Azoles: Effective Catalysts for Baylis-Hillman Reaction in Aqueous Media

β-Substituted enones have been considered less reactive in Baylis-Hillman reaction. The reaction of cyclic enones is sluggish or does not occur at all under traditional conditions. Various catalysts have been developed to pro mote the reaction of cyclic enones but with limited success. In previous study, we found that imidazole can catalyze the Baylis-Hillman reaction involving cyclic enones in aqueous THF solution. [1] In our continued efforts, a variety of azole compounds were examined in Baylis-Hillman reaction. We found that the azoles act as effective catalysts in properly adjusted water solution.     

Baylis-Hillman Reaction Involving Substituted Cyclic Enones in Aqueous Media

β-Substituted enones have been considered less reactive in Baylis-Hillman reaction. The reaction of cyclicenones is sluggish or does not occur at all under traditional conditions. [1] Therefore, substituted cyclic enones havebeen less explored in Baylis-Hillman reaction due to the extremely low reactivity. In this communication, we reported Baylis-Hillman reaction of substituted cyclic enones using our previously developed conditions with imidazole as catalyst. The reaction proceeded smoothly in aqueous media affording the desired product with good yields and moderate diastereoselectivity.     

The azoles: effective catalysts for Baylis-Hillman reaction in basic water solution

The azoles, which were inactive in neutral aqueous media, could be activated in alkaline solution and effectively catalyze the Baylis-Hillman reaction involving cyclic enones.     

Remarkable rate acceleration of imidazole-promoted Baylis-Hillman reaction involving cyclic enones in basic water solution

The Baylis-Hillman reaction of cyclic enones was greatly accelerated in basic water solution with imidazoles as catalysts, which resulted in short reaction time, high yields, and expanding substrate scopes. Bicarbonate solution was shown to be the optimal reaction medium for the reaction in this study. The apparent "enhanced basicity" of imidazoles accounted for the rate increase in alkaline solution.     

Baylis-Hillman adducts between pyridine carboxaldehyde derivatives and cyclic enones

Baylis-Hillman (BH) adducts were synthesized using pyridinecarboxaldehyde derivatives and cyclic enones. The Baylis-Hillman reaction was examined by employing various organic tertiary bases and solvents. It was observed that DBU in MeOH as well as imidazole and N-methylimidazole in aqueous MeOH are very effective. These pyridinecarboxaldehydes were reactive and efficient towards the Baylis-Hillman reaction and the resulting adducts are highly stable. The crystal structure for one of the BH adducts was determined.     

Efficient Baylis-Hillman reactions of cyclic enones in methanol as catalyzed by methoxide anion

The Baylis-Hillman reactions of cyclic enones with a variety of aldehydes were investigated. 1,8-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) was found to be a viable catalyst in promoting the reactions of sterically retarded substrates in methanol. The reactions showed clear solvent dependence and only occurred in hydroxylic solvents, especially in methanol. Further consideration on the steric character of DBU and its high basicity jointly with other experimental observations suggests that the methoxide anion should be the "true" Baylis-Hillman catalyst. This has been confirmed by the effectiveness of similar reactions directly employing methoxide as the catalyst. The reaction pathways of this type of catalysis are proposed to depend on the choice of substrates. Supporting experimental observations were demonstrated and discussed in relation to mechanistic considerations. This study also reveals that both DBU and sodium methoxide can be successfully applied as effective catalysts in methanol to promote the Baylis-Hillman reactions for a range of cyclic enones including cyclopent-2-enones, cyclohex-2-enones, gamma-pyrone, and 1-benzopyran-4(4H)-ones.     

First example of electrophile induced Baylis-Hillman reaction: a novel facile one-pot synthesis of indolizine derivatives

Treatment of pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde with activated alkenes such as alkyl vinyl ketones and cyclic enones in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) provides a novel facile one-pot synthesis of indolizine derivatives, thus for the first time describing an electrophile induced Baylis-Hillman reaction.     

Regioselective synthesis and structural studies of substituted gamma-hydroxybutenolides with use of a tandem Baylis-Hillman/singlet oxygenation reaction

The scope and limitations of a regioselective synthesis of either alpha- or beta-substituted gamma-hydroxybutenolides from 3-furfural and enones are described. The sequence features a Baylis-Hillman reaction followed by singlet oxygen oxidation with use of either an amine base or TBAF as the regioselectivity switches. Structural studies in solution on some of the resulting gamma-hydroxybutenolides are also reported.     

Toward understanding the scope of Baylis-Hillman reaction: synthesis of 3-(2- hydroxyphenyl)indolin-2-ones and polycyclic fused furans

A facile one-pot synthesis of 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)indolin-2-ones has been developed via the TiCl₄-mediated Baylis-Hillman (B-H) reaction of N-substituted isatins and cyclohex-2-enone, followed by treatment of the in situ generated B-H alcohols with aq HBr. Baylis-Hillman reaction of aromatic cyclic 1,2-diones with cycloalk-2-enones under the influence of TiCl₄ has been successfully performed and the resulting Baylis-Hillman adducts have been conveniently transformed into pentacyclic and hexacyclic fused furan derivatives.     

Highly practical and enantioselective cu-catalyzed conjugate addition of alkylzinc reagents to cyclic enones at ambient temperature

[reaction: see text] A new ligand for Cu-catalyzed enantioselective additions of dialkylzincs to cyclic enones has been developed. In addition to providing good to excellent enantioselectivities with a range of cyclic enones and dialkylzincs, the ligand has several notworthy features: it can be readily prepared in just two steps, is an air-stable crystalline solid, and provides optimal performance at ambient temperature.     

Switching the reactivity of dihydrothiopyran-4-one with aldehydes by aqueous organocatalysis: Baylis-Hillman, aldol, or aldol condensation reactions

An aqueous medium containing catalytic amounts of a tertiary amine was employed to direct the chemoselectivity of the reaction of aldehydes with 1a. With DBU, 2 was formed at room temperature as a rare exemplary of Baylis-Hillman reactions in heterocyclic enones. DABCO alternated the pathway toward an aldol reaction to form syn/anti mixtures of 3 with the syn isomers being the major products. With Et(3)N, aldol condensation dominated.     

Lewis base effects in the Baylis-Hillman reaction of imines with cyclohex-2-en-1-one and cyclopent-2-en-1-one

In the Baylis-Hillman reaction of N-benzylidene-4-methyl-benzenesulfonamide with cyclohex-2-en-1-one or cyclopent-2-en-1-one, we found that, in the presence of a catalytic amount of DMAP, the Baylis-Hillman reaction can be greatly accelerated to give the normal Baylis-Hillman adduct 1 or 3 in good or very high yields: moreover, using PBu3 as a Lewis base in the reaction of N-benzylidene-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide with cyclopent-2-en-1-one, the normal Baylis-Hillman adducts 3 could be obtained in very high yields within 5 h, however, using PBu3 or DBU as a Lewis base in the reaction of N-benzylidene-4-methyl-benzenesulfonamide with cyclohex-2-en-1-one, beside the normal Baylis-Hillman adduct 1 abnormal Baylis-Hillman adduct 3-aryl-2-[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]-2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-5-one 2 was formed at the same time; the substituent's effects were also examined.     

Theoretical investigations of Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition to enones using planar-chiral phosphine-olefin ligands

Recently, planar-chiral phosphine-olefin ligands based on (η⁶-arene)chromium(0) and (η⁵-cyclopentadienyl)manganese(I), which are known as first- and second-generation, respectively, have been developed. These ligands were employed for Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition to enones. First-generation ligands involve high enantioselectivity for cyclic enones (>98% ee). Second-generation ligands involve high enantioselectivity for not only cyclic enones but also for acyclic enones (>98% ee). In this study, we have performed DFT calculations to investigate the origin of enantioselectivity. The theoretical values of enantioselectivities were found to be in good agreement with the experimental values obtained for a cyclic enone, 2-cyclopenten-1-one, using both the first- and second-generation ligands. Regarding an acyclic enone, 3-penten-2-one, it was found that the s-cis type decreases the enantioselectivity because the transition states in the s-cis type have a large steric repulsion. Energy decomposition analysis (EDA) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis indicate that it is important to study the orbital interactions in the transition states of the insertion step for the acyclic enone attacked from si-face with the second-generation ligand. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Copper(I) thiolate catalysts in asymmetric conjugate addition reactions

[structure: see text] Full conversion and enantioselectivities up to 83% have been obtained in the conjugate addition reactions of diethyl zinc to Michael acceptors catalyzed by well-defined (chiral) copper(I) aminoarenethiolates. Interesting differences between organozinc or Grignard reagents have been found: for cyclic enones R(2)Zn reagents afford better results, whereas earlier work showed that RMgX reagents react more selectively with acyclic enones.     

Enantioselective synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyran derivatives via organocatalytic Michael reaction of α,β-unsaturated enones

A simple chiral diamine catalyst (1a) was successfully applied in the asymmetric Michael reaction between cyclic dimedone and α,β-unsaturated ketones. Both acyclic enones with aryl or alkyl β-substituents and cyclic enones were tolerated well in the reaction. The desired adducts were obtained in high yields (up to 98%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). The additives were found to increase the reactivity dramatically. The biologically active 2,4-disubstituted polyhydroquinoline scaffold was conveniently prepared through an ammoniation from the generated 3,4-dihydropyran product.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to alpha,beta-unsaturated enones using novel imidazoline catalysts

A new catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to acyclic alpha,beta-unsaturated enones catalyzed by novel organic catalysts has been developed. A series of chiral amines has been tested as catalysts for the addition of 2-nitropropane to benzylideneacetone, and it is found that a novel imidazoline catalyst, prepared from phenylalanine, can catalyze a highly enantioselective 1,4-addition reaction. The reaction of various acyclic and cyclic nitroalkanes was found to proceed well with enantioselectivities up to 86% ee, and enantiopure products can be obtained by recrystallization. The potential of the reaction is documented by the reaction of a series of substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated enones with different nitroalkanes. Furthermore, the synthetic applicability of the reaction is demonstrated by the formation of optically active functionalized pyrrolines and pyrrolidines by reductive amination of the products. On the basis of the absolute configuration of the conjugate addition products, the mechanism for the reaction is discussed and a transition state proposed.     

The enantioselective intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction catalyzed by amino acid-derived phosphinothiourea

A series of chiral bifunctional phosphinothioureas derived from l-amino acids have been developed to promote the enantioselective intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. The process afforded the cyclic hydroxyl enones with up to 84% ee and good yields under mild conditions.     

Solvent-free Brønsted acid-catalyzed Michael addition of nitrogen- and carbon-containing nucleophiles by ultrasound activation

A new method has been developed for the Michael addition of nitrogen- and carbon-containing nucleophiles to cyclic enones. Using this conjugate addition reaction, a variety of different nucleophiles can react with a range of cyclic enones in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid under solvent-free ultrasound irradiation conditions affording the corresponding C–N or C–C adducts in good to excellent yields. Comparatively, performing the reaction under ultrasound irradiation gives higher yields, is more efficient and environmentally benign than performing it at high pressure.     

The intramolecular reductive cyclization of cyclic enones

The reductive cyclization (electrohydrocyclization reaction) of tethered cyclic enones has been investigated under electrochemical, metal-mediated, and photochemical conditions. The tricyclic products are generally formed with excellent stereoselectivity, particularly if at least one of the enones is β,β-disubstituted.     

Diastereoselective addition of allyltitanocenes to cyclic enones

The reaction of allyltitanocenes with five- to seven-membered cyclic enones proceeded with good to high diastereoselectivity depending on the ring size of enones. The stereochemistry of the major isomers produced by the reaction of cinnamyltitanocene was opposite to that of crotyltitanocene.