Highly stereoselective direct aldol reactions catalyzed by (S)-NOBIN-l-prolinamide

(S)-NOBIN-l-prolinamide was employed as organocatalyst in the direct aldol reactions of different ketones and aromatic aldehydes using dioxane as solvent and in the presence of water as additive. Acetone led to the aldol products in up to 93% ee, while cyclic ketones furnished the anti-aldols in moderate to high yield, excellent diastereoselectivity (up to >99/<1 anti/syn ratio) and high ee (up to 95%).     

Microwave-assisted Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of 2-alkyl and 2-alkenyl-benzo-1,3,2-diazaborolanes

Nitrogen-based boronate esters, such as 2-octyl-benzo-1,3,2-diazaborolane, 2-phenethyl-benzo-1,3,2-diazaborolane, and 2-{(1E)-hexenyl}-benzo-1,3,2-diazaborolane have been shown to be suitable coupling partners with arylhalides in microwave accelerated Suzuki cross-coupling reactions. Reaction yields of up to 89% were achieved. The use of a silicon group attached to the nitrogen atom, proved to enhance the reactivity of 2-octyl-benzo-1,3,2-diazaborolane.     

Chiral primary amine thiourea promoted highly enantioselective Michael reactions of isobutylaldehyde with maleimides

Chiral primary amine thiourea catalysts were first successfully applied to promote Michael addition of isobutyraldehyde to maleimides. A variety of N-aryl and N-aliphatic maleimides provided Michael adducts in excellent yields (up to 98%) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) with 5 mol % catalyst.     

Synthesis of highly decorated chiral 2-nitro-cyclohexane carboxylic esters through microwave-assisted organocatalyzed cascade reactions

Starting from (E)-β-substituted-β-nitroacrylates and α,β-unsaturated ketones, a stereoselective organocatalyzed one-pot methodology allowed to synthesize highly decorated chiral 2-nitro-cyclohexane carboxylic esters. The reaction is promoted by Cinchona alkaloid-derived primary amines in the presence of an acidic co-catalyst and affords two diastereoisomers, in good yields and high enantiomeric excess (often higher than 90% ee). By replacing conventional heating with microwave irradiation, cleaner reactions in shortened times (from 48 h to 30 min) were obtained, with improved dr (80:20) and high ee (up to 94%). The application of microwave technology to this organocatalytic methodology allowed also employing C1 substituted enones, leading to cyclohexanones with four contiguous stereocenters in two isomers only, and up to 99% enantioselectivity.     

A P-chiral bisdiamidophosphite ligand with a 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-d-mannite backbone and its application in asymmetric catalysis

A novel readily available P,P-bidentate diamidophosphite ligand with P^∗-stereocentres is prepared from an inexpensive C₂-symmetric 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-d-mannite. By using this efficient ligand, up to 98% ee is achieved in Pd-catalysed asymmetric allylic alkylation, up to 92% ee in Pd-catalysed asymmetric allylic amination and up to 87% ee in Rh-catalysed asymmetric hydrogenation. The influence of the precatalyst, substrate and solvent on the enantioselectivity is discussed.     

The use of two optically active N-sulfinyl α-imino esters in the stereoselective aza-Diels-Alder reaction

Diastereoselective aza-Diels-Alder (aza-DA) reactions of ethyl (S)-N-(tert-butanesulfinyl)iminoacetate (2a) and ethyl (S)-N-(p-toluenesulfinyl)iminoacetate (2b) with different dienes including activated, non-activated, cyclic, and acyclic dienes in the presence of Lewis acids are described. Reactions with 2a were found to be more selective. Reactions of unactivated dienes (acyclic and cyclic) with stoichiometric amounts of TMSOTf as Lewis acid afforded the aza-DA adducts in modest yields and in diastereoselectivities up to 99%. A strong preference for Re-approach was observed for 2a. Cyclic dienes gave the exo adducts as major products. For the aza-DA reaction with activated Danishefsky type dienes poor diastereoselectivities were observed. In these cases, the best results were obtained using stoichiometric amounts of BF₃·Et₂O as Lewis acid (up to 69% de, 76% yield). The absolute configurations of six of the addition products were established by chemical correlation with known compounds. Acidic cleavage of the sulfinyl group occurred without racemization to optically active non-proteinogenic α-amino acid ethyl esters.     

New modular P-chiral ligands for Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

New modular P-chiral ligands have been prepared from commercially available (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol. With these new types of ligands, up to 95% ee was achieved in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins.     

Photodecarboxylative cyclizations of ω-phthalimido-ortho-phenoxy carboxylates

ω-Phthalimido-ortho-phenoxy carboxylates efficiently undergo photodecarboxylative cyclizations in reasonable to good yields of 12-75%. Although the photocyclization efficiency decreases with increasing carbon chain lengths, target ring sizes up to 15 are successfully realized. Likewise, intermolecular photodecarboxylative additions of ω-phenoxy carboxylates to N-methyl phthalimide give hydroxyphthalimidines in yields of 45-73%.     

BINOL-derived N-phosphino sulfoximines as ligands for asymmetric catalysis

BINOL-derived N-phosphino sulfoximines have been prepared for the first time and tested as ligands in asymmetric transition metal catalysis. Up to 99% ee was achieved in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins and up to 66% ee in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation.     

Novel chiral bifunctional l-thiazoline-amide derivatives: design and application in the direct enantioselective aldol reactions

Several novel chiral bifunctional l-thiazoline-amide derivatives were simply synthesized from commercially available l-cysteine and l-proline in high yield. These catalysts were subsequently applied to the direct enantioselective aldol reactions of various aldehydes, which are rarely reported in the literature. The products with anti configuration were obtained up to 97% ee and 99% dr when the l-thiazoline-amide derivatives were used. A plausible transition state model was proposed to explain the observed enantio and diastereoselectivities.     

Asymmetric aza-Diels-Alder reactions of an N-tert-butanesulfinyl α-imino ester

Diastereoselective aza-Diels-Alder (aza-DA) reactions of an N-tert-butanesulfinyl α-imino ester with different dienes including activated and non-activated dienes in the presence of BF₃·OEt₂ are described. Diastereoselectivities up to 99% were observed for acyclic unactivated dienes. The absolute configurations of two aza-DA products have been solved by X-ray analysis.     

Three-component reaction of imidazoles,cyanophenylacetylene, and chalcogens: stereoselective synthesis of 3-alkenyl-2-imidazolethiones and -selones

The three-component reaction of 1-substituted imidazoles, cyanophenylacetylene, and elemental sulfur or selenium proceeds readily (for sulfur at room temperature without solvent, and for selenium in boiling MeCN) to stereoselectively afford 3-(Z)-cyanophenylethenyl-2-imidazolethiones or -selones in yields ranging 39–97% (for thiones) and 39–84% (for selones). In this reaction, tellurium is inactive both under the above conditions and upon heating (50–55 °C) in DMSO, instead, only the C(2)-vinylation of the imidazole ring in up to 98% yield takes place. The Z-stereoselectivity of the reaction is close to 100% (for sulfur) and reaches 91–99% (for selenium). The reaction involves the zwitterionic adduct of imidazoles with cyanophenylacetylene, which converts to the carbene via proton transfer (from the imidazole 2 position to the carbanionic site of the zwitterion) further reacting with chalcogens.     

Various P-chiral phosphite-type ligands: their synthesis, stereochemistry and use in Pd-catalysed allylation

A new family of readily available modular phosphite, phosphoramidite and diamidophosphite ligands with P^∗-stereocentres have been prepared from inexpensive optically active precursors. Using these novel ligands, up to 91% ee was achieved in Pd-catalysed asymmetric allylic amination. The catalytic performance is affected greatly by the structure of the phosphocentre of the ligand.     

(S)-Threonine/α,α-(S)-diphenylvalinol-derived chiral ionic liquid: an immobilized organocatalyst for asymmetric syn-aldol reactions

Chiral ionic liquids containing (S)- or (R)-threonine amide and α,α-(S)-diphenylvalinol units were synthesized In the presence of the (S)-threonine-derived catalyst reactions between ketones with secondary carbon atom(s) at the α-position with respect to the carbonyl group and aromatic (heteroaromatic) aldehydes afforded the corresponding syn-aldols in high yields (up to 99%) and with high diastereo-(syn/anti up to 97:3) and enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee), which was maintained over three reaction cycles.     

Vicinal alkylation-carboxymethylation of electron-poor alkenes by radical-chain reactions with O-alkyl O-silyl ketene acetals and their [3+2] annulation by reaction with O-cyclopropylcarbinyl O-silyl ketene acetals

O-Silyl ketene acetals of the type H₂CC(OR)OSiMe₂Bu^t, in which R is a tertiary or secondary alkyl group, react with electron-poor alkenes to bring about vicinal alkylation-carboxymethylation of the latter. When R is a cyclopropyldimethylcarbinyl group such reactions take a more complex course involving ring opening of the cyclopropylcarbinyl radical and lead ultimately to [3+2] annulation of the alkene.     

Stereo‐ and Chemodivergent NHC‐Promoted Functionalisation of Arylalkylketenes with Chloral

Stereo‐ and chemodivergent enantioselective reaction pathways are observed upon treatment of alkylarylketenes and trichloroacetaldehyde (chloral) with N‐heterocyclic carbenes, giving selectively either β‐lactones (up to 88:12 dr, up to 94 % ee) or α‐chloroesters (up to 94 % ee). Either 2‐arylsubstitution or an α‐branched iPr alkyl substituent within the ketene favours the chlorination pathway, allowing chloral to be used as an electrophilic chlorinating reagent in asymmetric catalysis.     

Me2Zn‐Mediated Catalytic Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Addition of TosMIC to Ketones

The first catalytic asymmetric addition of TosMIC to unactivated ketones is presented. A combination of Me₂Zn and aminoalcohol catalyst promoted the aldol addition/cyclization reaction to render oxazolines possessing a fully substituted stereocenter with excellent yields (up to 92 %), high enantioselectivities (up to 96 %), and complete diastereoselectivity. The chiral oxazolines were then used to give, after a straightforward acid hydrolysis, enantioenriched building blocks bearing tertiary alcohol motifs such as hydroxylaldehydes, hydroxylacids, and hydroxylesters without racemization.     

One-pot synthesis of α-acyloxyaminoamides via nitrones as imine surrogates in the Ugi MCR

α-acyloxyaminoamides can be prepared, with yields ranging from fair to very good (up to 89%), through an Ugi four component reaction by mixing a carbonyl component, a carboxylic acid, an isocyanide and an N-alkylated hydroxylamine in methanol. Preformed nitrones furnish the same final compounds with comparable yields.     

Copper(II)-containing C2-symmetric bistetracarboline amides in enantioselective Henry reactions

A series of new C₂-symmetric chiral diamides were synthesized from l-tryptophan and used as chiral ligands chelated with Cu(II) in enantioselective Henry reactions. Ligand 4a with CuCl₂·2H₂O (5%) showed effective catalytic efficiency in Henry reaction. High yields (up to 99%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98%) were achieved for both aromatic and aliphatic aldehyde substrates.     

A facile and convenient synthesis of functionalized ortho-nitrophenylboronic acids

A variety of ortho-nitrophenylboronic acids bearing functional groups such as cyano, nitro, halo, α-bromomethyl, and ester were prepared in good yields via I-Mg exchange followed by quenching with trimethyl borate. All reagents employed in this procedure are commercially available and were used without further purification, and the procedure can be executed in about an hour.