Direct asymmetric allylic alkenylation of N-itaconimides with morita-baylis-hillman carbonates

The asymmetric allylic alkenylation of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates with N-itaconimides as nucleophiles has been developed using a commercially available Cinchona alkaloid catalyst. A variety of multifunctional chiral α-methylene-β-maleimide esters were attained in moderate to excellent yields (up to 99%) and good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 91% ee). The origin of the regio- and stereoselectivity was verified by DFT methods. Calculated geometries and relative energies of various transition states strongly support the observed regio- and enantioselectivity.     

Enantioselective <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-allylic alkylation of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates with oxime

The enantioselective O-allylic alkylation of acetophenone oxime with various Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates has been accomplished by the catalysis of a commercially available cinchona alkaloid (DHQD)2PHAL. The corresponding O-allylic products were obtained in moderate to excellent yields up to 96% ee.     

靛红Morita-Baylis-Hillman碳酸酯与环状N-磺酰亚胺的不对称烯丙基烷基化反应研究

本课题组近年来发展的通过路易斯碱催化靛红Morita-Baylis-Hillman(MBH)碳酸酯的烯丙基烷基化反应是合成光学纯3,3-二取代2-氧化吲哚化合物的一种有效方法. 在此基础上, 本文研究了手性叔胺催化靛红MBH碳酸酯与环状N-磺酰亚胺的不对称烯丙基烷基化反应, 通过亲电反应途径以较高的立体选择性(达86% ee, dr＞95∶5)和高收率(达96%)合成C-3位含季碳手性中心的多官能团氧化吲哚产物. 通过简单的转化可以得到含多个手性中心的2-吲哚酮-3,4'-哌啶环类骨架, 这为进一步合成生理活性物质研究奠定了基础.     

Organocatalytic (1+4)-Annulations of MBH Adducts with Electron-Deficient Systems

Benefited from the rapid development of MBH reaction, the reaction of MBH adducts have been established as the most synthetically useful transformations. However, compared with the well-established allylic alkylations and (3+2)-annulations, the (1+4)-annulations of MBH adducts have not developed rapidly until recently. As a helpful complement to the (3+2)-annulations of MBH adducts, the (1+4)-annulations of MBH adducts opens a robust access to structurally diverse five-membered carbo- and heterocycles. This paper summarizes recent advances in organocatalytic (1+4)-annulations using MBH adducts as 1 C-synthons for the construction of functionalized five-membered carbo- and heterocycles.     

A novel approach to Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) lactones via the Lewis acid-promoted couplings of α,β-unsaturated lactone with aldehydes

The Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH)-type reaction of α,β unsaturated δ-lactone with various aldehydes has been achieved without the direct use of a Lewis base. The new MBH process can be conveniently carried out by the slow addition of the diethylaluminum iodide into the solution of lactone and aldehyde in dichloromethane at 0°C. Modest to good yields were obtained (50-65%) for eight examples.     

Dual catalyst control in the enantioselective intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

The intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction has been achieved with unprecedented levels of enantioselectivity. Using a co-catalyst system involving pipecolinic acid and N-methylimidazole, cyclic MBH products have been obtained with enantiomer ratios of 92:8 (84% ee). In addition, reactions may be carried out with a "kinetic resolution quench" involving acetic anhydride and an asymmetric acylation catalyst such that ee enhancement occurs to deliver products with >98% ee with an isolated yield of 50%. [reaction: see text]     

DABCO-mediated one-pot sequential transformation: convenient access to fluorinated 1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-ones

A Lewis base-mediated one-pot sequential transformation of pyrazolones with Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates and N-fluoro-N-(phenylsulfonyl)benzenesulfonamide (NFSI) has been developed. By using this process, a series of fluorinated pyrazolone derivatives have been synthesized in 40-83% yields.     

Enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction promoted by L-threonine-derived phosphine-thiourea catalysts

A series of bifunctional phosphine-thiourea organic catalysts based on natural amino acid scaffolds were designed and prepared. L-threonine-derived bifunctional phosphine catalysts were found to be very efficient in promoting asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction of acrylates with aromatic aldehydes, affording the desired MBH adducts with up to 90% ee. To gain mechanistic insights into the reaction, the effects of adding various additives on the MBH reaction were investigated. We propose that the hydrogen bonding interactions between the thiourea moiety of the catalyst and the enolate intermediate are crucial for the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. The method described in this report may provide a practical solution to the enantioselective MBH reaction of simple acrylates.     

A unified mechanistic view on the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction: computational and experimental investigations

The thermodynamic properties and reaction mechanism of the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction have been investigated through experimental and computational techniques. The impossibility to accelerate this synthetically valuable transformation by increasing the reaction temperature has been rationalized by variable-temperature experiments and MP2 theoretical calculations of the reaction thermodynamics. An increase in temperature results in a switching of the equilibrium to the reactants occurring at even moderate temperature levels. The complex reaction mechanism for the MBH reaction has been investigated through an in-depth analysis of the suggested alternative pathways, using the M06-2X computational method. The results provided by this theoretical approach are in agreement with all the experimental/kinetic evidence such as reaction order, acceleration by protic species (methanol, phenol), and autocatalysis. In particular, the existing controversy about the character of the key proton transfer in the MBH reaction (Aggarwal versus McQuade pathways) has been resolved. Depending on the specific reaction conditions both suggested pathways are competing mechanisms, and depending on the amount of protic species and the reaction progress (early or late stage) either of the two mechanisms will be favored.     

Highly enantioselective and regioselective substitution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates with nitroalkanes

A highly enantioselective and regioselective substitution reaction of the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates with nitroalkanes catalyzed by a quinidine-derived tertiary amine-thiourea catalyst has been developed. The described method, which is different from most organocatalytic allylic substitutions of the MBH adducts to date, represents a novel approach to regioselectively functionalize the MBH adducts.     

Mechanistic implications in the Morita-Baylis-Hillman alkylation: isolation and characterization of an intermediate

An intermediate phosphonium salt has never been isolated from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction. Due to the weakly basic counterion produced in the MBH alkylation and allylation reactions, the reaction can be stopped after electrophilic attack on the zwitterionic enolate and an intermediate isolated. Upon analysis of the crystal structure, a trans geometry is observed, suggesting that there is no electrostatic interaction between phosphorus and oxygen in the zwitterionic enolate that undergoes alkylation, thus giving new mechanistic insight into the MBH reaction.     

Switchable pyrrole-based hydrogen bonding motif in enantioselective trifunctional organocatalysis

Pyrroles are versatile chemical motifs for molecular recognition or ligand design but their utility as catalytic components are underexplored. We incorporated a pyrrole motif into our acid-switchable, MAP-based trifunctional organocatalytic system. The switching-on of this system by an external Brønsted acid, 3-methyl benzoic acid, presented proficient catalysis in both aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH, up to >95% conversion and 88% ee over 3?h) and MBH (up to 81% conversion and 77% ee over 6?h) reactions. The enhanced catalytic generality and proficiency may be due to the new cooperativity via CH/π interactions between pyrrole and the acid switch.     

Highly regioselective synthesis of 3-alkylthio-2-oxindoles via DABCO-catalyzed allylic α-substitution of Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates of isatins with various thiols

The first Lewis base-catalysed allylic sulfuration of Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) adducts derived from ketones (isatins) has been developed, which affords C3-quaternary oxindole derivatives bearing thio-group at 3-position in good to excellent yield (up to 98% yield) under mild reaction conditions. Significantly, the potential utility of the protocol also has been demonstrated by gram-scale synthesis of 3-alkylthio-2-oxindole (3ae), a low catalyst loading (0.3 mol %) and facile conversion of resulting product (3ad) into functionalized pyrrolidinone (5ad).     

Thiourea-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

Here, we describe our studies on the thiourea-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction. Chemoselective activation of carbonyl compounds via hydrogen bonding to thiourea as a catalyst is the key to drastic rate acceleration of this reaction. The application of chiral bis-thiourea-type organocatalysts, which can form a chiral double hydrogen-bonding network, is effective for enantioselective MBH reaction. A cooperative system of bis-thiourea compounds, synthesized from 1,2-diaminocyclohexane, and a Lewis base effectively promotes the MBH reaction at lower temperature, affording the MBH adducts in 33-95% yield with 44-90% ee. A plausible transition state model of the enantioselective MBH reaction is presented.     

Asymmetric allylic alkylation of isatin-derived morita-baylis-hillman carbonates with nitroalkanes

A stereoselective allylic alkylation of isatin-derived Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates with nitroalkanes has been developed. In the presence of 10 mol % β-isocupreidine (β-ICD), 3,3'-disubstituted oxindoles were prepared with moderate diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of substituted 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles via Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

We report a highly enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction of isatins and acrolein to provide enantiomerically enriched 3-substituted 3-hydroxyoxindoles, which could serve as valuable synthetic building blocks. This is also the first time that a ketone has been used as the electrophile and acrolein as the nucleophile in a highly enantioselective catalytic asymmetric MBH reaction. Hatakeyama's catalyst, β-isocupreidine (1), turned out to be a powerful catalyst for this transformation.     

Enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of isatins with acrylates: facile creation of 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles

The first tertiary amine catalyzed enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction of isatins with acrylates has been demonstrated, allowing asymmetric synthesis of biologically significant 3-substituted-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. The C6'-OH group of β-isocupreidine (β-ICD) is believed to facilitate the key proton transfer step in the MBH reaction, via an intramolecular proton relay process.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric allylic alkylation of sulfonylimidates with Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates

The asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction of sulfonylimidates with various Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates was accomplished by the catalysis of commercially available cinchona alkaloids catalyst (DHQD)2AQN.The corresponding allylic alkylation products were obtained in good yields with high stereoselectivities (up to 99% ee,89:11 dr).     

Chiral biscinchona alkaloid promoted asymmetric allylic alkylation of 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones with Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction with respect to prochiral 3-substituted benzofuran-2(3H)-ones and MBH carbonate by a chiral biscinchona alkaloid catalyst was investigated. The corresponding adducts, containing a quaternary center at the C3-position of the benzofuran-2(3H)-one as well as a vicinal tertiary center, were generally obtained in high yields (up to 97%) with very good diastereo- (up to 98:2 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee).     

Asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions catalyzed by chiral Brønsted acids

Chiral BINOL-derived Br?nsted acids catalyze the enantioselective asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction of cyclohexenone with aldehydes. The asymmetric MBH reaction requires 2-20 mol % of the chiral Br?nsted acid 2e or 2f and triethylphosphine as the nucleophilic promoter. The reaction products are obtained in good yields (39-88%) and high enantioselectivities (67-96% ee). The Br?nsted-acid-catalyzed reaction is the first example of a highly enantioselective asymmetric MBH reaction of cyclohexenone with aldehydes.