Enantioselective synthesis of optically active secondary amines via asymmetric reduction

The enantioselective synthesis of optically active secondary amines via the asymmetric reduction of N-substituted ketimines with various chiral hydride reagents, such as Itsuno's reagent (1), Corey's reagent (2), K glucoride (3), Sharpless' reagent (4), and Mosher's reagent (5) has been investigated. Among the hydride reagents examined, 1 gave the best results in terms of asymmetric induction. Thus, the reduction of N-phenylimine derivatives of aromatic ketones with 1 provided the corresponding amines in 96–98% yields with high optical induction, such as 73 % ee for acetophenone N-phenylimine (6a), 87 % ee for propiophenone N-phenylimine (6b), 88 % ee for bulyrophenone N-phenylimine (6c), and 71 % ee for isobutyrophenone N-phenylimine (6d). In the case of N-alkyl ketimine derivatives, the reduction afforded somewhat lower optical inductions as compared to those of N-phenyl derivatives, giving 46 % ee for acetophenone N-benzylimine (6f), 52 % ee for acetophnone N-ⁿ-heptylimine (6g) and 43 % ee for acetophenone N-cyclohexylimine (6h). However, the substitution of a bulky alkyl group on nitrogen of the ketimines increases remarkably the optical induction of product amine, such as 80 % ee for acetophenone N-tert-butylimine (6e). The reduction of N-substituted aliphatic ketimines gave very low optical inductions (7.4 – 24 % ee). The catalytic effects of oxazaborolidines (1a and 2a) in the reduction of ketimines with 1 and 2 were also examined.     

Baker''s yeast: production of d- and l-3-hydroxy esters

Baker's yeast grown under oxygen limited conditions and used in the reduction of 3-oxo esters results in a shift of the stereoselectivity of the yeast towards -hydroxy esters as compared with ordinary baker's yeast. The highest degree of stereoselectivity was obtained with growing yeast or yeast harvested while growing. In contrast, the stereoselectivity was shifted towards -hydroxy esters when the oxo esters were added slowly to ordinary baker's yeast supplied with gluconolactone as co-substrate. The reduction rate with gluconolactone was increased by active aeration. Ethyl -(S)-3-hydroxybutanoate was afforded in>99% ee. Both enantiomers of ethyl 3-hydroxypentanoate, -(R) in 96% ee and -(S) in 93% ee, and of ethyl 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate, -(S) in 98% ee and -(R) in 94% ee, were obtained. The results demonstrate that the stereoselectivity of baker's yeast can be controlled to a large extent without the use of inhibitors, heat treatment, etc.     

The influence of fluorine on the asymmetric reduction of fluoromethyl ketones

A comparative study of the asymmetric reduction of representative aryl and alkyl α-fluoro- and α-chloromethyl ketones using (−)-diisopinocampheylchloroborane [(−)-DIP-Chloride™] and (−)-B-isopinocampheyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane [R-Alpine-Borane^®] has been made. It was observed that DIP-Chloride™ is superior in terms of the rate and enantioselectivity for both classes of halo-ketones. While the reduction of monofluoroacetone and trifluoroacetone with DIP-Chloride™ provided the product alcohols in 61% ee and 96% ee, respectively, the reduction of difluoroacetone yielded only 5% ee. The influence of a lone halogen atom was not observed for monochloroacetone, all of which point towards a chelating effect of monofluoroacetone on the Lewis acidic chloroborane.     

Catalyst development for organocatalytic hydrosilylation of aromatic ketones and ketimines

A new family of Lewis basic 2-pyridyl oxazolines have been developed, which can act as efficient organocatalysts for the enantioselective reduction of prochiral aromatic ketones and ketimines with trichlorosilane, a readily available and inexpensive reagent. 1-Isoquinolyl oxazoline, derived from mandelic acid, was identified as the most efficient catalyst of the series, capable of delivering high enantioselectivities in the reduction of both ketones (up to 94% ee) and ketimines (up to 89% ee).     

Enantio-differentiating hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate over modified nickel catalysts: effects of nickel dispersion on the enantio-selectivity of catalysts

Enantio-differentiating hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate was performed over the supported nickel catalysts modified by the solution of (R,R)-tartaric acid or (S)-malic acid and NaBr. The reduction temperature of supported nickel was the most important factor determining the enantio-selectivity of catalysts. The reduction temperature changed the nickel dispersion, by which the quantity and coverage of modifier adsorption were varied. The enantio-selectivity of modifiers both (R,R)-tartaric acid and (S) -malic acid were compared at various reduction temperatures. (R,R)-tartaric acid with two hydroxyl groups in a molecule showed an optimum coverage on the nickel surface that gave the maximum ee value. The maximum ee value was 72% at the reduction temperature of 973 K. In contrast, (S)-malic acid with one hydroxyl group in a molecule showed a monotonous decrease in ee and decreasing amounts of adsorbed modifier with increasing reduction temperatures.     

Atropoisomeric quinolinium salt promoting the access to both enantiomeric forms of methyl mandelate: a versatile NADH mimic

Asymmetric reduction of methyl benzoylformate by a new NADH mimic is reported; depending on the hydride source used to reduce the NAD+ precursor, NADH mimics so obtained lead to an inversion of enantioselectivity, affording either (R)-methyl mandelate in 88% ee or (S)-methyl mandelate in 78% ee.     

Highly enantioselective reduction of beta,beta-disubstituted aromatic nitroalkenes catalyzed by Clostridium sporogenes

This is the first report of the use of Clostridium sporogenes extracts for enantioselective reduction of CC double bonds of beta,beta-disubstituted (1) and alpha,beta-disubstituted nitroalkenes (3). Crude enzyme preparations reduced aryl derivatives 1a-e and 1h, in 35-86% yield with > or =97% ee. Reduction of (E)- and (Z)-isomers of 1c gave the same enantiomer of 2c (> or =99% ee). In contrast, alpha,beta-disubstituted nitroalkene 3a was a poor substrate, yielding (S)- 4a in low yield (10-20%), and the ee (30-70% ee) depended on NADH concentration. An efficient synthesis of a library of nitroalkenes 1 is described.     

Baker's yeast: production of d- and l-3-hydroxy esters

Baker's yeast grown under oxygen limited conditions and used in the reduction of 3-oxo esters results in a shift of the stereoselectivity of the yeast towards d-hydroxy esters as compared with ordinary baker's yeast. The highest degree of stereoselectivity was obtained with growing yeast or yeast harvested while growing. In contrast, the stereoselectivity was shifted towards l-hydroxy esters when the oxo esters were added slowly to ordinary baker's yeast supplied with gluconolactone as co-substrate. The reduction rate with gluconolactone was increased by active aeration. Ethyl l-(S)-3-hydroxybutanoate was afforded in >99% ee. Both enantiomers of ethyl 3-hydroxypentanoate, d-(R) in 96% ee and l-(S) in 93% ee, and of ethyl 4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate, d-(S) in 98% ee and l-(R) in 94% ee, were obtained. The results demonstrate that the stereoselectivity of baker's yeast can be controlled to a large extent without the use of inhibitors, heat treatment, etc.     

Efficient bioreduction of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione and bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,5-dione by genetically engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A screening of non-conventional yeast species and several Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) strains overexpressing known carbonyl reductases revealed the S. cerevisiae reductase encoded by YMR226c as highly efficient for the reduction of the diketones 1 and 2 to their corresponding hydroxyketones 3-6 (Scheme 1) in excellent enantiomeric excesses. Bioreduction of 1 using the genetically engineered yeast TMB4100, overexpressing YMR226c, resulted in >99% ee for hydroxyketone (+)-4 and 84-98% ee for (-)-3, depending on the degree of conversion. Baker's yeast reduction of diketone 2 resulted in >98% ee for the hydroxyketones (+)-5 and (+)-6. However, TMB4100 led to significantly higher conversion rates (over 40 fold faster) and also a minor improvement of the enantiomeric excesses (>99%).     

Organocatalysis with a fluorous tag: asymmetric reduction of imines with trichlorosilane catalyzed by amino acid-derived formamides

Asymmetric reduction of ketimines 1 with trichlorosilane can be catalyzed by N-methylvaline-derived Lewis-basic formamides 3a-d with high enantioselectivity (< or =95% ee) and low catalyst loading (1-5 mol %) at room temperature in toluene. Appending a fluorous tag, as in 5a-c, simplifies the isolation procedure, while preserving high enantioselectivity (< or =92% ee).     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of a mixed phosphine-phosphine oxide catalyst and its application to asymmetric allylation of aldehydes and hydrogenation of alkenes

The chemoenzymatic synthesis of a Lewis basic phosphine-phosphine oxide organocatalyst from a cis-dihydrodiol metabolite of bromobenzene proceeds via a palladium-catalysed carbon-phosphorus bond coupling and a novel room temperature Arbuzov [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of an allylic diphenylphosphinite. Allylation of aromatic aldehydes were catalysed by the Lewis basic organocatalyst giving homoallylic alcohols in up to 57% ee. This compound also functioned as a ligand for rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation of acetamidoacrylate giving reduction products with ee values of up to 84%.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Potential Precursors of the HIV Drug MC1220 and Its Analogues by Hydrogenation of (1‐Arylvinyl)pyrimidines

Because MC1220 is a promising microbicide with anti‐HIV‐1 activity, the possibility for asymmetric synthesis of its potential precursors is explored. Here, we investigate asymmetric reduction of the vinyl double bond of 6‐(1‐arylvinyl)pyrimidine derivatives to their corresponding ethylidene analogues. Catalysts with ligands bearing trivalent phosphorus ligating the soft metals rhodium(I), ruthenium(II), or iridium(I) are used for asymmetric reduction of the vinyl derivatives 5a – e . The enantioselective reduction reaches 92% ee and about 71% conversion for reduction of the 6‐(1‐(3,5‐dimethylphenyl)vinyl)pyrimidine derivative 5b using the asymmetric catalyst catASium M(R)Rh ( 7m ). However, for the more sterically hindered double bond in the corresponding 2,6‐difluorophenyl derivative 5e , the enantioselective reduction dropped to 30% ee and 14% conversion.     

A catalytic deracemisation of alcohols

Racemic alcohols have been converted into enantiomerically enriched alcohols with up to 99% ee in a one-pot oxidation/reduction procedure.     

Chiral epoxides via borane reduction of 2-haloketones catalyzed by spiroborate ester: application to the synthesis of optically pure 1,2-hydroxy ethers and 1,2-azido alcohols

An enantioselective borane-mediated reduction of a variety of 2-haloketones with 10% spiroaminoborate ester 1 as catalyst is described. By a simple basic workup of 2-halohydrins, optically active epoxides are obtained in high yield and with excellent enantiopurity (up to 99% ee). Ring-opening of oxiranes with phenoxides or sodium azide is investigated under different reaction conditions affording nonracemic 1,2-hydroxy ethers and 1,2-azido alcohols with excellent enantioselectivity (99% ee) and in good to high chemical yield.     

Asymmetric reduction of ketoxime derivatives and N-alkylketimines with borane–oxazaborolidine adducts

Oxime ethers of acetophenone, isopropyl methyl ketone, and tert-butyl methyl ketone were reduced to the corresponding hydroxylamine ethers of 45–94% ee with borane–oxazaborolidine 1 derived from (−)-norephedrine. A one-pot reduction of acetophenone oxime with 1 to 1-phenylethylhydroxylamine of 87% ee is described. The reduction of 6-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine and N-methylimines of the above mentioned ketones with borane-B-methyloxazaborolidine adduct 2, derived from (−)-diphenylprolinol, gave the corresponding amines of 40–74% ee.     

Highly enantioselective borane reduction of heteroaryl and heterocyclic ketoxime ethers catalyzed by novel spiroborate ester derived from diphenylvalinol: application to the synthesis of nicotine analogues

An asymmetric synthesis for the preparation of nonracemic amines bearing heterocyclic and heteroaromatic rings is described. A variety of important enantiopure thionyl and arylalkyl primary amines were afforded by the borane-mediated enantioselective reduction of O-benzyl ketoximes using 10% of catalyst 10 derived from ( S)-diphenylvalinol and ethylene glycol with excellent enantioselectivity, in up to 99% ee. The optimal condition for the first asymmetric reduction of 3- and 4-pyridyl-derived O-benzyl ketoxime ethers was achieved using 30% of catalytic loading in dioxane at 10 degrees C. ( S)- N-ethylnornicotine ( 3) was also successfully synthesized from the TIPS-protected ( S)-2-amino-2-pyridylethanol in 97% ee.     

Asymmetric conjugate reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and esters with chiral rhodium(2,6-bisoxazolinylphenyl) catalysts

New asymmetric conjugate reduction of beta,beta-disubstituted alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and esters was accomplished with alkoxylhydrosilanes in the presence of chiral rhodium(2,6-bisoxazolinylphenyl) complexes in high yields and high enantioselectivity. (E)-4-Phenyl-3-penten-2-one and (E)-4-phenyl-4-isopropyl-3-penten-2-one were readily reduced at 60 degrees C in 95 % ee and 98 % ee, respectively, by 1 mol % of catalyst loading. (EtO)2MeSiH proved to be the best hydrogen donor of choice. tert-Butyl (E)-beta-methylcinnamate and beta-isopropylcinnamate could also be reduced to the corresponding dihydrocinnamate derivatives up to 98 % ee.     

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrroles

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of N-Boc-protected pyrroles proceeded with high enantioselectivity by using a ruthenium catalyst modified with a trans-chelating chiral bisphosphine PhTRAP. The ruthenium catalyst prepared from Ru(eta3-methallyl)2(cod) and (S,S)-(R,R)-PhTRAP in the presence of triethylamine was the most enantioselective for the asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl pyrrole-2-carboxylate, giving the desired (S)-proline derivative with 79% ee in 92% yield. Moreover, 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrroles bearing a large substituent at the 5-position were hydrogenated with 93-99.7% ee. The asymmetric reduction of 4,5-dimethylpyrrole-2-carboxylate gave only all-cis isomer and created three chiral centers with high degree of stereocontrol in a single process. This is the first highly enantioselective reduction of pyrroles.     

Enantioselective synthesis of optically pure β-amino ketones and γ-aryl amines by Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

A series of optically pure β-amino ketones have been synthesized in high enantioselectivities (ee > 99%) by Rh-DuanPhos-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of readily prepared β-keto enamides. Further reduction of these β-amino ketones with hydrogen and Pd/C leads to the formation of a variety of protected enantiomerically pure γ-aryl amines (ee > 99%), which are key building blocks in many bioactive molecules.     

Asymmetric reduction of ketones by employing Rhodotorula sp. AS2.2241 and synthesis of the β-blocker (R)-nifenalol

A broad range of prochiral ketones were efficiently reduced to the corresponding optically active secondary alcohols using resting cells of Rhodotorula sp. AS2.2241. The microbial reduction system exhibited high activity and enantioselectivity in the reduction of various aromatic ketones and acetylpyridines (>97% ee), but moderate to high enantioselectivity in the reduction of α- and β-keto esters. (R)-Nifenalol, a β-adrenergic blocker, was also synthesized using 2-bromo-1(R)-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanol (97% ee) which was prepared through the asymmetric reduction of 2-bromo-1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanone employing Rhodotorula sp. AS2.2241. The simple preparation and the high activity of the biocatalyst turned this system into a versatile tool for organic synthesis.