Synthesis of (+)-(1S,2R) and (−)-(1R,2S)-2-aminocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acids

(+)-(1S,2R) and (−)-(1R,2S)-2-aminocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acids have been prepared in >97% ee and in 33% and 20% overall yields starting from a single, chiral, bicyclic compound perceived as a chiral uracil equivalent. Construction of the cyclobutane ring is achieved via a [2+2] photocycloaddition reaction of this chiral precursor with ethylene.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (−)-(1R,2R)-1,2-dihydrochrysene-1,2-diol

A general chiral building block containing the 1R,2R-trans-diol moiety was constructed utilizing the stereoselective Shi-epoxidation reaction on a tetralone scaffold assembled by a Negishi cross-coupling on N,N-diethylbenzamide. Further elaboration of this chiral building block into polycyclic aromatic compounds was demonstrated with the total synthesis of the precursor for the most carcinogenic metabolite of chrysene, (−)-(1R,2R)-1,2-dihydrochrysene-1,2-diol in 87% ee.     

Preparation of (1R,1′R)-1,1′-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethanamine): a chiral diamine with low basicity

A new chiral diamine with low basicity was synthesized in enantiopure form. (1R,1′R)-1,1′-(Anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethanamine) was obtained by means of several stereochemically controlled reactions. The structures of the title compound and several intermediates were studied.     

Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis and absolute configuration of (1S,2R,5S)- and (1R,2S,5R)-2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-1-(methoxymethyloxyethyl)cyclobutane-1-carbonitrile,key intermediates for the preparation of chiral cyclobutane-containing pheromones

Formal synthesis of chiral grandisol and the oleander scale pheromone and their antipodes can be achieved through a convenient lipase-catalyzed enantiodifferentiation process of the common cyclobutane intermediate (±)-2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-1-(methoxymethyloxyethyl)cyclobutane-1-carbonitrile 3. The resolution afforded both enantiomers in almost enantiomerically pure form and their absolute configurations were assigned on the basis of the Δδ values for their (R)- and (S)-MTPA esters.     

The stereodivergent asymmetric synthesis of a range of 2-(1′-hydroxyalkyl)phenols

The use of the (S)-α-methylbenzyl group as a chiral auxiliary has allowed the diastereoselective ortho-deprotonation of a chromium tricarbonyl complexed phenoxy ring. When the resultant ortho-anion is treated with an aldehyde two diastereoisomeric complexes are formed, in relatively poor dr, which differ in the configuration of the newly formed benzylic stereogenic centre. However, both ortho-formylation followed by treatment with Grignard reagents and ortho-acylation followed by reduction with Super-Hydride^® were found to be completely diastereoselective, giving access to either epimer of the corresponding benzylic alcohol complexes in >99:1 dr. Subsequent oxidative removal of the chromium tricarbonyl unit, followed by cleavage of the O-α-methylbenzyl chiral auxiliary gives enantiopure 2-(1′-hydroxyalkyl)phenols. Following this stereodivergent procedure, either enantiomer of the product may be accessed from a single antipode of [(α-methylbenzyloxy)benzene]Cr(CO)₃.     

Enantioselective bioreduction of (E)-1-phenyl-1,2-alkanedione 2-(O-methyloxime)

The baker's yeast reduction of (E)-1-phenyl-1,2-alkanedione 2-(O-methyloxime), PhC(O)C(NOMe)R (R=Me, Et, n-Pr, n-Bu), gave the corresponding optically active alcohols PhCH₂OHC(NOMe)R in 88–99% enantiomeric excess and 48–75% chemical yield. The R configuration was proposed for these alcohols based on circular dichroism analysis. Only the phenylglyoxal O-methylaldoxime (R=H) gave poor enantiomeric excess (65%) and chemical yield (14%). These compounds are potential chiral building blocks for the stereoselective synthesis of norephedrine analogs.     

(+)-(5R,6S)-2-(1′-Aminoalkyl)-6-(hydroxyalkyl)penem-3-carboxylic Acids

In continuation of our work on penem antibiotics, novel chiral (5R,6S)-2-(1′-aminoalkyl)-6-(hydroxyalkyl)-derivatives 1 have been synthesized by two essentially different strategies. Whereas the starting materials for 1a - f , azetidinones 2 and 5 , were obtained from chiral building blocks (6-aminopenicillanic acid and L-threonine, resp.), the one for 1g , azetidinone 9 , was derived from racemic 4-acetoxyazetidinone and, as chiral auxiliary, (2R)-2-mercaptopropan-1-ol. The 2-aminomethyl derivatives 1a (CGP 30 779) and 1f (CGP 31 608) proved the most potent compounds in the antibacterial tests in vitro and showed a well-balanced spectrum of activity by comparison with that of established β-lactams.     

Dendrimer-Like Chiral Stationary Phases Derived from (1R, 2R)-(+)-1,2-Diphenylethylenediamine and 1,3,5-Benzenetricarbonyl Trichloride

Three dendrimers were synthesized directly on aminated silica gel using (1R, 2R)-(+)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine and 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride as building blocks. The chiral stationary phases were obtained by modification of these dendrimers with phenyl isocyanate. All derivatives prepared on silica gel were characterized by FTIR spectrum, solid-state ¹H NMR and elemental analysis. The enantioseparation ability of the chiral stationary phases was preliminarily evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The chiral stationary phase of one-generation dendrimer exhibited best enantioseparation ability.     

A simplified synthesis of (R)-(−)-muscone using a ring-opening reaction of (R)-(+)-β-methyl-β-propiolactone

A chiral macrocyclic precursor can be constructed via a ring-opening reaction of (R)-(+)-β-methyl-β-propiolactone with a functionalized organocuprate with no loss of enantiomeric excess. The carboxylic acid precursor was used as a chiral building block for the synthesis of chiral muscone and musky macrolactones.     

A practical preparation of enantiomerically pure (R)- and (S)-2-bromohexadecanoic acids

The efficient preparation of enantiomerically pure (R)- and (S)-2-bromohexadecanoic acids with e.e.>95% through resolution with the use of a recoverable chiral auxiliary is described. The procedure involves three reactions: Steglich esterification, DIBAL reduction, and Sharpless oxidation. The assessment of the enantiomeric purity is based on NMR analysis by using (1R,2R)-(+)-diphenylethane-1,2-diamine as a chiral solvating agent.     

Synthesis of hindered chiral guanidine bases starting from (S)-(N,N-dialkyl-aminomethyl)pyrrolidines and BrCN

An efficient method for the preparation of hindered chiral guanidines using cyanogen bromide is described. The reaction between BrCN and vicinal diamines derived from (S)-2-(N,N-dialkyl-aminomethyl)-pyrrolidines provides chiral substituted cyanamides. The cyanamide derivatives reacted with secondary amines in hexafluoroisopropanol at reflux to form chiral hindered guanidines, which were isolated in good to excellent yields (70–96%). The chiral guanidines were prepared in an effort to design sophisticated chiral guanidine catalysts for asymmetric synthesis.     

Copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-1-alkenes

A copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-1-alkenes led to 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-2-branched alkanes. Various copper ligands were screened for this reaction. From certain substrates and allylmagnesium bromide, several Josiphos ligands gave low to moderate asymmetric inductions, along with good diastereoselectivity. The stereochemistry of the 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-2-branched alkanes from this reaction was assigned by comparison with the same products from another synthetic route using chiral pool synthesis and stereoselective lithiation methods.     

Synthesis of dirhodium(II) tetrakis[methyl 1-(3-phenylpropanoyl)-2-oxaimidazolidine-4(S)-carboxylate], Rh2(4S-MPPIM)4

The large-scale synthesis with greatly improved yields of methyl 1-(3-phenylpropanoyl)-2-oxaimidazolidine-4(S)-carboxylate and the chiral dirhodium(II) carboxamidate derived from it, Rh₂(4S-MPPIM)₄, is described. The key step in the overall synthesis is the Hofmann rearrangement of Boc-protected l-asparagine, the procedure for which has been modified to achieve near quantitative yield.     

The first preparation of (1S,5R)-(−)- and (1R,5S)-(+)-7-phenyl-3-borabicyclo[3.3.1]non-6-enes and their application for synthesis of chiral cyclohexene derivatives

(1S,5R)-(−)- and (1R,5S)-(+)-7-phenyl-3-borabicyclo[3.3.1]non-6-enes of 97-98% de that differed only by the location of the double bond were prepared by the resolution of diastereomeric intramolecular chelates with l- and d-prolinol. Deboronation of chiral bicyclic boranes obtained was used for synthesis of optically active 3,5-dimethyl- and 3,5-dihydroxymethyl-1-phenylcyclohexenes.     

Concise syntheses of (+)- and (−)-methylenolactocins and phaseolinic acids

(+)- and (−)-Methylenolactocins and phaseolinic acids are synthesized in four steps via asymmetric syn- and anti-aldol reactions of chiral N-succinyl-2-oxazolidinones using the same set of reagents.     

Synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one as a key intermediate of sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists

Herein we report the asymmetric synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one (S)-3 as a practical chiral synthon for a wide range of pharmaceutical and/or natural products, using Lipshutz’s asymmetric copper-catalyzed conjugate reduction. This method makes it feasible to prepare a conformationally constrained cyclopentane analogue 12, which is one of the key intermediates for the synthesis of novel sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists.     

Steric mode of enzymic hydroxylation at primary carbon atoms: Hydroxylation of (1R)- and (1S)-[1-3H, 2H, 1H][1-14C]-octanes by Pseudomonas Oleovorans

(1R)- and (1S) [1-³H, ²H, ¹H]-octanes and mixed with [1-¹⁴C]-octane, were synthesized. The mixed samples were incubated with homogenats of P. oleovorans strain TF4-1L and the biosynthesized mixtures of octanols isolated. It was shown that mainly the achiral termini [-C¹H₃] were hydroxylated and that chiral methyls were oxygenated to the extent of 20–30%. In all instances the products derived from hydroxylation at the chiral methyls [-C-³H, ²H, ¹H] were mixtures of (1R)- and (1S)-octanols, the major component of which was the alcohol obtained by displacement of ¹H. The results indicate that hydroxylation proceeded with a normal isotope effect k_h>k_d>k_t. The amount of (1R)-octanol in the mixtures of octanols derived from (1R)- and (1S)-octane was determined. It was found that the C-1 hydroxylation of octane proceeded with retention, i.e. the incoming hydroxyl assumed the orientation of the displaced hydrogen (or isotopic hydrogen) atom.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel chiral calix[4]arene bearing (R)-(+)-1-phenylethylamine bonded silica particles

Two novel chiral di- and tri-amide derivatives of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene were synthesized by (R)-(+)-1-Phenylethylamine via convenient reactions and then immobilized on aminopropyl functionalized silica particles. The prepared chiral calix[4]arenes and their silica polymers (Calix-SP1 and Calix-SP2) were characterized using ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FT-IR, and thermal and elemental analysis techniques.     

Efficient 1H NMR chiral discrimination of sulfoxides caused by the dynamic nature of (R,R)-3′,3″-biBINOL

A chiral BINOL dimer, (R,R)-3′,3″-BiBINOL, which possesses both rigid (atropos) and dynamic (tropos) axial chiralities, was found to work as an effective NMR chiral solvating reagent for the determination of the enantiomeric purities of various chiral sulfoxides. The unique chiral discrimination mechanism was also revealed by using DFT calculations and X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Preparation and study of chiral boron containing amine-cyano(pyrrolyl-1)borane complexes. Preparation of (−)-(S)-α-phenylethylamine-(−)-cyano(pyrrolyl-1)borane and (+)-(R)-α-phenylethylamine-(+)-cyano(pyrrolyl-1)borane

Several amine-cyano(pyrrolyl)borane complexes [A · BH(NC₄H₄)CN] containing a chiral boron atom were prepared from the reactions of sodium cyanohydrodipyrrolylborate-tridioxane¹ [NaBH(NC₄H₄)₂CN · 3C₄H₈O₂] with amine hydrochlorides as well as by base exchange from the appropriate 4-cyanopyridine complex [4-CNC₅H₄N · BH(NC₄H₄)CN]. Amines with an sp² N atom give stable complexes of a wide range of basicity (pK_a = 0.8?9.7), in contrast to the anines with sp³ hybridized N where only the stronger bases (pK_a ? 7.3) are capable of giving stable complexes (mainly secondary and tertiary amines). These compounds undergo hydrolysis in neutral and alkaline media, while in strong acids they give stable boronium ions by protonation at the α-C atom of the pyrrolyl group. The compounds (?)-(S)-α-phenylethylamine-(?)-cyanopyrrolylborane and (+)-(R)-α-phenylethylamine-(+)-cyanopyrrolylborane have been prepared in pure form; in solution they undergo slow epimerization. Treatment of the appropriate complexes with KH has given the chiral boron-containing borates KBH(NC₄H₄)(CN)X (X = imidazolyl-, pyrazolyl-). Dicyanohydropyrrolylborane was obtained from 4-cyanopyridine-cyanopyrrolylborane and NaCN.