Approaches to primary tert-alkyl amines as building blocks

Primary tert-alkyl amines include analogues of amantadine, a fragment commonly linked to pharmacophoric groups to enhance biological activity. The preparation of primary tert-alkyl amines is considered to be a difficult problem. Four synthetic procedures, some of which have been previously reported for the synthesis of amines with primary (RCH₂NH₂) or secondary (RR'CHNH₂) alkyl and/or aryl groups, were tested for the synthesis of primary tert-alkyl amines (RR′R″CNH₂) in aliphatic series including adamantane adducts. These procedures included the formation and reduction of tert-alkyl azides, the Ritter reaction in standard and modified conditions, the addition of organometallic reagents to N-tert-butyl sulfinyl ketimines and one-pot reactions between nitriles and organometallic reagents in the presence of a Lewis acid, Τi(iPrO)₄ or CeCl_3. These synthetic routes are unexplored for primary tert-alkyl amines. Studies on the synthetic routes for primary tert-alkyl amines are currently lacking. The reaction conditions and substrate limitations were studied for each procedure, with the first procedure being the most general and applicable also for compounds bearing bulky adducts.     

A direct functionalization of tertiary alkyl bromides with O-, N-, and C-nucleophiles

Silver oxide used in stoichiometric amounts promoted the direct functionalization of tert-alkyl bromides and provided the desired adducts in 39-96% isolated yield. Reaction of tert-bromides with carboxylic acids yielded esters, with alcohols and phenols yielded alkyl and aryl ethers, with amines and anilines yielded selectively mono-alkylated amines and anilines, and with a C-nucleophile yielded an all-carbon quaternary hydrocarbon. The method was applied to a sequential alkylation of a primary amine with two different alkyl bromides yielding selectively a tertiary amine with three different substituents in one-pot.     

Efficient synthesis of carbonyl compounds: oxidation of azides and alcohols catalyzed by vanadium pentoxide in water using tert-butylhydroperoxide

Catalytic amount of vanadium reagent with tert-butylhydroperoxide as the oxidant was found to be an excellent oxidizing agent in aqueous medium. Vanadium pentoxide with aq tert-butylhydroperoxide readily oxidizes primary benzylic azides to the corresponding acids and secondary benzylic azides to the corresponding ketones in excellent yields. Further, vanadium pentoxide and aq tert-butylhydroperoxide combination turned out to be an effective catalyst for the oxidation of alcohols. Using vanadium pentoxide and aq tert-butylhydroperoxide primary alcohols were oxidized to the corresponding acids, whereas secondary alcohols underwent a smooth transformation to furnish corresponding ketones in excellent yields. All the oxidations are performed in water.     

A simple one-pot procedure for the direct conversion of alcohols into azides using TsIm

A facile and efficient method for one-pot conversion of alcohols into azides using N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)imidazole (TsIm) is described. In this method, alcohols are refluxed with a mixture of NaN₃, TsIm and triethylamine in the presence of catalytic amounts of tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) in DMF affording the corresponding alkyl azides in good yields. This methodology is highly efficient for various structurally diverse alcohols with selectivity for ROH: 1° > 2° > 3°.     

Unexpected conversion of alkyl azides to alkyl iodides and of aryl azides to N-tert-butyl anilines

In the presence of tert-butyl iodide, alkyl azides are converted into the corresponding iodides at room temperature, whereas, N-t-Bu anilines are obtained from aryl azides under the same experimental conditions. A mechanism is proposed to explain this unusual reactivity.     

Asymmetric reduction of aliphatic ketones and acyl silanes using chiral anti-pentane-2,4-diol and a catalytic amount of 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid

Aliphatic ketones were reduced to the corresponding secondary alcohols by using anti-1,3-diol and a catalytic amount of 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBSA) in benzene at reflux. Addition of 1-octanethiol in that media improved the efficiency of the reduction. Asymmetric reduction of aliphatic ketones was performed by using chiral anti-pentane-2,4-diol, and highly asymmetric induction (up to >99% ee) was observed in the reduction of tert-alkyl ketones. Asymmetric reduction of acyl silanes using chiral anti-pentane-2,4-diol and DNBSA proceeded efficiently in the absence of octanethiol and the corresponding α-silyl alcohols were obtained in high yields with high ees.     

Factors affecting the efficiency and stereoselectivity of α-amino acid synthesis by the Petasis reaction

The use of chiral secondary amines containing only one branched substituent has been shown to give optimal yields and stereoselectivities in the preparation of α-amino acids using the Petasis reaction. While the use of chiral primary amines generally gives products in low to moderate diastereoselectivity, chiral secondary amines generally give products in >95:5 diastereoselectivity. Additionally, the use of amines with two chiral (and by definition, branched) N-alkyl substituents results in significantly reduced yields with respect to to secondary amines with one or no branched N-alkyl substituents.     

A mild and efficient method for preparation of azides from alcohols using acidic ionic liquid [H-NMP]HSO4

We report here an efficient method for the synthesis and characterization of [H-NMP]HSO₄ and its application as an efficient catalyst and solvent for preparation of azides from corresponding alcohols under mild conditions. This processor showed high chemoselectivity for conversion of various alcohols to their corresponding azides.     

Fluorous scavenger for parallel preparation of tertiary sulfonamides leading to secondary amines

Alkylation of secondary sulfonamides by alkyl halides or alcohols (Mitsunobu reaction) is an efficient method for secondary amines preparation. However, its application to parallel chemistry is often difficult due to partial reaction. In this Letter, we propose a fluorous technique to bypass this problem. Thus, o-nitrobenzenesulfonamides were prepared and alkylated in parallel (Fukuyama method) with various alkyl halides or alcohols. Depending on the nature of the alkyl halide or alcohol, this step remained incomplete. A reactive fluorous alkyl iodide was then used to trap the unreacted sulfonamide allowing for a rapid and efficient fluorous solid-phase extraction (FSPE). Some examples of the isolated tertiary sulfonamides were converted in parallel to the corresponding secondary amines with good purity.     

Boron trifluoride-catalyzed reaction of alkyl fluoride with silyl enolate, allylsilane, and hydrosilane

Alkylation of silyl enolates with tert-alkyl or allylic fluorides proceeds smoothly in the presence of a catalytic amount of boron trifluoride to afford the corresponding carbonyl compounds. Allylation and reduction of alkyl fluorides with allylsilane and hydrosilane, respectively, occur under BF₃ catalysis.     

Solvent-assisted thiocarboxylation of amines and alcohols with carbon monoxide and sulfur under mild conditions

DMSO or DMF as a solvent strongly accelerated the thiocarboxylation of amines and alcohols with carbon monoxide and sulfur. Under mild conditions (1 atm, 20 °C), this thiocarboxylation of amines assisted by DMSO with carbon monoxide and sulfur has been developed into a practical and convenient synthetic method for S-alkyl thiocarbamates in good to excellent yields, including EPTC, thiobencarb, orbencarb, and molinate (herbicides). DMF also showed the similar solvent effect. NMP slightly decreased the effect for the thiocarboxylation of amines, and the yield of S-alkyl thiocarbamate was lowered in DMAc. Surprisingly, no formation of S-alkyl thiocarbamate was observed at the use of the other solvents, such as THF, hexane, toluene, AcOEt, MeCN, MeOH, and H₂O. The present solvent-assisted thiocarboxylation with carbon monoxide and sulfur could be also applied to a new synthesis of S-alkyl O-alkyl carbonothioates from alcohols under mild conditions (1 atm, 20 °C) in DMF using DBU (1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene).     

Transition‐Metal‐Free Hydrogen Autotransfer: Diastereoselective N‐Alkylation of Amines with Racemic Alcohols

A practical method for the synthesis of α‐chiral amines by alkylation of amines with alcohols in the absence of any transition‐metal catalysts has been developed. Under the co‐catalysis of a ketone and NaOH, racemic secondary alcohols reacted with Ellman's chiral tert‐butanesulfinamide by a hydrogen autotransfer process to afford chiral amines with high diastereoselectivities (up to >99:1). Broad substrate scope and up to a 10 gram scale production of chiral amines were demonstrated. The method was applied to the synthesis of chiral deuterium‐labelled amines with high deuterium incorporation and optical purity, including examples of chiral deuterated drugs. The configuration of amine products is found to be determined solely by the configuration of the chiral tert‐butanesulfinamide regardless of that of alcohols, and this is corroborated by DFT calculations. Further mechanistic studies showed that the reaction is initiated by the ketone catalyst and involves a transition state similar to that proposed for the Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley (MPV) reduction, and importantly, it is the interaction of the sodium cation of the base with both the nitrogen and oxygen atoms of the sulfinamide moiety that makes feasible, and determines the diastereoselectivity of, the reaction.     

Enantioselective acylation of chiral amines catalysed by aminoacylase I

Aminoacylase (E.C. 3.5.1.14) from Aspergillus melleus mediated the acylation of the primary amino group in a range of primary arylalkylamines and amino alcohols in anhydrous organic medium. The commonly used vinyl and isopropenyl esters proved to be unsuitable acyl donors because rapid uncatalysed aminolysis occurred in the presence of these additives. The unwanted aminolysis reaction could be suppressed by performing the enzymatic reaction in tert-butyl methyl ether medium with methyl 2-methoxyacetate as the acyl donor. We found that chiral amines were acylated with poor to moderate enantioselectivity, in contrast with the quantitative enantiodiscrimination that is commonly observed with the corresponding alcohols.     

New functional chiral P-based ligands and application in ruthenium-catalyzed enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Metal-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation is a powerful and practical method for the reduction of ketones to produce the corresponding secondary alcohols, which are valuable building blocks in the pharmaceutical, perfume, and agrochemical industries. Hence, a series of novel chiral β-amino alcohols were synthesized by chiral amines with regioselective ring opening of (S)-propylene oxide or reaction with (S)-(+)-2-hydroxypropyl p-toluenesulfonate by a straightforward method. The chiral ruthenium catalytic systems generated from [Ru(arene)(μ-Cl)Cl]₂ complexes and chiral phosphinite ligands based on amino alcohol derivatives were employed in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones to give the corresponding optically active alcohols; (2S)-1-{[(2S)-2-[(diphenylphosphanyl)oxy]propyl][(1R)-1-phenylethyl]amino}propan-2-yldiphenylphosphinitobis[dichol-oro(η⁶-benzene)ruthenium(II)] acts an excellent catalyst in the reduction of α-naphthyl methyl ketone, giving the corresponding alcohol with up to 99% ee. The substituents on the backbone of the ligands were found to have a remarkable effect on both the conversion and enantioselectivity of the catalysts. Furthermore, this transfer hydrogenation is characterized by low reversibility under these conditions.     

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.     

Synthesis of N-Sulfonylformamidines by tert-butyl Hydroperoxide–Promoted,metal-free,direct oxidative dehydrogenation of aliphatic amines

A direct and convenient metal-free method to prepare sulfonyl amidines in the presence of aqueous tert-butyl hydroperoxide (T-HYDRO) has been developed. Different tertiary and secondary amines were tested for compatibility with the oxidative conditions and could be coupled with sulfonyl azides to form the corresponding amidines in moderate to good yields.     

Asymmetric synthesis of new chiral long chain alcohols

Sixteen new chiral alcohols with alkyl (C₁₁–C₁₉) and aryl, substituted aryl, hetero aryl and biaryl groups 2a–2t were synthesized by three different asymmetric reduction methods from their corresponding ketones 1a–1t. Chiral NaBH₄ (method A), chiral BH₃ (method B) and chiral AIP (method C) were used as asymmetric reduction catalysts. Chiral NaBH₄ was modified by four different ligands 3a–3d, chiral BH₃ and chiral AIP by four different ligands 4a–4d. Ligand 4c was synthesized for the first time in this work. Chiral NaBH₄ generated chiral alcohols of (R)-configuration and chiral BH₃ and chiral AIP of (S)-configuration with high enantiomeric excesses, were analysed by chiral HPLC. In order to determine the ee values by chiral HPLC, sixteen corresponding racemic alcohols, synthesized by reducing their corresponding ketones via NaBH₄, were used for chiral resolution on a Daicel OD HPLC column. The sixteen starting ketones were synthesized in this study by Friedel–Craft acylation. The new chiral alcohols were characterized by IR, NMR, (¹H and ¹³C), MS, elemental analyses and specific rotation. The reduction methods A, B and C were applied to these ketones for the first time in this study and were compared with each other. The relationship between the structure of the ketone and the yield and the enantiomeric excess was discussed.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of N-alkyl and N-aryl ketimines using chiral cationic Ru(diamine) complexes as catalysts: the counteranion and solvent effects,and substrate scope

Asymmetric hydrogenation of N-alkyl and N-aryl ketimines catalyzed by chiral cationic η⁶-arene-(N-monosulfonylated diamine) Ru(II) complexes has been investigated. Strong counteranion and solvent effects on the enantioselectivity were observed. The ruthenium catalyst bearing non-coordinating BArF^? anion was found to be particularly effective for the hydrogenation of acyclic and exocyclic N-alkyl ketimines in the presence of (Boc)₂O in dichloromethane or even under solvent-free conditions, providing chiral amines with up to >99% ee and full conversions. Alternatively, the ruthenium catalyst bearing achiral phosphate anion together with corresponding phosphoric acid as the additive was also efficient for the hydrogenation of N-alkyl ketimines in the absence of (Boc)₂O with excellent enantioselectivities and full conversions. For N-aryl ketimines lower enantiomeric excesses were observed by using the ruthenium catalyst bearing BArF^? anion. This catalytic protocol thus provides a facile and practical access to optically active amines and has been successfully employed in the gram-scale synthesis of enantiomerically pure (+)-sertraline.     

Completely stereospecific 1,2-migration of alkyl groups in Et2AlCl promoted pinacol-type rearrangement

Completely stereospecific 1,2-migration of alkyl groups was achieved in Et₂AlCl promoted pinacol-type rearrangement of chiral β-mesyloxy alcohols to give optically pure α-alkyl ketones including both enantiomers of 4-methyl-3-hexanone, an alarm pheromone of ant.     

Study on 1,3,5‐Triazine Chemistry in Dehydrocondensation: Gauche Effect on the Generation of Active Triazinylammonium Species

The reaction of 2‐chloro‐4,6‐dimethoxy‐1,3,5‐triazine (CDMT) with various nitrogen‐containing compounds, particularly tertiary amines (tert‐amines), has been studied for the preparation of 2‐(4,6‐dimethoxy‐1,3,5‐triazinyl)trialkylammonium salts [DMT‐Am(s)]. DMT‐Ams derived from aliphatic tert‐amines exhibited activity for the dehydrocondensation between a carboxylic acid and an amine to form an amide in a model reaction. Based on a conformational analysis of DMT‐Ams and tert‐amines by NMR and X‐ray diffraction methods, we concluded that a β‐alkyl group maintained in a gauche relationship with the nitrogen lone pair of tert‐amines significantly hinders the approach of CDMT to the nitrogen. Thus, trimethylamine and quinuclidine without such alkyl groups readily react with CDMT whereas triethylamine, possessing two or three such gauche β‐alkyl groups in the stable conformations, does not react at all. The theory of “gauche β‐alkyl group effect” proposed here provides useful guidelines for the preparation of DMT‐Ams possessing various tertiary amine moieties. An investigation of the dehydrocondensation activity of tert‐amines in a CDMT/tert‐amine system that involves in situ generation of DMT‐Am, showed that the gauche effect of the β‐alkyl group becomes quite pronounced; the yield of the amide decreases significantly with tert‐amines possessing an unavoidable gauche β‐alkyl group. Thus, the tert‐amine/CDMT systems are useful for judging whether tert‐amines can readily react with CDMT without isolation of DMT‐Ams.