Enantioselective catalysis of the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between Brassard's diene and aldehydes by hydrogen-bonding activation: a one-step synthesis of (S)-(+)-dihydrokawain

The first catalytic enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between Brassard's diene and aldehydes has been achieved through hydrogen-bonding activation using TADDOL derivatives as catalysts to afford the corresponding delta-lactone derivatives in moderate-to-good yields and with high enantioselectivities (up to 91 % ee). The reactions can be carried out either under solvent-free conditions or in toluene. On the basis of the absolute configurations of the products and the hydrogen-bonding interaction pattern between TADDOL (alpha,alpha,alpha',alpha'-tetraaryl-1,3-dioxolan-4,5-dimethanol) and the carbonyl group disclosed by X-ray diffraction analysis, a possible mechanism for the catalytic reaction has been proposed. To demonstrate the usefulness of the methodology, a natural product, (S)-(+)-dihydrokawain, has also been prepared in 50 % isolated yield and with 69 % enantioselectivity in one step starting from 3-phenylpropionaldehyde by using this methodology. Therefore, this catalytic system is one of the most direct approaches to the construction of delta-lactone units, which will make the methodology very attractive for the synthesis of a variety of biologically important compounds and natural products.     

Highly enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of Brassard diene with aromatic aldehydes

[reaction: see text] Hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of Brassard diene with aromatic aldehydes were carried out smoothly in the presence of titanium(IV) tridentate Schiff base complexes to give the corresponding chiral delta-lactones in high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) under mild conditions.     

Indium(III)-catalyzed asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of Brassard-type diene with aliphatic aldehydes

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reaction of a Brassard-type diene with aliphatic aldehydes has been developed. The chiral N,N'-dioxide L2/In(OTf)(3) complex was efficient toward the obtention of the corresponding β-methoxy-γ-methyl α,β-unsaturated δ-lactones in good yields (up to 86%) as well as dr and ee values (up to 97:3 cis/trans and 94% ee). In addition, the product 4a could be easily transformed into the methyl-protected epi-prelactone B by hydrogenation.     

Assembled dendritic titanium catalysts for enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of aldehydes with Danishefsky's diene

A new type of dendritic 2-amino-2'-hydroxy-1,1'-binaphthyl (NOBIN)-derived Schiff-base ligands have been synthesized and applied to the titanium-catalyzed hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky's diene with aldehydes. These reactions afforded the corresponding 2-substituted 2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-ones in quantitative yields and with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97.2 % ee). The disposition of the dendritic wedges and the dendron size in the ligands were found to have significant impact on the enantioselectivity of the reaction. The recovered dendritic catalyst could be reused without further addition of the Ti source or a carboxylic acid additive for at least three cycles, retaining similar activity and enantioselectivity. The high stability of this type of assembled dendritic titanium catalyst may be attributed to the stabilization effect of large-sized dendron units in the catalyst molecule. The other important phenomenon observed with this catalyst system is that a higher degree of asymmetric amplification has been achieved by attachment of the dendron unit to the chiral ligand, which represents a new advantage of dendrimer catalysts for asymmetric reactions using chiral ligands of lower optical purity.     

Highly enantioselective synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted and 2,2,6-trisubstituted dihydropyrones: a one-step synthesis of (R)-(+)-hepialone and its analogues

An efficient enantioselective approach to chiral dihydropyrones has been developed by the hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reactions of (E)-4-methoxy-2-trimethylsiloxy-penta-1,3-diene (diene 1) with aldehydes and pyruvates. It has been found that the readily accessible (R)-BINOL-Ti(OiPr)(4) (1.1:1) complex was a very effective catalyst for this reaction. Aromatic, heteroaromatic, conjugated, and aliphatic aldehydes afforded the corresponding products in moderate to high isolated yields (up to 99%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). The first example of highly enantioselective synthesis of 2,2,6-trisubstituted dihydropyrones by the catalytic reaction of diene 1 with pyruvates was reported. The isolated intermediates indicated that this asymmetric HDA reaction proceeded in a Mukaiyama aldol pathway. On the basis of the absolute configurations of the products, a possible mechanism was proposed. Moreover, the catalytic system could be used to synthesize a series of enantioenriched beta-hydroxyketones 4. Finally, this methodology was successfully applied for the one-step synthesis of the important natural product (R)-(+)-Hepialone with 88% isolated yield and 94% enantioselectivity.     

Synthesis of (S)-(+)-sotalol and (R)-(−)-isoproterenol via a catalytic enantioselective Henry reaction

A unified approach for the synthesis of (S)-(+)-sotalol and (R)-(?)-isoproterenol has been developed. The enantioselective Henry reaction of the appropriate aldehyde in the presence of a camphor-derived amino pyridine–Cu(II) complex was the key step of the synthesis. The reduction of the nitro group to give the corresponding amino alcohols followed by reductive alkylation of the amine provided the target products with high enantiomeric excesses.     

Application of the Cosford cross-coupling protocol for the stereoselective synthesis of (R)-(+)-goniothalamin, (R)-(+)-kavain and (S)-(+)-7,8-dihydrokavain

An efficient and versatile synthetic method has been developed and utilized for the stereoselective synthesis of (R)-(+)-goniothalamin 1, (R)-(+)-kavain 2 and (S)-(+)-7,8-dihydrokavain 3. Application of the Cosford protocol and direct conversion of aldehydes to β-keto-esters are the key steps in our approach.     

A general enantioselective approach to jasmonoid fragrances: synthesis of (+)-(1R,2S)-methyl dihydrojasmonate and (+)-(1R,2S)-magnolione

Methyl dihydrojasmonate 1 and magnolione 3 are of both academic and industrial interest. In this paper, we describe a flexible, high-yielding route to diastereomerically pure (+)-cis-(1R,2S)-methyl dihydrojasmonate 1 and the first synthesis of (+)-cis-(1R,2S)-magnolione 3, both with enantiomeric excesses up to 93%. The two syntheses diverged from the same advanced intermediate 5, readily available from the enantioenriched hydroxymethyl delta-lactone (-)-(3aS,4S,6aR)-6. The olfactory properties of (1R,2S)-1 and (1R,2S)-3 are reported.     

An enantioselective synthesis of (S)- and (R)-curcuphenol

The enantioselective synthesis of the phenolic sesquiterenses (S)- and (R)-curcuphenol is reported. The key step in this synthesis is the asymmetric conjugate addition using a readily available enantiomerically pure sulfoxide as the chiral auxiliary.     

First enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-(R)-Pinnatolide using an asymmetric domino allylation reaction

An efficient total synthesis of (+)-(R)-Pinnatolide is described. As a key step an asymmetric multicomponent domino allylation reaction of methyl levulinate is used to form the quaternary stereogenic center in a highly selective way.     

Experimental and theoretical studies on the hydrogen-bond-promoted enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of Danishefsky's diene with benzaldehyde

The enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reaction of Danishefsky's diene with benzaldehyde has been achieved catalytically by a series of alpha,alpha,alpha',alpha'-tetraaryl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dimethanol (TADDOL) derivatives through hydrogen-bonding activation, affording 2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyran-4-one after trifluoroacetic acid workup in moderate yield and good enantioselectivity. The alpha,alpha'-aryl substituents in the TADDOL molecules are found to exert a significant impact on both the activity and the enantioselectivity of the catalysis. In combination with the experimental investigations, the mechanism of the present reaction has also been studied theoretically using the ONIOM (B3LYP/6-31G:PM3) method with trans-1,3-dimethoxy-1,3-butadiene as the model for Danishefsky's diene. In agreement with the experimental findings, the calculation results indicate that this TADDOL-catalyzed HDA reaction proceeds via a concerted mechanism through an asynchronous and zwitterionic transition structure (TS). The carbonyl group of benzaldehyde is activated by forming an intermolecular hydrogen bond with one of the hydroxy groups of TADDOL. Meanwhile, the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the two hydroxy groups in TADDOL is found to facilitate the intermolecular hydrogen bonding with benzaldehyde. The sense of asymmetric induction is well-rationalized by the analysis of the relative energies of TADDOL-complexed TSs, while the different stereocontrol capabilities exhibited by TADDOLs in the reaction can be qualitatively established on the basis of the structural features of their corresponding TSs.     

Total synthesis of (S)-(+)-curcudiol, and (S)-(+)- and (R)-(-)-curcuphenol.

A highly enantioselective synthesis of the versatile chiral synthons possessing one stereogenic center, (S)- and (R)-4-aryl-5-hydroxy-(2E)-pentenoate (3) was achieved based on the enzymatic reaction of (+/-)-3 with commercially available lipases MY-30 or OF-360 from Candida rugosa. Application of (S)-3 and (R)-3 to the total syntheses of(S)-curcuphenol (1), (S)-curcudiol (2), and (R)-curcuphenol (1), respectively, is described.     

Total synthesis of (S)-(+)-tylophorine via enantioselective intramolecular alkene carboamination

The enantioselective synthesis of (S)-(+)-tylophorine, a potent cancer cell growth inhibitor, has been accomplished in eight steps from commercially available 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol. A copper (II)-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular alkene carboamination was employed as the key step to construct the chiral indolizidine ring.     

PmHNL catalyzed synthesis of (R)-cyanohydrins derived from aliphatic aldehydes

Hydroxynitrile lyase from the Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) catalyzes the formation of several aliphatic cyanohydrins in an asymmetric fashion. By employing a biphasic reaction system, aliphatic aldehydes with various structural features can be converted to the corresponding (R)-cyanohydrins with good overall yield and enantiomeric excess.     

Efficient enantioselective synthesis of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-3-hydroxyleucines and their diastereomers through dynamic kinetic resolution

(2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-3-Hydroxyleucines, components of cyclodepsipeptides, papuamides and polyoxypeptins, were efficiently synthesized along with their diastereomers from the corresponding β-keto-α-amino acid ester through dynamic kinetic resolution using RuCl₂(binap)-catalyzed hydrogenation.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (+)-(S)-7,8-dihydrokavain and (4R,6R)-4-hydroxy-6-(2-phenylethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one, lactone analog of compactin and mevinolin

A simple and efficient asymmetric synthesis was performed of (+)-(S)-7,8-dihydrokanian and (4R,6R)-4-hydroxy-6-(2-phenylethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one involving Keck allylation in the key stage of building up the carbon scaffold of the target molecules.     

A short enantioselective total synthesis of (R)- and (S)-pipecolic acid

A convenient and practical total synthesis of (R)- and (S)-pipecolic acid has been achieved by utilizing chiral cis-aziridine-2-carboxylate as the common synthetic precursor. The synthesis involves regioselective reductive cleavage of the aziridine ring and Wittig olefination as key reactions.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (S)-dihydrokavain from l-malic acid

A practical and efficient asymmetric synthesis of (S)-dihydrokavain from known ethyl (S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoate which is, in turn, readily available from l-malic acid as a cheap chiral pool material is described using regioselective ring-opening of the 1,2-cyclic sulfate with lithium-3,3,3-triethoxypropiolate and subsequent HgO/H₂SO₄-mediated lactonization as the key steps. Its opposite enantiomer (R)-dihydrokavain was also synthesized from d-malic acid using the same sequences of reactions for the purpose of optical purity determination.