Highly diastereoselective allylation and reduction of chiral camphor-derived α-ketoamides

The diastereoselective allylation and reduction of camphor-derived α-ketoamides to give optically enriched α-hydroxyl amides with high to excellent stereoselectivities are described. Allylation was carried out using allyltributylstannane in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of a Lewis acid to afford the desired homoallylic alcohols in relatively high chemical yields (up to 98%) and stereoselectivities (up to 98% de). Diastereoselective reductions were performed with the relatively bulky hydride K-Selectride at −78 °C to give the corresponding α-hydroxy amides in excellent chemical yields (up to 98%) and stereoselectivities (up to 98% de). The absolute configuration of the new stereogenic center of the major diastereomer was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Finally, stereochemical induction and the Lewis acid dependent reversal of stereoselectivity is described.     

Proline-based reduced dipeptides as recyclable and highly enantioselective organocatalysts for asymmetric Michael addition

A series of novel proline-based reduced dipeptides was developed and evaluated for a direct Michael addition of ketones and aldehydes to nitroalkenes. Excellent yields (up to 95%), diastereoselectivities (up to 98% dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) were achieved in the presence of 5 mol% catalyst without any additional additives at room temperature.     

A highly enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction of 1,2-dihydropyridine using a simple β-amino alcohol organocatalyst for a practical synthetic methodology of oseltamivir intermediate

An easily prepared chiral amino alcohol catalyst was found to provide an efficient synthetic intermediate of oseltamivir with excellent chemical yield and enantioselectivity (up to 98% yield and up to 98% ee) in enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of 1,2-dihydropylidines with acroleins.     

syn-selective direct catalytic asymmetric Mannich-type reactions of hydroxyketones using Y{N(SiMe3)2}3/linked-BINOL complexes

[reaction, structure: see text] Chiral Y{N(SiMe3)2}3/linked-BINOL catalyst generated Y-enolate in situ from various hydroxyketones (R2 = aryl, heteroaryl). Beta-amino-alpha-hydroxy ketones (R1 = aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl) were obtained syn-selectively (up to 96/4) in high ee (up to 98%) and good yield (up to 98% yield).     

Asymmetric Michael addition of α-substituted isocyanoacetates with maleimides catalyzed by chiral tertiary amine thiourea

A highly diastereoselective and enantioselective Michael addition of α-substituted isocyanoacetates with maleimides catalyzed by bifunctional tertiary amine thioureas has been developed. Various chiral succinimide derivatives bearing adjacent quaternary and tertiary stereocenters were prepared in excellent yields (up to 98%), diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1), and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). The synthetic utility of chiral succinimide derivatives is also demonstrated in the preparation of h5-HT(1d) receptor agonist motifs.     

Catalytic, highly enantio- and diastereoselective pinacol coupling reaction with a new tethered bis(8-quinolinolato) ligand

A new class of chiral ligand, tethered bis(8-quinolinol) (TBOxH), is developed. Its chromium complex, TBOxCrCl (3 mol %), effectively catalyzes the pinacol coupling reaction of aromatic aldehydes at room temperature with high yield (up to 94%), high diastereoselectivity (up to dl:meso = 98:2), and high enantioselectivity (up to 98%). The scope of the present method turns out not to be limited to aromatic aldehyde derivatives, as cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde undergoes pinacolization as well (44% yield, dl:meso = 93:7, 84% ee). The method provides an efficient access to enantioenriched 1,2-diols.     

A new family of cinchona-derived amino phosphine precatalysts: application to the highly enantio- and diastereoselective silver-catalyzed isocyanoacetate aldol reaction

A new class of readily accessible chiral amino-phosphine precatalysts derived from 9-amino(9-deoxy) epicinchona alkaloids has been developed. In combination with Ag(I) salts, these amino-phosphines performed as effective cooperative Br?nsted base/Lewis acid catalysts in the asymmetric aldol reaction of isocyanoacetate nucleophiles. Under optimal conditions, high diastereoselectivities (up to 98%) and enantioselectivities (up to 98%) were obtained.     

Novel prolinamide–ureas as organocatalysts for the asymmetric aldol reaction

Among the various versions of the aldol reaction, the enantioselective reaction between cyclic ketones and aldehydes constitutes a typical reaction model for the evaluation of novel organocatalysts. A multifunctional organocatalyst consisting of a prolinamide moiety, a gem diamine unit and a urea group was successfully employed in this asymmetric transformation. The products of the reaction between various ketones and aldehydes were obtained in high yields (up to 98%) with excellent diastereo- (up to >98:2 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).     

Highly enantioselective synthesis of polysubstituted tetrahydroquinolines via organocatalytic Michael/Aza-Henry tandem reactions

Highly enantioselective chiral bifunctional thiourea catalyzed asymmetric tandem reactions for synthesis of substituted tetrahydroquinolines are described. Substituted tetrahydroquinolines were given in good yields (up to 98%), high enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee), and diastereoselectivities (up to 20:1 dr).     

A robust Ru-PNNP catalyst system for the asymmetric hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated ketones to allylic alcohol

A robust and stable Ru-Biphosphinobioxazoline catalyst system is discovered for the highly enantioselective hydrogenation of enones to allylic alcohols. A series of acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones react well affording the desired products in high yields (up to 98%) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Simple manipulation process and tolerance of water and air make this catalysis more practical and appealing.     

Solvent free,fast and asymmetric Michael additions of ketones to nitroolefins using chiral pyrrolidine–pyridone conjugate bases as organocatalysts

New chiral organocatalysts are envisaged based on a pyrrolidine–pyridone conjugate and synthesized from commercially available proline employing standard protocols. These catalysts were found to be useful for asymmetric Michael additions of ketones to nitroolefins to afford the desired products in very good yields (up to 98%) with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (>97:3 syn/anti and up to 98% ee) in very short reaction time compared with the existing reports.     

Enantioselective synthesis of functionalized fluorinated dihydropyrano [2,3-c]pyrazoles catalyzed by a simple hi functional diaminocyclohexane-thiourea

Enantioselective synthesis of functionalized fluorinated dihydropyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles has been achieved via a diaminocyclohexane-thiourea catalyzed cascade Michael addition and Thorpe-Ziegler type cyclization in high yields （up to 98%） with moderate to good enantioselectivity （up to 90% ee）.     

Cu(I)-catalyzed highly exo-selective and enantioselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with acrylates

[reaction: see text] A novel Cu(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with acrylates has been developed. Up to 98/2 exo/endo selectivity and up to 98% enantiomeric excess have been achieved.     

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral sulfones by ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation: a facile approach to the preparation of chiral allylic and homoallylic compounds

A highly efficient and enantioselective Ir-catalyzed hydrogenation of unsaturated sulfones was developed. Chiral cyclic and acyclic sulfones were produced in excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Coupled with the Ramberg-B?cklund rearrangement, this reaction offers a novel route to chiral allylic and homoallylic compounds in excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) and high yields (up to 94%).     

Organocatalyzed enantioselective formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition of 2,3-disubstituted indole and methyl vinyl ketone

A formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition of 2,3-disubstituted indoles with vinyl methyl ketone was realized in the presence of a catalytic amount of quinine-derived primary amine and pentafluorobenzoic acid. This method provides bridged-ring indoline scaffolds containing two quaternary carbon centers with excellent yields and enantioselectivity (up to 98% yield and 98% ee).     

Oxazaborolidinium ion-catalyzed cyclopropanation of α-substituted acroleins: enantioselective synthesis of cyclopropanes bearing two chiral quaternary centers

A catalytic synthetic route to highly functionalized chiral cyclopropane derivatives was developed by Michael-initiated cyclopropanation of α-substituted acroleins with aryl- and alkyl diazoacetates. In the presence of chiral (S)-oxazaborolidinium cation 1b as a catalyst, the reaction proceeded in high yield (up to 93%) with high to excellent diastereoselectivity (up to 98% de) and enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee).     

Highly enantioselective alkynylation of aldehydes catalyzed by a new oxazolidine-titanium complex

The readily available and inexpensive new chiral oxazolidine in combination with Ti(O(i)Pr)(4) was found to catalyze the reaction of an alkynylzinc reagent with various types of aldehydes to generate chiral propargylic alcohols with high enantioselectivities (up to 95%) and excellent yields (up to 98%).     

Highly enantioselective intermolecular carbene insertion to C-H and Si-H bonds catalyzed by a chiral iridium(III) complex of a D4-symmetric Halterman porphyrin ligand

The chiral iridium porphyrin [Ir((-)-D(4)-Por*)(Me)(EtOH)] displays excellent reactivity and stereoselectivity towards carbene insertion to C-H and Si-H bonds, affording corresponding products in high yields (up to 96%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee).     

The efficient enantioselective synthesis of dihydropyrans via organocatalytic Michael addition reactions

An asymmetric Michael addition of α-cyanoketones to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to form chiral dihydropyrans catalyzed by l-diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether is presented. A series of 3,4-dihydropyrans were obtained in excellent yields (up to 91%) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). A plausible mechanism for this process is proposed.     

Asymmetric Michael addition of substituted rhodanines to α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by bulky primary amines

A bulky group was introduced by design into a diamine catalyst, and a series of robust and tunable bulky chiral primary amine catalysts were developed and successfully applied in the direct conjugate addition of substituted rhodanines to α,β-unsaturated ketones. High yields (up to 99%) and excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) were observed.