Catalytic Asymmetric Hetero-Diels-Alder Reactions of Carbonyl Compounds and Imines

Asymmetric catalysis is a challenge for chemists: How can we design catalysts to achieve the goal of forming optically active compounds? This review provides the reader with an overview of the development of catalytic asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of carbonyl compounds and imines. Since its discovery, the Diels-Alder reaction has undergone intensive development and is of fundamental importance for synthetic, physical, and theoretical chemists. The Diels-Alder reaction has been through different stages of development, and at the beginning of the 21st century catalytic Diels-Alder reactions are one of the main areas of focus. The preparation of numerous compounds of importance for our society is based on cycloaddition reactions to carbonyl compounds and imines. There are several parallels between the reactions of carbonyl compounds and those of imines, which, however, begin to vanish on entering the field of catalytic reactions. Why? From a mechanistic point of view some similarities can be drawn, but the synthetic development of catalytic enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of imines are several years behind those of the carbonyl compounds. For hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of carbonyl compounds there a number of different chiral catalysts, and great progress has been achieved in developing enantioselective reactions for unactivated and activated carbonyl compounds. In contrast the development of catalytic enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of imines is in its infancy and only few catalytic reactions have been published. This review will focus on the most important developments, and discuss the synthetic and mechanistic aspects of enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of carbonyl compounds catalyzed by chiral Lewis acids. For the hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of imines, the diastereoselective reactions of optically substrates catalyzed by Lewis acids will be presented first, followed by the catalytic enantioselective reactions.     

催化不对称Friedel-Crafts反应

傅-克反应是有机化学中最基本的反应之一,但是对于催化的不对称傅-克反应的研究则处于起步阶段。最近这方面的研究获得了突破,本文简要介绍了催化不对称傅-克反应的最新动态,包括各种手性Lewis酸催化体系的开发及其在不对称合成中的应用。     

Recent Advances in Asymmetric Catalysis Using p-Block Elements

The development of new methods for enantioselective reactions that generate stereogenic centres within molecules are a cornerstone of organic synthesis. Typically, metal catalysts bearing chiral ligands as well as chiral organocatalysts have been employed for the enantioselective synthesis of organic compounds. In this review, we highlight the recent advances in main group catalysis for enantioselective reactions using the p-block elements (boron, aluminium, phosphorus, bismuth) as a complementary and sustainable approach to generate chiral molecules. Several of these catalysts benefit in terms of high abundance, low toxicity, high selectivity, and excellent reactivity. This minireview summarises the utilisation of chiral p-block element catalysts for asymmetric reactions to generate value-added compounds.     

NHC-catalyzed covalent activation of heteroatoms for enantioselective reactions

Covalent activation of heteroatoms enabled by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organic catalysts for enantioselective reactions is evaluated and summarized in this review. To date, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms can be activated in this manner to react with another substrate to construct chiral carbon–heteroatom bonds with high optical enantioselectivities. The activation starts with addition of an NHC catalyst to the carbonyl moiety (aldehyde or imine) of substrates that contain heteroatoms. The key in this approach is the formation of intermediates covalently bound to the NHC catalyst, in which the heteroatom of the substrate is activated as a nucleophilic reactive site.

Covalent activation of heteroatoms enabled by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organic catalysts for enantioselective reactions is evaluated and summarized in this review.     

Recent developments in asymmetric multicomponent reactions

Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) receive increasing attention because they address both diversity and complexity in organic synthesis. Thus, in principle diverse sets of relatively complex structures can be generated from simple starting materials in a single reaction step. The ever increasing need for optically pure compounds for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications as well as for catalysis promotes the development of asymmetric multicomponent reactions. In recent years, asymmetric multicomponent reactions have been applied to the total synthesis of various enantiopure natural products and commercial drugs, reducing the number of required reaction steps significantly. Although many developments in diastereoselective MCRs have been reported, the field of catalytic enantioselective MCRs has just started to blossom. This critical review describes developments in both diastereoselective and catalytic enantioselective multicomponent reactions since 2004. Significantly broadened scopes, new techniques, more environmentally benign methods and entirely novel MCRs reflect the increasingly inventive paths that synthetic chemist follow in this field. Until recently, enantioselective transition metal-catalyzed MCRs represented the majority of catalytic enantioselective MCRs. However, metal contamination is highly undesirable for drug synthesis. The emergence of organocatalysis greatly influences the quest for new asymmetric MCRs.     

Organocatalytic Desymmetrization Reactions for the Synthesis of Axially Chiral Compounds

The enantioselective synthesis of atropisomers is an emerging field, that in recent years reached fundamental results and put the bases for innovative applications. Organocatalysis is playing a central role in the realization of original synthesis for novel atropisomeric scaffolds.^[1] In this short review, we would like to highlight the results obtained by our group and others in the field of axially enantioselective desymmetrization reactions using organocatalysis as main strategy.     

具有C2对称轴的手性配体及其不对称催化反应

按配位原子的数目进行分类，综述了近年来研究较多的具有Ｃ２对称轴的手性配体及其相关的不对称催化反应，并对该类手性配体的设计做了分析和总结。参考文献７９篇。     

Enantioselective Dihalogenation of Alkenes

The dihalogenation of alkenes is one of the classic reactions in organic chemistry and a prime example of an electrophilic addition reaction. The often observed anti-selectivity in this addition reaction can be explained by the formation of a haliranium-ion intermediate. Although dihalogenations have been studied for more than a century, the development of reagent-controlled, enantioselective dihalogenation has proved to be very difficult. Only recently, significant progress has been achieved. In this review, an overview on current method development in enantioselective dihalogenation is provided and mechanistic aspects that render this transformation challenging are discussed.     

Chiral Catalysts for Pd0-Catalyzed Enantioselective C−H Activation

In the past few decades, processes that involve transition-metal catalysis have represented a major part of the synthetic chemist′s toolbox. Recently, the interest has shifted from the well-established cross-coupling reactions to C−H bond functionalization, thus making it a current frontier of transition-metal-catalyzed reactions. Constant progress in this field has led to the discovery of enantioselective methods to generate and control various types of stereogenic elements, thereby demonstrating its high value to generate scalemic chiral molecules. The present review is dedicated to enantioselective Pd⁰-catalyzed C−H activation, which may be considered as an evolution of Pd⁰-catalyzed cross-couplings, with a focus on the different chiral ligands and catalysts that enable these transformations.     

Enantioselective C−H Functionalization Reactions under Gold Catalysis

Transition metal-catalyzed enantioselective functionalization of ubiquitous C−H bonds has proven to be promising field as it offers the construction of chiral molecular complexity in a step- and atom-economical manner. In recent years, gold has emerged as an attractive contender for catalyzing such reactions. The unique reactivities and selectivities offered by gold catalysts have been exploited to access numerous asymmetric transformations based on gold-catalyzed C−H functionalization processes. Herein, this review critically highlights the major advances and discoveries made in the enantioselective C−H functionalization under gold catalysis which is accompanied by mechanistic insights at appropriate places.     

Enantioselective C?C and C?H Bond Formation Mediated or Catalyzed by Chiral ebthi Complexes of Titanium and Zirconium

The development of catalytic processes that effect enantioselective bond formation under mild conditions is an important and challenging task in modern chemical synthesis. In this connection, chiral C₂-symmetric ansa-metallocenes (bridged metallocenes) have found notable applications as catalysts. This article discusses the chemistry of this class of chiral metallocene complexes with regard to their utility in catalytic and enantioselective C? C and C? H bond formation reactions. In addition, where applicable, a brief comparison with other related catalytic enantioselective processes is offered. Many of the reactions effected with high levels of enantioselectivity by catalytic amounts of these complexes are of great significance to the preparation of new materials and in the synthesis of therapeutic agents. For example, zirconocene complexes readily catalyze the enantioselective addition of alkylmagnesium halides to alkenes, and cationic zirconocene complexes may promote the highly stereoregulated copolymerization of terminal alkenes. Furthermore, the related chiral titanocenes are involved in an impressive range of useful asymmetric catalytic reactions, including the enantioselective hydrogenation of olefins and reduction of imines or ketones. This review attempts to bring together the practical aspects of the use of [(ebthi)M] complexes of Group 4 transition metals (catalyst synthesis and resolution), outline the manner in which the C₂-symmetric chiral ligands are believed to initiate stereoselective bond formation, and highlight the aspects of this chemistry that are less well understood and require further research.     

手性催化剂的结构及其反应性能

以天然产物为前体对手性催化剂进行了分类，对每种手性催化剂列举了所催化的不对称反应及其对映选择性；并对催化剂的结构与反应性能的关系进行了初步的总结和分析。参考文献７０篇。     

Asymmetric Synthesis in Ionic Liquids

Summary. In the last decades catalytic enantioselective transformations have became one of the most studied fields in synthesis chemistry. With the advancement of biphasic catalysis several of these reactions have been adapted to be run in ionic liquids. The variability of ionic liquids provides the means to fine tune catalytic processes, and even more importantly, the ionic liquids might be used to immobilize the catalyst and allow its easy recycling. The present review aims to provide an overview of the state of the art of enantioselective homogeneous catalytic transformations in ionic liquids.     

Dimeric & Polymeric Chiral Schiff Base Complexes and Supported BINOL Complexes as Potential Recyclable Catalysts in Asymmetric Kinetic Resolution and C–C Bond Formation Reactions

This review is based on dimeric and polymeric chiral Schiff base metal complexes and chiral BINOL supported metal complexes as potential recyclable catalysts for kinetic resolution of racemic and meso epoxide and asymmetric C–C bond formation reactions e.g., asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes, enantioselective addition of phenylacetylene to aldehydes, asymmetric nitro-Aldol reactions and asymmetric cyanation reaction.     

Asymmetric Synthesis in Ionic Liquids

In the last decades catalytic enantioselective transformations have became one of the most studied fields in synthesis chemistry. With the advancement of biphasic catalysis several of these reactions have been adapted to be run in ionic liquids. The variability of ionic liquids provides the means to fine tune catalytic processes, and even more importantly, the ionic liquids might be used to immobilize the catalyst and allow its easy recycling. The present review aims to provide an overview of the state of the art of enantioselective homogeneous catalytic transformations in ionic liquids.     

Recent developments in the asymmetric organocatalytic Morita−Baylis−Hillman reaction

The goal of this review is to collect the recent developments in asymmetric organocatalytic (aza)-Morita?Baylis?Hillman reactions reported since the beginning of 2013. It also includes the asymmetric organocatalysed transformations of racemic (aza)-Morita?Baylis?Hillman adducts, illustrating that they constitute synthetically important synthons in organic chemistry. It is divided into four sections, dealing successively with organocatalytic enantioselective Morita?Baylis?Hillman reactions, organocatalytic enantioselective aza-Morita?Baylis?Hillman reactions, asymmetric (aza)-Morita?Baylis?Hillman reactions of chiral substrates and asymmetric organocatalysed applications of Morita?Baylis?Hillman adducts.     

手性催化的环氧化物立体选择性开环反应

手性催化的环氧化物立体选择性开环反应可以用来制备多种具光学活性的化合物, 因而成为有机合成中极为重要的方法之一. 多种亲核试剂都已成功应用于此类反应. 综述了近十年来环氧化物的立体选择性开环反应方面的一些最新研究进展.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters by Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation: A Review

Quaternary stereocenters are of great importance to the three-dimensionality and enhanced properties of new molecules, but the synthetic challenges in creating quaternary stereocenters greatly hinder their wide use in drug discovery, organic material design, and natural product synthesis. The asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) of allylic substrates has proven to be a powerful methodology for enantioselective formation of structure skeletons bearing single or more quaternary carbon centers in modern asymmetric organocatalysis. AAA has certain advantages in constructing the tetrasubstituted stereocenters, including but not limited to mild reactive conditions, effective reaction rates, new functional group introduction, and carbon chains length extension. This review outlines the key considerations in the application of AAA reactions and summarizes the recent progress of AAA reactions in the enantioselective synthesis of products containing quaternary stereocenters. Meanwhile, a detailed discussion of the AAA reactions such as ligands, scope of substrates, transformations and the general reaction mechanisms is also provided. We hope this review could stimulate further advances in much broader areas, including organic synthesis, asymmetric catalysis, C−H activation, and symmetrical pharmaceutical chemistry.     

Enantioselective Reactions of N‐Acyliminium Ions Using Chiral Organocatalysts

N‐acyliminium ions are reactive intermediates that can act as electron‐deficient electrophiles toward weak or soft nucleophiles, thereby providing useful methods for both intermolecular‐ and intramolecular carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond formation. Nucleophilic additions to N‐acyliminium ions constitute an important method for providing α‐functionalized amino compounds and many other biologically active nitrogen‐containing heterocycles. The development of efficient catalytic asymmetric reactions is a key objective in modern organic chemistry and is very important for the synthesis of natural products, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals. Various methods are available for this purpose and mostly rely on the use of chiral catalysts for enantioselective synthesis. This review deals with one aspect of such catalysis, which has emerged only in the past few years, and its applications in enantioselective reactions of N‐acyliminium ions to provide various nitrogen‐containing heterocycles.     

Strategies for the enantioselective synthesis of spirooxindoles

Oxindoles and spirooxindoles are important synthetic targets that are often considered to be prevalidated with respect to their biological activity and applications for pharmaceutical lead discovery. This review features efficient strategies for the enantioselective synthesis of spirocyclic oxindoles, focusing on reports in 2010 and 2011. Although enantioselective synthesis remains an ongoing challenge, exciting recent advances in this area feature spirooxindoles with greater complexity, up to eight stereogenic centers, more practical synthetic methods, and new catalytic activation strategies. Developments in catalyst systems and reaction conditions have shown that many reactions can be optimized to control selectivity and provide access to isomeric products, which are important for biological testing. This review is organized based on two primary disconnection strategies, and then further subdivided into the type and ring size of the spirocycle that is generated. Strategies are also compared for the synthesis of non-spirocyclic 3,3'-disubstituted oxindoles.