Organocatalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of hydroxyacetone with β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters: facile access to chiral tertiary alcohols

An efficient direct asymmetric aldol reaction between hydroxyacetone and β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters has been successfully developed. In the presence of 9-amino-9-deoxy-epi-cinchonine and trifluoroacetic acid, the direct aldol reaction of O-protected hydroxyacetone proceeded in a highly enantioselective manner, affording the desired adducts containing a chiral tertiary alcohol in high yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. The aldol products obtained are valuable precursors for the synthesis of 2-substituted glycerol derivatives.     

The reaction of carbohydrate-derived alkoxyaldehydes with methoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane: stereoselective synthesis of β-unsaturated esters

The reaction of several carbohydrate-derive alkoxyaldehydes with methoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane afford α, β-unsaturated esters with Z-stereoselectivity. The stereoselectivity depends on the substrate stucture and the nature of the solvent used.     

A novel reaction of β,β′-dihydroxy acids or esters with vanadium(V) trichloride oxide. New entry to the stereoselective synthesis of α-fluoro-α,β-unsaturated acids and esters

β,β′-Dihydroxy carboxylic acids and esters, readily prepared from dibromofluoroacetate and aldehydes, underwent deoxygenation, followed by elimination of aldehyde by the action of vanadium(V) trichloride oxide at the reflux temperature of chlorobenzene for 1 h to afford the Z isomers of α-fluoro-α,β-unsaturated acids and esters, respectively, in fair to good yields. This reaction provides a new alternative entry to the stereoselective synthesis of such fluoro compounds.     

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.     

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed functionalization of homoallylic alcohols: a convenient synthesis of di- and trisubstituted isoxazolidines and β-amino-δ-hydroxy esters

Enantiopure, Boc-protected alkoxyamines 12 and 13, derived from the readily available homoallylic alcohols 4 via a reaction that involves either inversion or retention of configuration, undergo a diastereoselective Pd-catalyzed ring-closing carbonylative amidation to produce isoxazolidines 16/17 (≤50:1 diastereoisomer ratio (d.r.)) that can be readily converted into the N-Boc-protected esters of β-amino-δ-hydroxy acids and their γ-substituted homologues 37. The key carbonylative cyclization proceeds through an unusual syn addition of the palladium and the nitrogen nucleophile across the C=C bond (19→21), as revealed by the reaction of 15, which afforded isoxazolidine 18 with high diastereoselectivity.     

Novel distannoxane-catalyzed transesterification and a new entry to α, β-unsaturated carboxylic acids

Novel distannoxane-catalyzed transesterification reaction has been developed which affords various types of esters under very mild conditions. The reaction was applied to the stereo- and regioselective synthesis of trisubstituted α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids.     

Phosphonium supported triphenylphosphine reagent: an improved access to α-fluoro-α,β-unsaturated esters

α-Fluoro-α,β-unsaturated esters 2 were efficiently synthetized via diethylzinc-promoted Wittig reaction using a phosphonium-supported triphenylphosphine SCG-PPh₃1, which possesses similar reactivity as its parent analog triphenylphosphine. The main advantage of this system is the use of a novel low-molecular-weight support that is soluble in solvents of medium polarities for the attachment of reagents and insoluble in solvents of low polarities.     

Lanthanum-pyBOX complexes as catalysts for the enantioselective conjugate addition of malonate esters to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketimino esters

Abstract

In this paper, we report the application of chiral complexes of La(III) with pyBOX ligands as Lewis acid catalysts in the conjugate addition of malonic esters to N-tosyl imines derived from β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters to give the corresponding chiral α,β-dehydroamino esters. pyBOX complexes with La(III), Yb(III), Sc(III), and In(III) triflates were assessed in this reaction but only La(III) showed good activity and enantioselectivity, while Yb(III) provided the expected product with low yield and stereoselectivity, and the Sc(III) and In(III) complexes were completely inactive. The complex of La(OTf)₃ with the diphenyl-pyBOX ligand prepared in situ provided the best results and allowed obtaining chiral α,β-dehydroamino esters 3 with excellent yields, E:Z diastereomeric ratios (29:71–99:1) and high enantiomeric excesses (20–95%). The reaction could be applied to imines having a substituted aromatic ring or a heterocycle attached to the double bond, although the presence of electron-withdrawing groups on the aromatic ring was detrimental for stereoselectivity. The reaction products were obtained with the S configuration at the stereogenic center and the Z configuration at the enamine double bond as determined by NOESY experiments and X-ray analysis. Based on the experimental results a stereochemical model involving a nine-coordinate La(III) species has been proposed.     

Synthesis of β-keto esters in-flow and rapid access to substituted pyrimidines

We have developed an in-flow process for the synthesis of β-keto esters via the BF(3)·OEt(2)-catalyzed formal C-H insertion of ethyl diazoacetate into aldehydes. The β-keto esters were then condensed with a range of amidines to give a variety of 2,6-substituted pyrimidin-4-ols.     

Triclorosilane-mediated stereoselective synthesis of β-amino esters and their conversion to highly enantiomerically enriched β-lactams

A highly stereoselective trichlorosilane-mediated reduction of N-benzyl enamines was developed; the combination of a low cost, easy to make metal-free catalyst and an inexpensive chiral auxiliary allowed to perform the reaction on substrates with different structural features often with total control of the stereoselectivity. By easy deprotection through hydrogenolysis followed by conversion of β-aminoester to 2-azetidinones, the synthesis of enantiomerically pure β-lactams (>98% e.e.) was successfully accomplished.     

Enantioselective iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids: an efficient approach to chiral 4-alkyl-4-aryl butanoic acids

Chiral acids: a highly enantioselective iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation of β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids is developed for the preparation of chiral 4-alkyl-4-aryl butanoic acids.     

Organocatalytic conjugate addition of α-nitroacetates to β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters and subsequent decarboxylation: synthesis of optically active δ-nitro-α-keto esters

Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of tert-butyl nitroacetates to β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters has been developed. The subsequent in situ hydrolysis-decarboxylation of the adducts provided 5-nitro-2-oxopentanoates. A pyrrolidine-based thiourea-tertiary amine was identified as the best catalyst. A number of γ-aryl, γ-alkyl, and γ-heteroaryl β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters and α-substituted tert-butyl nitroacetates were examined in the transformation. Generally 5-nitro-2-oxopentanoates were obtained in good yields (up to 97%) and enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The products were readily transformed to chiral proline derivatives by catalytic hydrogenation.     

An improved procedure for the two carbon homologation of esters to α, β-unsaturated esters

Treatment of esters with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL) in the presence of lithio-trialkylphosphonoacetate results in improved yields of the homologated α, β-unsaturated esters. The problematic overreduction, which has previously observed in the half reduction of esters using DIBAL, is minimal (<3%) under these conditions.     

A synthesis of di- and tri-substituted β,γ-unsaturated esters from aldehydes by the magnesium carbenoid 1,2-CH and 1,2-CC insertion as the key reaction

Addition reaction of 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, which were derived from aldehydes, with lithium enolate of tert-butyl acetate at −78 °C in THF gave adducts in high yields. Treatment of these adducts with Grignard reagents resulted in the formation of magnesium carbenoids via the sulfoxide-magnesium exchange reaction. When the adducts were derived from alkyl aldehydes or electron-deficient aromatic aldehydes, carbenoid 1,2-CH insertion reaction took place from the magnesium carbenoids to afford β,γ-unsaturated butyric esters having a substituent at the β-position. On the other hand, when the adducts were derived from electron-rich aromatic aldehydes, carbenoid 1,2-CC insertion reaction took place from the magnesium carbenoids to give β,γ-unsaturated butyric esters having the aromatic group at the γ-position. Highly stereospecific 1,2-CC insertion reactions were observed in the latter reactions. When the addition reactions were quenched with iodoalkanes, the alkylated adducts were obtained in quantitative yields. Tri-substituted β,γ-unsaturated esters, or in some case γ,δ-unsaturated esters, were obtained by the treatment of the alkylated adducts with EtMgCl. These procedures provide a good way for a new synthesis of di- and tri-substituted β,γ-unsaturated esters from aldehydes with two or three carbon-carbon bond-formations.     

Copper-catalyzed di- and trifluoromethylation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids: a protocol for vinylic fluoroalkylations

Dual action: the Lewis acid CuF(2) ?2?H(2)O efficiently catalyzes the reaction between electrophilic fluoroalkylating agents and α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids by dually activating both reactants, thus affording di- and trifluoromethyl alkenes in high yields with excellent E/Z selectivity.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to γ-phthalimido-substituted-α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters: an approach to γ-amino acids

Efficient Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to ethyl-γ-phthalimidocrotonate by using bis-sulfoxide ligand affords γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) derivatives with high enantioselectivities (90-96% ee) under mild conditions. Optically pure (S)-Baclofen and (S)-Rolipram have been prepared successfully through this synthetic route.     

Thiourea-catalyzed asymmetric domino Michael-cyclization reaction of 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles with β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters for the synthesis of spirocyclic oxindoles

A reaction between 3-isothiocyanato oxindoles and β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters catalyzed by a chiral thiourea organocatalyst via a domino Michael-cyclization process is described, which delivers a range of biologically important 2′-thioxospiro[indoline-3,4′-oxazolidin]-2-one compounds in high yields with good diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield, >99:1 dr, >99% ee). Moreover, two of 2′-thioxospiro[indoline-3,4′-oxazolidin]-2-one compounds were found to significantly behave in anti-inflammatory activities in a preliminary biological evaluation.     

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.