Highly diastereoselective nucleophilic addition to myrtenal. Straightforward synthesis of an enantiopure scorpionate ligand

The work described here represents the first example in which an efficient and highly diastereoselective nucleophilic 1,2-addition of an organolithium reagent has been performed on a carbonylic prostereogenic center to give an enantiopure scorpionate ligand in only one step.     

A direct efficient diastereoselective synthesis of enantiopure 3-substituted-isobenzofuranones

Condensation of (−)-8-benzylaminomenthol with o-phthaldehyde lead to the chiral perhydro-1,3-benzoxazine 2 as single diastereoisomer. That compound reacted with different organometallics leading to 3 in excellent de. Hydrolysis of carbinols, followed by oxidation of the intermediates allowed for the synthesis of enantiopure phthalides.     

Diastereoselective addition of enantiopure lithium tert-butylsulfinylferrocene to imines

(S)-tert-Butylsulfinylferrocene was submitted to ortho-metalation, and the corresponding lithium derivative was trapped by alkyl or aryl imines bearing various electron-withdrawing groups on the nitrogen atom (Ts, Dpp, Boc). New aminosulfoxides were obtained with complete diastereocontrol when Dpp or Boc groups were used. The absolute configuration (SS,SFc,S) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis and chemical correlation. An unusual pseudocyclic boatlike transition state has been proposed to explain the stereochemical course of this reaction.     

Novel 2-pyridone synthesis via nucleophilic addition of malonic esters to alkynyl imines

[reaction: see text] A novel 2-pyridone synthesis via nucleophilic addition of malonic esters to alkynyl imines has been developed. The reaction of dialkylalkyl sodiomalonates with alkynyl imines provided 2-pyridones in good to excellent yields.     

ortho-Metalation of enantiopure aromatic sulfoxides and stereocontrolled addition to imines

Enantiopure aromatic (phenyl, naphthyl) and heteroaromatic (pyridyl, quinolyl, diazinyl) sulfoxides have been synthesized by reaction of (S)-tert-butyl tert-butanethiosulfinate with aryl- or heteroaryllithium derivatives. The ortho-directed metalation of the sulfoxides was performed with lithium bases. Subsequent addition of the lithiated intermediates to N-tosylimines afforded tosylaminoalkyl tert-butylsulfinyl arenes. In most cases a complete asymmetric induction was highlighted in favor of (S,S) isomers. Heating the aminosulfoxides provided an original cyclization to form novel cyclic sulfenamides. A novel enantiopure synthesis of a benzylamine was described. An application of an enantiopure aminosulfoxide as N,S ligand for the asymmetric catalysis of allylic nucleophilic substitution has been successfully tested.     

Peroxide-mediated efficient addition of cycloalkanes to imines

A novel direct addition of cycloalkanes to imines mediated by peroxide was developed. The reaction tolerates a wide range of functionalities as well as aqueous conditions.     

Highly diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of enantiopure C2-Symmetrical vicinal diamines by reductive homocoupling of chiral N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines

[reaction: see text] An efficient and straightforward method for the preparation of highly enantiomerically enriched C2-symmetrical vicinal diamines by the reductive homocoupling of aromatic N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines in the presence of SmI2 and HMPA was developed. It gives access to a variety of enantiopure C2-symmetrical 1,2-diamines in a very mild and practical way.     

Catalytic enantioselective addition of propionate units to imines: an efficient synthesis of anti-alpha-methyl-beta-amino acid derivatives

Optically active anti-alpha-methyl-beta-amino acid derivatives have been prepared based on catalytic enantioselective addition of propionate units to simple and inert imines using a chiral zirconium complex. High reactivity and selectivity with wide substrate scope were attained by using a new chiral ligand, (R)-6,6'-bis(pentafluoroethyl)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol ((R)-6,6'-C(2)F(5)BINOL). The reactions using geometrically isomeric ketene silyl acetals gave excellent anti-selectivity with high enantiomeric excess in both cases. Synthetic utility of this reaction has been demonstrated by the preparation of various anti-alpha-methyl-beta-amino acid and trans-3,4-disubstituted beta-lactam derivatives.     

Efficient pyrrole synthesis using double nucleophilic addition to alpha,beta-unsaturated imines with plural nucleophiles

[reaction: see text] 2,3,5-Trisubstituted pyrroles were prepared in a regioselective manner using the double nucleophilic addition of alpha,alpha-dialkoxy ketene silyl acetals and ketene sily thioacetals or trimethylsilyl cyanide to alpha,beta-unsaturated imines followed by acid-promoted cyclization and oxidation with DDQ. Using this methodology an imidazole glycerol phosphate dehydratase inhibitor (IGPDI) possessing a monopyrrole aldehyde moiety was synthesized.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoromethylamines by the copper-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of diorganozinc reagents to imines

[reaction: see text] A copper-catalyzed asymmetric addition of diorganozinc reagents to N-phosphinoylimines has been developed for the synthesis of chiral alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoromethylamines. The trifluoromethyl ketimines, generated in situ from the corresponding hemiaminals, led to the chiral amides in high yields (71-89%) and excellent enantiocontrol (91-99% ee).     

Novel carbohydrate-based bifunctional organocatalysts for nucleophilic addition to nitroolefins and imines

Glucosamine has been selected as a cheap and readily available chiral scaffold for the synthesis of a series of novel enantiomerically pure bifunctional organocatalysts bearing a tertiary amino group in proximity to a (thio)urea group. The catalytic behaviour of these compounds, both as neutral and N-protonated species, was investigated using the addition of acetylacetone to β-nitrostyrene as a model reaction. Under optimized experimental conditions, chemical yields up to 93% and enantioselectivities up to 89% were obtained. Semiempirical (AM1) computational studies allowed to find a theoretical rationale for the chemical and stereochemical behaviour of the catalyst of choice. These catalysts were also preliminarily investigated as promoters in the addition of diethyl malonate to the N-Boc imine of benzaldehyde, affording the product in up to 81% ee.     

Highly diastereoselective addition of lithio vinyl sulfoxides to N-sulfinimines: an entry to enantiopure 3-sulfinyl-2,5-cis-dihydropyrroles

The addition of enantiopure alpha-metalated vinyl and dienyl sulfoxides to enantiomerically pure N-sulfinimines takes place with high diastereoselectivity primarily directed by the N-sulfinimine sulfur. The resulting allylic amines have been further transformed into highly functionalized 3-sulfinyl and 3-sulfonyl 2,5- cis-dihydropyrroles by reaction with electrophiles.     

Highly diastereoselective nucleophilic addition reactions of masked acyl cyanide reagents to tert-butanesulfiminides

Addition reactions of dicyanomethyl tert-butyldimethylsilyl ether (H–MAC–TBS) to optically active tert-butanesulfinimides afforded α-amino acid precursors in excellent yields and with high diastereoselectivities.     

Doubly diastereoselective conjugate addition of enantiopure lithium amides to enantiopure N-enoyl oxazolidin-2-ones: a mechanistic probe

The doubly diastereoselective conjugate addition of the antipodes of lithium N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to a range of enantiopure N-enoyl oxazolidin-2-ones has been used as a mechanistic probe to determine that the reactive conformation is the anti-s-cis form. The β-amino carbonyl products resulting from these conjugate addition reactions are useful templates for further elaboration into an α,β,α-pseudotripeptide.     

Catalytic diastereoselective Pauson-Khand reaction: an efficient route to enantiopure cyclopenta[c]proline derivatives

Cyclopenta[c]proline derivatives were synthesized in a stereocontrolled manner and in good yields via catalytic Pauson-Khand reactions. The starting materials, optically pure enyne amino acid derivatives, can be easily prepared by an alkenylboronic acid-mediated Mannich-type reaction. [reaction: see text]     

Addition reactions of iodomethyllithium to imines. A direct and efficient synthesis of aziridines and enantiopure amino aziridines

An efficient and general synthesis of aziridines by the reaction of imines derived from p-toluenesulfonamides with in situ generated iodomethyllithium, with a simple and rapid experimental protocol, is reported for the first time. The reaction with the chiral aldimine derived from phenylalaninal allowed access to (2R,1'S)-2-(1'-aminoalkyl)aziridine with very high diastereoselectivity, in enantiopure form. A mechanism to explain this novel reaction is proposed.     

Highly diastereoselective radical addition to glyoxylate imines of chiral amines without additional heteroatoms

The diastereoselective addition of alkyl radicals to glyoxylate imines of α-alkylbenzylamines has been investigated and it was found that diastereoselectivity improved as the size of the alkyl group increased.     

Cerium chloride-promoted nucleophilic addition of grignard reagents to ketones an efficient method for the synthesis of tertiary alcohols

In the presence of anhydrous cerium(III) chloride, Grignard reagents react with Ketones to afford addition products in high yields, even though the substrates are susceptible to abnormal reactions with Grignard reagents alone.     

Regioselective nucleophilic addition to carbonyl ylide intermediates: a novel diastereoselective synthesis of cycloalkyl fused furan-3-ones

[structures: see text] A range of cis-fused hexahydro-1-benzofuran-3(2H)-one or tetrahydro-2H-cyclopenta[b]furan-3(3aH)-one ring systems was synthesized by the rhodium(II) acetate catalyzed reaction of alpha-diazo carbonyl compounds in the presence of various oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur nucleophiles. A double-nucleophilic addition was possible by using an excess of alpha-diazo ketone. These reactions proceeded with complete diastereoselectivity, and the stereochemistry was confirmed by the single-crystal X-ray analysis. This process discloses the first example of tandem cyclization-nucleophilic addition reaction.     

Enantioselective addition of aryllithium reagents to aromatic imines mediated by 1,2-diamine ligands

A variety of optically enriched amines have been obtained by addition of aryllithium reagents to aromatic imines using N,N′-tetramethylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine as chiral ligands. Enantiomeric excesses up to 90% could be obtained.