Catalytic Enantioselective Reaction of α‐Phenylthioacetonitriles with Imines Using Chiral Bis(imidazoline)–Palladium Catalysts

The catalytic enantioselective reaction of α‐phenylthioacetonitriles with imines has been developed. The reaction of various imines proceeds in good yields and diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities in the presence of chiral bis(imidazoline)–palladium catalysts. The obtained products can be converted into β‐aminonitrile or β‐aminoamide compounds without loss of enantiopurity.     

Catalytic Enantioselective α‐Ketol Rearrangement

A highly enantioselective α‐ketol rearrangement has been developed. In the presence of a chiral Cu‐bisoxazoline complex, achiral β‐hydroxy‐α‐dicarbonyls were isomerized to chiral α‐hydroxy‐β‐dicarbonyls and their bicyclic derivatives in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. Enantioenriched 2‐acyl‐2‐hydroxy cyclohexan‐1‐ones, dihydroxyhexahydrobenzofuranones, and dihydroxyhexahydro‐cycloheptafuranones, with up to three stereocenters, were readily prepared from achiral starting materials in one operation. The reaction is applicable to the desymmetrization of meso substrates and kinetic resolution of racemic alcohols.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Reaction of Allenylnitriles with Imines Using Chiral Bis(imidazoline)s Palladium(II) Pincer Complexes

The first highly enantioselective reaction of allenylnitriles with imines has been developed. Excellent yields and enantioselectivities were observed for the reaction with various imines using chiral Phebim‐Pd^II complexes. This process offers a simple and efficient synthetic route for various functionalized α‐vinylidene‐β‐aminonitriles and their derivatives.     

Enantioselective Zinc/BINOL‐Catalysed Alkynylation of Aldimines Generated in Situ from α‐Amido Sulfones

Chiral nonracemic N‐Cbz‐protected propargylic amines have been prepared by the addition of terminal alkynes to imines generated in situ from α‐amido sulfones in the presence of diethylzinc and BINOL‐type ligands as catalysts. The reactions give good yields and high enantioselectivities (ee values up to 95 %) for a good number of aromatic and heteroaromatic α‐amido sulfones and alkynes.     

Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Fused Tri‐ and Tetrasubstituted Aziridines: aza‐Darzens Reaction of Cyclic Imines with α‐Halogenated Ketones Catalyzed by Bifunctional Phosphonium Salt

The first enantioselective aza‐Darzens reaction of cyclic imines with α‐halogenated ketones was realized under mild reaction conditions by using amino‐acid‐derived bifunctional phosphonium salts as phase‐transfer promoters. A variety of structurally dense tri‐ and tetrasubstituted aziridine derivatives, containing benzofused heterocycles as well as spiro‐structures, were readily synthesized in high yields with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities (up to >20:1 d.r. and >99.9 % ee). The highly functionalized aziridine products could be easily transformed into different classes of biologically active compounds.     

Double Stereodifferentiation in the Catalytic Asymmetric Aziridination of Imines Prepared from α‐Chiral Amines

The catalytic asymmetric aziridination of imines and diazo compounds (AZ reaction) mediated by boroxinate catalysts derived from the VANOL and VAPOL ligands was investigated with chiral imines derived from five different chiral, disubstituted, methyl amines. The strongest matched and mismatched reactions with the two enantiomers of the catalyst were noted with disubstituted methyl amines that had one aromatic and one aliphatic substituent. The synthetic scope for the AZ reaction was examined in detail for α‐methylbenzyl amine for cis‐aziridines from α‐diazo esters and for trans‐aziridines from α‐diazo acetamides. Optically pure aziridines could be routinely obtained in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity and the minor diastereomer (if any) could be easily separated. The matched case for cis‐aziridines involved the (R)‐amine with the (S)‐ligand, but curiously, for trans‐aziridines the matched case involved the (R)‐amine with the (R)‐ligand for imines derived from benzaldehyde and n‐butanal, and the (R)‐amine with the (S)‐ligand for imines derived from the bulkier aliphatic aldehydes pivaldehyde and cyclohexane carboxaldehyde.     

Engaging Allene‐Derived Zwitterions in an Unprecedented Mode of Asymmetric [3+2]‐Annulation Reaction

Catalytic addition of chiral phosphine, that is, (R)‐ or (S)‐SITCP, to an α‐substituted allene ester generated a zwitterionic dipole. Under optimized reaction conditions, this dipole could engage isatine‐derived N‐Boc‐ketimines in a novel mode of [3+2] annulation reaction. Pyrrolinyl spirooxindoles are thus afforded in high yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. The unprecedented annulation reaction successfully facilitated the construction of sp³‐rich and highly substituted 3,2′‐pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles supporting many chiral centers.     

Intermolecular Asymmetric Carboesterification of Alkenes by Using Chiral Amine Auxiliaries under O2: Synthesis of Enantioenriched α‐Methylene‐γ‐Lactones through Chloropalladation of Alkynes

Herein, the first example of chloropalladation‐initiated asymmetric intermolecular carboesterification of alkenes with alkynes by using chiral amine auxiliaries is reported. The use of (1S,2S)‐N¹,N¹‐dimethylcyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine auxiliaries is essential for providing α‐methylene‐γ‐lactones products in moderate to high yields and excellent enantioselectivities at room temperature. Moreover, the chiral amine auxiliaries can be readily removed by hydrolysis during the reaction process to keep the absolute configuration. This oxygen‐ and water‐promoted asymmetric reaction opens a new window to study asymmetric processes in halopalladation reactions.     

Chiral Phosphoric Acid Dual‐Function Catalysis: Asymmetric Allylation with α‐Vinyl Allylboron Reagents

We report a dual function asymmetric catalysis by a chiral phosphoric acid catalyst that controls both enantioselective addition of an achiral α‐vinyl allylboronate to aldehydes and pseudo‐axial orientation of the α‐vinyl group in the transition state. The reaction produces dienyl homoallylic alcohols with high Z‐selectivities and enantioselectivities. Computational studies revealed that minimization of steric interactions between the alkyl groups of the diol on boron and the chiral phosphoric acid catalyst influence the orientation of α‐vinyl substituent of the allylboronate reagent to occupy a pseudo‐axial position in the transition state.     

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Addition of Oxazolones to 1,1‐Bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene: A Convenient Asymmetric Synthesis of Quaternary α‐Amino Acids

A new, easy, and highly enantioselective method for the synthesis of quaternary α‐alkyl‐α‐amino acids based on organocatalysis is reported. The addition of oxazolones to 1,1‐bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene is efficiently catalyzed by simple chiral bases or thioureas. The reaction affords α,α‐disubstituted α‐amino acid derivatives with complete C4 regioselectivity and with excellent yields and enantioselectivities. This methodology is complementary to previously reported enantioselective approaches to quaternary α‐amino acids and allows the synthesis of α‐phenyl‐α‐alkyl‐α‐amino acids and α‐tert‐butyl‐α‐alkyl‐α‐amino acids. It has distinct advantages in terms of operational simplicity, enviromentally friendly conditions, and suitability for large‐scale reactions.     

Asymmetric Reduction of α‐Amino Ketones with a KBH4 Solution Catalyzed by Chiral Lewis Acids

An efficient enantioselective reduction of α‐amino ketones with potassium borohydride solution catalyzed by chiral N,N′‐dioxide–metal complex catalysts was accomplished under mild reaction conditions for the first time. It provided a simple, convenient, and practical approaches for obtaining synthetically important chiral β‐amino alcohols in good to excellent yields (up to 98 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 97 % ee).     

NiH‐Catalyzed Remote Asymmetric Hydroalkylation of Alkenes with Racemic α‐Bromo Amides

Reported here is a terminal‐selective, remote asymmetric hydroalkylation of olefins with racemic α‐bromo amides. The reaction proceeds by NiH‐catalyzed alkene isomerization and subsequent alkylation reaction, and can enantioconvergently introduce an unsymmetrical secondary alkyl group from a racemic α‐bromo amide onto a terminal C(sp³)?H position along the hydrocarbon chain of the alkene. This mild process affords a range of structurally diverse chiral α‐alkylalkanoic amides in excellent yields, and high regio‐ and enantioselectivities. In addition, the synthetic utility of this protocol is further highlighted by the regioconvergent conversion of industrial raw materials of isomeric olefin mixtures into enantioriched α‐alkylalkanoic amides on large scale.     

Lewis Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Three‐Component Coupling Reaction: Facile Synthesis of α‐Fluoromethylated Tertiary Alcohols

A chiral dicationic palladium complex is found to be an efficient Lewis acid catalyst for the synthesis of α‐fluoromethyl‐substituted tertiary alcohols using a three‐component coupling reaction. The reaction transforms three simple and readily available components (terminal alkyne, arene, and fluoromethylpyruvate) to valuable chiral organofluorine compounds. This strategy is completely atom‐economical and results in perfect regioselectivities and high enantioselectivities of the corresponding tertiary allylic alcohols in good to excellent yields.     

Asymmetric Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Nazarov Cyclization of Acyclic α‐Alkoxy Dienones

A Brønsted acid‐catalyzed asymmetric Nazarov cyclization of acyclic α‐alkoxy dienones has been developed. The reaction offers access to chiral cyclopentenones in a highly enantioselective manner. The reaction is complementary to our previously reported Brønsted acid‐catalyzed electrocyclization reactions, which provided differently substituted optically active cyclopentenones with a fused tetrahydropyrane ring in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted α‐Amino Allenoates by Dearomative γ‐Addition of 2,3‐Disubstituted Indoles to β,γ‐Alkynyl‐α‐imino Esters

The first asymmetric synthesis of tetrasubstituted α‐amino allenoates by a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed dearomative γ‐addition reaction of 2,3‐disubstituted indoles to β,γ‐alkynyl‐α‐imino esters is reported. This method provides access to a series of highly functionalized tetrasubstituted allenes featuring quaternary stereocenters in high yields, and with excellent regio‐, diastereo‐, and enantioselectivities under mild conditions without by‐product formation. Representative large‐scale reactions and diverse transformations of the products into various scaffolds with potential biological activities render are also disclosed. The mechanism of the reaction was elucidated by control reactions and DFT calculations.     

Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective anti‐Selective Hydrogenation of α‐Amino‐β‐keto Ester Hydrochlorides and Related Compounds Using Transition‐Metal–Chiral‐Bisphosphine Catalysts

This review describes our recent works on the diastereo‐ and enantioselective synthesis of anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters using transition‐metal–chiral‐bisphosphine catalysts. A variety of transition metals, namely ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh),iridium (Ir), and nickel (Ni), in combination with chiral bisphosphines, worked well as catalysts for the direct anti‐selective asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides, yielding anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acid esters via dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) in excellent yields and diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. The Ru‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐ketoesters via DKR is the first example of generating anti‐β‐hydroxy‐α‐amino acids. Complexes of iridium and axially chiral bisphosphines catalyze an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides via dynamic kinetic resolution. A homogeneous Ni–chiral‐bisphosphine complex also catalyzes an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of α‐amino‐β‐keto ester hydrochlorides in an anti‐selective manner. As a related process, the asymmetric hydrogenation of the configurationally stable substituted α‐aminoketones using a Ni catalyst via DKR is also described.     

Asymmetric Disulfonimide‐Catalyzed Synthesis of δ‐Amino‐β‐Ketoester Derivatives by Vinylogous Mukaiyama–Mannich Reactions

An organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of δ‐amino‐β‐ketoester derivatives has been developed. A chiral disulfonimide (DSI) serves as a highly efficient precatalyst for a vinylogous Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction of readily available dioxinone‐derived silyloxydienes with N‐Boc‐protected imines, delivering products in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. The synthetic utility of this reaction is illustrated in various transformations, including a new C? C bond‐forming reaction, which provide useful enantioenriched building blocks. The methodology is applied in a formal synthesis of (?)‐lasubin.     

Chiral Ammonium Betaine‐Catalyzed Highly Stereoselective Aza‐Henry Reaction of α‐Aryl Nitromethanes with Aromatic N‐Boc Imines

A highly stereoselective aza‐Henry reaction of α‐aryl nitromethanes with aromatic N‐Boc imines was established by using C₁‐symmetric chiral ammonium betaine as a bifunctional organic base catalyst. Various substituted aryl groups for both imines and nitromethanes were tolerated in the reaction, and a series of precursors for the synthesis of unsymmetrical anti‐1,2‐diaryl ethylenediamines was provided.     

Cationic Ir/Me‐BIPAM‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Intramolecular Direct Hydroarylation of α‐Ketoamides

Asymmetric intramolecular direct hydroarylation of α‐ketoamides gives various types of optically active 3‐substituted 3‐hydroxy‐2‐oxindoles in high yields with complete regioselectivity and high enantioselectivities (84–98 % ee). This is realized by the use of the cationic iridium complex [Ir(cod)₂](BAr^F₄) and the chiral O‐linked bidentate phosphoramidite (R,R)‐Me‐BIPAM.