Reusable polymer-supported catalyst for the [3+2] Huisgen cycloaddition in automation protocols

[reaction: see text] A polymer-supported catalyst for Huisgen's [3+2] cycloaddition reaction between azides and alkynes was prepared from copper(I) iodide and Amberlyst A-21. This catalyst was then used in an automated synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles giving access to these products in good yields. The catalyst has shown good activity, stability, and recycling capabilities.     

Polymer-supported bisBINOL ligands for the immobilization of multicomponent asymmetric catalysts

[reaction: see text] Polymer-supported bisBINOL ligands were successfully utilized for the immobilization of multicomponent asymmetric catalysts. The polymer-supported Al-Li-bis(binaphthoxide) (ALB) catalyst was more effective than the dendrimer-supported ALB in the Michael reaction of 2-cyclohexen-1-one with dibenzyl malonate affording the adduct in 91% yield with 96% ee. The polymer was also effective for the immobilization of a mu-oxodititanium complex that promoted carbonyl-ene reaction of ethyl glyoxalate with alpha-methyl styrene to provide the adduct with up to 98% ee.     

Efficient asymmetric Michael reaction of 2-oxindole-3-carboxylate esters with maleimides catalyzed by cinchonidine

A highly efficient enantioselective Michael reaction of 2-oxindole-3-carboxylate esters with N-maleimides catalyzed by commercially available cinchonidine was described. The desired adducts, containing a quaternary center at the C3-position and a vicinal tertiary center, were obtained in excellent yields (up to 99%), good enantioselectivities (up to 85% ee), and diastereoselectivities (dr>90:10) in the presence of 0.05–5 mol % catalyst loading.     

A simple,efficient, two-step synthesis of symmetric 2,7-dialkyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonanes

A two-step synthesis of symmetric 2,7-dialkyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nonanes has been achieved by double Michael addition of nitromethane with two moles of enones on Amberlyst A21, followed by in situ reduction with sodium borohydride, then spontaneous spiroketalization of the obtained nitrodiol, by the Nef reaction under acidic conditions, affords the title compounds in good yields.     

Organocatalytic desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides through enantioselective alcoholysis with functionalized primary nitroallylic alcohols

The direct organocatalytic desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides was achieved by alcoholysis with nitroallylic alcohols. The reaction between primary nitroallylic alcohols and cyclic meso-anhydrides catalyzed by cinchonidine derived thiourea organocatalyst II (10 mol %) proceeded smoothly. The corresponding hemiesters were obtained in high chemical yields with high to excellent levels of stereoselectivity (up to 90% yield and 99% ee). On the other hand, the reversal of enantioselectivity was observed when an amino cinchonidine derivative (III) was used as the organocatalyst under the similar reaction conditions. This demonstrated an example of activation of the nucelophilic component in the desymmetrization of cyclic meso-anhydrides.     

Polymer-supported ytterbium perfluorooctanesulfonate [Yb(OPf)3]: A recyclable catalyst for organic reactions

Amberlyst A-21, a kind of well-known and cheap polymeric material, was treated with ytterbium perfluorooctanesulfonate [Yb(OPf)₃] giving a reagent with a ytterbium loading of 1.34 (wt%). The polymer-supported fluorous ytterbium catalyses the highly efficient nitration, esterification, Fridel-Crafts acylation, and aldol condensation. The catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration and used again without a significant loss of catalytic activity. The protocol avoids the use of fluorous solvents during the reaction or workup, which are expensive and can leach in small amounts.     

Polymer-supported palladium perfluorooctanesulfonate [Pd(OPf)2]: A recyclable and ligand-free palladium catalyst for copper-free Sonogashira coupling reaction in water under aerobic conditions

Amberlyst A-21, a kind of well-known and cheap polymeric material, was treated with palladium perfluorooctanesulfonate [Pd(OPf)₂] giving a reagent with a palladium loading of 1.94 (wt%). The polymer-supported fluorous palladium catalyzes the highly efficient Sonogashira coupling reaction in water. The reactions can be performed under copper- and ligand-free conditions in an air atmosphere. The palladium catalyst is easily separated and can be reused several times without a significant loss of catalytic activity.     

Polymer-supported Cinchona alkaloid-derived ammonium salts as recoverable phase-transfer catalysts for the asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino acids

Alkaloids such as cinchonidine, quinine and N-methylephedrine have been N-alkylated using polymeric benzyl halides or co-polymerized and then N-alkylated, thus affording a series of polymer-supported chiral ammonium salts which have been employed as phase-transfer catalysts in the asymmetric benzylation of an N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine ester. These new polymeric catalysts can be easily recovered by simple filtration after the reaction and reused. The best ee's were achieved when Merrifield resin-anchored cinchonidinium ammonium salts were employed.     

Catalytic asymmetric total syntheses of quinine and quinidine

The catalytic, asymmetric syntheses of quinine and quinidine were achieved in 16 steps. The recently developed salen(Al)-catalyzed enantioselective Michael addition of methyl cyanoacetate served to set the crucial C4 stereocenter in 92% ee, and a late-stage asymmetric dihydroxylation was used to differentiate the common intermediate and access the two desired diastereomeric products with high selectivity.     

Rational combination of two privileged chiral backbones: highly efficient organocatalysts for asymmetric direct aldol reactions between aromatic aldehydes and acylic ketones

A new class of organocatalysts has been designed by rational combination of proline with cinchona alkaloids. The chiral amine 3a, prepared from l-proline and cinchonidine, has been found to be an efficient catalyst for the direct aldol reactions of acetone or 2-butanone with a wide range of aldehydes (up to 98% ee). The cinchonidine backbone is essential to the reaction efficiency and enantioselectivity.     

Synthesis of novel cinchona-amino acid hybrid organocatalysts for asymmetric catalysis

Three novel subclasses of cinchonidine derivatives coupled to diverse amino acids were prepared in very good overall yield and tested in a benchmark organocatalytic aldol reaction, between acetone and aromatic aldehydes. These subclasses are a family of amino acid-cinchonidine (subclass A), N-formamides-cinchonidine (subclass B) and dipeptide-cinchonidine (subclass C) hybrids. Our main goal, besides obtaining very good yields and enantioselectivities, was to understand the influence of the amino acid side chain residues on the enantioselectivity of the asymmetric aldol reactions. Different amino acid tethered cinchonidine hybrids were compared and their catalytic behaviour was evaluated, allowing good enantioselectivities to be achieved, 92% ee in one case. Other reactions such as Biginelli, Michael addition and ketimine hydrosilylation reactions were screened with these ligands, but the outcome was less successful.     

Enantioselective Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation of N-formyl dehydroamino esters with monodentate phosphoramidite ligands

Enantioselectivities up to >99% ee were achieved in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-formyl dehydroamino esters using monodentate phosphoramidites as chiral ligands. The substrates were synthesized by condensation of methyl isocyanoacetate with a range of aldehydes and with cyclohexanone. A highly convenient multigram scale one step synthesis of methyl 2-(formamido)acrylate was developed. This compound was used in the synthesis of methyl 2-(formamido)cinnamate via a solvent free Heck reaction. Moreover, full conversion and >99% ee were obtained in 1 h in the hydrogenation of methyl 2-(formamido)acrylate with 0.2 mol % catalyst and 2 bar hydrogen pressure. The versatility of the formyl protection was established by its removal under mild conditions.     

Organocatalyzed synthesis of 2-amino-8-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles

2-Amino-8-oxo-tetrahydro-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles were synthesized for the first time from a tandem Michael addition-cyclization reaction between cyclohexane-1,2-dione and benzylidenemalononitriles. An enantioselective synthesis of these compounds was achieved in moderate ee values (up to 63% ee) by using a cinchona alkaloid-derived thiourea catalyst.     

Solvent-free asymmetric olefin hydroformylation catalyzed by highly cross-linked polystyrene-supported (R,S)-BINAPHOS-Rh(I) complex

Using an (R,S)-BINAPHOS-Rh(I) catalyst that is covalently anchored to a highly cross-linked polystyrene support, asymmetric hydroformylation of olefins was performed in the absence of organic solvents. The reaction of cis-2-butene, a gaseous substrate, provided (S)-2-methylbutanal with 100% regioselectivity and 82% ee upon treatment with H(2) (12 atm) and CO (12 atm) in a batchwise reactor equipped with a fixed bed. The polymer-supported catalyst was applicable to a continuous vapor-flow column reactor, and thus, 3,3,3-trifluoropropene was converted into (S)-2-trifluoromethylpropanal with an iso/normal ratio of 95/5 and 90% ee. Less volatile olefins, such as styrene, vinyl acetate, 1-alkenes, and fluorinated alkenes, were successfully converted into the corresponding isoaldehydes with high ee values, when they were injected through a supercritical CO(2)-flow column reactor. Successive injection of a series of olefins realized the conversion of an olefin library into an optically active aldehyde library.     

New auxiliaries for copper-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions: generation of quaternary stereocenters at room temperature

Dialkyl amides of L-valine, L-isoleucine, and L-tert-leucine (2) are excellent chiral auxiliaries for the construction of quaternary stereocenters at ambient temperature. Enaminoesters 3, prepared from these auxiliaries 2 and Michael donors 1, undergo a copper-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reaction with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK, 4) to afford products 5 in 70-90% yield and 90-99% ee (enantiomeric excess). The exclusion of moisture or oxygen is not necessary. The auxiliaries 2 are readily available by standard procedures. After workup they can be recovered almost quantitatively.     

Enantioselective Michael addition of 3-aryl-substituted oxindoles to methyl vinyl ketone catalyzed by a binaphthyl-modified bifunctional organocatalyst

The enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of 3-aryl-substituted oxindoles with methyl vinyl ketone promoted by binaphthyl-modified bifunctional organocatalysts was investigated. The corresponding Michael adducts, containing a quaternary center at the C3-position of the oxindoles, were generally obtained in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 91% ee).     

Organocatalyzed asymmetric Michael reaction of β-aryl-α-ketophosphonates and nitroalkenes

The first enantioselective Michael reaction of β-aryl-α-ketophosphonates and nitroalkenes has been realized by using a new bifunctional Takemoto-type thiourea catalyst. The primary Michael adducts obtained were converted in situ to the corresponding amides through the aminolysis. High yields, excellent diastereoselectivities (>95:5 dr), and good enantioselectivities (up to 81% ee) have been achieved for the corresponding α,β-disubstituted γ-nitroamides. This reaction again demonstrated that α-ketophosphonates are interesting pronucleophiles that can be used as amide surrogates in organocatalyzed reactions.     

Asymmetric Michael addition of malonates to enones catalyzed by a primary β-amino acid and its lithium salt

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to enones was achieved using a mixed catalyst consisting of a primary β-amino acid, O-TBDPS (S)-β-homoserine, and its lithium salt. Various cyclic and acyclic enones were converted into 1,5-ketoesters in high yields (up to 92%) with high enantioselectivity (up to 97% ee) under mild reaction conditions. Details of synthesis of the catalyst, optimization of the reaction conditions for the Michael addition reaction, and a plausible reaction mechanism are described.     

The enantioselective synthesis of alpha-amino acid derivatives via organoboranes

Optically active (S)-alpha-amino acids are prepared in 54-95% ee (12 cases) by reaction of the Schiff base acetate of glycine tert-butyl ester with B-alkyl-9-BBN derivatives in the presence of the Cinchona alkaloid, cinchonidine, and base. The enantiomeric (R)-alpha-amino acids are available in 59-92% ee (3 cases) by using cinchonine as the chiral control element.     

Phase-transfer-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reaction using newly-prepared chiral quaternary ammonium salts derived from l-tartrate

The catalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of a glycine Schiff base was demonstrated using new PTCs and moderate to good ee's were achieved (up to 77% ee).