Chiral base-catalyzed aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ethers: effect of water as an additive on stereoselectivities

An aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether catalyzed by lithium binaphtholate is described. The aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether derived from cyclohexanone under anhydrous conditions predominantly afforded the anti-aldol adduct with moderate enantioselectivity, whereas the reaction under aqueous conditions predominantly resulted in the syn-adduct and the enantioselectivity of the syn-adduct was considerably improved. The best enantioselectivity was obtained in the reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether derived from 1-indanone with cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde (97% ee (syn)). This is the first example of an aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ether catalyzed by a chiral base.     

Construction of quaternary carbon centers by a base-catalyzed enantioselective aldol reaction and related reactions of trimethoxysilyl enol ethers

The aldol reactions of trimethoxysilyl enol ethers catalyzed by lithium binaphtholate were found to be powerful tools for the construction of quaternary asymmetric carbon centers. The stereoselectivities were greatly affected by the presence of water. Trimethoxysilyl enol ether derived from a cyclic ketone, such as cyclohexanone, was used as a substrate to obtain the anti-adduct preferentially under anhydrous conditions; by contrast, the syn-adduct was preferentially obtained under aqueous conditions with high stereoselectivity. The aldol-Tishchenko reaction of a trimethoxysilyl enol ether derived from acyclic ketones proceeded to give monoacyl 1,3-diol derivatives in high enantioselectivities.     

BINAP/AgOTf/KF/18-crown-6 as new bifunctional catalysts for asymmetric Sakurai-Hosomi allylation and Mukaiyama aldol reaction

A catalytic amount of KF.18-crown-6 complex is effective as a soluble fluoride source to activate an asymmetric Sakurai-Hosomi allylation with BINAP and silver(I) triflate catalyst. The allylation of a variety of aromatic, alpha,beta-unsaturated and aliphatic aldehydes with allylic trimethoxysilane resulted in high yields and remarkable enantioselectivities. In addition, the asymmetric Mukaiyama-type aldol reaction is achieved by using trimethoxysilyl enol ethers in the presence of the same catalysts. High anti selectivity is obtained from E-silyl enol ether, while Z-silyl enol ether gives syn selectivity.     

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.     

Enantioselective construction of quaternary asymmetric carbon centers using an aldol reaction of trimethoxysilyl enol ethers catalyzed by lithium binaphtholate

An aldol reaction of 2,2-disubstituted trimethoxysilyl enol ethers with aldehydes catalyzed by a dilithium salt of (R)-3,3′-dichlorobinaphthol afforded the corresponding aldol adducts with quaternary carbon centers in high anti-selectivities (syn:anti = ∼1:50) and enantioselectivities (∼90% ee).     

Asymmetric glycolate aldol reactions using cinchonium phase-transfer catalysts

Cinchona phase-transfer catalysts (PTC) were developed for glycolate aldol reactions to give differentially protected 1,2-diol products. Silyl enol ether 9 reacted to generate benzhydryl-protected products. O-Allyl trifluorobenzyl cinchonium hydrofluoride CN-4 (20 mol %) catalyzed the addition of 9 to benzaldehyde to give 8 as a single syn-product in 76% yield and 80% ee. Recrystallization enriched the product to 95% ee, and a Baeyer-Villiger reaction transformed the product into useful ester intermediates. [reaction: see text]     

An aldol approach to the synthesis of the EF fragment of spongistatin 1

A synthesis of the C29-C51 fragment of spongistatin 1, containing the E and F rings, has been completed. The approach relies on four diastereoselective aldol additions and an asymmetric glycolate alkylation to establish eight of the eleven stereogenic centers. The intact chlorodiene side chain was appended by a Lewis acid catalyzed addition of an allylstannane to an epoxy enol ether.     

Trichlorosilyl triflate for enantioselective direct-type aldol reaction with chiral phosphine oxide

Trichlorosilyl triflate, in the presence of a chiral Lewis base catalyst, provides an effective method for the enantioselective direct-type aldol reaction of aldehydes and ketones. A chiral Lewis base induces both the production and activation of trichlorosilyl enol ether, yielding an aldol product in good yield and with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Ethyl alpha-fluoro silyl enol ether: stereoselective synthesis and its aldol reaction with aldehydes and ketones

Ethyl alpha-fluoro silyl enol ether is stereoselectively synthesized in high yield from inexpensive chlorofluoroacetate and Mg (or Zn) in DMF (or HMPA). Lewis acid promoted aldol reaction of this enol ether with aldehydes and ketones gives alpha-fluoro-beta-hydroxy esters in good to excellent yields.     

Synthesis of cyclobutanones and four-membered enol ethers by using a rearrangement reaction of enol triflates

A new synthetic method of cyclobutanone derivatives and four-membered enol ethers via an intramolecular cyclization of a ketone enolate was developed. The cyclization precursors, enol triflates having a silyloxy group at the β′-position, were synthesized from the corresponding β-hydroxy ketones, which were prepared via an aldol reaction of a cycloalkanone and an aldehyde. Under the influence of TBAF, the enol triflates afforded a cyclobutanone or a four-membered enol ether through rearrangement of the trifluoromethanesulfonyl group followed by an intramolecular C- or O-alkylation reaction.     

Catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions in aqueous media using chiral bis-pyridino-18-crown-6-rare earth metal triflate complexes

Catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions in aqueous media have been developed using Pr(OTf)(3) and chiral bis-pyridino-18-crown-6 1. In the asymmetric aldol reaction using rare earth metal triflates (RE(OTf)(3)) and 1, slight changes in the ionic diameters of the metal cations greatly affected the diastereo- and enantioselectivities of the products. The substituents (MeO, Br) at the 4-position of the pyridine rings of the crown ether did not significantly affect the selectivities in the asymmetric aldol reaction, although they affected the binding ability of the crown ether with RE cations and the catalytic activity of Pr(OTf)(3)-crown ether complexes. From X-ray structures of RE(NO(3))(3)-crown ether complexes, it was found that they had similar structures regardless of the RE cations and the crown ethers used. Accordingly, the binding ability of the crown ether with the RE cation and the catalytic activity of the complex are important for attaining high selectivity in the asymmetric aldol reaction. Various aromatic and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and silyl enol ethers derived from ketones and a thioester can be employed in the catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions using Pr(OTf)(3) and 1, to provide the aldol adducts in good to high yields and stereoselectivities. In the case using the silyl enol ether derived from the thioester, 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine significantly improved the yields of the aldol adducts.     

The aldol reaction of silyl enol ethers within a micro reactor

We have demonstrated the use of silyl enol ethers in the aldol reaction within a micro reactor. Quantitative conversion of the silyl enol ether to a beta-hydroxyketone was observed in a 20 min period compared to traditional batch systems, where quantitative yields were only obtained when extended reaction times of 24 h were employed.     

Lewis base catalyzed enantioselective aldol addition of acetaldehyde-derived silyl enol ether to aldehydes

[reaction: see text] Chiral phosphoramide catalyzed-enantioselective aldol addition of an acetaldehyde-derived trialkylsilyl enol ether to aromatic aldehydes provides protected aldol products in good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities. Preliminary studies show that the aldolization intermediate (a chlorohydrin adduct) can be trapped with tert-butyl isocyanide to form an alpha-hydroxy lactone with good selectivity in a single-pot operation.     

A Synthetic Method for Preparing 3,3-Dialkyl-1,2,3,8-tetrahydroazulen-1-one

The trimethylsilyl enol ether of l-acetylcyclohepta-1,3,5-triene was transformed to 3,3-dialkyl-1,2,3,8-tetrahydroazulen-1-one by a two-step sequence involving the Mukaiyama aldol reaction with ketones and the subsequent Nazarov cyclization.     

Acid anhydrides as alternatives to acid chlorides in the palladium‐catalyzed reaction with silacyclobutanes

The palladium‐catalyzed reaction of acid anhydrides with silacyclobutane gives a mixture of cyclic silyl enol ether, carboxy(propyl)silane, and 3‐(carboxysilyl)ketone. In the presence of N,N‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimido (DCC), the reaction preferentially provides a cyclic silyl enol ether in a good yield. In addition, the palladium‐catalyzed reaction of benzoic acid with silacyclobutane in the presence of two equivalents of DCC also affords a cyclic silyl enol ether in a moderate yield. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A tandem non-aldol aldol Mukaiyama aldol reaction

[reaction: see text] A new one-pot tandem aldol process is described in which a secondary epoxy silyl ether is converted into the 1,5-bis-silyloxy-3-alkanone in good yield. Thus, treatment of the epoxy silyl ether 8 with TBSOTf and base affords the silyl enol ether 9 via non-aldol aldol rearrangement and addition of benzaldehyde and TBSOTf gives the ketone 10 with 4:1 syn selectivity. The diastereoselectivity changes to an anti preference for most aldehydes. This anti selectivity overwhelms the normal Felkin-Ahn preference; namely, the 1,5-anti isomer predominates even when it is anti-Felkin-Ahn.     

Enantioselective synthesis of beta-hydroxy acid derivatives via a one-pot aldol reaction-dynamic kinetic resolution

[reaction: see text]. Combining dynamic kinetic resolution with an aldol reaction provides access to beta-hydroxy ester derivatives with high enantiomeric purity (up to 99% ee) in a one-pot procedure. Only simple starting materials are required in this enantioselective process, and preformation of a silyl enol ether is not necessary.     

Crucial role of the ligand of silyl Lewis acid in the Mukaiyama aldol reaction

The Me3SiX-induced Mukaiyama aldol reaction proceeds through each catalytic cycle under the influence of X-: the silyl group of Me3SiNTf2 does not release from -NTf2 and that of silyl enol ether intermolecularly transfers to the product, while the silyl group of Me3SiOTf remains in the product and that of the silyl enol ether becomes the catalyst for the next catalytic cycle.     

Diastereoselective aldol reaction of an α-alkoxycarbonylamino aldehyde with a silyl enol ether

The aldol reaction of optically active α-alkoxycarbonylamino aldehydes with a silyl enol ether in the presence of a Lewis acid afforded γ-amino-β-hydroxyketones diastereoselectively. The effect of the α-amide proton on the diastereoselectivity is discussed.     

A catalytic antibody against a tocopherol cyclase inhibitor

The cyclic ammonium cation 5 and its guanidinium analogue 4 are inhibitors of tocopherol cyclase. Monoclonal antibodies were raised against protein conjugates of the haptens 1-3 and screened for catalytic reactions with alkene 8, a short chain analogue of the natural substrate phytyl-hydroquinone 6, and its enol ether analogues 10a,b. Antibody 16E7 raised against hapten 3 was found to catalyze the hydrolysis of Z enol ether 10a to form hemiacetal 12 with an apparent rate acceleration of k(cat)/k(uncat)=1400. Antibody 16E7 also catalyzed the elimination of Kemp's benzisoxazole 59. The absence of cyclization in the reaction of enol ether 10a was attributed to the competition of water molecules for the oxocarbonium cation intermediate within the antibody binding pocket. Hapten and reaction design features contributing to this outcome are discussed. Antibody 16E7 provides the first example of a carboxyl group acting both as an acid in an intrinsically acid-catalyzed process and as a base in an intrinsically base-catalyzed process, as expected from first principles. In contrast to the many examples of general-acid-catalyzed processes known to be catalyzed by catalytic antibodies, the specific-acid-catalyzed cyclization of phytyl-hydroquinone 6 or its analogue 8 still eludes antibody catalysis.