A Tailor‐Made Chimeric Thiamine Diphosphate Dependent Enzyme for the Direct Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)‐Benzoins

Thiamine diphosphate dependent enzymes are well known for catalyzing the asymmetric synthesis of chiral α‐hydroxy ketones from simple prochiral substrates. The steric and chemical properties of the enzyme active site define the product spectrum. Enzymes catalyzing the carboligation of aromatic aldehydes to (S)‐benzoins have not so far been identified. We were able to close this gap by constructing a chimeric enzyme, which catalyzes the synthesis of various (S)‐benzoins with excellent enantiomeric excess (>99 %) and very good conversion.     

A new (R)-hydroxynitrile lyase from Prunus mume: asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

A new hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL) was isolated from the seed of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume). The enzyme has similar properties with HNL isolated from other Prunus species and is FAD containing enzyme. It accepts a large number of unnatural substrates (benzaldehyde and its variant) for the addition of HCN to produce the corresponding cyanohydrins in excellent optical and chemical yields. A new HPLC based enantioselective assay technique was developed for the enzyme, which promotes the addition of KCN to benzaldehyde in a buffered solution (pH=4.5).     

磷脂的不对称合成研究进展

本文综述了磷脂不称合成方面的研究进展, 包括半合成法和化学合成法。着重讨论了利用不对称反应和手性前体合成不对称甘油型磷脂骨架的方法。     

Scope and mechanism of the Pd(II)-catalyzed arylation/carboalkoxylation of unactivated olefins with indoles

Treatment of 1-methyl-2-(4-pentenyl)indole (5) with a catalytic amount of [PdCl2(MeCN)2] (2; 5 mol %) and a stoichiometric amount of CuCl2 (3 equiv) in methanol under CO (1 atm) at room temperature for 30 min gives methyl (9-methyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-4-carbazolyl)acetate (6), which was isolated in 83% yield. A number of 2- and 3-alkenyl indoles undergo a similar palladium-catalyzed cyclization/carboalkoxylation to give the corresponding polycyclic indole derivatives in moderate to excellent yields with excellent regio- and diastereoselectivity. Under similar conditions, vinyl arenes undergo intermolecular arylation/carboalkoxylation with indoles to give 3-(1-aryl-2-carbomethoxyethyl) indoles in moderate yield with high regioselectivity. Stereochemical analyses of the palladium-catalyzed cyclization/carboalkoxylation of both 2- and 3-alkenyl indoles are in agreement with mechanisms involving outer-sphere attack of the indole on a palladium-olefin complex followed by alpha-migratory insertion of CO and methanolysis of the resulting acyl palladium intermediate. CuCl2 functions as the terminal oxidant in this palladium-catalyzed cyclization/carboalkoxylation of alkenyl indoles and also significantly increases the rate of reaction of 2 with the alkenyl indole to form the corresponding acyl palladium complex. Spectroscopic studies are in agreement with the intermediacy of a heterobimetallic Pd/Cu complex as the active catalyst in this reaction.     

Homogeneous catalysts supported on soluble polymers: biphasic Sonogashira coupling of aryl halides and acetylenes using MeOPEG-bound phosphine-palladium catalysts for efficient catalyst recycling

The Sonogashira coupling of various aryl bromides and iodides with different acetylenes was studied under biphasic conditions with soluble, polymer-modified catalysts to allow the efficient recycling of the homogeneous catalyst. For this purpose, several sterically demanding and electron-rich phosphines of the type R(P)PR(2) were synthesised. They are covalently linked to a monomethyl polyethylene glycol ether with a mass of 2000 Dalton (R(P)=MeOPEG(2000)) R(P)PR(2): -PR(2)= -CH(2)C(6)H(4)CH(2)P(1-Ad)(2), -C(6)H(4)-P(1-Ad)(2), -C(6)H(4)-PPh(2). To couple aryl iodides and acetylenes, the catalyst [(MeCN)(2)PdCl(2)]/2 R(P)-C(6)H(4)-PPh(2) was used in CH(3)CN/Et(3)N/n-heptane (5/2/5). The combined yields of coupling product over five reaction cycles are between 80-95 percent. There is no apparent leaching of the catalyst into n-heptane, as evidenced by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The new catalyst [(MeCN)(2)PdCl(2)]/2 (1-Ad)(2)PBn can be used for room-temperature coupling of various aryl bromides and acetylenes in THF with HNiPr(2) as a base. A closely related catalyst Na(2)[PdCl(4)]/2 R(P)-CH(2)C(6)H(4)CH(2)P(1-Ad)(2) linked to the polymer was used to couple aryl bromides and acetylenes in DMSO or DMSO/n-heptane at 60 degrees C with 0.5 mol percent Na(2)[PdCl(4)], 1 mol percent R(P)PR(2) and 0.33 mol percent CuI. The combined yield of coupling products over five cycles is always greater than 90 percent, except for sterically hindered aryl bromides. The determination of the turnover frequency (TOF) of the catalyst indicates only a small decrease in activity over five cycles. Leaching of the catalyst into the product containing n-heptane solution could not be detected by means of (1)H NMR and TXRF; this is indicative of >99.995 percent catalyst retention in the DMSO solvent.     

Methods for the chemical synthesis of fullerenes

C(60) has been synthesized by chemical methods in 12 steps. Lessons learned in the author's laboratory during a decade devoted to the synthesis and study of open geodesic polyarenes strongly influenced the strategy and methodology ultimately employed for preparing a suitable 60-carbon precursor and for closing it up to the fullerene ball. This review provides a personal account of how the new synthetic tools were developed and put to use.     

Solid-phase synthesis of tetrahydro-beta-carbolines and tetrahydroisoquinolines by stereoselective intramolecular N-carbamyliminium Pictet-Spengler reactions

A solid-phase method for the synthesis of tri-, tetra-, and pentacyclic compounds containing tetrahydro-beta-carboline, tetrahydroisoquinoline or analogous scaffolds is presented. The reaction proceeds with high stereoselectivity through an intermediate N-carbamyliminium ion that exclusively converts into Pictet-Spengler-type products with a variety of C-nucleophiles. Amino aldehydes masked with 3-Boc-(1,3)-oxazinane (Box) have been synthesized from amino acids, amino alcohols, or 2-nitro benzaldehydes. The amino moiety of these masked aldehydes has been converted into pentafluorophenyl carbamate to serve as a urea precursor. The building blocks were incorporated at the N-terminal of a resin-supported dipeptide through urea formation. Subsequent treatment with acid liberated the aldehyde quantitatively. A penultimate tryptophan residue gave rise, under the acetic conditions, to a spontaneous intramolecular Pictet-Spengler reaction with the liberated aldehyde. The reaction proceeded with a high degree of stereoselectivity affording tetrahydro-beta-carbolines with a de (de=diastereomeric excess) above 95 % and purity in the range of 90-99 %. This reaction has been extended to a range of other aromatic C-nucleophiles, including substituted indoles, benzenes, pyrene, furan, thiophenes, and benzothiophene with comparable stereoselectivity and purity. Prolonged exposure of the benzaldehyde-derived Pictet-Spengler products to strong acid and air lead to quantitative auto-oxidation which yielded compounds with a 3,4-dihydro-beta-carboline, a 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline, or a similar core structure.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of spirooxindoles by a mannich-type reaction of isothiocyanato oxindoles

Easy access: a strontium/Schiff base complex as catalyst for the title reaction provided straightforward access to enantiomerically enriched spiro[imidazolidine-4,3'-oxindole] compounds, as well as a spiro[imidazoline-4,3'-oxindole] through a two-step conversion from the Mannich adduct.     

Multiple catalysis with two chiral units: an additional dimension for asymmetric synthesis

This Minireview focuses on asymmetric reactions mediated by two distinct chiral catalysts (chiral multiple catalysis). Initially, this approach appears unconventional, but indeed it allows a fast multidimensional optimization and fine-tuning of the catalytic system required to perform a given transformation. Herein, this emerging concept is presented and its potential applications are highlighted.     

A convergent Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of dl- and meso-divinylethylene carbonate: enantioselective synthesis of (+)-australine hydrochloride and formal synthesis of isoaltholactone

The use of a mixture of dl- and meso-divinylethylene carbonate as an electrophile in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reactions is reported. From the diastereomeric mixture of meso and chiral racemic starting materials, a single product is obtained in high optical purity employing either oxygen or nitrogen nucleophiles. The resulting dienes have proven to be versatile synthetic intermediates as each carbon is functionalized for further transformation and differentiated by virtue of the reaction. A mechanism for this intriguing transformation is proposed and a concise enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-australine hydrochloride is reported as well as a formal synthesis of isoaltholactone.     

Tetrahydroxynaphthalene reductase: catalytic properties of an enzyme involved in reductive asymmetric naphthol dearomatization

In reduced circumstances: tetrahydroxynaphthalene reductase shows a broad substrate range including alternate phenolic compounds and cyclic ketones. Structural modeling reveals major enzyme-substrate interactions; C-terminal truncation of the enzyme causes an altered substrate preference, in accordance with stabilization of the substrate by the C-terminal carboxylate. This effect allows the identification of a homologous enzyme.