A concise synthesis of paucifloral F and related indanone analogues via palladium-catalyzed α-arylation

A concise approach to synthesize paucifloral F was developed via a stereoselective palladium-catalyzed α-arylation reaction. The approach has also been applied in the synthesis of indanone analogues of Paucifloral F.     

Enantioselective total syntheses of (-)-taiwaniaquinone H and (-)-taiwaniaquinol B by iridium-catalyzed borylation and palladium-catalyzed asymmetric α-arylation

We report a concise, enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-taiwaniaquinone H and the first enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-taiwaniaquinol B by a route that includes asymmetric palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of a ketone with an aryl bromide that was generated by sterically controlled halogenation via iridium-catalyzed C-H borylation. This asymmetric α-arylation creates the benzylic quaternary stereogenic center present in the taiwaniaquinoids. The synthesis was completed efficiently by developing a Lewis acid-promoted cascade to construct the [6,5,6] tricyclic core of an intermediate common to the synthesis of a number of taiwaniaquinoids. Through the preparation of these compounds, we demonstrate the utility of constructing benzylic quaternary stereogenic centers, even those lacking a carbonyl group in the α-position, by asymmetric α-arylation.     

Enantioselective α-arylation of aldehydes via the productive merger of iodonium salts and organocatalysis

The enantioselective α-arylation of aldehydes has been accomplished using diaryliodonium salts and a combination of copper and organic catalysts. These mild catalytic conditions provide a new strategy for the enantioselective construction and retention of enolizable α-formyl benzylic stereocenters, a valuable synthon for the production of medicinal agents. As one example, this new asymmetric protocol has been applied to the rapid synthesis of (S)-ketoprofen, a commercially successful oral and topical analgesic.     

N-Heterocyclic carbene-palladacyclic complexes: synthesis,characterization and their applications in the C-N coupling and α-arylation of ketones using aryl chlorides

N-Heterocyclic carbene-palladacyclic complexes 3 were successfully achieved in a one-pot procedure under mild conditions. The structure of 3a was unambiguously confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction and it was an active catalyst in the Buchwald-Hartwig amination and α-arylation of ketones even at very low catalyst loadings (0.01?mol%).     

Enantioselective α-arylation of N-acyloxazolidinones with copper(II)-bisoxazoline catalysts and diaryliodonium salts

A new strategy for the catalytic enantioselective α-arylation of N-acyloxazolidinones with chiral copper(II)-bisoxazoline complexes and diaryliodonium salts is described. The mild catalytic conditions are operationally simple, produce valuable synthetic building blocks in excellent yields and enantioselectivities, and can be applied to the synthesis of important nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and their analogues.     

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed α-arylation of 3-aryl-1-indanones: an asymmetric synthesis of (+)-pauciflorol F

Highly stereoselective, palladium-catalyzed α-arylation reactions of 3-aryl-1-indanones with aryl bromides are described. The use of sodium tert-butoxide as a base in this process is required to elevate the efficiencies and stereoselectivities of these reactions. The new methodology was successfully applied to a highly efficient route for the asymmetric synthesis of (+)-pauciflorol F.     

Multi-component, regio-selective aldol addition of β-ketoesters to aldehydes: scope and applications

Simple and effective multi-component one-pot aldol addition/protection reactions of β-ketoesters to a series of aldehydes in the presence Me(3)SiCl and i-Pr(2)EtN have been described. The analysis of the scope of the reaction revealed a dramatic dependence of the reactivity on the substrates used. Thus the effect of a catalytic amount of DMF and different reaction conditions was widely investigated. Further transformations of the aldol adducts were particularly useful to give valuable diols and compounds with quaternary stereocenters, while X-ray structural analysis gave also important stereochemical information about this challenging reaction.     

Enantioselective zinc/BINOL-catalysed alkynylation of aldimines generated in situ from α-amido sulfones

Chiral nonracemic N-Cbz-protected propargylic amines have been prepared by the addition of terminal alkynes to imines generated in situ from α-amido sulfones in the presence of diethylzinc and BINOL-type ligands as catalysts. The reactions give good yields and high enantioselectivities (ee values up to 95?%) for a good number of aromatic and heteroaromatic α-amido sulfones and alkynes.     

Synthesis of chiral N-heterocyclic carbene ligands with rigid backbones and application to the palladium-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular α-arylation of amides

Chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands having a 2,2'-bisquinoline-based C(2) symmetric skeleton were developed. The ligands exhibited good enantioselectivity in palladium-catalyzed intramolecular α-arylation of amides to give 3,3-disubsituted oxindoles.     

Enantioselective synthesis of α,β-diamino ester derivatives: memory of chirality in imino-aldol reactions

A simple strategy for the synthesis of chiral α,β-diamino ester derivatives in good yields and ee (up to 92%) utilizing the ‘memory of chirality’ concept is reported. This methodology has been extended for the enantioselective synthesis of substituted aziridines with excellent ee (92%).     

IR spectra of long-chain α,ω-alkanediols: 1,22-docosanediol and 1,44-tetratetracontanediol

The IR absorption spectra of α,ω-alkanediols with different chain lengths, HO(CH₂)₂₂OH and HO(CH₂)₄₄OH, in the spectral range of 400–5000 cm^?1 are analyzed. The assignment of numerous absorption bands to vibration modes in short methylene sequences and terminal hydroxyl groups is suggested. The splitting of IR absorption bands into doublets at 720–730 cm^?1 (rocking vibrations of CH₂ groups) and 1463–1473 cm^?1 (bending vibrations of CH₂ groups) testifies that the crystal unit subcells in the lamellae of alkanediols are orthorhombic with parameters typical of normal hydrocarbons. The specific features of absorption bands due to O-H stretching and C-O-H bending vibrations have been analyzed. These bands appear during formation of lengthy associates from hydrogen bonds formed by hydroxyl groups on the surface of elementary lamellae. A sharp increase in the intensity of the absorption bands in progression of C-C stretching and CH₂ wagging vibrations due to the anharmonic Fermi resonance with the stretching vibrations of C-O groups in the terminal hydroxyl groups has been detected.     

Enantioselective α- and γ-alkylation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes using dienamine activation

The enantioselective alkylation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with stabilized carbocations as electrophiles via the activation as dienamine intermediates is described. This unique application of dienamine catalysis allows for the first enantioselective γ-alkylation of linear α,β-unsubstituted enals.     

Synthesis of 2-oxazolones and α-aminoketones via palladium-catalyzed reaction of β,β-dibromoenamides

β,β-Dibromoenamides show two different interesting reactivities based on the choice of R group under the reaction conditions. On the basis of mechanistic studies, both reactions proceed via an intermolecular Suzuki-Miyaura C-C coupling and an intramolecular C-O coupling.     

Enantioselective organocatalytic conjugate addition of α-nitroacetate to α,β-unsaturated ketones in water

The catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of α-nitroacetate to α,β-unsaturated ketones promoted by chiral bifunctional organocatalysts is described. The treatment of α-nitroacetate to α,β-unsaturated ketones under aqueous-phase reaction conditions afforded the corresponding Michael adducts with high enantioselectivity. The conjugate addition adducts are easily converted to chiral δ-keto nitroalkanes and δ-keto esters.     

Enantioselective Mannich reaction of γ-malonate-substituted α,β-unsaturated esters with N-Boc imines catalyzed by chiral bifunctional thiourea-phosphonium salts

A novel enantioselective Mannich reaction of γ-malonate-substituted α, β-unsaturated esters with N-protected arylaldimines was realized by using asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis (APTC). With amino acid-derived bifunctional thiourea-phosphonium salts as a catalyst, a series of enantio-enriched Mannich products could be synthesized under very mild and simple reaction conditions with high yields and enantioselectivities.     

Nickel-catalyzed asymmetric α-arylation and heteroarylation of ketones with chloroarenes: effect of halide on selectivity, oxidation state, and room-temperature reactions

We report the α-arylation of ketones with a range of aryl chlorides with enantioselectivities from 90 to 99% ee catalyzed by the combination of Ni(COD)(2) and (R)-BINAP and the coupling of ketones with a range of heteroaryl chlorides with enantioselectivities up to 99% ee catalyzed by Ni(COD)(2) and (R)-DIFLUORPHOS. The analogous reactions of bromoarenes occur with much lower enantioselectivities. Mechanistic studies showed that the difference in the rates of decomposition of the arylnickel(II) halide intermediates to {[(R)-BINAP]NiX}(2) likely accounts for the difference in the enantioselectivities of the reactions of bromoarenes and chloroarenes. This catalyst decomposition can be overcome by conducting the reactions with [(R)-BINAP]Ni(η(2)-NC-Ph) (4), which undergoes oxidative addition to haloarenes at room temperature.