Selective α-Bromination of β-Keto Esters in Reusable PEG-400 under Mild and Catalyst-free Conditions

An efficient bromination protocol for the synthesis of α-bromo-β-keto esters has been developed. In PEG-400 （poly（ethylene glycol-400））, a variety of β-keto esters were treated with NBS （N-bromosuccinimide） at room temperature to selectively afford the corresponding α-monobromination products in excellent yields. It is noteworthy that the reaction was conducted under mild, environmentally benign and catalyst-free conditions.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective anti‐Selective Hydrogenation of α‐Amino‐β‐keto Ester Hydrochlorides and Related Compounds Using Transition‐Metal–Chiral‐Bisphosphine Catalysts

This review describes our recent works on the diastereo‐ and enantioselective synthesis of anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters using transition‐metal–chiral‐bisphosphine catalysts. A variety of transition metals, namely ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh),iridium (Ir), and nickel (Ni), in combination with chiral bisphosphines, worked well as catalysts for the direct anti‐selective asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides, yielding anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters via dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) in excellent yields and diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. The Ru‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐ketoesters via DKR is the first example of generating anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids. Complexes of iridium and axially chiral bisphosphines catalyze an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides via dynamic kinetic resolution. A homogeneous Ni–chiral‐bisphosphine complex also catalyzes an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides in an anti‐selective manner. As a related process, the asymmetric hydrogenation of the configurationally stable substituted α‐aminoketones using a Ni catalyst via DKR is also described.     

Iron‐Catalyzed Aminomethyloxygenative Cyclization of Hydroxy‐α‐diazoesters with N,O‐Aminals

A new and efficient cyclization reaction has been developed to synthesize cyclic α,α‐disubstituted β‐amino esters via iron‐catalyzed intramolecular aminomethyloxygenative cyclization of diazo compounds with N,O‐aminal under mild reaction conditions. A broad range of hydroxy‐α‐diazoesters with different substituents and various N,O‐aminals were compatible with this protocol, affording the corresponding α,α‐disubstituted β‐amino esters bearing a five‐ to eight‐membered oxacycle in good yields.     

Asymmetric β‐Methylation of l‐ and d‐α‐Amino Acids by a Self‐Contained Enzyme Cascade

This report describes a modular enzyme‐catalyzed cascade reaction that transforms l ‐ or d ‐α‐amino acids to β‐methyl‐α‐amino acids. In this process an α‐amino acid transaminase, an α‐keto acid methyltransferase, and a halide methyltransferase cooperate in two orthogonal reaction cycles that mediate product formation and regeneration of the cofactor pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate and the co‐substrate S‐adenosylmethionine. The only stoichiometric reagents consumed in this process are the unprotected l ‐ or d ‐α‐amino acid and methyl iodide.     

Study on reactivity of five‐coordinate bicycloazastannoxides III. New method for preparing β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids

Five‐coordinate bicycloazastannoxides containing a β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid moiety were synthesized. By hydrolysis under the action of 10% HCl, five β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids were prepared, and their structures were characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, MS, and elemental analyses. The mechanism of the hydrolysis of the organotin (IV) complexes is discussed, and the yields of diastereomers are investigated by the HPLC method. This represents a new method for preparing β‐hydroxyl‐α‐amino acids. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 183–186, 1999     

Highly Enantioselective Formation of α‐Allyl‐α‐Arylcyclopentanones via Pd‐Catalysed Decarboxylative Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation

A highly enantioselective Pd‐catalysed decarboxylative asymmetric allylic alkylation of cyclopentanone derived α‐aryl‐β‐keto esters employing the (R,R)‐ANDEN‐phenyl Trost ligand has been developed. The product (S)‐α‐allyl‐α‐arylcyclopentanones were obtained in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to >99.9 % ee). This represents one of the most highly enantioselective formations of an all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center reported to date. This reaction was demonstrated on a 4.0 mmol scale without any deterioration of enantioselectivity and was exploited as the key enantioselective transformation in an asymmetric formal synthesis of the natural product (+)‐tanikolide.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Hydrogenation of α‐Amino‐β‐Keto Ester Hydrochlorides Catalyzed by an Iridium Complex with MeO‐BIPHEP and NaBArF: Catalytic Cycle and Five‐Membered Chelation Mechanism of Asymmetric Hydrogenation

The development of Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides is described. This reaction proceeds through a dynamic kinetic resolution to produce anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters in a high diastereo‐ and enantioselective manner. Mechanistic studies have revealed that this unique asymmetric hydrogenation proceeds through reduction of the ketone moiety via the five‐membered transition state involving the chelation between the oxygen of the ketone and the nitrogen of the amine function. The relationship studies between the hydrogen pressure and the stereoselectivity have disclosed two mechanisms dependent on hydrogen pressure. Under low hydrogen pressure (<15 atm), the reaction rate proportionally increased with the hydrogen pressure. However, under the high hydrogen conditions, the reaction rate exponentially accelerated along with the increasing hydrogen pressure, which suggests the participation of two or more of hydrogen atoms.     

Sonochemical reformatsky reactions of α‐bromoesters with sym‐(keto)dibenzo‐16‐crown‐5

Reactions of sym‐(keto)dibenzo‐16‐crown‐5 with ethyl α‐bromoesters, zinc dust and iodine in dioxane and/or tetrahydrofuran under irradiation by high intensity ultrasound (HIU) provide β‐hydroxy lariat ether esters in 79‐91% yields. HIU‐promoted Reformatsky reactions offer several advantages over customary thermal reaction conditions.     

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of syn‐β‐Hydroxy‐α‐Amino Acids by Direct Aldolization of Pseudoephenamine Glycinamide

β‐Hydroxy‐α‐amino acids figure prominently as chiral building blocks in chemical synthesis and serve as precursors to numerous important medicines. Reported herein is a method for the synthesis of β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid derivatives by aldolization of pseudoephenamine glycinamide, which can be prepared from pseudoephenamine in a one‐flask protocol. Enolization of (R,R)‐ or (S,S)‐pseudoephenamine glycinamide with lithium hexamethyldisilazide in the presence of LiCl followed by addition of an aldehyde or ketone substrate affords aldol addition products that are stereochemically homologous with L ‐ or D ‐threonine, respectively. These products, which are typically solids, can be obtained in stereoisomerically pure form in yields of 55–98 %, and are readily transformed into β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids by mild hydrolysis or into 2‐amino‐1,3‐diols by reduction with sodium borohydride. This new chemistry greatly facilitates the construction of novel antibiotics of several different classes.     

Hetaryl‐1,5 Benzodiazepines—Part I: Synthesis of 3‐pyrimidinyl‐ and Imidazolyl‐1,5‐benzodiazepines

Nucleophilic substitution of 3‐bromo‐4‐phenyl‐1H‐[1,5]benzodiazepin‐2‐one ( 1 ) with thiourea or guanidine in presence of potassium carbonate afforded 1,5‐benzodiazepin‐3‐ylimidothiocarbamate 2 or 1,5‐benzodiazepin‐3‐ylguanidine 3 , respectively. Pyrimidylthiobenzodiazepines 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 were obtained via the reaction of compound 2 with malononitrile dimer, diethyl malonate, methylenemalononitriles, or a mixture of an aldehyde and β‐keto esters or acetylacetone, catalyzed using ceric ammonium nitrate. Reaction of compound 2 or 3 with α‐halo esters, nitriles, and/or ketones afforded imidazoles 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , respectively.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Oxidative Reaction of β‐Keto Sulfones with Alcohols via C−S Bond Cleavage: Reaction Development and Mechanism Study

A Cu‐catalyzed cascade oxidative radical process of β‐keto sulfones with alcohols has been achieved by using oxygen as an oxidant. In this reaction, β‐keto sulfones were converted into sulfinate esters under the oxidative conditions via cleavage of C?S bond. Experimental and computational studies demonstrate that a new pathway is involved in this reaction, which proceeds through the formation of the key four‐coordinated Cu^II intermediate, O?O bond homolysis induced C?S bond cleavage and Cu‐catalyzed esterification to form the final products. This reaction provides a new strategy to sulfonate esters and enriches the research content of C?S bond cleavage and transformations.     

Williamson Ether Synthesis with Phenols at a Tertiary Stereogenic Carbon: Formal Enantioselective Phenoxylation of β‐Keto Esters

The enantioselective formation of α‐aryloxy‐β‐keto esters is described for the first time. Lewis acid catalyzed enantioselective chlorination of β‐keto esters and subsequent S_N2 reactions with phenols yielded α‐aryloxy‐β‐keto esters with up to 96 % ee. Favorskii rearrangement of α‐chloro‐β‐keto esters was also found to give 1,2‐diesters with slightly reduced enantiopurity.     

Halide Anion Triggered Reactions of Michael Acceptors with Tropylium Ion

Tropylium bromide undergoes noncatalyzed, regioselective additions to a large variety of Michael acceptors. In this way, acrylic esters are converted into β‐bromo‐α‐cycloheptatrienylpropionic esters. The reactions are interpreted as nucleophilic attack of bromide ions at the electron‐deficient olefins and the approach of the tropylium ion to the incipient carbanion. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to elucidate the analogy to the amine‐ or phosphine‐catalyzed Rauhut–Currier reactions. Subsequent synthetic transformations of the bromo‐cycloheptatrienylated adducts are reported.     

Amidation of Aldehydes and Alcohols through α‐Iminonitriles and a Sequential Oxidative Three‐Component Strecker Reaction/Thio‐Michael Addition/Alumina‐Promoted Hydrolysis Process to Access β‐Mercaptoamides from Aldehydes,Amines, and Thiols

Mild and general alumina‐promoted hydrolysis conditions for converting α‐iminonitriles into carboxamides have been developed. In combination with the oxidative three‐component Strecker reaction, the one‐pot direct amidation of aldehydes and alcohols is reported. Subsequently, an Yb(OTf)₃‐catalyzed Michael addition of thiols to α,β‐unsaturated α‐iminonitriles is reported for the synthesis of β‐mercapto‐α‐iminonitriles. The successful integration of an oxidative Strecker reaction, thio‐Michael addition, and neutral‐alumina‐promoted hydrolysis of β‐mercapto‐α‐iminonitriles into a three‐component one‐pot process allowed us to develop the direct conversion of amines, aldehydes, and thiols into β‐mercaptoamides. All of these procedures were applicable to aromatic and aliphatic amines and aldehydes.     

Manganese‐Catalyzed anti‐Selective Asymmetric Hydrogenation of α‐Substituted β‐Ketoamides

A Mn‐catalyzed diastereo‐ and enantioselective hydrogenation of α‐substituted β‐ketoamides has been realized for the first time under dynamic kinetic resolution conditions. anti‐α‐Substituted β‐hydroxy amides, which are useful building blocks for the synthesis of bioactive molecules and chiral drugs, were prepared in high yields with excellent selectivity (up to >99 % dr and >99 % ee) and unprecedentedly high activity (TON up to 10000). The origin of the excellent stereoselectivity was clarified by DFT calculations.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of α‐Hydroxy Amides and β‐Amino Alcohols from α‐Keto Amides

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched α‐hydroxy amides and β‐amino alcohols has been accomplished by enantioselective reduction of α‐keto amides with hydrosilanes. A series of α‐keto amides were reduced in the presence of chiral Cu^II/(S)‐DTBM‐SEGPHOS catalyst to give the corresponding optically active α‐hydroxy amides with excellent enantioselectivities by using (EtO)₃SiH as a reducing agent. Furthermore, a one‐pot complete reduction of both ketone and amide groups of α‐keto amides has been achieved using the same chiral copper catalyst followed by tetra‐n‐butylammonium fluoride (TBAF) catalyst in presence of (EtO)₃SiH to afford the corresponding chiral β‐amino alcohol derivatives.     

Chemoselective Synthesis of β‐Amino Ester or β‐Lactam via Sonochemical Reformatsky Reaction

A series of β‐amino esters were synthesized by the reaction of N‐tosyl aldimine or N‐hydroxy aldimine with bromoacetate by sonochemical Reformatsky reaction. The β‐N‐hydroxyamino ester was obtained and the formed sensitive hydroxylamino functionality was resistant under the reaction condition. The β‐lactam also was synthesized by the reaction of N‐p‐methoxy aldimine as reacting substrate under this sonochemical Reformatsky reaction condition.     

Studies of the Electronic Effects of Zinc Cluster Catalysts and Their Application to the Transesterification of β‐Keto Esters

The electronic effects of tetranuclear zinc cluster catalysts on transesterification were investigated by changing the carboxylate ligands in the clusters. High catalyst activity crucially depended on the balance between Lewis acidity and Brønsted basicity of the catalyst; this was consistent with the dual activation of both the electrophile and nucleophile by the cooperative zinc centers. In addition, tetranuclear zinc cluster catalysts achieved the transesterification of β‐keto esters with unprecedented levels of broad substrate generality, in which a newly developed pentafluoropropionate‐bridged zinc cluster and 4‐dimethylaminopyridine additive greatly improved the reactivity of sterically congested α‐ and α,α‐disubstituted β‐keto esters.     

Asymmetric α‐Hydroxylation of Tetralone‐Derived β‐Ketoesters by Using a Guanidine–Urea Bifunctional Organocatalyst in the Presence of Cumene Hydroperoxide

Highly enantioselective catalytic oxidation of 1‐tetralone‐derived β‐keto esters was achieved by using a guanidine–urea bifunctional organocatalyst in the presence of cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), a safe, commercially available oxidant. The α‐hydroxylation products were obtained in 99 % yield with up to 95 % enantiomeric excess (ee). The present oxidation was successfully applied to synthesize a key intermediate of the anti‐cancer agent daunorubicin ( 2 ).     

Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,3-Enynylstannanes via Palladium Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions of （Z）-α-Bromovinylstannanes

Based on the different reactivity of stannyl and bromo groups, (Z)-α-bromovinylstannanes can undergo the cross-coupling reaction with alkynyl Grignard reagents in the presence of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) catalyst in THF at room temperature to afford stereoselectively 1,3-enynylstannanes in good yields.