Olefin cyclopropanation with aryl diazocompounds upon catalysis by a dirhodium(II) complex

A dirhodium(II) complex with N-perfluorooctylsulfonylprolinate ligands is found to catalyze the cyclopropanation of olefins with simple aryl diazomethanes. In contrast to previously reported dirhodium(II) catalysts, the present complex works well not only with very electron-rich olefins such as enol ethers, but also with styrenes. Consequently, the present catalyst allows to prepare functionalized diarylcyclopropanes in moderate yields with good diastereoselectivity for the cis product, whereas the enantioselectivity of the reaction appears negligible.     

Chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as organocatalyst for enantioselective aldol reaction

A simple and commercially available chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as catalyst, hexanedioic acid as co-catalyst could efficiently catalyze the asymmetric aldol reaction in MeOH-H₂O. Cyclic ketones as aldol substrates gave the anti-β-hydroxyketone products with moderate to good yields, diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity (up to 78% yield, >20:1 anti/syn, 94% ee). Hydroxyacetone as aldol substrate afforded the syn-α, β-dihydroxyketones as major products in up to 85% yield with good enantioselectivity (up to >20:1 syn/anti, 93% ee).     

Highly stereoselective anti-aldol reactions catalyzed by simple chiral diamines and their unique application in configuration switch of aldol products

Chiral derivatives of trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane with different N,N-dialkyl groups in well-defined orientations have been synthesized, and applied as catalysts for the asymmetric aldol reaction between a variety of aldehydes and ketones. Enantiomeric catalyst 1j catalyzed the reaction in ethanol and provided excellent diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity. Significantly, simple replacement of organic solvents with water switched the products of the aldol reactions from anti to syn configuration. Such catalytic reactions led to the products with anti to syn diastereoselectivity up to 99:1 in ethanol, while in water gave the products with syn to anti diastereoselectivity up to 99:1.     

A chiral primary-tertiary-1,2-diamine as an efficient catalyst in asymmetric aldehyde–ketone or ketone–ketone aldol reactions

A novel chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane derivative, (1R,2R)-N¹-n-pentyl, N¹-benzyl-1,2-cyclohexanediamine, was designed, synthesized and applied as a catalyst in a number of aldol reactions between ketones and aryl aldehydes. Reactions between acetone and aryl aldehydes gave aldol products with moderate to good yields and with excellent enantioselectivity (up to yield 85%, ee 98%), while reactions between cyclohexanone and aryl aldehydes provided anti-β-hydroxyketone products with excellent yields, diastereoselectivity and with enantioselectivity (up to 82% yield, anti/syn ratio 99:1, ee 99%). The aldol reactions between acetone and isatins were investigated, which afforded excellent yields and enantioselectivity (up to 95% yield, 98% ee). The (R)- and (S)-isomers of convolutamydine A were obtained with 95% yield and 96% ee, and 95% yield and 94% ee, respectively.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of nitrocyclopropane carboxylates

A Cu(I)-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation of alkenes with an iodonium ylide has been developed. The copper source, hypervalent iodine source, solvent, and additives all have a significant effect on the yields and enantioselectivities. High enantioselectivity (up to 99:1 er) and diastereoselectivity (95:5 dr trans/cis) were achieved for a wide range of alkenes. Conditions were developed to convert the trans products to the cis isomers. In addition, 1-nitrocyclopropyl carboxylates were transformed into the corresponding substituted cyclopropane amino acids and aminocyclopropanes. Moreover, a comparative study between Zn- and In-mediated reduction reactions of the nitro group in these compounds with regards to the er erosion in the process is also documented.     

Chemo- and diastereoselective cyclopropanation of allylic amines and carbamates

A highly chemo- and diastereoselective protocol for the cyclopropanation of tertiary allylic amines with Shi’s carbenoid [CF₃CO₂ZnCH₂I] is described. The high levels of diastereoselectivity observed in these reactions may be attributed to chelation of the nitrogen atom to the zinc reagent, which then transfers a methylene unit to the syn-face of the olefin. Furthermore, a stereodivergent protocol for the cyclopropanation of a range of allylic carbamates has been developed, which provides access to both diastereoisomers of the corresponding cyclopropanes with very high levels of diastereoselectivity: cyclopropanation with the Wittig-Furukawa reagent [Zn(CH₂I)₂] proceeds under chelation control to give the corresponding syn-product, whilst reaction with Shi’s carbenoid proceeds under steric control to give the corresponding anti-cyclopropane, in >95:5 dr in both cases.     

Iron-catalyzed cyclopropanation with glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride in water

An iron-catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction of styrenes in aqueous media is disclosed that employs glycine ethyl ester hydrochloride in a tandem diazotization/cyclopropanation reaction. The products are accessed in good yields and good diastereoselectivity using readily available and inexpensive starting materials. Moreover, a wide range of transition metals may be used under these conditions, thus opening new opportunities for efficient carbene-transfer reactions under user-friendly conditions.     

A d,l-proline catalyzed diastereoselective trimolecular condensation: an approach to the one-pot synthesis of perhydrofuro[3,2-b]pyran-5-ones

d,l-Proline was found to catalyze efficiently the one-pot trimolecular condensation of indoles, a sugar hydroxyaldehyde, and Meldrum’s acid followed by intramolecular cyclization with evolution of carbon dioxide and elimination of acetone to afford 7-(1H-3-indolyl)-2,3-dimethoxyperhydrofuro[3,2-b]pyran-5-ones. The reaction proceeded cleanly at ambient temperature to afford the products in good yields with high diastereoselectivity.     

Novel cyclic β-aminophosphonate derivatives as efficient organocatalysts for the asymmetric Michael addition reactions of ketones to nitrostyrenes

Three novel catalysts based upon cyclic β-aminophosphonate derivatives 1–3 were designed to catalyze the asymmetric Michael addition reactions of ketones to β-nitrostyrenes. Among the catalysts that have been prepared in this study, cyclic β-aminophosphonic acid monoethylester 3 showed the highest catalytic ability, giving the corresponding Michael adduct in good yields, high enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee), and high diastereoselectivities (syn:anti up to 95:5).     

Efficient asymmetric selenocyclizations of alkenyl oximes into cyclic nitrones and 1,2-oxazines promoted by sulfur containing diselenides

Treatment of the di-2-[(1S)-1-(methylthio)ethyl]phenyl diselenide or of the di-2-methoxy-6-[(1S)-1-methylthio)ethyl]phenyl diselenide with bromine and silver triflate afforded the corresponding electrophilic selenylating triflates which were used in situ to promote the asymmetric selenocyclization of γ-alkenyl oximes and δ-phenyl-γ-alkenyl oximes. The course of these reactions and hence the structures of the cyclization products were dictated by the (E)- or (Z)-geometry of the starting oximes. The two types of cyclization products were either the cyclic nitrones or the 1,2-oxazines; in both cases the reactions proceeded with excellent yields, complete regioselectivity and good diastereoselectivity.     

Highly cis-selective Rh(I)-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions

The performance of recently reported highly cis-diastereoselective Rh(I) cyclopropanation catalysts has been significantly improved by a systematic study of different reaction parameters (catalyst activation, solvent, temperature, stoichiometry). The catalyst efficiency and diastereoselectivity were enhanced by changing the activating agent from AgOTf to NaBArf. With this new system, the Rh(I) catalyst was shown to be a highly efficient and cis-diastereoselective cyclopropanation catalyst in reactions between α-diazoacetates and a range of different alkenes and substituted derivatives. Particularly noteworthy is the remarkable reactivity and cis-diastereoselectivity displayed in the reactions between ethyl diazoacetate and cyclopentene, 2,5-dihydrofuran, and benzofuran, with yields up to 99% and cis-selectivities greater than 99%.     

Direct enantioselective aldol reactions catalyzed by calix[4]arene-based l-proline derivatives in the water

Two novel p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-based chiral organocatalysts derived from l-proline have been developed to catalyze direct aldol reactions between cyclohexanone and aromatic aldehydes in water. Under the optimal conditions, high yields (up to 95%), enantioselectivities (up to 90%), and moderate diastereoselectivities (up to 65:35) were obtained. Considering the catalytic inefficiency of sole proline for the aldol reaction in water, these results clearly display the enormous effect of the hydrophobic part of calix[4]arene of compound A.     

Enantiomerically pure phenanthroline or bipyridine containing macrocycles: a new class of ligands for asymmetric catalysis

New enantiomerically pure phenanthroline- and bipyridine-containing macrocycles have been synthesized by combination of the coordinating unit to inexpensive and readily available chiral templates. The catalytic properties of their Cu(I) complexes have been studied in the cyclopropanation of alkenes as test reaction. A simple structural modification of the chiral cavity allowed us to successfully control the trans or cis diastereoselectivity of the reaction.     

Highly efficient and solvent-free direct aldol reaction catalyzed by glucosamine-derived prolinamide

The catalytic activity of novel sugar-based prolinamides in the aldol reaction between ketones and aryl aldehydes has been examined. The prolinamide 1c was found to be an efficient organocatalyst for the asymmetric aldol reaction under solvent-free conditions. A variety of ketones and aldehydes were used as substrates and the corresponding aldol products were obtained in excellent chemical yields with high levels of anti diastereoselectivity (up to 99:1) and enantioselectivity (up to >99%).     

Insights for diastereoselective synthesis of cyclic α-sulfinyl and sulfanyl oximes

The comparison in several reaction conditions for synthesis of nonracemic α-methylsulfinylation of 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one was achieved. The sulfanylation reactions of 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one-O-methyloxime and 2-(methylsulfinyl)-3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one-O-methyloxime by homogenous reaction medium are reported. The products were obtained in good yields and de. The yields, diastereoselectivity and theoretical calculations to all obtained compounds to support the experimental data are compared and discussed.     

Asymmetric Sulfonium Ylide Mediated Cyclopropanation: Stereocontrolled Synthesis of (+)‐LY354740

The reaction of ester‐stabilized sulfonium ylides with cyclopentenone to give (+)‐ 5 ((1S,5R,6S)‐ethyl 2‐oxobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane‐6‐carboxylate), an important precursor to the pharmacologically important compound (+)‐LY354740, has been studied using chiral sulfides operating in both catalytic (sulfide, Cu(acac)₂, ethyl diazoacetate, 60 °C) and stoichiometric modes (sulfonium salt, base, room temperature). It was found that the reaction conditions employed had a major influence over both diastereo‐ and enantioselectivity. Under catalytic conditions, good enantioselectivity with low diastereoselectivity was observed, but under stoichiometric conditions low enantioselectivity with high diastereoselectivity was observed. When the stoichiometric reactions were conducted at high dilution, diastereoselectivity was reduced. This indicated that base‐mediated betaine equilibration was occurring (which is slow relative to ring closure at high dilution). Based on this model, conditions for achieving high enantioselectivity were established as follows: use of a preformed ylide, absence of base, hindered ester (to reduce ylide‐mediated betaine equilibration), and low concentration. Under these conditions high enantioselectivity (95 % ee) was achieved, albeit with low diastereocontrol. Our model for selectivity has been applied to other sulfonium ylide mediated cyclopropanation reactions and successfully accounts for the diastereoselectivity observed in all such reported reactions to date.     

Pt(IV)-catalyzed generation and [4+2]-cycloaddition reactions of o-quinone methides

Novel intermolecular and intramolecular generations of ortho-quinone methides and their formal [4+2]-cycloaddition reactions with olefins catalyzed by PtCl₄ and AuCl₃ under mild conditions have been developed. Good to excellent yields (up to 99%) and diastereoselectivity (up to >99:1) of the chromans were obtained. PtCl₄ was found to be effective and compatible with various functional groups present in the substrates. A mechanism accounting for its catalytic cycle is proposed and discussed.     

A common mechanism for branching, cyclopropanation, and cyclobutanation reactions in the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway

Four reactions--chain elongation, cyclopropanation, branching, and cyclobutanation--are used in nature to join isoprenoid units for construction of the carbon skeletons for over 55,000 naturally occurring isoprenoid compounds. Those molecules produced by chain elongation have head-to-tail (regular) carbon skeletons, while those from cyclopropanation, branching, or cyclobutanation have non-head-to-tail (irregular) skeletons. Although wild type enzymes have not been identified for the branching and cyclobutanation reactions, chimeric proteins constructed from farnesyl diphosphate synthase (chain elongation) and chrysanthemyl diphosphate synthase (cyclopropanation) catalyze all four of the known isoprenoid coupling reactions to give a mixture of geranyl diphosphate (chain elongation), chrysanthemyl diphosphate (cyclopropanation), lavandulyl diphosphate (branching), and maconelliyl and planococcyl diphosphate (cyclobutanation). Replacement of the hydrogen atoms at C1 or C2 or hydrogen atoms in the methyl groups of dimethylallyl diphosphate by deuterium alters the distribution of the cyclopropanation, branching, and cyclobutanation products through primary and secondary kinetic isotope effects on the partitioning steps of common carbocationic intermediates. These experiments establish the sequence in which the intermediates are formed and indicate that enzyme-mediated control of the carbocationic rearrangement and elimination steps determines the distribution of products.     

Asymmetric cyclopropanation catalyzed by fluorous bis(oxazolines)–copper complexes

Fluorous bis(oxazoline)–copper(I) complexes generated in situ were tested as catalysts in the metal-catalyzed cyclopropanation of styrene with various α-diazoacetates. Under optimized conditions in CH₂Cl₂, quite good yields were obtained. Diastereoselectivities were found to be substrate and, to a lesser extent, ligand dependent, with trans/cis ratios ranging from 62/38 (cyclopropanation with α-ethyldiazoacetate 2a using ligand 1a) to 98/2 (cyclopropanation with methyl phenyldiazoacetate 2c using ligand 1b). Enantioselectivities up to 84% ee for the trans-isomer and 81% ee for the cis-isomer were observed using ligand 1b. Fluorous bis(oxazoline)–copper(I) complexes could be very easily separated from the products by simple precipitation using hexane, and recycled without loss of stereo- as well as enantioselectivities.     

Highly enantioselective and cis-diastereoselective cyclopropanation of olefins catalyzed by ruthenium complexes of (iminophosphoranyl)ferrocenes

Chiral (iminophosphoranyl)ferrocenes (1 and 2) are highly efficient ligands to achieve high diastereoselectivity (up to 95/5 dr in favor of the cis-isomer) as well as enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) in Ru-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation of various olefins. Reversal in diastereoselectivity is found as a function of metal-to-ligand ratio in the reaction of styrene.