Simple and efficient synthesis of substituted 2-pyrrolidinones, 2-pyrrolones, and pyrrolidines from enaminones of Baylis-Hillman derivatives of 3-isoxazolecarbaldehydes

The enaminones, generated from derivatives of appropriately substituted Baylis-Hillman adducts of 3-isoxazolecarbaldehydes, undergo intramolecular ring-closure reactions to afford substituted 2-pyrrolidinones, 1,5-dihydro-2-pyrrolones, and N-substituted pyrrolidines in good yields.     

Formation and reaction of 2-metalated N-Boc-4,4-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolidines in the presence of (−)-sparteine: new chiral formyl anion equivalents

Lithiation of N-Boc-4,4-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolidine with s-BuLi and the following reaction with benzaldehyde was carried out in the presence of (−)-sparteine. The reaction was not diastereoselective (syn:anti=46:54), but each isomer of the adducts was obtained enantioselectively (syn: 90% ee, anti: 88% ee). Addition of MgBr₂ to the reaction mixture increased the diastereoselectivity to syn:anti=90:10.     

Diastereoselective cycloadditions of a soluble polymer-supported substituted allyl alcohol derived from Baylis-Hillman reaction with nitrile oxides

A diastereoselective cycloaddition of a soluble polymer-supported Baylis-Hillman adduct with nitrile oxides is described. The reaction has shown to proceed with moderate diastereoselectivity, favoring the syn isomer of the resulting 3,5-substituted isoxazolines. The stereochemistry of the products has been assigned using ¹H NMR studies. The structure of one of the diastereomers has been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Organocatalytic Michael addition of aldehydes to trisubstituted nitroolefins

The combination of O-TMS protected diphenyl-prolinol and benzoic acid was found to be effective to catalyze the Michael addition of aldehydes to 3-substituted 3-nitroacrylates. The reaction provided syn,anti-Michael adducts with good diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity. Some β-aryl and α-methyl substituted nitroolefins also worked under these conditions, although prolonging reaction time was required. These adducts could be used for assembling 2,3,4-trisubstituted pyrrolidines through simple hydrogenation.     

The first application of the Baylis-Hillman reaction in azetidine chemistry: a convenient synthesis of azetidine-3-carbonitriles/carboxylates

The first application of Baylis-Hillman adducts in the synthesis of azetidines is reported. The synthesis involves a one-pot, high yielding and highly diastereoselective annulation of unmodified Baylis-Hillman adducts with N-arylphosphoramidates to afford 1,2-disubstituted azetidine-3-carbonitriles/carboxylates, which are the precursors of biologically versatile azetidine-3-carboxylic acids.     

Switching diastereoselectivity of direct Mannich-type reaction of cyclic ketones by polymeric laponite nanoclay catalyst

A new polymeric laponite nanoclay heterogeneous catalytic system based on HPMC (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose) was developed for direct Mannich-type reaction of ketones with substituted benzaldehydes and anilines to afford corresponding β-amino ketones in good to high yields. Interestingly, cyclic ketones exhibited different chemoselectivity. Cyclopentanone underwent aldol condensation to give crossed-aldol product, while cyclohexanone and cyclopentanone afforded corresponding Mannich adducts. In the case of cyclohexanone, stereoselectivity was changed depending on the nature of the substitution on benzaldehydes, in which, moderate electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups afforded the anti isomer as major products, but strongly electron-donating substituted benzaldehydes led to syn isomer as the major Mannich adducts. Mannich reaction with cycloheptanone led to Mannich adducts with excellent syn selectivity.     

Nickel(0)-catalyzed diastereoselective three-component coupling of 1,3-dienes, aldehydes, and organometallic reagents: influence of organometallic reagents on diastereoselectivity

A nickel-catalyzed diastereoselective alkylative three-component coupling of 1,3-diene and aldehyde with organoboron or organosilicon reagents has been realized. The diastereoselectivity was dramatically changed depending on the class of organometallic reagents. The reaction using ArB(OH)₂ in the presence of PPh₃ afforded 1,3-syn-substituted 4-penten-1-ol derivative as a single diastereomer. On the other hand, the coupling reaction with tetraorganosilicon reagent using NHC as a ligand under similar conditions exclusively produced the corresponding 1,3-anti isomer.     

Facile synthesis of various substituted taurines,especially syn- and anti-1,2-disubstituted taurines,from nitroolefins

Taurine and substituted taurines present a group of important structural elements in many natural products. Various substituted taurines, including 1- and 2-substituted, 1,1-, syn-1,2-, and anti-1,2-disubstituted taurines, were synthesized from the corresponding nitroolefins via Michael addition with thioacetic acid, oxidation with peroxyformic acid, and the catalytic hydrogenation under the catalysis of palladium on carbon or platinum dioxide. It is a general, versatile, and salt-free method for the preparation of substituted taurines, especially for syn- and anti-1,2-disubstituted taurines and some taurines with more bulky substituents. The stereostructures of both syn- and anti-1,2-disubstituted taurines were deduced from the nitroalkyl thioacetates in the Michael addition, which were identified via the Karplus equation analysis and computational analysis, and finally confirmed by the XRD single crystal analysis. The diastereoselectivity in the Michael addition was rationalized with the Cram rule.     

Regio- and stereoselective reactions between cyclic Baylis-Hillman type adducts and N-nucleophiles and P-nucleophile

New important organic compounds multifunctionalized cyclic 6-membered and 7-membered allylic amines, azide and phosphonates have been obtained via regio- and diastereoselective reactions of cyclic Baylis-Hillman type adducts 1 with N-nucleophiles and P-nucleophile. We have found that the reactions proceed by S_N2 or S_N2′ processes exclusively, or by both processes simultaneously. The S_N2′ process occurs with anti stereochemistry.     

Asymmetric synthesis of β-substituted Baylis-Hillman products via lithium amide conjugate addition

A three-step protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of a range of β-substituted Baylis-Hillman products has been developed. This procedure involves the diastereoselective conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-methyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to an α,β-unsaturated ester to generate an N-protected β-amino ester in high de. Subsequent asymmetric aldol reaction via deprotonation with LDA, transmetallation with B(OMe)₃ and addition of an aldehyde gives a range of syn-aldol products in moderate to high de. Purification of the syn-aldol products to homogeneity followed by tandem N-oxidation and Cope elimination gives the desired β-substituted Baylis-Hillman products in good yield and high de and ee.     

Baylis-Hillman chemistry: synthesis of cis- and trans-α-methylene-γ-lactones

syn-Homoallylic alcohols prepared from Baylis-Hillman adducts react with CBr₄/PPh₃ to give trans-α-methylene-γ-lactones. Notably, the same alcohols yield the cis-α-methylene-γ-lactones in the presence of traces of p-toluenesulfonic acid.     

Chiral phosphine oxide BINAPO as a Lewis base catalyst for asymmetric allylation and aldol reaction of trichlorosilyl compounds

Chiral phosphine oxide BINAPO, which was readily prepared from chiral phosphine BINAP, exhibited good catalytic activities in the reaction of trichlorosilyl compounds via hypervalent silicate intermediates. The allylation of aldehydes with allyltrichlorosilanes in the presence of a catalytic amount of BINAPO gave the allylated adducts in good enantioselectivities (up to 79% ee) wherein a combination of diisopropylethylamine and tetrabutylammonium iodide as additives was crucial to accelerate the catalytic cycle. ³¹P NMR analysis of the phosphine oxide suggested that the amine promoted the dissociation of phosphine oxide from silicon atom. BINAPO also promoted the enantioselective aldol reaction of aldehydes with trichlorosilyl enol ethers in the presence of diisopropylethylamine as an additive to afford the corresponding aldol adducts in high diastereo- and enantioselectivities (up to syn/anti=1/25, 96% ee (anti)).     

Chiral 1,1′-binaphthylazepine derived amino alcohol catalyzed asymmetric Henry reaction

The catalytic asymmetric Henry reaction of nitromethane to various aldehydes has been developed using a chiral binaphthylazepine derived amino alcohol and Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O as the catalyst. High yields and good enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) were obtained for both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. Moreover, this catalytic system also works well for the diastereoselective Henry reaction to afford the corresponding adducts in up to 95:5 syn/anti selectivity and 95% enantioselectivity.     

Baylis-Hillman adducts between pyridine carboxaldehyde derivatives and cyclic enones

Baylis-Hillman (BH) adducts were synthesized using pyridinecarboxaldehyde derivatives and cyclic enones. The Baylis-Hillman reaction was examined by employing various organic tertiary bases and solvents. It was observed that DBU in MeOH as well as imidazole and N-methylimidazole in aqueous MeOH are very effective. These pyridinecarboxaldehydes were reactive and efficient towards the Baylis-Hillman reaction and the resulting adducts are highly stable. The crystal structure for one of the BH adducts was determined.     

The first one-pot oxidative Michael reaction of Baylis-Hillman adducts with indoles promoted by iodoxybenzoic acid

Baylis-Hillman adducts undergo smooth, one-pot oxidative conjugate addition with indoles in the presence of 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) under neutral conditions to afford a new class of substituted indoles in good yields.     

Arylhydrazonals as the aldehyde component in Baylis-Hillman reactions

Arylhydrazonals were added to acrylonitrile or methyl vinyl ketone in the presence of DABCO or benzotriazole to yield the intermediate Baylis-Hillman adduct that cyclized under the reaction conditions with water elimination to yield dihydropyridazines. A pyridazine reacted with DMAD to yield a pyridine via a [4+2] Diels-Alder addition followed by retro Diels-Alder elimination of methylene aniline. Two pyridazines were condensed with DMFDMA to yield the corresponding enaminones that reacted with NH₂NH₂ to afford the pyrazolylpyridazines.     

A convenient stereoselective synthesis of β-lactams from β-hydroxy-α-thioalkylesters prepared from Michael/aldol tandem reaction or stereoselective addition of thiols to the Baylis-Hillman adducts

A convenient stereoselective synthesis of β-lactams from thio-Michael/aldol tandem adduct is described. syn-Selective tandem reaction followed by amidation and intramolecular S_N2 reaction provided β-lactams in diastereomerically pure form. The tandem reaction with aliphatic aldehydes, on the other hand, afforded a mixture of diastereomers of corresponding tandem adducts in about 3:1 ratio so that the conversion to β-lactams afforded a diastereomeric mixture. As an alternative approach to prepare the tandem adducts, the stereoselective Michael addition of aliphatic thiols to Baylis-Hillman adduct was developed. The stereoselectivity was sensitive to the protective group at the hydroxyl group and TBS protection brought the most successful syn-selective formation of the tandem adducts. The procedure could be applied to the ketone derivatives of the Baylis-Hillman adduct but no selectivity was observed for the nitrile-Baylis-Hillman adducts. A similar conversion of the adduct provided desired β-lactams stereoselectively.     

Diastereodivergent Asymmetric Michael Addition of Cyclic Azomethine Ylides to Nitroalkenes: Direct Approach for the Synthesis of 1,7‐Diazaspiro[4.4]nonane Diastereoisomers

The first highly diastereoselective and enantioselective catalytic asymmetric Michael addition of cyclic azomethine ylides with nitroalkenes have been developed to diastereodivergently generate either the syn or anti adducts by employing N,O‐ligand/Cu(OAc)₂ and N,P‐ligand/Cu(OAc)₂ catalytic systems. Both catalytic systems exhibit broad substrate applicability to afford the corresponding Michael adducts in good to excellent yields, with excellent levels of diastereo‐ (up to 99:1 diastereomeric ratio) and enantioselectivities (up to >99 % enantiomeric excess). Importantly, the chiral 1,7‐diazaspiro[4.4]nonane diastereomer derivatives can be easily obtained in good yields through facile NaBH₄ reduction of the Michael adducts.     

An easy and stereoselective synthesis of N-Boc-dolaproine via the Baylis-Hillman reaction

In this communication we report a stereoselective total synthesis of N-Boc-dolaproine (Dap), an amino acid residue of the antineoplastic pentapeptide Dolastatin 10. Our strategy is based on a Baylis-Hillman reaction between N-Boc-prolinal and methyl acrylate, followed by a diastereoselective double bond hydrogenation and hydrolysis of the ester function.     

Influence of the side chain protecting group on the stereoselectivity of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of d-talo-configured nitrones

Two new five-membered cyclic d-talo-configured nitrones were synthesized from d-mannose, and examined in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions with vinyl acetate and vinylene carbonate. The stereoselectivity of the cycloadditions depends greatly on the protecting group of the vicinal diol attached to the nitrone C-5 carbon atom. Methyl protection resulted in limited syn/anti-selectivity, giving mixtures of the two isomeric exo-syn and exo-anti isoxazolidines in comparable amounts. On the other hand, the cyclohexylidene-substituted nitrone reacted more selectively in favour of the syn isomer. The difference in the diastereoselectivity was attributed to the specific spatial orientation of the nitrone C-5 substituent.