Enantioselective Formation of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters from Indoles and Tertiary Alcohols Bearing A Directing Group

Described is an efficient catalytic asymmetric intermolecular C? C bond‐formation process to generate acyclic all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters. The reactions overcome the unfavorable steric hindrance around reactive centers, and the competitive elimination (E1), to form a range of useful indole products with excellent efficiency and enantioselectivity.     

Enantioselective Construction of Vicinal Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters by the Mannich Reaction of Silyl Ketene Imines with Isatin‐Derived Ketimines

A highly enantioselective Mannich reaction of silyl ketene imines with isatin‐derived ketimines has been realized by using a chiral N,N′‐dioxide/Zn^II catalyst. A variety of β‐amino nitriles containing congested vicinal tetrasubstituted stereocenters were obtained with excellent outcomes (up to 98 % yield, >19:1 d.r. and 99 % ee). Based on the experimental investigations, a possible transition state has been proposed to explain the origin of the asymmetric induction.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric 1,6‐Addition/1,4‐Addition Sequence to 2,4‐Dienals for the Synthesis of Chiral Chromans

A novel asymmetric organocatalytic 1,6‐addition/1,4‐addition sequence to 2,4‐dienals is described. Based on a 1,6‐Friedel–Crafts/1,4‐oxa‐Michael cascade, the organocatalyst directs the reaction of hydroxyarenes with a vinylogous iminium‐ion intermediate to give only one out of four possible regioisomers, thus providing optically active chromans in high yields and 94–99 % ee. Furthermore, several transformations are presented, including the formation of an optically active macrocyclic lactam. Finally, the mechanism for the novel reaction is discussed based on computational studies.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Acyclic Stereotriads Featuring Fluorinated Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters

Elaboration of enantioenriched complex acyclic stereotriads represents a challenge for modern synthesis even more when fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenters are targeted. We have been able to develop a simple strategy in a sequence of two unprecedented steps combining a diastereoselective aldol-Tishchenko reaction and an enantioselective organocatalyzed kinetic resolution. The aldol-Tishchenko reaction directly generates a large panel of acyclic 1,3-diols possessing a fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenter by condensation of fluorinated ketones with aldehydes under very mild basic conditions. The anti 1,3-diols featuring three contiguous stereogenic centers are generated with excellent diastereocontrol (typically >99 : 1 dr). Depending upon the precursors both diastereomers of stereotriads are accessible through this flexible reaction. Furthermore, from the obtained racemic scaffolds, development of an organocatalyzed kinetic resolution enabled to generate the desired enantioenriched stereotriads with excellent selectivity (typically er >95 : 5).     

Highly Efficient Enantioselective Construction of Bispirooxindoles Containing Three Stereocenters through an Organocatalytic Cascade Michael–Cyclization Reaction

Bispirooxindole derivatives containing three stereocenters, including two spiro quaternary centers, were synthesized in a high‐yielding, atypically rapid, and stereocontrolled cascade Michael–cyclization reaction between methyleneindolinones and isothiocyanato oxindoles catalyzed by a bi‐ or multifunctional organocatalyst. Mild conditions were used to construct bispirooxindoles with excellent enantio‐ and diastereomeric purities within less than 1 min. Catalyst reconfiguration offered access to the opposite enantiomer. This exceptionally highly efficient procedure will allow diversity‐oriented syntheses of this intriguing class of compounds with potential biological activities.     

Morita–Baylis–Hillman Reaction of β,β‐Disubstituted Enones: An Enantioselective Organocatalytic Approach for the Synthesis of Cyclopenta[b]annulated Arenes and Heteroarenes

The first enantioselective organocatalytic intramolecular Morita–Baylis–Hillman (MBH) reaction of sterically highly demanding β,β‐disubstituted enones is presented. The MBH reaction of β,β‐disubstituted‐α,β‐unsaturated electron‐withdrawing systems was previously considered to be unfeasible. Towards this end, designer substrates, which under simple and practical reaction conditions generate a variety of cyclopenta[b]annulated arenes and heteroarenes in excellent enantiopurities and near‐quantitative yields in remarkably short reaction times, are described. The reason for the unusually facile nature of this reaction is attributed to the synergy guided and entropically favored intramolecular reaction. Further, this strategy provides easy access to a substantial number of bioactive natural products and pharmaceutically significant compounds.     

Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Access to Distant Stereocenters Embedded within Tetrahydroxanthenes: Utilizing ortho‐Quinone Methides as Reactive Intermediates in Asymmetric Brønsted Acid Catalysis

A protocol for the highly enantioselective synthesis of 9‐substituted tetrahydroxanthenones by means of asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis has been developed. A chiral binol‐based N‐triflyphosphoramide was found to promote the in situ generation of ortho‐quinone methides and their subsequent reaction with 1,3‐cyclohexanedione to provide the desired products with excellent enantioselectivities. In addition, a highly enantio‐ and diastereoselective Brønsted acid catalyzed desymmetrization of 5‐monosubstituted 1,3‐dicarbonyl substrates with ortho‐quinone methides gives rise to valuable tetrahydroxanthenes containing two distant stereocenters.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Cross‐Vinylogous Rauhut–Currier Reaction of Methyl Coumalate with Enals

The organocatalytic enantioselective intermolecular cross‐vinylogous Rauhut–Currier (RC) reaction of methyl coumalate with α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes is reported, and the enals are activated by iminium catalysis to serve as the Michael acceptors and methyl coumalate is used as an activated diene to generate a latent enolate. The excellent selectivity is driven by the aromaticity of methyl coumalate, and the post transformation of this heterocyclic structure into other electron‐deficient arenes and heterocycles have addressed, in part, the challenging selectivity issues of the intermolecular cross‐RC reactions and the limited scope of iminium catalysis.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Fully Substituted Cyclopentane‐Oxindoles through an Organocatalytic Triple Michael Domino Reaction

An efficient, highly stereoselective asymmetric synthesis of fully functionalized cyclopentanes bearing an oxindole moiety and several other functional groups in one pot has been developed. Key step is an organocatalytic triple Michael domino reaction forming three C?C bonds and six stereocenters, including a quaternary one. Starting from equimolar amounts of simple substrates, a high molecular complexity can be reached after a Wittig olefination in one pot. The new protocol can easily be scaled up to gram amounts.     

Catalytic Asymmetric 1,6‐Conjugate Addition of para‐Quinone Methides: Formation of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters

Described herein is a general and mild catalytic asymmetric 1,6‐conjugate addition of para‐quinone methides (p‐QMs), a class of challenging reactions with previous limited success. Benefiting from chiral Brønsted acid catalysis, which allows in situ formation of p‐QMs, our reaction expands the scope to general p‐QMs with various substitution patterns. It also enables efficient intermolecular formation of all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters with high enantioselectivity.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Allenes: Remote Asymmetric 1,8-Addition of Indole Imine Methides

An organocatalytic enantioconvergent synthesis of chiral tetrasubstituted allenes is disclosed. With suitable chiral phosphoric acid catalysts, a range of racemic indole-substituted propargylic alcohols reacted with nucleophiles to provide efficient access to a series of enantioenriched allenes with high enantioselectivities. Control experiments suggested a mechanism involving remotely controlled asymmetric 1,8-addition of the in situ generated indole imine methide via a bifunctional transition state.