Organocatalytic conjugate addition of α-nitroacetates to β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters and subsequent decarboxylation: synthesis of optically active δ-nitro-α-keto esters

Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of tert-butyl nitroacetates to β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters has been developed. The subsequent in situ hydrolysis-decarboxylation of the adducts provided 5-nitro-2-oxopentanoates. A pyrrolidine-based thiourea-tertiary amine was identified as the best catalyst. A number of γ-aryl, γ-alkyl, and γ-heteroaryl β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters and α-substituted tert-butyl nitroacetates were examined in the transformation. Generally 5-nitro-2-oxopentanoates were obtained in good yields (up to 97%) and enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The products were readily transformed to chiral proline derivatives by catalytic hydrogenation.     

An approach to α-keto vinyl carbinols

Adducts from the radical addition of xanthates to ethyl vinyl sulfide readily undergo elimination of the xanthate group upon thermolysis to give vinylic and/or allylic sulfides, depending on the structure. In the case of α-xanthyl ketones, the adducts are converted into α-keto vinyl carbinols by rearrangement of the sulfoxides derived from the vinylic and allylic sulfides.     

An expedient synthesis of α,α-difluoro-β-hydroxy ketones via decarboxylative aldol reaction of α,α-difluoro-β-keto acids with aldehydes

A novel decarboxylative aldol reaction of α,α-difluoro-β-keto acids with aldehydes in the absence of any base and metal catalysts has been developed. This reaction provides a highly convenient and efficient method for the synthesis of structurally diverse α,α-difluoro-β-hydroxy ketones in good to excellent yields.     

A facile stereospecific synthesis of chiral β-keto sulfoxides

A synthetic strategy has been devised for the preparation of chiral β-keto sulfoxides (actually, α-vinylsulfinyl ketones) starting from the readily available C-6 substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-oxathiines. The procedure, which is characterized by high yields and excellent enantiomeric excesses, represents an improvement in preparation methods for chiral β-keto sulfoxides.     

Ru-catalyzed highly enantioselective hydrogenation of α-keto Weinreb amides

Asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto Weinreb amides has been realized with [Ru((S)-Sunphos)(benzene)Cl]Cl as the catalyst and CeCl 3·7H2O as the additive.A series of enantiopure α-hydroxy Weinreb amides(up to 97% ee) have been obtained.Catalytic amount of CeCl3·7H2O is essential for the high reactivity and enantioselectivity and the ratio of CeCl3·7H2O to [Ru((S)-Sunphos)(benzene)Cl]Cl plays an important role in the hydrogenation reaction.     

PMA-SiO2 catalyzed synthesis of β-keto enol ethers

An efficient conversion of β-diketones into correspondingβ-keto enol ethers with catalytic amount of PMA-SiO_2 has been achieved.     

Recent advances towards electrochemical transformations of α-keto acids

As a kind of environmentally benign reagents, α-keto acids have been extensively employed as key starting materials in organic synthesis. Organic electrosynthesis has the advantages of reducing byproduct generation, improving the cost-efficiency of synthetic processes, and accessing reactive intermediates under mild conditions. Inspired by the merits of organic electrosynthesis, α-keto acids have shown many synthetic applications in electrochemical acylation, cyclization, and reductive amination reactions with improved efficiencies and selectivities. This review covers the recent breakthroughs achieved in the electrochemical transformations of α-keto acids, aimed at highlighting these electrochemical reactions’ features and mechanistic rationalisations. Meanwhile, the practicalities and limitations of these transformations are also presented where possible.     

One-pot efficient synthesis of aryl α-keto esters from aryl-ketones

A novel one-pot synthesis of aryl α-keto esters was developed through oxidation of aryl-ketones using selenium dioxide, esterification accompanied by ketalization, and hydrolysis. Both aromatics and heteroaromatics gave good yields by this one-pot method.     

Ring construction via pseudo-intramolecular hydrazonation using bifunctional δ-keto nitrile

An α-nitro-δ-keto nitrile efficiently reacted with hydrazines at room temperature, even in the absence of a catalyst, to afford the corresponding hydrazones; the reactions proceeded through a pseudo-intramolecular process. The hydrazone derived from hydrazine monohydrate underwent water-assisted cyclization, which yielded the corresponding diazepine. The hydrazones derived from 4-nitrophenylhydrazine and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine were converted into pyridazines upon being heated in DMSO.     

Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of γ-heteroatom substituted β-keto esters

A series of enantiomerically pure γ-heteroatom substituted β-hydroxy esters were synthesized with high enantioselectivities (up to 99.1% ee) by hydrogenation of γ-heteroatom substituted β-keto esters in the presence of Ru-(S)-SunPhos catalyst. These asymmetric hydrogenations provide key building blocks for a variety of naturally occurring and biologically active compounds.     

Synthesis of γ-keto alcohols and dihydrofurans from 2-furanpropanols

Summary A method was developed for the preparation of-keto alcohols and hence 2,3-dihydrofurans by the catalytic hydrogenation of 2-furanpropanols over platinized charcoal at 220° with formation of acetic esters of-keto alcohols, from which as a result of methanolysis-keto alcohols and dialkyldihydrofurans are formed.     

Iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of β-keto esters with f-amphox ligands

The iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of β-keto esters with chiral tridentate P,N,N-ligands (f-amphox) has been developed. Under the optimized conditions, a wide range of β-keto esters can be hydrogenated smoothly, affording the corresponding β-hydroxy esters in good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee).     

Mechanistic and synthetic aspects of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of 2,2-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydropyrans into 3,4-dihydro-α-pyrones and δ-keto esters

Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of 2,2-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydropyrans ($\text{1}$) yields mixtures of δ-keto esters ($\text{2}$) and 3,4-dihydro-α-pyrones ($\text{3}$). The amount of $\text{3}$ increases with increasing alkyl substitution in the 3-, 5- and 6-position of $\text{1}$ and when the hydrolysis is carried out in a two-phases system of water/dichloromethane. It is shown that $\text{3}$ is formed directly from $\text{1}$ whereas $\text{2}$ is formed directly from $\text{1}$ and by methanolysis of $\text{3}$. The mechanistic and synthetic aspects of these hydrolysis reactions are discussed.     

Synthesis of γ-keto carboxylic acids from γ-keto-α-chloro carboxylic acids via carbonylation—decarboxylation reactions catalysed by a palladium system

A palladium-based catalytic system is highly active in the synthesis of γ-keto acids of type ArCOCH₂CH₂COOH via carbonylation-decarboxylation of the corresponding α-chloride. Typical reaction conditions are: P(CO) = 20–30 atm; substrate/H₂O/Pd = 100–400/800–1000/1 (mol); temperature: 100–110 °C; [Pd]=0.25 × 10⁻²−1 × 1O⁻² M; solvent: acetone; reaction time: 1–2 h. A palladium(II) complex can be used as catalyst precursor. Under the reaction conditions above, reduction of the precursor to palladium metal occurs to a variable extent. High catalytic activity is observed when the precursor undergoes extensive decomposition to the metal. Pd/C is also highly active. Slightly higher yields are obtainable when the catalytic system is used in combination with a ligand such as PPh₃. A mechanism for the catalytic cycle is proposed: (i) The starting keto chloride undergoes oxidative addition to reduced palladium with formation of a catalytic intermediate having a Pd-[CH(COOH)CH₂COPh] moiety. The reduced palladium may be the metal coordinated by other atoms of palladium and/or by carbon monoxide and/or by a PPh₃ ligand when catalysis is carried out in the presence of this ligand. It is also proposed that the keto group in the β-position with respect to the carbon atom bonded to chlorine weakens the CCl bond, easing the oxidative addition step and enhancing the activity of the catalyst. (ii) Carbon monoxide ‘inserts’ into the PdC bond of the above intermediate to give an acyl catalytic intermediate having a Pd-[COCH(COOH)CH₂COPh] moiety. (iii) Nucleophilic attack of H₂O to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group bonded to the metal of the acyl intermediate yields a malonic acid derivative as product intermediate. This, upon decarboxylation, gives the final product. Alternatively, the desired product may form without the malonic acid derivative intermediate, through the following reaction pathway: the acyl intermediate undergoes decarboxylation with formation of a different acyl intermediate, having a Pd-[CO-CH₂CH₂COPh] moiety, which, upon nucleophilic attack of H₂O on the carbon atom of the carbonyl group bonded to the metal, yields the final product.     

Metal-free decarboxylative acylation of isoquinolines using α-keto acids in water

An efficient method for acylation of isoquinolines has been developed using α-ketoacids under metal- and additive-free conditions in water. The protocol involves C(sp²)H functionalization of isoquinolines providing an easy access to C1-benzoylated isoquinolines, which constitute the core structure of a number of biological active compounds and serve as key intermediate in the synthesis of many alkaloids.     

Dynamic kinetic resolution of α-keto esters via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The dynamic kinetic resolution of β-aryl α-keto esters has been accomplished using a newly designed (arene)RuCl(monosulfonamide) transfer hydrogenation catalyst. This dynamic process generates three contiguous stereocenters with remarkable diastereoselectivity through a reduction/lactonization sequence. The resulting enantioenriched, densely functionalized γ-butyrolactones are of high synthetic utility, as highlighted by several secondary derivatizations.