Asymmetric conjugate 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to alpha, beta-unsaturated esters catalyzed by Rhodium(I)/(S)-binap

Arylboronic acids underwent the conjugate 1,4-addition to alpha, beta-unsaturated esters to give beta-aryl esters in high yields in the presence of a rhodium(I) catalyst. The addition of arylboronic acids to isopropyl crotonate resulted in high yields and high enantioselectivity exceeding 90% ee in the presence of 3 mol % of Rh(acac)(C(2)H(4))(2) and (S)-binap at 100 degrees C. The rhodium/(S)-binap complex provided (R)-3-phenylbutanoate in the addition of phenylboronic acid to benzyl crotonate. The effects on the enantioselectivity of chiral phosphine ligands, rhodium precursors, and substituents on alpha,beta-unsaturated esters are discussed, as well as the mechanistic aspect of the catalytic cycle.     

Copper-catalyzed addition of diboron reagents to alpha,beta-acetylenic esters: efficient synthesis of beta-boryl-alpha,beta-ethylenic esters

The efficient copper-catalyzed addition reaction of bis(pinacolato)diboron to alpha,beta-acetylenic esters has been developed, which produces the corresponding beta-borylated-alpha,beta-ethylenic esters in high yields under mild reaction conditions.     

Conjugate addition reactions of alpha-aminoalkylcuprates with alpha, beta-alkenyl-, alpha,beta-alkynyl-, alpha,beta-beta,gamma-allenyl-, and alpha,beta-gamma,delta-dienyl carboxylic acid derivatives, nitriles, and sulfoxides

alpha-Aminoalkylcuprates prepared from alpha-lithio carbamates and CuCN.2LiCl participate in 1,4-addition reactions with alpha, beta-unsaturated esters, thiol esters, imides, and nitriles in poor to excellent yields depending upon the electron-withdrawing substituent and the substitution pattern of the unsaturated substrate. These reagents also undergo conjugate addition reactions with alpha,beta-alkynyl esters, sulfoxides, and nitriles and with alpha,beta-beta,gamma-unsaturated allenyl esters. Excellent stereocontrol is achieved in the conjugate additions of alpha-aminoalkylcuprates to the allenyl esters, while poor stereoselectivity results in the conjugate additions to the alkynyl derivatives. Deprotection and cyclization of the alkynyl adducts affords pyrrolin-2-ones, while similar treatment of the allenyl adducts affords 4-alkylidine- pyrrolidin-2-ones and pyrrolizidinones.     

Asymmetric synthesis of beta-amino-gamma-substituted-gamma-butyrolactones: double diastereoselective conjugate addition of homochiral lithium amides to homochiral alpha,beta-unsaturated esters

Chiral alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, containing a single, gamma-stereogenic centre, show modest levels of substrate control upon conjugate addition of lithium dibenzylamide. Double diastereoselective conjugate additions of homochiral lithium N-benzyl-N-(alpha-methylbenzyl)amide to the homochiral alpha,beta-unsaturated esters display "matching" and "mismatching" effects. In each case, however, these additions proceed under the dominant stereocontrol of the lithium amide to give the corresponding beta-amino esters in high de. A remarkable reversal in stereoselectivity is noted by changing the ester functionality to an oxazolidinone. Subsequent O-deprotection and cyclisation of the resultant beta-amino adducts gives access to the corresponding beta-amino-gamma-substituted-gamma-butyrolactones in good yield and high de.     

Zn-promoted regioselective and sequence-selective one-pot joining reaction of three components: alkyl iodides, alpha,beta-unsaturated esters (or nitriles), and acylating agents

One-pot treatment of alkyl iodides, alpha,beta-unsaturated esters (or nitriles), and acylating agents such as nitriles or acid anhydrides in the presence of Zn metal at room temperature in the same reaction system brought about a regioselective and sequence-selective three-component joining reaction involving first C-alkylation at the beta-position and second C-acylation at the alpha-position of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters (or nitriles) to afford the corresponding alpha,alpha-dialkylketoesters (or alpha,alpha-dialkylketonitriles) in moderate to good yields. [reaction: see text]     

Lewis base activation of Lewis acids: catalytic, enantioselective addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes

A catalytic system involving silicon tetrachloride and a chiral, Lewis basic bisphosphoramide catalyst is effective for the addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes. It was found that the sense of diastereoselectivity could be modulated by changing the size of the substituents on the silyl ketene acetals. In general, the trimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from methyl glycolates with a large protecting group on the alpha-oxygen provide enantiomerically enriched alpha,beta-dihydroxy esters with high syn-diastereoselectivity, whereas the tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from bulky esters of alpha-methoxyacetic acid provide enantiomerically enriched alpha,beta-dihydroxy esters with high anti-diastereoselecitvity.     

Extremely Efficient Chiral Induction in Conjugate Additions of p-Tolyl alpha-Lithio-beta-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl Sulfoxide and Subsequent Electrophilic Trapping Reactions

Reaction of p-tolyl alpha-lithio-beta-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl sulfoxide with alpha,beta-unsaturated esters gave the conjugate addition products as a single diastereomer. The intermediate enolates were subsequently trapped with various alkyl halides or aldehydes to give the products with extremely high stereoselectivity. The reaction with alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones also proceeded with high diastereoselectivity. Protolysis of the enolates derived from the alpha-methyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters gave the products with high stereoselectivity. The stereo- and regioselective elimination of the sulfinyl group gave chiral homoallylic carboxylates.     

Highly enantioselective epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters by chiral dioxirane

This paper describes a highly enantioselective epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters using the fructose-derived ketone 2 as catalyst and Oxone as oxidant. High ee's have been obtained for a number of trans and trisubstituted substrates (82-98% ee). The results described show that it is feasible for dioxiranes to effectively epoxidize electron-deficient olefins with high ee's.     

Copper-catalyzed beta-Boration of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds: rate acceleration by alcohol additives

[reaction: see text] The efficient addition of bis(pinacolato)diboron to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with a copper-diphosphine catalyst has been carried out. A dramatic rate acceleration of the reaction was realized by adding alcohol additives. With use of this procedure, a variety of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds including conjugated substrates at the acid oxidation level such as esters and nitriles were reacted to give to the corresponding beta-boryl carbonyl compounds in high yields.     

Broad-spectrum enantioselective diels-alder catalysis by chiral,cationic oxazaborolidines

The cationic chiral Lewis acids 1 and 2, generated by triflic acid protonation of the corresponding neutral oxazaborolidines, serve as excellent catalysts for Diels-Alder addition of cyclopentadiene to a wide variety of dienophiles. Adducts have been obtained in excellent yield and enantioselectivity from alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, lactones, and cyclic ketones. The absolute facial selectivity for each of these substrates follows a common pattern which differs from that observed with alpha,beta-enals. The different reaction channels can be understood in terms of pathways via complexes 3 (for alpha,beta-enals) and 4 (for alpha,beta-enones and esters).     

Efficient and stereoselective synthesis of beta-trifluoromethyl alpha,beta-unsaturated esters via iron(III) porphyrin-catalyzed olefination of ketones

beta-Trifluoromethyl alpha,beta-unsaturated esters were efficiently prepared by reactions of fluorine-containing ketones with diazo compounds via metalloporphyrin-catalyzed olefination in the presence of triphenylphosphine. The commercially available Fe(III)(TPP)Cl (TPP: tetraphenylporphyrin) is effective for catalyzing the olefination of a variety of trifluoromethyl ketones with different diazoacetate esters under mild conditions. The reactions proceeded with high yields (up to 95% isolated yield) and high stereoselectivity (up to 99% (E)-selectivity).     

Trans-selective conversions of gamma-hydroxy-alpha,beta-alkynoic esters to gamma-hydroxy-alpha,beta-alkenoic esters

Gamma-hydroxy-alpha,beta-acetylenic esters are used as precursors to prepare gamma-hydroxy-alpha,beta-alkenoic esters by means of trans-selective additions of two hydrogen atoms or one hydrogen atom and one iodine atom across the triple bonds. These methods allow for the preparation of beta-substituted and alpha,beta-disubstituted alkenoic esters in highly stereoselective manners. [reaction--see text]     

1-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)ethylamine: a new chiral auxiliary for the asymmetric synthesis of gamma-amino acid derivatives

The title compound has proven to be an excellent chiral auxiliary for nitrones in SmI2-mediated reductive coupling with alpha,beta-unsaturated esters. A variety of such nitrones, prepared from aldehydes and enantiopure N-hydroxy-1-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)ethylamine, afforded gamma-N-hydroxyamino esters in high yields and diastereomeric purity. These adducts, readily available as either enantiomer, could be transformed into gamma-N-acetoxyamino esters, N-Boc-gamma-amino esters, and gamma-lactams.     

Synthesis of 2-alkylidenetetrahydrofurans by Ru-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective codimerization of dihydrofurans with alpha,beta-unsaturated esters

2-(1-Alkoxycarbonyl)alkylidenetetrahydrofurans were readily synthesized by the codimerization of 2,3- or 2,5-dihydrofurans with alpha,beta-unsaturated esters using a zerovalent Ru catalyst, Ru(cod)(cot), with high regio- and stereoselectivity.     

Chiral ligand-controlled asymmetric conjugate addition of lithium amides to enoates

The external chiral ligand-controlled asymmetric conjugate addition reaction of lithium amides with alpha,beta-unsaturated esters provided beta-amino esters in high yields and high enantioselectivities.     

Synthesis of functionalized alpha,alpha-disubstituted beta-alkynyl esters from allenoates through an alkynylenolate intermediate

Highly substituted alpha,alpha-disubstituted beta-alkynyl esters are readily prepared from allenyl esters and either alkyl halide, acid chloride, or alkyl chloroformate, mediated by an amide base. This highly efficient and mild process tolerates various functional groups and provides alpha,alpha-disubstituted beta-alkynyl esters in good to excellent yields. This method is especially suitable for the synthesis of 1,n-enynes or 1,n-diynes (n > 4). Electrophilic cyclization of 1,5-enyne gives a highly functionalized gamma-iodolactone, whereas its platinum-catalyzed cycloisomerization affords 1,3-cyclohexadiene.     

Virtually complete E-selective alpha,beta-unsaturated ester synthesis by Hg(OTf)2-catalyzed hydration of sec-ethoxyalkynyl acetate

The reaction of alkyl-substituted sec-ethoxyalkynyl acetates with water catalyzed by Hg(OTf)2 afforded alpha,beta-unsaturated esters in excellent yield with high catalytic turnover up to 1000 times under very mild reaction conditions with virtually complete E-selectivity, superior even to that of the HWE reaction.     

Copper(I)-catalyzed disilylation of alkylidene malonates employing a Lewis base activation strategy

The disilylation of activated alpha,alpha-unsaturated esters has been accomplished by utilizing symmetrical disilanes and catalytic quantities of copper(I) salts in the presence of Lewis bases such as DMF. This new methodology with various alkylidene malonates is moderate to high yielding and affords alpha-silyl diesters, compounds that previously have not been readily accessible, that can be further manipulated to cleanly afford useful alpha-substituted alpha-hydroxy esters.     

Intramolecular, reductive cyclization of beta-ketoisothiocyanates promoted by using samarium diiodide

A novel samarium diiodide (SmI2) promoted intramolecular cyclization of beta-ketoisothiocyanate, derived from alpha,beta-unsaturated esters and ammonium thiocyanate led to alpha-hydroxythiolactams and/or thiolactams in high yields. Treatment of beta-ketoisothiocyanate with two equivalents of SmI2 gave a mixture of alpha-hydroxythiolactam and thiolactam. Four equivalents of SmI2 afforded only thiolactam in high yields. The intramolecular cyclization took place with high to complete stereoselectivity. A mechanism to explain this transformation is proposed.     

Amine-catalyzed coupling of allenic esters to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyls

Nucleophilic amines catalyze the 1,4-addition of allenic esters to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The reactions proceed under mild conditions. In addition, Baylis-Hillman products serve as appropriate electrophiles for the process such that a one-pot, three-component coupling of aldehydes, acrylates, and allenic esters may be achieved.