Synthesis of γ-amino alcohols from aldehydes, enamines, and trichlorosilane using Lewis base catalysts

The reaction of aldehydes, enamines, and trichlorosilane in the presence of a Lewis base catalyst, particularly N-methylpyrrolidinone and DMF, affords γ-amino alcohols with a high diastereoselectivity. The method consists of C-C bond formation between an aldehyde and an enamine, and a subsequent intramolecular reduction of the resulting iminium ion intermediate. In most cases, one diastereomer is exclusively generated, and we propose a transition state model for the intramolecular reduction of the iminium ion intermediate. Enamines, prepared beforehand from the corresponding ketone and amine, can be used in the reaction without purification. Furthermore, enantioselective catalysis using a chiral Lewis base catalyst is possible, although the enantioselectivity is modest. The current tandem method offers the first, concise synthetic method of γ-amino alcohols from aldehydes and enamines.     

Metal-Free Deoxygenation of Chiral Nitroalkanes: An Easy Entry to α-Substituted Enantiomerically Enriched Nitriles

A metal-free, mild and chemodivergent transformation involving nitroalkanes has been developed. Under optimized reaction conditions, in the presence of trichlorosilane and a tertiary amine, aliphatic nitroalkanes were selectively converted into amines or nitriles. Furthermore, when chiral β-substituted nitro compounds were reacted, the stereochemical integrity of the stereocenter was maintained and α-functionalized nitriles were obtained with no loss of enantiomeric excess. The methodology was successfully applied to the synthesis of chiral β-cyano esters, α-aryl alkylnitriles, and TBS-protected cyanohydrins, including direct precursors of four active pharmaceutical ingredients (ibuprofen, tembamide, aegeline and denopamine).     

Polymer-supported organocatalysts: asymmetric reduction of imines with trichlorosilane catalyzed by an amino acid-derived formamide anchored to a polymer

Asymmetric reduction of ketimines 1a-e with trichlorosilane can be catalyzed by the N-methylvaline-derived Lewis basic formamide anchored to a polymeric support (5a and 5b) with good enantioselectivity (< or =82% ee) and low catalyst loading (typically 15 mol %) at room temperature. This protocol represents a considerable simplification of the isolation procedure and is particularly suitable for a parallel synthesis of chiral amines 2a-e. The polymer-supported catalysts retain full activity after a multiple use.     

Formamides derived from N-methyl amino acids serve as new chiral organocatalysts in the enantioselective reduction of aromatic ketimines with trichlorosilane

Asymmetric reduction of N-aryl ketimines 1a–k, 43, and 45 with trichlorosilane can be catalyzed by new N-methyl l-amino acid-derived Lewis-basic organocatalysts, such as the valine-derived bisamide 3d (10 mol%), in toluene at room temperature with high enantioselectivity (≤92% ee). The structure–reactivity investigation shows that the product configuration is controlled by the nature of the side chain of the catalyst scaffold (e.g., i-Pr vs Me, as in 3d and 6e), so that catalysts of the same absolute configuration may induce the formation of the opposite enantiomers of the product. Arene–arene interactions between the catalyst and the incoming imine appear to be the prerequisite for asymmetric induction. This metal-free, organocatalytic protocol is competitive with the traditional, metal-catalyzed methodology.     

Three‐Component Asymmetric Catalytic Ugi Reaction—Concinnity from Diversity by Substrate‐Mediated Catalyst Assembly

The first chiral catalyst for the three‐component Ugi reaction was identified as a result of a screen of a large set of different BOROX catalysts. The BOROX catalysts were assembled in situ from a chiral biaryl ligand, an amine, water, BH₃?SMe₂ , and an alcohol or phenol. The catalyst screen included 13 different ligands, 12 amines, and 47 alcohols or phenols. The optimal catalyst system (LAP 8‐5‐47) provided α‐amino amides from an aldehyde, a secondary amine, and an isonitrile with excellent asymmetric induction. The catalytically active species is proposed to be an ion pair that consists of the chiral boroxinate anion and an iminium cation.     

Catalysis of hydrosilylation,part XXII: Polymer-protected immobilized platinum complex catalysts for gas-phase hydrosilylation of acetylene

A platinum catalyst (hexachloroplatinic acid dissolved in ethanol) was immobilized by anchoring via amine and mercapto groups to silica followed by formation of a polymer layer which protected the catalyst against leaching. These catalysts (A and B) as well as precatalysts (S_A-Pt, S_B-Pt) which were not protected by polymer were tested in the gas-phase hydrosilylation reaction of acetylene with trichlorosilane. The catalytic parameters (yield 80%, selectivity 100%) obtained under optimal conditions prove the advantage of catalyst A over 300 h reaction time by the flow method.     

新轴手性N,N-Dioxide Biscarbolin衍生物催化酮亚胺的不对称硅氢化反应

以L-色氨酸为原料合成了5个伯酰胺结构的轴手性双咔啉N—O催化剂N2,N2'-二氧-9,9'-二甲基-3,3'-取代甲酰胺-β-双咔啉(4A~4E),并用于不对称催化酮亚胺的还原反应.结果表明,催化剂的催化转化率较高(80%~98%),立体选择性(e.e.值)较好,其中催化剂N2,N2'-二氧-9,9'-二甲基-3,3'-环己基甲酰胺-β-双咔啉(4B)的催化转化率达到了98%,e.e.值达68%.     

Synthesis of enantiopure β-amino alcohols via AKR/ARO of epoxides using recyclable macrocyclic Cr(III) salen complexes

A series of chiral macrocyclic Cr(III) salen complexes 1-8 were synthesized and characterized. These complexes were found to be highly active, regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective catalysts in aminolytic kinetic resolution (AKR) of racemic trans-epoxides as well as asymmetric ring opening (ARO) of prochiral meso-epoxides with various anilines as nucleophiles at room temperature in 18-24 h. Excellent yields (>99% with respect to the nucleophile) with high enantioselectivity (ee, >99%) of chiral anti-β-amino alcohols was achieved with concomitant recovery of corresponding epoxides in high ee (up to >99%). The complex 1 also catalyzed the ARO of meso-epoxides to provide corresponding syn-β-amino alcohols in high yield (99%) and ee (up to 91%). Due to built-in basic sites in the catalyst, no external base (as an additive) was required to promote AKR and ARO reactions. The catalyst 1 was conveniently recycled several times with retention of its performance. The AKR of trans-stilbene oxide with aniline was successfully demonstrated at relatively higher scale (10 mmol) using the catalyst 1.     

Cu-Ni-Zn三元脂肪醇胺化催化剂的研究

 长链烷基二甲基叔胺是一类重要的有机中间体,目前其主要的制备工艺是由脂肪醇和二甲胺在脱氢－加氢类催化剂的作用下进行胺化反应．改进脂肪醇胺化催化剂的主要目标是提高其选择性．对以Cu和Ni为活性组分,以碳酸钙为载体的催化剂体系中加入Zn助催化剂组分对催化剂选择性的影响进行了研究．结果发现,在相同Cu／Ni比的条件下,Zn在Cu－Ni催化剂体系中的一个主要作用是能够阻碍氧化态镍的还原,而催化剂的选择性与催化剂中镍的还原程度密切相关．     

Immobilization of chiral oxazaborolidine catalyst over highly ordered 3D mesoporous silica with Ia3d symmetry for enantioselective reduction of prochiral ketone

Here we demonstrate for the first time the encapsulation of a chiral oxazaborolidine complex in the 3D mesoporous channels of an amine functionalized KIT-6 material via covalent bonding through a post-synthetic approach. The physico-chemical properties of the pure and immobilized KIT-6 catalysts were obtained by various techniques such as XRD, nitrogen adsorption, HRSEM, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy. It has been found that the structural stability of the KIT-6 was not affected even after the immobilization of a significant amount of chiral ligand inside the mesoporous channels of the support. However, the values of structural parameters such as the specific surface area and the specific pore volume of the KIT-6 support was significantly lower than the pure KIT-6 support. The chemical interaction between the chiral ligand inside the mesochannels and the KIT-6 support was also confirmed by UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy. The chiral catalytic performance of the immobilized catalysts for the enantioselective reduction of aromatic prochiral ketones was demonstrated and the results were compared with chiral catalyst immobilized supports with uni-dimensional porous structures, such as MCM-41 and SBA-15. Among the catalysts studied, chiral catalyst immobilized KIT-6 showed the highest performance with a high product yield and a high enantioselectivity due to its 3D porous structure with two continuous and interpenetrating systems of chiral channels and an interwoven 3D cylindrical type pores of Ia3d symmetry. The catalyst also exhibited much better recycling capability than other chiral catalyst supported mesoporous materials used in the study.     

Metal-free catalytic enantioselective silylation of aromatic aldehydes in water

One-step access to chiral α-hydroxysilanes by metal-free catalytic enantioselective silylation of aromatic aldehydes in water was achieved for the first time.     

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenations of β-N-substituted enamino esters with ammonia borane

Optically active β-amino acids and their derivatives are very useful building blocks in synthetic and medicinal chemistry. The catalytic asymmetric reduction of β-enamino esters is one of the most efficient approaches for their synthesis. Ammonia borane with low molecular weight, high hydrogen capacity, and good stability, is an ideal hydrogen source for the transfer hydrogenation. However, only a few successful examples have been reported for the asymmetric reduction with ammonia borane. In this work, an asymmetric metal-free transfer hydrogenation of β-N-substituted enamino esters with ammoinia borane was successfully realized by using a frustrated Lewis pair of Piers’ borane and (S)-tert-butylsulfinamide as a chiral catalyst. A variety of β-amino acid derivatives were obtained in 51–90% yields with up to 91% ee.     

Metal-free catalytic C-Si bond formation in an aqueous medium. Enantioselective NHC-catalyzed silyl conjugate additions to cyclic and acyclic α,β-unsaturated carbonyls

A metal-free method for enantioselective conjugate addition of a dimethylphenylsilyl group to α,β-unsaturated carbonyls is reported. Transformations are catalyzed by a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), performed in an aqueous solution (3:1 mixture of water and tetrahydrofuran) and are operationally simpler to perform than the NHC-Cu-catalyzed variant. The chiral catalyst is generated from an enantiomerically pure imidazolinium salt (prepared in three steps) and a common organic amine base (dbu). NHC-catalyzed processes proceed with 5.0-12.5 mol % catalyst loading at 22 °C within 1-12 h, affording the desired β-silyl carbonyls in 85:15 to >98:2 enantiomeric ratio and in 50% to >98% yield. Cyclic enones or lactones and acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones, esters, and aldehydes can be used as substrates.     

Asymmetric Cu-catalyzed Henry reaction using chiral camphor Schiff bases immobilized on a macromolecular chain

Immobilized catalysts have attracted chemists’ attention for long time because of convenient recycling, which is very important for some special catalyst even immobilizations accompanying the decrease of catalytic activity and selectivity. Our group focused on the developing chiral catalysts with camphor framework to catalyze various asymmetric reactions for long time. For easily recycling the unique chiral catalysts, a series of polymer catalysts with chiral camphor unit were synthesized by RAFT polymerization. Herein, the performance of the synthesized polymer chiral catalysts was reported by catalyzing asymmetric Henry reaction. After optimizing the reaction conditions, the synthesized chiral polymer catalyst provides a good yield and enantioselectivity to the reaction of p-nitrobenzaldehyde and nitromethane. In the meantime, the recycles and reused properties of synthesized polymer catalysts were examination by the model asymmetric Henry reaction. The catalyzed activities and enantioselectivities did not show obviously decrease until recycling five times.     

New Bifunctional Bis(azairidacycle) with Axial Chirality via Double Cyclometalation of 2,2′-Bis(aminomethyl)-1,1′-binaphthyl

As a candidate for bifunctional asymmetric catalysts containing a half-sandwich C–N chelating Ir(III) framework (azairidacycle), a dinuclear Ir complex with an axially chiral linkage is newly designed. An expedient synthesis of chiral 2,2′-bis(aminomethyl)-1,1′-binaphthyl (1) from 1,1-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) was accomplished by a three-step process involving nickel-catalyzed cyanation and subsequent reduction with Raney-Ni and KBH₄. The reaction of (S)-1 with an equimolar amount of [IrCl₂Cp*]₂ (Cp* = η⁵–C₅(CH₃)₅) in the presence of sodium acetate in acetonitrile at 80 °C gave a diastereomeric mixture of new dinuclear dichloridodiiridium complexes (5) through the double C–H bond cleavage, as confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. A loss of the central chirality on the Ir centers of 5 was demonstrated by treatment with KOC(CH₃)₃ to generate the corresponding 16e amidoiridium complex 6. The following hydrogen transfer from 2-propanol to 6 provided diastereomers of hydrido(amine)iridium retaining the bis(azairidacycle) architecture. The dinuclear chlorido(amine)iridium 5 can serve as a catalyst precursor for the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone with a substrate to a catalyst ratio of 200 in the presence of KOC(CH₃)₃ in 2-propanol, leading to (S)-1-phenylethanol with up to an enantiomeric excess (ee) of 67%.     

Triclorosilane-mediated stereoselective synthesis of β-amino esters and their conversion to highly enantiomerically enriched β-lactams

A highly stereoselective trichlorosilane-mediated reduction of N-benzyl enamines was developed; the combination of a low cost, easy to make metal-free catalyst and an inexpensive chiral auxiliary allowed to perform the reaction on substrates with different structural features often with total control of the stereoselectivity. By easy deprotection through hydrogenolysis followed by conversion of β-aminoester to 2-azetidinones, the synthesis of enantiomerically pure β-lactams (>98% e.e.) was successfully accomplished.     

Development of highly enantioselective new Lewis basic N-formamide organocatalysts for hydrosilylation of imines with an unprecedented substrate profile

l-Pipecolinic acid derived N-formamides have been developed as new Lewis basic organocatalysts that promote the asymmetric reduction of N-aryl ketimines using trichlorosilane as the reducing agent. The substituent on N4 of the piperazinyl backbone and the 2-carboxamide group both proved to have profound effects on the efficacy of the catalyst. The reductions of both N-aryl acyclic methyl ketimines and non-methyl ketimines were catalyzed to afford the desired amines in good to high yield and enantioselectivity. In particular, catalyst 6e enabled the reduction of the difficult bulky ketimines to be highly efficient and enantioselective, affording up to 99% yield and 97% ee. This catalyst proved to prefer the relatively bulkier non-methyl acyclic ketimines to the methyl ketimines as substrate, which is so far unprecedented in catalytic asymmetric reduction of imines.     

Base-catalyzed Schmittel cycloisomerization of o-phenylenediyne-linked bis(arenol)s to indeno[1,2-c]chromenes

We describe the transition metal-free base-catalyzed Schmittel cycloisomerization reactions of o-phenylene-linked bis(arenol)s to indeno[1,2-c]chromene derivatives through prototropic rearrangement (tautomerization) to a putative vinylidene o-quinone methide intermediate with an enyne-allene system followed by a formal inverse-electron-demand hetero Diels–Alder cycloaddition. The preliminary results on catalytic asymmetric cycloisomerization with chiral bases are also disclosed.     

Asymmetric synthesis of O-alkylated tetronic acid derivatives via an organocatalytic Mannich reaction and subsequent intramolecular cyclization

The organocatalytic asymmetric Mannich reaction of ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate with N-Boc-imines has been studied and Cinchona alkaloids and chiral thiourea-tertiary amines were evaluated as catalysts. A pyrrolidine-based thiourea-tertiary amine was identified as the best catalyst for the transformation. The Mannich adducts readily underwent a one-pot intramolecular cyclization in the presence of triethylamine. A number of O-ethyl tetronic acid derivatives were obtained in good yields and enantioselectivities (up to 91% ee). The products could be further converted to the heteroatomic mimics of prostaglandins via reaction with primary amines.     

Palladium catalysts on alkaline-earth supports for racemization and dynamic kinetic resolution of benzylic amines

Palladium catalysts on alkaline-earth supports were studied as new heterogeneous catalysts for racemization of chiral benzylic amines such as 1-phenylethylamine. Particularly 5 % Pd/BaSO(4) and 5 % Pd/CaCO(3) were able to selectively racemize amines, with minimal formation of secondary amines or hydrogenolysis to ethylbenzene. In contrast, these side reactions were pronounced on Pd/C. A reaction mechanism is proposed that is consistent with the reaction kinetics. The catalyst activity was found to depend on the number of available surface Pd atoms, determined by titration with CO. The selectivity crucially depends on the rate of condensation of the amine and the primary imine, which is highest on Pd/C. The racemization catalysts were combined in one pot with an immobilized lipase to perform dynamic kinetic resolution of chiral amines. High yields (up to 88 %) of essentially enantiopure amides were obtained in a single step. The chemo-enzymatic catalyst system proved to be stable and could be reused without losing the initial activity.