Diastereoselective addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to chiral O‐, S‐ and N‐heterocyclic aldimines

Systematic investigation of asymmetric trimethylsilylcyanation of heterocyclic azomethines has been realized. The addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to optically active furan, thiophene and pyridine aldimines, derived from (R)‐ and (S)‐1‐phenylethylamine, was studied in the presence of Lewis acids, and a series of the corresponding α‐amino nitriles was obtained in fair to good yields (up to 91%). Unsaturated nitriles were also formed from pyridine imines. The sense of asymmetric induction and the degree of diastereoselectivity in the synthesis of α‐amino nitriles were determined by means of ¹H NMR. The stereochemical outcome is a result of the same sense of asymmetric induction: Re face attack to the (S)‐imines and Si face addition to the (R)‐imines took place. The (R,R)‐ (up to 81%) or (S,S)‐ (up to 87%) α‐amino nitriles predominated in the products obtained from the all furan, thiophene and pyridine (R)‐ or (S)‐imines respectively. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Asymmetric Hydroalkoxylation of Non‐Activated Alkenes: Titanium‐Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Allylphenols at High Temperatures

The asymmetric catalytic addition of alcohols (phenols) to non‐activated alkenes has been realized through the cycloisomerization of 2‐allylphenols to 2‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydrobenzofurans (2‐methylcoumarans). The reaction was catalyzed by a chiral titanium–carboxylate complex at uncommonly high temperatures for asymmetric catalytic reactions. The catalyst was generated by mixing titanium isopropoxide, the chiral ligand (aS)‐1‐(2‐methoxy‐1‐naphthyl)‐2‐naphthoic acid or its derivatives, and a co‐catalytic amount of water in a ratio of 1:1:1 (5 mol % each). This homogeneous thermal catalysis (HOT‐CAT) gave various (S)‐2‐methylcoumarans with yields of up to 90 % and in up to 85 % ee at 240 °C, and in 87 % ee at 220 °C.     

Isosteviol‐amino Acid Conjugates as Highly Efficient Organocatalysts for the Asymmetric One‐pot Three‐component Mannich Reactions

Isosteviol‐amino acid conjugates were synthesized and used as chiral catalysts for the asymmetric three‐component Mannich reaction with hydroxyacetone as donor molecule. Good yields (up to 98%) and excellent stereoselectivities (up to 97:3 dr and 99% ee) were achieved in a short reaction time. In addition, syn‐ or anti‐configurations of α‐hydroxy‐β‐amino carbonyl compounds were obtained as main products with different chiral catalysts.     

Synthesis of Chiral Aminocyclopropanes by Rare‐Earth‐Metal‐Catalyzed Cyclopropene Hydroamination

The search for efficient and selective routes for the synthesis of chiral aminocyclopropane derivatives is of great interest and importance as these structures are important components of biologically active natural products and pharmaceuticals. We herein report the enantioselective intermolecular hydroamination of substituted cyclopropenes with various amines catalyzed by chiral half‐sandwich rare‐earth‐metal complexes. This method constitutes a 100 % atom‐efficient route for the synthesis of a variety of chiral α‐aminocyclopropane derivatives in high yields (up to 96 %) and excellent stereoselectivity (up to >20:1 d.r. and 99 % ee) under mild reaction conditions (25 °C).     

Enzyme‐catalyzed polymerization of L‐aspartate

Diethyl L ‐aspartate was polymerized by proteinase at a temperature between 4 and 50°C to yield poly(ethyl α,β‐L ‐aspartate). Bulk polymerization of diethyl L ‐aspartate, especially at temperatures between 40 and 50°C, and preferably using alkalophilic proteinase with the addition of a small amount of water gave poly(ethyl L ‐aspartate) as a white powder with a molecular weight of up to 3 600 and having about 88% α‐linkages.     

Polarity‐Reversal‐Catalyzed Hydrostannylation Reactions: Benzeneselenol‐Mediated Homolytic Hydrostannylation of Electron‐Rich Olefins

Addition of 10 mol‐% of diphenyl diselenide to hydrostannylation reactions involving electron‐rich olefins results in a dramatic improvement in yield. For example, reaction of α‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}styrene ( 1 ) with triphenylstannane ( 2a ; 1.1 equiv.) in the presence of PhSeSePh and 2,2′‐azobis[2‐methylpropanenitrile] (AIBN) affords {2‐{[(tert‐butyl)dimethylsilyl]oxy}‐2‐phenylethyl}triphenylstannane ( 3a ) in 95% yield after 2 h. This reaction presumably benefits, by the increased rate of H‐atom transfer, from the in situ generated polarity‐reversal catalyst, benzeneselenol.     

Development of a syn‐Selective Mannich Reaction of Aldehydes with Propargylic Imines by Dual Catalysis: Asymmetric Synthesis of Functionalized Propargylic Amines

Direct coupling of enolizable aldehydes with C‐alkynyl imines is realized affording the corresponding propargylic Mannich adducts of syn configuration, thus complementing previous methods that gave access to the anti‐isomers. The combination of proline and a urea Brønsted base cocatalyst is key for the reactions to proceed under very mild conditions (3–10 mol % catalyst loading, dichloromethane as solvent, ?20 °C, 1.2 molar equivalents of aldehyde) and with virtually total stereocontrol (syn/anti ratio up to 99:1; ee up to 99 %). Some possibilities of further chemical elaboration of adducts are also briefly illustrated.     

Ni‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Cycloisomerization of Dienes by Using TADDOL Phosphoramidites

A library of α,α,α,α‐tetraaryl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4,5‐dimethanol (TADDOL)‐based phosphoramidites has been synthesized and applied in the Ni‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of different dienes. Through the systematic variation of the three structural motifs of the lead structure, that is, the amine moiety, the protecting group, and the aryl substituents, the ligand features could be optimized for the asymmetric cycloisomerization of the model substrate diethyl diallylmalonate. The substrate scope of the new catalytic system was extended to other diallylic substrates, including unsymmetrical dienes. Overall remarkably high activities of up to approximately 13 500 h^?1, very high selectivities toward five‐membered exo‐methylenecyclopentanes, and enantioselectivities of up to 92 % ee have been achieved.     

Highly Enantioselective Protonation of the 3,4‐Dihydro‐2‐ methylnaphthalen‐1(2H)‐one Li‐Enolate by TADDOLs

A series of nine TADDOLs (=α,α,α′,α′‐tetraaryl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4,5‐dimethanols) 1a – 1i , have been tested as proton sources for the enantioselective protonation of the Li‐enolate of 2‐methyl‐1‐tetralone (=3,4‐dihydro‐2‐methylnaphthalen‐1(2H)‐one). The enolate was generated directly from the ketone (with LiN(i‐Pr)₂ (LDA)/MeLi) or from the enol acetate (with 2 MeLi) or from the silyl enol ether (with MeLi) in CH₂Cl₂ or Et₂O as the solvent (Scheme). The Li‐enolate (associated with LiBr/LDA, or LiBr alone) was combined with 1.5 – 3.0 equiv. of the TADDOL at −78° by addition of the latter or by inverse addition. 2‐Methyl‐1‐tetralone of (S)‐configuration is formed (≤80% yield) with up to 99.5% selectivity if and only if (R,R)‐TADDOLs ( 1d , e , g ) with naphthalen‐1‐yl groups on the diarylmethanol unit are employed (Table). The reactions were carried out on the 0.1‐ to 1.0‐mM scale. The selectivity is subject to non‐linear effects (NLE) when an enantiomerically enriched TADDOL 1d is used (Fig. 1). The performance of TADDOLs bearing naphthalen‐1‐yl groups is discussed in terms of their peculiar structures (Fig. 2).     

One‐step refolding and purification of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor‐α (rhTNF‐α) using ion‐exchange chromatography

Protein refolding is a key step for the production of recombinant proteins, especially at large scales, and usually their yields are very low. Chromatographic‐based protein refolding techniques have proven to be superior to conventional dilution refolding methods. High refolding yield can be achieved using these methods compared with dilution refolding of proteins. In this work, recombinant human tumor necrosis factor‐α (rhTNF‐α) from inclusion bodies expressed in Escherichia coli was renatured with simultaneous purification by ion exchange chromatography with a DEAE Sepharose FF column. Several chromatographic parameters influencing the refolding yield of the denatured/reduced rhTNF‐α, such as the urea concentration, pH value and concentration ratio of glutathione/oxidized glutathione in the mobile phase, were investigated in detail. Under optimal conditions, rhTNF‐α can be renatured and purified simultaneously within 30 min by one step. Specific bioactivity of 2.18 × 10⁸ IU/mg, purity of 95.2% and mass recovery of 76.8% of refolded rhTNF‐α were achieved. Compared with the usual dilution method, the ion exchange chromatography method developed here is simple and more effective for rhTNF‐α refolding in terms of specific bioactivity and mass recovery. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Atroposelective Synthesis of 1,1′‐Binaphthalene‐2,3′‐diols

A highly atroposelective (up to 97 % ee) Au‐catalyzed synthesis of 1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2,3′‐diols is reported starting from a range of substituted benzyl alkynones. Essential for the achievement of high enantioselectivity during the key assembly of the naphto‐3‐ol unit is the use of TADDOL‐derived α‐cationic phosphonites as ancillary ligands. Preliminary results demonstrate that the transformation of the obtained binaphthyls into axially chiral monodentate phosphines is possible without degradation of enantiopurity.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)‐1‐Alkyl‐Substituted Tetrahydro‐ß‐carbolines Catalyzed by Strictosidine Synthases

Stereoselective methods for the synthesis of tetrahydro‐ß‐carbolines are of significant interest due to the broad spectrum of biological activity of the target molecules. In the plant kingdom, strictosidine synthases catalyze the C?C coupling through a Pictet–Spengler reaction of tryptamine and secologanin to exclusively form the (S)‐configured tetrahydro‐ß‐carboline (S)‐strictosidine. Investigating the biocatalytic Pictet–Spengler reaction of tryptamine with small‐molecular‐weight aliphatic aldehydes revealed that the strictosidine synthases give unexpectedly access to the (R)‐configured product. Developing an efficient expression method for the enzyme allowed the preparative transformation of various aldehydes, giving the products with up to >98 % ee. With this tool in hand, a chemoenzymatic two‐step synthesis of (R)‐harmicine was achieved, giving (R)‐harmicine in 67 % overall yield in optically pure form.     

Enzyme‐Mediated Preparation of (+)‐ and (−)‐β‐Irone and (+)‐ and (−)‐cis‐γ‐Irone from Irone alpha®

The (−)‐ and (+)‐β‐irones ((−)‐ and (+)‐ 2 , resp.), contaminated with ca. 7 – 9% of the (+)‐ and (−)‐trans‐α‐isomer, respectively, were obtained from racemic α‐irone via the 2,6‐trans‐epoxide (±)‐ 4 (Scheme 2). Relevant steps in the sequence were the LiAlH₄ reduction of the latter, to provide the diastereoisomeric‐4,5‐dihydro‐5‐hydroxy‐trans‐α‐irols (±)‐ 6 and (±)‐ 7 , resolved into the enantiomers by lipase‐PS‐mediated acetylation with vinyl acetate. The enantiomerically pure allylic acetate esters (+)‐ and (−)‐ 8 and (+)‐ and (−)‐ 9 , upon treatment with POCl₃/pyridine, were converted to the β‐irol acetate derivatives (+)‐ and (−)‐ 10 , and (+)‐ and (−)‐ 11 , respectively, eventually providing the desired ketones (+)‐ and (−)‐ 2 by base hydrolysis and MnO₂ oxidation. The 2,6‐cis‐epoxide (±)‐ 5 provided the 4,5‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxy‐cis‐α‐irols (±)‐ 13 and (±)‐ 14 in a 3 : 1 mixture with the isomeric 5‐hydroxy derivatives (±)‐ 15 and (±)‐ 16 on hydride treatment (Scheme 1). The POCl₃/pyridine treatment of the enantiomerically pure allylic acetate esters, obtained by enzymic resolution of (±)‐ 13 and (±)‐ 14 , provided enantiomerically pure cis‐α‐irol acetate esters, from which ketones (+)‐ and (−)‐ 22 were prepared (Scheme 4). The same materials were obtained from the (9S) alcohols (+)‐ 13 and (−)‐ 14 , treated first with MnO₂, then with POCl₃/pyridine (Scheme 4). Conversely, the dehydration with POCl₃/pyridine of the enantiomerically pure 2,6‐cis‐5‐hydroxy derivatives obtained from (±)‐ 15 and (±)‐ 16 gave rise to a mixture in which the γ‐irol acetates 25a and 25b and 26a and 26b prevailed over the α‐ and β‐isomers (Scheme 5). The (+)‐ and (−)‐cis‐γ‐irones ((+)‐ and (−)‐ 3 , resp.) were obtained from the latter mixture by a sequence involving as the key step the photochemical isomerization of the α‐double bond to the γ‐double bond. External panel olfactory evaluation assigned to (+)‐β‐irone ((+)‐ 2 ) and to (−)‐cis‐γ‐irone ((−)‐ 3 ) the strongest character and the possibility to be used as dry‐down note.     

Counterion‐Induced Asymmetric Control in Ring‐Opening of Azetidiniums: Facile Access to Chiral Amines

Counterion‐induced stereocontrol is a powerful tool in organic synthesis. However, such enantiocontrol on tetrahedral ammonium cations remains challenging. Described here is the first example of using chiral anion phase‐transfer catalysis to achieve intermolecular ring‐opening of azetidiniums with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee). Precise control over the formation and reaction of the chiral ion pair as well as inhibition of the background reaction by the biphasic system is key to the success of the reaction.     

Enantioselective Catalytic Aldehyde α‐Alkylation/Semipinacol Rearrangement: Construction of α‐Quaternary‐δ‐Carbonyl Cycloketones and Total Synthesis of (+)‐Cerapicol

An enantioselective aldehyde α‐alkylation/semipinacol rearrangement was achieved through organo‐SOMO catalysis. The catalytically generated enamine radical cation serves as a carbon radical electrophile that can stereoselectively add to the alkene of an allylic alcohol and initiate ensuing ring‐expansion of cyclopropanol or cyclobutanol. This tandem reaction enables the production of a wide range of nonracemic functionalizable α‐quaternary‐δ‐carbonyl cycloketones in high yields and excellent enantioselectivity from simple aldehydes and allylic alcohols. As a key step, the intramolecular reaction was also successfully applied in the asymmetric total synthesis of (+)‐cerapicol.     

Enzyme‐ and Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Transformation of α‐Allenic Alcohols into 2,3‐Dihydrofurans

An efficient one‐pot method for the enzyme‐ and ruthenium‐catalyzed enantioselective transformation of α‐allenic alcohols into 2,3‐dihydrofurans has been developed. The method involves an enzymatic kinetic resolution and a subsequent ruthenium‐catalyzed cycloisomerization, which provides 2,3‐dihydrofurans with excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99 % ee). A ruthenium carbene species was proposed as a key intermediate in the cycloisomerization.     

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric [3+2]‐Cycloaddition of α‐Substituted Iminoesters with α‐Trifluoromethyl α,β‐Unsaturated Esters

Reported herein is an example of highly regio‐, diastereo‐ and enantioselective Cu(I)‐catalyzed intermolecular [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of α‐substituted iminoesters with α‐trifluoromethyl α,β‐unsaturated esters. This novel strategy provided a facile access to pyrrolidines with two skipped (aza)quaternary stereocenters including a CF₃ all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter. A broad substrate scope was observed and high yields (up to 94%) with excellent diastereoselectivity (up to >20 : 1 d.r.) and enantioselectivity (up to 98% ee) were obtained.     

Cobalt‐Catalyzed Electrophilic Amination of Aryl‐ and Heteroarylzinc Pivalates with N‐Hydroxylamine Benzoates

Aryl‐ and heteroarylzinc pivalates can be aminated with O‐benzoylhydroxylamines at 25 °C within 2–4 h in the presence of 2.5–5.0 % CoCl₂?2 LiCl to furnish the corresponding tertiary arylated or heteroarylated amines in good yields. This electrophilic amination also provides access to diarylamines and aryl(heteroaryl)amines. A new tuberculosis drug candidate (Q203) was prepared in six steps and 56 % overall yield by using this cobalt‐catalyzed amination as the key step.     

Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of α‐Stereogenic Esters through Catalytic Asymmetric Michael Addition of 4‐Oxo‐4‐arylbutenoates

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds and nitromethane to 4‐oxo‐4‐arylbutenoates catalyzed by N,N′‐dioxide–Sc(OTf)₃ complexes has been developed. Using 0.5–2 mol % catalyst loading, various α‐stereogenic esters were obtained regioselectively with excellent yields (up to 97 %) and enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee). Moreover, the reaction performed well under nearly solvent‐free conditions. The products with functional groups are ready for further transformation, which showed the potential value of the catalytic approach. According to the experimental results and previous reports, a plausible working model has been proposed to explain the origin of the activation and the asymmetric induction.     

Acid‐, Water‐ and High‐Temperature‐Stable Ruthenium Complexes for the Total Catalytic Deoxygenation of Glycerol to Propane

The ruthenium aqua complexes [Ru(H₂O)₂(bipy)₂](OTf)₂, [cis‐Ru(6,6′‐Cl₂‐bipy)₂(OH₂)₂](OTf)₂, [Ru(H₂O)₂(phen)₂](OTf)₂, [Ru(H₂O)₃(2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpy)](OTf)₂ and [Ru(H₂O)₃(Phterpy)](OTf)₂ (bipy=2,2′‐bipyridine; OTf^?=triflate; phen=phenanthroline; terpy= terpyridine; Phterpy=4′‐phenyl‐2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine) are water‐ and acid‐stable catalysts for the hydrogenation of aldehydes and ketones in sulfolane solution. In the presence of HOS(O)₂CF₃ (triflic acid) as a dehydration co‐catalyst they directly convert 1,2‐hexanediol to n‐hexanol and hexane. The terpyridine complexes are stable and active as catalysts at temperatures ≥250 °C and in either aqueous sulfolane solution or pure water convert glycerol into n‐propanol and ultimately propane as the final reaction product in up to quantitative yield. For the terpy complexes the active catalyst is postulated to be a carbonyl species [(4′‐R‐2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpy)Ru(CO)(H₂O)₂](OTf)₂ (R=H, Ph) formed by the decarbonylation of aldehydes (hexanal for 1,2‐hexanediol and 3‐hydroxypropanal for glycerol) generated in the reaction mixture through acid‐catalyzed dehydration. The structure of the dimeric complex [{(4′‐phenyl‐2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpy)Ru(CO)}₂(μ‐OCH₃)₂](OTf)₂ has been determined by single crystal X‐ray crystallography (Space group P (a=8.2532(17); b=12.858(3); c=14.363(3) Å; α=64.38(3); β=77.26(3); γ = 87.12(3)°, R=4.36 %).