Asymmetric synthesis of α,β-substituted γ-amino acids via conjugate addition

The first conjugate addition reaction of organocuprates to N-enoyl oxazolidinone where a N-protected γ-nitrogen atom and an α-methyl group are present into α, β-unsaturated system is described. This reaction gave anti-products in moderate yields and high diastereomeric ratios. The anti-products have two contiguous stereogenic centers, one formed by the conjugate addition reaction and the other by a diastereoselective protonation reaction. The removal of chiral oxazolidinone moiety and N-deprotection of amino group furnished chiral α, β-disubstituted γ-amino acids.     

Asymmetric Strecker reaction of γ-keto acids. Facile entry to α-substituted and α,γ-disubstituted glutamic acids

The Strecker reaction of γ-keto acid derived sodium salts with (S)-phenylglycinol followed by treatment of the resultant α-amino nitriles with methanolic HCl and heating at 200 °C give bicyclic lactones 11 and 12. Hydrolysis and subsequent debenzylation of 11 and their alkylation products 17 furnish α-substituted and α,γ-disubstituted glutamic acids.     

Palladium-catalyzed stereoconvergent formylation of (E/Z)-β-bromo-β-fluorostyrenes: straightforward access to (Z)-α-fluorocinnamic aldehydes and (Z)-β-fluorocinnamic alcohols

We report here the stereoconvergent formylation of (E/Z)-β-bromo-β-fluorostyrene mixtures with carbon monoxide and sodium formate catalyzed by palladium. Optimization of reaction conditions leads to the corresponding pure (Z)-α-fluorocinnamaldehydes in good yields. The reaction was extended to styrenes bearing electro-attracting or electro-donating groups. The obtained α-fluoroaldehydes were smoothly reduced to the corresponding (Z)-β-fluorocinnamic alcohol by NaBH(4). The reaction could be performed on functionalized substrates as demonstrated by the access to the glucoside of β-fluoroconiferyl alcohol, (Z)-β-fluoroconiferin, a strong inhibitor of lignin polymerization.     

Construction of highly functional α-amino nitriles via a novel multicomponent tandem organocatalytic reaction: a facile access to α-methylene γ-lactams

The first tertiary amine-catalyzed multicomponent tandem Strecker-allylic-alkylation (SAA) reaction has been developed, which provides a facile access to functionalized α-amino nitriles, which could be readily converted into α-methylene-γ-butyrolactams.     

Synthesis of chiral α-(tetrazol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acids

Optically active α-(tetrazol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acid OBO-esters were synthesized from the corresponding a-isocyano OBO-esters and trimethylsilyl azide in up to 92% yield. Subsequent acidic hydrolysis proceeds without epimerization and makes it possible to prepare enantiomerically pure α-(tetrazol-1-yl)-substituted carboxylic acids in up to 89% yield.

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Metal-mediated allylation of mucohalic acids: facile formation of γ-allylic α,β-unsaturated γ-butyrolactones

Mucohalic acids {mucochloric acid (1, 3,4-dichloro-5-hydroxy-5H-furan-2-one and mucobromic acid (2, 3,4-dibromo-5-hydroxy-5H-furan-2-one)} were employed as aldehydes in the indium- and tin-mediated Barbier-type allylation reactions and afforded γ-allylic α,β-unsaturated γ-butyrolactones in good to excellent yield.     

A versatile and straightforward approach to the 21-oxidation of β-substituted and α,β-unsaturated 20-oxosteroids

21-Hydroxylation and acetoxylation of 20-oxosteroids, either α,β-unsaturated or β-substituted, were successfully achieved through oxidation of the corresponding silyl enol ethers withm-CPBA followed by smooth hydrolytic cleavage of the 21-alkylsilyloxy derivatives. These conditions, which have not been previously used to synthesize such compounds, allow a high degree of regio and chemoselectivity and are specially useful for the chemical synthesis of 16α,21-dihydroxy-20-oxosteroids.     

Diastereoselective hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated but-2-enamides to access the chiral 3-(p-tolyl) butanoic acids

An alternative methodology for the synthesis of chiral 3-(p-tolyl) butanoic acids is presented. This was accomplished through the diastereoselective hydrogenation reaction of different chiral N-3-(p-tolyl) but-2-enamides, using Pd/C in EtOH, to produce the corresponding chiral N-3-(p-tolyl) butanamides with high chemical yields and moderate diastereomeric ratios. Removal of the chiral auxiliary from N-3-(p-tolyl) butanamides gave the respective enantiomerically pure acids.     

Visible-light-mediated direct access to α-ketoamides by dealkylative amidation of tertiary amines with benzoylformic acids

A visible-light induced direct amidation of benzoylformic acids with tertiary amines has been explored. Tertiary amines underwent N-dealkylative amidation with α-keto acid in the presence of [Ir{dFCF₃ppy}₂(bpy)]PF₆ and Cs₂CO₃, affording the corresponding α-ketoamides in good yields under mild conditions. This transformation exhibits a wide substrate scope and provides a facile synthetic approach to α-ketoamides.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to γ-phthalimido-substituted-α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters: an approach to γ-amino acids

Efficient Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to ethyl-γ-phthalimidocrotonate by using bis-sulfoxide ligand affords γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) derivatives with high enantioselectivities (90-96% ee) under mild conditions. Optically pure (S)-Baclofen and (S)-Rolipram have been prepared successfully through this synthetic route.     

α-Methylserinals as an access to α-methyl-β-hydroxyamino acids: application in the synthesis of all stereoisomers of α-methylthreonine

The asymmetric synthesis of all stereoisomers of α-methylthreonine using a stereodivergent synthetic route starting from (S)- and (R)-N-Boc-N,O-isopropylidene-α-methylserinals is reported. The key step involves the asymmetric addition of methylmagnesium bromide to these aldehydes with a high level of asymmetric induction being observed. This methodology represents a powerful tool for the synthesis of different β-substituted α-methylserines.     

Iodine-catalyzed 1,4-addition of 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)furan to α,β-unsaturated ketones: a facile synthesis of γ-butenolides

The α,β-unsaturated compounds undergo smooth conjugate addition with 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)furan (TMSF) in the presence of 10 mol % of iodine under mild and neutral conditions to afford the corresponding γ-substituted butenolides in high yields and with good diastereoselectivity. The use of iodine makes this procedure simple, convenient and cost effective.     

Reactions of aminobenzoic acids with α,β-acetylenic γ-hydroxy nitriles: synthesis of functionalized amino acids and unusually facile esterification and acetylene hydration

2-Aminobenzoic acid 1 reacts with α,β-acetylenic γ-hydroxy nitriles 4 and 5 to afford 2-[(5-iminio-2,2-dialkyl-2,5-dihydro-3-furanyl)amino]benzenecarboxylates 7 and 8 (yield 73-74%), a new class of unnatural amino acids in a peculiar zwitterionic form, having the positive charge transferred to the remote imino group of the dihydrofuranyl substituent. 3- and 4-Aminobenzoic acids 2 and 3 with α,β-acetylenic γ-hydroxy nitriles 4-6 undergo entirely different transformations to deliver the esters of cyanomethylhydroxyalkyl ketones 9-12, which result from the unusually facile esterification of the hydroxyl function and simultaneous hydration of the triple bond. 4-Aminobenzoic acid 3 is found to be an active organic catalyst for the one-pot conversion of α,β-acetylenic γ-hydroxy nitrile 4 to 5-amino-2,2-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone 13, in 80% yield.     

Addition of alkyl radicals, generated from carboxylic acids via photochemical decarboxylation, to glyoxylic oxime ether: a mild and efficient route to α-substituted α-aminoesters

Radical addition to a glyoxylic oxime ether was accomplished under mild conditions using an alkyl radical generated from a free carboxylic acid via photochemical decarboxylation. The photoreaction provided an efficient route to α-substituted α-aminoesters from carboxylic acids and oxime ether.     

Synthesis of esters of α-chloroacetoxy-β,β,β,-trichloroethylphosphonic acids

Summary The synthesis of 11 previously unreported dialkyl esters of -mono-, -di-, and -trichloroacetoxy-,,-trichloroethylphosphonic acids has been effected.     

Palladium catalyzed reactions of α-bromo-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with 1-(E)-alkenylboronic acids

A new synthesis of functionalized 1,3-dienes is described based on the palladium catalyzed coupling reaction of 1-(E)-alkenylboronic acids with α-bromo-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds.