High enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters catalyzed by bifunctional thioureas

A highly enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters was achieved using cinchona alkaloid-derived thioureas as the bifunctional catalyst. The corresponding Michael addition products were obtained in excellent yields (90–99%) and ee values (up to >99% ee) using a quinidine-derived thiourea as the catalyst under neat conditions. The opposite enantiomer may be obtained using a quinine- or cinchonidine-derived thiourea as the catalyst.     

DABCO-catalyzed regioselective cyclization reactions of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketophosphonates or β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with allenic esters

Highly efficient DABCO-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketophosphonates or β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with allenic esters gives the corresponding highly functionalized tetrahydropyran and dihydropyran derivatives in good to excellent yields and moderate to good regioselectivities under mild conditions.     

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral β-hydroxy-α-amino acid derivatives by organocatalytic aldol reactions of isocyanoesters with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters

The first organocatalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of isocyanoesters with various β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters has been described. Using cinchona alkaloid-derived bifunctional thiourea as the catalyst, chiral β-hydroxy-α-amino acid derivatives can be obtained in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 95% yield and 92% ee) after acidic hydrolysis. This protocol provides a straightforward method to access multiple substituted β-hydroxy-α-amino acid derivatives with high enantiomeric purity.     

Chiral bifunctional squaramide catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of ethyl α-nitroacetate to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters

We have developed an efficient bifunctional squaramide catalyst for the asymmetric Michael addition of ethyl α-nitroacetate to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters. This organocatalytic asymmetric reaction provides convenient and valuable access to highly functionalized 2-nitro-5-oxo-3-arylhexanedioates in excellent yields with uniformly high levels of enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee) albeit with no diastereoselectivity. The resulting products could be conveniently transformed into 5-nitro-2-oxo-4-arylpentanoic acids without loss of enantiomeric excess via basic hydrolysis and the subsequent decarboxylation. This represents an example of in-direct, but efficient asymmetric conjugate addition of pyruvic acid to nitroolefins.     

An efficient hydrocyanation of α, β-unsaturated diesters with TMSCN catalyzed by MgI2 etherate

Abstract

A mild, efficient and highly regioselective addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide (TMSCN) to α,β-unsaturated diesters has been achieved by using MgI₂ etherate as catalyst under solvent-free conditions. This protocol provides the corresponding β-cyano esters in high yields.     

Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters catalyzed by new squaramide-linked bisoxazoline–Zn(OTf)2 complexes

Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation reactions of indoles with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters catalyzed by novel chiral C₂-symmetric squaramide-linked bisoxazoline–Zn(OTf)₂ complexes were investigated. The corresponding indole ketoesters were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) and with high enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). This is the first report on the use of chiral squaramide-linked bisoxazoline SQBOX in a catalytic enanitioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction.     

Highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles and pyrrole with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters catalyzed by heteroarylidene-tethered bis(oxazoline) copper complexes

The simple and cheap chiral catalyst, heteroarylidene-tethered Ph-bis(oxazoline)-Cu(OTf)(2), can efficiently catalyze the asymmetric F-C alkylation of indoles and pyrrole with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters. The 3-indolyl adducts were obtained in up to >99% ee. Moreover, the 2-pyrrolyl adducts were achieved in up to 92% ee for the first time.     

Asymmetric cycloaddition of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with electron-rich alkenes catalyzed by a chiral Er(OTf)3/N,N'-dioxide complex: highly enantioselective synthesis of 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans

The asymmetric inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reactions of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with electron-rich alkenes were investigated, with an N,N'-dioxide/erbium(III) complex employed as the catalyst. Quantitative conversion of the β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) and diastereoselectivities (up to >99:1 d.r.) were observed for a broad range of substrates by using a 0.5-0.05 mol% catalyst loading under mild reaction conditions. The reaction could be scaled up to the gram scale with the same results. In addition, this was the first application of Er(OTf)(3) to the asymmetric inverse-electron-demand HDA reaction and it behaved as an efficient catalyst. Moreover, the synthetic utility of this methodology was demonstrated with the synthesis of key intermediates of some natural products.     

Asymmetric aldol reactions of α,β-unsaturated ketoester substrates catalyzed by chiral diamines

Highly efficient asymmetric aldol reactions between α,β-unsaturated keto esters and acyclic ketones catalyzed by chiral diamines are reported. The corresponding products were obtained in excellent yields with excellent enantioselectivities. The absolute configuration for the product was determined by X-ray analysis. A variety of substrates were tolerable in the present catalytic system.     

Dinuclear zinc catalyzed asymmetric tandem Michael addition/acetalization reactions of cyclic diketones and β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters

The dinuclear zinc–ProPhenol complex is applied as efficient catalyst in the highly stereoselective tandem Michael addition/acetalization reactions of cyclic 1,3-diketones and β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters. A variety of substrates are well-tolerated, and a broad range of synthetically and pharmaceutically useful chiral chromene derivatives are directly produced in good yields of up to 96% and good enantioselectivities of up to 96% ee.     

Reaction of 2-aminopyridines with α, β-unsaturated acids

The reaction of 2-amino- and 2-amino-5-halopyridines with acrylic, methacrylic, and crotonic acids forms N-(2-pyridyl)- and N-(5-halo-2-pyridyl)--alanines and the betaines 2-amino-1-(2-carboxylatoethyl)pyridinium or 3,4-dihydropyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-2-ones, or their homologs.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 80–85, January, 1992.     

Enantioselective allylation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilane catalyzed by METHOX

α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes 6a-j undergo an enantioselective allylation with allylic trichlorosilanes 2a,b in the presence of METHOX (4) as a Lewis basic catalyst (≤10 mol %) to produce the homoallylic alcohols 7a-l at good to high enantioselectivity (83-96% ee). This study shows that the reactivity scope of METHOX can be extended from aromatic to nonaromatic aldehydes.     

Asymmetric organocatalytic cascade Michael/hemiketalization/retro-Henry reaction of β,γ-unsaturated ketoesters with α-nitroketones

An unprecedented enantioselective organocatalytic Michael/hemiketalization/retro-Henry cascade sequence is described, which catalyzed by a simple bifunctional indane amine-thiourea catalyst. This process provides a new route to the enantioselective synthesis of 5-nitro-pent-2-enoates, a precursor to α-ketolactam.     

Synthesis of optically active dihydropyrans from asymmetric [4 + 2] cycloaddition of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with allenic esters

β-Isocupreidine (β-ICD) catalyzed asymmetric [4 + 2] cycloaddition of β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters with allenic esters afforded ester-substituted functionalized dihydropyran derivatives in high yields along with high enantioselectivities under mild conditions.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of α- or β-acyloxy α,β-unsaturated phosphonates catalyzed by a Rh(I) complex of monodentate phosphoramidite

The Rh(I) complex of a monodentate phosphoramidite bearing a primary amine moiety (DpenPhos) has been disclosed to be highly efficient for the asymmetric hydrogenation of a variety of α- or β-acyloxy α,β-unsaturated phosphonates, providing the corresponding biologically important chiral α- or β-hydroxy phosphonic acid derivatives with excellent enantioselectivities (90->99% ee).     

Asymmetric cyclization reactions of allenoates with imines or α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by organocatalysts derived from cinchona alkaloids

Lewis base-catalyzed cyclization reactions of allenoates with electron-deficient olefins and imines have been demonstrated by the preparation of biologically active natural products and pharmaceutically interesting substances and have emerged as powerful synthetic tools in the rapid construction of cyclic molecular complexity. In contrast to phosphine-containing Lewis bases, nitrogen-containing Lewis base amines display markedly different reaction profiles; however, this area is not well-developed. Herein we summarize the recent progress in this emerging field and outline the challenges ahead.