Enantioselective Aldol Reactions Catalyzed by Chiral Phosphine Oxides

The development of enantioselective aldol reactions catalyzed by chiral phosphine oxides is described. The aldol reactions presented herein do not require the prior preparation of the masked enol ethers from carbonyl compounds as aldol donors. The reactions proceed through a trichlorosilyl enol ether intermediate, formed in situ from carbonyl compounds, which then acts as the aldol donor. Phosphine oxides activate the trichlorosilyl enol ethers to afford the aldol adducts with high stereoselectivities. This procedure was used to realize a directed cross‐aldol reaction between ketones and two types of double aldol reactions (a reaction at one/two α position(s) of a carbonyl group) with high diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities.     

The Impact of the Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction in Total Synthesis

Four decades since Mukaiyama’s first reports on the successful application of silicon and boron enolates in directed aldol reactions, the ability of this highly controlled carbon–carbon bond‐forming method to simultaneously define stereochemistry, introduce complexity, and construct the carbon skeleton with a characteristic 1,3‐oxygenation pattern has made it a powerful tool for natural product synthesis. This Minireview highlights a number of representative total syntheses that demonstrate the impact of the Mukaiyama aldol reaction and discusses the underlying mechanistic rationale that determines the stereochemical outcomes.     

Lewis Base Catalysis of the Mukaiyama Directed Aldol Reaction: 40 Years of Inspiration and Advances

Since the landmark publications of the first directed aldol addition reaction in 1973, the site, diastereo‐, and enantioselective aldol reaction has been elevated to the rarefied status of being both a named and a strategy‐level reaction (the Mukaiyama directed aldol reaction). The importance of this reaction in the stereoselective synthesis of untold numbers of organic compounds, both natural and unnatural, cannot be overstated. However, its impact on the field extends beyond the impressive applications in synthesis. The directed aldol reaction has served as a fertile proving ground for new concepts and new methods for stereocontrol and catalysis. This Minireview provides a case history of how the challenges of merging site selectivity, diastereoselectivity, enantioselectivity, and catalysis into a unified reaction manifold stimulated the development of Lewis base catalyzed aldol addition reactions. The evolution of this process is chronicled from the authors’ laboratories as well as in those of Professor Teruaki Mukaiyama.     

Synthetic control leading to chiral compounds

A highly diastereoselective cross aldol reaction is developed using divalent tin enolates formed from stannous trifluoromethanesulfonate and carbonyl compounds. The reaction is extended to a highly enantioselective cross aldol reaction employing chiral diamines derived from (S)-proline as ligands.     

Current progress in the asymmetric aldol addition reaction

Control of stereochemistry during aldol addition reactions has attracted considerable interest over the years as the aldol reaction is one of the most fundamental tools for the construction of new carbon-carbon bonds. Several strategies have been implemented whereby eventually any single possible stereoisomeric aldol product can be accessed by choosing the appropriate procedure. With earlier methods, stoichiometric quantities of chiral reagents were required for efficient asymmetric induction, with the auxiliary most often attached covalently to the substrate carbonyl. Lewis acid catalyzed addition reactions of silyl enolates to aldehydes (Mukaiyama reaction) later opened the way for catalytic asymmetric induction. In the last few years, both chiral metal complexes and small chiral organic molecules have been found to catalyse the direct aldol addition of unmodified ketones to aldehydes with relatively high chemical and stereochemical efficiency. These techniques along with the more recent developments in the area are discussed in this tutorial review.     

Iron‐ and Bismuth‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Mukaiyama Aldol Reactions in Aqueous Media

We have developed asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reactions of silicon enolates with aldehydes catalyzed by chiral Fe^II and Bi^III complexes. Although previous reactions often required relatively harsh conditions, such as strictly anhydrous conditions, very low temperatures (?78 °C), etc., the reactions reported herein proceeded in the presence of water at 0 °C. To find appropriate chiral water‐compatible Lewis acids for the Mukaiyama aldol reaction, many Lewis acids were screened in combination with chiral bipyridine L1 , which had previously been found to be a suitable chiral ligand in aqueous media. Three types of chiral catalysts that consisted of a Fe^II or Bi^III metal salt, a chiral ligand ( L1 ), and an additive have been discovered and a wide variety of substrates (silicon enolates and aldehydes) reacted to afford the desired aldol products in high yields with high diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities through an appropriate selection of one of the three catalytic systems. Mechanistic studies elucidated the coordination environments around the Fe^II and Bi^III centers and the effect of additives on the chiral catalysis. Notably, both Brønsted acids and bases worked as efficient additives in the Fe^II‐catalyzed reactions. The assumed catalytic cycle and transition states indicated important roles of water in these efficient asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reactions in aqueous media with the broadly applicable and versatile catalytic systems.     

Sequential hydroformylation/aldol reactions: versatile and controllable access to functionalised carbocycles from unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Three different modes of hydroformylation/aldol reaction sequences involving either acid-catalysed aldol reactions, Mukaiyama aldol addition of pre-formed enolsilanes or aldol addition of in situ generated boron enolates can be applied to unsaturated ketones and ketoesters to afford the corresponding carbocyclic aldol adducts in good yields proceeding through the intermediate activated ketoaldehydes. In selected cases, complimentary, synthetically useful diastereoselectivities were observed in the products.     

Base-catalyzed Mukaiyama-type aldol additions,a continued quest for stereoselectivity

Base-catalyzed reactions of silyl enolates with carbonyl compounds are an attractive variant of conventional directed aldol reactions. Over the past two decades, the reaction has gained prominence due to its inherent advantage for stereoselective manipulations. The present review provides a brief account of developments in this area. Various approaches are grouped together in order to provide the salient features of each conceptual development. It appears that the methods which generate nascent chiral enolates or cationic siliconium species have the biggest influence on the stereoselectivity.     

Simple synthesis of alpha-hydroxyamino carbonyl compounds: new scope of the nitroso aldol reaction

[reaction: see text] The reaction of nitroso compounds with enolates, "the nitroso aldol reaction", occurs in high yield to generate alpha-hydroxyamino carbonyl compounds. Yields range from 42% to 98% with N-selectivity >99:1 from commercially available aromatic or aliphatic nitroso compounds and a variety of alkali metal or tin enolates.     

Development of catalytic asymmetric reactions via chiral palladium enolates

This article describes the generation of chiral palladium enolates and their application to several kinds of catalytic asymmetric reactions. Two methods to generate chiral enolates were developed using novel cationic palladium complexes 1 and 2 . In these processes, water or a hydroxo ligand on palladium metal plays an important role as a nucleophile to promote the transmetallation or as a Brønsted base to abstract an acidic α‐proton of the carbonyl group. These enolates showed sufficient reactivity with various electrophiles. Using a chiral Pd enolate as a key intermediate, highly enantioselective reactions such as catalytic aldol reactions, Mannich‐type reactions, Michael reactions, and fluorination reactions were developed. The unique structures of the palladium enolate complexes were elucidated and reaction mechanisms are proposed. © 2004 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 4: 231–242; 2004: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20017     

Oxazaborolidinone-promoted vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reactions

delta-Hydroxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds were prepared in one step via the vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reactions with O,O-silyl ketene acetals. Isopropyl alcohol as additive and tryptophane-based B-phenyloxazaborolidinone were required for obtaining the gamma-alkylated product in high enantioselectivities.     

Asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of nonactivated ketones catalyzed by allo-threonine-derived oxazaborolidinone

Asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction of nonactivated ketones is realized for the first time by using an oxazaborolidinone catalyst derived from O-benzoyl-N-tosyl-allo-threonine. By employing a dimethylsilyl ketene S,O-acetal as a nucleophile, a variety of acetophenone derivatives afford the corresponding tertiary beta-hydroxy carbonyl compounds with high enantioselectivity up to 98% ee.     

Water opportunities: catalyst and solvent in Mukaiyama aldol addition of Rawal’s diene to carbonyl derivatives

Addition reactions between Rawal’s diene and different carbonyl compounds are rapidly and efficiently promoted by water. No catalyst or any other additive, water as an eco-friendly medium, clean reaction conditions, a simple work-up, and short reaction times are the salient features in this procedure. The protocol is general, proceeding well with moderate to good yields for various aldehydes and activated ketones. Based on the experimental ¹H NMR results, a Mukaiyama aldol mechanism was proposed as the reaction pathway, affording open chain products.     

Rh‐Catalyzed Aldehyde?Aldehyde Cross‐Aldol Reaction under Base‐Free Conditions: In Situ Aldehyde‐Derived Enolate Formation through Orthogonal Activation

The chemoselective generation of aldehyde‐derived enolates to realize an aldehyde? aldehyde cross‐aldol reaction is described. A combined Rh/dippf system efficiently promoted the isomerization/aldol sequence by using primary allylic, homoallylic, and bishomoallylic alcohols; secondary allylic and homoallylic alcohols; and trialkoxyboranes that were derived from primary allylic and homoallylic alcohols. The reaction proceeded at ambient temperature under base‐free conditions, thus giving cross‐aldol products with high chemoselectivity. Mechanistic studies, as well as its application to double‐aldol processes under protecting‐group‐free conditions, are also described.     

Efficient one-step aldol-type reaction of ketones with acetals and ketals mediated by dibutylboron triflate/diisopropylethyl amine

one-step Mukaiyama aldol type reaction [reaction: see text] A highly efficient one-step Mukaiyama aldol-type reaction has been developed for the synthesis of beta-alkoxy carbonyl compounds starting from ketones and acetals/ketals. The reaction is mediated by a combination of Bu(2)BOTf and i-Pr(2)NEt affording the products in high yields. Formation of the two possible diastereoisomers of the beta-alkoxy ketones from the chiral acetals shows that the condensation takes place by an S(N)1 mechanism, involving prior opening of the acetal to an oxonium ion.     

Highly efficient synthesis of functionalized tertiary alcohols catalyzed by potassium alkoxide-crown ether complexes

A highly efficient Mukaiyama aldol reaction between ketones and trimethylsilyl enolates in the presence of potassium alkoxide-crown ether complexes as Lewis base catalysts (0.3-5 mol %), which minimized the competing retro-aldol reaction, was developed. These catalysts promoted other addition reactions of trimethylsilyl reagents to ketones and aldimines, such as silyltrifluoromethylation, silylcyanation, and silylphosphonylation. A direct hydrophosphonylation of ketones also proceeded when the catalysts were used as a Brønsted base under mild reaction conditions.     

New Developments in Chiral Cooperative Ion Pairing Organocatalysis by Means of Ammonium Oxyanions and Fluorides: From Protonation to Deprotonation Reactions.

This personal account summarizes our contribution to the ion pairing organocatalysis mainly by use of chiral quaternary or tertiary ammonium fluorides, aryloxides and carboxylates. Starting from an experimental observation, we were able to develop several approaches for the enantioselective protonation of silyl enolates and enol esters giving rise to chiral carbonyl compounds bearing a stereogenic center at the α‐position. Moving from protonation to deprotonation reactions, chiral ammonium ion pair catalysts were successfully applied to several asymmetric transformations such as an Henry reaction or a direct vinylogous aldol reaction to cite a few. An outlook of further possible developments in this field of research will also be discussed.     

Stereodefined Acyclic Polysubstituted Silyl Ketene Aminals: Asymmetric Formation of Aldol Products with Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters

The regio‐ and stereoselective formation of stereodefined polysubstituted silyl ketene aminals is easily achieved through selective combined carbometalation–oxidation–silylation reactions. These substrates are ideal candidates for Mukaiyama aldol reactions with aliphatic aldehydes as they give the aldol products with a quaternary carbon stereocenter α to the carbonyl groups in outstanding diastereoselectivities.     

Sodium phenoxide-phosphine oxides as extremely active Lewis base catalysts for the Mukaiyama aldol reaction with ketones

A highly efficient Mukaiyama aldol reaction between ketones and trimethylsilyl enolates catalyzed by sodium phenoxide-phosphine oxides as simple homogeneous Lewis base catalysts (0.5-10 mol %) was developed, which minimized competing retro-aldol reaction. For a variety of aromatic ketones and aldimines, aldol and Mannich-type products with an alpha-quaternary carbon center were obtained in good to excellent yields. Up to 100 mmol scale of benzophenone and trimethylsilyl enolate with 0.5 mol % of catalyst was established in 97% yield (34.8 g).     

High stereocontrol in aldol reaction with ketones: enantioselective synthesis of beta-hydroxy gamma-ketoesters by ester enolate aldol reactions with 2-acyl-2-alkyl-1,3-dithiane 1-oxides

The asymmetric aldol reaction of 1,2-diketones, masked as nonracemic 2-acyl dithiane oxides, with lithium enolates derived from several esters and lactones, proceeds with a high degree of stereocontrol at both carbonyl and enolate prochiral centers, the stereocontrol mainly determined by the configuration of the sulfoxide sulfur atom. The sense of induced stereochemistry observed for ester enolates is different from that seen for lactone enolates. Hydrolysis of the dithiane oxide units of the major diastereoisomerically pure aldol products affords enantiomerically pure tertiary alpha-substituted beta-hydroxy-gamma-ketoesters.