Synthesis of α‐Stereogenic Amides and Ketones by Enantioselective Conjugate Addition of 1,4‐Dicarbonyl But‐2‐enes

Constructing α‐stereogenic amides and ketones : The highly regioselective and enantioselective conjugate addition of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds to 1,4‐dicarbonyl but‐2‐enes has been developed with the chiral bicyclic guanidine as catalyst (ee values up to 97 %; see scheme).

     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of 1,4‐Dioxanes and Other Oxa‐Heterocycles by Oxetane Desymmetrization

A new asymmetric synthesis of chiral 1,4‐dioxanes and other oxa‐heterocycles has been developed by means of organocatalytic enantioselective desymmetrization of oxetanes. This mild process proceeds with exceedingly high efficiency and enantioselectivity to establish the quaternary stereocenters. This method complements the existing, yet limited, strategies for the synthesis of these oxa‐heterocycles.     

Enantioselective Intramolecular Desymmetric α‐Addition of Cyclohexanone to Propiolamide Catalyzed by Sodium L‐Prolinate

An enantioselective desymmetric nucleophilic α‐addition of cyclohexanone to propiolamide has been developed through a 6‐exo‐dig cyclization reaction. By employing simple and readily available L‐proline sodium salt as a bifunctional catalyst, a series of chiral 6,6‐bicyclic bridged products bearing morphan scaffold have been isolated in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidated the origins of the enantioselectivity and regioselectivity of this transformation. A salt bridge that links the amide carbonyl group with proline carboxylate in the transition state was proven to be the driving force for the induction of excellent enantioselectivity.     

Highly Efficient Enantioselective Construction of Bispirooxindoles Containing Three Stereocenters through an Organocatalytic Cascade Michael–Cyclization Reaction

Bispirooxindole derivatives containing three stereocenters, including two spiro quaternary centers, were synthesized in a high‐yielding, atypically rapid, and stereocontrolled cascade Michael–cyclization reaction between methyleneindolinones and isothiocyanato oxindoles catalyzed by a bi‐ or multifunctional organocatalyst. Mild conditions were used to construct bispirooxindoles with excellent enantio‐ and diastereomeric purities within less than 1 min. Catalyst reconfiguration offered access to the opposite enantiomer. This exceptionally highly efficient procedure will allow diversity‐oriented syntheses of this intriguing class of compounds with potential biological activities.     

Chemo‐, Diastereo‐, and Enantioselective Iridium‐Catalyzed Allylic Intramolecular Dearomatization Reaction of Naphthol Derivatives

An iridium‐catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric allylic dearomatization reaction of naphthol derivatives is described. Challenges confronted in this reaction include chemoselectivity between carbon and oxygen atoms as nucleophilic centers, diastereoselectivity when contiguous chiral centers are generated, and enantioselective control for constructing an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter. In the presence of an iridium catalyst generated from [{Ir(dbcot)Cl}₂] (dbcot=dibenzocyclooctatetraene) and a new THQphos (tetrahydroquinolinedinaphthophosphoramidite) ligand, various spironaphthalenones were obtained with up to greater than 95:5 C/O selectivity, greater than 95:5 d.r., and 99 % ee, thus providing a general method for the dearomatization of naphthols.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Construction of 3,3′‐Spirooxindoles Fused with Seven‐Membered Rings by Enantioselective Tandem Reactions

The first catalytic asymmetric construction of a spirooxindole scaffold incorporated with a seven‐membered benzodiazepine moiety has been established by a three‐component (isatin, 1,2‐phenylenediamine, cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione) tandem reaction catalyzed by a chiral phosphoric acid. Structurally complex spirobenzodiazepine oxindoles with one quaternary stereogenic center are obtained in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99 % yield, enantiomeric ratio>99.5:0.5). This approach takes advantage of organocatalytic asymmetric tandem reactions to efficiently construct the structurally rigid spirobenzodiazepine oxindole architecture with high enantiopurity in a single transformation, which involves a cascade enamine–imine formation/intramolecular Mannich reaction sequence.     

Enantioselective Iron‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Cyclopropanation Reactions

An iron‐catalyzed asymmetric intramolecular cyclopropanation was realized in high yields and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee) by using the iron complexes of chiral spiro‐bisoxazoline ligands as catalysts. The superiority of iron catalysts exhibited in this reaction demonstrated the potential abilities of this sustainable metal in asymmetric carbenoid transformation reactions.     

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Michael/Aldol Sequence: Anticancer Natural Product (+)‐trans‐Dihydrolycoricidine

A total synthesis of the anticancer natural product (+)‐trans‐dihydrolycoricidine is reported from α‐azidoacetone and cinnamaldehyde precursors. Key elements include an asymmetric organocatalytic sequence proceeding by a regiospecific secondary‐amine‐catalyzed syn Michael addition followed by an intramolecular aldol reaction. The sequence results in the formation of an advanced intermediate, containing three stereogenic centers, in one step which and was converted into the title compound in eight steps.     

Asymmetric Michael Addition/Intramolecular Cyclization Catalyzed by Bifunctional Tertiary Amine–Squaramides: Construction of Chiral 2‐Amino‐4H‐chromene‐3‐Carbonitrile Derivatives

The efficient asymmetric Michael addition/intramolecular cyclization of malononitrile with dienones catalyzed by a chiral bifunctional tertiary amine–squaramide catalyst for the synthesis of chiral 2‐amino‐4H‐chromene‐3‐carbonitrile derivatives was developed. The corresponding products were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 99 %) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98 % ee) for most of the bisarylidenecyclopentanones.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Nitrocyclopropanes by Organocatalytic Conjugate Addition of Bromonitroalkanes to α,β‐Unsaturated Enones

A general enantioselective synthesis of functionalized nitrocyclopropanes by organocatalytic conjugate addition of a variety of bromonitroalkanes to α,β‐unsaturated enone systems is presented. The process, efficiently catalyzed by the salts of 9‐amino‐9‐deoxyepiquinine 1 d serves as a powerful approach to the preparation of synthetically and biologically important cyclopropanes with high levels of enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. Since only 0.6 equivalents of bromonitromethane are used as a reagent, (S)‐ 2 e is obtained enantiomerically pure by employing chiral 1 d as a highly efficient catalyst for its kinetic resolution (97 % ee at 51 % conversion, selectivity s=120).     

C3‐Symmetric Trisimidazoline‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Bromolactonization of Internal Alkenoic Acids

A method for conducting enantioselective bromolactonization reactions of trisubstituted alkenoic acids, using the C₃‐symmetric trisimidazoline 1 and 1,3‐dibromo‐5,5‐dimethyl hydantoin as a bromine source, has been developed. The process generates chiral δ‐lactones that contain a quaternary carbon. The results of studies probing geometrically different olefins show that (Z)‐olefins rather than (E)‐olefins are favorable substrates for the process. The method is not only applicable to acyclic olefin reactants but can also be employed to transform cyclic trisubstituted olefins into chiral spirocyclic lactones. Finally, the synthetic utility of the newly developed process is demonstrated by its application to a concise synthesis of tanikolide, an antifungal marine natural product.     

Cooperative Activation with Chiral Nucleophilic Catalysts and N‐Haloimides: Enantioselective Iodolactonization of 4‐Arylmethyl‐4‐pentenoic Acids

Chiral triaryl phosphates promote the enantioselective iodolactonization of 4‐substituted 4‐pentenoic acids to give the corresponding iodolactones in high yields with high enantioselectivity. N‐Chlorophthalimide (NCP) is employed as a Lewis acidic activator and oxidant of I₂ for the present iodolactonization. In combination with 1.5 equivalents of NCP, only 0.5 equivalents of I₂ are sufficient to generate the iodinating reagent.