Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction of indoles with arylidene malonates catalyzed by iPr-bisoxazoline-Cu(OTf)2

The cheap and simple (i)Pr-bisoxazoline-Cu(OTf)(2) proves to be an efficient catalyst in the asymmetric Friedel-Crafts reaction of indole with arylidene malonates. In (i)BuOH, the S-enantiomer was obtained in up to 97% ee, while the opposite enantiomer was obtained in up to 78% ee in CH(2)Cl(2) or TTCE.     

Enantioselective alkylative double ring-opening of epoxides derived from cyclic allylic ethers: synthesis of enantioenriched unsaturated diols

A screen of external chiral ligands has led to enantioselective organolithium-induced alkylative double ring-opening of 3,4-epoxytetrahydrofuran 1 with n-BuLi to give 3-methyleneheptane-1,2-diol 3 in 75% yield and 55% ee in the presence of bisoxazoline 10, and in up to 60% ee in the presence of (-)-sparteine 2. Extending the alkylative double ring-opening reaction to epoxides derived from oxabicyclo[n.2.1]alkenes (n = 2.3) results in the formation of cycloalkenediols, which, when carried out in the presence of (-)-sparteine 2 affords products in up to 85% ee.     

Novel C2-symmetric bisoxazolines with a chiral trans-(2R,3R)-diphenylcyclopropane backbone: preparation and application in several enantioselective catalytic reactions

Various chiral bisoxazoline ligands with a chiral trans-(2R,3R)-diphenylcyclopropane backbone have been efficiently synthesized (five examples). These chiral ligands were tested and compared in palladium(0)-catalysed enantioselective allylic alkylations (up to 97% ee), copper(I)-catalysed enantioselective cyclopropanations (up to 89% ee) and aziridinations (up to 90% ee). We observed that the presence of a stereogenic centre on the oxazoline moiety is mandatory in order to obtain acceptable enantioselectivities.     

Enantioselective chlorination and fluorination of beta-keto phosphonates catalyzed by chiral Lewis acids

The direct chiral Lewis acidic enantioselective chlorination and fluorination of beta-keto phosphonates is presented; the chlorination proceeds in high yields and with up to 94% ee using NCS as the chloro source, while the fluorination with (PhSO2)2NF (NFSI) gives the optically active alpha-fluoro-beta-keto phosphonates in moderate to good yields and with up to 91% ee.     

Enantioselective water-soluble iron–porphyrin-catalyzed epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide and hydroxylation with iodobenzene diacetate

The asymmetric epoxidation of styrene derivatives by H₂O₂ (or UHP) to give optically active epoxides (ee up to 81%) and hydroxylation of alkanes to give optically active secondary alcohols (ee up to 78%) were carried out in methanol and water using chiral water-soluble iron porphyrins as catalysts.     

t-Bu-QuinoxP* ligand: applications in asymmetric Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution and Ru-catalyzed hydrogenation

The potential of the t-Bu-QuinoxP* ligand (1) as a chiral ligand in asymmetric synthesis was examined. The ligand exhibited good to excellent asymmetric induction in Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate (up to 98.7% ee) and in Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones (up to 99.9% ee).     

Asymmetric substitutions of O-Boc-protected Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts with pyrrole and indole derivatives

An efficient asymmetric substitution process of O-Boc-protected Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts with various pyrrole and indole derivatives has been developed in the presence of (DHQD)(2)PYR in THF, affording the corresponding products in good to high yields (up to 99% yield) and moderate to high ee values (up to 92 and 96% ee) under mild conditions.     

Efficient synthesis of an imidazole-substituted delta-amino acid by the integration of chiral technologies

Two methods to produce (2S)-5-amino-2-(1-n-propyl-1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl)-pentanoic acid were investigated. Diastereoisomeric salt resolution, using the quinidine salt, gave the desired intermediate in 98% ee and 33% yield. Asymmetric hydrogenation of various substrates gave high conversions, with up to 83% ee. Integration of these two approaches via asymmetric hydrogenation of a quinidine salt substrate followed by crystallization provided the desired intermediate in 94% ee and 76% yield.     

Highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles and pyrrole with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters catalyzed by heteroarylidene-tethered bis(oxazoline) copper complexes

The simple and cheap chiral catalyst, heteroarylidene-tethered Ph-bis(oxazoline)-Cu(OTf)(2), can efficiently catalyze the asymmetric F-C alkylation of indoles and pyrrole with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters. The 3-indolyl adducts were obtained in up to >99% ee. Moreover, the 2-pyrrolyl adducts were achieved in up to 92% ee for the first time.     

Asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions of 2-cyclohexen-1-one catalyzed by chiral biaryl-based bis(thiourea) organocatalysts

Newly-developed bis(thiourea) 1d was found to be an efficient organocatalyst for the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. High enantioselectivities were obtained in the reaction of 2-cyclohexen-1-one with both aromatic aldehydes (up to 84% ee) and aliphatic aldehydes (up to 96% ee).     

Function of an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand based on concept of chiral mimetic

Function of a new N-heterocyclic carbene ligand based on the concept of a chiral mimetic is described. With (4R,5R)-4,5-diphenyl-1,3-dialkyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-imidazol-1-ium tetrafluoroborates as N-heterocyclic carbene precursors, Rh-catalyzed enantioselective arylation (up to 27% ee) of aromatic aldehydes with arylboronic acids and Pd-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular alpha-arylation (up to 66% ee) of N-(2-bromoaryl)-N-alkyl-2-arylpropanamides are investigated.     

Chiral 2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-rare earth metal complexes as catalysts for highly enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of 2-benzopyrylium-4-olates

Significant levels of enantioselectivity were obtained in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of 2-benzopyrylium-4-olate generated from the Rh(2)(OAc)(4)-catalyzed decomposition of o-methoxycarbonyl-alpha-diazoacetophenone. This reaction utilized chiral 2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine (Pybox)--rare earth metal triflate complexes as chiral Lewis acid catalysts. The reactions with several benzyloxyacetaldehyde derivatives catalyzed by a Sc(III)--Pybox-i-Pr complex (10 mol %) proceeded smoothly to yield endo-adducts selectively with high enantioselectivity (up to 93% ee). For the reaction with benzyl pyruvate, the Sc(III)-Pybox-i-Pr complex (10 mol %) catalyzed the reaction effectively in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (10 mol %) to yield an exo-adduct with both high diastereo- and enantioselectivity (94% ee). This catalytic system was efficiently applied to the reactions with several other alpha-keto esters with high exo- and enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee). In contrast to the reaction with carbonyl compounds, Yb(III)--Pybox-Ph complex (10 mol %) was found to be effective to obtain high enantioselectivity (96% ee) of diastereoselectively produced exo-cycloadduct in the reaction with 3-acryloyl-2-oxazolidinone.     

C2-Symmetric 4,4′,5,5′-Tetrahydrobi(oxazoles) and 4,4′,5,5′-Tetrahydro-2,2′-methylenebis[oxazoles] as Chiral Ligands for Enantioselective Catalysis Preliminary Communication

The synthesis of a series of enantiomerically pure, C₂-symmetric 4,4′,5,5′-tetrahydro-2,2′-methylenebis[oxazoles] and 4,4′,5,5′-tetrahydro-2,2′-bi(oxazoles) is reported. Copper complexes with anionic tetrahydromethylenebis[oxazole] ligands are efficient catalysts for the enantioselective cyclopropane formation from olefins and diazo compounds (up to 96% ee in the reaction of styrene with menthyl diazoacetate). Tetrahydrobi(oxazole)iridium(I) complexes were found to catalyze transfer hydrogenations of aryl alkyl ketones with i-PrOH (up to 91% ee). Tetrahydrobi(oxazole)palladium complexes can be used as enantioselective catalysts for allylic nucleophilic substitution (up to 77% ee in the reaction of PhCH?CHCH(OAc)Ph with NaHC(COOMe)₂).     

Discovery of a new efficient chiral ligand for copper-catalyzed enantioselective Michael additions by high-throughput screening of a parallel library

A combinatorial library of 125 chiral Schiff base ligands 5 was synthesized with the use of solution-phase parallel synthesis and solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques to scavenge excess reagents and reaction by-products and avoid chromatography. The synthetic methodology coupled five N-Boc-protected beta-amino sulfonyl chlorides 1a-e with five different amines 2f-j to give 25 N-Boc sulfonamides 3, which were in turn deprotected and coupled with five salicylaldehydes 4p-t to give 125 ligands 5 in good yields and of sufficient purity to be used in ligand-catalyzed reactions. These ligands were tested in the copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of dialkyl zinc to cyclic and acyclic enones. A multisubstrate high-throughput screening of the library was performed with an equimolar mixture of 2-cyclohexenone and 2-cycloheptenone (9 and 10, respectively, 0.2 mmol total), with 5.5 mol% ligand 5 (0.011 mmol) and 5 mol% Cu(OTf)2 (OTf= OSO2CF3) (0.010 mmol) in 1:1 toluene/ hexane at - 20 degrees C. From the screening of the library, 5bhr was identified as the best ligand, which yielded 3-ethylcyclohexanone (12) and 3-ethylcycloheptanone (13) in 82% and 81% ee, respectively, and complete conversions. Under optimized conditions (2.75 mol% 5bhr, 2.5 mol% copper(i) triflate, toluene as reaction solvent), improved results were obtained for 12 (90% ee, 93% yield) and for 13 (91% ee, 95% yield). Selected ligands 5 were also tested in the addition of Me2Zn to 2-cyclohexenone (9, ee up to 79%), of Et2Zn to 2-cyclopentenone (11, ee up to 80%) and to acyclic enones 16 and 17 (ee up to 50%).     

High-efficiency and minimum-waste continuous kinetic resolution of racemic alcohols by using lipase in supercritical carbon dioxide

A novel continuous-flow scCO(2) process for kinetic resolution of racemic alcohols can be performed with an immobilized lipase to lead to a quantitative mixture of the corresponding optically active acetates with up to 99% ee and unreacted alcohols with up to 99% ee, in which the productivity of the optically active compounds was improved by over 400 times compared to the corresponding batch reaction using scCO(2).     

A new electronically deficient atropisomeric diphosphine ligand (S)-CF3O-BiPhep and its application in asymmetric hydrogenation

A new electronically deficient atropisomeric diphosphine ligand (S)-CF₃O-BiPhep was synthesized from 1-bromo-3-(trifluoromethoxy)benzene in high yield. The key steps included oxidative coupling with anhydrous ferric chloride and optical resolution by (+)-DMTA. The ligand afforded high performance for Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of quinolines with ee up to 92% and TON up to 25,000. It was also successfully applied to the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of simple indoles with ee up to 87% and Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of phenylboronic acid to 2-cyclohexenone with 97% ee.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric alpha-bromination of aldehydes and ketones

The first organocatalytic enantioselective alpha-bromination of aldehydes and ketones is presented; a C2-symmetric diphenylpyrrolidine catalyst afforded the alpha-brominated aldehydes in good yields and up to 96% ee, while ketones were alpha-brominated by a C2-symmetric imidazolidine in up to 94% ee; furthermore, the organocatalytic enantioselective alpha-iodination of aldehydes is also demonstrated to proceed with up to 89% ee.     

Asymmetric conjugate reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and esters with chiral rhodium(2,6-bisoxazolinylphenyl) catalysts

New asymmetric conjugate reduction of beta,beta-disubstituted alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and esters was accomplished with alkoxylhydrosilanes in the presence of chiral rhodium(2,6-bisoxazolinylphenyl) complexes in high yields and high enantioselectivity. (E)-4-Phenyl-3-penten-2-one and (E)-4-phenyl-4-isopropyl-3-penten-2-one were readily reduced at 60 degrees C in 95 % ee and 98 % ee, respectively, by 1 mol % of catalyst loading. (EtO)2MeSiH proved to be the best hydrogen donor of choice. tert-Butyl (E)-beta-methylcinnamate and beta-isopropylcinnamate could also be reduced to the corresponding dihydrocinnamate derivatives up to 98 % ee.     

Enantioselective intramolecular amidation of sulfamate esters catalyzed by chiral manganese(III) Schiff-base complexes

Enantioselective intramolecular amidation of sulfamate esters catalyzed by chiral manganese(III) Schiff-base complexes under mild conditions (PhI(OAc)₂, Al₂O₃, C₆H₆, 5 °C) was achieved in moderate to good yields (up to 92%), substrate conversions (up to 99%), with virtually complete cis-selectivity and with ee values up to 79% ee.     

Asymmetric Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation using a furanoside phosphite-phosphoroamidite and diphosphoroamidite ligand library

A furanoside phosphite-phosphoroamidite and diphosphoroamidite ligand library L1-L5a-f was tested in the asymmetric Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives and enamides. Enantioselectivity depended strongly on the ligand parameters. High enantioselectivities were obtained in the reduction of dimethyl itaconate (up to >99% ee), α-dehydroamino acid esters (up to 99% ee) and several enamides (up to 92% ee). Kinetic and NMR studies on the intermediates of the catalytic cycle of the reaction indicate that the [Rh(P(1)-P(2))(substrate)](+) species is the resting state of the reaction and that the rate dependence is first order in rhodium and hydrogen pressure and zeroth order in the substrate.