Asymmetric synthesis of all-carbon benzylic quaternary stereocenters via Cu-catalyzed conjugate addition of dialkylzinc reagents to 5-(1-arylalkylidene) Meldrum's acids

The asymmetric synthesis of all-carbon benzylic quaternary stereocenters has been successfully achieved through copper-catalyzed addition of dialkylzinc reagents to 5-(1-arylalkylidene) and 5-(dihydroindenylidene) Meldrum's acids in the presence of phosphoramidite ligand. The resulting benzyl-substituted Meldrum's acids and 1,1-disubstituted indanes were obtained in good yields and up to 99% ee. The significance of substituting the position para, meta, and ortho to the electrophilic benzylic center was highlighted. A benzyl Meldrum's acid product was further transformed to a 3,3-disubstituted 1-indanone and a beta,beta-disubstituted pentanoic acid.     

Enantioselective synthesis of beta-aryl-gamma-amino acid derivatives via Cu-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-reductions of gamma-phthalimido-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters

A series of chiral beta-aryl-substituted gamma-amino butyric acid derivatives were synthesized in good enantioselectivities via the Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate reduction of gamma-phthalimido-alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters using Cu(OAc)2 x H2O as a catalyst precursor, (S)-BINAP as a ligand, PMHS as a hydride source, and t-BuOH as an additive. The methodology has been applied successfully to the enantioselective synthesis of a chiral pharmaceutical, (R)-baclofen.     

Efficient synthesis of novel NK1 receptor antagonists: selective 1,4-addition of grignard reagents to 6-chloronicotinic acid derivatives

A new efficient synthesis of two novel classes of NK1 receptor antagonists, among them befetupitant and netupitant, starting from 6-chloronicotinic acid is described. The introduction of the o-tolyl substituent at C4 of the pyridine ring was achieved by a one-pot selective 1,4-Grignard addition/oxidation sequence to 6-chloronicotinic acid or a derivative of it. The scope of this addition/oxidation sequence was examined. It was also shown that the carboxylic function can be converted to a methyl amino group by a Hofmann rearrangement followed by reduction. Furthermore, a new high-yielding synthesis of 2-(3,5-bistrifluoromethylphenyl)-2-methyl propionic acid based on the carbonylation of the tertiary alcohol obtained by Grignard addition of 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)bromobenzene to acetone was established.     

Efficient construction of a chiral all-carbon quaternary center by asymmetric 1,4-addition and its application to total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol

The conjugate addition of lithium divinylcuprate to (4S,2′E)-3-(6′-TBDPS-3′-methylhex-2′-enoyl)-4-phenyloxazolidin-2-one proceeded efficiently to create a chiral all-carbon quaternary center with a high diastereoselectivity (R:S = 95:5). The absolute configuration of the newly generated chiral center was confirmed by applying this methodology to the total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol.     

A practical synthesis of trans-3-substituted proline derivatives through 1,4-addition

A practical four-step synthesis of 3-alkyl-, vinyl-, and aryl-substituted proline derivatives, which are important building blocks for conformationally restrained peptide analogs, was developed. The method relies on a Cu-catalyzed 1,4-addition of Grignard reagents to N-protected 2,3-dehydroproline esters, efficiently prepared in a new one-pot protocol. The 1,4-addition products are obtained with good trans-selectivity (dr 5:1 to 25:1). A nonracemic sample of N-Cbz-3-vinylproline (74% ee) was obtained using Evans oxazolidinone as a chiral auxiliary.     

Asymmetric Cu-catalyzed 1,6-conjugate addition of dialkylzinc reagents to 5-(3-aryl-2-propenylidene) Meldrum’s acids

The asymmetric synthesis of tertiary and quaternary stereocentres has been successfully achieved through Cu-catalyzed 1,6-addition of dialkylzinc reagents to 5-(3-aryl-2-propenylidene) Meldrum’s acid derivatives in the presence of a phosphoramidite ligand.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of organoboron reagents to 5,6-dihydro-2(1H)-pyridinones. Asymmetric synthesis of 4-aryl-2-piperidinones

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 4-aryl-2-piperidinones was realized for the first time by asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboron reagents to 5,6-dihydro-2(1H)-pyridinones in the presence of a chiral bisphosphine-rhodium catalyst. In the reaction introducing 4-fluorophenyl group, the use of 4-fluorophenylboroxine and 1 equiv (to boron) of water at 40 degrees C gave the highest yield of the arylation product with high enantioselectivity (98% ee). The (R)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-piperidinone obtained here is a key intermediate for the synthesis of (-)-Paroxetine.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 2-aryl-2,3-dihydro-4-quinolones by rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of arylzinc reagents in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane

[reaction: see text] The first catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 2-aryl-2,3-dihydro-4-quinolones has been developed by way of a rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of arylzinc reagents to 4-quinolones. These 1,4-adducts can be obtained with high enantioselectivity by the use of (R)-binap as a ligand, and high yields are realized by conducting the reactions in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane.     

Palladium/phosphite-catalyzed 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to acrylic acid derivatives

1,4-Addition of arylboronic acids to acrylic acid derivatives proceeds efficiently in the presence of a palladium catalyst system of Pd(OAc)2/(PhO)3P to produce the corresponding 3-arylpropionic acid derivatives. The use of the phosphite ligand is the key to conducting the addition smoothly with suppressing the competing Mizoroki-Heck-type oxidative coupling.     

Asymmetric 1,4-addition of alkenylzirconium reagents to α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by chiral rhodium complexes

Highly enantioselective 1,4-addition of alkenylzirconocene chlorides to α,β-enones was found to be catalyzed by a chiral rhodium complex generated from [Rh(cod)(MeCN)₂]BF₄ and (S)-BINAP. The reaction can be applied to either cyclic or acyclic enones and the optical yield was up to 99% ee. The reaction mechanism would involve the transmetalation between the alkenylzirconocene chloride and the rhodium complex to give the alkenylrhodium species as a key intermediate.     

Copper-catalysed asymmetric 1,4-addition of organometallic reagents to 2-cyclohexenone using novel phosphine-phosphite ligands

A series of novel non-symmetrical phosphine-phosphite ligands 1–10 have been tested in the copper-catalysed asymmetric addition of diethylzinc and triethylaluminium to 2-cyclohexenone. In all cases, excellent conversion and regioselectivities for the 1,4-product were found. Good enantiomeric excesses (up to 62%) were obtained when triethylaluminium was used as the alkylating reagent.     

Catalytic enantioselective alkylations of tetrasubstituted olefins. Synthesis of all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers through Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate additions of alkylzinc reagents to enones

A method for Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition (ACA) of dialkylzinc reagents to tetrasubstituted five- and six-membered cyclic enones that afford quaternary all-carbon stereogenic centers in up to 95% ee is reported. Catalytic ACAs are practical and efficient. Reactions proceed to >98% conversion in undistilled commercial grade toluene in the presence of 2 mol % of an air-stable Cu salt (CuCN) and a readily available chiral ligand. Enantioselective ACA reactions deliver products that can be readily functionalized to afford a variety of synthetically versatile compounds in high optical purity.     

Asymmetric synthesis of fluorinated cyclic beta-amino acid derivatives through cross metathesis

The asymmetric synthesis of several fluorinated cis-2-aminocycloalkane carboxylic acids (cis-2-ACACs) with a cross metathesis (CM) reaction as the key step has been carried out, constituting the first time a metathesis protocol has been undertaken with fluorinated imidoyl chlorides. Subsequent chemoselective hydrogenation of the olefin moiety, Dieckmann condensation, and stereoselective reduction of the iminic double bond afforded the corresponding beta-amino esters with several ring sizes. The asymmetric version of the process was achieved by using (-)-8-phenylmenthol as a chiral auxiliary.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 2-amino-3-hydroxynorbornene-2-carboxylic acid derivatives

The enantioselective synthesis of 2-amino-3-hydroxynorbornene-2-carboxylic acid derivatives (5) was studied using the Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and different dienophiles, i.e., alkyl 5-oxo-2-phenyloxazol-4-methylenecarbonates (1) or 2-benzoylamino-3-alkoxycarbonyloxy-acrylates (12), operating with different Lewis acids and both with thermal and with ultrasound conditions. The enantioselective synthesis of the exo/endo compounds 5c,d and 5'c,d was achieved starting from the chiral menthyl acrylates 12b,c using Mg(ClO(4))(2) as the catalyst and ultrasound. The cycloadducts were obtained in very good yield, in mild conditions, in short time, and in good diastereomeric excess (exo, 80%; endo, 87%). Finally, the use of alkylidene-oxazolones or acrylates and EtAlCl(2) or Mg(ClO(4))(2) as the catalyst allowed control of the cycloaddition reaction in favor of the exo or endo products.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 2-substituted butane-1,4-diols by hydrogenation of homochiral fumaramide derivatives

Diastereoselective hydrogenation of homochiral fumaramides 1 derived from (2R)-Oppolzer’s sultam was observed by analysis of the ¹H NMR spectra of the succinamide mixtures with de’s of 77–88%. Reduction of these succinamides using LiAlH₄ gave the corresponding (2S)-butane-1,4-diols and established that addition of hydrogen takes place selectively on the re-face of fumaramides 1. The stereoselectivity was confirmed by estimating the ee’s from the ¹⁹F NMR spectra of the Mosher’s diesters of the diols. This methodology was applied to the synthesis of selected pyrrolidine natural products in homochiral form.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 1-acyl-3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine-2-boronic acid derivatives

An analogue of N-acetylkainic acid having a cyano group and a boronic acid group in place of the two carboxyl groups has been synthesized with high stereocontrol via a series of chain extensions of pinanediol [(trityloxy)methyl]boronate with (dihalomethyl)lithium followed by appropriate nucleophilic substitution of the resulting chloro or bromo boronic ester. Substituents were introduced in the order isopropenyl, cyanomethyl, and bis(trimethylsilyl)amino. The last of these was converted to acetamido, the hydroxyl function was unmasked and mesylated, and the pyrrolidine ring was closed. Attempts to carry out further chain extension on the boronic ester resulted in low yields, evidently the highly polar amido substituent interferes with the (dichloromethyl)lithium insertion process.