Catalytic asymmetric intramolecular aminopalladation: improved palladium(II) catalysts

[reaction: see text] Cobalt oxazoline palladacyclic (COP) complex 4 containing acetate as a bridging ligand is an excellent catalyst for asymmetric intramolecular aminopalladation to synthesize 4-vinyloxazolidin-2-ones in 91-98% ee. In contrast to previously reported Pd(II) catalysts, COP-OAc (4) promotes the asymmetric cyclization of (Z)-allylic N-tosylcarbamates without prior activation by silver salts.     

Ring transformations of aziridinyl 2-phosphonates: synthesis of 5-phosphono-2-oxazolidinones and 5-phosphono-2-imidazolidinones

Syntheses of 5-phosphono-2-oxazolidinones and 5-phosphono-2-imidazolidinones were achieved from the corresponding 1-vinyl-2-phosphonoaziridines. Regioselective aziridine ring opening employing methyl chloroformate affords 1-amido-2-chloroethylphosphonates, which were easily transformed into the corresponding 2-oxazolidinones upon heating in dimethyl sulfoxide. Treatment of the aziridine ring opening products with ammonia furnishes vinylphosphonates, which undergo a Michael type addition with several amines. In situ ring closure of the addition products yields the corresponding phosphonylated 2-imidazolidinones.     

Catalytic enantioselective diboration, disilation and silaboration: new opportunities for asymmetric synthesis

This article summarizes recent developments in the area of catalytic enantioselective reactions of unsaturated organic substrates with diboron, silylboron, and disilane reagents. These reactions provide new routes to the functionalization of prochiral substrates and therefore offer new strategies in asymmetric organic synthesis.     

Catalytic enantioselective Meerwein-Eschenmoser Claisen rearrangement: asymmetric synthesis of allyl oxindoles

The first catalytic, enantioselective Meerwein-Eschenmoser Claisen rearrangement has been achieved. Palladium(II) BINAP or phosphinooxazoline catalysts were employed to generate oxindole products with 100% conversion and up to 92% ee.     

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of fluoromethylated stereocenters by asymmetric hydrogenation

Fluoromethyl groups possess specific steric and electronic properties and serve as a bioisostere of alcohol, thiol, nitro, and other functional groups, which are important in an assortment of molecular recognition processes. Herein we report a catalytic method for the asymmetric synthesis of a variety of enantioenriched products bearing fluoromethylated stereocenters with excellent yields and enantioselectivities. Various N,P-ligands were designed and applied in the hydrogenation of fluoromethylated olefins and vinyl fluorides.

Herein, a catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation to synthesize various products bearing fluoromethylated stereocenters has been developed.     

Catalytic asymmetric domino Michael addition-alkylation reaction: enantioselective synthesis of dihydrofurans

A catalytic enantioselective synthesis of dihydrofurans has been developed. 1,3-Dicarbonyl derivatives react with (E)-β,β-bromonitrostyrenes in the presence of a chiral bifunctional thiourea catalyst providing mild and efficient access to diverse polysubstituted dihydrofurans in good yields and enantioselectivities.     

Catalytic asymmetric cyclocarbonylation of o-isopropenylphenols: enantioselective synthesis of six-membered ring lactones

Cyclocarbonylation of o-isopropenylphenols with CO (500 psi) and H(2) (100 psi), using Pd(OAc)(2) and (+)-DIOP as the chiral catalyst, in CH(2)Cl(2) affords 3,4-dihydro-4-methylcoumarins in 60-85% yield and in up to 90% enantiomeric excess. The stereoselectivity is influenced by the structure of the chiral phosphine ligands and substrates, as well as by the reaction conditions.     

Catalytic asymmetric aza-Michael-Michael addition cascade: enantioselective synthesis of polysubstituted 4-aminobenzopyrans

A catalytic asymmetric aza-Michael-Michael addition cascade of anilines to nitroolefin enoates in the presence of chiral bifunctional thiourea catalysts has been disclosed. This reaction provides a mild and efficient approach to polysubstituted chiral 4-aminobenzopyrans bearing three consecutive stereocenters in high yields with excellent stereoselectivities.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of 2-pyrrolidinones with a quaternary carbon stereocenter

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of 2-pyrrolidinones with a quaternary stereocenter at the 3-position has been achieved by the reaction of γ-methylidene-δ-valerolactones with alkyl isocyanates. High enantioselectivity has been realized by employing a newly synthesized chiral phosphoramidite ligand.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 3-hydroxyl-2-oxindoles via enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of isatins

The enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of acrylates to isatins was investigated for the first time, employing bifunctional phosphinothiourea organocatalysts based on chiral cyclohexane scaffold. The 3-hydroxyl-2-oxindole derivatives were obtained in excellent yields with moderate enantioselectivity (up to 69% ee) in the presence of 10 mol % catalyst 1b.     

Catalytic, asymmetric synthesis of siphonarienal.

This paper describes the synthesis of the marine natural product, siphonarienal. The key step of this synthesis is an aldol reaction that constructs most of the skeleton and sets all three stereocenters of the target in one step from commercially available starting materials. Deoxygenation and chain homologation steps complete the synthesis.     

Catalytic enantioselective domino oxa-michael/aldol condensations: asymmetric synthesis of benzopyran derivatives

The first direct organocatalytic asymmetric domino oxa-Michael/aldol condensation reaction is presented. The unprecedentedly simple, chiral, pyrrolidine-catalyzed asymmetric domino reactions between salicylic aldehyde derivatives and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes proceed with high chemo- and enantioselectivities to give the corresponding chromene-3-carbaldehyde derivatives in high yields and with ee values of 83-98%.     

Kinetic resolution of 2-oxazolidinones via catalytic, enantioselective N-acylation

Kinetic resolution of racemic 2-oxazolidinones via catalytic, enantioselective N-acylation has been achieved for the first time and with outstanding selectivities.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino phosphonates using enantioselective carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions

We have developed highly enantioselelctive reactions of silicon enolates with N-acyl-alpha-iminophosphonates leading to optically active alpha-amino phophonates. A copper (II)-diamine complex was shown to be effective in this reaction, and high levels of yield and selectivity were achieved. It is noteworthy that this reaction opens a way to various biologically important, optically active alpha-amino phosphonate derivatives.     

Formal enantioselective total synthesis of schulzeines A-C via Pd-catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric allylic amination

Formal enantioselective total synthesis of schulzeines A-C was accomplished, featuring highly efficient Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic amination using novel diphosphonite ligands (BOPs) to provide 1-vinyltetrahydroisoquinoline key intermediates, as well as Ru-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis reaction to construct the key tricyclic cores in enantiopure form with correct absolute configurations.     

Catalytic asymmetric intramolecular hydroamination of aminoalkenes

Asymmetric intramolecular cyclization of aminoalkenes was catalyzed by a catalytic amount of n-butyllithium, diisopropylamine, and a newly designed chiral bisoxazoline in toluene to produce kinetically controlled exo-cyclized amines with up to 91% ee quantitatively.     

Catalytic asymmetric intramolecular alpha-alkylation of aldehydes

The development of a general catalytic asymmetric aldehyde alpha-alkylation reaction constitutes a major challenge in organic synthesis. Here, we report the first and successful approach toward its solution: (S)-alpha-methyl proline catalyzes the intramolecular alkylation of various halo aldehydes to the corresponding formyl cyclopentanes, -cyclopropanes, or -pyrrolidines in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. Most remarkably, racemization, aldolization, or catalyst alkylation do not occur to any significant extend, further illustrating the power, mildness, and profound selectivity of enamine catalysis.     

Catalytic asymmetric homo-1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of azomethine ylides: diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of imidazolidines

The first catalytic asymmetric homo-1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of azomethine ylides have been established via SPINOL-derived chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed pseudo four-component reactions of aldehydes and 2-aminomalonates, resulting in the stereoselective construction of chiral imidazolidine scaffolds with two stereogenic centers in generally high yields and with good stereoselectivities (up to 81% yield, all >20:1 dr, up to 93% ee). This protocol provides easy access to synthetically and pharmaceutically important chiral imidazolidines via the formation of one ring system, two stereogenic centers, and four new bonds in a single step.