Asymmetric synthesis of isoquinuclidines by Diels–Alder reaction of 1,2-dihydropyridine utilizing a chiral Lewis acid catalyst

The chiral isoquinuclidine derivative, 2-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane ring system, endo-(7R)-3 was obtained in good yield with excellent diastereoselectivity (up to 92% de) by Diels–Alder reaction of 1-(phenoxycarbonyl)-1,2-dihydropyridine 1 with N-acryloyl-(4S)-4-benzyloxazolidin-2-one (4S)-2 using titanium-(2R,3R)-TADDOLate 4 as a chiral Lewis acid catalyst in toluene at 0 °C. On the other hand, endo-(7S)-3 was obtained in good yield with excellent diastereoselectivity (up to 97% de) by Diels–Alder reaction of 1 with (4R)-2 using Cu(OTf)₂/(4S,4′S)-bis(oxazoline) catalyst 8 as a chiral Lewis acid catalyst in dichloromethane at 0 °C. In these reactions, the choice of solvent and the combination of titanium-(2R,3R)-TADDOLate 4 {or Cu(II)/(4S,4′S)-bis(oxazoline) 8} and dienophile (4S)-2 {or (4R)-2} are very important. The stereochemistry of endo-(7R)-3 has been established to be (1R,4S,7R) and the reaction mechanism is proposed.     

Dual activation in a homolytic coupling reaction promoted by an enantioselective dinuclear vanadium(IV) catalyst

A new concept of dual activation catalysis in homolytic coupling reaction of 2-naphthol derivatives is described. The dinuclear vanadium(IV) catalyst (R,S,S)-1a promotes the oxidative coupling reaction of 2-naphthol derivatives with high reactivity and enantioselectivity. This dual activation mechanism is supported by the fact that the reaction rate of oxidative coupling of 2-naphthol promoted by the (R,S,S)-1a is 48 times faster than that of the mononuclear complex (S)-3 and a lower catalyst loading of (R,S,S)-1a shows higher catalyst efficiency both in enantioselectivity and chemical yield.     

Perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines derived from (−)-8-aminomenthol as ligands for the catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

The catalytic potency of a series of perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines prepared from (?)-8-aminomenthol was examined in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. When (2R,3S,3aS,4aR,6R,8aS)-2-isopropyl-6,9,9-trimethyl-3-phenyldecahydro-4aH-pyrrolo[2,1-b][1,3]benzoxazin-3-ol 7b was used as a chiral ligand, 1-substituted propanols with an (R)-configuration were obtained in high yields and enantiomeric excesses up to >99%. The catalyst can be recovered and used without any loss in its activity.     

Assymetric synthesis of (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-[2-C;3-H] glutamic acid

We have developed a synthetic route for (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-[2-¹³C;3-²H] glutamic acids with high enantioselectivity. The key reactions in this synthesis are the asymmetric reduction of the 2,3-didehydroornithine derivative using the (S,S)-Et-DuPHOS-Rh catalyst and the oxidation of the δ-position by ruthenium catalysis.     

An efficient approach to the synthesis of enantiomerically pure trans-1-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropanephosphonic acids

The synthesis of (1R,2S)- and (1S,2R)-1-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropanephosphonic acids was accomplished using different strategies. The (1R,2S)-stereoisomer could be efficiently obtained by the cyclopropanation of ethyl diethoxyphosphorylacetate with the cyclic sulfate derived from (S)-3-benzyloxy-1,2-propandiol as a key step. The (1S,2R)-stereoisomer was synthesized from a readily available (1S,5R)-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-on-1-phosphonate.     

Enantioselective epoxidation of α,β-enones promoted by (1R,3S,4S)-2-azanorbornyl-3-methanol as an organocatalyst

(1R,3S,4S)-2-Azanorbornyl-3-methanol was synthesized form (R)-1-phenylethylamine and used as a catalyst for the enantioselective epoxidation of α,β-enones to afford the corresponding epoxides in good yields and high enantioselectivities at room temperature.     

Mechanistic investigations of the reaction network in chemo-bio catalyzed synthesis of R-1-phenylethyl acetate

The kinetics and reaction network of the one-pot synthesis of R-1-phenylethyl acetate was investigated at 70°C in toluene over a combination of three different catalysts: PdZn/Al₂O₃ as a catalyst for acetophenone hydrogenation, lipase as an enzymatic catalyst for R-1-phenylethanol acylation with ethyl acetate and Ru/Al₂O₃ as a racemization catalyst for S-1-phenylethanol. In addition to the desired reactions, other reactions, namely hydrogenolysis and dehydration of (R, S)-1-phenylethanol and debenzylation of (R, S)-1-phenylethyl acetate also occurred. The kinetic results revealed that ethylbenzene formation was enhanced with higher amounts of PdZn/Al₂O₃, whereas lipase did not catalyze ethylbenzene formation. Furthermore, ethylbenzene was formed in the hydrogenolysis of (R, S)-phenylethanol and in the debenzylation of (R, S)-1-phenyl-ethylacetate over Pd/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The presence of Ru/Al₂O₃ catalyst, in which Ru was in the oxidation state of 3⁺, enhanced the formation of R-1-phenylethyl acetate, although no clear racemization of S-1-phenylethanol during the one-pot synthesis of R-1-phenylethyl acetate was observed. Dynamic kinetic resolution of (R, S)-1-phenylethanol in toluene, was, however, demonstrated over Ru/Al₂O₃ and lipase.     

Asymmetric intramolecular Pd(II)-catalysed amidocarbonylation of unsaturated amino alcohols

The first example of an asymmetric carbonylative bicyclisation of racemic N-protected 1-amino-pent-4-ene-3-ols (±)-1 catalysed by palladium(II) with chiral bis(oxazoline) ligands was investigated. The kinetic resolution of (±)-1 in the presence of chiral catalyst, p-benzoquinone in acetic acid under carbon monoxide atmosphere afforded enantiomerically enriched derivatives of 2-oxa-6-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-ones (R,R)-2 and (S,S)-2, respectively.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiopure geminally dimethylated cyclopropane-based C2- and pseudo-C2-symmetric diamines

Enantiopure (−)-(1S,3S)-2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-methylprop-1-enyl)cyclopropanecarboxamide 2 and (+)-(1R,3R)-2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-methylprop-1-enyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid 3 were easily obtained from a multigram scale biotransformation of racemic amide or nitrile in the presence of Rhodococcus erythropolis AJ270 whole cell catalyst under very mild conditions. Coupled with efficient and convenient chemical manipulations, comprising mainly of the Curtius rearrangement, oxidation, and reduction reactions, chiral C₂-symmetric (1S,2S)-3,3-dimethylcyclopropane-1,2-diamine 6 and ((1R,3R)-3-(aminomethyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropyl)methanamine 8 and pseudo-C₂-symmetric (1S,3S)-3-(aminomethyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanamine 11 were prepared. These were also transformed into the corresponding chiral salen derivatives 12, 13, and 14, respectively, in almost quantitative yields.     

Enantiopure vic-amino alcohols and vic-diamines from (1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene

(1S,2S)-2-Hydroxy-1-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, (1R,2R)-1-hydroxy-2-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, (1S,2R)-1,2-diamino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, (2R,3S)-2-hydroxy-3-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene and (2S,3S)-2,3-diammino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene have been synthesized from (1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphthalene. The latter was obtained, using a protocol reported in a previous paper, from naphthalene using an Escherichia coli recombinant strain containing the naphthalene dioxygenase gene cloned from Pseudomonas fluorescens N3.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis and HPLC analysis of the stereoisomers of miyakosyne A [(4E,24E)-14-methyloctacosa-4,24-diene-1,27-diyne-3,26-diol], a cytotoxic metabolite of a marine sponge Petrosia sp., to determine the absolute configuration of its major component as 3R,14R,26R

Six samples [(3R,14R,26R)-, (3R,14S,26R)-, (3S,14R,26S)-, and (3S,14S,26S)-1, a mixture of (3R,14R,26S)- and (3S,14R,26R)-1, and a mixture of (3R,14S,26S)- and (3S,14S,26R)-1] of miyakosyne A [1, (4E,24E)-14-methyloctacosa-4,24-diene-1,27-diyne-3,26-diol] were synthesized starting from the enantiomers of citronellal (2), employing olefin cross metathesis and R-selective asymmetric acetylation of a stereoisomeric mixture of acetylenic alcohols with vinyl acetate and lipase PS as key reactions. Separation of the eight stereoisomer of 1 by reversed phase HPLC at −56 °C was achieved after their esterification with (1R,2R)-2-(anthracene-2,3-dicarboximido)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (16), and the natural miyakosyne A was found to be a mixture of 95.7% of (3R,14R,26R)-1 and 4.3% of (3R,14S,26R)-1. This is different from the (3R,14S,26R)-configuration of 1 as tentatively assigned by X-ray analysis.     

Synthesis of (αR,βS)-epoxyketones by asymmetric epoxidation of chalcones with cinchona phase-transfer catalysts

An efficient method to synthetically produce optically enriched (αR,βS)-epoxyketones was developed using a quaternary ammonium salt derived from cinchona alkaloid as the chiral phase-transfer catalyst. (αR,βS)-Epoxyketones were prepared in high optical purities (91-99% ee) by the asymmetric epoxidation of 1,3-diarylenones with aqueous sodium hypochlorite in the presence of a hydrocinchonine-derived chiral phase-transfer catalyst bearing a 2,3,4-trifluorobenzyl group.     

A chemo-enzymatic route to diastereoisomers of 2-methyl-1-phenyl-1,3-butanediol: the dual role of microorganisms

Diastereoisomers (1S,2R,3S)-, (1R,2R,3S)-, (1R,2S,3S)- and (1S,2S,3S)-2-methyl-1-phenyl-1,3-butanediols were prepared by simple and convenient strategies using two different chemo-enzymatic approaches for the reduction of racemic 2-methyl-1-phenyl-1,3-butanedione, both involving in situ racemization. The first method comprised a one-pot microbial reduction coupled with a chemical reduction, while in the second method, stepwise chemo-enzymatic reductions were performed.     

Pheromone synthesis. Part 243: Synthesis and biological evaluation of (3R,13R,1′S)-1′-ethyl-2′-methylpropyl 3,13-dimethylpentadecanoate, the major component of the sex pheromone of Paulownia bagworm, Clania variegata, and its stereoisomers

All of the four stereoisomers of (1′S)-1′-ethyl-2′-methylpropyl 3,13-dimethylpentadecanoate, the major component of the female sex pheromone of Clania variegata, were synthesized by employing olefin cross metathesis as the key reaction and starting from (R)- or (S)-2-methyl-1-butanol, (R)- or (S)-citronellal, and (S)-2-methyl-3-pentanol. Their bioassay revealed the (3R,13R,1′S)-isomer as the bioactive one, whose more efficient synthesis was achieved in two different ways by employing Wittig reaction as the key step.     

Synthesis of (R)- and (S)-4-hydroxyisophorone by ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketoisophorone

The first synthesis of (R)- and (S)-4-hydroxyisophorone by catalytic transfer hydrogenation of ketoisophorone is reported. Ruthenium catalysts containing commercially available chiral amino alcohols afforded 4-hydroxyisophorone in up to 97% selectivity and 97% ee. (R)- or (S)-4-Hydroxyisophorones with >99% ee were isolated by crystallization. The catalyst precursors [RuCl₂((S,R)-ADPE)(η⁶-p-cymene)] ((S,R)-ADPE=(1S,2R)-amino-1,2-diphenylethanol-N) and (R_Ru)-[RuCl((S,R)-ADPE⁻¹)(η⁶-p-cymene)] (ADPE⁻¹=amino-1,2-diphenylethanolato-N,O) were isolated for the first time and the X-ray crystal structure of the latter determined.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 3-deoxy-piperidine iminosugars from l-lysine

A new method using electrochemical oxidation and/or OsO₄ oxidation has been used for the stereoselective synthesis of 2,3,6-trihydroxylated (5S)-piperidine derivatives. The electrochemical method was successively used for the conversion of N-protected piperidines to N-protected 1-methoxypiperidines and for the conversion of 2,3-didehydro-1-methoxypiperidine derivatives to 2,3-trans-1,2,3-triacetoxypiperidine derivatives. These triacetates were easily transformed into (2S,3S)-6-triacetoxy-(5S)-methylpiperidine and (2R,3R)-6-triacetoxy-(5S)-methylpiperidine. In addition, the 2,3-cis-dihydroxylation of 2,3-didehydro-1-methoxypiperidine derivatives with OsO₄ afforded (2R,3S)-6-triacetoxy-(5S)-methylpiperidine and (2S,3R)-6-triacetoxy-(5S)-methylpiperidine.     

Asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction using a new chiral β-nitroacrylate for enantiopure trans-β-norbornane amino acid preparation

The main nitronorbornene adduct derived from the asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of (S)-benzyl-4-(3-(3-nitroacryloyloxy)-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxopyrrolidin-1-yl)benzoate (S)-1 and cyclopentadiene was isolated and transformed to afford the enantiopure bicyclic β-amino acid (1S,2R,3R,4R)-trans-β-norbornane amino acid 9. The enantiomer (1R,2S,3S,4S)-9 could be obtained by the same synthetic route by using the chiral auxiliary (R)-1.     

Studies towards the synthesis of (1R,2S)- and (1S,2S)-1,2-epoxy-3-hydroxypropylphosphonates and (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-2,3-epoxy-1-hydroxypropylphosphonates

The trans-configured fosfomycin analogue, diethyl (1S,2S)-1,2-epoxy-3-hydroxypropylphosphonate, was synthesised by the intramolecular Williamson reaction of diethyl (1S,2R)-1,3-dihydroxy-2-mesyloxypropylphosphonate. The cis-analogue was obtained as O-ethyl or O,O-diethyl (1R,2S)-1,2-epoxy-3-hydroxypropylphosphonates, when (1R,2R)-1,3-dihydroxy-2-mesyloxypropylphosphonate or its 3-O-trityl derivative were used as starting materials, respectively. The intramolecular Williamson cyclisations of diethyl (1S,2R)- and (1R,2S)-1-benzyloxy-3-hydroxy-2-mesyloxypropylphosphonates led to diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-2,3-epoxy-1-benzyloxypropylphosphonates, respectively, with the concomitant formation of diethyl (E)-1-benzyloxy-3-hydroxyprop-1-en-1-phosphonate. From diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-2,3-epoxy-1-benzyloxypropylphosphonates, enantiomerically pure diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxypropylphosphonates were obtained by catalytic hydrogenation, while diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-3-acetamido-1,2-dihydroxypropylphosphonates were produced after epoxide ring opening with dibenzylamine, acetylation and hydrogenolysis.     

Asymmetric synthesis of l-proline regio- and stereoselectively labelled with deuterium

A synthesis of l-proline where all of the ring methylenes are stereoselectively labelled with deuterium is described. A catalytic deuteration of protected 3,4-dehydro-l-proline using transition metal catalyst followed by RuO₄-oxidation gave a [3,4-D₂]pyroglutamic acid derivative. A syn-selective deuteration of the aminal derived from the pyroglutamate with Et₃SiD–BF₃·OEt₂ furnished (2S,3S,4R,5S)-[3,4,5-D₃]proline. The present procedure is also applied to the synthesis of the corresponding (2S,3S,4R,5R)-isomer.     

Ru-catalyzed enantioselective preparation of methyl (R)-o-chloromandelate and its application in the synthesis of (S)-Clopidogrel

The preparation of methyl (R)-o-chloromandelate via Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation was investigated. With Ru-(R,R)-2,4,6-triisopropyl C₆H₂SO₂-DPEN as the catalyst and HCOOH-Et₃N azeotrope as the hydrogen donor, up to 92% ee was obtained in an optional condition. The synthesis of (S)-Clopidogrel was also studied.