Chiral ruthenium porphyrin encapsulated in ordered mesoporous molecular sieves (MCM-41 and MCM-48) as catalysts for asymmetric alkene epoxidation and cyclopropanation

Encapsulation of chiral ruthenium porphyrin [RuII(D4-Por*)CO] in modified mesoporous silica supports such as MCM-41 and MCM-48 achieves active catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes by 2,6-dichloropyridine N-oxide and intramolecular cyclopropanation, which is the first example of chiral metalloporphyrin supported on ordered molecular sieves.     

Water-tolerant enantioselective carbonyl-ene reactions with palladium(II) and platinum(II) Lewis acid catalysts bearing BINAP

Palladium(II) and platinum(II) Lewis acid catalysts bearing BINAP have been proved to be water-tolerant in enantioselective carbonyl-ene reactions, thus arylglyoxal monohydrate could be used directly as substrate achieving good to excellent enantioselectivities as high as 95.4% e.e.. The enantioselective carbonyl-ene reactions using phenylglyoxal monohydrate as substrate with four alkenes including methylenecyclohexane, 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene, 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene and alpha-methylstyrene, were investigated demonstrating comparable or even higher yields and enantioselectivities in comparison with the corresponding carbonyl-ene reactions using dry phenylglyoxal as substrate for both palladium(II)-BINAP catalyst and platinum(II)-BINAP catalyst. The palladium(II) and platinum(II)-BINAP catalyzed enantioselective carbonyl-ene reactions between 4-methylphenylglyoxal monohydrate and the four alkenes were also investigated affording enantioselectivities between 76.2% and 91.8% e.e.. A mechanism involving the coordination of arylglyoxal and 2,2-dihydroxy-1-phenylethanone with chiral catalyst was proposed to interpret the enantioselective carbonyl-ene reactions using arylglyoxal monohydrate as substrate.     

Synthesis and Catalytic Property of Fibrous Titanium-Containing Graphite Oxide

A new layered graphite oxide is synthesized by a two-step oxidation of commercial graphite powders, which is further covalently modified by a titanium complex in order for oxidation of alkenes. Characterizations reveal the present graphite oxide is thicker than classical graphene oxide, but shows fibrous morphology after modification of titanium complex. Furthermore, the composition and morphology of synthetic composite are highly relative to the heating condition in preparation. In catalysis, high conversions of alkenes as well as various oxidized products are obtained by using available and green terminal oxidants. Lastly, a composite catalyst is reused for nine rounds in oxidation of R-(+)-limonene, approving its satisfactory stability for recycling. This work provides a highly promising catalytic material, showing values for the design of solid catalysts.     

Enantioselective Heck–Matsuda Arylations through Chiral Anion Phase-Transfer of Aryl Diazonium Salts

A mild, asymmetric Heck–Matsuda reaction of five-, six- and seven-membered ring alkenes and aryl diazonium salts is presented. High yields and enantioselectivities were achieved using Pd⁰ and chiral anion co-catalysts, the latter functioning as a chiral anion phase-transfer (CAPT) reagent. For certain substrate classes, the chiral anion catalysts were modulated to minimize the formation of undesired by-products. More specifically, BINAM-derived phosphoric acid catalysts were shown to prevent alkene isomerization in cyclopentene and cycloheptene starting materials. DFT(B3LYP-D3) computations revealed that increased product selectivity resulted from a chiral anion dependent lowering of the activation barrier for the desired pathway.     

Catalytic and enantioselective aza-ene and hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of alkenes and dienes with azodicarboxylates

Lewis acids such as Cu(OTf)(2), Zn(OTf)(2), Yb(OTf)(3) and Nd(OTf)(3) catalyze the aza-ene reaction of alkenes with azodicarboxylates, giving the allylic amination adducts. The use of bis(2,2,2-trichloroethyl)azodicarboxylate as the amination reagent and Cu(OTf)(2) and Yb(OTf)(3) as the catalysts gave the aza-ene reaction of different alkenes, leading to the corresponding allyl amines in high yields. Chiral copper complexes prepared from Cu(OTf)(2) and chiral bisoxazoline ligands were found to catalyze the enantioselective aza-ene reaction of azodicarboxylates with alkenes and the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction with cyclopentadiene, giving the corresponding aza-ene- and hetero-Diels-Alder adducts, respectively, in good yields and moderate enantioselectivities.     

Bromoporphyrins as versatile synthons for modular construction of chiral porphyrins: cobalt-catalyzed highly enantioselective and diastereoselective cyclopropanation

5,10-Bis(2',6'-dibromophenyl)porphyrins bearing various substituents at the 10 and 20 positions were demonstrated to be versatile synthons for modular construction of chiral porphyrins via palladium-catalyzed amidation reactions with chiral amides. The quadruple carbon-nitrogen bond formation reactions were accomplished in high yields with different chiral amide building blocks under mild conditions, forming a family of D2-symmetric chiral porphyrins. Cobalt(II) complexes of these chiral porphyrins were prepared in high yields and shown to be active catalysts for highly enantioselective and diastereoselective cyclopropanation under a practical one-pot protocol (alkenes as limiting reagents and no slow addition of diazo reagents).     

Enantioselective trimethylsilylcyanation of aromatic aldehydes catalyzed by titanium alkoxide–chiral o-hydroxyarylphosphine oxides complexes

A series of new chiral titanium alkoxide–o-hydroxyarylphosphine oxides complexes has been used as catalysts in the asymmetric trimethylsilylcyanation of aromatic aldehydes. The corresponding cyanohydrins have been obtained in high chemical yields with good to excellent enantiomeric excesses up to 98%. The influence of the structural features of the catalysts on the enantioselectivity has been investigated.     

Synthesis of Some New Long-chain Salen Catalysts

In the research of enantioselective epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes using Salen compounds, Katasuki1 and Jacobsen2 pointed out that 3 and 3′ groups of Salen were very important to increase the e.e of the catalytic product. Recently, in order to explore useful information concerning molecular design of metal catalysts for enantioselective epoxidation of trans-disubstituted alkenes, which remains an unresolved problem in the field of metal-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes,some new Salen compounds containing long-chain in 3 and 3′ were designed and synthesized. We think these 3 and 3′ long-chain groups not only do as bulky group, but also act as second introduced chiral source. The following is the route:     

Chiral Hetero‐ and Carbocyclic Compounds from the Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Cyclic Alkenes

Several types of chiral hetero‐ and carbocyclic compounds have been synthesized by using the asymmetric hydrogenation of cyclic alkenes. N,P‐Ligated iridium catalysts reduced six‐membered cyclic alkenes with various substituents and heterofunctionality in good to excellent enantioselectivity, whereas the reduction of five‐membered cyclic alkenes was generally less selective, giving modest enantiomeric excesses. The stereoselectivity of the hydrogenation depended more strongly on the substrate structure for the five‐ rather than the six‐membered cyclic alkenes. The major enantiomer formed in the reduction of six‐membered alkenes could be predicted from a selectivity model and isomeric alkenes had complementary enantioselectivity, giving opposite optical isomers upon hydrogenation. The utility of the reaction was demonstrated by using it as a key step in the preparation of chiral 1,3‐cis‐cyclohexane carboxylates.     

Chiral quinuclidine-based amine catalysts for the asymmetric one-pot, three-component aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction

Chiral quinuclidine derivatives were employed as catalysts in the one-pot, three-component aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction between arylaldehydes, tosylamide and alkyl acrylates or acrylonitrile. A sterically non-hindered tricyclic derivative of quinidine was found to be the most efficient catalyst in transferring its chiral information. High conversions were ensured by using a catalytic amount of titanium isopropoxide and by the addition of molecular sieves (4 Å). The adducts formed, α-methylene-β-amino acid derivatives, were obtained in good yields (up to 95%) and in enantioselectivities up to 74%.     

Chiral hetero- and carbocyclic compounds from the asymmetric hydrogenation of cyclic alkenes

Several types of chiral hetero- and carbocyclic compounds have been synthesized by using the asymmetric hydrogenation of cyclic alkenes. N,P-Ligated iridium catalysts reduced six-membered cyclic alkenes with various substituents and heterofunctionality in good to excellent enantioselectivity, whereas the reduction of five-membered cyclic alkenes was generally less selective, giving modest enantiomeric excesses. The stereoselectivity of the hydrogenation depended more strongly on the substrate structure for the five- rather than the six-membered cyclic alkenes. The major enantiomer formed in the reduction of six-membered alkenes could be predicted from a selectivity model and isomeric alkenes had complementary enantioselectivity, giving opposite optical isomers upon hydrogenation. The utility of the reaction was demonstrated by using it as a key step in the preparation of chiral 1,3-cis-cyclohexane carboxylates.     

Asymmetric epoxidation using iminium salt organocatalysts featuring dynamically controlled atropoisomerism

Introduction of a pseudoaxial substituent at a stereogenic center adjacent to the nitrogen atom in binaphthyl- and biphenyl-derived azepinium salt organocatalysts affords improved enantioselectivities and yields in the epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes. In the biphenyl-derived catalysts, the atropoisomerism at the biphenyl axis is controlled by the interaction of this substituent with the chiral substituent at nitrogen.     

Titanium-catalyzed enantioselective alkynylation of aldehydes

A simple and practical method to make chiral propargylic alcohols has been developed: in the presence of a titanium alkoxide catalyst prepared in situ from titanium tetraisopropoxide and (R)-H8-binaphthol, a variety of aromatic aldehydes were converted to the corresponding chiral propargylic alcohols with very good enantioselectivities (up to 96.2% e.e.) and yields.     

N-Salicyl-β-aminoalcohols as a new class of ligand for catalytic asymmetric Strecker reactions

An enantioselective Strecker synthesis employing novel chiral titanium complex catalysts derived from structurally simple chiral N-salicyl-β-amino alcohols is described. Reactions of N-benzylidenebenzylamine with trimethylsilyl cyanide in the presence of the catalyst (10 mol%) gave the corresponding α-aminonitrile in good to excellent yields, along with relatively high enantioselectivity (up to 86% ee). Similar reactions with various imines derived from aromatic aldehydes resulted in moderate to good enantioselectivity (44-81% ee).     

Application of Polyamines and Amino Acid Derivatives Based on 2-Azabicycloalkane Backbone in Enantioselective Aldol Reaction

Carbon–carbon bond forming reactions, such as aldol reaction and condensation, belong to extremely desired transformations as manifested by >25,000 entries in SciFinder. Their stereoselective variant requires the use of an appropriate catalyst with a strictly defined structure. Hence, chiral 2-azabicycloalkane-based catalysts were designed, synthesized and tested in a stereoselective aldol reaction between cyclic/acyclic ketone and p-nitrobenzaldehyde both in organic and aqueous media. Among catalysts containing a chiral bicyclic backbone, amide based on 2-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane and pyrrolidine units showed the best catalytic activity and afforded aldol product in excellent chemical yields (up to 95%) and good diastereo- and enantioselectivity (dr 22:78, ee up to 63%).     

Metal-free, organocatalytic syn diacetoxylation of alkenes

A novel method for the organocatalytic syn diacetoxylation of alkenes has been developed using aryl iodides as efficient catalysts. A broad range of substrates, including electron-rich as well as electron-deficient alkenes, are smoothly transformed by the new procedure, furnishing the desired products in good to excellent yields with high diastereoselectivity (up to >19:1 dr).     

铱-氮膦配体催化剂在非官能化烯烃不对称氢化中的研究

非官能化烯烃的不对称氢化反应一直是烯烃加氢领域的难点。研究表明,铱-氮膦配体催化剂对此类反应具有很好的催化活性和选择性,因而受到国内外众多学者的关注。本文对近年来利用铱-氮膦配体催化剂对非官能化烯烃进行不对称氢化的研究进展进行了综述,介绍了不对称氢化的历程及背景,着重讨论了铱-氮膦配体催化剂的催化机理（Ir^Ⅲ-Ir^Ⅴ催化循环机理、Ir^Ⅰ-Ir^Ⅲ催化循环机理）、铱催化剂的组成以及催化性能的比较,并对铱催化剂在不对称氢化中的发展前景作了展望。     

Fesulphos-palladium(II) complexes as well-defined catalysts for enantioselective ring opening of meso heterobicyclic alkenes with organozinc reagents

The air-stable and readily available cationic methyl palladium(II) complexes of planar chiral Fesulphos ligands [(Fesulphos)Pd(Me)(PhCN)]+ X- are highly efficient catalysts for the alkylative ring opening of oxa- and azabicyclic alkenes with dialkylzinc reagents, showing broad scope with regards to both the bicyclic substrate and the dialkylzinc reagent. Catalyst loading as low as 0.5 mol % is sufficient to achieve good yields and enantioselectivities ranging 94 --> 99% ee in most cases. {Fesulphos = (1-phosphino-2-sulfenylferrocene); X- = tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate or PF6(-)].} The origin of the high asymmetric induction has been rationalized by mechanistic studies combining computational calculations and X-ray structural analysis.     

Highly enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of Danishefsky type dienes with electron-deficient alkenes catalyzed by Yb(III)-BINAMIDE complexes

1-Methoxy-3-trimethylsiloxy-1,3-butadiene (Danishefsky's diene) is recognized as a synthetically useful diene due to its high reactivity in the Diels-Alder reaction with electron-deficient alkenes to give oxygen-functionalyzed cyclohexenes and substituted cyclohexenones, which are important building blocks for the total synthesis of natural products. However, the development of catalytic enantioselective versions of Diels-Alder reactions using Danishefsky type dienes with electron-deficient alkenes has been difficult because of the instability of the dienes under Lewis acidic conditions. Only highly reactive CO and CN double bonds are employed in a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction which proceeds under catalysis of chiral Lewis acids. We have developed a new chiral ligand, BINAMIDE, which is easily prepared from 1,1'-binaphtyl-2,2'-diamine by acylation. The highly diastereo- and enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky type dienes with electron-deficient alkenes in the presence of an Yb(III)-BINAMIDE complex has been developed. The reaction proceeded in an exoselective mode and gave chiral highly functionalized cyclohexene derivatives in good yields.     

Enantioselective Radical-Polar Crossover Reactions of Indanonecarboxamides with Alkenes

Highly efficient asymmetric intermolecular radical-polar crossover reactions were realized by combining a chiral N,N′-dioxide/Ni^II complex catalyst with Ag₂O under mild reaction conditions. Various terminal alkenes and indanonecarboxamides/esters underwent radical addition/cyclization reactions to afford spiro-iminolactones and spirolactones with good to excellent yields (up to 99 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 97 % ee). Furthermore, a range of different radical-mediated oxidation/elimination or epoxide ring-opening products were obtained under mild reaction conditions. The Lewis acid catalysts exhibited excellent performance and precluded the strong background reaction.