Chiral terpene auxiliaries II. Spiroborate esters derived from α-pinene—new catalysts for asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones

New spiroborate esters derived from (1R,2R,3S,5R)-3-aminopinan-2-ol and ethylene glycol, propane-1,3-diol, pinacol, catechol, (1S,2S,3R,5S)-pinane-2,3-diol, and (1R,2R,3S,5R)-pinane-2,3-diol were used as catalysts in the borane reduction of acetophenone and other prochiral aryl alkyl ketones producing the corresponding alcohols in high yields. The influence of the spiroborate structure on the enantioselectivity and configuration of the product alcohols was examined.     

Highly diastereoselective indium-mediated synthesis of β-lactam carbohydrates from imines

A simple and very effective approach to versatile carbohydrate β-lactam synthons of predictable absolute configuration has been developed. The procedure, which is based on the indium-mediated reaction of imines and bromoesters, was applied to the enantioselective synthesis of 3-monosubstituted and 3-disubstituted β-lactams from readily available carbohydrates. The opening of the β-lactamic ring gave rise to the corresponding sugar-derived β-amino acids. Transformation of the β-lactams into the corresponding azetidines was also achieved.     

Chiral counteranion-directed silver-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of 1,2-dihydroisoquinolines by Friedel–Crafts alkylation reactions

The reaction of ortho-alkynylaryl aldimines and indoles catalyzed by a silver binol-derived phosphate was realized to afford a series of enantioenriched 1,2-dihydroisoquinolines in moderate to good yields and ee. An interesting phenomenon that highly enantioenriched products could be obtained from their lower ee form by silica gel column chromatography was observed, providing an easy access to the enantiopure form of the product.     

Chiral enhancement in the confined space of zeolites for the asymmetric synthesis of β-hydroxy nitroalkanes

(1S,2S)-N¹,N²-Bis(3-chlorobenzyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine 1a′ and (1S,2S)-N¹,N²-bis(4-chlorobenzyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine 1b′ were used to prepare chiral Cu(II) complexes Cu-Y-1a, Cu-Y-1b, Cu-mZSM5-1a, and Cu-mZSM5-1b by a flexible ligand method using copper exchanged zeolite Y and mesoporous ZSM-5. The characterization of zeolite supported complexes was performed by microanalysis, IR-, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), EPR spectroscopy, specific rotation and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic activity of these supported complexes was explored for the asymmetric nitroaldol reaction of various aldehydes with nitromethane at 0 °C. Excellent yields (up to 99%) of β-hydroxy nitroalkane with an ee of up to 94% were achieved in the case of benzaldehyde as substrate. Significantly, the performance of the supported catalyst was better in terms of enantioselectivity than the complex under homogenous conditions. The supported catalysts were recycled four times with no observable loss in performance and no leaching of the catalytically active complex during the nitroaldol reaction.     

N-Substituted α-trifluoromethyl β-nitro amines in the synthesis of fluorine-containing 1,2-diamines, amino alcohols, and β-amino acids

Reactions of 2-diazo-1,1,1-trifluoro-3-nitropropane or 1-trifluoromethyl-2-nitroethenes with amines and amino alcohols afforded N-mono- and N,N-disubstituted α-trifluoromethyl β-nitro amines, which were used to obtain a number of trifluoromethyl-containing 1,2-diamines, amino alcohols, and β-amino acids.     

Design, synthesis and evaluation of β-lactam antigenic peptide hybrids; unusual opening of the β-lactam ring in acidic media

β-Lactam peptides were envisioned as conformational constraints in antigenic peptides (APs). Three different β-lactam tripeptides of varying flexibility were prepared in solution and incorporated in place of the central part of the altered melanoma associated antigenic peptide Leu(27)-Melan-A(26-35) using solid phase synthesis techniques. Upon TFA cleavage from the solid support, an unexpected opening of the β-lactam ring occurred with conservation of the amide bond. After adaptation of the solid phase synthesis strategy, β-lactam peptides were successfully obtained and both opened and closed forms were evaluated for their capacity to bind to the antigen-presenting class-I MHC HLA-A2 protein system. None of the closed β-lactam peptides bound to HLA-A2, but their opened variants were shown to be moderate to good HLA-A2 ligands, one of them being even capable of stimulating a Melan-A-specific T cell line.     

Chiral amines in the diastereoselective Mannich-related multicomponent synthesis of diarylmethylamines, 1,2-diarylethylamines, and β-arylethylamines

The multicomponent synthesis of diarylmethylamines, 1,2-diarylethylamines and β-arylethylamines has been undergone starting from aryl- or benzylzinc reagents, aldehydes, and primary or secondary chiral amines. Good to high diastereoselectivities have been obtained from both l-proline ester derivatives 1 and (±)-trans-1-allyl-2,5-dimethylpiperazine (4). The use of R-(+)-1-phenylethylamine (7) provides important diastereoisomeric excesses (∼60%) in conjunction with very high chemical yields. This work constitutes a preliminary entry to the intended development of a more flexible reaction system, involving easily cleavable chiral amines.     

Catalytic asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones by the use of diazaborolidine catalysts prepared from chiral β-diamines

The catalytic asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones was examined in the presence of chiral diazaborolidine catalysts prepared in situ from chiral β-diamines and borane. Chiral secondary alcohols were obtained with modest to high enantiomeric excesses (up to 92% ee) using (S)-2-[(4-trifluoromethyl)anilinomethyl]indoline 2f.     

Crosslinked penicillin acylase aggregates for synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics in organic medium

Crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) of a partially purified penicillin acylase from a recombinant Escherichia coli strain have been produced as a novel type of biocatalysts well endowed to perform in organic media. Different protein precipitants were studied and glutaraldehyde was used as the crosslinking agent. Precipitation curves were obtained for all precipitants to determine the concentrations at which all the protein precipitated out of the solution. The effect of the glutaraldehyde-to-protein ratio was studied with respect to process recovery and the specific activity and stability of the biocatalyst. Recovery of penicillin acylase activity was moderately high, about 50%; major losses of enzyme activity were produced at the precipitation step. Specific activities of all CLEAs were very high, which is one of the advantages of using nonsupported biocatalysts. Ammonium sulfate and tert-butyl alcohol were the best precipitants at a glutaraldehyde-protein mass ratio of 2 and were selected to perform the kinetically controlled synthesis of ampicillin in 60% (v/v) ethylene glycol medium. At comparable conversion yields, volumetric and specific antibiotic productivity were much higher for CLEAs than for carrier-bound penicillin acylases.     

Samarium(II) iodide-induced cascade reaction for tricyclic γ-lactone synthesis from acyclic keto diesters

Cascade reaction involving reductive cyclization, Dieckmann condensation, and lactonization of E- and Z-dimethyl 2-methyl-8-oxoundec-2-enedioates and Z-dimethyl 2-methyl-7-oxodec-2-enedioate with samarium(II) iodide was found to stereospecifically produce cis and trans bicyclo[4.4.0]decane (decalin) ring systems and trans bicyclo[4.3.0]nonan (perhydroindane) ring system each consisting of γ-lactone, respectively.     

New approaches to the asymmetric synthesis of non-proteinogenic α-amino acids and dipeptides through chiral β-lactam intermediates

Novel and effective routes to optically pure aromatic α-amino acids, α-methyl-α-amino acids and their derivatives including dipeptides are developed via homochiral β-lactams which are obtained through asymmetric [2+2] cycloadditions of ketenes to imines.     

Chiral Co(II) complex catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions of β-ketoamides to nitroolefins and alkynones

The catalytic enantioselective Michael additions of cyclic β-ketoamides to nitroolefins and alkynones were accomplished in the presence of chiral N,N′-dioxide–Co(II) complexes. The desired adducts were obtained in high yields (up to 98%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).     

Sulfoxides derived from Cinchona alkaloids—chiral ligands in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

Phenyl sulfides derived from Cinchona alkaloids, 9-PhS-epi-CD, 9-PhS-epi-QN, 9-PhS-epi-QD, and 9-PhS-QN were oxidized into the corresponding sulfoxides. Regardless of the oxidation system used (NaIO₄, TEMPO/NaOCl, VO(acac)₂/chiral Schiff base/H₂O₂) a similar stereochemical outcome of the oxidation was observed. Four pure epimers of sulfoxides 9-PhSO-epi-CD and 9-PhSO-epi-QN were isolated and fully characterized (X-ray, CD, ¹H NMR-pattern). The chiral sulfoxides as well as the corresponding sulfides and sulfones were tested in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation of dimethyl malonate with rac-1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate. The sulfoxides obtained from Cinchona alkaloids bearing the additional stereogenic center gave the main product of configuration dependent on the chirality of alkaloid framework only. Similar ees (up to 60%) but significantly higher yields (90%) were obtained as compared to the reaction with the corresponding thioethers. The results were in agreement with nucleophilic attack directed at the allylic carbon located trans to the sulfur atom in the M-shaped intermediate η³-allylpalladium complex.     

Stereoselective synthesis of sugar-based β-lactam derivatives: docking studies and its biological evaluation

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of cis-β-lactams via [2+2] cycloaddition reactions of sugar-imine derivative possessing free hydroxyl groups at C-2 and C-3 positions and ketenes is described. exo-Approach of sugar-imine with ketene leads to the stereoselective formation of cis product and it is facilitated by hydrogen bonding interaction of C2–OH with carbonyl group of ketene. Docking studies show that these derivatives are having greater affinity towards PBP and it has been validated by in vivo studies. Among the different sugar-based azetidine-2-ones, compounds 6a and 6d were superior in activity to the commercial antibiotic tetracycline.     

Diastereospecific synthesis of β-heterosubstituted alcohols from 1,2-diols via 1,3,2λ5-dioxaphospholanes

The stereochemistry of the ring opening of (R,S) or (R,R)-4,5-dimethyl-2,2,2-triphenyl-1,3,2λ⁵-dioxaphospholanes (prepared by reaction of (R,S) or (R,R)-butane-2,3-diol with dibromotriphenylphosphorane) by aniline or thiophenol was investigated. The reaction affords stereoselectively the corresponding β-anilino- or β-phenylthioalcohols with a nearly complete inversion of stereochemistry at the stereogenic reaction centre.     

Efficient synthesis of highly enantiopure β-lactam derivatives from biocatalytic transformations of amides and nitriles

Catalyzed by Rhodococcus erythropolis AJ270, a nitrile hydratase and amidase containing microbial strain, under mild conditions, kinetic resolution of racemic amides provides an efficient and scalable route to highly enantioenriched R-4-carboxymethyl-β-lactams and S-4-carbamoylmethyl-β-lactams despite the substrates contain a stereogenic center that is β-positioned to amide functionality. Synthetic potential of the method was demonstrated by the constructions of novel β-lactam-fused heterocyclic compounds through convenient and practical chemical transformations.     

New silver(I)–monophosphine complex derived from chiral Ar-BINMOL: synthesis and catalytic activity in asymmetric vinylogous Mannich reaction

A new family of C₂-axially chiral monophosphines (Ar-NNPs) from Ar-BINMOLs was developed for silver-catalyzed asymmetric vinylogous Mannich reaction of (furan-2-yloxy)trimethylsilane with aromatic aldimines. It was found that the enantioselective vinylogous Mannich-type reactions of trimethylsiloxyfuran with aldimines are catalyzed efficiently by silver(I) complexes of the Ar-BINMOL-derived chiral monophosphine. This procedure displays wide aldimine versatility, excellent yields (up to 99% isolated yields), moderate to good enantioselectivity (up to 78%ee) and exceptional diastereoselectivity (>99:1 dr) in most cases examined. The molecular structure of silver–monophosphine complex was confirmed by X-ray analysis and revealed that the benzyl group on chiral monophosphine provided dual function with weak silver–π/π–π stacking and steric repulsion to favour the diastereoselective Re-nucleophilic addition of siloxyfuran to imine.     

Stereoselective synthesis of sugar fused β-disubstituted γ-butyro-lactones: C-spiro-glycosides from 1,2-cyclopropanecarboxylated sugars

A stereoselective methodology was developed for the construction of C-spiro-glycosides in two steps involving bromonium ion activated solvolytic ring opening of sugar derived 1,2-cyclopropanecarboxylates followed by a one-pot dehydrohalogenation, intramolecular hetero-Michael addition (IHMA) and ester hydrolysis. The obtained spirocyclic lactols were further converted to enantiomerically pure spirolactones.