Acylative kinetic resolution of racemic aromatic β-hydroxy esters catalyzed by chiral nucleophilic N-(1-arylethyl)benzoguanidines

An efficient acylative kinetic resolution of racemic aromatic β-hydroxy esters with cyclohexanecarboxylic anhydride was achieved using newly designed (R)-N-methylbenzoguanidine ((R)-NMBG) derivatives. A series of (R)-NMBG derivatives was synthesized by modifying the original (R)-NMBG catalyst with the introduction of branched N-substituents containing a stereogenic center, and their catalytic performance was evaluated. (R,R)-N-(1-(β-1-Naphthyl)ethyl)benzoguanidine [(R,R)-NβNpEtBG] was found to function as an efficient acyl transfer catalyst for the reaction of a broad variety of substrates, regardless of the substituent type and substitution pattern.     

Lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution approach toward enantiomerically enriched 1-(β-hydroxypropyl)indoles

In a route towards enantiomerically enriched 1-(β-hydroxypropyl)indoles, which are potentially useful building blocks for high value-added chemicals synthesis, a kinetic resolution approach by means of lipase-catalyzed enantioselective acylation as well as hydrolysis/methanolysis has been elaborated for the first time. The enzymatic resolution of chiral N-substituted indole-based sec-alcohols was successfully accomplished, yielding both enantiomeric forms of the employed derivatives with up to >99% enantiomeric purity via an enantioselective transesterification under mild reaction conditions. The most selective resolutions were obtained using fungal (CAL-B and TLL) and bacterial (PFL and BCL) lipases and vinyl acetate as the acyl?group donor. The synthetic protocol described herein is very simple, user-friendly and efficient, thus paving the way for future access towards more complex compounds of this type. The absolute configurations of novel enantiomeric derivatives, and thus stereoselectivity of the described enzymatic reactions were confirmed by application of CDA-based NMR methodology and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Synthesis of 4-aryl-substituted β-lactam enantiomers by enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution

Enantiopure 4-phenyl- and 4-(p-tolyl)-2-azetidinones 3a, 3b, 4a and 4b (with e.e.s of ≥96%) were prepared through lipase-catalyzed asymmetric butyrylation of the primary OH group of N-hydroxymethylated β-lactams (±)-5 and (±)-6 at the (R)-stereogenic centre or by lipase-catalyzed asymmetric debutyrylation of O-butyryloxymethyl-2-azetidinones (±)-7 and (±)-8 at the (R)-stereogenic centre. The ring-opening of lactams 5a, 5b, 6b and 8a with HCl/EtOH afforded the corresponding β-amino ester enantiomers 9a, 9b, 10a and 10b with e.e.s of ≥92%.     

Synthesis of optically active β-benzyl-γ-butyrolactone through lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution

The lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution of the racemic γ-hydroxy ester 2, coupled with subsequent acid-mediated cyclization, is an effective method for the synthesis of both enantiomers of β-benzyl-γ-butyrolactone 1. This enzymatic process affords the product with high enantiomeric excess under mild reaction conditions and does not require optically active starting materials.     

Synthesis of (1R,cis,αS)-cypermethrine via lipase catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemic m-phenoxybenzaldehyde cyanohydrin acetate

A technical scale preparation of optically active (1R,cis,αS)-cypermethrine 4 from racemic m-phenoxybenzaldehyde cyanohydrin acetate (RS)-1 and (1R,cis)-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid chloride (1R,cis)-3 is described. Key steps of the new procedure are a lipase catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of (RS)-1 with n-butanol and direct acylation of the mixture of (R)-1 and (S)-cyanohydrin (S)-2 with (1R,cis)-3 to give enantiomerically pure (1R,cis,αS)-4. The unchanged (R)-1 is removed from (1R,cis,αS)-4 by distillation, and is racemized with triethylamine to give (RS)-1 which is returned to the process. The total yield of (1R,cis,αS)-4 referred to (RS)-1 is 80%.     

Enantioselective α-hydroxylation of β-keto esters catalyzed by chiral S-timolol derivatives

A screen of aryloxy aminopropanol organocatalysts derived from the β-blocker inhibitor S-timolol determined the most active catalyst of asymmetric α-hydroxylation of β-keto esters. (R)-1-(tert-butylamino)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenoxy) propan-2-ol (3k) was the most effective derivative, enantioselectively catalyzing α-hydroxylation of β-keto esters using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as the oxidant in hexane to afford the corresponding products in excellent yield and with good enantioselectivity (up to 96% yield, 88% ee).     

Primary amine catalyzed electrophilic amination of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes

Organocatalytic α-amination of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes promoted by 9-amino-(9-deoxy)-epi-quinine is described. α-Hydrazino aldehydes bearing a quaternary stereogenic center are obtained in good to excellent yields and enantioselectivities.     

Synthesis of α,α-dideutero-β-amino esters

A straight forward entry to α,α-dideutero-β-amino esters starting from the corresponding imines and deuterated acetonitrile has been developed involving a two-step process.     

Kinetic resolution of racemic α-tert-alkyl-α-hydroxy esters by enantiomer-selective carbamoylation

Kinetic resolution of sterically hindered racemic α-tert-alkyl-α-hydroxy esters is performed by enantiomer-selective carbamoylation with the t-Bu-Box-Cu(II) catalyst (Box = bis(oxazoline)). The reaction with 0.5 equiv of n-C(3)H(7)NCO is carried out with a substrate-to-catalyst molar ratio of 500-5000 at -20 to 25 °C. The high enantiomer-discrimination ability of the catalyst achieves an excellent stereoselectivity factor (s = k(fast)/k(slow)) of 261 in the best case. A catalytic cycle for this reaction is proposed.     

Enantioselective Michael addition of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to nitroolefins catalyzed by a pyrrolidine-pyrazole

An efficient protocol for the asymmetric catalytic Michael additions of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to nitroolefins with a pyrrolidine-pyrazole is described. The desired products γ-nitrocarbonyl compounds possessing an all-carbon quaternary center, were obtained in good yields and with high levels of enantioselectivities under solvent-free reaction conditions, employing benzoic acid as an additive.     

Enantioselective α-chlorination of β-oxo esters catalyzed by chiral diterpenoid alkaloid derivatives

Easily accessible diterpenoid alkaloid derivatives have been used as organocatalysts in the enantioselective α-chlorination of β-oxo esters. The treatment of β-oxo esters with N-chlorophthalimide (NCP) as a chlorine source under mild reaction conditions afforded the corresponding α-chlorinated β-oxo esters in excellent yields (up to 98%) and with moderate enantioselectivities (up to 68% ee) in 30 min.     

Novel synthesis of β-siloxy esters by condensation of carbonyls and trimethylsilane with α,β-unsaturated esters catalyzed by RhCl3

A novel one pot reaction of α,β-unsaturated esters with carbonyls and trimethylsilane gave good yields of β-siloxy esters. This RhCl₃ catalyzed method improves upon the two step reaction of silyl ketene acetals with carbonyls.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched β-hydroxy selenides by catalytic asymmetric ring opening of meso-epoxides with (phenylseleno)silanes

The first example of the enantioselective ring opening of meso-epoxides by (phenylseleno)silanes using salen(Cr)complexes as catalyst is described. This desymmetrization reaction constitutes a simple and convenient approach to synthetically versatile optically active β-hydroxy selenides.     

Synthesis of α,α-disubstituted aryl amines by rhodium-catalyzed amination of tertiary allylic trichloroacetimidates

The rhodium-catalyzed regioselective amination of tertiary allylic trichloroacetimidates with unactivated aromatic amines is a direct and efficient approach to the preparation of α,α-disubstituted allylic aryl amines in good yield and with excellent regioselectivity. This method is applicable to a variety of unactivated primary and secondary amines and allows for the preparation of reverse prenylated indoles in two steps.     

Transesterification catalyzed by iron(III) β-diketonate species

A practical and clean protocol for transesterification catalyzed by a 5 mol % cheap, non-toxic and moisture stable Fe(acac)₃ or other iron(III) β-diketonate species in solvent, such as heptane under azeotropic condition is developed. A remarkable rate enhancement was observed upon the addition of 5 mol % of an inorganic base, such as Na₂CO₃, which suggests that faster formation of a dimeric μ-alkoxy-bridged iron(III) species under alkaline conditions facilitates catalytic turnover. This system provides smooth transesterification over a wide range of structurally diverse esters and alcohols without disturbing functional groups. In addition, the use of iron β-diketonate complexes as catalysts is more environmentally friendly, safer, and economical than other transition-metal catalysts. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that the active catalyst is likely a dimeric μ-alkoxy-bridged iron(III) species, as determined by X-ray crystallography of [Fe(dbm)₂(O-n-Bu)]₂ derived from the alcoholysis of Fe(dbm)₃ under alkaline conditions.     

Lewis acid-promoted reaction of β,γ-unsaturated α,α-dimethoxy esters with silyl nucleophiles

The Lewis acid-promoted reaction of β,γ-unsaturated α,α-dimethoxy esters, which are easily prepared by the acetalization of β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters, with silyl nucleophiles is presented. By employing trimethylsilyl enolate and allyltrimethylsilane as nucleophiles, the BF₃-promoted reactions of a series of β,γ-unsaturated α,α-dimethoxy esters bearing aromatic and aliphatic substituents proceeded at the γ-position in an SN2′ manner to furnish γ-substituted α,β-unsaturated α-methoxy esters in good yields with high regioselectivity. In contrast, the reaction using trimethylsilyl cyanide predominantly occurred at the α-position, and the reaction of silyl hydride resulted in a mixture of α- and γ-regioisomers in favor of the γ-substitution products.     

Highly stereoselective synthesis of β,γ-disubstituted and α,β,γ-trisubstituted butyrolactones

β,γ-Disubstituted butyrolactones were produced effectively and steroeselectively from arsonium ylides generated in situ and substituted olefins. The transformation could be realized in one-pot or in two steps, which depended on the electronic properties of the olefins. With the adjustment of the solvent and in the presence of EtOH, α,β,γ-trisubstituted butyrolactones were also obtained in high yield from arsonium ylides and substituted olefins.     

Synthesis of Functionalized α-Bromo-α, β-Cyclopentenones

Functionalized α, β-cyclopentenones are converted to the corresponding α-bromoenones using pyridinium bromide perbromide in the presence of excess pyridine.     

Synthesis of α,α-disubstituted α-amino esters: nucleophilic addition to iminium salts generated from amino ketene silyl acetals

Alkoxycarbonyl iminium species are prepared easily by the oxidation of tetrasubstituted amino ketene silyl acetals, and subsequent nucleophilic addition of Grignard reagents to the iminium salts gives α,α-disubstituted α-amino ester derivatives in moderate to good yields, in which aryl and ethynyl substituents are readily introduced.