Titanium isopropoxide/pyridine mediated Knoevenagel reactions

We report a Ti(OiPr)₄/pyridine-mediated Knoevenagel reaction between aromatic ketones and cyanoacetamides to provide Knoevenagel olefin products in good to excellent yields. Almost in all cases studied, a single geometrical isomer was formed and isolated under the Ti(OiPr)₄/pyridine condensation conditions. This methodology was also demonstrated to be highly effective between some other Knoevenagel active methylene compounds and aromatic ketones.     

Novel recoverable catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

9-Amino(9-deoxy)epiquinine and 9-amino(9-deoxy)epicinchonine were applied in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in both iridium and rhodium catalytic systems using i-propanol as the hydrogen source. Good to excellent conversions and enantioselectivities were observed with a variety of aromatic ketones. Moreover, the Ir complex and Rh complex of 9-amino(9-deoxy)cinchonine were recovered in high yields with dilute hydrochloric acid. The enantioselectivity of 1-phenylethanol was nearly maintained after six cycles.     

Catalytic asymmetric borylative aldol reaction of 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one and ketones

A copper(I)-catalyzed asymmetric borylative aldol reaction of 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one and simple ketones (including aromatic ketones and an aliphatic ketone) was disclosed, which afforded a series of chiral diols after an oxidative work-up in moderate yields with moderate to high diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity. The lactone moiety was easily opened with methanol to generate a chiral triol in moderate yield.     

Asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction catalyzed by Yb-complexes with basic amino acid-derived ligands

Simple amino acid-derived esters have been identified as promising chiral sources for the ytterbium-catalyzed aldol-Tishchenko reaction of aromatic aldehydes with aliphatic ketones. The 1,3-anti-diols with three stereogenic centers were isolated in excellent yields, complete anti-diastereocontrol and enantioselectivities of up to 50% ee.     

Highly stereoselective direct aldol reactions catalyzed by (S)-NOBIN-l-prolinamide

(S)-NOBIN-l-prolinamide was employed as organocatalyst in the direct aldol reactions of different ketones and aromatic aldehydes using dioxane as solvent and in the presence of water as additive. Acetone led to the aldol products in up to 93% ee, while cyclic ketones furnished the anti-aldols in moderate to high yield, excellent diastereoselectivity (up to >99/<1 anti/syn ratio) and high ee (up to 95%).     

NBS as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepine derivatives under mild conditions

Various biologically important 1,5-benzodiazepine derivatives were efficiently synthesized in excellent yields using catalytic amounts of NBS (10 mol %). This inexpensive, nontoxic, and readily available catalyst efficiently catalyzes the condensation of several aromatic as well as aliphatic ketones with substituted o-phenylenediamines.     

Reduction processes biocatalyzed by Vigna unguiculata

Whole cells from the Brazilian beans feijão de corda (Vigna unguiculata) have been employed as biocatalysts in different bioreduction processes. Good to excellent selectivities can be obtained in the reduction of aromatic and aliphatic ketones, as well as β-ketoesters, depending on the conversions and the chemoselectivity on the substrate structure. This biocatalyst was also able to reduce the nitro moiety of different aromatic nitro compounds, showing as well enoate reductase activity, and chemoselectively catalyzing the double bond reduction of 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one with moderate conversion.     

Practical one-pot preparation of ketones from aryl and alkyl bromides with aldehydes and DIH via Grignard reagents

Various diaryl ketones, alkyl aryl ketones, and dialkyl ketones were efficiently prepared in good yields by the reactions of the Grignard reagents derived from aryl or alkyl bromides, followed by the reactions with aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes and the subsequent treatment with 1,3-diiodo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin and K₂CO₃, in a one-pot method. The same treatment of aromatic bromides bearing electron-withdrawing groups, such as ester, nitrile, ketone, and nitro groups with i-PrMgCl·LiCl or PhMgCl instead of Mg, also provided the corresponding diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones in good yields. The above methods are simple and practical transition-metal-free methods for the preparation of various diaryl ketones and alkyl aryl ketones bearing electron-rich aromatic groups and electron-deficient aromatic groups, as well as dialkyl ketones.     

Enzymatic ketone reduction: mapping the substrate profile of a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase (YMR226c) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase (YMR226c) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the encoded protein was purified. The activity and enantioselectivity of this recombinant enzyme were evaluated with a series of ketones. The alcohol dehydrogenase (YMR226c) was found to effectively catalyze the enantioselective reductions of aryl-substituted acetophenones, α-chloroacetophenones, aliphatic ketones, and α- and β-ketoesters. While the enantioselectivity for the reduction of β-ketoesters was moderate, the acetophenone derivatives, aromatic α-ketoesters, some substituted α-chloroacetophenones, and aliphatic ketones were reduced to the corresponding chiral alcohols with excellent enantioselectivity. The enantiopreference of this enzyme generally followed Prelog’s rule for the simple ketones. The ester functionality played some role in determining the enzyme’s enantiopreference for the reduction of α- and β-ketoesters. The present study serves as a valuable guidance for the future applications of this versatile biocatalyst.     

Chiral ligand derived from (1S,2R)-norephedrine as a catalyst for enantioselective prochiral ketone reduction

Chiral oxazaborolidines derived from (1S,2R)-(+)-norephedrine and substituted salicylaldehydes were employed in the asymmetric reduction of prochiral ketones using borane dimethyl sulfide as a reducing agent. The secondary alcohols were formed in excellent yields (45–99.8%) with enantioselectivities up to 99.8%. The effect of the substitution in the aromatic ring of the ligand was discussed with the enantioselectivity of the product.     

Highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones catalyzed by a bifunctional Ti(IV) complex

A bifunctional catalyst system composed of (S)-prolinamide (2a), titanium(IV) isopropoxide, and phenolic N-oxide (3f) exhibited high catalytic efficiency in the enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones. In the presence of 2.5 mol % catalyst, a variety of aromatic and aliphatic ketones were converted into the corresponding tertiary cyanohydrin O-TMS ethers in excellent yields (up to 96%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee). A proposed catalytic cycle was illustrated to explain the origin of the asymmetric induction.     

A new type of amino amide organocatalyzed enantioselective crossed aldol reaction of ketones with aromatic aldehydes

A new type of amino amide organocatalysts was designed and synthesized from commercially available amino acids in easy steps. Their catalytic activities were examined in enantioselective crossed aldol reaction of various acyclic and cyclic ketones with aromatic aldehydes to afford the corresponding chiral anti-aldol adducts with good to excellent chemical yields, diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities (up to 99%, up to syn:anti?=?1:99, up to 97% ee).     

Facile preparation of aromatic ketones from aromatic bromides and arenes with aldehydes

Aromatic ketones were efficiently prepared in good yields by the reactions of aryl bromides with n-BuLi, followed by the reactions with aromatic aldehydes or aliphatic aldehydes and the subsequent treatment with molecular iodine and K₂CO₃, in a one-pot method. The same treatment of arenes, instead of aromatic bromides, also provided the corresponding aromatic ketones in good yields. Using these methods, various diaryl ketones and alkyl aryl ketones bearing electron-rich aromatics and electron-deficient aromatics could be prepared efficiently by a simple, transition-metal-free, and therefore environmentally benign experimental procedure.     

Synthesis and Rhizopus oryzae mediated enantioselective hydrolysis of α-acetoxy aryl alkyl ketones

Mn(OAc)₃ oxidation of aromatic ketones afforded the α-acetoxy ketones in good yield. Selective hydrolysis of the acetoxy ketones by the fungus Rhizopus oryzae yields (R)-hydroxy ketones in high enantiomeric excess.     

Facile synthesis of 2-nitromethyl aromatic ketones by insertion of benzynes into the C-C bond of α-nitroketones

A facile method to synthesize 2-nitromethyl aromatic ketones was developed. In the method, benzyne was generated in situ for the insertion to α-Nitroketones in one pot to achieve 2-nitromethyl aromatic ketones under mild conditions. Aromatic and aliphatic α-nitroketones were applied in the reaction, and the results show that aliphatic α-nitroketones gave excellent yields (up to 96%), while aromatic α-nitroketones gave moderate yields. The synthesized 2-nitromethyl aromatic ketones could be potential substrates to synthesize isoindoles.     

Evidence supporting a single electron transfer pathway in the reduction of aromatic ketones by metal alkoxides. Lithium isopropoxide,an excellent reducing agent for aromatic ketones.

Reactions of various metal alkoxides with aromatic ketones have been shown to produce radical intermediate. Lithium isopropoxide has been found to be an excellent reducing agent for aromatic ketones and reduces benzophenone at a faster rate than does aluminum isopropoxide.     

Organo-catalyzed highly diastereo- and enantio-selective direct aldol reactions in water

The asymmetric direct aldol reactions of a wide scope of aromatic aldehydes, with unmodified ketones in the presence of 1 mol % of organocatalyst prepared from (2R,3R)-diethyl 2-amino-3-hydroxysuccinate and trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline, were performed in water, affording aldol products in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivities of up to >99:1 and enantioselectivities of up to 98%.     

Lentinus strigellus: a new versatile stereoselective biocatalyst for the bioreduction of prochiral ketones

Growing cells of the basiodiomycete Lentinus strigellus in potato-dextrose broth have been used for the first time as a biocatalyst in the stereoselective reduction of aromatic and aliphatic ketones. Most of the aromatic ketones were converted into the corresponding optically active alcohols in up to >99% enantiomeric excess under very mild reaction conditions. Among the aliphatic ketones tested, 2-octanone was enzymatically reduced by this microorganism to enantiopure (S)-2-octanol with almost complete conversion.     

Enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones by a catalytic double-activation method with an aluminium complex and an N-oxide

Double-activation catalysis promises high catalytic efficiency in the enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones through the combined use of a Lewis acid and a Lewis base. Catalyst systems composed of a chiral salen-Al complex and an N-oxide have high catalytic turnovers (200 for aromatic ketones, 1000 for aliphatic ones). With these catalysts, a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic ketones were converted under mild conditions into tertiary cyanohydrin O-TMS ethers in excellent yields and with high enantioselectivities (94% ee for aromatic ketones, 90% ee for aliphatic ones). Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the salen-Al complex played the role of a Lewis acid to activate the ketone and the N-oxide that of a Lewis base to activate TMSCN; that is, double activation.     

Asymmetric synthesis of β-aryl-β-trifluoromethyl-β-aminoarones via Mannich-type reactions of ketone enolates with chiral aryl CF3-substituted N-tert-butanesulfinyl ketimines

A method for the preparation of chiral β-aryl-β-trifluoromethyl-β-aminoarones has been developed involving the Mannich-type reactions of ketone-derivative enolates with chiral aryl CF₃-substituted N-tert-butanesulfinyl ketimines. This method tolerates a wide of aromatic ketones, giving the products in moderate to excellent yields (up to 91%) with good diastereoselectiveties (up to 93:7 dr). Acidic cleavage of the tert-butanesulfinyl group gave optically pure β-aryl-β-trifluoromethyl-β-aminoarones in excellent yields (up to 98%), which can be further transformed into CF₃-substituted aziridine derivatives.