Novel C2-symmetric bisoxazolines with a chiral trans-(2R,3R)-diphenylcyclopropane backbone: preparation and application in several enantioselective catalytic reactions

Various chiral bisoxazoline ligands with a chiral trans-(2R,3R)-diphenylcyclopropane backbone have been efficiently synthesized (five examples). These chiral ligands were tested and compared in palladium(0)-catalysed enantioselective allylic alkylations (up to 97% ee), copper(I)-catalysed enantioselective cyclopropanations (up to 89% ee) and aziridinations (up to 90% ee). We observed that the presence of a stereogenic centre on the oxazoline moiety is mandatory in order to obtain acceptable enantioselectivities.     

A chiral primary-tertiary-1,2-diamine as an efficient catalyst in asymmetric aldehyde–ketone or ketone–ketone aldol reactions

A novel chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane derivative, (1R,2R)-N¹-n-pentyl, N¹-benzyl-1,2-cyclohexanediamine, was designed, synthesized and applied as a catalyst in a number of aldol reactions between ketones and aryl aldehydes. Reactions between acetone and aryl aldehydes gave aldol products with moderate to good yields and with excellent enantioselectivity (up to yield 85%, ee 98%), while reactions between cyclohexanone and aryl aldehydes provided anti-β-hydroxyketone products with excellent yields, diastereoselectivity and with enantioselectivity (up to 82% yield, anti/syn ratio 99:1, ee 99%). The aldol reactions between acetone and isatins were investigated, which afforded excellent yields and enantioselectivity (up to 95% yield, 98% ee). The (R)- and (S)-isomers of convolutamydine A were obtained with 95% yield and 96% ee, and 95% yield and 94% ee, respectively.     

Aromatic l-prolinamide-catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroalkenes

Two chiral aromatic l-prolinamides were synthesized in high overall yield (95%) from N-Boc-l-proline and served as organocatalysts in asymmetric Michael reactions of aldehydes to nitroalkenes. Under the optimized reaction conditions, (S)-N-tritylpyrrolidine-2-carboxamide 4 was found to be a highly efficient organocatalyst for the Michael addition, and the corresponding Michael adducts were obtained in good yields (up to 94%), with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) and diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr).     

Ferrocenophane-based bifunctional organocatalyst for highly enantioselective Michael reactions

Highly enantioselective Michael reactions between acetylacetone and trans-β-nitroolefins are achieved by a novel ferrocenophane-based tertiary amine-thiourea organocatalyst to provide the corresponding products in good to excellent yields (up to 95%) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).     

Cymantrene-based iminodiamidophosphites: the first phosphite-type ligands with planar chirality

Optically active phosphite-type ligands with planar chirality have been synthesized for the first time. The new cymantrene-based P,N-iminodiamidophosphites demonstrated high enantioselectivity in the Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenylallyl acetate with dimethyl malonate (up to 94% ee), pyrrolidine (up to 78% ee) and sodium para-toluene sulfinate (up to 84% ee).     

Effective and recyclable dendritic catalysts for the direct asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to nitrostyrenes

Direct catalytic enantio- and diastereoselective Michael addition reaction of aldehydes to nitrostyrenes is described using a series of recyclable chiral 2-trimethylsilanyloxy-methyl-pyrrolidine-based dendritic catalysts. Good yields (up to 82%), and high diastereoselectivities (up to syn/anti = 95/5) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) have been obtained.     

Potential of Carvacrol and Thymol in Reducing Biofilm Formation on Technical Surfaces

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and stainless steel (SS) are commonly used in medicine and food production technologies. During contact with microorganisms on the surface of these materials, a microbial biofilm is formed. The biofilm structure is difficult to remove and promotes the development of pathogenic bacteria. For this reason, the inhibition of biofilm formation in medical and food production environments is very important. For this purpose, five naturally occurring compounds were used for antimicrobial screening tests. The two with the best antimicrobial properties were chosen to inhibit the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After 3 days of exposure, thymol reduced the amount of biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the range of 70–77% and 52–75% for Staphylococcus aureus. Carvacrol inhibited the formation of biofilms by up to 74–88% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and up to 86–100% for Staphylococcus aureus. Those phenols decreased the enzyme activity of the biofilm by up to 40–100%. After 10 days of exposure to thymol, biofilm formation was reduced by 80–100% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and by about 79–100% for Staphylococcus aureus. Carvacrol reduced the amount of biofilm by up to 91–100% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and up to 95–100% for Staphylococcus aureus.     

A class of readily available optically pure 7,7′-disubstituted BINAPs for asymmetric catalysis

A class of optically pure 7,7′-disubstituted BINAPs have been prepared starting with a catalytic asymmetric oxidative coupling reaction. A general, concise, and straightforward synthetic procedure has been established, and is suitable for all optically pure 7,7′-disubstituted BINAPs 1a-h, regardless of the substituents' structure in the 7,7′-positions. The catalytic potential of this class of ligands has been investigated in the highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed 1,4-addition of aryl boronic acids to enones (up to 99.8% ee), and Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of simple aromatic ketones (up to S/C=100,000, up to 98% ee) and β-ketoesters (up to S/C=10,000, up to 99.8% ee), respectively.     

Rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones using HETPHOX ligands

The HETPHOX ligand class was applied to the rhodium-catalysed asymmetric hydrosilylation of a range of substituted acetophenones. Enantioselective hydrosilylation of acetophenone with the tert-butyl substituted HETPHOX ligand gave (R)-phenylethanol in excellent enantioselectivity (84% ee) and in good conversion (80%). When applied to the hydrosilylation of other ketones conversions up to 93% and enantioselectivities up to 88% were observed.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric [3 + 3] annulation of isatin N,N'-cyclic azomethine imines with enals: Efficient approach to functionalized spiro N-heterocyclic oxindoles

An unprecedented chiral secondary amine-catalyzed [3 + 3] annulation of isatin N,N'-cyclic azomethine imines with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes was developed. This strategy allowed the construction of structurally novel spiro N-heterocyclic oxindole derivatives in good yields (up to 91%) and good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee), albeit with modest diastereoselectivities (up to 3.1:1 dr).     

A new strategy in enantioselective intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction: catalytic double asymmetric induction during the tandem transetherification-intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction of methyl (E)-4-methoxy-2-oxo-3-butenoate with rac-6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol

An efficient catalytic double asymmetric induction during the tandem transetherification-intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction has been developed. The enantioselective tandem reaction of methyl (E)-4-methoxy-2-oxo-3-butenoate with rac-6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol has been achieved to provide methyl (2R,4aS,8aR)-3,4,4a,8a-tetrahydro-2,5,5-trimethyl-2H,5H-pyrano[4,3-b]-pyran-7-carboxylate in good yield with effective kinetic resolution (up to 95% selectivity), high diastereoselectivity (up to 92% de), and high enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee) in the presence of (S,S)-tert-Bu-bis(oxazoline)-Cu(SbF₆)₂ and 5 Å molecular sieves.     

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of ketones to nitroolefins catalyzed by (S)-pyrrolidine arenesulfonamide

A new type of catalyst for the asymmetric Michael addition reaction has been designed and synthesized. This catalyst, (S)-pyrrolidine arenesulfonamide 1, resulted in high yields (up to 93%), excellent diastereoselectivities (syn/anti ratio up to 99/1), and excellent enantioselectivities (ee up to 99%) for various cyclic ketones and nitroolefins.     

Highly enantioselective hetero Diels–Alder reactions of N-sulfinyl dienophiles promoted by copper(II)- and zinc(II)-chiral bis(oxazoline) complexes

Hetero Diels–Alder reactions of 1,3-cyclohexadiene with N-sulfinyl dienophiles 1a or 1b, promoted by Cu(II)- or Zn(II)-chiral bis(oxazoline) complexes, afforded endo adducts in high yields (up to 85%) and enantiomeric excess (e.e. of up to >98%) under stoichiometric conditions. With 10 mol% loading of the Zn(II) catalyst up to 75% e.e. was obtained for the endo adduct (endo:exo=10:1, total yield 68%).     

Enantioselective hydrosilylation of ketimines with trichlorosilane promoted by chiral N-picolinoylaminoalcohols

Enantioselective hydrosilylation of N-aryl and N-benzyl ketimines with trichlorosilane catalyzed by readily accessible chiral N-picolinoylaminoalcohols proceeded smoothly furnishing chiral secondary amines in good yields (up to 93%) and moderate to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee).     

Enantioselective anti-Mannich reaction catalyzed by modularly designed organocatalysts

A highly stereoselective method for achieving the anti-Mannich reaction of aldehydes and ketones with ethyl (4-methoxyphenylimino)acetate was realized using the modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs) self-assembled from cinchona alkaloid derivatives and (R)-pyrrolidien-3-carboxylic acid in the reaction media. The desired anti-Mannich products were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 93%), excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr), and good to high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).     

A new Yb-catalyzed pinacol and imine-coupling reaction

Ytterbium triflate, Yb(OTf)₃, catalyzes the intermolecular reductive homocouplings of imines, aldehydes, and ketones at loadings of 5 mol % in the presence of Mg and Me₃SiCl to give isolated yields of up to 95%. Diastereoselectivity of up to 4/96 (dl/meso) is achieved for aromatic aldehydes, up to 100% dl for aliphatic aldehydes, and 100% dl for an intramolecular imine coupling.     

Enantioselective Michael addition of 3-ethyl carboxylate substituted pyrazolones to 5-alkenyl thiazolones catalyzed by squaramide organocatalyst

Asymmetric Michael addition between 3-ethyl carboxylate substituted pyrazolones and 5-alkenylthiazolones catalyzed by a series of chiral bifunctional hydrogen bonding organocatalysts was investigated. Good yields (up to 96%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) were achieved by using a squaramide containing piperidine group derived from (1S, 2S)-cyclohexanediamine. This strategy provides facile access to a diverse library of thiazole-pyrazolone derivatives with potential bioactivity.     

A simple proline-based organocatalyst for the enantioselective reduction of imines using trichlorosilane as a reductant

A simple and inexpensive proline-based organocatalyst was developed for the reduction of imines using trichlorosilane as a reductant. The reduction of N-aryl imines in the presence of 10 mol % of N-pivaloyl-l-proline anilide was carried out to give the corresponding amines in excellent yields (up to 99%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 93% ee).     

Highly stereoselective direct aldol reactions catalyzed by (S)-NOBIN-l-prolinamide

(S)-NOBIN-l-prolinamide was employed as organocatalyst in the direct aldol reactions of different ketones and aromatic aldehydes using dioxane as solvent and in the presence of water as additive. Acetone led to the aldol products in up to 93% ee, while cyclic ketones furnished the anti-aldols in moderate to high yield, excellent diastereoselectivity (up to >99/<1 anti/syn ratio) and high ee (up to 95%).     

Chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as organocatalyst for enantioselective aldol reaction

A simple and commercially available chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as catalyst, hexanedioic acid as co-catalyst could efficiently catalyze the asymmetric aldol reaction in MeOH-H₂O. Cyclic ketones as aldol substrates gave the anti-β-hydroxyketone products with moderate to good yields, diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity (up to 78% yield, >20:1 anti/syn, 94% ee). Hydroxyacetone as aldol substrate afforded the syn-α, β-dihydroxyketones as major products in up to 85% yield with good enantioselectivity (up to >20:1 syn/anti, 93% ee).