Highly regioselective synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indenes via a novel palladium-catalyzed cyclization reaction of propargylic carbonates with carbon nucleophiles

Palladium-catalyzed reaction of propargylic carbonates with carbon nucleophiles offers an efficient, direct route to highly substituted indenes. The reaction conditions and the scope of the process are examined, and a possible mechanism is proposed. [reaction: see text]     

Asymmetric Mannich reaction of dicarbonyl compounds with alpha-amido sulfones catalyzed by cinchona alkaloids and synthesis of chiral dihydropyrimidones

The highly enantioselective cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed Mannich reaction of dicarbonyl compounds with alpha-amido sulfones as acyl imine precursors is described. The reaction requires 10 mol % of the cinchona alkaloid catalyst, which serves as a general base to generate acyl imines in situ, and aqueous Na2CO3 to maintain the concentration of free alkaloid catalyst. The reaction products are obtained in good yields and high enantioselectivities, and in diastereoselectivities that range from 1:1 to >95:5. The cinchonine-catalyzed reactions provide practical access to highly functionalized building blocks which have been employed in the synthesis of chiral dihydropyrimidones, a class of compounds rich in diverse biological activity. Dihydropyrimidone modifications include a highly diastereoselective hydrogenation of the enamide moiety, using an H-Cube flow hydrogenator and a Rh(II)-mediated 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to afford highly functionalized complex heterocycles.     

Enantiospecific approach toward pentalenolactone

[reaction: see text] The enantiospecific assembly of the pentalenolactones' carbon skeleton was achieved in 17 steps and 16% overall yield from methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside. The synthetic strategy relies on two highly efficient key steps: an exo-diastereoselective Diels-Alder reaction and a nonsymmetric ozonolysis.     

Asymmetric Mannich reactions with in situ generation of carbamate-protected imines by an organic catalyst

The instability of carbamate-protected alkyl imines has greatly hampered the development of catalytic asymmetric Mannich reactions suitable for the synthesis of optically active carbamate-protected chiral alkyl amines. A highly enantioselective Mannich reaction with in situ generation of carbamate-protected imines from stable alpha-amido sulfones catalyzed by an organic catalyst was developed. This reaction provides a concise and highly enantioselective route converting aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes into optically active aryl and alkyl beta-amino acids. [reaction: see text].     

Catalytic multicomponent synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles utilizing a one-pot sila-Stetter/Paal-Knorr strategy

[reaction: see text] A multicomponent synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles catalyzed by thiazolium salts has been disclosed. The reaction employs an acyl anion conjugate addition reaction of acylsilanes (sila-Stetter) and unsaturated ketones to generate 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds in situ. The subsequent addition of various amines promotes a Paal-Knorr reaction, affording the desired pyrrole nucleus in an efficient one-pot process.     

Highly (E)-selective Wadsworth-Emmons reactions promoted by methylmagnesium bromide

An experimentally simple protocol for the very highly (E)-selective Wadsworth-Emmons reaction [(E):(Z) selectivities in excess of 180:1 in some cases] of a range of straight-chain and branched aliphatic, substituted aromatic, and base-sensitive aldehydes via reaction with an alkyl diethylphosphonoacetate and MeMgBr is reported.     

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective catalytic synthesis of the bis-tetrahydrofuran alcohol of Brecanavir and Darunavir

An efficient highly diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of the bis-tetrahydrofuran (bis-THF) alcohol of several HIV protease inhibitors, including Brecanavir and Darunavir, has been achieved utilizing an Evans Mukaiyama aldol reaction of (benzyloxy)acetaldehyde and a silyl ketene acetal. The lactone alcohol intermediate from the catalytic aldol reaction was reduced to a lactol. Palladium catalyzed hydrogenolysis removed the benzyl protection and promoted an in situ cyclization to form the epimer of the bis-THF alcohol in a 98:2 diastereomeric ratio and 97:3 enantiomeric ratio. The alcohol epimer was readily converted to the target in two steps by oxidation to a ketone followed by highly selective reduction to the bis-THF alcohol.     

Copper-free synthesis of skipped diynes via cross-coupling reactions of alkynylalanes with propargylic electrophiles

Alkynylalanes provide a new, copper-free route to skipped diynes when combined with propargylic electrophiles bearing an aluminum-complexing leaving group. The reaction is mild, efficient, and, in contrast to copper-mediated methods, highly regioselective. [reaction: see text]     

Thiourea-catalyzed asymmetric formal [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with nitroolefins

A chiral thiourea catalyst possessing an amine function catalyzes an asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to nitroolefins to provide highly functionalized pyrrolidines with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to 98:1:1 dr, 92% ee). The reaction proceeds in a stepwise manner consisting of Michael addition and subsequent intramolecular aza-Henry reaction. Both reactions are promoted by the thiourea catalyst, and the reaction rate of the latter step is efficiently enhanced by the addition of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol.     

The asymmetric synthesis of β-lactams: HETPHOX/Cu(I) mediated synthesis via the Kinugasa reaction

The reactions of nitrones with terminal alkynes, catalysed by a range of HETPHOX ligands afforded β-lactams in moderate to good conversions with ees up to 55%. High levels of diastereoselectivity, dependent on the alkyne, were obtained. For example, the reaction is highly cis-diastereoselective with phenylacetylene (>9:1), while an unexpected reversal of diastereoselectivity is observed with the 3,5-trifluoromethyl phenylacetylene, which is highly trans selective (1:9) with an ee of 53%. The reaction scope with differently substituted nitrones and phenylacetylenes was also studied.     

Base-induced heterochiral dimerization of an oxiranyl carbaldimine: stereoselective synthesis of a highly functionalized aziridine

[reaction: see text] Treatment of the oxiranyl carbaldimine with base (LDA or LDA/KOtBu) leads in an one-step procedure to the polyfunctionalized aziridine. This highly diastereoselective reaction is explained by a new type of an Aza-Darzens reaction, in which one enantiomer of the starting material is deprotonated to form an oxiranyl anion, which attacks the imine carbon atom of the other enantiomer (mutual kinetic resolution by double diastereofacial selection).     

Total synthesis of the immunosupressant (-)-pironetin (PA48153C)

[reaction: see text]. Total synthesis of the immunosuppresant pironetin has been achieved by a synthetic route in which the connections between starting materials and the desired structure are readily discerned. Key steps include a diastereoselective Lewis acid mediated crotylstannane aldehyde addition, a highly selective Lewis acid promoted Mukaiyama aldol reaction, an anti-selective SmI2 reduction of a beta-hydroxyketone, and finally a lactone annulation reaction.     

A new chiral catalyst for the enantioselective Strecker synthesis of alpha-amino acids

[reaction: see text] The chiral ammonium salt 3 is demonstrated to be an effective catalyst for the highly enantioselective Strecker reaction of N-allylbenzaldimines with hydrogen cyanide in CH2Cl2 solution.     

Highly functionalized benzene syntheses by directed mono or multiple magnesiations with TMPMgCl.LiCl

The direct magnesiation of highly functionalized aromatics bearing an ester, a nitrile, or a ketone can be readily performed by using an OBoc as a directing group and TMPMgCl.LiCl as a base. It allows, for example, the preparation of a meta-magnesiated benzophenone in >95%. After quenching, highly functionalized and substituted benzenes are obtained. [reaction: see text].     

An efficient and selective enzymatic oxidation system for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure D-tert-leucine

[reaction: see text] d-tert-Leucine was prepared with an enantiomeric excess of >99% by an enzyme-catalyzed oxidative resolution of the racemic mixture of dl-tert-leucine with use of leucine dehydrogenase. The l-amino acid was oxidized completely due to coupling of the primary reaction with a highly efficient irreversible NAD(+)-regenerating step by NADH oxidase.     

A novel enantioselective (2Z)-alk-2-enylation of aldehydes via an allyl-transfer reaction from chiral allyl donors prepared from (+)-isomenthone

A highly enantioselective (2Z)-alk-2-enylation of aldehydes was successfully achieved by an allyl-transfer reaction from a chiral allyl donor, which was easily obtained by separation of a diastereomeric mixture of the corresponding homoallylic alcohol gamma-adducts derived from (+)-isomenthone with alk-2-enylmagnesium chloride. [reaction: see text]     

Synthesis of the tetracyclic core of the kempanes by a ring-closing metathesis strategy

[reaction: see text] The synthesis of the tetracyclic ring system of the kempane diterpenes was achieved through the highly regio- and stereoselective Diels-Alder reaction of an isopropenyl-diene with 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, addition of an allyl group, and ring-closing metathesis of the isopropenyl and allyl groups.     

Reaction of azetidines with chloroformates

The reaction of an azetidine with a chloroformate can give either the dealkylated heterocycle or the ring-opened product (gamma-chloroamine), which can further cyclize to the oxazinanone. A general study of this underrated reaction was conducted and revealed that azetidines can undergo smooth nucleophilic ring-opening reactions to highly functionalized gamma-chloroamines in the presence of a variety of alkyl chloroformates under mild reaction conditions. Yields are usually good, and parameters governing this reaction were evaluated. [reaction: see text].     

Diastereoselective synthesis of (2S,5R)-5-hydroxypipecolic acid and 6-substituted derivatives

[reaction: see text] Herein, we report a diastereoselective synthesis of the natural product (2S,5R)-5-hydroxypipecolic acid and 6-substituted derivatives thereof. The key step in the synthetic sequence is a novel highly diastereoselective epoxidation reaction of an enantiomerically pure cyclic enamide intermediate.     

Highly efficient, reversible addition of activated methylene compounds to styrene derivatives catalyzed by silver catalysts

[reaction: see text] A highly efficient inter- and intramolecular addition of 1,3-diketone/beta-ketoester to alkenes was developed by using silver catalysts. Silver triflate shows the highest catalytic activity. The reaction is reversible through the cleavage of a carbon-carbon bond by silver at an elevated temperature.