Lewis acid-mediated reactions of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with diazo esters

The reactions of diazo esters with 2-arylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates, the represen- tatives of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes (DACs), mediated by Sc(OTf)₃, SnCl₄, and GaCl₃ proceeded with nitrogen elimination to give the C—C coupling products. No products of the formal [3+3] cycloaddition of diazo compounds to DACs were formed but the main reaction direction was addition of diazo ester to either 1,3- or 1,2-zwitterions generated upon Lewis acid-mediated cyclopropane ring opening giving rise to new 1,4- and 1,3-zwitterionic inter- mediates. The formed intermediates underwent further fragmentations and rearrangements to give substituted cyclopropanedi-, -tri-, and -tetracarboxylates. Mechanistic aspects of the observed reactions were discussed.     

Formation of the double addition products of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with 2-pyrazolines in the presence of Lewis acids

A reaction of excess of cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates substituted at position 2 with 2-pyrazolines in the presence of 3 equiv. of GaCl₃ at 5 °C selectively resulted in the cyclopropanes double addition products, viz., N-substituted 1,2-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes. In this case, the first molecule of the starting cyclopropane formed the bicyclic system, whereas the second added at the N-H bond of the adduct formed. When catalytic amount of Sc(OTf)₃ was used in this reaction instead of GaCl₃ at 40 °C, besides the corresponding 1,2-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]-octanes, another type of cyclopropane double addition products, viz., N-alkyl-2-pyrazolines, was formed, in which the alkyl chain was assembled from two molecules of the starting cyclopropane. A plausible mechanism for the transformations observed was suggested.     

Indium‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Keto Esters from Cyclic 1,3‐Diketones and Alcohols and Application to the Synthesis of Seratrodast

Esterification reactions from cyclic 1,3‐diketones and alcohols are carried out in the presence of several Lewis acids. In particular, indium(III) triflate, In(OTf)₃, iron(III) triflate, Fe(OTf)₃, copper(II) triflate, Cu(OTf)₂, and silver(I) triflate, AgOTf, show high catalytic activities. These reactions proceed through the carbon–carbon bond cleavage by a retro‐aldol reaction and were found to be highly regioselective even in the presence of other functional groups. This type of reaction can also be applied to the preparation of the keto esters during the synthesis of seratrodast, which is an antiasthmatic and eicosanoid antagonist.     

Efficient catalytic effects of Lewis acids in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of carbonyl ylides with imines

[reactions: see text] 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions between imines and carbonyl ylides generated by tandem intramolecular carbenoid-carbonyl cyclizations were found to be effectively catalyzed by Lewis acids (10 mol %). The Rh2(OAc)4-catalyzed reactions of o-(methoxycarbonyl)-alpha-diazoacetophenone with imines such as N-[2-(benzyloxy)benzylidene]aniline in the absence of Lewis acid gave no 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition products, but rather the dimeric product of the corresponding carbonyl ylide. In contrast, in the presence of Lewis acids such as Yb(OTf)3, the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of the corresponding 1-methoxy-2-benzopyrylium-4-olate proceeded smoothly with several imines, giving in most cases exo-selectivity and no formation of the dimeric product. When Yb(OTf)3 was used as a Lewis acid catalyst, a fundamental catalytic effect was also observed in the cycloaddition reactions of imines with carbonyl ylides generated from 1-diazo-5-phenyl-2,5-pentanedione, 1-diazo-2,5-hexanedione and diazomethyl 2,3,4,5-tetrachloro-6-methoxycarbonylphenly ketone. This efficient catalytic effect can be satisfactorily explained in terms of energetics of the cycloaddition in the absence and the presence of Lewis acid by calculations using the ONIOM (B3LYP/6-31G(d):PM3) method.     

Reaction of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran. Lewis acid effect on the reaction pathway

Reaction of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran in the presence of lanthanide triflates, as well as CuOTf, Sn(OTf)₂, SnCl₂, ZnCl₂, GaCl₃, and MgI₂, proceeds as a formal [3+4]-cycloaddition leading to a newly formed seven-membered ring. This reaction was found to be typical of cyclopropane-1,1-diesters and dinitriles, as well as 1-nitrocyclo-propanecarboxylates containing aromatic, heteroaromatic, and vinylic substituents at the C(2) atom of the small ring. When Me₃SiOTf, TiCl₄, SnCl₄, or BF₃·OEt₂ were used as initiators, unusual cyclic hemiacetals were formed via the conjugate 1,4-addition of a cyclopropane and a nucleophile to the diene moiety.     

Synthesis and reactivity of N-sugar-maleimides: an access to novel highly substituted enantiopure pyrazolines

Two diastereomeric isoxazolines were synthesized in a stereoselective manner with 6.64–20.36% diastereoisomeric excess. The cycloaddition of N-sugar-maleimide in the presence of MgBr₂ afforded isoxazolines with high diasterioselectivities (76–84% de). The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction was diastereospecific and enantiomerically pure (3R,4S,5S,6S,3aR,6aS)-pyrazolines were obtained from N-sugar-maleimides via 1,3-proton migration.     

The potential energy surface of the triazadiphosphole formation

The formal GaCl₃-assisted [3+2] cycloaddition of two (Me₃Si)₂N–N(SiMe₃)–PCl₂ molecules resulting in the formation of a triazadiphosphole has been studied by means of B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) computations. These calculations revealed a stepwise reaction mechanism starting from the disguised 1,3-dipole and dipolarophile (Me₃Si)₂N–N(SiMe₃)–PCl₂. Comparison of the potential energy surface for the formation of a triazadiphosphole in the presence and without a Lewis acid indicate, that addition of a Lewis acid such as GaCl₃ decreases the activation barriers to Me₃Si–Cl elimination, in accord with experiment. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A stable intermediate: a new insight into the mechanism of Lewis acids-promoted formation of acylals from aldehydes

Treatment of m-nitrobenzaldehyde with acetic anhydride in the presence of Lewis acids, such as InBr₃, ZnBr₂, Cu(OTf)₂, gives a stable intermediate at the initial stage of reaction. Based on this new organic compound characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, a new mechanism for Lewis acids-promoted formation of acylals from aldehydes is proposed. Exchange reaction with different ratio of acetic anhydride to propionic anhydride, in the presence of Lewis acids, is studied.     

Catalytic opening of the diaziridine fragment in 6-aryl-1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes

Treatment of 6-aryl-1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes with Lewis acids [BF₃·Et₂O or In(OTf)₃] promotes opening of the diaziridine ring, followed by formation of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition products with N-arylmaleimides. The conversion of the initial diaziridine depends on the nature of the 6-aryl group. Diazabicyclohexanes with donor substituents react quantitatively to give (in the absence of dipolarophiles) the corresponding azomethine imine dimers, 1,2,4,5-tetrazine derivatives. The conversion of diazabicyclohexanes having acceptor substituents is poor; simultaneously, the fraction of the hydrolysis products increases. The stereoselectivity in the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, i.e. the ratio of the cis-and trans-adducts, depends on the catalyst and solvent. Azomethine imine dimers react with N-arylmaleimides in the presence of indium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate to give the same 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition products as those obtained from parent 1,5-diazabicyclohexanes.     

Stereocontrol in radical polymerization of acrylic monomers

A clear effect of Lewis acids, such. as scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃], on stereocontrol during the radical polymerization of a designed monomer, benzyl α-(methoxymethyl)acrylate was found. This Lewis acid also influenced the stereochemistry in the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate giving a less syndiotactic and more isotactic polymer, although many Lewis acids were not effective. A catalytic amount of Lewis acids, such as Y(OTf)₃ and Yb(OTf)₃, also significantly enhanced isotactic-specificity during the radical polymerization of acrylamide and its derivatives, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide. Obvious solvent and temperature effects on tacticity were observed in these polymerizations, and poly(NIPAM) with >80% triad isotactic content has been obtained in the presence of Lewis acids.     

Cu‐Promoted Sydnone Cycloadditions of Alkynes: Scope and Mechanism Studies

Cu salts have been found to promote the cycloaddition reaction of sydnones and terminal alkynes, providing significant reduction in reaction times. Specifically, the use of Cu(OTf)₂ is found to provide 1,3‐disubstituted pyrazoles, whereas simply switching the promoter system to Cu(OAc)₂ allows the corresponding 1,4‐isomers to be produced. The mechanism of the Cu‐effect in each case has been investigated by experimental and theoretical studies, and they suggest that Cu(OTf)₂ functions by Lewis acid activation of the sydnone, whereas Cu(OAc)₂ promotes formation of reactive Cu^I acetylides.     

Bifunctional Fluorophosphonium Triflates as Intramolecular Frustrated Lewis Pairs: Reversible CO2 Sequestration and Binding of Carbonyls,Nitriles and Acetylenes

Electrophilic fluorophosphonium triflates bearing pyridyl ( 3 [OTf]) or imidazolyl ( 4 [OTf])-substituents act as intramolecular frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) and reversibly form 1 : 1 adducts with CO₂ ( 5 ⁺ and 6 ⁺). An unusual and labile spirocyclic tetrahedral intermediate ( 7 ²⁺) is observed in CO₂-pressurized (0.5–2.0 bar) solutions of cation 4 ⁺ at low temperatures, as demonstrated by variable-temperature NMR studies, which were confirmed crystallographically. In addition, cations 3 ⁺ and 4 ⁺ actively bind carbonyls, nitriles and acetylenes by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, as shown by selected examples.     

Lewis acid catalyzed reactions of donor-acceptor cyclopropanes with 1- and 2-pyrazolines: formation of substituted 2-pyrazolines and 1,2-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes

The reaction of 2-substituted cyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylates with 1- and 2-pyrazolines is efficiently catalyzed by scandium or ytterbium triflates to give N-substituted 2-pyrazolines or 1,2-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes. The reactions of 2-pyrazolines give diazabicyclooctanes as the major products. In contrast, the reactions starting from 1-pyrazolines predominantly give N-substituted 2-pyrazolines, which become the major compounds obtained if an equimolar amount of GaCl₃ is used. A possible reaction mechanism is suggested.     

Asymmetric Catalytic Synthesis of Hexahydropyrrolo-isoquinolines via Three-Component 1,3-Dipolar-Cycloaddition

An asymmetric three-component 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines, bromoacetates and α,β-unsaturated pyrazole amide is realized by using a chiral N,N’-dioxide-Y(OTf)₃ complex as the catalyst. The process includes a base-promoted formation of dihydroisoquinolium ylides in situ, and a chiral Lewis acid-catalyzed asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition with α,β-unsaturated pyrazole amides. A series of hexahydropyrrolo-isoquinolines are obtained in moderate to good yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Diastereoselective atom transfer radical cyclization reactions of unsaturated α-bromo oxazolidinone imides catalyzed by Lewis acids

A new Lewis acid-catalyzed atom transfer radical cyclization reaction of unsaturated α-bromo oxazolidinone imides is reported. In the presence of Lewis acids such as Mg(ClO₄)₂ and Yb(OTf)₃, a series of trans cyclic products was obtained in high yield (up to 87%) between 0°C and room temperature. The loading of strong Lewis acids, such as Yb(OTf)₃, can be reduced to 0.1 equiv. without significantly compromising the yield. Excellent diastereoselectivity could be achieved by using 1,2-stereocontrol or a chiral oxazolidinone auxiliary. For substrates 1e and 1f bearing a β-methyl substituent and the chiral auxiliary, (S)-(−)-4-benzyl-5,5-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone, respectively, the diastereomeric ratio of the products was greater than 50:1.     

Inverse electron demand asymmetric cycloadditions of cyclic carbonyl ylides catalyzed by chiral Lewis acids—Scope and limitations of diazo and olefinic substrates

High enantioselectivities (94-96% ee) were obtained for the inverse electron-demand 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions between cyclohexyl vinyl ether and 2-benzopyrylium-4-olate generated via Rh₂(OAc)₄-catalyzed decomposition of o-methoxycarbonyl-α-diazoacetophenone. The reactions were effectively catalyzed by Eu(OTf)₃, Ho(OTf)₃, or Gd(OTf)₃ complexes (10 mol %) of chiral 2,6-bis[(4S,5S)-4,5-diphenyl-2-oxazolinyl]pyridine. The reactions with the other electron-rich dipolarophiles such as allyl alcohol, 2,3-dihydrofuran, and butyl-tert-butyldimethylsilylketene acetal showed moderate enanantioselectivities (60-73% ee). Good to high enantioselectivities (73-97% ee) were also obtained for the cycloadditions between 3-acyl-2-benzopyrylium-4-olates, generated from methyl 2-(2-diazo-1,3-dioxoalkyl)benzoates and butyl or cyclohexyl vinyl ethers, in the presence of binaphthyldiimine (BINIM)-Ni(II) complexes (10 mol %). Under similar conditions, the reaction between methyl 2-(2-diazo-1,3-dioxohexyl)benzoate and 2,3-dihydrofuran was highly endo-selective, and moderately enantioselective (70% ee). For the BINIM-Ni(II)-catalyzed reactions of cyclohexyl vinyl ether, the use of an epoxyindanone as the 3-acyl-2-benzopyrylium-4-olate precursor revealed that the chiral Lewis acid can function as a catalyst for asymmetric induction. The scope of the cyclic carbonyl ylides was extended to those generated from 1-diazo-2,5-pentanedione derivatives, which were reacted with butyl or TBS vinyl ether and catalyzed using the (4S,5S)-Pybox-4,5-Ph₂-Lu(OTf)₃ complex to give good levels of asymmetric inductions (75-84% ee).     

Stereocontrol during the free‐radical polymerization of methacrylates with Lewis acids

The free‐radical polymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethyl methacrylate, isopropyl methacrylate, and 2‐methoxyethyl methacrylate were carried out in the presence of various Lewis acids. The MMA polymerization in the presence of scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃] in toluene or CHCl₃ produced a polymer with a higher isotacticity and heterotacticity than that produced in the absence of Sc(OTf)₃. Similar effects were observed during the polymerization of the other monomers. ScCl₃, Yb(OTf)₃, Er(OTf)₃, HfCl₄, HfBr₄, and In(OTf)₃ also increased the isotacticity and heterotacticity of the polymers. The effects of the Lewis acids were greater in a solvent with a lower polarity and were negligible in tetrahydrofuran and N,N‐dimethylformamide. Sc(OTf)₃ was also found to accelerate the polymerization of MMA. On the basis of an NMR analysis of a mixture of Sc(OTf)₃, MMA, and poly(methyl methacrylate), the monomer–Sc(OTf)₃ interaction seems to be involved in the stereochemical mechanism of the polymerization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1463–1471, 2001     

Staudinger ketene–imine [2+2] cycloaddition of novel azomethines to synthesize biologically active azetidinone derivatives and their in vitro antimicrobial studies

Since considerable intrigue has been focused on azetidinone (β-lactam) compounds for their wide range antimicrobial activity, the present study focuses on the synthesis of new series of azetidinone compounds. The reaction between the novel azomethine and α-haloester in the presence of Zn impetus and benzene resulted into the formation of desired azetidinone derivative by [2+2] cycloaddition involving imine–ketene. The reaction has also been studied in the presence of diverse Lewis acids such as Zn(OTf)₂, ZnCl₂, Cu(OTf)₂, TiCl₄, and BF₃.Et₂O. The effect of such Lewis acids also enhance the yield of the desired product. Moreover, the structure of the isolated products was also affirmed by spectral analysis (Fourier-transform infrared [FT-IR] spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance [¹H NMR], carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance [¹³C NMR], and high-resolution mass spectrometry [HRMS]). Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of synthesized compounds has been screened in vitro against different pathogenic bacterial and fungus species. Inspection of the results uncovered that all of the newly synthesized compounds individually display varying degrees of inhibitory impacts on the development of the tested bacterial species, thus, they might be considered as medication possibility for bacterial pathogens. The azomethine exhibited an expansive range of antibacterial activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Acinetobacter baumannii and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains and antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida parapsilosis bacterial strain. The result demonstrated that the β-lactam subordinates have good antibacterial and antifungal activities on microscopic organisms.     

A new and efficient method for the facile synthesis of N-acyl sulfonamides under Lewis acid catalysis

The N-acylation of sulfonamides with carboxylic acid anhydrides in the presence of Lewis acids is described. Several Lewis acids such as BF₃·Et₂O, ZnCl₂, MoCl₅, TiCl₄, B(C₆F₅)₃, Sc(OTf)₃ and I₂ were found to catalyze the reaction efficiently to furnish the N-acylated products in good yields under solvent-free conditions. The reactions of various sulfonamides were studied with different carboxylic acid anhydrides including the less reactive benzoic and pivalic anhydrides, in the presence of 3 mol % ZnCl₂ as the catalyst. Carboxylic acids were also successfully used as acylating agents via the mixed anhydride method.     

Optically active polyacrylamides bearing an oxazoline pendant: Influence of stereoregularity on both chiroptical properties and chiral recognition

Enantiopure acrylamide derivatives, N‐[o‐(4‐methyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3‐oxazol‐2‐yl) phenyl]acrylamide (MeOPAM), N‐[o‐(4‐isopropyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3‐oxazol‐2‐yl)phenyl]acrylamide (PrⁱOPAM), and N‐[o‐(4‐phenyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1,3‐oxazol‐2‐yl)phenyl]acrylamide (PhOPAM), were synthesized and radically polymerized in the presence of rare earth metal trifluoromethanesulfonates (Ln(OTf)₃, Ln = La, Nd, Sm, and Y) to yield corresponding optically active polymers. Among these Lewis acids, Y(OTf)₃ was found to be most effective for increasing the isotactic specificity during the radical polymerizations when using n‐butanol as solvent. Also, the effect of the Lewis acids was significantly influenced by the ratio of Ln(OTf)₃ to monomer. The relationship of both chiroptical property and the chiral recognition with the stereoregularity was then examined for the resulting polymers having various tacticity by spectroscopic techniques such as NMR, fluorescence, and circular dichroism. The results indicated that the polymers rich in isotacticity exhibited a favorable enantioselective discrimination ability toward 1,1′‐bi‐2‐naphthol as evidenced by ¹H NMR study, where the characteristic hydroxyl proton signal was split into two peaks that ascribed respectively to the levo‐ and dextro‐isomer; furthermore, the splitting magnitude was linearly correlated with the diad isotacticity of the polymers. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010