     

Aldol additions of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to N-Cbz-amino aldehydes catalyzed by L-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase in emulsion systems: inversion of stereoselectivity as a function of the acceptor aldehyde

The potential of L-fuculose-1-phosphate aldolase (FucA) as a catalyst for the asymmetric aldol addition of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) to N-protected amino aldehydes has been investigated. First, the reaction was studied in both emulsion systems and conventional dimethylformamide (DMF)/H2O (1:4 v/v) mixtures. At 100 mM DHAP, compared with the reactions in the DMF/H2O (1:4) mixture, the use of emulsion systems led to two- to three-fold improvements in the conversions of the FucA-catalyzed reactions. The N-protected aminopolyols thus obtained were converted to iminocyclitols by reductive amination with Pd/C. This reaction was highly diastereoselective with the exception of the reaction of the aldol adduct formed from (S)-N-Cbz-alaninal, which gave a 55:45 mixture of both epimers. From the stereochemical analysis of the resulting iminocyclitols, it was concluded that the stereoselectivity of the FucA-catalyzed reaction depended upon the structure of the N-Cbz-amino aldehyde acceptor. Whereas the enzymatic aldol reaction with both enantiomers of N-Cbz-alaninal exclusively gave the expected 3R,4R configuration, the stereochemistry at the C-4 position of the major aldol adducts produced in the reactions with N-Cbz-glycinal and N-Cbz-3-aminopropanal was inverted to the 3R,4S configuration. The study of the FucA-catalyzed addition of DHAP to phenylacetaldehyde and benzyloxyacetaldehyde revealed that the 4R product was kinetically favored, but rapidly disappeared in favor of the 4S diastereoisomer. Computational models were generated for the situations before and after C-C bond formation in the active site of FucA. Moreover, the lowest-energy conformations of each pair of the resulting epimeric adducts were determined. The data show that the products with a 3R,4S configuration were thermodynamically more stable and, therefore, the major products formed, in agreement with the experimental results.     

Nickel-Catalyzed α-Allylation of Aldehydes and Tandem Aldol Condensation/Allylation Reaction with Allylic Alcohols

An additive-free nickel-catalyzed α-allylation of aldehydes with allyl alcohol is reported. The reaction is promoted by 1 mol % of in situ formed nickel complex in methanol, and water is the sole by-product of the reaction. The experimental conditions allow the conversion of various α-branched aldehydes and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes as nucleophiles. The same catalyst and reaction conditions enabled a tandem aldol condensation of aldehyde/α-allylation reaction.