Regio- and enantioselective allylic amination of achiral allylic esters catalyzed by an iridium-phosphoramidite complex

A new catalytic asymmetric process, the iridium-catalyzed enantioselective allylic amination of (E)-cinnamyl and terminal aliphatic allylic carbonates, was developed by exploring complexes of chiral phosphoramidites. The reaction provided branched secondary and tertiary allylic amines in high yields with excellent regio- and enantioselectivity (13 examples over 94% ee). Although the reactions in polar solvent such as DMF, EtOH, and MeOH were fast, they gave low enantiomeric excesses. In contrast, reactions in THF displayed the most suitable balance of rate and enantioselectivity. Both the binaphthol unit and the disubstituted amine in the phosphoramidite affected reactivity and selectivity, and complexes of O,O'-(R)-(1,1'-dinaphthyl-2,2'-diyl)-N,N'-di-(R,R)-1-phenylethylphosphoramidite provided the highest reactivity and selectivity. Primary and cyclic secondary amines reacted at room temperature, and acyclic diethylamine reacted at 50 degrees C. p-Methoxy-substituted cinnamyl carbonate reacted similarly to the unsubstituted cinnamyl carbonate, but the o-methoxy-substituted substrate gave lower enantiomeric excess. High ee's were also observed for the products from the reaction of furanyl- and alkyl-substituted (E)-allylic carbonates.     

Iridium-catalysed asymmetric allylic substitutions

Ir-catalysed allylic substitution is supplementing the traditional Pd-catalysed variant. With simple, easily available monosubstituted allylic acetates and carbonates as substrates, Ir catalysts generally favour chiral, branched products, while Pd catalysts typically give rise to linear, achiral products. With phosphorus amidites as ligands, regioselectivities >10 : 1 and enantiomeric excess in the range 95-99 %ee are currently routinely achieved. A broad range of nucleophiles can be employed: for example stabilised carbanions, amines including their sulfonyl- and diacyl-derivatives, phenolates and alkoxides. A few applications, based on combinations of the allylic substitution and ring closing metathesis, indicate considerable potential of the method for the synthesis of biologically active compounds.     

Hydroxylamines as oxygen atom nucleophiles in transition-metal-catalyzed allylic substitution

[reaction: see text] The viability of hydroxylamines as nucleophiles in transition-metal-catalyzed allylic substitutions was examined. We have found that the oxygen atom of hydroxylamines having an N-electron-withdrawing substituent (also known as hydroxamic acids) acts as a reactive nucleophile. The palladium-catalyzed O-allylic substitution of hydroxylamines with allylic carbonate afforded the linear hydroxylamines. The selective formation of the branched hydroxylamines was observed in iridium-catalyzed reaction. Regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution of the unsymmetrical phosphates with hydroxylamines was studied by using the iridium complex of chiral pybox ligand. The aqueous-medium reaction with hydroxylamines proceeded smoothly in the presence of Ba(OH)(2).H(2)O to give the branched products with good enantioselectivities.     

Recent advances and applications of iridium-catalysed asymmetric allylic substitution

Since their discovery in 1997, iridium-catalysed asymmetric allylic substitutions have been developed into a broadly applicable tool for the synthesis of chiral building blocks via C-C and C-heteroatom bond formation. The remarkable generality of these reactions and the high levels of regio- and enantioselectivity that are usually obtained in favour of the branched products have been made possible by a thorough investigation of the catalyst system and its mode of action. Therefore, today the Ir-catalysed asymmetric allylic substitution is a powerful reaction in the organic chemist's repertoire and has been used extensively for several applications. This article aims to provide an overview of the development of iridium catalysts derived from an Ir salt and a chiral phosphoramidite and their application to the enantioselective synthesis of natural products and biologically relevant compounds.     

Utility of the iridium complex of the pybox ligand in regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution

The viability of the iridium complex of pybox as chiral catalyst in allylic substitutions and the enantioselective synthesis of branched products was studied. Among several chiral ligands evaluated, the iridium complex of pybox having a phenyl group catalyzed the reaction with high activity to form the branched amines with good enantioselectivities when hydroxylamine, amine, and aniline were employed as a nucleophile. The allylic substitution with oximes proceeded smoothly to give the branched oxime ethers with good enantioselectivities. [reaction: see text]     

Hydrogen bond directed highly regioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution

The palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution of 5-vinyloxazolidinones and derivatives was investigated. Unusual and high regioselectivity for the branched product was observed. The regioselectivity was influenced by the type of substrate, the solvents, and the nucleophile. Imide-type nucleophiles were found to be directed to the internal carbon (branched:linear, 75:25 to >98:2), whereas sulfonamides, amines, and malonates added only to the terminal carbon of the allyl complex. Relatively nonpolar solvents such as toluene and THF favored the branched product (97:3 and 95:5, respectively). Acetonitrile and dichloromethane afforded lower regioselectivity (50:50 and 67:33, respectively), and the use of the protic solvent ethanol resulted in reversal of the regioselectivity (12:88). The directing group on the substrate was important. Amides afforded almost complete formation of the branched product, and carbamates gave a 50:50 mixture of regioisomers with phthalimide as the nucleophile. Evidence for direction of the nucleophile via hydrogen bonding was obtained by replacing the hydrogen of the amide with a methyl, resulting in the production of only the normal linear product.     

Synthesis of beta-substituted alpha-amino acids with use of iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution

The asymmetric synthesis of beta-substituted alpha-amino acids with use of iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution was described. The Ir-catalyzed allylic substitution of diphenylimino glycinate with allylic phosphates proceeded smoothly even at 0 degrees C and gave branch products with high enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee), when chiral bidentate phosphite bearing the 2-ethylthioethyl group was employed. In addition, both diastereomers of the branch products were synthesized stereoselectively by simply switching the base employed. These methods were also applied to the asymmetric synthesis of quaternary alpha-amino acids.     

Retention of regiochemistry and chirality in the ruthenium catalyzed allylic alkylation of disubstituted allylic esters

The regiospecific nucleophilic substitution during the ruthenium catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-unsymmetrical disubstituted allylic esters was demonstrated. The nucleophile was selectively introduced at the position originally substituted with leaving group in the 2-DPPBA or ip-pybox ligated [RuCl(2)(p-cymene)](2) catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-unsymmetrical disubstituted allylic esters. The chirality of the optically active allylic esters was also transferred to the alkylated products.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution with boronic acid nucleophiles

An enantio-, regio-, and diastereoselective rhodium(I)-catalyzed desymmetrization of a meso-cyclic allylic dicarbonate with organoboronic acid nucleophiles is described. The rhodium(I) catalyst formed in situ from [Rh(cod)OH]2 and Xyl-P-PHOS allowed the S(N)2' allylic substitution product to be obtained with a range of arylboronic acids in enantiomeric excesses of up to 92% with regioselectivities of up to >20:1.     

Synthesis of novel bidentate P-chiral diaminophosphine oxide preligands: application to Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reactions

We developed a novel (S)-L-phenylalanine derived-bidentate chiral diaminophosphine oxide (DIAPHOX) preligand (S,S(P))-9b, which was successfully applied to Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation and amination. Using the Pd-(S,S(P))-9b catalyst system, asymmetric allylic alkylation and amination proceeded very smoothly, affording the corresponding products in excellent yield with high enantiomeric excess. It is noteworthy that both enantiomers were accessible with high enantiomeric purity using the structurally related DIAPHOX preligands (S,S(P))-9b and a monodentate chiral diaminophosphine oxide preligand (S,R(P))-10a, both of which can be prepared from a single chiral source, (S)-L-phenylalanine.     

Concise syntheses of nonracemic gamma-fluoroalkylated allylic alcohols and amines via an enantiospecific palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution reaction

Alpha-fluoroalkylated allyl mesylates reacted with various carboxylates and amines in the presence of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) catalyst to give the corresponding gamma-fluoroalkylated (E)-allylic alcohol derivatives and amines, respectively, in excellent yields. In almost all cases, no other regio- and stereoisomers were produced. Application of this palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution reaction to various nonracemic mesylates afforded chiral gamma-fluoroalkylated allylic alcohol derivatives and amines without any loss of enantiomeric excess through the reaction.     

Catalytic asymmetric rearrangement of allylic N-aryl trifluoroacetimidates. A useful method for transforming prochiral allylic alcohols to chiral allylic amines

[reaction: see text] A useful method for the conversion of prochiral allylic alcohols to chiral allylic amines of high enantiopurity is reported. N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)trifluoroacetimidates are excellent substrates for the palladium(II)-catalyzed allylic imidate rearrangement as the allylic trifluoroacetamide products can be deprotected in two steps to provide chiral nonracemic allylic amines. Di-mu-chlorobis[(eta(5)-(S)-(pR)-2-(2'-(4'-isopropyl))oxazolinylcyclopentadienyl,1-C,3'-N))(eta(4)-tetraphenylcyclobutadiene)cobalt]dipalladium (6a, COP-Cl) is a superior catalyst because it does not require activation with silver salts and provides rearranged allylic trifluoroacetamides in good yields and high enantiomeric purities.     

Catalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols with titanium-TADDOLate: scope of the cyclopropanation reaction.

A substoichiometric amount of titanium-TADDOLate complex was effective at catalyzing the cyclopropanation reaction of allylic alcohols in the presence 1 equiv of bis(iodomethyl)zinc. After initial optimization of the catalyst structure, excellent yields and enantiomeric ratios were obtained for 3-aryl- or 3-heteroaryl-substituted allylic alcohols (up to 97:3). Alkyl-substituted allylic alcohols gave modest yields and enantiomeric ratios (up to 87:13) but these compare favorably with those observed with other substoichiometric chiral ligands. The full synthetic scope of the reaction is presented in this paper.     

Palladium-catalyzed regio- and enantioselective fluorination of acyclic allylic halides

This report describes the Pd(0)-catalyzed fluorination of linear allylic chlorides and bromides, yielding branched allylic fluorides in high selectivity. Many of the significant synthetic limitations previously associated with the preparation of these products are overcome by this catalytic method. We also demonstrate that a chiral bisphosphine-ligated palladium catalyst enables highly enantioselective access to a class of branched allylic fluorides that can be readily diversified to valuable fluorinated products.     

Phosphoramidite ligands in iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution

A new phosphoramidite ligand was used in the iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution reaction. This permitted high regio- and enantioselectivities on a wide variety of substrates and nucleophiles. Because of the stereospecificity of the reaction obtained by using branched substrates, a kinetic resolution reaction was attempted. The origin of the impressive efficiency of this ligand in terms of kinetics was explored in detail, as was the role of the substituent in the ortho-position of the amine moiety.     

Serial ligand catalysis: a highly selective allylic C-H oxidation

We are reporting a mild, chemo-, and highly regioselective Pd(II)-catalyzed allylic oxidation of alpha-olefins to furnish branched allylic esters that proceeds via a novel serial ligand catalysis mechanism in which two different ligands (i.e., vinyl sulfoxide 2 and BQ) interact sequentially with the metal to promote distinct steps of the catalytic cycle (i.e., C-H cleavage and pi-allyl functionalization, respectively).     

Synthesis of chiral oxime ethers based on regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution catalyzed by iridium-pybox complex

The oxygen atom of oximes acts as a reactive nucleophile in the iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution of unsymmetrical substrates to give the branched oxime ethers. Among several chiral ligands evaluated, the iridium complex of pybox ligand having phenyl group catalyzed the allylic substitution of phosphates with high activity to form the branched oxime ethers with good enantioselectivities.     

Iridium(I)-catalyzed stereospecific decarboxylative allylic amidation of chiral branched benzyl allyl imidodicarboxylates

Ir(I)-catalyzed decarboxylative allylic amidation of chiral branched benzyl allyl imidodicarboxylates has been shown to proceed with complete retention of enantiomeric purity and configuration. The transformation is stereospecific and appears to be quite general, accommodating a wide range of R groups.     

Regioselective palladium-catalyzed electrophilic allylic substitution in the presence of hexamethylditin

[reaction: see text]. Palladium-catalyzed electrophilic allylic substitution of functionalized allyl chlorides and allyl acetates can be achieved in the presence of hexamethylditin under mild reaction conditions. The substitution reaction occurs with very high regioselectivity at the branched allylic terminus. Regioselective tandem bisallylation reaction could be performed by employing benzylidenemalonitrile as substrate. The reaction mechanism can be explained by involvement of a bisallylpalladium intermediate. A particularly interesting mechanistic feature of this reaction is that palladium catalyzes up to three different transformations in the same catalytic cycle. DFT calculations indicate that the regioselectivity is determined by the location of the allylic substituent in the eta1-allyl moiety of the reaction intermediate.     

Asymmetric organocatalytic allylic substitution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates with allylamines for the synthesis of 2,5-dihydropyrroles

The asymmetric allylic substitution reaction of MBH carbonates with allylamines has been developed, which affords N-allyl-β-amino-α-methylene esters in high yields and enantioselectivities. After a subsequent ring-closure metathesis of the products, a series of optically active 2,5-dihydropyrroles could be obtained smoothly in high yields without any loss of enantioselectivity. Finally, a tentative mechanism for rationalization of the reaction has been proposed.