Catalytic Asymmetric[2,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangement of Sulfur Ylides Generated from Carbenoids and Allenic 2-Methylphenyl Sulfide

The first investigation on catalytic asymmetric [2, 3]-sigmatrop-ic rearrangement of sulfur ylides generated from carbenoids andallenic phenyl sulfide was carried out. Up to 55% ee value wasobtained.     

有机溶剂中(R)-醇腈酶催化不对称合成(R)-苯乙醇腈

 研究了来源于杏仁的（R）－醇腈酶在有机溶剂异丙醚中催化苯甲醛与HCN不对称合成（R）－苯乙醇腈，初步探讨了来源于不同杏仁的（R）－醇腈酶的筛选、最适酶量的确定以及底物HCN与苯甲醛的配比、底物浓度、酶的微环境pH和反应温度对不对称合成反应的影响．结果发现，来源于苦杏仁的（R）－醇腈酶优于来源于甜杏仁的（R）－醇腈酶．优化的反应条件为：最适酶量150g／L，HCN与苯甲醛的配比2．5，苯甲醛浓度300mmol／L，酶的微环境pH5．4，反应温度0～5℃．在该优化反应条件下，反应平衡转化率和产物的光学纯度均高达99％以上．     

Asymmetric dihydroxylation of vinyl sulfones: routes to enantioenriched α-hydroxyaldehydes and the enantioselective syntheses of furan-2(5H)-ones

The asymmetric dihydroxylation of α,β-unsaturated sulfones under Sharpless conditions affords enantioenriched α-hydroxyaldehydes in a complex mixture of dimeric species. These mixtures undergo olefination generating the corresponding α,β-unsaturated esters or furan-2(5H)-ones with high levels of enantiomeric excess. The application of this method for the rapid stereoselective synthesis of the furanone natural products; quercus lactone and maritolide, are described.     

Binolam-AlCl: a two-centre catalyst for the synthesis of enantioenriched cyanohydrin O-phosphates

The enantioselective synthesis of cyanohydrin O‐phosphates by using in situ generated bifunctional catalysts (R)‐ or (S)‐3,3′‐bis(diethylaminomethyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthol–aluminium chloride (binolam–AlCl) is reported. The reaction, which can be described as an overall cyano‐O‐phosphorylation of aldehydes, has a wide scope and applicability. Evidence is also provided, including ab initio and DFT calculations, in support of supported by the Lewis acid/Brønsted base (LABB) dual role of the catalyst in inducing first the key enantioselective hydrocyanation, which is then followed by O‐phosphorylation. A brief screening of the synthetic usefulness of the resulting cyanohydrin O‐phosphates unveiles some interesting applications. Among them, chemoselective hydrolysis, reduction and palladium‐catalysed nucleophilic allyl substitution, thereby leading to enantiomerically enriched α‐O‐phosphorylated α‐hydroxy esters, β‐amino alcohols and γ‐cyanoallyl alcohols, respectively. Naturally occurring (?)‐tembamide and (?)‐aegeline are synthesised accordingly.     

Convenient route to enantiopure aryl cyclopentanes via Diels-Alder reaction of asymmetric dienes. Total synthesis of (+)-herbertene and (+)-cuparene

A general route for the synthesis of highly substituted aryl cyclopentanes has been developed involving Diels-Alder reaction of asymmetric dienes prepared from (+)-camphoric acid followed by aromatization of the resulting cyclohexene derivatives. Employing this protocol enantiospecific synthesis of (+)-herbertene and (+)-cuparene has been accomplished.     

Mechanistic investigation of the 2,5-diphenylpyrrolidine-catalyzed enantioselective alpha-chlorination of aldehydes

The mechanism for the 2,5-diphenylpyrrolidine-catalyzed enantioselective alpha-chlorination of aldehydes with electrophilic halogenation reagents has been investigated by using experimental and computational methods. These studies have led us to propose a mechanism for the reaction that proceeds through an initial N-chlorination of the chiral catalyst-substrate complex, followed by a 1,3-sigmatropic shift of the chlorine atom to the enamine carbon atom. The suggested reaction course is different from previously proposed mechanisms for organocatalytic enamine reactions, in which the carbon-electrophile bond is formed directly. Furthermore, the rate-determining step in the overall reaction was determined and the presence of nonlinear effects was probed.     

Employing the structural diversity of nature: development of modular dipeptide-analogue ligands for ruthenium-catalyzed enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of ketones

A library of novel dipeptide-analogue ligands based on the combination of tert-butoxycarbonyl(N-Boc)-protected alpha-amino acids and chiral vicinal amino alcohols were prepared. These highly modular ligands were combined with [[RuCl(2)(p-cymene)](2)] and the resulting metal complexes were screened as catalysts for the enantioselective reduction of acetophenone under transfer hydrogenation conditions using 2-propanol as the hydrogen donor. Excellent enantioselectivity of 1-phenylethanol (up to 98 % ee) was achieved with several of the novel catalysts. Although most of the ligands contained two stereocenters, it was demonstrated that the absolute configuration of the product alcohol was determined by the configuration of the amino acid part of the ligand. Employing ligands based on L-amino acids generated S-configured products, and catalysts based on D-amino acids favored the formation of the R-configured alcohol. The combination N-Boc-L-alanine and (R)-phenylglycinol (Boc-L-Ab) or its enantiomer (N-Boc-D-alanine and (S)-phenylglycinol, Boc-D-Aa) proved to be the best ligands for the reduction process. Transfer hydrogenation of a number of aryl alkyl ketones were evaluated and excellent enantioselectivity, up to 96 % ee, was obtained.     

Asymmetric Reductive Alkylation of Alanylproline by the Ethyl Esters of 4-Substituted 2-Oxobutenoic Acids

A method was developed for the synthesis of N-[1-(S)-(ethoxycarbonyl)-3-phenylpropyl]alanylproline (enalapril) by reductive alkylation of alanylproline with ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenylbutenoate under the conditions of hydrogenation in the presence of palladium black and 1.6% Pd/C. The yield of enalapril amounted to 65%. With the ethyl ester of the -oxo acid the diastereoselectivity of formation of the S,S,S-diastereomer was higher than with the saturated synthon. It is assumed that with ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenylbutenoate as synthon a conformationally restricted surface complex is formed between the unsaturated synthon and the active centers of the catalyst. During reductive alkylation of alanylproline by ethyl 2-oxo-4-(2-thienyl)butenoate poisoning of the catalyst occurs.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (−)-microcarpalide

A highly convergent and efficient synthesis of (−)-microcarpalide, a 10-membered lactone displaying remarkable microfilament disrupting activity is described. Ring-closing metathesis and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylations are the key steps. Our strategy highlights the application of novel hydroxy lactone precursors for the stereoselective synthesis of (−)-microcarpalide.