Design and synthesis of a tridentate ligand inspired by the phenomenon of self-assembly catalysis and its application in the asymmetric alkynylation of N-(diphenylphosphinoyl) imines

On the basis of the phenomenon of self-assembly catalysis, a tridentate ligand was designed and synthesized in two steps. The application in alkynylation of N-(diphenylphosphinoyl) imines gave the expected products. Aromatic, heteroaromatic N-(diphenylphosphinoyl) imines were employed and gave optically active propargylic amines in good yields (up to 89%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 96%) by a simple experimental procedure. The direct use of sulfone amides in the alkynylation of N-(diphenylphosphinoyl) aliphatic imines made this method very attractive.     

A 4‐Hydroxypyrrolidine‐Catalyzed Mannich Reaction of Aldehydes: Control of anti‐Selectivity by Hydrogen Bonding Assisted by Brønsted Acids

An anti‐selective Mannich reaction of aldehydes with N‐sulfonyl imines has been developed by using a 4‐hydroxypyrrolidine in combination with an external Brønsted acid. The catalyst design is based on three elements: the α‐substituent of the pyrrolidine, the 4‐hydroxy group, and the Brønsted acid, the combination of which is essential for high chemical and stereochemical efficiency. The reaction works with aromatic aldehyde‐derived imines, which have rarely been employed in previously reported enamine‐based anti‐Mannich reactions. Additionally, both N‐tosyl and N‐nosyl imines can be successfully used and the Mannich adducts can be easily reduced or oxidized, and after N‐deprotection the corresponding β‐amino acids and β‐amino alcohols can be obtained with good yields. The results also show that this ternary catalytic system may be practical in other enamine‐based reactions.     

Aza-Wittig reaction of N-phosphorylalkyl phosphazenes with carbonyl compounds and phenylisocyanate. Synthesis of 4-amino-3-phosphoryl-2-azadienes and pyrazine-phosphonates

Simple and functionalized N-phosphorylalkyl imines and N-phosphorylalkyl-N′-phenyl-carbodiimides are obtained by aza-Wittig reaction of phosphazenes derived from aminophosphonates with carbonyl compounds and phenyl isocyanate. The reaction with dimethylformamide diethyl acetal (DMF-DEA) of these functionalized imines leads to the synthesis of 4-amino-3-phosphoryl-2-azadienes. N-Phosphorylmethyl imine derived from benzaldehyde can be used for the preparation of substituted pyrrole-phosphonates, while acid treatment of 4-dimethylamino-3-diethylphosphoryl-1-phenyl-2-azadiene gives diethyl 5-diethylphosphorylpyrazin-2-ylphosphonate.     

Chemical reactions with upright monolayers of cruciform pi-systems

The study below details the synthesis and self-assembly of new cruciform pi-systems and their in situ chemical reactions in monolayer films. Analysis of the packing in the crystal structure of one of these unusually shaped molecules reveals that the terphenyl arm, which is twisted out of conjugation, makes edge-to-face contact with neighboring molecules aligning the conjugated bisoxazole arms in rows. In self-assembled monolayers on metal surfaces, these cruciform pi-systems present reactive groups at the film/air interface. Films that present aldehyde functionality react with aromatic anilines to give surface-bound imines. Dimers that are >4.5 nm in length and contain a conjugated imine linkage can be made in situ on gold substrates through this strategy.     

Trans-stereoselectivity in the reaction between homophthalic anhydride and imines

The reaction between homophthalic anhydride and imines in the presence of TiCl4 and diisopropyl ethyl amine is trans-selective. Under these conditions, the reaction using homochiral imines can be highly diastereoselective, thus allowing the synthesis of enantiopure 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-oxoquinoline-4-carboxylic acids.     

Efficient catalytic effects of Lewis acids in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of carbonyl ylides with imines

[reactions: see text] 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions between imines and carbonyl ylides generated by tandem intramolecular carbenoid-carbonyl cyclizations were found to be effectively catalyzed by Lewis acids (10 mol %). The Rh2(OAc)4-catalyzed reactions of o-(methoxycarbonyl)-alpha-diazoacetophenone with imines such as N-[2-(benzyloxy)benzylidene]aniline in the absence of Lewis acid gave no 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition products, but rather the dimeric product of the corresponding carbonyl ylide. In contrast, in the presence of Lewis acids such as Yb(OTf)3, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of the corresponding 1-methoxy-2-benzopyrylium-4-olate proceeded smoothly with several imines, giving in most cases exo-selectivity and no formation of the dimeric product. When Yb(OTf)3 was used as a Lewis acid catalyst, a fundamental catalytic effect was also observed in the cycloaddition reactions of imines with carbonyl ylides generated from 1-diazo-5-phenyl-2,5-pentanedione, 1-diazo-2,5-hexanedione and diazomethyl 2,3,4,5-tetrachloro-6-methoxycarbonylphenly ketone. This efficient catalytic effect can be satisfactorily explained in terms of energetics of the cycloaddition in the absence and the presence of Lewis acid by calculations using the ONIOM (B3LYP/6-31G(d):PM3) method.     

Fluorogenic imines for fluorescent detection of Mannich-type reactions of phenols in water

Fluorogenic imines and their precursor amines that can be used for fluorescent visualization of Mannich-type reactions of phenols in aqueous buffers have been developed. The precursor amines are aniline derivatives that are covalently conjugated to fluorophores. These amines and their imine derivatives were nonfluorescent or very weakly fluorescent. On the other hand, addition products of the imines to phenols showed more than 100-fold higher fluorescence than the imines and the precursor amines.     

Kinetic Resolution of Azomethine Imines by Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Enantioselective Reduction

Azomethine imines are valuable substrates in asymmetric catalysis, and can be precursors to β‐amino carbonyl compounds and complex hydrazines. However, their utility is limited because complex and enantioenriched azomethine imines are often unavailable. Reported herein is a kinetic resolution of N,N′‐cyclic azomethine imines by enantioselective reduction (s=13–43). This resolution was accomplished using a Brønsted acid catalyst, and represents the first example of the asymmetric reduction of azomethine imines. The pyrazolidinone product (up to 86 % ee) and the recovered azomethine imine (up to 99 % ee) can both be used to access the opposite enantiomers of valuable products.     

Phenylazomethine dendrimers with soft aliphatic units as metal-storage nanocapsules and their self-assembled structures

New dendritic poly(phenylazomethine)s (DPAs) with dodecyl end groups (C12DPA) have been synthesized. C12DPA showed stepwise radial complexation with metals as a metal-storage nanocapsule. Through modification with dodecyl, the properties of environmental responsiveness and self-assembly become apparent for C12DPA as a π-conjugated soft material. The dodecyl-modified DPAs (C12DPAG4) were synthesized up to the fourth generation dendrimer, for the first time, which is a nanocapsule with a basic atmosphere for metal complexes in a hydrophobic environment. In addition, we found a suitable structure and conditions for the fibrous self-assembly of DPA through the precise design of its dendritic structure. C12DPA, with an asymmetric structure, showed a fibrous assembly by a solvent drop-casting. The metal-complexed C12DPA showed an assembly different from the fibrous one through metal complexation on DPA imines. Interestingly, the vesicular assembly structure of C12DPA has been observed by the complexation of CuCl(2) in toluene. In this study, we investigated the unique properties of C12DPA as a novel π-conjugated soft material.     

Synthetic route for the novel pyrimidine-substituted alkanoate,acetohydrazide, and imines: Synthon for β-lactams

A simple and efficient synthesis of novel pyrimidine-substituted alkanoate, acetohydrazide, and imines is described. The synthesis of novel ethyl 2-(2,6-dimethylpyrimidin-4-yloxy)acetate (EDMPyA) 2 was performed through S_N2 O-alkylation of 2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxypyrimidine 1 with ethyl haloacetate. The compound EDMPyA 2 was subjected to nucleophilic substitution reaction with hydrazine hydrate to afford novel 2-(2,6-dimethylpyrimidin-4-yloxy)acetohydrazide (DMPyAH) 3. This DMPyAH 3 upon condensation with differently substituted carbonyl compounds (aldehydes/ketones) furnished DMPyAH imines (DMPyAH-I) 4a–d. These imines can be used for the preparation of unique β-lactams. The structure elucidation of all the newly synthesized compounds was performed using spectroscopy (FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR) and elemental analysis (C, H, N).     

Highly Selective Addition of a Broad Spectrum of Trimethylsilane Pro‐nucleophiles to N‐tert‐Butanesulfinyl Imines

Addition of organotrimethylsilane reagents to chiral N‐tert‐butanesulfinyl imines can be achieved in good yields and with excellent diastereoselectivities by employing TMSO^?/Bu₄N⁺ as a Lewis base activator in THF. A variety of aliphatic, aromatic, heteroaromatic and organometallic chiral imines were utilised as electrophiles for the synthesis of enantioenriched N‐tert‐butanesulfinyl amides. Remarkably, the same sets of reaction conditions could be used with a highly diverse range of bench‐stable organotrimethylsilane reagents, which highlights the generality and robustness of this methodology.     

Dinuclear zinc-catalyzed enantioselective Aza-Henry reaction

The dinuclear zinc catalyst 1a was found to catalyze the addition of nitroalkanes to carbamate-protected imines. This aza-Henry reaction proceeds with high enantioselectivity when various carbamate-protected imines are used. alpha,beta-Unsaturated imines proved to be a particularly useful class of substrate routinely giving the alpha-nitro amine products in high enantiomeric excess.     

Soluble-polymer-supported synthesis of beta-lactams on a modified poly(ethylene glycol)

A modified poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has been developed for the soluble-polymer-supported synthesis of beta-lactams. The monomethylether of PEG (MeOPEG) with an average M(W) of 5000 was used as the support, a 4-(3-propyl)phenyl residue as the spacer, and a 4-oxyphenylamino group as the moiety with the reactive functionality. From this modified PEG representative aromatic, heteroaromatic, unsaturated, and aliphatic imines were obtained in high yields by different procedures. The polymer-supported imines were then employed to prepare several beta-lactams by enolate/imine condensation and ketene/imine cycloaddition. Examples of the control of the absolute stereochemistry during the azetidinone ring formation are also reported. The reactions carried out on the polymer-bound imines showed a remarkable similarity to those performed on nonimmobilized imines, both in terms of yields and stereoselectivities. Removal of the beta-lactams from the polymer has also been accomplished to directly deliver the N-unsubstituted azetidinones.     

Oxidative Fluorination of Cyclopropylamides through Organic Photoredox Catalysis

We report an oxidative ring‐opening strategy to transform cyclopropylamides and cyclobutylamides into fluorinated imines. The imines can be isolated in their more stable hemiaminal form, with the fluorine atom installed selectively at the γ or δ position. Both inexpensive benzophenone with UVA light or organic and inorganic dyes with blue light could be used as photoredox catalysts to promote this process. Various fluorinated amines were then obtained by nucleophilic attack on the hemiaminals in one pot, giving access to a broad range of useful building blocks for medicinal chemistry.     

Zirconium-mediated metathesis of imines: a study of the scope, longevity, and mechanism of a complicated catalytic system

By kinetically stabilizing imidozirconocene complexes through the use of a sterically demanding ligand, or by generating a more thermodynamically stable resting state with addition of diphenylacetylene, we have developed transition metal-catalyzed imine metathesis reactions that are mechanistically analogous to olefin metathesis reactions catalyzed by metal carbene complexes. When 5 mol % of Cp*Cp(THF)Zr=N(t)Bu is used as the catalyst precursor in the metathesis reaction between PhCH=NPh and p-TolCH=N-p-Tol, a 1:1:1:1 equilibrium mixture with the two mixed imines p-TolCH=NPh and PhCH=N-p-Tol is generated in C(6)D(6) at 105 degrees C. The catalyst was still active after 20 days with an estimated 847 turnovers (t(1/2) 170 m; TON = 1.77 h(-1)). When the azametallacyclobutene Cp(2)Zr(N(Tol)C(Ph)=C(Ph)) is used as the catalyst precursor under similar reaction conditions, a total of 410 turnovers are obtained after 4 days (t(1/2) 170 m; TON = 4.3 h(-1)). An extensive kinetic and equilibrium analysis of the metallacyclobutene-catalyzed metathesis of PhCH=N-p-Tol and p-F-C(6)H(4)CH=N-p-F-C(6)H(4) was carried out by monitoring the concentrations of imines and observable metal-containing intermediates over time. Numerical integration methods were used to fit these data to a detailed mechanism involving coordinatively unsaturated (16-electron) imido complexes as critical intermediates. Examination of the scope of reaction between different organic imines revealed characteristic selectivity that appears to be unique to the zirconium-mediated system. Several zirconocene complexes that could generate the catalytically active "CpCp'Zr=NAr" (Cp' = Cp or Cp*) species in situ were found to be effective agents in the metathetical exchange between different N-aryl imines. N-Alkyl aldimines were found to be completely unreactive toward metathesis with N-aryl aldimines, and metathesis reactions involving the two N-alkyl imines TolCH=NPr and PhCH=NMe gave slow or erratic results, depending on the catalyst used. Metathesis was observed between N-aryl ketimines and N-aryl aldimines, but for N-aryl ketimine substrates, the catalyst resting state consists of zirconocene enamido complexes, generated by the formal C-H activation of the alpha position of the ketimine substrates.     

Efficient kinetic resolution in the asymmetric hydrosilylation of imines of 3-substituted indanones and 4-substituted tetralones

Kinetic resolution of the N-methyl imines of 3-substituted indanones and 4-substituted tetralones could be accomplished by hydrosilylation with a chiral titanocene catalyst. N-Methyl imines of 4-substituted tetralones were resolved to yield, after hydrolysis of the unreacted starting materials, ketones with high ee's and the amine products with high diastereomeric and enantiomeric purity. The utility of this process was demonstrated in the synthesis of sertraline.     

Aromatic Fluorine as a Chemical Label for Detecting Reaction Mechanism

This article explains how nucleophilically activated fluorine can be used for the detection of ion-pair formation during the decomposition of various aryl radical generators. Thus a concurrent dual mechanism for the breakdown of certain aryl radical sources can be experimentally demonstrated by fluorine labeling. The bearing of this information on the mechanism of diazo coupling is also discussed. In addition, labeling with aromatic fluorine is applied to the thermolysis of aryl azides, the aminolysis of 3-aryl-4-bromosydnones, and the hydrolysis of 3-arylsydnone imines. Finally some mechanistic problems are posed which may possibly be solved by this labeling technique.     

Formation of 1,3‐Thiazol‐5(4H)‐imines and 1,3‐Oxazol‐5(4H)‐imines in Aib‐Containing Thiopeptides

When tripeptides of type Axx^t‐Aib‐Axx‐OH were coupled with amino acid methyl esters by means of commonly used coupling reagents, the formation of 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imines and 1,3‐oxazol‐5(4H)‐imines was observed. With the aim of understanding which structure elements are required for this reaction, several model peptides have been prepared according to our recently described methodology, a modification of the ‘azirine/oxazolone method', followed by selective isomerization of the peptide thioamides. In addition, attempts to prepare peptides that contain more than one C=S group by the same methodology also led to the formation of 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imine‐containing derivatives. An additional C=S group can be introduced into the peptide, when the 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imines were treated with H₂S, although mixtures of epimers were obtained. The structures of an endothiohexapeptide, two 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐ones, and two peptides containing a 1,3‐thiazol‐5(4H)‐imine moiety have been established by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis.     

Preparation of 2,3,4-Trisubstituted Piperidines by a Formal Hetero-Ene Reaction of Amino Acid Derivatives

N-Benzyl- or N-tosyl-N-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)amino aldehyde benzylimines, which are obtained from alanine, leucine, or phenylalanine methyl esters in five steps, can be cyclized diastereoselectively in the presence of Lewis acids to give 3-amino-2,4-dialkyl-substituted piperidines. The product distribution and diastereoselectivity depends on the type of Lewis acid and nitrogen-protecting group. Benzyl-protected imines give 2-alkyl-3-(benzylamino)-4-isopropenyl piperidines with FeCl(3) and 2-alkyl-3-(benzylideneamino)-4-isopropylpiperidines with TiCl(4). Tosyl-protected imines show a decreased level of selectivity. The relative configurations of the piperidines were established by NMR and X-ray crystal structure analyses. Iminium ion cyclization followed by two competitive ionic pathways, i.e. either proton elimination or hydride transfer are discussed for these reactions.     

Cation radical induced cycloaddition reaction between aryl imines and ethyl diazoacetate

The reaction of ethyl diazoacetate with aryl imines can be initiated by persistent cation radical salt tris(4-bromophenyl)aminium hexachloroantimonate, giving exclusively cis-aziridine carboxylates.