Enantioselective hydrolysis of various racemic α-substituted arylacetonitriles using Rhodococcus sp. CGMCC 0497

The enantioselective hydrolysis of 17 racemic α-substituted arylacetonitriles by Rhodococcus sp. CGMCC 0497 is described. The corresponding (R)-amides and (S)-acids were obtained with excellent enantiomeric excess in most cases. The effect of steric and electronic factors on the outcome of the reactions are discussed here. The results prove that nitrile-converting enzymes are efficient tools for the synthesis of sterically unencumbered chiral α-arylpropionic acids and amides.     

Study of the enantioselectivity of the CAL-B-catalysed transesterification of α-substituted α-propylmethanols and α-substituted benzyl alcohols

A study of the enantioselectivity exhibited by the lipase B from Candida antarctica in the transesterification of different α-substituted α-propylmethanols with vinyl acetate is shown. The best results are obtained when the large-sized (L) substituent of the alcohol is either a phenyl group or more especially a cyclohexyl group, although the reaction rates are lower than when linear or slightly branched groups are present. It is also found that ramification at the β-position of the L substituent has a deleterious effect on both lipase activity and enantioselectivity. Moreover, some α-substituted benzyl alcohols bearing medium-sized (M) substituents larger than an ethyl and smaller than a propyl group are resolved by means of this methodology with moderate-good enantioselectivities (E=46–57) and similar reaction rates.     

Enantioselective α- and γ-alkylation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes using dienamine activation

The enantioselective alkylation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with stabilized carbocations as electrophiles via the activation as dienamine intermediates is described. This unique application of dienamine catalysis allows for the first enantioselective γ-alkylation of linear α,β-unsubstituted enals.     

Enantioselective organocatalytic α-sulfamidation of aldehydes using sulfonyl azides

Enantioselective organocatalytic α-sulfamidation of unbranched aldehydes is described using MacMillan’s second-generation imidazolidinone catalyst and o-nitrobenzenesulfonyl azide. The reactions are highly stereoselective (89.9–96.3% ee) with yields up to 71%. A strong correlation between aldehyde structure and product yield was found to exist, with 3-arylpropanals providing the best results. Application to functionalized amino acid synthesis is presented.     

Enantioselective synthesis of α-deuterium labelled chiral α-amino acids via dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic azlactones

Catalytic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of racemic azlactones with EtOD using squaramide-based dimeric cinchona alkaloid organocatalysts is shown to be a highly effective strategy for the preparation of enantiomerically pure α-deuterated chiral α-amino acids.     

Enantioselective carbonyl-ene-type cyclization of α-ketoester and 2-substituted vinylsilane catalyzed by a chiral Cu-BOX complex

We developed an enantioselective carbonyl-ene-type cyclization using 2-substituted vinylsilane as a nucleophilic ene moiety catalyzed by a chiral copper-BOX complex. This reaction is the first example of enantioselective carbonyl-ene cyclization using a 1,2-disubstituted olefin. This methodology gave chiral indenols with a tetrasubstituted carbon.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-hydroxy amines and aziridines using asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of α-amido ketones

A rapid, expedient and enantioselective method for the synthesis of β-hydroxy amines and monosubstituted aziridines in up to 99% e.e., via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of α-amido ketones, is described.     

Synthesis of new racemic α-heterocyclic α,α-diaminoesters and α-aminoester carboxylic

New racemic α-aminoester and α,α-diaminoesters derivatives were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution of methyl α-azido glycinate N-benzoylated with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole, 2-tetrahydrofuran-2-ylmethan-amine and 2-methyl quinolin-4-amine.     

Hydroxymethylation of α-substituted nitroacetates

Only 1 mol % of K₃PO₄ is efficient enough to catalyze the hydroxymethylation of α-substituted nitroacetates in good to excellent yield. Both aliphatic and aryl substituted nitroacetates work well under this reaction. The first catalytic asymmetric version of this reaction also reported that 10 mol % of cupreidine could catalyze this reaction up to 71% ee and 89% yield. Paraformaldehyde and formalin could both serve as the hydroxymethylation C1 unit. The synthetic application of products is also demonstrated.     

Synthesis of (α-substituted α-aminophosphinic and α-aminophosphonic acids

The reaction of ketoximes with hypophosphorous acid resulted in previously unknown -substituted--aminophosphinic acids, which were oxidized into the corresponding -substituted--aminophosphonic acids.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2729–2732, November, 1996.     

Microbial biotransformations in water/organic solvent system. Enantioselective reduction of aromatic β- and γ-nitroketones

The production of single enantiomers of γ- and β-nitroalcohols by microbial bioreduction has been studied. A restricted screening among 14 yeasts was performed using 1-phenyl-4-nitro-1-butanone 1 as substrate. Pichia minuta (CBS 1708) and Pichia etchellsii (CBS 2011) gave the highest enantiopreference for (S)-alcohol 3 formation (e.e. 85% and 80%, respectively), while Kluyveromyces marxianus (CBS 397) was the only strain able to preferentially furnish the (R) enantiomer (e.e. 70%). These three microorganisms, along with baker's yeast, were then employed in reactions performed in water/organic solvent systems using different solvents (hexane, benzene and dibutyl ether) affording alcohol 3 in high enantiomeric excesses (>95–97%). These strains were also employed to reduce 1-phenyl-3-nitro-1-propanone 2, maintaning the same stereobias observed with γ-nitroketone 1 and showing high enantioselectivity in both simple aqueous (>85–97%) and biphasic media (>97%).     

Enantio and diastereoselective addition of phenylacetylene to racemic α-chloroketones

In this report, we have presented the first diastereoselective addition of phenylacetylene to chiral racemic chloroketones. The addition is controlled by the reactivity of the chloroketones that allowed the stereoselective reaction to be performed at -20 °C. Chiral racemic chloroketones are used in the reaction. By carefully controlling the temperature and the reaction time we were able to isolate the corresponding products in moderate yields and with good, simple and predictable facial stereoselection. Our reaction is a rare example of the use of chiral ketones in an enantioselective alkynylation reaction and opens new perspectives for the formation of chiral quaternary stereocenters.     

Chemo- and Enantioselective Oxidative α-Azidation of Carbonyl Compounds

We report high-performance I⁺/H₂O₂ catalysis for the oxidative or decarboxylative oxidative α-azidation of carbonyl compounds by using sodium azide under biphasic neutral phase-transfer conditions. To induce higher reactivity especially for the α-azidation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, we designed a structurally compact isoindoline-derived quaternary ammonium iodide catalyst bearing electron-withdrawing groups. The nonproductive decomposition pathways of I⁺/H₂O₂ catalysis could be suppressed by the use of a catalytic amount of a radical-trapping agent. This oxidative coupling tolerates a variety of functional groups and could be readily applied to the late-stage α-azidation of structurally diverse complex molecules. Moreover, we achieved the enantioselective α-azidation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds as the first successful example of enantioselective intermolecular oxidative coupling with a chiral hypoiodite catalyst.     

Enantioselective α-alkylation of unsaturated carboxylic acids using a chiral lithium amide

The regio- and stereochemistry of the alkylation of dienediolates from unsaturated carboxylic acids with benzylic halides, which often results in mixtures of isomers, can be controlled by means of changes in the lithium amide, allowing the α-regioisomer to be obtained as the major diastereoisomer. In addition, when chiral amines are used, moderate enantiomeric excesses can be attained.     

Expedient synthesis of α-substituted fluoroethenes

A mild and efficient synthesis of 1-aryl-1-fluoroethenes from benzothiazolyl (aryl)fluoromethyl sulfones and paraformaldehyde, under DBU- or Cs(2)CO(3)-mediated conditions at room temperature, is described. A comparable diethyl fluoro(naphthalen-2-yl)methylphosphonate reagent does not react with paraformaldehyde under these mild conditions. The utility of the methodology for synthesis of terminal α-fluoroalkenes bearing electron-withdrawing functionalities is also shown.     

Production and Characterization of Extracellular α-Amylase Produced by Wickerhamia sp. X-Fep

A yeast isolate able to produce high levels of extracellular ??-amylase was selected from a collection of 385 yeasts and identified as Wickerhamia sp. by the sequence of the D1/D2 domain of the 26?S rDNA gene. Part of the nucleotide sequence of the amy1-W gene was cloned, and a sequence of 191 amino acids deduced from this gene was analyzed. The peptide contains three characteristic well-conserved regions in the active sites of ??-amylases (EC 3.2.1.1). The enzyme was purified and in situ activity showed only one band with amylolytic activity. The molecular mass of the ??-amylase was estimated at 54?kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Enzymatic activity on soluble starch as substrate was optimal at pH 5?C6 and 50 °C. This thermostable enzyme was inhibited by EDTA?CNa₂ and 1,10-phenanthroline; the activity of the dialyzed enzyme was reactivated with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ cations, which indicates that the ??-amylase is a metalloenzyme. ??-Amylase production was induced by starch and maltose and repressed by glucose. The high yield and productivity found in this work makes this Wickerhamia sp. strain a promising candidate for the biotechnological production of ??-amylase.     

Preparation of α-fluoroaldehydes and α-fluoroketones using dilute fluorine

Fluorination of silyl enol ethers with 5% F₂ in N₂ at −78°C in Freon 11 results in the formation of α-fluoroketones and α-fluoroaldehydes.     

Enantioselective reduction of α-substituted ketones mediated by the boronate ester TarB-NO2

A facile and mild reduction procedure is reported for the preparation of chiral secondary alcohols prepared from α-substituted ketones using sodium borohydride and the chiral boronate ester (l)-TarB-NO₂. Direct reduction of substituted ketones bearing Lewis basic heteroatoms generally provided secondary alcohols of only modest enantiomeric excess likely due to either competition between the target carbonyl and the functionalized sidechains at the Lewis acidic boron atom in TarB-NO₂ or the added steric bulk of the α-sidechain. As an alternative method, these substrates were synthesized using TarB-NO₂ via a two-step procedure involving the reduction of an α-halo ketone to a chiral terminal epoxide, followed by regioselective/regiospecific epoxide opening by various nucleophiles. This procedure provides access to a variety of functionalized secondary alcohols including β-hydroxy ethers, thioethers, nitriles, and amines with enantiomeric excesses of 94% and yields up to 98%.     

Enantioselective radical-mediated allylation of α-iododihydrocoumarins using Lewis acids generated from chiral sulfonamides

Enantioseletive radical-mediated allylation using chiral Lewis acids generated from sulfonamides is described. Asymmetric allylation took place in 54% enantiomeric excess to form a chiral quaternary carbon center with R configuration. The present reaction proceeded equally well with a substoichiometric amount of a chiral Lewis acid as with a stoichiometric amount.     

Enantioselective nickel-catalyzed conjugate addition of dialkylzinc to chalcones using chiral α-amino amides

A series of α-amino amides derived from natural amino acids (alanine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, and phenylglycine) have been synthesized and fully characterized. Their Ni(II) complexes prepared from Ni(acac)₂ catalyze the enantioselective conjugate addition of diethylzinc to chalcones in high yields and in good enantioselectivities (up to 84%). The side chain of the amino acid and the substituents in the amide nitrogen govern the enantioselectivity of the catalytic process.