Solvent-free asymmetric aldol reaction organocatalyzed by (S)-proline-containing thiodipeptides under ball-milling conditions

An efficient, solvent-free ball-milling protocol for the asymmetric aldol reaction between cyclohexanone and cyclopentanone with various aromatic aldehydes using a novel series of (S)-proline-containing dipeptides and thiodipeptides 1a–f as organocatalysts is reported. In general, (S)-proline-containing thiodipeptides proved to be better organocatalysts relative to their analogous amides. In particular, thiodipeptide (S,S)-1d catalyzed the stereoselective formation of the expected aldol products with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to 98:2 anti/syn dr and up to 96% ee). This observation may be ascribed to the increased N–H acidity of the thioamide segment that leads to stronger H-bonding interaction with the aldehyde carbonyl at the transition state and thus higher stereoinduction. Furthermore, thiodipeptide 1f proved to be an efficient organocatalyst for the aldol reaction of acetone with isatin and isatin derivatives (ee 56–86%).     

Efficient ball-mill procedure in the ‘green’ asymmetric aldol reaction organocatalyzed by (S)-proline-containing dipeptides in the presence of water

The organocatalytic activity of (S)-proline-based dipeptides 1a-c has been evaluated in the asymmetric aldol reaction between representative ketones with various aromatic aldehydes under solvent-free conditions in a ball mill. In particular, the methyl ester of (S)-proline-(S)-tryptophan, (S,S)-1c, proved to be an efficient organocatalyst, and the aldol reaction proceeded with good chemical yields and excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to 98:2 anti/syn dr and up to 98% ee), in the presence of water, and 5 mol % of benzoic acid as additive.     

A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol

A general strategy for the synthesis of both trans/syn- and trans/anti-sphenolobane diterpenes has been developed, which utilizes an intramolecular ester enolate alkylation (IEEA) as a key step. A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol (1), an unusual trans/syn-sphenolobane diterpene, was accomplished in 18 steps in 4.1% overall yield from readily available aldehyde 16.     

1,5-Stereocontrol in tin(IV) halide mediated reactions between N- and S-substituted pent-2-enylstannanes and aldehydes or imines

Following transmetalation of (4S)-4-(dibenzylamino)pent-2-enyl(tributyl)stannane with tin(IV) bromide, reactions of the resulting allyltin tribromide with aldehydes gave (3Z)-1,5-syn-5-(dibenzylamino)hex-3-en-1-ols with excellent, ca. 98:2, stereocontrol. (4R)-5-Benzylthio-4-methylpent-2-enyl(tributyl)stannane similarly reacted with aldehydes to give (3Z)-1,5-anti-6-benzylthio-5-methylhex-3-en-1-ols with 87:13 stereocontrol. Although the analogous reaction of (4R)-4-benzylthiopent-2-enyl(tributyl)stannane with benzaldehyde proceeded with some stereoselectivity, 80–90:20–10, in favour of the (3Z)-1,5-syn-diastereoisomer, the yield was low due to a competing Lewis acid catalysed 1,4-elimination. N-Acylamino- and S-acylthio-pent-2-enylstannanes reacted with aldehydes with variable syn/anti-stereoselectivities. Tin(IV) chloride promoted reactions of the 4-(dibenzylamino)pent-2-enylstannane with 1-alkoxycarbonylimines gave (E)-alk-4-enoates with a modest preference for the 2,6-anti-products, 2,6-anti/2,6-syn=75:25.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of 4-((3S,5R)-3,5-dihydroxynonadecyl)phenol

A stereoselective total synthesis of 4-((3S,5R)-3,5-dihydroxynonadecyl)phenol has been accomplished in two different synthetic approaches. In the first approach, Prins cyclization has been successfully utilized to produce the anti-1,3-diol unit, which was further converted into a required syn-1,3-diol through Mitsunobu reaction. The side chain was constructed through cross metathesis and hydrogenation sequence. In the second approach, the chiral syn-1,3-diol was prepared by a sequence of reactions such as alkylation of 1,3-dithane with (R)-epichlorohydrin, ring opening of the epoxide with vinylmagnesium bromide, and 1,3-syn-reduction of the β-hydroxyketone with NaBH₄ in the presence of diethylmethoxyborane.     

Facile stereoselective synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-α-substituted cinnamates: stereospecific dehydration reaction with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) and copper(II) chloride

A highly stereoselective method for the synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-α-substituted cinnamates in good yield has been achieved by dehydration reaction of anti- and syn-α-substituted-β-hydroxyphenylpropiolate using EDC. This facile method has been used to synthesize various (E)- and (Z)-α-substituted cinnamates and (E)- and (Z)-α-alkylidene-γ-butyrolactones. The reaction mechanism of this highly stereospecific dehydration using EDC can be elucidated by the ω-dimethylamino group of EDC, which is believed to facilitate the deprotonation step.     

A simple entry into 1,3-diols from (R)-2,3-cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde: synthesis of (−)-galantinic acid

Aldehydes 5, 7, and 9 derived from easily accessible (R)-2,3-cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde 1 were used as novel substrates to obtain both syn- and anti-1,3-diols in several individual reactions by subjecting each of them to some practically viable metal-mediated Barbier-type allylations under moist conditions. In this regard, a detailed investigation was made regarding the compatibility and stereoselectivity associated with four such metal-mediated allylations of these aldehydes 5–7. Good yields with moderate selectivity in several successful reactions with easy chromatographic separation of diastereoisomers of the products have been elegantly exploited to isolate two pairs of enantiomerically pure syn-1,3 and anti-1,3-diols (6a and 6b; 10a and 10b) in substantial amounts. Finally, 10b has been exploited to synthesize (?)-galantinic acid A.     

Synthesis and conformational analysis of 3-hydroxypipecolic acid analogs via CSI-mediated stereoselective amination

A short and efficient stereoselective synthetic approach toward substituted piperidines, involving (2S,3S)-3-hydroxypipecolic acid 1, (2R,3S)-3-hydroxypipecolic acid 3, and their acid-reduced analogs 2 and 4, has been developed. The requisite anti- and syn-1,2-amino alcohols 11 and 12 for the preparation of title four piperidine analogs 1-4 were synthesized via the regioselective and diastereoselective amination of anti- and syn-1,2-dibenzyl ethers 13 and 14 using chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI). As a result, reaction of anti-1,2-dibenzyl ether 13 with CSI afforded exclusively the anti-1,2-amino alcohol 11 with the diastereoselectivity of 49:1 in toluene at −78 °C and syn-isomer 14 gave the syn-1,2-amino alcohol 12 as the major product with the diastereoselectivity of 12:1 in hexane at −78 °C. The result of these reactions could be explained by the neighboring group effect leading to retention of stereochemistry. In addition, conformational changes of trans-piperidine intermediate 9 in terms of the nature of N-protecting groups are described. The conformations of 9 and 24-28 were confirmed by ¹H NMR analysis and NOE correlation. Furthermore, the conformations of piperidines 18 and 23 with hydroxyl methyl substituent at C-2 were investigated by NMR spectroscopy.     

A new and facile preparation of tert-butyl (3R,5S)-6-hydroxy-3,5-O-isopropylidene-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate

A facile method for the preparation of tert-butyl (3R,5S)-6-hydroxy-3,5-O-isopropylidene-3,5-dihydroxyhexanoate is described by a chemoenzymatic approach. In this method, one hydroxyl stereocenter at C5 is obtained with a high ee value (up to 98.0%) via an enzymatic transesterification resolution of l-chloro-3-(4-methylbenzyloxy)-2-propanol. The other hydroxyl stereocenter at C3 was built with 98.0% de, by acid-hydrolysis of a 1,3-diol-acetonide syn/anti-10. It is noteworthy that the reduction of β-hydroxy ketone 8 with sodium borohydride can be carried out smoothly in aqueous isopropyl alcohol with a high diastereomeric ratio syn/anti (dr_s:a) of 4.0:1.     

Stereochemistry of the addition of dialkyl phosphites to (S)-N,N-dibenzylphenylglycinal

The addition of various dialkyl phosphite derivatives to (S)-N,N-dibenzylphenylglycinal 6 led to the preponderance of anti over syn diastereoisomers: from 75:25 when NEt₃ or Ti(OiPr)₄ were used to 51:49 for Li or Mg salts. In the NEt₃-catalysed reaction, partially racemised phosphonates were formed, while enantiomeric products were obtained after addition of lithium O,O-dimethylphosphonate to (S)-6 at −70°C. Because the syn-isomers were found to be resistant to O-benzoylation, mixtures of diastereoisomers were easily separated after esterification of the anti products. Hydrogenation of the syn-phosphonates in the presence of Boc₂O gave enantiomeric dialkyl N-Boc-2-amino-1-hydroxy-2-phenylethylphosphonates—phosphonate analogues of the docetaxel C-13 side chain.     

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of ketones to nitroolefins catalyzed by (S)-pyrrolidine arenesulfonamide

A new type of catalyst for the asymmetric Michael addition reaction has been designed and synthesized. This catalyst, (S)-pyrrolidine arenesulfonamide 1, resulted in high yields (up to 93%), excellent diastereoselectivities (syn/anti ratio up to 99/1), and excellent enantioselectivities (ee up to 99%) for various cyclic ketones and nitroolefins.     

SmI2-induced cyclization of (E)- and (Z)-β-alkoxyvinyl sulfones with aldehydes

SmI₂-induced reaction of (E)- and (Z)-β-alkoxyvinyl sulfones onto an aldehyde function afforded 2,6-syn-2,3-trans- and 2,6-syn-2,3-cis-tetrahydropyran-3-ols, respectively, via stereoselective cyclization. This reaction was applied to the synthesis of 2-methyl-tetrahydropyran, corresponding to the N-ring of gymnocin-A, and 2-exo-methylene-tetrahydropyran, a key intermediate for convergent synthesis of polycyclic ethers based on the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction.     

SmI2-induced cyclization of optically active (E)- and (Z)-β-alkoxyvinyl sulfoxides with aldehydes

SmI₂-induced reaction of (E)-β-alkoxyvinyl (R)- and (S)-sulfoxides with aldehydes effected a highly stereoselective intramolecular cyclization to give 2,6-anti-2,3-cis- and 2,6-syn-2,3-trans-tetrahydropyran-3-ols, respectively. The reaction of (Z)-(R)-isomer gave 2,6-syn-2,3-cis-tetrahydropyran-3-ol and a ring-opened product, and that of (Z)-(S)-isomer yielded many products.     

Conformational fluxionality in a palladium(II) complex of flexible click chelator 4-phenyl-1-(2-picolyl)-1,2,3-triazole: A dynamic NMR and DFT study

An experimental and theoretical DFT study was carried out on the solution behavior in [D₇]DMF for bis-chelate complex [Pd(L)₂](BF₄)₂·2CH₃CN (L = 4-phenyl-1-(2-picolyl)-1,2,3-triazole). In structure of [Pd(L)₂]²⁺, the central square-planar palladium(II) cation is trans-chelated by two L substrates, each through the pyridine and the triazole N2 nitrogen atoms, forming two six-membered metallacycles. These can adopt boat-like conformations anti-trans-[Pd(L)₂]²⁺ and syn-trans-[Pd(L)₂]²⁺ in which the picolyl methylene carbons are anti or syn, respectively, relative to the palladium coordination plane. In solution, the boat-to-boat inversion at both metallacycles takes place. The conformers are in a dynamic equilibrium, which was monitored by variable-temperature (VT) ¹H NMR spectroscopy in the temperature range of 223-353 K. The equilibrium lies on the side of the anti-trans-[Pd(L)₂]²⁺ conformer and the corresponding reaction enthalpy and entropy is estimated to be 0.6 ± 0.5 kcal mol⁻¹ and 0.8 ± 1 cal mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. From the full-line-shape analysis of resonances in the VT ¹H NMR spectra, the activation enthalpy and activation entropy was determined to be 13.0 ± 0.4 kcal mol⁻¹ and 2.7 ± 1.6 cal mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. The activation entropy close to zero suggests a nondissociative mechanism for the isomerisation. DFT investigation revealed that the isomerisation proceeds through a one step mechanism with a barrier of 11.40 kcal mol⁻¹. The structures of the syn and anti conformers as well as that of the transition state were characterized. Energy decomposition analysis was carried out in order to explore the origins of the stability difference between the syn and anti isomers.     

The cycloaddition reaction of 3,4-dimethyl-1-thio-1-phenylphosphole with tropone

3,4-Dimethyl-1-thio-1-phenylphosphole reacts, under elevated temperatures, with tropone to give two [4+2] isomeric adducts: Endo-syn-5,6-dimethyl-3-thio-3-phenyl-3-phosphatricyclo [5.3.2.0^2,6]dodec-4,8,11-trien-10-one (1) and Endo-anti-5,6-dimethyl-3-thio-3-phenyl-3-phosphatricyclo[5.3.2.0^2,6]dodec-4,9,11-trien-8-one (2). In addition to the endo-exo,syn-anti relationship the phosphorus configuration in 1, 2 and some derivatives was also elucidated by means of NMR-shift reagents and ²J_PH coupling constants.     

Constrained cycloalkyl analogues of glutamic acid: stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (LY354740) and its 6-phosphonic acid analogue

A new stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2.6-dicarboxylic acid (LY354740) 1, a potent and selective 2mGluR agonist, has been accomplished in four steps with an overall yield of 27% starting from the enantiopure (+)-(R)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)cyclopent-2-enone 3. The key steps include asymmetric cyclopropanation of 3 with (dimethylsulfuranylidene)acetate (EDSA) and removal of the chiral p-tolylsulfinyl auxiliary from the cycloadduct ent-4c upon treatment with iso-propylmagnesium chloride. The stereoselective hydantoin formation from the bicyclic ketone 6 formed (Bucherer–Bergs reaction) and subsequent hydrolysis completed the synthesis of 1. The same reaction sequence has been applied in the first synthesis of enantiopure (+)-2-amino-6-phosphonobicyclo[3.0.1]hexane-2-carboxylic acid 2, a structural 6-phosphono analogue of 1. The starting bicyclic ketophosphonates 9–11 have been obtained by asymmetric cyclopropanation of (?)-(S)-3 with phosphoryl sulfonium ylides, producing only two endo-isomers. The major endo-isomer (+)-11a containing the 6-diisopropoxyphosphoryl group has been converted in three steps into (+)-endo-2 in 46% overall yield.     

Asymmetric synthesis of syn-aryl-(2S,3R)-2-chloro-3-hydroxy esters via an engineered ketoreductase-catalyzed dynamic reductive kinetic resolution

We report here a generic, green synthesis of 17 valuable syn-aryl-(2S,3R)-2–chloro-3–hydroxy esters(syn-(2S,3R)-1) in 73%-99% isolated yields along with 6.1:1–83:1 dr and 31%～>99% ee, through dynamic reductive kinetic resolution of racemic aryl α–chloro β-keto esters(2) catalyzed by an engineered ketoreductase which was obtained via ep PCR-based directed evolution. The hectogram scale synthesis of syn-(2S,3R)-1b at a substrate concentration of 120 g/L showcased the application potential of th...     

Rhodium(III) and palladium(II) complexes of some P-heterocycles; synthesis and X-ray structures

Deoxygenation of the syn-3-phosphabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 3-oxides bearing a 3-phenyl or a 3-(4-methylphenyl) substituent (1a,b) by trichlorosilane took place already at mild condition and resulted in the corresponding phosphines (2a,b) with retention of configuration at phosphorus, while in the case of 3-(2-methylphenyl)-3-phosphabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane (2c), the inversion of the phosphorus atom was observed in solution under ambient conditions that was evaluated by quantum chemical calculations. A further phosphine ligand (5) was obtained by the reduction of 4-dichloromethylene-1,4-dihydrophosphinine oxide (4). The phosphine ligands (2 and 5) were used in the preparation of Rh(III) complexes (3 and 6). A Pd(II) complex of type PdCl₂(5)₂ (7) was also prepared. The stereostructures of a series of Rh(III) complexes of 3-aryl-3-phosphabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes (3b-syn, 3c-syn and 3c-anti) were elucidated by single crystal X-ray analysis confirming the relative position of the dichlorocyclopropane and the P-substituent.     

The cooperative effect of a hydroxyl and carboxyl group on the catalytic ability of novel β-homoproline derivatives on direct asymmetric aldol reactions

Novel β-homoproline derivatives, 2-hydroxy-2-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)acetic acids (R,S)- and (S,S)-1a-d, were synthesized. All of the prepared compounds were used as organocatalysts in the direct asymmetric aldol reaction of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde with several ketones. Among these catalysts, (R)-2-hydroxy-2-((S)-pyrrolidin-2-yl)acetic acid (R,S)-1a showed good catalytic ability in the formation of aldol product 13 (up to 69% ee, 95% yield), which was similar to the results catalyzed by l-proline (71% ee, 96% yield). Relatively low yields and low enantioselectivities were observed in aldol reactions catalyzed by (S,S)-1a, for example, 13 was obtained in 55% yield and 13% ee. The aldol reaction catalyzed by the methyl-protected carboxylic acid 1b and esters 1c,d produced much lower chemical yields and enantioselectivities during the formation of 13. The cooperative effect of the (R)-configured hydroxyl group and the carboxyl group was found to play an important role in inducing enantioselectivity in the aldol reaction. Relatively high diastereoselectivities (anti:syn = 85:15) and enantioselectivity (anti, 83% ee) were observed in the aldol reactions of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde with cyclohexanone, which was catalyzed by (R,S)-1a.     

Stereoselective titanium-mediated syn-aldol reaction from a lactate-derived chiral ethyl ketone

Stereoselectivity of the titanium-mediated aldol process based on (S)-2-benzyloxy-3-pentanone, 1, is dramatically modified by the presence of a Lewis acid. Among the Lewis acids surveyed, TiCl₄ has given access to the corresponding 2,4-anti-4,5-syn aldol adducts with the highest diastereomeric ratios. The excellent stereocontrol exerted by the aforementioned ketone has been demonstrated in double asymmetric reactions involving chiral α-methyl-β-OTBDPS aldehydes.