Catalytic, enantioselective alpha-additions of isocyanides: Lewis base catalyzed Passerini-type reactions

[reaction: see text] The generality of catalytic, enantioselective alpha-additions of isocyanides to aldehydes has been demonstrated (Passerini-type reactions). The catalytic system of silicon tetrachloride and a chiral bisphosphoramide (R,R)-1b provided high yields and good to excellent enantioselectivities for the addition of tert-butyl isocyanide to a wide range of aldehydes (aromatic, heteroaromatic, olefinic, acetylenic, aliphatic). Aqueous workup afforded the alpha-hydroxy tert-butyl amides whereas a low-temperature methanol quench followed by basic workup afforded the alpha-hydroxy methyl esters. The reaction is also successful for other isocyanides, albeit with reduced enantioselectivity. Reaction conditions, particularly the rate of addition of the isocyanide was found to be crucial for good yields and high selectivities.     

Lewis base catalyzed enantioselective aldol addition of acetaldehyde-derived silyl enol ether to aldehydes

[reaction: see text] Chiral phosphoramide catalyzed-enantioselective aldol addition of an acetaldehyde-derived trialkylsilyl enol ether to aromatic aldehydes provides protected aldol products in good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities. Preliminary studies show that the aldolization intermediate (a chlorohydrin adduct) can be trapped with tert-butyl isocyanide to form an alpha-hydroxy lactone with good selectivity in a single-pot operation.     

The RuO4-catalyzed ketohydroxylation. Part 1. Development, scope, and limitation

A new straightforward oxidation of C,C-double bonds to unsymmetrical alpha-hydroxy ketones using catalytic amounts of RuCl(3) and stoichiometric amounts of Oxone under buffered conditions has been developed, a reaction for which we coined the expression "ketohydroxylation". The transformation allows the direct formation of alpha-hydroxy ketones (acyloins) from olefins without intermediate formation of syn-diols. The present paper will provide detailed information starting with the underlying concept and the subsequent development of the reaction. The effect of base, solvent stoichiometry, and temperature will be discussed resulting in an improved mechanistic model that might help to explain the influence of different reaction parameters on reactivity and selectivity in RuO(4)-catalyzed oxidations of C,C-double bonds. Furthermore, an improved workup procedure allows the recovery of the ruthenium catalyst by precipitation while simplifying the overall product purification. The second part of the paper focuses on exploration of scope and limitation. A variety of substituted olefins are oxidized to alpha-hydroxy ketones in good to excellent regioselectivities and yield. Cyclic substrates proved to be problematic to oxidize; however, a careful analysis of temperature effects resulted in the development of a successful protocol for the ketohydroxylation of cyclic substrates by simply decreasing the reaction temperature.     

Kinetic resolution of racemic carboxylic acids by an L-histidine-derived sulfonamide-induced enantioselective esterification reaction

The direct and catalytic kinetic resolution of racemic carboxylic acids bearing a Br?nsted base such as O-protected alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acids and N-protected alpha-amino acids has been accomplished through an L-histidine-derived sulfonamide-induced enantioselective esterification reaction with tert-butyl alcohol for the first time. Highly asymmetric induction [S( k fast/ k slow) = up to 56] has been achieved under the equilibrium between a chiral catalyst and two diastereomeric acylammonium salts through an intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction.     

Catalytic enantioselective Pudovik reaction of aldehydes and aldimines with tethered bis(8-quinolinato) (TBOx) aluminum complex

New chiral tethered bis(8-quinolinolato) (TBOx) aluminum(III) complexes effectively catalyze the addition of phosphites to aldehydes and aldimines to give enantioenriched alpha-hydroxy and alpha-amino phosphonates in high yields and enantioselectivities with unprecedented reactivity (TON =100 as high as 200). The catalyst is optimized with the low catalyst loading of 0.5 - 1.0 mol %. The modular synthesis of the catalyst allows for potential to tune the reaction for maximum catalytic activity. To date there are few examples with broad substrate scopes that can catalyze both aldehydes and aldimines with such high selectivity and no reports utilizing such low catalyst loading.     

Highly efficient and chemoselective acetalization of carbonyl compounds catalyzed by new and reusable zirconyl triflate,ZrO(OTf)2

Various types of aromatic aldehydes were efficiently converted to their corresponding 1,3‐dioxanes and 1,3‐dioxolane with 1,3‐propanediol and ethylene glycol, respectively, in the presence of catalytic amount of ZrO(OTf)₂ in acetonitrile at room temperature. The catalyst can be reused several times without loss of its catalytic activity. Very short reaction times, selective acetalization of aromatic aldehydes in the presence of aliphatic aldehydes and ketones, very mild reaction conditions, reusability of the catalyst, and easy workup are noteworthy advantages of this method. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 20:131–135, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20523     

Cross silyl benzoin additions catalyzed by lanthanum tricyanide

From a screen of (cyanide)metal complexes, an improved catalyst for the cross silyl benzoin addition was discovered. Several M(CN)(3) complexes (M = Ce, Er, Sm, Y, Yb, La) were evaluated and lanthanum tricyanide was identified as the optimal catalyst. The catalyst, prepared in situ from LaCl(3), effects the selective coupling of aryl and alkyl acylsilanes with aryl, heteroaryl, alpha,beta-unsaturated, and aliphatic aldehydes. The reactions occur at ambient temperature in less than 5 min to provide, depending on the workup, alpha-hydroxy or alpha-silyloxy ketones in 48-93% isolated yield.     

Generation and tandem reactions of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallics: practical and versatile reagents for organic synthesis

A practical and straightforward method for generation of versatile 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates and their application to construction of functionalized building blocks are disclosed. Beginning with readily available air-stable 1-alkynyl-1-boronate esters, hydroboration with dicyclohexylborane generates 1-alkenyl-1,1-diboro species. In situ transmetallation with dialkylzinc reagents furnishes 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates. Direct treatment with aldehydes followed by workup allows isolation of B(pin)-substituted allylic alcohols in 70-95% yield. The B(pin)-substituted allylic alcohols react with NBS to afford (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes in 51-77% yield via a semipinacol-type rearrangement. In situ treatment of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates with aldehydes followed by TBHP oxidation enables the preparation of alpha-hydroxy ketones. Under optimized conditions, addition of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates to a variety of protected alpha- and beta-hydroxy aldehydes proceeds with good to excellent control over diastereoselectivity to furnish differentially protected dihydroxy ketones. The 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates have also been employed in tandem aldehyde addition/Suzuki cross-coupling reactions to provide densely functionalized allylic alcohols in good to excellent yields.     

Lewis base activation of lewis acids. Addition of silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes

The weak Lewis acid silicon tetrachloride can be activated by catalytic amounts of the chiral bisphosphoramide (R,R)-3 to form a highly reactive, chiral trichlorosilyl cation which is an extremely effective promoter of aldol addition reactions between aldehydes and silyl ketene acetals. The tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetal of methyl acetate adds nearly instantaneously to aromatic and olefinic aldehydes as well as aliphatic aldehydes (albeit more slowly) with excellent enantioselectivity. The homologous tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetal of tert-butyl propanoate adds with nearly exclusive anti diastereoselectivity to a similar range of aldehydes also with excellent enantioselectivity. The origin of the slower reaction rate with aliphatic aldehydes is revealed to be the formation of chlorosilyl ether adducts.     

Catalytic asymmetric reductive coupling of alkynes and aldehydes: enantioselective synthesis of allylic alcohols and alpha-hydroxy ketones

A highly enantioselective method for catalytic reductive coupling of alkynes and aldehydes is described. Allylic alcohols are afforded with complete E/Z selectivity, generally >95:5 regioselectivity, and in up to 96% ee. In conjunction with ozonolysis, this process is complementary to existing methods of enantioselective alpha-hydroxy ketone synthesis.     

Highly enantioselective alpha-aminoxylation of aldehydes and ketones with a polymer-supported organocatalyst

The first catalytic enantioselective alpha-aminoxylation of aldehydes and ketones using an insoluble, polymer-supported organocatalyst (1) derived from trans-4-hydroxyproline is reported (ee: 96-99%). Reaction rates in the aminoxylation of cyclic ketones with 1 are higher than those reported with l-proline. The insoluble nature of 1 simplifies workup conditions and allows catalyst recycling without an apparent decrease in enantioselectivity or yield.     

Highly enantioselective reductive cyclization of acetylenic aldehydes via rhodium catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

Catalytic hydrogenation of acetylenic aldehydes 1a-12a using chirally modified cationic rhodium catalysts enables highly enantioselective reductive cyclization to afford cyclic allylic alcohols 1b-12b. Using an achiral hydrogenation catalyst, the chiral racemic acetylenic aldehydes 13a-15a engage in highly syn-diastereoselective reductive cyclizations to afford cyclic allylic alcohols 13b-15b. Ozonolysis of cyclization products 7b and 9b allows access to optically enriched alpha-hydroxy ketones 7c and 9c. Reductive cyclization of enyne 7a under a deuterium atmosphere provides the monodeuterated product deuterio-7b, consistent with a catalytic mechanism involving alkyne-carbonyl oxidative coupling followed by hydrogenolytic cleavage of the resulting oxametallacycle. These hydrogen-mediated transformations represent the first examples of the enantioselective reductive cyclization of acetylenic aldehydes.     

An efficient and reusable vanadium based catalytic system for room temperature oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones

A simple and efficient vanadium based catalyst system for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols to aldehydes or ketones is reported using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidizing agent and vanadyl sulfate as catalyst at room temperature. The versatility of the catalytic protocol is studied with wide variety of substrates.     

Aqueous phosphoric acid as a mild reagent for deprotection of tert-butyl carbamates, esters, and ethers

Aqueous phosphoric acid (85 wt %) is an effective, environmentally benign reagent for the deprotection of tert-butyl carbamates, tert-butyl esters, and tert-butyl ethers. The reaction conditions are mild and offer good selectivity in the presence of other acid-sensitive groups, including CBZ carbamates, azetidine, benzyl and methyl esters, TBDMS, and methyl phenyl ethers. The mildness of the reaction is further demonstrated in the synthesis of clarithromycin derivative, in which a tert-butyl ester is removed in the presence of cyclic carbamate, lactone, ketal, acetate ester, and epimerizable methyl ketone functionalities. The reaction preserves the stereochemical integrity of the substrates. The reactions are high yielding, and the workup is convenient.     

An efficient and eco-friendly synthesis of 14-aryl-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes using H4[SiW12O40] as a heterogeneous and reusable catalyst under solvent-free conditions

A simple and efficient catalytic protocol for the synthesis of 14-aryl-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes via the one-pot condensation ofβ-naphthol and aryl aldehydes using silicotungstic acid(H₄[SiW₁₂O₄₀]) is reported.The present method offers several advantages such as high to excellent yields,short reaction times,recovery and reusability of catalyst,mild reaction conditions and easy workup procedures.     

Titanium(IV) alkoxide ligand exchange with alpha-hydroxy acids: the enantioselective aldol addition

Ligand exchange of titanium(IV) alkoxides with alpha-hydroxy acids presents an unexpected and novel approach to enantioselective aldol additions of aldehydes and ketones. The aldol products were isolated in a high degree of syn-diastereoselectivity. High enantioselectivities were observed by using simple optically pure alpha-hydroxy acids in this novel aldol addition.     

Modular amino alcohol ligands containing bulky alkyl groups as chiral controllers for Et2Zn addition to aldehydes: illustration of a design principle

A new family of enantiomerically pure (1S,2R)-1-alkyl-2-(dialkylamino)-3-(R-oxy)-1-propanols containing a very bulky alkyl substituent (tert-butyl or 1-adamantyl) on their hydrocarbon chains has been synthesized from the corresponding enantiopure epoxy alcohols, arising from the catalytic Sharpless epoxidation, by protection of the primary hydroxy group and subsequent regioselective ring opening of the epoxide by a secondary cyclic amine (C-2 attack). The performance of these amino alcohols as ligands for the catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde has been studied, with enantioselectivities of 92-96% being recorded. The best performing ligands, those with a bulky R-oxy group, also depict a convenient activity and selectivity profile in the addition of Et(2)Zn to a representative family of aldehydes. An anomalous structure/enantioselectivity relationship of some ligands in the tert-butyl series has been studied using PM3 calculations, and conclusions have been drawn on the possible effects of including in modular designs structural fragments giving rise to a variety of rotameric transition states.     

Progressive studies on the novel samarium-catalyzed diastereoselective tandem semipinacol rearrangement/Tishchenko reduction of secondary alpha-hydroxy epoxides

A novel and highly diastereoselective samarium-catalyzed tandem rearrangement/reduction of secondary alpha-hydroxy epoxides, which involves a C1 to C3 carbon migration rearrangement and a very interesting hetero-Tishchenko reduction of the intermediate aldehyde and the reductant aldehyde, has been reported. This reaction could be developed to provide a facile and stereoselective construction of 2-quarternary 1,3-diol units with an hydroxymethyl moiety attached to the diastereogenic quaternary carbon center. Detailed investigations have been carried out concerning the screening of the aldehydes as a reductant, the optimization of reaction conditions, and the substrate scope of this tandem reaction. A catalytic cycle for this reaction, the electronic and steric effects of the reductant aldehydes, and the mechanism for the acyl migration of 1,3-diol monoesters are proposed.     

Synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones catalyzed by zirconium(Ⅳ) chloride as a mild and efficient catalyst

2,3-Dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones have been synthesized in the high to excellent yields via condensation of 2-aminobenzamide with aldehydes and ketones in the presence of catalytic amount of ZrCl_4 in EtOH at room temperature.Mild reaction conditions, clean reaction media,simple workup and easy purification are advantages of this methodology.     

Synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones catalyzed by zirconium (IV) chloride as a mild and efficient catalyst

2, 3-Dihydroquinazolin-4 (1H)-ones have been synthesized in the high to excellent yields via condensation of 2-aminobenzamide with aldehydes and ketones in the presence of catalytic amount of ZrCl₄ in EtOH at room temperature. Mild reaction conditions, clean reaction media, simple workup and easy purification are advantages of this methodology.