Orthoacylimines: a new class of chiral auxiliaries for nucleophilic addition of organolithium reagents to imines

A new class of orthoacylimine-derived chiral auxiliaries has been synthesized and tested in the nucleophilic addition of organolithium reagents to imines. The precursors can be prepared by an aza-Wittig reaction between the corresponding orthoacyl azide and a variety of aldehydes in the presence of trialkylphosphines. The nucleophilic addition of organolithium reagents led to the addition products in good yields and with good to excellent diastereoselectivities (from 85:15 to 99:1). The chiral, nonracemic secondary amines could be readily obtained under mild hydrolytic condition. Furthermore, the chiral auxiliary can be recovered in quantitative yield and reconverted to the starting orthoacyl azide precursor. This method was applied to the synthesis of (S)-t-leucine.     

New insight into experimental and theoretical mechanistic study on a green synthesis of functionalized 4H-chromenes using magnetic nanoparticle catalyst

A green synthesis of functionalized 4H-chromenes using one-pot, three-component reaction of salicylaldehyde ( 1 ), active methylene ( 2 ), and carbon-based nucleophile ( 3 ) using Fe₃O₄@CONa nanoparticles in water has been performed at 60°C. The Fe₃O₄@CONa nanoparticle as an efficient, green, and magnetically reusable heterogeneous catalyst was applied in these reactions up to the nine runs. Green catalyst and solvent, short reaction time, high product yields, as well as simple work-up procedure were found as some advantages of this methodology. The density functional theory calculations were applied to all-inclusive perception of the one-pot, three-component reaction mechanism. The most reactions progressed through the following route: (a) nucleophilic addition of 2 to 1 ; (b) ring closing, dehydration; (c) nucleophilic substitution of 3 (2-naphtol, 4-hydroxycumarin) to intermediate. Sometimes mechanism mutated to: (a) nucleophilic addition of 3 (indole, 2-methylindole) to 1 , and dehydration; (b) nucleophilic addition of 2 to intermediate; and (c) ring closing, and dehydration. The frontier molecular orbitals, NBO analyses, molecular electrostatic potential of reactants, and intermediates confirmed the proposal mechanisms. Theoretical study could be so helpful to pick out suitable reactants of the reaction.     

Reactivity of aryl chlorides with sodium sulfide in the synthesis of aromatic polyamidethioethers

The synthesis of aromatic copolyamidethioethers by reaction of dichlorobenzanilides with Na₂S has been studied. The reactivity of chlorine atoms is strongly dependent on the nature of the substituent in para position. It is related to the ¹³C NMR shifts of the relative carbons-the more deshielded, the more reactive-and hence to charge densities, agreing with aromatic nucleophilic substitution mechanisms. The results are discussed in relation to the various mechanisms which have been put forward for the reaction of Na₂S with 1, 4-dichlorobenzene (PPS synthesis).     

Synthesis of homoallylic chiral tertiary alcohols via chelation-controlled diastereoselective nucleophilic addition on alpha-alkoxyketones: application for the synthesis of the C(1)-C(11) subunit of 8-epi-fostriecin

[reaction: see text] Chiral beta-syn-alkoxyhomoallylic alcohols derived from alkoxyallylboration of aldehydes upon oxidation provided the corresponding chiral ketones. Chelation-controlled nucleophilic addition to these ketones occurred in a highly stereoselective manner to afford anti-homoallylic tertiary alcohols. This methodology has been applied for the synthesis of the C(1)-C(11) subunit of C(8)-epi-fostriecin.     

Synthesis of cyclic alkenyl ethers via intramolecular cyclization of O-alkynylbenzaldehydes. Importance of combination between CuI catalyst and DMF

An efficient and remarkably general method for the synthesis of cyclic alkenyl ethers via the Cu(I)-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of O-alkynylbenzaldehydes has been developed. The survey of metal catalysts and solvents revealed that the combination of copper(I) iodide and DMF was the catalytic system of choice. The reaction most probably proceeds via the nucleophilic addition of alcohols 2 to O-alkynylbenzaldehydes 1 to generate the corresponding hemiacetals, and subsequent nucleophilic attack of the hemiacetal oxygen to the copper coordinated alkyne would give the annulation products 3. In all cases, the reaction proceeded in a regiospecific manner leading to the six-membered endocyclic products via 6-endo-dig cyclization.     

Highly diastereoselective and general synthesis of primary β-fluoroamines

A short, high yielding protocol has been developed for the highly diastereoselective (dr >20:1) and general synthesis of primary β-fluoroamines by the enantioselective α-fluorination of aldehydes, conversion into the N-sulfinyl aldimine, nucleophilic addition of various organometallic species, and 1° amine liberation.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-laurenditerpenol

A highly convergent total synthesis of (-)-laurenditerpenol has been accomplished through an organolithium to aldehyde nucleophilic addition. Preparation of the prerequisite key intermediates in optically pure form was based on an improved, short, and efficient synthesis of "wine lactone" from (S)-limonene and Corey's catalytic enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction of 2,5-dimethyl furan with diethyl fumarate.     

Novel 2-pyridone synthesis via nucleophilic addition of malonic esters to alkynyl imines

[reaction: see text] A novel 2-pyridone synthesis via nucleophilic addition of malonic esters to alkynyl imines has been developed. The reaction of dialkylalkyl sodiomalonates with alkynyl imines provided 2-pyridones in good to excellent yields.     

A Straightforward One‐Pot Synthesis of 3,4‐Dihydroquinazoline‐2(1H)‐thione Derivatives in Aqueous Organic Solvent

A novel and efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of a series of 3,4‐dihydroquinazoline‐2(1H)‐thione derivatives in aqueous organic solvent starting from 3‐(2‐aminophenyl)acrylates with isothiocyanates via a tandem intermolecular nucleophilic addition/intramolecular Michael addition reaction under mild conditions. A broad substrate scope has been demonstrated, which shows wide functional group tolerance and chemical specialization. The efficiency of the methodology could make this process available on gram‐scale.     

Added-metal-free catalytic nucleophilic addition of Grignard reagents to ketones

On the basis of the investigation of the combinational effect of quaternary ammonium salts and organic bases, an added-metal-free catalytic system for nucleophilic addition reactions of a variety of Grignard reagents to diverse ketones in THF solvent has been developed to produce tertiary alcohols in good to excellent yields. By using tetrabutylammonium chloride (NBu(4)Cl) as a catalyst and diglyme (DGDE) as an additive, this system strongly enhances the efficiency of addition at the expense of enolization and reduction. NBu(4)Cl should help to shift the Schlenk equilibrium of Grignard reagents to the side of dimeric Grignard reagents to favor the additions of Grignard reagents to ketones via a favored six-membered transition state to form the desired tertiary alcohols, and DGDE should increase the nucleophilic reactivities of Grignard reagents by coordination. This catalytic system has been applied in the efficient synthesis of Citalopram, an effective U.S. FDA-approved antidepressant, and a recyclable version of this catalytic synthesis has also been devised.     

Orientation and mechanism of reactions of aromatic amines with sulfur monochloride

The reaction of m-substituted anilines with sulfur monochloride has been studied. It has been shown that cyclization with the formation of 1, 3, 2-benzothiazathiolium compounds takes place in the position para to the substituent. The introduction of methoxy groups into o-nitroanilines interferes with the displacement of the nitro group by the chlorine atom. A nucleophilic reaction mechanism has been proposed according to which the nitro group is displaced after the formation of the thiathioniaazine ring.     

Reactions of some ortho and para halogenated aromatic nitriles with ethylenediamine: selective synthesis of imidazolines

The reaction of ethylenediamine (EDA) with ortho and/or para halogenated benzonitriles did not lead to the imidazolines expected: a competitive aromatic nucleophilic substitution (S_NAr) was observed instead. The selective synthesis of these imidazolines was performed by nucleophilic addition of EDA to thiobenzamide derivatives. The difference in reactivity between the nitrile and thioamide derivatives was estimated by a frontier orbital approach at the RHF/6-31G** level which predicted a greater reactivity of substituted thiobenzamides towards the nucleophilic addition of EDA.     

5-Aminooxazole as an internal traceless activator of C-terminal carboxylic acid: rapid access to diversely functionalized cyclodepsipeptides

A conceptually novel macrolactonization protocol has been developed. It is a domino process involving a sequence of: 1) protonation of 5-aminooxazole leading to the electrophilic iminium salt; 2) trapping of the iminium species by the neighboring C-terminal carboxylic acid leading to a putative spirolactone; and 3) intramolecular nucleophilic addition of the tethered alcohol to the spirolactone followed by fragmentation. The strategically incorporated 5-aminooxazole serves as an internal traceless activator of the neighboring C-terminal carboxylic acid, since it became an integral part of the peptide backbone after cyclization. No coupling reagent is required and the entire sequence is triggered by just a few equivalents of trifluoroacetic acid under very mild conditions (MeCN as the solvent at room temperature). The spirolactone as an activated form of the carboxylic acid has been evidenced by a sulfur-migration experiment. By combining with a three-component synthesis of 5-aminooxazole, a two-step synthesis of structurally complex cyclodepsipeptides from readily accessible starting materials was developed.     

The first synthesis of a novel 5:7:5-fused diimidazodiazepine ring system and some of its chemical properties

The first synthesis of a novel 5:7:5-fused heterocyclic ring system, a diimidazodiazepine, is reported. The propensity of the ring system to undergo facile, acid-catalyzed nucleophilic addition reactions by neutral carbon and nitrogen nucleophiles has been explored. The ring system has potential future applications in mechanistic studies of formation and repair of DNA interstrand cross-links.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of a Quaternary Carbon Stereogenic Center by Organocatalysis Using a Primary Amino Acid and Its Salt

In this personal account, our recent developments on the asymmetric synthesis of a quaternary carbon stereogenic center by organocatalysis using a primary amino acid and its salt as a catalyst are described in three chapters: (1) conjugate addition to nitroalkenes and vinyl ketones, (2) nucleophilic addition to π-allyl palladium complexes, and (3) nucleophilic substitution reactions with allyl and propargyl halides. By these methods, asymmetric α-allylation of α-branched aldehydes and ketones smoothly proceeded to give γ-nitroaldehydes, ketoaldehydes, α-allylated aldehydes, and α-allylated β-ketoesters possessing a quaternary carbon stereogenic center in good yields with high enantioselectivities.     

A stereocontrolled synthesis of a novel prostacyclin analog “allene-carbacyclin”. Application of molecular mechanics calculations to organic synthesis.

The synthesis of a novel Prostacyclin/Carbacyclin analog 1a has been achieved in a stereocontrolled manner starting from the readily available bicyclic ketone 3. A key strategic feature of the synthesis is a nucleophilic acetylide anion addition to 3, the stereochemistry of which is predicted by MM2 calculations.     

Copper-catalyzed tethered aziridination of unsaturated N-tosyloxy carbamates

Aziridines were formed by copper-catalyzed intramolecular nitrene addition to alkenes. The carbamate group was used as the tether between the alkene and the nitrene. Subsequent nucleophilic attack of the aziridine was accomplished using RSH, R2NH, N3-, or ROH as the nucleophile. This addition was found to be regio- and stereoselective. This methodology has been used to demonstrate its utility in the regio- and stereoselective synthesis of a 1,2-diamino-3-hydroxycyclohexane. This substitution pattern is found in natural products such as Tamiflu.     

Synthesis of triarylamine‐containing poly(arylene ether)s by nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction

We report synthesis of a series of new triarylamine‐containing AB‐type monomers and their polymers via nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) reaction. Monomers consisting of a hydroxyl group at the para position of the nitrogen group in one phenyl ring and a fluorine leaving group at the para position in another phenyl ring were synthesized via palladium‐catalyzed amination reaction. The fluorine leaving group was activated by trifluoromethyl group at the ortho position and an electron‐withdrawing group (EWG) introduced at the para position of the unsubstituted phenyl ring that enabled control over monomer reactivity. S_NAr reaction of the monomers successfully produced corresponding poly(arylene ether)s with pendant EWGs that exhibited good solubility and thermal stability. Optical and electrochemical properties of the polymers were also affected by incorporation of EWGs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2692‐2702     

Enantiocontrolled synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted piperidines by desymmetrization of meso-eta-(3,4,5)-dihydropyridinylmolybdenum complexes. application to the total synthesis of (-)-dihydropinidine and (-)-andrachcinidine

A conceptually new approach to the enantiocontrolled synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted piperidines was achieved by desymmetrization of meso-2,6-dimethoxy-eta-(3,4,5)-dihydropyridinylmolybdenum complexes. After protection of the piperidine nitrogen as a urethane derived from (+)- or (-)-trans-2-(alpha-cumyl)cyclohexyl (TCC), a sequential, one-pot methoxide abstraction/nucleophilic addition/methoxide abstraction/nucleophilic addition generated good yields of 2,6-disubstituted-eta-(3,4,5)-dihydropyridinylmolybdenum complexes. This sequence proceeds by way of a highly diastereoselective methoxide abstraction (>40:1). High yielding protodemetalation and N-deprotection provided a simple and enantiocontrolled synthetic entry to a variety of 2,6-disubstituted piperidines. This new method was used for the total synthesis of (-)-dihydropinidine and (-)-andrachcinidine.     

Asymmetric synthesis of trans-2,3-disubstituted indoline derivatives

A novel method for asymmetric synthesis of trans-2,3-disubstituted indolines has been developed. The strategy involves the (-)-sparteine-mediated electrophilic substitution of 2-benzyl N-pivaloylaniline with aromatic or α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and subsequent intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. The simple protocol for two-step process can produce highly enantioenriched indolines 3a-o up to 98:2 er.