An Efficient Approach to Chiral Allyloxyamines by Stereospecific Allylation of Nitrosoarenes with Chiral Allylboronates

A novel and efficient approach to allyloxyamines by the allylation of nitrosoarenes with α‐chiral allylboronates is described. C? O bond formation occurs with high stereospecificity and the product allyloxyamines are easily transformed into valuable chiral building blocks such as isoxazolidines and allylic alcohols. The reaction features complete regioselectivity (O‐selectivity), high E/Z selectivity, and excellent chirality transfer.     

Chiral auxiliary based approach toward the synthesis of C-glycosylated amino acids

[reaction in text] In a chiral auxiliary based method C-glycosylated amino acids can be obtained by a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a chiral glycine equivalent and C-1 allyl- or vinyl-derived carbohydrate building blocks as the key step. The products are formed regio- and diastereoselectively. Reductive cleavage of the N-O bond of the isoxazolidine and of the chiral auxiliary leads to C-glycosylated amino acids. The use of (-)-menthone to (+)-menthone as the auxiliary leads to the corresponding diastereomers.     

Bromoporphyrins as versatile synthons for modular construction of chiral porphyrins: cobalt-catalyzed highly enantioselective and diastereoselective cyclopropanation

5,10-Bis(2',6'-dibromophenyl)porphyrins bearing various substituents at the 10 and 20 positions were demonstrated to be versatile synthons for modular construction of chiral porphyrins via palladium-catalyzed amidation reactions with chiral amides. The quadruple carbon-nitrogen bond formation reactions were accomplished in high yields with different chiral amide building blocks under mild conditions, forming a family of D2-symmetric chiral porphyrins. Cobalt(II) complexes of these chiral porphyrins were prepared in high yields and shown to be active catalysts for highly enantioselective and diastereoselective cyclopropanation under a practical one-pot protocol (alkenes as limiting reagents and no slow addition of diazo reagents).     

Chiral binaphthyl-derived amine-thiourea organocatalyst-promoted asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

[reaction: see text] A new bifunctional binaphthyl-derived amine thiourea organocatalyst has been developed to promote enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of cyclohexenone with a wide range of aldehydes. The process, catalyzed by the amine thiourea, affords synthetically valuable chiral allylic alcohol building blocks in high yields and high enantioselectivities.     

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of secondary alkylboronate building blocks with and without metals

With or without you: Chiral secondary alkylboronates can now be accessed by highly enantioselective catalytic methods including conjugate addition under metal-free conditions with an NHC catalyst, and also iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation. These methods reinforce the potential of secondary alkylboronates as ideal and universal chiral building blocks for bond formation to sp(3) carbon atoms.     

A convergent total synthesis of hemibrevetoxin B

A convergent biomimetic synthesis of hemibrevetoxin B from d-glucal and d-arabinose utilizes an electrophile-promoted cascade anti-Baldwin cyclization of an epoxy alcohol. The epoxy alcohol arises from a palladium-catalyzed coupling of a highly functionalized organozinc compound and an alkenyl iodide, which serve as two chiral building blocks of similar size and complexity. This first successful implementation of a cascade epoxy alcohol cyclization for the synthesis of marine polycyclic ether toxins proceeds in 39 steps and 4% overall yield.     

Bioreductive synthesis of perfluorinated chiral alcohols

Perfluorinated chiral alcohols are interesting building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Different chiral (R)- and (S)-configured perfluorinated alcohols were produced by asymmetric reduction of the corresponding ketones. Commercially available alcohol dehydrogenases were used as catalyst in combination with different cofactor regenerating systems. High selectivities of >99% were observed in most cases. The results also demonstrate the influence of the CF₃ group on reactivity and enantioselectivity of alcohol dehydrogenases.     

Taking control of P1, P1' and double bond stereochemistry in the synthesis of Phe-Phe (E)-alkene amide isostere dipeptidomimetics

A protocol for the stereocontrolled independent preparation of both C-2 epimers of Phe-Phe trans-vinyl amide isostere dipeptidomimetics has been devised based on a Wittig-type reaction, in which two chiral building blocks were joined with excellent E-selectivity to give compounds of the type PhePsi[(E)-CH[double bond, length as m-dash]CH]-PheOH.     

Asymmetric synthesis of the highly potent anti-metastatic prostacyclin analogue cicaprost and its isomer isocicaprost

An asymmetric synthesis of the anti-metastatic prostacyclin analogue cicaprost and a formal one of its isomer isocicaprost by a new route are described. A key step of these syntheses is the coupling of a chiral bicyclic C6-C14 ethynyl building block with a chiral C15-C21 omega-side chain amide building block with formation of the C14-C15 bond of the target molecules. A highly stereoselective reduction of the thereby obtained C6-C21 intermediate carrying a carbonyl group at C15 of the side chain was accomplished by the chiral oxazaborolidine method. The chiral phosphono acetate method was used for the highly stereoselective attachment of the alpha-side chain to the bicyclic C6-C21 intermediate carrying a carbonyl group at C6. Asymmetric syntheses of the bicyclic C6-C14 ethynyl building blocks were carried out starting from achiral bicyclic C6-C12 ketones by using the chiral lithium amide method. In the course of these syntheses, a new method for the introduction of an ethynyl group at the alpha-position of the carbonyl group of a ketone with formation of the corresponding homopropargylic alcohol was devised. Its key steps are an aldol reaction of the corresponding silyl enol ether with chloral and the elimination of a trichlorocarbinol derivative with formation of the ethynyl group. In addition, a new aldehyde to terminal alkyne transformation has been realized. Its key steps are the conversion of an aldehyde to the corresponding 1-alkenyl dimethylaminosulfoxonium salt and the elimination of the latter with a strong base. Two basically different routes have been followed for the synthesis of the enantiomerically pure C15-C21 omega-side chain amide building block. The first is based on the chiral oxazolidinone method and features a highly stereoselective alkylation of (4R)-N-acetyl-4-benzyloxazolidin-2-one, and the second encompasses a malonate synthesis of the racemic amide and its efficient preparative scale resolution by HPLC on a chiral stationary phase containing column.     

Access to Enantiomerically Pure P-Stereogenic Primary Aminophosphine Sulfides under Reductive Conditions

Stereochemically pure phosphines with phosphorus-heteroatom bonds and P-centered chirality are a promising class of functional building blocks for the design of chiral ligands and organocatalysts. A route to enantiomerically pure primary aminophosphine sulfides was opened through stereospecific reductive C−N bond cleavage of phosphorus(V) precursors by lithium in liquid ammonia. The chemoselectivity of the reaction as a function of reaction time, substrate pattern, and chiral auxiliary was investigated. In the presence of exclusively aliphatic groups bound to the phosphorus atom, all competing reductive side reactions are totally prevented. The absolute configurations of all P-stereogenic compounds were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Their use as synthetic building blocks was demonstrated. The lithium salt of (R)-BINOL-dithiophosphoric acid proved to be a useful stereochemical probe to determine the enantiomeric purity. Insights into the coordination mode of the lithium-based chiral complex formed in solution was provided by NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations.     

Chiral covalent organic frameworks for asymmetric catalysis and chiral separation

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), covalently assembled from the condensation reactions of organic building blocks, are a fascinating class of functional porous materials with two- or three-dimensional crystalline organic structures. Generally, it is preferable to use symmetric and rigid building blocks to construct highly crystalline COFs with desired topology. On the other hand, the incorporation of chiral functional moieties in the building blocks would open up new applications such as asymmetric catalysis and chiral separation. This mini review highlights the principle strategies in the design and synthesis of chiral COFs. The interesting and potential applications of these chiral COFs for asymmetric catalysis and chiral separation are also summarized. This mini review aims to provide an up-to-date advancement of chiral COFs for asymmetric catalysis and chiral separation.     

Planar chirality: cycloaddition and transannular reactions of optically active azoninones that contain (E)-olefins

Unsaturated nine-membered ring lactams that contain (E)-olefins within the ring are characterized by planar chiral properties. Thus, selective conversions of the double bond allowed a complete transfer of the planar chiral information into new stereogenic centers The basis of the transformations was the high activation barrier that prevented efficient flipping of the double bond at room temperature (epimerization pR <=> pS) with respect to the ring. Cycloadditions led diastereoselectively to cyclopropano, epimino, epoxy, and dihydroxy azonanones under mild conditions with moderately high yields. The epoxy azonanones were subjected to regio- and diastereoselective transannular epoxide opening/ring contraction sequences to give hydroxy indolizidinones. The regiochemical and stereochemical outcome strongly depends on the configuration of the oxirane and the chiral information of the lactam unit. The so-formed optically active bicycles with defined substitution patterns should serve as versatile building blocks in alkaloid synthesis.     

Convenient Syntheses of Some C4 Chiral Building Blocks Starting From (S)-Malic Acid

In the field of chiral technology, the synthesis of chiral intermediates and chiral building blocks occupies an important position. Chiral building blocks bearing double and / or multiple functionalities is particularly useful for the synthesis of chiral pharmaceuticals and chiral agrochemicals. In the recent years, we have been engaged in the development of synthetic methodology based on (S)-malic acid1-s. In these studies, malimide 2, easily accessible from (S)-malic acid, was shown to be a useful multifunctional building block in the asymmetric synthesis of natural products and chiral drugs (Scheme 1).     

Planar Chirality: Synthesis and Transannular Reactions of Unsaturated Optically Active Azoninones Bearing E-Olefins

The zwitterionic aza-Claisen rearrangement of optically active trans 4-silyloxy-2-vinylpyrrolidines and carboxylic acid fluoride generated nine-membered ring lactams with high yields. The reaction proceeded with an almost complete 1,4-chirality transfer and the exclusive generation of the E-double bond in the medium sized rings to cause additional planar chiral information. The initially formed azoninones were characterized by a pS-arrangement of the olefin with respect to the ring. The rather kinetically stable conformation underwent a flipping of the double bond to give the pR-azoninones as the thermodynamically stable products. The planar diastereomers were subjected to regio- and diastereoselective transannular ring contractions to give indolizidinones. The stereochemical outcome was strongly dependent from the planar chiral information of the double bond and the lactam unit. The so-formed optically active bicycles bearing a defined substitution pattern should serve as versatile building blocks in alkaloid synthesis.     

Isolable chiral aggregates of achiral π-conjugated carboxylic acids

The induced aggregation of achiral building blocks by a chiral species to form chiral aggregates with memorized chirality has been observed for a number of systems. However, chiral memory in isolated aggregates of achiral building blocks remains rare. One possible reason for this discrepancy could be that not much is understood in terms of designing these chiral aggregates. Herein, we report a strategy for creating such isolable chiral aggregates from achiral building blocks that retain chiral memory after the facile physical removal of the chiral templates. This strategy was used for the isolation of chiral homoaggregates of neutral achiral π-conjugated carboxylic acids in pure aqueous solution. Under what we have termed an "interaction-substitution" mechanism, we generated chiral homoaggregates of a variety of π-conjugated carboxylic acids by using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a mediator in acidic aqueous solutions. These aggregates were subsequently isolated from the CMC templates whilst retaining their memorized supramolecular chirality. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the aggregates formed in the acidic CMC solution exhibited bisignated exciton-coupled signals of various signs and intensities that were maintained in the isolated pure homoaggregates of the achiral π-conjugated carboxylic acids. The memory of the supramolecular chirality in the isolated aggregates was ascribed to the substitution of COOH/COOH hydrogen-bonding interaction between the carboxylic acid groups within the aggregates for the hydrogen-bonding interactions between the COOH groups of the building blocks and the chiral templates. We expect that this "interaction-substitution" procedure will open up a new route to isolable pure chiral aggregates from achiral species.     

Isolable Chiral Aggregates of Achiral π‐Conjugated Carboxylic Acids

The induced aggregation of achiral building blocks by a chiral species to form chiral aggregates with memorized chirality has been observed for a number of systems. However, chiral memory in isolated aggregates of achiral building blocks remains rare. One possible reason for this discrepancy could be that not much is understood in terms of designing these chiral aggregates. Herein, we report a strategy for creating such isolable chiral aggregates from achiral building blocks that retain chiral memory after the facile physical removal of the chiral templates. This strategy was used for the isolation of chiral homoaggregates of neutral achiral π‐conjugated carboxylic acids in pure aqueous solution. Under what we have termed an “interaction–substitution” mechanism, we generated chiral homoaggregates of a variety of π‐conjugated carboxylic acids by using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as a mediator in acidic aqueous solutions. These aggregates were subsequently isolated from the CMC templates whilst retaining their memorized supramolecular chirality. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the aggregates formed in the acidic CMC solution exhibited bisignated exciton‐coupled signals of various signs and intensities that were maintained in the isolated pure homoaggregates of the achiral π‐conjugated carboxylic acids. The memory of the supramolecular chirality in the isolated aggregates was ascribed to the substitution of COOH/COOH hydrogen‐bonding interaction between the carboxylic acid groups within the aggregates for the hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the COOH groups of the building blocks and the chiral templates. We expect that this “interaction–substitution” procedure will open up a new route to isolable pure chiral aggregates from achiral species.     

Facile access to some chiral building blocks. Synthesis of verbalactone and exophilin A

d-Glucono-1,5-lactone, an inexpensive carbohydrate, was elaborated into chiral building blocks readily applicable in synthesis via practical routes without involving any expensive reagents or tedious operations. Application of such chiral building blocks in total synthesis is then exemplified through construction of verbalactone and exophilin A. The latter compound has not been synthesized to date.     

Catalytic enantioselective alkenylation and phenylation of trifluoromethyl ketones

Catalytic enantioselective alkenylation and phenylation of trifluoromethyl ketones are described. High enantioselectivity (up to 84% ee) was produced in an alkenylation of aryl trifluoromethyl ketones using a CuF-DTBM-SEGPHOS complex as the catalyst (5-10 mol %) and alkenylsilanes as the nucleophile. This is the first example of catalytic enantioselective alkenylation of trifluoromethyl ketones. The products are versatile chiral building blocks, which contain a trifluoromethyl-substituted tertiary alcohol moiety.     

由D-Erythorbic Acid合成新的多官能团C4手性筑块

手性C4筑块是合成许多天然产物 Leukotrienes, Pyrrolizidine alkaloids及前列腺素A2等的重要合成子[1～3]. 然而到目前为止, 手性C4筑块只有从少数几种手性源如酒石酸, L-苏糖, D-赤藓糖等中才能得到[2～7]. 我们在以D-erythorbic acid为原料合成新型手性配体的过程中[8～10], 发现了一种简便获得选择性保护的多官能团手性C4筑块(化合物4, 5)的新途径(Scheme 1).     

Organocatalytic Synthesis of Triflones Bearing Two Non-Adjacent Stereogenic Centers

Trifluoromethylsulfones (triflones) are useful compounds for synthesis and beyond. Yet, methods to access chiral triflones are scarce. Here, we present a mild and efficient organocatalytic method for the stereoselective synthesis of chiral triflones using α-aryl vinyl triflones, building blocks previously unexplored in asymmetric synthesis. The peptide-catalyzed reaction gives rise to a broad range of γ-triflylaldehydes with two non-adjacent stereogenic centers in high yields and stereoselectivities. A catalyst-controlled stereoselective protonation following a C−C bond formation is key to control over the absolute and relative configuration. Straightforward derivatization of the products into, e.g., disubstituted δ-sultones, γ-lactones, and pyrrolidine heterocycles highlights the synthetic versatility of the products.