Metal-free intramolecular cyclopropanation of alkenes through iodonium ylide methodology

Intramolecular cyclopropanation of alkenes occurs thermally with iodonium ylides in the absence of conventional metal catalysts such as Rh(II) and Cu(II). In rigid molecular systems conversions are near quantitative. A mechanism is proposed involving formal 2+2 cycloaddition followed by reductive elimination of PhI to yield the cyclopropane.     

Regioselectivity in catalytic cyclopropanation reactions

Regioselectivities of cyclopropanation reactions with ethyl diazoacetate and monosubstituted dienes correlate linearly with the reaction catalyst and provide definition of the “metal carbene regioselectivity index”.     

Asymmetric sulfonium ylide mediated cyclopropanation: stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-LY354740

The reaction of ester-stabilized sulfonium ylides with cyclopentenone to give (+)-5 ((1S,5R,6S)-ethyl 2-oxobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-6-carboxylate), an important precursor to the pharmacologically important compound (+)-LY354740, has been studied using chiral sulfides operating in both catalytic (sulfide, Cu(acac)2, ethyl diazoacetate, 60 degrees C) and stoichiometric modes (sulfonium salt, base, room temperature). It was found that the reaction conditions employed had a major influence over both diastereo- and enantioselectivity. Under catalytic conditions, good enantioselectivity with low diastereoselectivity was observed, but under stoichiometric conditions low enantioselectivity with high diastereoselectivity was observed. When the stoichiometric reactions were conducted at high dilution, diastereoselectivity was reduced. This indicated that base-mediated betaine equilibration was occurring (which is slow relative to ring closure at high dilution). Based on this model, conditions for achieving high enantioselectivity were established as follows: use of a preformed ylide, absence of base, hindered ester (to reduce ylide-mediated betaine equilibration), and low concentration. Under these conditions high enantioselectivity (95 % ee) was achieved, albeit with low diastereocontrol. Our model for selectivity has been applied to other sulfonium ylide mediated cyclopropanation reactions and successfully accounts for the diastereoselectivity observed in all such reported reactions to date.     

Polyether macrocycles from intramolecular cyclopropanation and ylide formation. Effect of catalyst and coordination

The use of catalytic metal carbene methodology with diazoacetates for the construction in high yield of polyether macrocycles having ring sizes greater than 25 has been achieved by preventing access to gamma-C-H positions for intramolecular insertion. Cyclopropanation is the exclusive outcome of reactions performed with dirhodium(II) catalysts, and product yields of greater than 70% are obtained without resorting to high dilution with solvents. With copper(I) catalysts having multiple sites for polyether coordination, intramolecular oxonium ylide formation occurs at the terminal oxygen, followed by [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of the pendant allyl group, in competition with cyclopropanation. Sodium ion coordination with the reactant diazo compound inhibits oxonium ylide formation in copper-catalyzed reactions. The composite results are consistent with copper serving as a template for the substrate as well as the site in the ether complex for diazo decomposition and subsequent metal carbene reactions.     

Telluronium ylides in cyclopropanation and catalytic olefination

Telluronium ylides are versatile reagents for cyclopropanation reaction and Wittig‐type olefination. This review outlines the recent development in stereoselectivity of ylide cyclopropanation and catalytic olefination in our group. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 13:463–466, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10076     

A DFT study of solvation effects on the tautomeric equilibrium and catalytic ylide generation of thiamin models

Thiamin diphosphate (ThDP) is the biologically active form of vitamin B1 and an essential cofactor for a number of enzymes. The effect of solvent polarity on the tautomeric equilibria of ThDP using three model systems of the 4'-aminopyrimidine ring is studied by density functional theory calculations (B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d)) in the gas phase and selected solvents (cyclohexane, ether, dichloroethane, and water). Solvation effects are investigated using three different schemes: implicit solvation by a continuum model, explicit solvation by inclusion of three water molecules mimicking the first solvation shell of the enzymatic environment, and by a mixed implicit/explicit solvation model. The 4'-aminopyrimidine tautomer is more stable than the 1',4'-iminopyrimidine tautomer in all solvation schemes employed; however, the trend for the stabilities of the 1',4'-iminopyrimidine tautomer in the solvents depends on the specific ThDP-model. Formation of the catalytic important ylide for ThDP-dependent enzymes by deprotonation of ThDP(C2) is also investigated by localization of transition states for two possible pathways. Only the less stable tautomer, 1',4'-iminopyrimidine ThDP, is able to form the catalytic active ylide. Generation of the ylide through a direct intramolecular proton transfer from ThDP(C2) to the ThDP(N4') nitrogen lone pair is favored by 6 kcal/mol in the gas phase, as compared to a water-mediated ylide generation. However, inclusion of a dielectric medium reduces this difference dramatically. Furthermore, inclusion of two water molecules to model the apoenzymatic environment lowers the activation energies of both direct and water-mediated ylide generation.     

Enhancement of stereoselectivity in catalytic cyclopropanation reactions

Significant enhancement of trans(anti) stereoselectivity is achieved in rhodium(II) acetamide catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions of 2,3,4-trimethyl-3-pentyl diazoacetate (ODA) and diazoacetamides.     

Enantioselective cyclopropanation reaction using a conformationally fixed pyridinium ylide through a cation-π interaction

Using a chiral pyridinium ylide with a fixed conformation through a cation-π interaction performs enantioselective cyclopropanation of electron-deficient olefins. ¹H NMR, X-ray structural analysis and DFT calculations elucidated the self-complexation and the face-to-face arrangement between the pyridinium and the phenyl rings. The absolute configuration of the product was determined after conversion into a bicyclic cyclopropane derivative.     

An efficient catalytic ylide route to vinyl epoxides

The ylide epoxidation catalyzed by telluronium salts provides a simple and extremely efficient route to vinyl epoxides in excellent yields. Both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes work well. The best results were obtained by using 2 mol% of telluronium salts with Cs₂CO₃ in t-BuOH.     

AsPh3-catalyzed ylide cyclopropanation for the synthesis of trisubstituted vinylcyclopropane derivatives

Under mild conditions, the reaction of alkylidene, arylidene, and heteroarylidene malonates with tosylhydrazone salts in the presence of catalytic amount of Rh₂(OAc)₄ and triphenylarsine affords trans-2,3-disubstituted cyclopropane 1,1-dicarboxylic esters in high yields and high diastereoselectivities.     

Density functional theory investigations on sulfur ylide promoted cyclopropanation reactions: insights on mechanism and diastereoselection issues

The mechanism and diastereoselectivity of synthetically useful sulfur ylide promoted cyclopropanation reactions have been studied using the density functional theory method. Addition of different substituted ylides (Me2S+CH-R) to enone ((E)-pent-3-en-2-one, MeHC=CH-COMe) has been investigated. The nature of the substituent on the ylidic carbon brings about subtle changes in the reaction profile. The stabilized (R=COMe) and semistabilized (R=Ph) ylides follow a cisoid addition mode, leading to 1,2-trans and 1,2-cis cyclopropanes, respectively, via syn and anti betaine intermediates. The simplest and highly reactive model ylide (R=H) prefers a transoid addition mode. Diastereoselectivity is controlled by the barrier for cisoid-transoid rotation in the case of stabilized ylides, whereas the initial electrophilic addition is found to be the diastereoselectivity-determining step for semistabilized ylides. High selectivity toward trans cyclopropanes with stabilized ylides are predicted on the basis of the relative activation energies of diastereomeric torsional transition states. The energy differences between these transition states could be rationalized with the help of weak intramolecular as well as other stereoelectronic interactions.     

Rhodium(II)-catalyzed olefin cyclopropanation with the phenyliodonium ylide derived from Meldrum's acid

The phenyliodonium ylide 3a derived from Meldrum's acid reacts with olefins in the presence of Rh(II) carboxylate catalysts to afford cyclopropanes. The reaction is stereospecific. Enantioselectivities of up to 63% have been observed for the cyclopropanation of pent-1-ene. No 1,3-cycloadducts are formed between 3a and polarized olefins such as furan or 2,3-dihydrofuran.     

Ruthenium titanocene and ruthenium titanium half-sandwich bimetallic complexes in catalytic cyclopropanation

The reaction of the phosphine functionalised titanium half-sandwich complexes 7, 9 and 10 with the binuclear complex [(p-cymene)RuCl₂]₂ allowed the access to three new early-late bimetallic complexes (p-cymene)[(μ-η⁵:η¹-C₅H₄(CH₂)_nPR₂)TiX₃]RuCl₂ (11-13). The structure of 11 (n = 0, X = Cl) has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The ruthenium titanium half-sandwich bimetallic complexes so formed and the ruthenium titanocene analogues 4-6 catalyse the addition of ethyl diazoacetate to styrene with high selectivity toward cyclopropanation versus metathesis contrary to the monometallic complexes (p-cymene)RuCl₂PR₃.     

Arylid-OX and Arylid-BOX derived catalysts: applications in catalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation

A novel family of chiral non-racemic monodentate oxazoline ligands known as Arylid-OXs 1a and 1b was prepared in good overall yields. These ligands were screened in bench-mark Cu(I)-catalyzed cyclopropanations and gave ees as high as 58%. Both ¹H NMR and computational studies using 1a indicated that the active catalyst was most likely to be the di-coordinated complex, Cu(I)-1a₂(MeCN)₂. Two novel ortho-substituted Arylid-BOX ligands 2a and 2b were also synthesized in very good yields. These ligands were tested in the same reaction as for 1a and 1b and, although excellent yields could be obtained with 2b, which is assumed to be due to an electron-donating effect from the ortho-methoxy group, a best ee of only 56% was obtained with 2a. In fact, both the enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities obtained with these ortho-substituted ligands were in line with those previously obtained with the para-substituted series.     

Correlation between oxygen binding energy and catalytic activity of oxides

Oxygen binding energy is suggested as a measure for the ability of oxide cations to enter into weak chemical interactions with reactant molecules, which is a necessary prorequisite for the adsorbability and catalytic activity of oxides.

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Rh(II)-catalyzed enantioselective cyclopropanation of olefins with dimethyl malonate via in situ generated phenyliodonium ylide

Olefins are cyclopropanated with dimethyl malonate (1a) iodosylbenzene (PhI=O) and a Rh(II) carboxylate catalyst via an in situ generated phenyliodonium ylide (1c). Enantioselectivities of up to 90% for 4-bromostyrene and 98% for pent-1-ene have been observed with (S)-N-4-bromo-1,8-naphthanoyl-tert-leucine (4c) as the chiral ligand. The same catalyst was effective for olefin cyclopropanation with Meldrum's acid, giving cyclopropanes with 96% (with styrene) and 87% ee (with pent-1-ene), respectively.     

Correlation between entropy and enthalpy factors during heterogeneous complex catalytic reactions

The correlation equations are discussed between entropy and enthalpy factors during complex heterogeneous catalytic reactions based on the dependence of the Gibbs energy on the surface coverage. The existence of the entropy heterogeneity in the adsorption layer leads to the correlations between S and H. In the cases where the increase of H is accompanied by an increase of S, i. e. when the entropy factors lead to a decrease of the interval of heterogeneity, the known thermodynamic compensation effect is observed.

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Correlation between catalytic activity and surface ligands of monolayer protected gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are known to be a very good catalyst. Also, the anchoring of GNPs with stabilizing ligands is essential for surface modification, tuning of size and shapes, and to prevent from aggregation in suspension. But the effect of ligand on the catalytic property of ligand-capped GNP is yet to be explored in detail. In this paper, we perform an in-depth study of effect of ligands on the catalytic activity of monolayer protected GNPs. For this study, a series of different ligand functionalized GNPs in suspension as well as functionalized GNPs' thin film on glass substrate are prepared and used as catalysts in two model reactions, viz. borohydride reduction of 4-nitrophenol and redox reaction between potassium ferricyanide and sodium thiosulfate. The functionalization of GNPs with any ligand reduces its virgin catalytic activity, no matter whether the GNPs are suspended or supported as thin film. An increase in alkyl chain length of alkanethiols and alkylamines ligands and their graft density to the surface of GNP reduces its catalytic activity. Interestingly, the capping of GNPs with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and 11-mercaptoundecanol ligands completely destroys its catalytic activity. The effect of anchoring group of ligand molecules on the catalytic activity of ligand-protected GNPs is also discussed.     

New generation of thiocarbonyl ylide and its 1,3-cycloaddition leading to tetrahydrothiophene derivatives

Thiocarbonyl ylide was found to be generated by thermolysis of bromo(trimethylsilylmethylthio)methyltrimethylsilane and its 1,3-cyclo-addition provided a new method for synthesis of tetrahydrothiophenes.