Organocatalytic desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides through enantioselective alcoholysis with functionalized primary nitroallylic alcohols

The direct organocatalytic desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides was achieved by alcoholysis with nitroallylic alcohols. The reaction between primary nitroallylic alcohols and cyclic meso-anhydrides catalyzed by cinchonidine derived thiourea organocatalyst II (10 mol %) proceeded smoothly. The corresponding hemiesters were obtained in high chemical yields with high to excellent levels of stereoselectivity (up to 90% yield and 99% ee). On the other hand, the reversal of enantioselectivity was observed when an amino cinchonidine derivative (III) was used as the organocatalyst under the similar reaction conditions. This demonstrated an example of activation of the nucelophilic component in the desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides.     

Asymmetric synthesis of novel spirocycles via a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed desymmetrization

A straightforward method for the asymmetric preparation of novel lactone and lactam spirocycles is described. An initial desymmetrization via a chiral Brønsted acid yields enantioenriched lactones which readily undergo a second cyclization to give the desired spirocycle.     

Recent topics in the desymmetrization of meso-diols

The desymmetrization of meso compounds is one of the most effective strategies for asymmetric synthesis. This digest focuses on recent progress in the desymmetrization of meso-diols and their derivatives. The topics discussed here include methods for the enzymatic acylation of meso-diols and the hydrolysis of meso-diesters, acylation, related reactions of meso-diols with organocatalysts and metal catalysts, the oxidation of meso-diols by enzymes, organocatalysts, and metal catalysts, and the desymmetrization of meso-dicarbamates with metal catalysts. The desymmetrization of meso-diols using tandem reactions is also discussed.     

One-pot enzymatic desymmetrization and Ugi MCR

A new approach to the synthesis of chiral peptidomimetics is reported. It combines an enzymatic desymmetrization of 3-phenylglutaric anhydrides with a subsequent Ugi multi-component reaction in a one-pot, two-step procedure. NMR and CD spectroscopy was used to assign the configurations of obtained products. Our synthetic method is very efficient and it can easily be extended to other types of multi-component reactions and can be used for the preparation of chiral peptidomimetic libraries.     

Recyclable C2-symmetric tertiary amine-squaramide organocatalysts: Design and application to asymmetric synthesis of γ-nitrocarbonyl compounds

Simple C₂-symmetric chiral tertiary amines bearing squaramide fragments along with the 1,2-di(pyridin-2-yl)ethane spacer group have been synthesized. Among them, amine 8b with a different configuration of stereocenters in 1,2-di(pyridin-2-yl)ethane and 1,2-diaminocyclohexane units efficiently catalyzed asymmetric additions of β-dicarbonyl compounds to nitroolefins and domino reaction of ortho-(tosylamino)chalcone with β-nitrostyrene in wet (20 equiv. of H₂O) DCM, affording corresponding adducts in up to 99% yield and 94% ee. The developed procedure is scalable. Due to poor solubility in organic solvents and water, the catalyst could be readily separated from the reaction mixture and over 10 times reused in the reaction without compromising enantiomeric enrichment and yield of product.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of C−O Axially Chiral Diaryl Ethers by NHC-Catalyzed Atroposelective Desymmetrization**

Axially chiral diaryl ethers, a distinguished class of atropisomers possessing unique dual C−O axis, hold immense potential for diverse research domains. In contrast to the catalytic enantioselective synthesis of conventional single axis bearing atropisomers, the atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral ethers containing flexible C−O axis remains a significant challenge. Herein, we demonstrate the first N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed synthesis of axially chiral diaryl ethers via atroposelective esterification of dialdehyde-containing diaryl ethers. Mechanistically, the reaction proceeds via NHC-catalyzed desymmetrization strategy to afford the corresponding axially chiral diaryl ether atropisomers in good yields and high enantioselectivities under mild conditions. The derivatization of the synthesized product expands the utility of present strategy via access to a library of C−O axially chiral compounds. The temperature dependency and preliminary investigations on the racemization barrier of C−O bonds are also presented.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially Chiral Diaryl Ethers through Enantioselective Desymmetrization

Axially chiral diaryl ethers are a type of unique atropisomers bearing two potential axes, which have potential applications in a variety of research fields. However, the catalytic enantioselective synthesis of these diaryl ether atropisomers is largely underexplored when compared to the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of biaryl or other types of atropisomers. Herein, we report a highly efficient catalytic asymmetric synthesis of diaryl ether atropisomers through an organocatalyzed enantioselective desymmetrization protocol. The chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric electrophilic aromatic aminations of the symmetrical 1,3-benzenediamine type substrates afforded a series of diaryl ether atropisomers in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. The facile construction of heterocycles by the utilizations of the 1,2-benzenediamine moiety in the products provided access to a variety of structurally diverse and novel azaarene-containing diaryl ether atropisomers.     

Recent advances of desymmetrization protocol applied in natural product total synthesis

Desymmetrization synthesis strategy has simplified and improved the efficiency of synthesis, which attracted great attention in the past few decades. Since the strategy has been developed rapidly and got a wide range of applications in natural product total synthesis, the rules are urgent to be summarized. In this Letter, the recent developments of desymmetrization protocol in natural product total synthesis were summarized.     

Asymmetric catalytic anhydride openings via carbon-based nucleophiles

The asymmetric desymmetrization of cyclic anhydrides via the addition of carbon-based nucleophiles has been the focus of considerable levels of interest because it leads to optically active products. Over the past 20 years, a variety of different catalytic asymmetric alkylation reactions have been developed for the desymmetrization of cyclic anhydrides using different metal reagents as nucleophiles and using chiral ligands. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of significant developments in this field. ~ 2013 Fen-Er Chen. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.     

Chiral squaramides catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective Michael addition of α-substituted isocyanoacetates to N-aryl maleimides

An efficient diastereo- and enantioselective Michael addition of α-substituted isocyanoacetates to N-aryl maleimides catalyzed by quinine or cyclohexane-1,2-diamine derived squaramide catalysts has been disclosed, affording the corresponding adducts in good yields (up to 99%), high diastereoselectivities (up to >20:1 dr) and good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee) under mild conditions.     

Cinchona alkaloid derived squaramide catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective Michael addition of isocyanoacetates to 2-enoylpyridines

An efficient organocatalytic diastereo- and enantioselective Michael addition of α-substituted isocyanoacetates to 2-enoylpyridines catalyzed by cinchona alkaloid-derived squaramide has been achieved, affording the corresponding adducts with two adjacent tertiary-quaternary stereocenters in excellent yields (up to 99%) and good to excellent stereoselectivities (up to >20:1 dr, up to 98% ee) under mild conditions.     

Total synthesis of natural products using a desymmetrization strategy

Total syntheses of SB-203207 (1) and sphingofungin E (2) were accomplished by utilizing an asymmetric desymmetrization strategy to introduce multiple stereogenic centers into meso starting compounds in a single step. Thus, rhodium carbenoid-mediated CH insertion into 3 provided the bicyclo[3.3.0]framework 4 for 1, while organocatalyst-mediated bromolactonization of 5 afforded 6 for the synthesis of 2. Similarly, we utilized desymmetric rhodium nitrenoid-mediated aziridination reaction of 5 to obtain a key intermediate required for a total synthesis of pactamycin (29), a complex aminocyclopentitol antibiotic featuring six contiguous stereogenic centers.     

Enantioselective organocatalytic epoxidation using hypervalent iodine reagents

A rare example of a hypervalent iodine reagent participating in a 1,4-heteroconjugate addition reaction is reported for the organocatalytic, asymmetric epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes using imidazolidinone catalyst 1. Development of an ‘internal syringe pump’ effect via the slow release of iodosobenzene from an iminoiodinane source provides high levels of reaction efficiency and enantiomeric control in the asymmetric epoxidation of electron-deficient olefins. ¹⁵N NMR studies were conducted to elucidate the reaction pathways that lead to catalyst depletion in the presence of prototypical oxidants. These NMR studies also provided the mechanistic foundation for the application of iminoiodinanes as an internal slow release oxidant to circumvent these catalyst depletion pathways.     

Ligand differentiated complementary Rh-catalyst systems for the enantioselective desymmetrization of meso-cyclic anhydrides

Two distinct systems for the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrization of meso-cyclic anhydrides have been developed. Each system has been optimized and are compatible with the use of in situ prepared organozinc reagents. Rhodium/PHOX species efficiently catalyze the addition of alkyl nucleophiles to glutaric anhydrides, while a rhodium/phosphoramidite system is effective in the enantioselective arylation of succinic and glutaric anhydrides.     

Intramolecular Cannizzaro desymmetrization of tetraethylene glycol assisted by a cation binding template

The synthesis of desymmetrized tetraethylene glycol possessing a benzyl alcohol and a benzoic acid end group via a Cannizzaro reaction is reported. The barium cation template used was found to be essential for a successful transformation.     

Preparation of 2-deoxystreptamine derivatives with all-axial substituents for desymmetrization

2-Deoxystreptamine derivatives with all-axial substituents were prepared with new methods. They are potential compounds for desymmetrization.     

Enantioselective organocatalytic conjugate addition of organoboron nucleophiles

This review covers the use of organoboron nucleophiles in enantioselective conjugate additions catalyzed by organic-based catalysts. It is divided into sections based on the type of nucleophile, with each section arranged in roughly chronological order. The categories of nucleophiles are alkynyl, alkenyl, and aryl boronates or borates. The principle modes of catalysis, iminium formation and boron chelation, are covered.     

Recent advances in organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of polysubstituted pyrrolidines

Chiral substituted pyrrolidines are important N-heterocyclic structural motifs, existing in many natural products, drug candidates, ligands and organocatalysts. We summarise herein the recent (between January 2010 and July 2013) developments on synthesising the chiral polysubstituted pyrrolidines through asymmetric organocatalysis. The organocatalytic strategies for constructing the pyrrolidine scaffolds can be divided into one-step and sequential approaches, respectively. The straightforward one-step approach is mainly the [3+2] cycloaddition based on the iminium activation, chiral Brønsted acid catalysis, bifunctional organocatalysis and SOMO activation. In the sequential approach (multi-step or one-pot reactions), the primary construction of chiral linear precursors is followed by the sequential cyclisation. Other important strategies, such as the organocatalytic bromoaminocyclisation were also described. These organocatalytic strategies have enriched the synthetic chemistry of chiral pyrrolidines, especially towards the target-, diversity- and application-oriented synthesis. New organocatalytic approaches are thus expected for the facile construction of polysubstituted pyrrolidines with well-controlled stereochemistry and for the practical synthesis of pyrrolidine-related natural alkaloids, drug candidates and functional proline derivatives.     

Enantioselective desymmetrization of prochiral ketones via an organocatalytic deprotonation process

The first desymmetrization of 4-substituted cyclohexanones by organocatalytic asymmetric deprotonation at low catalyst loading is reported. The combination of N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide (BSA) and chiral quaternary ammonium aryloxide salts has been used as an efficient organocatalytic system to provide silyl enolates in high yields and with modest ee.     

Application of desymmetrization protocol for the formal total synthesis of emericellamide B

A highly convergent formal total synthesis of emericellamide B, a 19-membered antibacterial depsipeptide is described. The key feature of the strategy is the generation of four stereogenic centers from a bicyclic precursor via desymmetrization technique and utilization for emericellamide B and related natural product synthesis.