Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of O-acetyl cyanohydrins from KCN,Ac2O and aldehydes

A (salen)titanium catalyst has been found to induce the asymmetric addition of potassium cyanide and acetic anhydride to aldehydes, giving enantiomerically enriched cyanohydrin esters with up to 92% enantiomeric excess using just 1 mol% of the catalyst. This is the first report of the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrin derivatives using a cyanide source which is non-volatile and inexpensive.     

New camphor derived chiral ligands for asymmetric synthesis

New enantiomerically pure 1,4-diols and 1,4-aminoalcohols have efficiently been prepared in one and two steps, respectively, from a commercially available camphor derived exo fused lactone. Using sterically hindered amines, an aldol addition of two lactone molecules was observed and the stereochemistry of the products was determined by X-ray crystallography.     

New accelerated strategy for the synthesis of poly(ether ketone) dendrons

A new AB(4)-type hypermonomer with four activated aromatic fluorines was prepared and converted to hyperbranched poly(ether ketones) by nucleophilic aromatic substitution of these fluorine atoms with phenolates. The preparation and application of the AB(4) hypermonomer for the accelerated synthesis of a family of poly(ether ketone) dendrons G2-G4 in good yield are described.     

BINOLAM,a recoverable chiral ligand for bifunctional enantioselective catalysis: the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

[reaction: see text] A new bifunctional catalytic system based on a monometallic aluminum complex is used for the efficient enantioselective cyanation of aldehydes. The ligand (S)- or (R)-2,2'-bis(diethylaminomethyl)-substituted binaphthol (BINOLAM) used is recovered for recycling. This methodology is used for the synthesis of a precursor of epothilone A.     

Double C-H activation strategy for the asymmetric synthesis of C2-symmetric anilines

Rh(2)(S-DOSP)(4)-catalyzed C-H activation to N,N-dimethylanilines is described. A double C-H activation was possible by using an excess of methyl aryldiazoacetate, and this provided a very direct approach to C(2)-symmetric anilines. [reaction--see text]     

A new (R)-hydroxynitrile lyase from Prunus mume: asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

A new hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL) was isolated from the seed of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume). The enzyme has similar properties with HNL isolated from other Prunus species and is FAD containing enzyme. It accepts a large number of unnatural substrates (benzaldehyde and its variant) for the addition of HCN to produce the corresponding cyanohydrins in excellent optical and chemical yields. A new HPLC based enantioselective assay technique was developed for the enzyme, which promotes the addition of KCN to benzaldehyde in a buffered solution (pH=4.5).     

Prunus armeniaca hydroxynitrile lyase (ParsHNL)-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins from sterically demanding aromatic aldehydes

Herein we report the biocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins by using a new (R)-HNL from Prunus armeniaca. Several sterically demanding aromatic aldehydes which have never been used as substrates for any known HNLs are employed for the new (R)-HNL from P. armeniaca. The cyanohydrins synthesized are obtained in good chemical yield with excellent enantioselectivities.     

Anionic chiral cobalt(III) complexes as catalysts of asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

Chiral coordinatively saturated cobalt(III) complexes with Schiff bases of enantio-pure amino acids are formed as Λ and Δ-isomers, which are not transformed into each other under normal conditions. These complexes catalyze the formation of enantiomerically enriched cyanohydrins from aldehydes and Me₃SiCN under homo-and heterogeneous catalysis. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 793–799, May, 2006.     

Practical synthesis of an L-fructose-derived ketone catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation of olefins

An L-fructose-derived ketone catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation of trans- and trisubstituted olefins was efficiently prepared from L-sorbose in five steps.     

An improved synthesis of a ketone catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation of olefins

An efficient synthesis of a ketone catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation of olefins from D-glucose in six steps is described.     

New strategy for the synthesis of iminoglycitols from amino acids

A novel strategy for the enantioselective synthesis of polyhydroxypiperidines, which can be considered as iminoglycitols or 2,6-dideoxyazasugars, was developed. alpha-Benzolsulfonylamino esters served as a C(2)N building block while 2-bromo-3-(bromomethyl)oxazoles and -thiazoles contributed a C3-unit to the final piperidine ring. At first a dihydropyridine ring was established via alkylation and bromine-lithium exchange. The keto group of the resulting 5,6-dihydro[1,3]oxazolo- and 5,6-dihydro[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-c]pyridin-7(4H)-ones was reduced and, after alkylation reactions, the azole ring was cleaved, thus providing heteroatom substituents for the target piperdines. Protected 5-amino-3,4-dihydroxy and 5-amino-3-hydroxy-4-thiohydroxypiperdines were obtained in the talose series while Mitsunobu reaction of the intermiediates provided access to the altrose series.     

Cyclic sulfur ylides derived from Gleason-type chiral auxiliaries for the asymmetric synthesis of epoxy amides

Gleason-type chiral auxiliaries were used for the synthesis of a novel class of sulfonium salts, obtained via methylation of the sulfide with Meerwein's salt. The salts were reacted with aldehydes under basic conditions to provide epoxy amides, which were reduced to their corresponding epoxy alcohols in excellent enantiomeric excesses. Interestingly, it was feasible to synthesize both enantiomeric epoxy alcohols depending on which of the sulfonium salts, prepared from L-amino acids (6 and 9 from L-valine or 15 and 16 from L-serine) was employed.     

Novel asymmetric dihetarylethenes derived from N-isopropylindole and thiophene: synthesis and photochromic properties

Novel asymmetric dihetarylethenes, viz., 3-(1-isopropyl-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-4-(3-thienyl)furan-2,5-dione and 1-alkyl/aryl-3-(1-isopropyl-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-4-(3-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-diones, were obtained. These dihetarylethenes exhibit photochromism in solutions. Replacement of the N-methyl group in the indole fragment by the N-isopropyl group imparts photochromic properties to the resulting furan-2,5-dione derivative. The open forms of (N-isopropylindol-3-yl)pyrrole-2,5-diones are characterized by lower quantum yields of fluorescence, and their cyclic forms are thermally more stable.     

Application of beta-hydroxysulfoximines in catalytic asymmetric phenyl transfer reactions for the synthesis of diarylmethanols

Enantiomerically enriched diarylmethanols have been prepared by catalyzed asymmetric phenyl transfer reactions onto aromatic aldehydes with use of readily available beta-hydroxysulfoximines as catalysts. As the aryl source, combinations of diethylzinc with either diphenylzinc or triphenylborane have been applied affording arylphenylmethanols with up to 93% ee in good yields. Various functionalized aldehydes and heterocyclic substrates are tolerated, yielding synthetically relevant products.     

Preparation of enantiopure 1,4-amino alcohols derived from [3]ferrocenophanes: use in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde

A series of enantiopure 1,4-amino alcohols with a [3]ferrocenophane backbone have been synthesized. Candida rugosa lipases were used in a key step allowing the resolution of amino alcohol (1S,R_p)-1. Two other amino alcohols (1S,2S,R_p)-2 and (1S,2S,R_p)-3 were prepared starting from (1S,R_p)-1. The new ligands have been used in the asymmetric ethylation of benzaldehyde by diethylzinc and gave good catalytic properties. One of these ligands was particularly efficient, while the yield of the catalytic test reaction was near to 100% and the enantiomeric excess was about 80%. All the ligands directed the catalytic process towards the same (1R)-1-phenylpropanol.     

Eu(III) dithiocarbamate complex and N-p-tolylsulfonylphenylalanine as a novel chiral catalyst for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

The use of a new chiral lanthanide complex derived from a europium dithiocarbamate complex and a N-tosylated amino acid for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins is described. In some cases, high enantioselectivities were observed.     

A novel strategy for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral cyclopropane carboxaldehydes

A new way of combining chiral auxiliaries and substrate-directable reactions for asymmetric synthesis is described that employs a three-step sequence of aldol-cyclopropanation-retro-aldol reactions for the stereoselective synthesis of enantiopure cyclopropane carboxaldehydes.     

A practical synthesis of N-aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketone catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation

N-Aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketone catalysts for the asymmetric epoxidation of olefins can be efficiently prepared from d-glucose and anilines.