Indole-olefin-oxazoline (IndOlefOx)-ligands: synthesis and utilization in asymmetric Rh-catalyzed conjugate addition

The synthesis and utility of novel indole-olefin-oxazoline (IndOlefOx)-ligands are described. The use of these ligands was demonstrated in rhodium catalyzed asymmetric conjugate additions between 2-cyclopentenone, 2-cyclohexenone, and 2-cycloheptenone with different boron reagents with good yields and enantioselectivities of up to 94%.     

Chiral amines as organocatalysts for asymmetric conjugate addition to nitroolefins and vinyl sulfones via enamine activation

Over the last decade the potential of organocatalysis has successfully been demonstrated. In particular, chiral amines such as pyrrolidine analogues have emerged as a broadly applicable class of organocatalyst for asymmetric conjugate addition via enamine activation. This Feature Article documents the development of these catalysts, emphasizing the design and mechanistic features that supply high selectivity in asymmetric Michael reactions.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of quaternary trifluoromethyl α- to ε-amino acid derivatives via umpolung allylation/2-aza-Cope rearrangement

In this study, we developed an efficient Ir-catalyzed cascade umpolung allylation/2-aza-Cope rearrangement of tertiary α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acid derivatives for the preparation of a variety of quaternary α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acids in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities. The umpolung reactivity empowered by the activation of the key isatin-ketoimine moiety obviates the intractable enantioselectivity control in Pd-catalyzed asymmetric linear α-allylation. In combination with quasi parallel kinetic resolution or kinetic resolution, the generality of this method is further demonstrated by the first preparation of enantioenriched quaternary trifluoromethyl β-, γ-, δ- and ε-amino acid derivatives.

In this study, we developed an efficient Ir-catalyzed cascade umpolung allylation/2-aza-Cope rearrangement for the preparation of a variety of quaternary trifluoromethyl α-ε-amino acids in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.     

An enantioselective synthesis of (+)-polyoxamic acid via phase-transfer catalytic conjugate addition and asymmetric dihydroxylation

A new enantioselective synthetic method of (+)-polyoxamic acid is reported. (+)-Polyoxamic acid could be obtained in 7 steps with 46% overall yield from diphenylmethyl-glycineimine tert-butyl ester via an enantioselective phase-transfer conjugate addition (99% yield, 96% ee) and an asymmetric dihydroxylation (98% yield, 94% de) as the key reactions.     

Total synthesis of (±)-heliannuol C and E via aromatic Claisen rearrangement

The total synthesis of heliannuol C and E from a common intermediate are described. Key steps in the synthesis include a regioselective aromatic Claisen rearrangement to install the (1-vinyl)-4-methyl-3-pentenyl substituent and regioselective biomimetic 7-endo and 6-exo phenol epoxide cyclizations to form the cyclic ether moieties.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of macrocyclic (E)-allylic alcohols from omega-alkynals via intramolecular 1-alkenylzinc/aldehyde additions.

The omega-alkynals yielded macrocyclic (S)-allylic alcohols in a one-pot reaction sequence involving alkyne monohydroboration, boron to zinc transmetalation, and ((+)-DAIB)-catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular ring closure to the aldehyde function. A general study of this macrocyclization methodology is presented with respect to ligand type, size, and nature of the formed rings.     

Formal total synthesis of (-)-apicularen A via transannular conjugate addition

The formal total synthesis of the myxobacteria metabolite (-)-apicularen A (1) is described. The key step involved a novel acid-mediated transannular conjugate addition of the C13 hydroxyl into the alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone in either of the macrolactones 5a or 5b to provide the same trans-pyranone 4. Conversion of 4 into the known apicularen intermediate diol 3 completed the formal synthesis. [reaction: see text]     

Catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition of aromatic amines to fumarate derivatives: asymmetric synthesis of aspartic acid derivatives

The catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition of aromatic amines to fumarate derivatives promoted by chiral palladium complexes is described. Treatment of aniline derivatives with fumaryl pyrrolidinone as Michael acceptor under mild reaction conditions afforded the corresponding chiral aspartic acid derivatives with excellent enantiomeric excesses (83–96% ee).     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted terminal epoxides via dimethyloxosulfonium methylide addition to ketones

Catalytic asymmetric Corey-Chaykovsky epoxidation of ketones with dimethyloxosulfonium methylide 2 using an LLB 1a + Ar3P O complex proceeded smoothly at room temperature, and 2,2-disubstituted terminal epoxides were obtained in high enantioselectivity (91-97%) and yield (>88-99%) from a broad range of methyl ketones with 1-5 mol % catalyst loading. The use of achiral additive Ar3P O 5i was important to achieve high enantioselectivity.     

(S,S)-(+)-Pseudoephedrine as chiral auxiliary in asymmetric conjugate addition and tandem conjugate addition/alpha-alkylation reactions

Organolithium reagents undergo highly regio- and diastereoselective 1,4-addition to (S,S)-(+)-pseudoephedrine enamides furnishing the corresponding beta-alkyl-substituted adducts in excellent yields and diastereoselectivities. In addition, the intermediate lithium enolates generated after the conjugate addition step undergo a highly diastereoselective alkylation reaction, furnishing alpha,beta-dialkyl-substituted amides in high yields. The obtained adducts have been converted into chiral nonracemic beta-alkyl- and alpha,beta-dialkyl-substituted carboxylic acids and gamma-alkyl- and beta,gamma-dialkyl-substituted alcohols using very simple and high-yielding procedures.     

Asymmetric synthesis of Sedum alkaloids via lithium amide conjugate addition

Conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-allyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide or lithium (R)-N-but-3-enyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to an alkyl hexa-2,4-dienoate or alkyl hepta-2,6-dienoate, followed by ring-closing metathesis of the olefin functionalities within the resultant β-amino ester, generates a range of diastereoisomerically pure azacycles in good yield. These homochiral templates are readily transformed to a range of piperidine alkaloids of the Sedum family, and the corresponding five-, seven- and eight-membered ring homologues.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of N-substituted tetrahydroquinoxalines via regioselective Heyns rearrangement and stereoselective transfer hydrogenation in one pot

N-Substituted tetrahydroquinoxalines (37 examples) were step-economically obtained in good yield (<97%) and ee (<99%) with readily available substrates. The reaction proceeds through an interesting regioselective Heyns rearrangement/enantioselective transfer hydrogenation in one pot. The substrate scope and the reaction mechanism were systematically investigated.

N-Substituted tetrahydroquinoxalines were step-economically obtained in good yield and ee with readily available substrates.     

Copper‐catalyzed asymmetric 1,4‐conjugate addition of dialkylzinc to enones

Asymmetric 1,4‐conjugation addition of dialkylzinc (diethylzinc and dimethylzinc) to cyclic enones, chalcone and nitroalkenes was achieved by a 25 mol% (R)‐6,6′‐Br₂‐BINOL( 1f ), 25 mol% CuSPh and 100 mol% dicyclohexylmethylamin(Cy₂NMe) catalyst system. The Cu(I) catalyst system enables the cyclic enone, chalcone and nitroalkene generality with high enantioselectivity (up to 84% ee) and isolated yield (up to 94%) under mild reaction conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalytic asymmetric transformations of racemic α-borylmethyl-(E)-crotylboronate via kinetic resolution or enantioconvergent reaction pathways

We report herein catalytic asymmetric transformations of racemic α-borylmethyl-(E)-crotylboronate. The Brønsted acid-catalyzed kinetic resolution–allylboration reaction sequence of the racemic reagent gave (Z)-δ-hydroxymethyl-anti-homoallylic alcohols with high Z-selectivities and enantioselectivities upon oxidative workup. In parallel, enantioconvergent pathways were utilized to synthesize chiral nonracemic 1,5-diols and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with excellent optical purity.

We report herein catalytic asymmetric transformations of racemic α-borylmethyl-(E)-crotylboronate.     

Facile,efficient synthesis of polyfunctionalized 2-aminoimidazoles via vinyl azides and cyanamide

A simple and direct synthesis of 2-aminoimidazoles from vinyl azides and cyanamide was developed. An attractive feature of this protocol is that the desired products are generated in a highly efficient and eco-friendly manner without the use of a catalyst. A plausible mechanism has been proposed.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of Secondary (E)-allyl alcohols from acetylenes and aldehydes via (1-alkenyl)zinc intermediates. Preliminary Communication

Hydroboration of aliphatic 1-alkynes with freshly prepared dicyclohexylborane (1 mol-equiv., hexane), treatment of the resulting [(E)-1-alkenyl]boranes 5 with Et₂Zn or Me₂Zn (1.05 mol-equiv.) followed by addition of (?)-3-exo-(dimethylamino)isoborneol (DAIB, 8 ; 0.01 mol-equiv.), subsequent addition of a solution of an aromatic or aliphatic aldehyde (1 mol-equiv., hexane), and quenching with aq. NH₄Cl provided (E)-allyl alcohols 6 usually in 70–95% yield with 79–98% enantiomeric excess (Scheme 3 and Table).     

Enantioselective synthesis of tryptophan derivatives by a tandem Friedel-Crafts conjugate addition/asymmetric protonation reaction

The tandem Friedel-Crafts conjugate addition/asymmetric protonation reaction between 2-substituted indoles and methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate is reported. The reaction is catalyzed by (R)-3,3'-dibromo-BINOL in the presence of stoichiometric SnCl(4), and is the first example of a tandem conjugate addition/asymmetric protonation reaction using a BINOL·SnCl(4) complex as the catalyst. A range of indoles furnished synthetic tryptophan derivatives in good yields and high levels of enantioselectivity, even on a preparative scale. The convergent nature of this transformation should lend itself to the preparation of unnatural tryptophan derivatives for use in a broad array of synthetic and biological applications.     

Catalytic asymmetric claisen rearrangement in natural product synthesis: synthetic studies toward (-)-xeniolide F

[chemical reaction: see text]. The catalytic asymmetric Claisen rearrangement (CAC) of a highly substituted and functionalized alpha-alkoxycarbonyl-substituted allyl vinyl ether has been exploited to gain access to an advanced building block for the projected total synthesis of (-)-xeniolide F, the enantiomer of a xenicane diterpene isolated from a coral of the genus Xenia.     

A conjugate addition/dipolar-cycloaddition cascade sequence for the synthesis of (±)-cylindricine C

An efficient stereocontrolled route to (±)-cylindricine C is described. Reaction of 9-hydroxynon-1-en-5-one oxime with 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene affords a 7-oxa-1-azanorbornane cycloadduct in high yield. The formation of the bicyclic isoxazolidine arises from conjugate addition of the oxime onto the diene to give a transient nitrone that spontaneously undergoes an intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition. The resulting cycloadduct derived from the cascade sequence was converted into (±)-cylindricine C by: (1) a reductive-cyclization to set the BC-ring skeleton, (2) a base-induced cyclization to construct the tricyclic core, and (3) an oxidation-conjugate addition of the n-hexyl side chain to complete the synthesis.