Lewis base activation of Lewis acids. Vinylogous aldol addition reactions of conjugated N,O-silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes

N,O-Silyl dienyl ketene acetals derived from unsaturated morpholine amides have been developed as highly useful reagents for vinylogous aldol addition reactions. In the presence of SiCl4 and the catalytic action of chiral phosphoramide (R,R)-3, N,O-silyl dienyl ketene acetal 8 undergoes high-yielding and highly site-selective addition to a wide variety of aldehydes with excellent enantioselectivity. Of particular note is the high yields and selectivities obtained from aliphatic aldehydes. Low catalyst loadings (2-5 mol %) can be employed. The morpholine amide serves as a useful precursor for further synthetic manipulation.     

Lewis base activation of lewis acids. Addition of silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes

The weak Lewis acid silicon tetrachloride can be activated by catalytic amounts of the chiral bisphosphoramide (R,R)-3 to form a highly reactive, chiral trichlorosilyl cation which is an extremely effective promoter of aldol addition reactions between aldehydes and silyl ketene acetals. The tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetal of methyl acetate adds nearly instantaneously to aromatic and olefinic aldehydes as well as aliphatic aldehydes (albeit more slowly) with excellent enantioselectivity. The homologous tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetal of tert-butyl propanoate adds with nearly exclusive anti diastereoselectivity to a similar range of aldehydes also with excellent enantioselectivity. The origin of the slower reaction rate with aliphatic aldehydes is revealed to be the formation of chlorosilyl ether adducts.     

One-pot enol silane formation-Mukaiyama aldol reactions: Crossed aldehyde-aldehyde coupling,thioester substrates,and reactions in ester solvents

Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) and a trialkylamine base promote both in situ enol silane/silyl ketene acetal formation and Mukaiyama aldol addition reactions between a variety of reaction partners in a single reaction flask. Isolation of the required enol silane or silyl ketene acetal is not necessary. For example, crossed aldol reactions between α-disubstituted aldehydes and non-enolizable aldehydes yield β-hydroxy aldehydes in good yield. In a related reaction, the common laboratory solvent ethyl acetate functions as both an enolate precursor and a green reaction solvent. When thioesters are employed as enolate precursors, high yields for additions to non-enolizable aldehydes are routinely observed.     

Silyl Ketene Imines: Highly Versatile Nucleophiles for Catalytic,Asymmetric Synthesis

This Minireview provides an overview on the development of silyl ketene imines and their recent applications in catalytic, enantioselective reactions. The unique structure of the ketene imine allows a diverse range of reactivity patterns and provides solutions to existing challenges in the enantioselective construction of quaternary stereogenic carbon centers and cross‐benzoin adducts. A variety of reactions for which silyl ketene imines have been applied are presented with an overall goal of inspiring new uses for these underutilized nucleophiles.     

Microwave-assisted solvent-free synthesis of enantiomerically pure N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines

A simple, environmentally friendly, and very efficient procedure for the synthesis of optically pure N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines has been developed with microwave-promoted condensation of aldehydes and ketones using (R)-2-methylpropane-2-sulfinamide in the presence of Ti(OEt)(4), under solvent-free conditions. This procedure allows for the preparation of a variety of sulfinyl aldimines with excellent yields and purities in only 10 min, making any further purification of the imines unnecessary. Several sulfinyl ketimines have also been prepared in good yields by extension of the reaction times to 1 h. This methodology has proved to be equally efficient for the synthesis of aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)imines. Conventional heating has also been shown to be useful to promote these reactions, especially for the synthesis of aldimines.     

Vanadium‐Catalyzed Solvent‐Free Synthesis of Quaternary α‐Trifluoromethyl Nitriles by Electrophilic Trifluoromethylation

The direct electrophilic trifluoromethylation of silyl ketene imines (SKIs) with hypervalent iodine reagents leads to the formation of quaternary α‐trifluoromethyl nitriles in good yields. This new reaction has been carried out with a variety of substituted SKIs under solvent‐free conditions using a vanadium(IV) catalyst (5 mol %). The corresponding products may be transformed into useful organofluorine building blocks.     

Synthsis of 4‐Piperidones via Multicomponent Double Mannich Reaction Catalyzed by I2

A multicomponent double Mannich reaction of amines, aldehydes and ketones was efficiently catalyzed by molecular iodine, producing a series of 4‐piperidones in a stereoselective way. A variety of amines, aldehydes and ketones were tolerated in this tandem process, including those with labile functinal groups. Further investigation of the reaction between alkyl‐imines and ketones showed that imines from amines and ketones were formed in situ and isomerized to enamine in the presence of molecular iodine to accelerate the corresponding Mannich addition.     

Development and application of a new general method for the asymmetric synthesis of syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols

A general method is described for asymmetric synthesis of both syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols. The first application of metalloenamines derived from N-sulfinyl imines is reported for the highly diastereoselective addition to aldehydes. The reduction of the product beta-hydroxy N-sulfinyl imines 2 with catecholborane and LiBHEt(3) provides syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols with very high diastereomeric ratios. This method was found to be effective for a variety of substrates incorporating either aromatic or various aliphatic substituents. The convergent and efficient asymmetric syntheses of the two natural products, (-)-8-epihalosaline and (-)-halosaline, were also accomplished.     

Lewis base activation of Lewis acids: catalytic, enantioselective addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes

A catalytic system involving silicon tetrachloride and a chiral, Lewis basic bisphosphoramide catalyst is effective for the addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes. It was found that the sense of diastereoselectivity could be modulated by changing the size of the substituents on the silyl ketene acetals. In general, the trimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from methyl glycolates with a large protecting group on the alpha-oxygen provide enantiomerically enriched alpha,beta-dihydroxy esters with high syn-diastereoselectivity, whereas the tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from bulky esters of alpha-methoxyacetic acid provide enantiomerically enriched alpha,beta-dihydroxy esters with high anti-diastereoselecitvity.     

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.     

The synthesis of chromenes, chromanes, coumarins and related heterocycles via tandem reactions of salicylic aldehydes or salicylic imines with alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds

The tandem reactions of salicylic aldehydes or salicylic imines with alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds have only been studied systematically in recent years. These tandem reactions provide an easy access to a variety of heterocycles, such as chromanes, chromenes, coumarins and tetrahydroxanthenones, many of which are synthetic useful intermediates.     

A convenient method for the synthesis of (Z)-α-haloacrylates: Lewis base-catalyzed carbonyl olefination using α-halo-C,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)ketene acetals

A highly useful method for the stereoselective synthesis of (Z)-α-haloacrylates from various aldehydes that uses α-halogenated ethyl-C,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)ketene acetals in the presence of a Lewis base catalyst such as acetate salts was established. This procedure gives the corresponding α-halo-α,β-unsaturated esters in high yields with excellent stereoselectivity from E/Z mixtures of ketene silyl acetals under mild conditions.     

Synthesis of multifunctionalized building blocks via vinylogous addition of Chan’s diene to carbonyl and carbonyl-related electrophiles, mediated by molecular iodine

The synthesis of multifunctionalized β-ketoesters has been achieved by using molecular iodine as a catalyst under very mild conditions. The vinylogous addition of Chan’s diene 1 to carbonyl and carbonyl-related compounds (aldehydes, ketones, imines and acetals) occurred with high efficiencies and with complete γ-selectivity, giving a useful method for the synthesis of interesting libraries of different δ-functionalized β-ketoesters.     

TiCl3/PhN2-mediated radical addition of ethers to aldimines generated in situ under aqueous conditions

Ti(III)-mediated one-electron reduction of phenyldiazonium cation, followed by phenyl radical α-H atom abstraction from ethers, leads to one-pot radical addition of ethers to the C-atom of imines generated in situ from the corresponding aldehydes and imines under aqueous conditions. The reaction is not limited to aromatic aldehydes and may be applied to imines generated in situ from formaldehyde and enolizable aldehydes.     

Indium Tribromide Catalyzed Coupling Reaction of Enol Ethers with Silyl Ketene Imines toward the Synthesis of β,γ‐Unsaturated Nitriles

Herein, a coupling reaction of enol ethers with silyl ketene imines in the presence of catalytic amounts of InBr₃ and Me₃SiBr is described. Kinetic studies have revealed that an indium catalyst and Me₃SiBr accelerated the coupling process and the regeneration of the catalyst, respectively. Various types of enol ethers and silyl ketene imines are applicable. In addition, a formal synthesis of verapamil was achieved by using this novel coupling reaction.     

An investigation of imidazole and oxazole syntheses using aryl-substituted TosMIC reagents

This article describes efficient and mild protocols for preparing polysubstituted imidazoles in a single pot from aryl-substituted tosylmethyl isocyanide (TosMIC) reagents and imines generated in situ. Traditional imine-forming reactions employing virtually any aldehyde and amine followed by addition of the TosMIC reagent delivers 1,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles with predictable regiochemistry. Employing chiral amines and aldehydes, particularly those derived from alpha-amino acids, affords imidazoles with asymmetric centers appended to N-1 or C-5 with excellent retention of chiral purity. 1,4-Disubstituted imidazoles are also readily prepared by a simple variant of the above procedure. Selecting glyoxylic acid as the aldehyde component of this procedure leads to intermediates such as 48, which readily undergo decarboxylation and elimination of the tosyl moiety to deliver 1,4-disubstituted imidazoles in high yields. Alternatively, using NH(4)OH as the amine component in conjunction with a variety of aldehydes delivers 4, 5-disubstituted imidazoles in moderate to good yields in a single pot while avoiding the need for protecting groups. Finally, the facile preparation of mono- and disubstituted oxazoles from these TosMIC reagents and aldehydes is described.     

手性(硫)脲衍生物在不对称有机催化反应中的应用

手性(硫)脲衍生物是各种亲核试剂对亚胺、醛、缺电子烯烃加成反应的非常有效的有机催化剂之一, 已成功应用于对映选择性催化Strecker反应、Michael加成反应、Mannich反应、Baylis-Hillman反应、Henry反应等一系列重要的有机合成反应. 手性(硫)脲衍生物具有催化活性高、对映选择性和功能基相容性好、易于制备和修饰、适用范围广等优点, 成为近年来研究较多的不对称反应有机催化剂. 对手性(硫)脲衍生物在有机催化不对称合成中的应用研究进展进行了评述.     

Double stereodifferentiation in the catalytic asymmetric aziridination of imines prepared from α-chiral amines

The catalytic asymmetric aziridination of imines and diazo compounds (AZ reaction) mediated by boroxinate catalysts derived from the VANOL and VAPOL ligands was investigated with chiral imines derived from five different chiral, disubstituted, methyl amines. The strongest matched and mismatched reactions with the two enantiomers of the catalyst were noted with disubstituted methyl amines that had one aromatic and one aliphatic substituent. The synthetic scope for the AZ reaction was examined in detail for α-methylbenzyl amine for cis-aziridines from α-diazo esters and for trans-aziridines from α-diazo acetamides. Optically pure aziridines could be routinely obtained in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity and the minor diastereomer (if any) could be easily separated. The matched case for cis-aziridines involved the (R)-amine with the (S)-ligand, but curiously, for trans-aziridines the matched case involved the (R)-amine with the (R)-ligand for imines derived from benzaldehyde and n-butanal, and the (R)-amine with the (S)-ligand for imines derived from the bulkier aliphatic aldehydes pivaldehyde and cyclohexane carboxaldehyde.     

Convenient and rapid synthesis of α-aminonitriles starting directly from nitro compounds in water

A distinct approach for the synthesis of α-aminonitriles has been discovered by three-component reaction of nitroarenes, aldehydes, and TMSCN using indium in dilute aqueous HCl at room temperature. The products were formed in high yields (86-96%) within a short period of time (5-20 min). This one-pot conversion consists of the following steps: (i) reduction of nitro compounds to amines, (ii) formation of imines from amines and aldehydes and (iii) addition of cyanide anion to the imines.