Catalytic enantioselective hydrogenation of vinyl bis(boronates)

Catalytic enantioselective hydrogenation of prochiral vinylmetallic reagents can provide an attractive alternative to hydrometalation and bismetalation of alkenes. In this contribution, the first highly enantioselective hydrogenation of vinyl boronic esters is described. The chiral reduction products are versatile intermediates for chemical synthesis.     

Highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of N-sulfonyl ketimines

Several imine species comprising N-sulfinyl and N-sulfonyl ketimine, oxime, and enamine derivatives were subjected to asymmetric transfer hydrogenation in an azeotropic mixture of formic acid/triethylamine. Among them, the Rh-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of N-sulfonyl ketimine afforded the corresponding 1-arylalkylamines in excellent yield and with high enantioselectivity.     

Cymantrene-derived monodentate phosphites: New ligands for Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation

Novel chiral monodentate phosphite ligands bearing cymantrene fragment have been prepared. Phosphite 4 with PPh₃, instead of CO-ligand, in cymantrene moiety provided higher enantioselectivity than its unsubstituted analogue 3 in hydrogenation of (Z)-methyl-2-acetamido-3-phenylacrylate.     

Readily accessible chiral diene ligands for Rh-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate additions of boronic acids

Enabled by the broad scope of the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of meso- and d,l-divinylethylene carbonate, several chiral diene ligands were prepared in two steps from commercial materials. Subsequently, these ligands were evaluated in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of boronic acids to enones.     

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral glutaric acid derivatives via Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation

The first Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of dimethyl 2-methyleneglutarate and its derivatives has been reported. For the hydrogenation of dimethyl 2-methyleneglutarate with a chiral ferrocene-based monodentate phosphoramidite ligand (FAPhos), good enantioselectivity (over 90% ee) with full conversions was achieved. In contrast, the hydrogenation of substrates bearing an aryl substituent at a methylene moiety proved to be more difficult, in which the best enantioselectivity of up to 81% ee was obtained by the use of a P-stereogenic BoPhoz-type ligand.     

Enantioselective Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation of vinyl carboxylates with monodentate phosphite ligands

[reaction: see text] Alkyl-substituted vinylcarboxylates, which normally show poor enantioselectivity in Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation with traditional chiral diphosphines, undergo highly enantioselective reactions with BINOL- and carbohydrate-based monophosphite ligands.     

Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of gamma-phthalimido-substituted alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters: an efficient enantioselective synthesis of beta-aryl-gamma-amino acids

A series of chiral beta-aryl-gamma-amino acid ester derivatives were synthesized in high enantioselectivities (93-97% ee) via the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of gamma-phthalimido-alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters using highly modular chiral BoPhoz-type phosphine-aminophosphine ligands. The method has been applied successfully to the synthesis of several chiral pharmaceuticals including (R)-baclofen and (R)-rolipram with high enantioselectivities.     

Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings of secondary allylic boronic esters

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of secondary allylic boronic esters with iodoarenes were demonstrated under the conditions previously described for the coupling of benzylic substrates. The regioselectivity of the process was largely dictated by the pattern of olefin substitution.     

Readily available, recoverable and soluble polymer-monophosphite ligands for highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation

A new family of readily available, recoverable and soluble polymer-monophosphite ligands were prepared and successfully used in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of enamides and beta-dehydroamino acid esters, in which up to 99 and 99.9% ee were obtained, respectively.     

Zr-Mediated hydroboration: stereoselective synthesis of vinyl boronic esters

An improved process for the preparation of (E)-vinylboronic esters via a Zr-mediated hydroboration of alkynes, especially oxygen-containing alkynes, is described.     

Enantioselective Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation of N-formyl dehydroamino esters with monodentate phosphoramidite ligands

Enantioselectivities up to >99% ee were achieved in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-formyl dehydroamino esters using monodentate phosphoramidites as chiral ligands. The substrates were synthesized by condensation of methyl isocyanoacetate with a range of aldehydes and with cyclohexanone. A highly convenient multigram scale one step synthesis of methyl 2-(formamido)acrylate was developed. This compound was used in the synthesis of methyl 2-(formamido)cinnamate via a solvent free Heck reaction. Moreover, full conversion and >99% ee were obtained in 1 h in the hydrogenation of methyl 2-(formamido)acrylate with 0.2 mol % catalyst and 2 bar hydrogen pressure. The versatility of the formyl protection was established by its removal under mild conditions.     

Highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation based on phosphine-phosphite ligands derived from carbohydrates.

A new class of efficient catalysts was developed for the asymmetric hydrogenation of alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives by synthesizing a series of novel phosphine-phosphite ligands (4a-d) derived from readily available D-(+)-xylose. Excellent enantioselectivities (> 99%) were achieved under very mild reaction conditions (1 bar H(2) and 20 degrees C). Varying the biphenyl substituents in the phosphite moiety greatly affected the enantioselectivity in the hydrogenation reactions. The results also indicate that the sense of enantioselectivity is mainly controlled by the configuration of the phosphite moiety. (31)P[(1)H] NMR and kinetic studies on intermediates of the catalytic cycle show that the [Rh(P(1)-P(2))(enamide)]BF(4) species is the resting state and that the rate dependence is first order in rhodium and hydrogen pressure and zero order in enamide concentration.     

Preparation of chiral secondary boronic esters via copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate reduction of β-boronyl-β-alkyl α,β-unsaturated esters

A new methodology involving the copper(I)-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate reduction of β-boronyl-β-alkyl enoates was developed. Various chiral secondary boronate derivatives can be accessed in excellent yields and good to high levels of enantioselectivity through this efficient copper-catalyzed process using polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) as hydride source.     

New chiral 1,3-diphosphine ligands for Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation: a search for electronic effects

New electron-rich chiral 1,3-diphosphines of the BDPP type were prepared from 1,3-diphenylpropane-1,3-diol by an economically feasible synthetic approach. The σ-donor properties of the phosphines were determined by measurement of J(³¹P–⁷⁷Se) coupling constants in the corresponding phosphine selenides. For comparison related, but electronically different, 1,3-diphosphines were considered. The new diphosphines showed good enantioselectivities as ligands in the Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of benchmark substrates and β-amino acid precursors (up to 98% ee). The electronic effects on the outcome of the enantioselective catalysis have been analyzed.     

A highly enantioselective and diastereoselective synthesis of cyclobutanes via boronic esters

[formula: see text] Deprotonation of enantiopure (R,R)-1,2-dicyclohexyl-1,2-ethanediol 1-chloro-4-cyanobutylboronates 5 with LDA followed by treatment with anhydrous magnesium bromide yields (R)-(trans-2-cyanocyclobutyl)boronic esters 7 in high diastereomeric and enantiomeric purity. No cyclobutane formation has been observed in the absence of at least a catalytic amount of magnesium halide.     

New unsymmetrical hybrid ferrocenylphosphine-phosphoramidite ligands derived from H8-BINOL for highly efficient Rh-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation

A series of new H₈-BINOL-derived unsymmetrical hybrid ferrocenylphosphine-phosphoramidite ligands have been synthesized and successfully used in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenations. The same or higher enantioselectivities (99.9% ee) were achieved in the hydrogenation of dimethyl itaconate and α-dehydroamino acid esters as those obtained with BINOL-derived analogues. However, slightly lower enantioselectivities (99.0% ee) were obtained in the hydrogenation of enamides.     

Facile access to chiral 1-pyrrolines through Rh-catalyzed enantioselective partial hydrogenation of unprotected simple pyrroles

Highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed partial hydrogenation of unprotected simple 2-alkyl-5-aryl-disubstituted pyrroles has been successfully developed, generating a series of chiral 1-pyrroline derivatives generally with excellent results (95%–99% yields, 91%–96% ee). Moreover, 2,5-aryl-1H-pyrroles were hydrogenated well in high yields and good enantioselectivities. This efficient protocol features easily accessible substrates, wide substrate scope, well functional group compatibility, commercially available rhodium precursor and chiral ligand. It provides a versatile route to access chiral 1-pyrroline derivatives that are of great importance in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical chemistry.