A Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Redox Arylation

A Brønsted acid catalyzed redox arylation of ynamides that employs aryl sulfoxides as the arylating agents is reported. This metal‐free transformation proceeds at room temperature and efficiently affords α‐arylated oxazolidinones in a redox‐neutral, atom‐economic fashion.     

Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydroamination of Alkenes: Synthesis of Pyrrolidines Bearing a Tetrasubstituted Carbon Stereocenter

The first highly enantioselective Brønsted acid catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of alkenes enables the efficient construction of a series of chiral (spirocyclic) pyrrolidines with an α‐tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenter with excellent functional group tolerance. A unique feature of this strategy is the use of a thiourea group acting as both the activating and the directing group through cooperative multiple hydrogen bonding with a Brønsted acid and the double bond. The utility of this method is highlighted by the facile construction of chiral synthetic intermediates and important structural motifs that are widely found in organic synthesis.     

Chiral Brønsted Acid from Chiral Phosphoric Acid Boron Complex and Water: Asymmetric Reduction of Indoles

A new chiral Brønsted acid, generated in situ from a chiral phosphoric acid boron (CPAB) complex and water, was successfully applied to asymmetric indole reduction. This “designer acid catalyst”, which is more acidic than TsOH as suggested by DFT calculations, allows the unprecedented direct asymmetric reduction of C2‐aryl‐substituted N‐unprotected indoles and features good to excellent enantioselectivities with broad functional group tolerance. DFT calculations and mechanistic experiments indicates that this reaction undergoes C3‐protonation and hydride‐transfer processes. Besides, bulky C2‐alkyl‐substituted N‐unprotected indoles are also suitable for this system.     

Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Cascade Reactions Involving 1,2‐Indole Migration

A cascade reaction of indoles with propargylic diols involving an unprecedented metal‐free 1,2‐indole migration onto an alkyne was carried out. DFT calculations support a mechanism consisting of a concerted nucleophilic attack of the indole nucleus with loss of water, followed by the 1,2‐migration and subsequent Nazarov cyclization. This Brønsted acid‐catalyzed protocol affords indole‐functionalized benzofulvene derivatives in high yields.     

Salicylato Titanocene Complexes as Cooperative Organometallic Lewis Acid and Brønsted Acid Catalysts for Three‐Component Mannich Reactions

A binary acid system has been developed that features an air‐stable organometallic precursor, titanocene dichloride, and simple organic cooperative Brønsted acids, which allowed for mild and highly efficient Mannich reactions of both aryl and alkyl ketones with excellent yields and satisfactory diastereoselectivity. Mechanistic studies, including ¹H NMR titration, X‐ray structure analyses as well as isolation of catalytically active species, elucidated the dramatic synergistic effects of this new binary acid system.     

Cooperative Catalysis: Combining an Achiral Metal Catalyst with a Chiral Brønsted Acid Enables Highly Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Imines

Asymmetric hydrogenation of imines leads directly to chiral amines, one of the most important structural units in chemical products, from pharmaceuticals to materials. However, highly effective catalysts are rare. This article reveals that combining an achiral pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp*)–iridium complex with a chiral phosphoric acid affords a catalyst that allows for highly enantioselective hydrogenation of imines derived from aryl ketones, as well as those derived from aliphatic ones, with ee values varying from 81 to 98 %. A range of achiral iridium complexes containing diamine ligands were examined, for which the ligands were shown to have a profound effect on the reaction rate, enantioselectivity and catalyst deactivation. The chiral phosphoric acid is no less important, inducing enantioselection in the hydrogenation. The induction occurs, however, at the expense of the reaction rate.     

Brønsted Acid Promoted Reduction of Tertiary Phosphine Oxides

Recently, Brønsted acids, such as phosphoric acids, carboxylic acids, and triflic acid, were found to catalyze the reduction of phosphine oxides to the corresponding phosphines. In this study, we fully characterize the HCl, HOTf, and Me₂SiHOTf adducts of triphenylphosphine oxide and find that the thermally stable adduct Ph₃POH⁺OTf^– is efficiently converted into triphenylphosphine at 100 °C in the presence of readily available hydrosiloxanes. Under the same reaction conditions, also Ph₃POSiMe₂H⁺OTf^– selectively affords triphenylphosphine indicating that silylated phosphine oxides are likely intermediates in this process.     

Kinetic Resolution of Azomethine Imines by Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Enantioselective Reduction

Azomethine imines are valuable substrates in asymmetric catalysis, and can be precursors to β‐amino carbonyl compounds and complex hydrazines. However, their utility is limited because complex and enantioenriched azomethine imines are often unavailable. Reported herein is a kinetic resolution of N,N′‐cyclic azomethine imines by enantioselective reduction (s=13–43). This resolution was accomplished using a Brønsted acid catalyst, and represents the first example of the asymmetric reduction of azomethine imines. The pyrazolidinone product (up to 86 % ee) and the recovered azomethine imine (up to 99 % ee) can both be used to access the opposite enantiomers of valuable products.     

Enantioselective Polyene Cyclization Catalyzed by a Chiral Brønsted Acid

The first enantioselective polyene cyclization initiated by a BINOL‐derived chiral N‐phosphoramide (NPA) catalyzed protonation of an imine is described. The ion‐pair formed between the iminium ion and chiral counter anion of the NPA plays an important role for controlling the stereochemistry of the overall transformation. This strategy offers a highly efficient approach to fused tricyclic frameworks containing three contiguous stereocenters, which are widely found in natural products. In addition, the first catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of (?)‐ferruginol was accomplished with an NPA catalyzed enantioselective polyene cyclization, as the key step for the construction of the tricyclic core, with excellent yield and enantioselectivity.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Tropanes: Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Pseudotransannular Desymmetrization

The enantioselective synthesis of tropanols has been accomplished through chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed pseudotransannular ring opening of 1‐aminocyclohept‐4‐ene‐derived epoxides. The reaction proceeds together with the desymmetrization of the starting material and leads to the direct formation of the 8‐azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane scaffold with excellent stereoselectivity. The synthetic applicability of the reaction was demonstrated by the enantioselective synthesis of the two natural products (?)‐α‐tropanol and (+)‐ferruginine.     

Direct Carbohydroxylation of Arylalkenes with Allylic Alcohols: Cooperative Catalysis of Copper,Silver, and a Brønsted Acid

The cooperative catalysis of copper, silver, and Brønsted acid is presented as a new strategy for olefin functionalization. The catalytic direct carbohydroxylation of arylalkenes with allylic alcohols provided a straightforward and efficient approach for preparing 4,5‐unsaturated alcohols. Synthetically useful functional groups, such as Cl, Br, carbonyl, and chloromethyl, remained intact during the functionalization reaction.     

Highly Enantioselective Kinetic Resolution of Axially Chiral BINAM Derivatives Catalyzed by a Brønsted Acid

A highly efficient strategy for the kinetic resolution of axially chiral BINAM derivatives involving a chiral Brønsted acid‐catalyzed imine formation and transfer hydrogenation cascade process was developed. The kinetic resolution provides a convenient route to chiral BINAM derivatives in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.