Influence of the ester group during the enantioselective methylation of α-aldehyde esters via their chiral oxazolidine derivatives

Depending on the nature of the ester group, fair asymmetric induction (ee's up to 82%) can be attained in the title reaction.     

Synthesis of C3-nitroalkylated-4-hydroxycoumarin and hydroxyiminodihydrofuroquinolinone derivatives via the Michael addition of cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to β-nitrostyrenes

Herein, we describe a practical and efficient method for the C3-alkylation of 4-hydroxycoumarin by sonication under ‘on water’ conditions and mild temperatures using various substituted β-nitrostyrenes. In addition, we report on the development of a convenient process for the regioselective synthesis of angular hydroxyiminodihydrofuroquinolinone catalyzed by base. 4-Hydroxycoumarin and 4-hydroxy-1-methylquinolin-2(1H)-one reacted smoothly with various nitroolefins to furnish C3-nitroalkylated hydroxycoumarin derivatives (by sonication and ‘on water’ conditions) and hydroxyiminodihydrofuroquinolinone derivatives (ambient condition) as a mixture of Z (minor) and E (major) isomers, respectively. The mild reaction conditions employed, ease of isolation of the products and excellent yields constitute important features of the methodology.     

Synthesis of pyrrolidines and piperidines from ω-azidoalkylboronic esters. Stereocontrolled access to chiral nonracemic 2-and 3-substituted derivatives

The conversion of ω-azidoalkylboronic esters 1 into the corresponding pyrrolidines or piperidines was achieved by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide followed by successive mesylation and catalytic hydrogénation. Homologation reactions were used as key steps of the syntheses of a chiral non-racemic 2-substituted pyrrolidine and a 3-substituted piperidine.     

A novel annulation reaction of N-substituted-2-nitrosoanilines with esters of α-isocyano acids. A one-pot,two-step route to 2-benzimidazole-substituted esters of α-amino acids

A BF₃-promoted α-addition of isocyanides to both nitrogen atoms of N-aryl-2-nitrosoanilines leads to stable BF₃-complexes of 3-N-hydroxy-(2-alkylimino)benzimidazole derivatives, which, after reduction with Zn in AcOH produce 1-N-aryl-2-alkylaminobenzimidazoles. This two-step annulation proceeds efficiently in a one-pot protocol with isocyanides derived from esters of α-amino acids. The chirality of the latter remains unaffected in the reaction.     

Promiscuous Candida antarctica lipase B-catalyzed synthesis of β-amino esters via aza-Michael addition of amines to acrylates

An efficient protocol for the regioselective aza-Michael addition of amines with acrylates using CaL B as a biocatalyst at 60 °C has been developed. The reaction is applicable to a wide variety of primary and secondary amines with different acrylates to synthesize the corresponding β-amino esters with good yields. An alternative route for the synthesis of higher β-amino esters through the additional transesterification step is also studied and was found effective.     

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes catalyzed by designer chiral BINOL–quinine–squaramide: efficient access to optically active nitro-alkanes and their isoxazole derivatives

A chiral BINOL–quinine–squaramide has been identified as the best catalyst for the asymmetric Michael addition of nitroalkenes to 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds. A series of chiral nitroalkanes were prepared with approximately >99% ee. Furthermore, the methodology was applied successfully to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure isoxazoles derivatives (>99% ee).     

Secondary amine catalyzed retro-aldol reactions of enals and enones: one-pot conversion of enals to α-substituted derivatives

A practical synthetic procedure to hydrolytically cleave the C,C-double bond of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones has been developed. Secondary amines are employed as organocatalysts for the retro-aldol process under simple and mild reaction conditions. Beside the generation of the parent aromatic aldehydes, the synthetic procedure has been successfully used in a one-pot reaction sequence to convert simple cinnamaldehydes into their α-aryl/alkyl substituted derivatives.     

Thermolyses of α-phosphorylmethyl tetrazolyl sulfoxides in the presence of 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene and their reactions with several amines

We have synthesized α-(phosphoryl)methyl tetrazolyl sulfoxides and examined the reactivities in the thermolyses and in the presence of several amines, such as aniline, benzylamine, piperidine, pyrrolidine, and morpholine. Thermolyses of the derivatives in the presence of 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene afforded 2-phosphoryl substituted 4,5-dimethyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-thiopyran S-oxide. In addition, novel phosphinecarbothioamides were obtained in the reaction of the derivatives with amines.     

Application of the Evans aziridination procedure to 2-substituted acrylates and cinnamates: An expedient route to α-substituted α- and β-amino acids

Reaction of the title compounds with PhINSO₂Ar (Ar = p-tolyl or p-nitrophenyl) in the presence of catalytic copper (II) triflate in acetonitrile gave the corresponding 2 and/or 3-substituted aziridine-2-carboxylates in generally good yields. The latter, on reaction with nucleophiles, gave α-substituted α- or β-amino acids depending on the pattern of substitution on the aziridine ring.     

Synthesis of macrocycles and their application as chiral solvating agents in the enantiomeric recognition of carboxylic acids and α-amino acid derivatives

The chiral macrocycles 1 and 2 with multiple binding sites have been synthesized from D-phenylalanine as chiral solvating agents (CSAs) for the enantiomeric discrimination and determination of the enantiomeric excess of carboxylic acids and a-amino acids derivatives by the ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The results show that chiral macrocycles 1 and 2 are effective CSAs towards the carboxylic acids and a-amino acids derivatives.     

Synthesis of novel optically pure quinolyl-β-amino alcohol derivatives from 2-amino thiophenol and chiral α-acetylenic ketones and their IBX-mediated oxidative cleavage to N-Boc quinolyl carboxamides

A methodology directed toward the stereoselective synthesis of novel quinolyl glycines is presented. This strategy is based on the cyclocondensation reaction between 2-amino thiophenol 4 and chiral acetylenic ketones of the type 3 containing a latent α-amino acid functionality. The initially formed benzo[b][1,4]thiazepine derivatives 5, readily undergo sulphur extrusion in refluxing toluene to yield the corresponding 2,4-disubstituted quinolines 6. Subsequent oxazolidine ring opening followed by in situ re-protection of the amino group afforded the corresponding quinolyl-β-amino alcohols 8a–8f in enantiomerically pure form and good overall yields. The derivatives 8 are in principle suitable precursors for the synthesis of novel optically pure quinolyl glycines through oxidation of the alcohol side chain. However, these amino alcohol derivatives 8, did not afford the expected quinolyl glycines 10 using numerous oxidising agents and reaction conditions. Instead, by reacting 8 with the mild oxidising reagent IBX 11, an oxidative CC cleavage leading to the N-Boc quinolyl carboxamides 12 took place.     

Synthesis of α,β-diamino acid derivatives via asymmetric Mannich reactions of glycine imino esters catalyzed by a chiral phosphoramidite·silver complex

AgOTf·phosphoramidite complexes efficiently catalyze the enantioselective Mannich-type reaction between benzophenone-imine glycine methyl ester and N-tosyl aldimines in the absence of a base. The corresponding syn-adducts, which are the direct precursors of α,β-diamino acids, are obtained with moderate to good syn-diastereoselectivities (up to 9:1) and high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).     

Rearrangement of N-tert-butanesulfinyl α-halo imines with alkoxides to N-tert-butanesulfinyl 2-amino acetals as precursors of N-protected and N-unprotected α-amino carbonyl compounds

Reaction of N-tert-butanesulfinyl α-halo imines with alkoxides afforded new N-tert-butanesulfinyl 2-amino acetals in good to excellent yield. These N-tert-butanesulfinyl 2-amino acetals are convenient precursors for the TMSOTf-promoted synthesis of the corresponding N-protected α-amino aldehydes and ketones, as well as for the HCl-promoted synthesis of 2-amino acetal hydrochlorides and α-amino ketone and α-amino aldehyde hydrochlorides in high yield. Via this method, an asymmetric synthesis of (S)-cathinone hydrochloride (er 94:6) was achieved.     

Trading N and O: asymmetric syntheses of β-hydroxy-α-amino acids via α-hydroxy-β-amino esters

Both diastereoisomers of 2-amino-3-hydroxybutanoic acid and 2-amino-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanoic acid have been prepared from enantiopure α-hydroxy-β-amino esters via the intermediacy of the corresponding cis- and trans-aziridines. Aminohydroxylation of two α,β-unsaturated esters produced enantiopure 2,3-anti-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters in >99:1 dr. Subsequent epimerisation at the C(2)-position via a sequential oxidation/diastereoselective reduction protocol gave the corresponding enantiopure 2,3-syn-α-hydroxy-β-amino esters in >99:1 dr. These syn- and anti-substrates were then converted into the corresponding N-Boc protected cis- and trans-aziridines, respectively, via a three step reaction sequence: (i) hydrogenolysis and in situ N-Boc protection; (ii) OH-activation; and (iii) aziridine formation. Subsequent regioselective ring-opening of the C(3)-methyl-aziridines with Cl₃CCO₂H proceeded with inversion of configuration to give the corresponding 2-amino-3-trichloroacetate esters, whereas the analogous reaction with the C(3)-phenyl-aziridines resulted in rearrangement to the corresponding oxazolidin-2-ones with retention of configuration. In each case, hydrolysis of the products from these ring-opening reactions produced the corresponding enantiopure β-hydroxy-α-amino acids as single diastereoisomers.     

Synthesis of polycyclic indolizine derivatives via one-pot tandem reactions of N-ylides with dichloro substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Convenient and regioselective syntheses of 1,2-annulated, and 1,2-, 5,6- and 1,2-, 7,8-bisannulated polycyclic indolizine derivatives have been achieved by one-pot tandem reactions of cyclic N-ylides derived from the corresponding N-substituted pyridinium, quinolinium, and isoquinolinium salts 1-3 with dichloro substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 4-7. The reactions of the N-ylides with 2,3-dichloroindenone 4, 3,4-dichlorocoumarin 5, and 4a,6,7,8a-tetrachloro-1,4-methanonaphthalene-5,8-dione 6 proceed by sequential [3+2] cycloaddition and elimination of hydrogen chlorides from the cycloadducts. On the other hand, reactions of the N-ylides with 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone 7 take place via a novel reaction sequence to give the products 15-17.     

Rearrangement of oxazolidinethiones to thiazolidinediones or thiazinanediones and their application for the synthesis of chiral allylic ureas and α-methyl-β-amino acids

A novel rearrangement has been found between oxazolidinethiones and acyl halides under N-acylation reaction conditions to afford N-substituted 2,4-thiazolidinediones and N-substituted 1,3-thiazinane-2,4-diones. These heterocycles were used for the synthesis of chiral allylic ureas and α-methyl-β-amino acids.     

AgBF4 catalyzed regio- and stereoselective synthesis of trans α-vinyl-β-amino esters via asymmetric addition of siyl dienolate to sulfinylimines

AgBF₄ catalyzed Mannich-type reactions of siyl dienolate with chiral aryl-substituted (S)-N-tert-butanesulfinylimines has been developed. A class of chiral trans α-vinyl-β-amino esters was obtained in moderate to excellent yields (up to 93%), good diastereoselectiveties (up to 92:8 dr), and complete α-site regioselectivity.     

Transition-metal-free synthesis of polysubstituted pyrrole derivatives via [4 + 1] annulation of β-keto acids (C1 synthon) and α,β-unsaturated imines

A novel [4 + 1] annulation protocol for the synthesis of polysubstituted pyrrole derivatives from β-keto acids and α,β-unsaturated imines via a tandem Michael addition, decarboxylation and TBAI-catalyzed oxidative annulation has been developed. This method provides a new and facile application of β-keto acids as 1,1-nucleophilic/electrophilic type C1 synthons.