Asymmetric Guerbet Reaction to Access Chiral Alcohols

The first example of an asymmetric Guerbet reaction has been developed. Using commercially available, classic Noyori Ru^II‐diamine‐diphosphine catalysts, well‐known in asymmetric hydrogenation, racemic secondary alcohols are shown to couple with primary alcohols in the presence of a base, affording new chiral alcohols with enantiomeric ratios of up to 99:1. Requiring no reducing agents, the protocol provides an easy, alternative route for the synthesis of chiral alcohols. Mechanistic studies reveal that the reaction proceeds via a Ru‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogen autotransfer process in concert with a base‐promoted allylic alcohol isomerization.     

Asymmetric Cascade Reaction to Allylic Sulfonamides from Allylic Alcohols by Palladium(II)/Base‐Catalyzed Rearrangement of Allylic Carbamates

A regio‐ and enantioselective tandem reaction is reported capable of directly transforming readily accessible achiral allylic alcohols into chiral sulfonyl‐protected allylic amines. The reaction is catalyzed by the cooperative action of a chiral ferrocene palladacycle and a tertiary amine base and combines high step‐economy with operational simplicity (e.g. no need for inert‐gas atmosphere or catalyst activation). Mechanistic studies support a Pd^II‐catalyzed [3,3] rearrangement of allylic carbamates—generated in situ from the allylic alcohol and an isocyanate—as the key step, which is followed by a decarboxylation.     

Asymmetric addition of alkylzinc reagents to cyclic alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and a tandem enantioselective addition/diastereoselective epoxidation with dioxygen

Although over 100 catalysts have been reported to catalyze the asymmetric addition of alkyl groups to aldehydes, these catalysts fail to promote additions to ketones with >90% enantioselectivity. This paper describes the asymmetric 1,2-addition of alkyl groups to conjugated cyclic enones to give allylic alcohols with chiral quaternary centers. The resultant allylic alcohols are converted into epoxy alcohols with excellent diastereoselectivities. Treatment of the epoxy alcohols with BF3.OEt2 induces a semipinacol rearrangement to provide alpha,alpha-dialkyl-beta-hydroxy ketones with all-carbon chiral quaternary centers. We also report a one-pot procedure for the asymmetric addition/diastereoselective epoxidation reaction. Simply exposing the reaction mixture to dioxygen after the asymmetric addition reaction is complete results in epoxidation of the allylic alcohol with high diastereoselectivity.     

From allylic alcohols to chiral tertiary homoallylic alcohol: palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylation of isatins

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylation of isatins with allylic alcohols as an allyl donor was developed by using chiral spiro phosphoramidite ligands. A variety of chiral tertiary homoallylic alcohols 3-allyl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles were prepared directly from allylic alcohols in one step with excellent yields and moderate enantioselectivities. This represents the first catalytic asymmetric allylation of ketones with allylic alcohol as the allylating agent.     

Highly Enantioselective Nickel‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Reductive Cyclization of Alkynones

The first asymmetric nickel‐catalyzed intramolecular reductive cyclization of alkynones is reported. A P‐chiral monophosphine and triethylsilane were used as the ligand and the reducing reagent, respectively, to form a series of tertiary allylic alcohols bearing furan/pyran rings in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. This reaction has a broad substrate scope and enabled the efficient synthesis of dehydroxycubebin and chiral dibenzocyclooctadiene skeletons.     

Liquid-phase synthesis of chiral tartrate ligand library for enantioselective sharpless epoxidation of allylic alcohols

This paper reports a successful development of a group of efficient soluble polymer-supported chiral tartrate ligands by liquid-phase synthesis for Sharpless epoxidation of a variety of allylic alcohols through ligand diversity. The influence of substituent in chiral tartrate ligands on the enantioselectivities of the reaction was disclosed. Moderate chemical yields and good enantiomeric excesses were obtained by using soluble polymer-supported tartrate ester in the epoxidation of allylic alcohols with Ti(O-i-Pr)(4)/tert-butyl hydroperoxide.     

The first stereoselective Ficini-Claisen rearrangement using chiral ynamides

The first asymmetric Ficini-Claisen rearrangement using chiral ynamides is described. At relatively low temperatures, the Ficini-Claisen rearrangement can be efficiently promoted by p-nitrobenzenesulfonic acid leading to high diastereoselectivity for a range of different allylic alcohols and chiral ynamides. [reaction: see text]     

Fe-Catalyzed Amidation of Allylic Alcohols by Borrowing Hydrogen Catalysis

Allylic amines are useful building blocks in organic synthesis, so the development of green and efficient methods for the preparation of allylic amines are of great importance. An Fe-catalyzed amidation of allylic alcohols with chiral tert-butylsulfinamide has been developed. With water as the only by-product, a range of synthetically useful chiral sulfinamide olefin derivatives (30 examples) were obtained under mild reaction conditions. The reaction can be performed on a gram-scale, and the products could serve as chiral ligands for asymmetric catalysis. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds by an Fe-catalyzed borrowing hydrogen process, which is different from most of the reported allylic amination reactions.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric umpolung allylation of imines with allylic alcohols

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric umpolung allylation reaction of imines with allylic alcohols has been developed. In the presence of chiral spiro phosphoramidite ligand 4, the allylation was accomplished with high yields and good enantioselectivities. The use of highly stable and easily available allylic alcohols instead of allylic metal reagents facilitated the preparation of chiral homoallylic amines.     

From allylic alcohols to aldols through a new nickel-mediated tandem reaction: synthetic and mechanistic studies

Nickel hydride type complexes have been successfully developed as catalysts for the tandem isomerization-aldolization reaction of allylic alcohols with aldehydes. Optimization of the reaction conditions has shown that a cocatalyst, such as MgBr2, has a very positive effect on the kinetics of the reaction and in the yields of aldols. Under such optimized conditions {[NiHCl(dppe)] + MgBr(2) at 3-5 mol %)}, this reaction affords the aldols in good to excellent yields. It is a full-atom-economy-type reaction that occurs under mild conditions. Furthermore, it has a broad scope for the allylic alcohols and it is compatible with a wide range of aldehydes, including very bulky derivatives. The reaction is completely regioselective, but it exhibits a low stereoselectivity, except for allylic alcohols with a bulky substituent at the carbinol center. The use of chiral nonracemic catalysts was not successful, affording only racemic compounds. However, it was possible to use asymmetric synthesis for the preparation of optically active aldols. Various mechanistic studies have been performed using, for instance, a deuterated alcohol or a deuterated catalyst. They gave strong support to a mechanism involving first a transition-metal-mediated isomerization of the allylic alcohol into the free enol, followed by the addition of the latter intermediate onto the aldehyde in an "hydroxyl-carbonyl-ene" type reaction. These results confirm that allylic alcohols can be considered as new and useful partners in the development of the aldol reaction.     

Kinetic Resolution of Tertiary 2‐Alkoxycarboxamido‐Substituted Allylic Alcohols by Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Transesterification

A highly enantioselective kinetic resolution of tertiary 2‐alkoxycarboxamido allylic alcohols has been achieved through a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed intramolecular transesterification reaction. Both alkyl,aryl‐ and dialkyl‐substituted tertiary allylic alcohols were resolved with excellent efficiencies, affording both the recovered tertiary alcohols and the carbamate products with high enantioselectivities (with s factors up to 164.6). A gram‐scale reaction with 1 mol % catalyst loading and the facile conversion of the enantioenriched products into useful chiral building blocks, such as chiral oxazolidinones and β‐amino alcohols, demonstrate the value of this reaction.     

Tandem oxidation of allylic and benzylic alcohols to esters catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes

N-heterocyclic carbenes catalyze the oxidation of allylic, propargylic, and benzylic alcohols to esters with manganese(IV) oxide in excellent yields. A variety of ester derivatives can be synthesized, including protected carboxylates. This one-pot tandem oxidation represents the first organocatalytic oxidation of alcohols to esters. Saturated esters can also be accessed from aldehydes using this method. Through the utilization of a chiral catalyst, the acyl-heteroazolium intermediate becomes a chiral acylating agent, which can desymmetrize meso-1,2-diols. [reaction: see text].     

Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation of β‐Ketoesters with Allylic Alcohols by a Nickel/Diphosphine Catalyst

Asymmetric allylic alkylation of β‐ketoesters with allylic alcohols catalyzed by [Ni(cod)₂]/(S)‐H₈‐BINAP was found to be a superior synthetic protocol for constructing quaternary chiral centers at the α‐position of β‐ketoesters. The reaction proceeded in high yield and with high enantioselectivity using various β‐ketoesters and allylic alcohols, without any additional activators. The versatility of this methodology for accessing useful and enantioenriched products was demonstrated.     

Lewis base catalyzed enantioselective allylic hydroxylation of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates with water

A Lewis base catalyzed allylic hydroxylation of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates has been developed. Various chiral MBH alcohols can be synthesized in high yields (up to 99%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). This is the first report using water as a nucleophile in asymmetric organocatalysis. The nucleophilic role of water has been verified using (18)O-labeling experiments.     

Cyclopropanation of protected chiral,acyclic allylic alcohols: expedient access to the anti-cyclopropylcarbinol derivatives

The diastereoselective cyclopropanation of silyl-protected chiral allylic alcohols using Shi's carbenoid (TFA-Et(2)Zn-CH(2)I(2)) gave access to the anti-cyclopropylcarbinyl silyl ethers with excellent diastereocontrol. The level of stereocontrol was shown to depend on the sizes of the protective group and the allylic substituent. [reaction: see text]     

Iodomethylzinc phosphates: powerful reagents for the cyclopropanation of alkenes

A new family of zinc carbenoids derived from phosphoric acids was developed and used in the cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols and ethers and also of unfunctionalized olefins. The use of the chiral phosphoric acid of a 3,3'-disubstituted BINOL leads to efficient stereocontrol, affording the cyclopropanes of allylic and homoallylic ethers with complete conversions and up to 93% ee. A catalytic version of this reaction using 10 mol % of the chiral phosphate reagent is also disclosed.     

One-pot synthesis and resolution of chiral allylic alcohols

Substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones were selectively reduced to the corresponding allylic alcohols under mild reaction conditions. The allylic alcohols thus obtained were kinetically resolved by lipase catalyzed transesterification in the same pot to afford chiral allylic alcohols in excellent enantioselectivity. Various lipases were screened for this one-pot transesterification of allylic alcohols. Effects of different solvent have also been studied under these conditions. Pseudomonas cepacia lipase immobilized on ceramic particles (PS-C) and on diatomaceous earth (PS-D) catalyzes this transesterification in diisopropyl ether in a highly efficient manner.     

Nickel-catalyzed enantioselective hydrovinylation of silyl-protected allylic alcohols: An efficient access to homoallylic alcohols with a chiral quaternary center

Asymmetric hydrovinylation of silyl-protected allylic alcohols catalyzed by nickel complexes of chiral spiro phosphoramidite ligands was developed. A series of homoallylic alcohols with a chiral quaternary center were produced in high yields (up to 97%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee). The reaction provides an efficient method for preparing bifunctional compounds with a chiral quaternary carbon center.     

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.     

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.