硫酯参与的有机催化不对称反应研究进展

硫酯在生物合成和有机合成中扮演着十分重要的角色. 硫酯的羰基C(2p)轨道和S(3p)轨道重叠度较小, 其α质子具有较强的酸性, 能在温和的条件下烯醇化并进行亲核反应. 同时, 硫酯还是高效的酰基化试剂, 可用于酯键和酰胺键的构建. 有机小分子催化是不对称催化的重要研究领域. 近十几年来有机催化硫酯底物的不对称反应取得了大量重要成果, 极大拓宽了有机催化酯类底物的反应类型, 并实现了一些其氧酯类似物无法实现的反应. 本综述按照硫酯底物的类型(可烯醇化硫酯和α,β-不饱和硫酯)、有机催化剂类型和反应类型对硫酯底物参与的有机催化不对称反应进行梳理和总结, 同时对代表性反应的机理以及该领域的未来发展进行了简单阐述.     

Catalysis with N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes under Oxidative Conditions

This Concept article discusses the potential of oxidative carbene catalysis in synthesis and comprehensively covers pioneering studies as well as recent developments. Oxidative carbene catalysis can be conducted by using inorganic and organic oxidants. Applications in cascade processes, in enantioselective catalysis, and also in natural product synthesis are discussed.     

Biocatalytic asymmetric rearrangement of a methylene-interrupted bis-epoxide: simultaneous control of four asymmetric centers through a biomimetic reaction cascade

Asymmetric enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of methylene-interrupted bis-epoxides 1 a and 1 b catalyzed by bacterial epoxide hydrolases furnished tetrahydrofuran derivatives 2 a and 2 b through a hydrolysis-rearrangement cascade. Whereas racemic bis-oxiranes 1 b-d underwent kinetic resolution with moderate stereoselectivities to yield products with up to 92 % ee and 66 % de: meso-bis-oxirane cis,cis-1 a was transformed into (6R,7R,9S,10S)-2 a in 94 % ee and 89 % de at high conversion (85 %) by Rhodococcus sp. CBS 717.73 as the major product. The reaction sequence resembles a biomimetic reaction cascade and provides an efficient entry into the structural core of annonaceous acetogenins with simultaneous control of four stereocenters.     

Synthesis of chiral alkenyl epoxides: the sex pheromone of the elm spanworm Ennomus subsignaria (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

The identification of the sex pheromone of the elm spanworm Ennomos subsignaria (Hübner), as the chiral alkenyl epoxide (6Z)-cis-9,10-epoxy-nonadecene has been accomplished. Both enantiomers of (6Z)-cis-9,10-epoxy-nonadecene have been synthesized via two routes. The key steps in the first route were to prepare both threo-epoxy tosylates and then to perform an alkylative rearrangement of these intermediates to obtain the target molecules. An alternative enantioenriched synthesis that took advantage of the Sharpless dihydroxylation reaction was developed so that a common starting material could be used to access both enantiomers. A field study and GC/EAD testing indicated that Z6-cis-9S,10R-epoxy-nonadecene was the sex pheromone of the elm spanworm E. subsignaria (Hübner).     

凝聚态化学视角下的生物矿化

凝聚态化学是研究凝聚态材料的合成、组分、结构、性能、相互作用及相关化学反应等多个领域的一门学科。近年来对生物矿物这种特殊的天然凝聚态材料不断深入的探索,极大扩展了凝聚态化学原有的研究视野。这些生物矿物常通过非经典的方式,在温和而复杂的体内甚至体外环境中形成;它们具有长期进化筛选出的跨尺度多级组织结构,充分利用了材料微观形态和不同凝聚态材料间的表、界面相互作用,因此具有非常优异的性能。本文通过分析生物矿物形成和转化过程中涉及的几种特殊机制,阐明真实环境条件下凝聚态材料合成和凝聚态化学反应的一些新特征。同时,还将介绍由生物矿物相关研究推动的凝聚态化学的实际应用。最后,对该领域未来需要解决的问题和重要发展方向做出展望。     

Total Syntheses of (−)-Minovincine and (−)-Aspidofractinine through a Sequence of Cascade Reactions

We report 8-step syntheses of (−)-minovincine and (−)-aspidofractinine using easily available and inexpensive reagents and catalyst. A key element of the strategy was the utilization of a sequence of cascade reactions to rapidly construct the penta- and hexacyclic frameworks. These cascade transformations included organocatalytic Michael-aldol condensation, a multistep anionic Michael-S_N2 cascade reaction, and Mannich reaction interrupted Fischer indolization. To streamline the synthetic routes, we also investigated the deliberate use of steric effect to secure various chemo- and regioselective transformations.