Direct palladium-catalyzed arylation of cyclopropenes

The first examples of direct palladium-catalyzed arylation and heteroarylation of cyclopropenes have been demonstrated. This method allows for efficient synthesis of various tetrasubstituted cyclopropenes, incuding nonracemic cyclopropenes, which are not available via known asymmetric cyclopropenation methods. Mechanistic studies strongly suggest an electrophilic path for this Heck-type transformation.     

Enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclopropenes by hydroacylation

We report an enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclopropenes by intermolecular Rh-catalyzed hydroacylation. Cyclopropylketones, bearing quaternary stereocenters, are produced with diastereocontrol (up to >20:1) and excellent enantiomeric excess (up to >99 ee).     

Enantioselective, facially selective carbomagnesation of cyclopropenes

Described is the facially selective and enantioselective addition of carbon nucleophiles to prochiral 3-hydroxymethylcyclopropenes. The process creates up to four stereocenters in a tandem addition/capture sequence that combines three simple materials to give complex and diverse products. The asymmetry is induced by the inexpensive and recoverable ligand (S)-N-methylprolinol. The enantioselectivity (90-98% ee with MeMgCl) is high for a range of cyclopropenes and electrophiles. Importantly, the diastereoselectivity is complementary to that obtained by enantioselective cyclopropanation with aryldiazoacetates. High enantioselectivities are obtained only when methoxide is included in the reaction. Evidence is provided that at least two chiral ligands are involved in the enantioselectivity-determining step.     

Enantioselective, palladium-catalyzed alpha-arylation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine

This communication discloses the first instance of the enantioselective Pd-catalyzed alpha-arylation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine. The methodology relies on Beak's sparteine-mediated, enantioselective deprotonation of N-Boc-pyrrolidine to form the 2-pyrrolidinolithium specices in high enantiomeric ratio (er). Transmetalation of this intermediate with zinc chloride generates the stereochemically rigid, 2-pyrrolidinozinc reagent, which was readily coupled to a variety of functionalized aryl halides at room temperature using a catalyst generated from Pd(OAc)2 and PtBu3-HBF4. A diverse array of 2-aryl-N-Boc-pyrrolidines was synthesized using this methodology, providing adducts consistently in a 96:4 er. A survey of the stoichiometry revealed that as little as 0.3 equiv of zinc could be used in the coupling reaction, and the 2-pyrrolidinozinc reagent was found to exhibit stereochemical stability up to 60 degrees C. The method allows for the most convergent and reliable preparation of a broad range of functionalized 2-aryl-N-Boc-pyrrolidines in high enantioselectivity, which is highlighted in this report by the enantioselective synthesis of (R)-nicotine.     

Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed addition of malonates to 3,3-difluoropropenes

Monofluoroalkenes bearing a malonate unit at the β position can be synthesized by the enantioselective addition of diesters to 3,3-difluoropropenes. The difference in reactivity regarding the geometry and the substituents of the alkene of the 3,3-difluoropropenes, as well as the alkyl groups of the malonates, was studied and limitations were identified. The reaction was also performed with different 3,3-difluoropropenes. Further synthetic transformations of a newly functionalized monofluoroalkene were also accomplished.     

Enantioselective synthesis of P-stereogenic benzophospholanes via palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization

Enantioselective or diastereoselective intramolecular cyclization of functionalized secondary phosphines or their borane adducts catalyzed by chiral Pd(diphosphine) complexes gave P-stereogenic benzophospholanes in up to 70% ee. These results provide a new method for the synthesis of chiral phospholanes, which are valuable ligands in asymmetric catalysis. [reaction: see text]     

Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed C(sp2)-H carbamoylation

An enantioselective palladium-catalyzed C(sp²)-H carbamoylation for the preparation of chiral isoindolines was described for the first time. With chiral monophosphorus ligand (R)-AntPhos as the ligand, a series of chiral isoindolines were prepared from diarylmethyl carbamoyl chlorides in excellent yields and enantioselectivities with the palladium loading as low as 1 mol%. Initial mechanistic studies indicated the asymmetric cyclization catalyzed a palladium species with a single chiral monophosphorus ligand.     

Enantioselective synthesis of aryl sulfoxides via palladium-catalyzed arylation of sulfenate anions

Arylation of various sulfenate anions generated from beta-sulfinyl esters by retro-Michael reaction in the presence of palladium(0) and enantiopure ligands gave the corresponding aryl sulfoxides in enantio-enriched form. The Josiphos-type ligand (R)-(S)-PPF-t-Bu2 turned out to be the best ligand tested, allowing ee's up to 83% in a predictable sense.     

Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to an allene derivative

Enhancing atom economy of the metal‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) shifts from the usual nucleophilic displacement of a leaving group to an addition of a pronucleophile to a double bond. Using 1‐alkoxyallenes as proelectrophiles, the palladium‐catalyzed AAA proceeds with 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds as pronucleophiles with excellent regioselectivity and enantiomeric excess under optimized conditions. The pH of the medium proved crucial for reactivity/selectivity. By using the more acidic Meldrum's acids, the reactions required a co‐catalytic amount of Brønsted acid, such as trifluoroacetic acid. Single regioisomeric products of 82–99 % ee were obtained. On the other hand, the less acidic 1,3‐diketones failed to react under such conditions. The fact that a less acidic acid like benzoic acid sufficed, suggested the need for general base catalysis as well. Thus, a mixture of triethylamine and benzoic acid proved optimal (ee's 93–99). Employment of the (R,R)‐phenyl Trost ligand gave a product with S configuration. A model to rationalize the results has been developed.     

Enantioselective difunctionalization of alkenes by a palladium-catalyzed Heck/borylation sequence

A palladium catalyzed enantioselective Heck/borylation reaction of alkene-tethered aryl iodides was realized, delivering a variety of 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl boronic esters in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity. Asymmetric synthesis of chromane boronic ester, indane boronic ester and indoline boronic ester was also accomplished. The protocol offers an efficient access to the corresponding chiral benzocyclic boronic esters, which are notably important chemical motifs in synthetic transformations.

A palladium catalyzed enantioselective Heck/borylation reaction of alkene-tethered aryl iodides was realized, delivering a variety of 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl boronic esters in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity.     

Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloadditions of trimethylenemethane with nitroalkenes

Nitroalkenes readily undergo palladium-catalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition with trimethylenemethane to generate nitrocyclopentanes in excellent yield and enantioselectivity. Furthermore, the products thus formed are highly versatile synthetic intermediates and provide convenient access to both cyclopentylamines and cyclopentenones.     

Enantioselective palladium-catalyzed total synthesis of vitamin e by employing a domino Wacker-Heck reaction

An enantioselective total synthesis of vitamin E in which a novel palladium-catalyzed domino reaction was employed as the key step is described. This reaction allows the formation of the chiral chroman framework and the concurrent introduction of part of the side chain of vitamin E. The sequence comprises an enantioselective Wacker cyclization and a subsequent Heck reaction. Accordingly, reaction of alkenylphenol 12 with methyl vinyl ketone (13) in the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(OTFA)(2) (TFA = trifluoroacetate), the enantiopure ligand (S,S)-Bn-BOXAX (8 b; Bn = benzyl, BOXAX = 2,2'-bis(oxazolyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl, and p-benzoquinone (9) as an oxidant gives access to chiral chroman 10 with an enantioselectivity of 97 % ee in 84 % yield. Chroman 10 is then converted into 24 by an aldol condensation reaction with (3R)-3,7-dimethyloctanal (11). Subsequent 1,2-addition of methyllithium, elimination of water, and hydrogenation yields vitamin E.     

Rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of cyclopropenes

The first catalytic diastereo- and enantioselective hydroformylation of cyclopropenes was demonstrated. The reaction proceeds efficiently under very mild conditions and low catalyst loadings providing high yields of cyclopropylcarboxaldehydes. This novel methodology represents a convenient, atom-economic approach toward optically active cyclopropylcarboxaldehydes from readily available prochiral cyclopropenes.     

Vibrational spectra of cyclopropenes. II. IR spectra of 1,2-disubstituted cyclopropenes

The IR spectra were measured and the vibrational problem was solved for the 1,2-dimethyl-3-phenylcyclopropene (I) and 1,2-diphenylcyclopropene (II) molecules. The forms of the normal vibrations were determined, and the vibrations associated with vibrations of the exo- and endocyclic bonds of the ring were distinguished. It was shown that substitution at the double bond of cyclopropene leads to a change in the form of the symmetrical vibration of the ring in comparison with the vibration of unsubstituted cyclopropene. It was shown that a significant hypsochromic shift of the band of the symmetrical ring vibration in 1,2-disubstituted cyclopropenes in comparison with cyclopropenes that do not contain substituents at the C^1,2 atoms is due chiefly to the kinematic effect of the substituent. It was found that the introduction of substituents at the double bond of the ring leads to a decrease in the force constant of the double bonds.St. Petersberg University. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 125–132, January–February, 1993.     

Vibrational spectra of cyclopropenes. I. IR spectra of 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes

The IR spectra were measured and the vibrational problem was solved for a series of 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropenes [R¹: CH₃; R²: C(CH₃)₃ (I), C₆H₅ (II), CC–C(CH₃)₃ (III), CCH (IV)]. It was shown that a number of vibrations of the cyclopropene ring [symmetrical vibration of the ring, stretching and deformational (planar and out-of-plane) vibrations of the vinyl C–H bonds] are characteristic in frequency and form. On the basis of an analysis of the influence of a substituent at the C³ atom on the force field and the frequencies of the characteristic vibrations, it was concluded that the effect of conjugation of the substituent with _Walsh of the MO of the ring on the distribution of electron density in the ring plays a determining role.St. Petersberg University. Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 112–124, January–February, 1993.