Silicon tetrachloride in organic synthesis: new applications for the vinylogous aldol reaction

This paper describes a novel and efficient methodology for vinylogous aldol reactions based on SiCl₄ catalysis. According to the nucleophilicity Mayr's scale, vinylogous aldol reaction of Chan's diene proved to be effective by using catalytic amount of SiCl₄, without any other promoter. On the contrary, the SiCl₄/Lewis base system has been conveniently exploited for the efficient and selective vinylogous reaction of less nucleophilic Danishefsky's diene and 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran (TMSOF). Indeed, a number of Lewis bases, such as sulfoxides, formamides and phosphoramides have been successfully used as SiCl₄ promoters. TMSOF and silyloxydienes, resulting from 2,2,6-trimethyl-[1,3]-dioxin-4-one derivatives, required stoichiometric amount of SiCl₄, while vinylogous aldol reaction of Chan's and Danishefsky's dienes took satisfactorily place in the presence of catalytic or sub-stoichiometric amount of catalyst.     

Synthesis of the C1-C12 fragment of iriomoteolide 1a by sequential catalytic asymmetric vinylogous aldol reactions

An efficient synthesis of the C1-C12 fragment of iriomoteolide 1a has been accomplished via sequential application of two catalytic, asymmetric, vinylogous aldol reactions: a catalytic vinylogous aldol reaction was used to enantioselectively introduce the C5-C8 segment, and a second catalytic vinylogous aldol reaction was used to install the remaining two stereocenters and a stereodefined alkene in the form of an alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactone in one step.     

Catalytic,Asymmetric Synthesis of Phosphonic γ‐(Hydroxyalkyl)butenolides with Contiguous Quaternary and Tertiary Stereogenic Centers

A procedure that enables high yielding access to phosphonic γ‐(hydroxyalkyl)butenolides with excellent regio‐, diastereo‐ and enantiocontrol is reported. The simultaneous construction of up to two adjacent quaternary stereogenic centers by a catalytic asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction unites biologically and medicinally relevant entities, namely α‐hydroxy phosphonates and γ‐(hydroxyalkyl)butenolides. This is achieved by utilizing a readily available chiral copper‐sulfoximine catalyst showing a broad functional group tolerance for both the electrophilic and nucleophilic reactants. A discussion about potential factors affecting the observed level of enantioselectivity, which stems from the enantiopure sulfoximine ligand, is also included.     

Asymmetric organocatalytic Biginelli reactions: a new approach to quickly access optically active 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-ones

The Biginelli reaction, known for over 100 years, is an important multicomponent reaction for accessing dihydropyrimidinones (DHPMs). The individual enantiomers of DHPMs exhibit different or even opposite pharmaceutical activities, which require synthetic methods to easily access the optically pure DHPMs. In recent decades, many efforts have focused on developing procedures for the preparation of optically active Biginelli products. In this article, we will summarize the developments in the synthetic methods to access optically active DHPMs with an emphasis on the recent advances in the asymmetric catalytic Biginelli reactions, along with concepts to design the organocatalytic asymmetric variants.     

Catalytic, enantioselective, vinylogous aldol reactions

In 1935, R. C. Fuson formulated the principle of vinylogy to explain how the influence of a functional group may be felt at a distant point in the molecule when this position is connected by conjugated double-bond linkages to the group. In polar reactions, this concept allows the extension of the electrophilic or nucleophilic character of a functional group through the pi system of a carbon-carbon double bond. This vinylogous extension has been applied to the aldol reaction by employing "extended" dienol ethers derived from gamma-enolizable alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Since 1994, several methods for the catalytic, enantioselective, vinylogous aldol reaction have appeared, with which varying degrees of regio- (site), enantio-, and diastereoselectivity can be attained. In this Review, the current scope and limitations of this transformation, as well as its application in natural product synthesis, are discussed.     

Enantioselective intramolecular crossed Rauhut-Currier reactions through cooperative nucleophilic activation and hydrogen-bonding catalysis: scope and mechanistic insight

A highly efficient and enantioselective intramolecular crossed Rauhut-Currier (RC) reaction of nitroolefins with tethered enonates has been developed through cooperative nucleophilic activation and a hydrogen-bonding catalytic strategy (≤98% ee and 98% yield). The reaction features simple experimental procedures and is completely chemoselective and atom-economic in character. The potential synthetic applications have been demonstrated by the conversion of the RC reaction products into biologically and pharmaceutically valuable compounds with highly diastereoselectivity. In addition, computational investigations were employed to support the proposed mechanism and to obtain a good understanding of the origin of the stereoselectivity in RC reactions.     

Development of Asymmetric Reactions Catalyzed by Chiral Organotin‐Alkoxide Reagents

Asymmetric catalysis under almost‐neutral reaction conditions is key for the efficient synthesis of optically active polar molecules. We have developed catalytic enantioselective reactions of acyclic or cyclic alkenyl esters by using an (S)‐BINOL‐derived chiral tin‐dibromide reagent that possesses a bulky aryl group at the 3 or 3′ position as the chiral pre‐catalyst in the presence of a sodium alkoxide and an alcohol, in which a chiral tin alkoxide bromide is generated in situ and recycled with the assistance of an alcohol. In this Personal Account, we describe three types of asymmetric transformation that proceed through a chiral tin enolate: 1) The asymmetric aldol reaction of alkenyl esters or unsaturated lactones with aldehydes or isatins; 2) the asymmetric three‐component Mannich‐type reaction of alkenyl esters and related cycloaddition reactions; and 3) the asymmetric N‐nitroso aldol reaction of unsaturated lactones with nitrosoarenes.     

Synergistic Pd/Cu Catalysis in Organic Synthesis

Synergistic Pd/Cu catalysis has been utilized in the Sonogashira reaction since 1975. However, this strategy has not received much attention from the organic chemist community until recently. Synergistic Pd/Cu catalysis is becoming a proficient method for the development of catalytic reactions, including several new and efficient cross-coupling reactions. Additionally, several challenging asymmetric reactions, including stereodivergent synthesis, have been discovered by the combined use of a chiral metal catalyst and a second achiral metal catalyst or two chiral metal catalysts. This review provides an overview of this field, with the aims of highlighting both the development of synergistic Pd/Cu catalysis in organic synthesis and the reaction mechanisms involved in this research area.     

Electrophilic Activation of α,β‐Unsaturated Amides: Catalytic Asymmetric Vinylogous Conjugate Addition of Unsaturated γ‐Butyrolactones

Although catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition reactions have remarkably advanced over the last two decades, the application of less electrophilic α,β‐unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives in this useful reaction manifold remains challenging. Herein, we report that α,β‐unsaturated 7‐azaindoline amides act as reactive electrophiles to participate in catalytic diastereo‐ and enantioselective vinylogous conjugate addition of γ‐butyrolactones in the presence of a cooperative catalyst comprising of a soft Lewis acid and a Brønsted base. Reactions mostly reached completion with as little as 1 mol % of catalyst loading to give the desired conjugate adducts in a highly stereoselective manner.     

Asymmetric Catalysis with Heterobimetallic Compounds

This review focuses on a new concept in catalytic asymmetric reactions that was first realized for the use of heterobimetallic complexes. As these heterobimetallic complexes function as both a Brønsted base and as a Lewis acid, just like an enzyme, they make possible a variety of efficient catalytic asymmetric reactions. This heterobimetallic concept should prove to be applicable to a variety of new asymmetric catalyses. The first part of this review describes the development of rare-earth–alkali metal complexes such as LnM₃tris(binaphthoxide) complexes (LnMB, Ln = rare-earth metal, M = alkali metal), which are readily prepared from the corresponding rare-earth trichlorides or rare-earth isopropoxides, and their application to catalytic asymmetric synthesis. By using a catalytic amount of LnMB complexes several asymmetric reactions proceed efficiently to give the corresponding desired products in up to 98% ee: LnLB-catalyzed asymmetric nitroaldol reactions (L = Li), LnSB-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions (S ? Na), and LnPB-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphonylations of either imines or aldehydes (P ? K). Applications of these heterobimetallic catalysts to the syntheses of several biologically and medicinally important compounds are also described. Spectral analyses and computational simulations of the asymmetric reactions catalyzed by the heterobimetallic complexes reveal that the two different metals play different roles to enhance the reactivity of both reaction partners and to position them. From mechanistic considerations, a useful activation of the heterobimetallic catalyses was realized by addition of alkali metal reagents. The second part describes the development of another type of heterobimetallic catalysts featuring Group 13 elements such as Al and Ga as the central metal. Among them, the AlLibis(binaphthoxide) complex (ALB) is an effective catalyst for asymmetric Michael reactions, tandem Michael–aldol reactions, and hydrophosphonylation of aldehydes.     

The Direct catalytic asymmetric cross-Mannich reaction: a highly enantioselective route to 3-amino alcohols and alpha-amino acid derivatives

The first proline-catalyzed direct catalytic asymmetric one-pot, three-component cross-Mannich reaction has been developed. The highly chemoselective reactions between two different unmodified aldehydes and one aromatic amine are new routes to 3-amino aldehydes with dr>19:1 and up to >99 % ee. The asymmetric cross-Mannich reactions are highly syn-selective and in several cases the two new carbon centers are formed with absolute stereocontrol. The reaction does not display nonlinear effects and therefore only one proline molecule is involved in the transition state. The reaction was also catalyzed with good selectivity by other proline derivatives. The Mannich products were converted into 3-amino alcohols and 2-aminobutane-1,4-diols with up to >99 % ee. The first one-pot, three-component, direct catalytic asymmetric cross-Mannich reactions between unmodified aldehydes, p-anisidine, and ethyl glyoxylate have been developed. The novel cross-Mannich reaction furnishes either enantiomer of unnatural alpha-amino acid derivatives in high yield and up to >99 % ee. The one-pot, three-component, direct catalytic asymmetric reactions were readily scaled up, operationally simple, and conductible in environmentally benign and wet solvents. The mechanism and stereochemistry of the proline-catalyzed, one-pot, three-component, asymmetric cross-Mannich reaction are also discussed.     

新型手性亲核催化剂4-二甲胺基吡啶衍生物的研究进展

手性4-二甲胺基吡啶(DMAP, 4-Dimethylaminopyridine)衍生物作为具有较高催化活性和对映选择性的新型手性亲核催化剂, 已经在多种不对称催化反应中得到应用, 并取得了很好的研究成果. 目前, 手性DMAP衍生物化学的研究正成为催化不对称合成领域中一个十分活跃和引人注目的研究热点. 综述了手性DMAP衍生物化学近几年的研究进展.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Dearomatization Reactions

This Review summarizes the development of catalytic asymmetric dearomatization (CADA) reactions. The CADA reactions discussed herein include oxidative dearomatization reactions, dearomatization by Diels–Alder and related reactions, the alkylative dearomatization of electron‐rich arenes, transition‐metal‐catalyzed dearomatization reactions, cascade sequences involving asymmetric dearomatization as the key step, and nucleophilic dearomatization reactions of pyridinium derivatives. Asymmetric dearomatization reactions with chiral auxiliaries and catalytic asymmetric reactions of dearomatized substrates are also briefly introduced. This Review intends to provide a concept for catalytic asymmetric dearomatization.     

Silyldienolates in Organocatalytic Enantioselective Vinylogous Mukaiyama-Type Reactions: A Review

Mukaiyama aldol, Mannich, and Michael reactions are arguably amongst the most important C–C bond formation processes and enable access to highly relevant building blocks of various natural products. Their vinylogous extensions display equally high potential in the formation of important key intermediates featuring even higher functionalization possibilities through an additional conjugated C–C double bond. Hence, it is much desired to develop highly selective vinylogous methods in order to enable unconventional, more efficient asymmetric syntheses of biologically active compounds. In this regard, silyl-dienolates were discovered to display high regioselectivities due to their tendency toward γ-additions. The control of the enantio- and diastereoinduction of these processes have been for a long time dominated by transition metal catalysis, but it received serious competition by the application of organocatalytic approaches since the beginning of this century. In this review, the organocatalytic applications of silyl-dienolates in asymmetric vinylogous C–C bond formations are summarized, focusing on their scope, characteristics, and limitations.     

新颖有机催化剂的合成及催化不对称直接Aldol反应研究

以N-苄氧羰基-(S)-脯氨酸和5-(1-氨基烷基)四氮唑(烷基: 甲基、乙基、2-苯基乙基)为原料, 经两步反应合成了3个新颖的有机催化剂: (S)-5-脯氨酰胺基甲基四氮唑(3a), (S,S)-5-(1-脯氨酰胺基乙基)四氮唑(3b)和(S,S)-5-(1-脯氨酰胺 基-2-苯基乙基)四氮唑(3c), 并首次将其用于催化丙酮和含吸电子基芳香醛的不对称直接aldol反应. 在室温条件下, 催化剂3b表现出较好的催化活性, 产物的ee值最高可达96%.     

Iron(III) corroles and porphyrins as superior catalysts for the reactions of diazoacetates with nitrogen- or sulfur-containing nucleophilic substrates: synthetic uses and mechanistic insights

A thorough mechanistic investigation has been performed on the reactions of primary and secondary amines with diazoacetates, which proceed uniquely quickly and efficiently when catalyzed by iron(III) corroles and porphyrins. Two major differences in relation to other metal-based catalysts are that the iron complexes are not poisoned by excess amine and that metal-carbene intermediates are apparently not involved in the reaction pathway. The results instead point towards nitrogen ylide intermediates formed by nucleophilic attack of the amines on diazoacetate-coordinated iron complexes. Nitrogen ylides are also formed when allyl- and propargyl-substituted tertiary amines react with diazoacetates, a scenario that smoothly leads to 2,3-rearrangement reaction products with catalytic amounts of the iron(III) complexes. Similar findings regarding the superiority of the iron(III) complexes (in terms of catalyst loading, chemical yields, and reaction conditions) were obtained with thiols (S--H insertion) and sulfides (2,3-rearrangement reactions), which suggest similar mechanisms operate in these cases.     

Asymmetric direct vinylogous Michael reaction of activated alkenes to nitroolefins catalyzed by modified cinchona alkaloids

[reaction: see text] The first organocatalytic and asymmetric direct vinylogous Michael reaction that employs the electron-deficient vinyl malononitriles as the nucleophilic species has been reported. The novel transformations exhibit exclusive gamma-selectivity and high diastereo- and enantioselectivity in the addition to nitroolefins, which give the multifunctional products with two vicinal chiral centers.     

Applications of Chiral Phosphine‐Based Organocatalysts in Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions

Chiral phosphines are versatile Lewis basic catalysts that are capable of promoting a wide range of asymmetric reactions. In particular, recently designed chiral phosphines based on the concept of bi‐/multifunctionality have been demonstrated to be effective catalysts for many types of asymmetric reactions, such as (aza)‐MBH reactions, cycloaddition reactions, and nucleophilic addition reactions. This short overview summarizes the recent advances in this field and highlights the most‐significant achievements.     

Nucleophilic and Electrophilic Activation of Non‐Heteroaromatic Amides in Atom‐Economical Asymmetric Catalysis

Recent advances in catalytic asymmetric carbon–carbon bond‐forming reactions of non‐heteroaromatic amide substrates are highlighted. Among carbonyl compounds, amides have received limited attention in catalytic asymmetric transformations mainly owing to their lower reactivity. Amides are reluctant to form enolates for nucleophilic addition, and α,β‐unsaturated amides exhibit diminished electrophilicity at the β‐carbon. Recent advances in asymmetric catalysis rendered these amides amenable to enantioselective reactions with perfect atom economy, producing synthetically useful chiral building blocks. This Minireview summarizes recent developments in the field.     

Catalytic asymmetric 1,2‐Addition/Lactonization tandem reactions for the syntheses of chiral 3‐Substituted phthalides using organozinc reagents

Using chiral phosphoramide ligand 2d‐ Zn (II) complex derived from (1R,2R)‐1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine as the catalyst, we have developed efficient catalytic asymmetric 1,2‐addition/lactonization tandem reactions of diverse organozinc reagents with varied methyl 2‐formylbenzoates for the construction of optically enriched 3‐aryl or alkyl substituted phthalides, which are significant building blocks of many important chiral pharmaceuticals and natural products. The corresponding products could be afforded with good to excellent yields (up to 95%) and moderate to good enantioselectivities (up to 89%).