Dicalcium phosphate dehydrate DCPD as a highly efficient and reusable catalyst for Knoevenagel condensation

We have described the catalytic activities of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) in the condensation reaction of various substituted benzaldehydes with active methylene compound malononitrile. The influences of reaction conditions on the corresponding catalytic behavior have been investigated. The results showed that the DCPD exhibited high catalytic activity and versatility and that it can be recycled without significant loss of its activity for the condensation reactions, which shows the material is a promising new type of heterogeneous catalyst for the condensation reactions. Meanwhile, the catalytic results of DCPD compared favorably with those of other materials for Knoevenagel reactions reported previously.     

Catalyst functional group cooperativity in the amino acid-catalysed nitroaldol condensation reaction

Several amino acids and their derivatives have been evaluated as organic catalysts for the nitroaldol reaction. It was found that when an unprotected amino group and an unprotected carboxylate group were present in the organocatalyst, both the nitroaldol reaction and subsequent elimination could occur to afford nitroalkenes from aromatic aldehydes and nitromethane. The best results were obtained by use of γ-amino acids derived from l-glutamine. It is suggested that the amino group is important for intermediate Schiff base formation and that the free carboxylate group facilitates the elimination step.     

Organocatalytic highly enantioselective nitroaldol reaction of alpha-ketophosphonates and nitromethane

[reaction: see text] The first organocatalytic highly enantioselective nitroaldol reaction of alpha-ketophosphonates and nitromethane has been realized by using cupreine (2) or 9-O-benzylcupreine (3) as the catalyst. Both catalysts are highly reactive and highly enantioselective. alpha-Hydroxy-beta-nitrophosphonates have been synthesized in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities (>or=90% ee) at a low catalyst loading (5 mol %). These nitroaldol products may be reduced to the biologically significant beta-amino-alpha-hydroxyphosphonates with complete retention of the stereochemistry.     

A highly stereocontrolled total synthesis of dysiherbaine

A total synthesis of dysiherbaine, a potent agonist of AMPA-KA type glutamate receptors, has been accomplished in completely stereocontrolled manner starting from tri-O-acetyl-D-galactal in 25 steps and in 3% overall yield.     

Direct synthesis of amino-functionalized monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres and their catalytic activity for nitroaldol condensation

New amino-functionalized monodispersed mesoporous silica spheres (MMSS) were synthesized directly by co-condensation of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AP-TMS), [3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl]trimethoxysilane (AEAP-TMS) or 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyltrimethoxysilane (AEAEAP-TMS) with tetramethoxysilane. By changing the methanol ratio or adding extra silica source, amino-functionalized MMSS with different particle diameter (310–780 nm) and the same mesopore size were successfully synthesized. TEM observations revealed that the mesopores were aligned radially from the center towards the outside of the spheres even in the amino-functionalized MMSS. The effect of particle diameter on base catalytic activity was investigated using the amino-functionalized MMSS. In addition, the amino-functionalized MMSS were found to be excellent base catalysts in the nitroaldol condensation reactions. The effectiveness factor was evaluated to be 0.8–0.82 and improved substantially compared with MMSS prepared by grafting method.     

Efficient and enantioselective nitroaldol reaction catalyzed by copper Schiff-base complexes

Mild and efficient enantioselective nitroaldol reactions of nitromethane with various aldehydes were catalyzed by chiral copper Schiff-base complexes, which can be readily prepared from amino acid, yielding the corresponding adducts with high yields and good enantiometric excess (ee).     

Highly enantioselective nitroaldol reaction catalyzed by new chiral copper complexes

Remarkable generality in scope of DATs/Cu catalysts for enantioselective nitroaldol reaction is described; excellent levels of stereoinduction are recorded for a range of aldehydes (ee 81-99%, 17 examples) and the possibility to employ the present catalytic system as the key step for the preparation of highly functionalized tetrahydro-isoquinolines is demonstrated.     

Catalytic asymmetric nitroaldol (Henry) reaction with a zinc-Fam catalyst

Ferrocenyl-substituted aziridinylmethanol (Fam-1) was used as a catalyst with zinc for the asymmetric nitroaldol (Henry) reaction. This catalyst worked with a variety of aldehydes (aromatic, aliphatic, alpha,beta-unsaturated, and heteroaromatic) and alpha-ketoesters to give the nitroaldol product in up to 97% yield and 91% ee. The chiral ligand can be recovered and recycled without losing its activity.     

Use of a highly efficient and recyclable solid-phase catalyst based on nanocrystalline titania for the Pechmann condensation

Nanocrystalline titania-based sulfonic acid was used as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the synthesis of coumarins. The clean, mild acidity condition, the quantitative yields of products, the short reaction time, and the low reaction temperature are attractive features of this method, making it suitable for heat- or acid-sensitive substrates, particularly in drug synthesis. In practice, this method affords an advantageous combination of satisfactory yields, easy product isolation and purification.     

A highly efficient reusable homogeneous copper catalyst for the selective aerobic oxygenation sulfides to sulfoxides

Readily available copper showed efficient activity and great selectivity for the homogeneous catalysis of oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides using molecular oxygen as the oxidant. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of TEMPO. Importantly, the catalysts could be conveniently recovered and reused. And this methodology was proved to be applicable for the transformation of various aromatic and aliphatic sulfides into the corresponding sulfoxides with high conversion and high selectivity.     

An efficient and highly stereocontrolled route to bulgecinine hydrochloride

(-)-Bulgecinine is a nonproteinogenic amino acid component present in bulgecins A, B, and C, antibiotic glycopeptides derived from Pseudomonas acidophila and Pseudomonas mesoacidophila. In combination with beta-lactam antibiotics, bulgecins exihibit a unique synergistic antibacterial activity against various Gram-negative microorganisms. Utilizing d-serine as a chiral template and employing a highly regio- and stereoselective intramolecular amidomercuration-oxidation protocol in the key pyrrolidine ring forming step, an efficient total synthetic route to enantiopure bulgecinine is reported herein.     

Hydrotalcite catalysis in ionic liquid medium: a recyclable reaction system for heterogeneous Knoevenagel and nitroaldol condensation

Knoevenagel condensation proceeds efficiently in recyclable [bmim]PF₆ and [bmim]BF₄ without any catalyst, and hydrotalcites in ionic liquid serve as a safe and recyclable reaction system for both Knoevenagel as well as nitroaldol condensations.     

Zeolite an efficient catalyst for the Biginelli condensation reaction

A zeolite catalyzed, single step and environmentally friendly process for synthesis of classical Biginelli reaction was investigated. For this reaction Transition metal/Y zeolites were prepared by microwave solid-state and aqueous solution ion-exchange methods. The yield of reactions was increased in order of CuY > CoY > NiY > MnY ≈ FeY > VY > CrY > ZnY for the solid-state zeolite ion-exchange and CuY > CoY > NiY > MnY > CrY > VY > ZnY > FeY for the aqueous solution ion-exchange. The solid-state ion-exchange zeolite by microwave irradiation showed higher activity compared to the aqueous solution exchange. The yield of the product in the present of CuY zeolite was in order of 22–50%.     

Controlling the selectivity of competitive nitroaldol condensation by using a bifunctionalized mesoporous silica nanosphere-based catalytic system

A series of bifunctionalized mesoporous silica nanosphere-based (MSN) heterogeneous catalysts for the nitroaldol (Henry) reaction have been synthesized. A common 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethylamino]propyl (AEP) primary group and three different secondary groups, ureidopropyl (UDP), mercaptopropyl (MP), and allyl (AL) functionalities, were incorporated to these mesoporous silica materials by introducing equal amounts of AEP-trimethoxysilane with UDP-, MP-, or AL-trialkoxysilane precursors to our previously reported co-condensation reaction. Structures and relative concentrations of the functional groups were detailed by solid-state NMR and other spectroscopic techniques. The AEP group served as a catalyst, and the other secondary groups provided different noncovalent interactions to reactants and thereby controlled the reaction selectivity. By varying the secondary group in these bifunctionalized MSN catalysts, we investigated the selectivity of a nitroaldol reaction of two competing benzaldehydes reacting with nitromethane by measuring the molar ratio of the nitroalkene products. The selectivity of the bifunctionalized MSN catalysts could be systematically tuned simply by varying the physicochemical properties of the pore surface-bound secondary groups, i.e., polarity and hydrophobicity.     

A highly stereocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-neodysiherbaine A

Neodysiherbaine A, a neuroexitotoxin occurring in a Micronesian marine sponge Dysidea herbacea, was synthesized from tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal with excellent stereocontrol. The method established enables us to obtain gram quantities of neodysiherbaine A and its related compounds.     

Chiral binuclear copper(II) catalyzed nitroaldol reaction: scope and mechanism

Chiral binuclear copper(II) Schiff base complexes 4a-g have been prepared from aldehydes 1a,b, (S)-amino alcohols 2a-f, and Cu(OAc)₂·1H₂O in high yield. Their catalysis is studied for the addition of nitroalkanes to aldehydes at ambient conditions with 76:24 er.     

Recoverable, reusable, highly active, and sulfur-tolerant polymer incarcerated palladium for hydrogenation

A new type of immobilized palladium, PI (polymer incarcerated) Pd (2b), from Pd(PPh(3))(4) and copolymer (1b) has been developed. The excellent activity of PI Pd has been demonstrated in hydrogenation of various olefins, benzyl ethers, and nitro and aromatic compounds. PI Pd is tolerant under high pressure and high temperature and can be recovered and reused several times without loss of activity even under harsh conditions. Moreover, PI Pd is highly resistant to poisoning by sulfur.     

Porous hierarchical magnesium oxide-based heterogeneous catalyst for the Knoevenagel condensation

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - Herein, an operationally facile and efficient Knoevenagel reaction catalyzed by porous hierarchical MgO/Mg(OH)2 is presented. Condensation of various...