Intermolecular Enantioselective Dearomatization Reaction of β‐Naphthol Using meso‐Aziridine: A Bifunctional In Situ Generated Magnesium Catalyst

A direct, facile, and highly diastereo‐ and enantioselective dearomatization reaction of β‐naphthol derivatives with aziridines has been developed for the first time. A newly designed Box–OH ligand was employed for an in situ generated magnesium catalyst and proved to be efficient. The corresponding dearomatization product was transformed into a polycyclic scaffold and polyhydroxylated compound. ¹H NMR studies revealed the activation mode of the dearomatization process of β‐naphthols, and a clear positive nonlinear effect was observed in the reaction, and provides insight into the coordination environment around the Mg^II center and the possible active species.     

Application of a CC Bond‐Forming Conjugate Addition Reaction in Asymmetric Dearomatization of β‐Naphthols

A C? C bond‐forming conjugate reaction was successfully applied to the enantioselective dearomatization of β‐naphthols. A C(sp2)? C(sp3) bond is formed by using propargylic ketones as reactive partners. Good to excellent Z/E ratios and ee values were obtained by employing an in situ generated magnesium catalyst. Further transformations of the Z‐configured C? C double bond in the products were achieved under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the stereocontrolling element of this magnesium‐catalyzed dearomatization reaction was explored by computational chemistry.     

Chemo‐, Diastereo‐, and Enantioselective Iridium‐Catalyzed Allylic Intramolecular Dearomatization Reaction of Naphthol Derivatives

An iridium‐catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric allylic dearomatization reaction of naphthol derivatives is described. Challenges confronted in this reaction include chemoselectivity between carbon and oxygen atoms as nucleophilic centers, diastereoselectivity when contiguous chiral centers are generated, and enantioselective control for constructing an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter. In the presence of an iridium catalyst generated from [{Ir(dbcot)Cl}₂] (dbcot=dibenzocyclooctatetraene) and a new THQphos (tetrahydroquinolinedinaphthophosphoramidite) ligand, various spironaphthalenones were obtained with up to greater than 95:5 C/O selectivity, greater than 95:5 d.r., and 99 % ee, thus providing a general method for the dearomatization of naphthols.