Spiro Skeletons: A Class of Privileged Structure for Chiral Ligand Design

This Focus Review highlights the exciting results obtained in the area of asymmetric catalysis using spirobiindane‐ or spirobifluorene‐based chiral ligands. The spiro, mono, and bidentate ligands have been successfully applied in a wide range of transition‐metal‐catalyzed asymmetric reactions, including hydrogenations, carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom coupling reactions, with superior or comparable enantioselectivities to those obtained by using the related ligands bearing other backbones, thus proving that the spiro skeleton is a type of privileged structure for chiral ligand design. It is expected that the spiro concept for chiral ligand design will stimulate the future efforts to understand the features that account for their broad applicability and to apply this understanding to seek new privileged chiral ligands and catalysts.     

Recent Advances in the Development of Chiral Gold Complexes for Catalytic Asymmetric Catalysis

Asymmetric gold catalysis has been rapidly developed in the past ten years. Breakthroughs have been made by rational design and meticulous selection of chiral ligands. This review summarizes newly developed gold-catalyzed enantioselective organic transformations and recent progress in ligand design (since 2016), organized according to different types of chiral ligands, including bisphosphine ligands, monophosphine ligands, phosphite-derived ligands, and N-heterocyclic carbene ligands for asymmetric gold(I) catalysis as well as heterocyclic carbene ligands and oxazoline ligands for asymmetric gold(III) catalysis.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of a new class of CyPHOX ligands

Four newly designed CyPHOX ligands with chiral cyclohexane scaffold replacing the previous planar aryl group of PHOX ligands, were efficiently prepared. The synthesis features a kinetically controlled asymmetric phos-Michael reactions of trisubstituted cyclic carboxylates, which is quite simple, reliable and scalable.     

Lewis acid-catalyzed asymmetric diels-alder reactions using chiral sulfoxide ligands: chiral 2-(arylsulfinylmethyl)-1,3-oxazoline derivatives

New chiral sulfoxide-1,3-oxazoline ligands have been developed as chiral ligands for Lewis acid-catalyzed asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions. The use of chiral sulfinyl 1,3-oxazoline ligands in copper(II)-catalyzed asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions provided an endo cycloadduct as a major product with moderate enantioselectivity. A rationale is proposed for the mechanism of the asymmetric induction.     

从碳中心到硅中心:手性螺环双膦配体研究的发展

手性螺环配体和催化剂已被公认是一类优势手性配体和催化剂。手性螺环配体的相关研究，促进了不对称催化领域的发展。根据螺环骨架类型进行分类，分别讨论具有螺[4.4]壬烷骨架、螺二氢茚骨架、螺[4.4]壬二烯骨架以及螺二色烷骨架的手性螺环双膦配体的合成及在不对称催化反应中的应用，为今后发展新的不对称催化体系提供了重要参考。     

Asymmetric Henry Reaction of α-Keto Ester Catalyzed by Tridentate Bis( oxazoline ) and B is( thiazoline )

Bidentate and tetradentate ligands containing the oxazoline unit have been successful in a range of asymmetric transformations.[1～3] Chiral tridentate ligands may form a deeper chiral concave pocket around the metal center, and have been less extensively used in asymmetric catalysis than their bidentate or tetradentate analogues. Nishiyama's tridentate "pybox"ligand, in which a pyridine ring links two chiral oxazoline moieties, has been successfully used in various asymmetric reactions.     

新型手性环状胺膦配体的设计合成及在酮的不对称还原中的应用

新型手性配体的设计合成是不对称催化研究的重要内容,其中手性胺膦配体因同时含有"软"的磷原子和"硬"的氮原子而具有丰富的配位化学性能和优秀的不对称诱导能力.本文总结了本研究组最近设计合成的手性环状胺膦配体的制备、表征及其在铁催化酮的不对称还原中的应用.手性1,2-环己二胺与双(2-甲酰基苯基)苯基膦通过[2+2]环缩合反应能够顺利获得手性22元环的亚胺膦配体21,该配体经Na BH4还原后生成大环胺膦配体22.利用手性大环胺膦配体22与Fe3(CO)12原位生成的催化体系,能够高活性、高对映选择性地实现包括杂环芳香酮在内50多种酮的不对称转移氢化和不对称氢化反应,其S/C(底物与催化剂的摩尔比)最高可达5000:1,产物手性芳香醇的光学纯度高达99%ee.     

Chiral iridium(I) bis(NHC) complexes as catalysts for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The common use of NHC complexes in transition‐metal mediated C–C coupling and metathesis reactions in recent decades has established N‐heterocyclic carbenes as a new class of ligand for catalysis. The field of asymmetric catalysis with complexes bearing NHC‐containing chiral ligands is dominated by mixed carbene/oxazoline or carbene/phosphane chelating ligands. In contrast, applications of complexes with chiral, chelating bis(NHC) ligands are rare. In the present work new chiral iridium(I) bis(NHC) complexes and their application in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones are described. A series of chiral bis(azolium) salts have been prepared following a synthetic pathway, starting from L ‐valinol and the modular buildup allows the structural variation of the ligand precursors. The iridium complexes were formed via a one‐pot transmetallation procedure. The prepared complexes were applied as catalysts in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various prochiral ketones, affording the corresponding chiral alcohols in high yields and moderate to good enantioselectivities of up to 68%. The enantioselectivities of the catalysts were strongly affected by the various, terminal N‐substituents of the chelating bis(NHC) ligands. The results presented in this work indicate the potential of bis‐carbenes as stereodirecting ligands for asymmetric catalysis and are offering a base for further developments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Making Spiroketal‐based Diphosphine (SKP) Ligands via a Catalytic Asymmetric Approach

The spiro concept for chiral ligand design represents an important contribution to the area of asymmetric catalysis. Due to the considerable difficulties in the construction of enantiopure all‐carbon spiro backbones, the development of catalytic asymmetric synthesis of chiral spiro structures via short steps is highly valuable. Herein we present our studies on the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of aromatic spiroketals and the corresponding diphosphine (SKP) ligands.     

Efficient Enantioselective Syntheses of Chiral Natural Products Facilitated by Ligand Design

The employment of enantioselective transition‐metal‐catalyzed transformations as key steps in asymmetric natural product syntheses have attracted considerable attention in recent years owing to their versatile synthetic utilities, mild conditions and high efficiency in chirality generation. The chiral catalysts or supporting ligands are believed to be crucial for the requisite reactivity and enantioselectivity. Therefore, the rational design of chiral ligands is at the heart of developing new asymmetric transition‐metal catalyzed reactions and provides an avenue to the asymmetric synthesis of natural products. Our group has been engaged in the development of transition‐metal‐catalyzed enantioselective cross‐coupling, cyclization and other related reactions and the application of these methodologies to natural product syntheses. In this account, we summarized our recent synthetic efforts towards the efficient total syntheses of several different types of natural products including terpenes, alkaloids and polyketides facilitated by the design of a series of versatile P‐chiral phosphorous ligands.     

A new class of versatile chiral-bridged atropisomeric diphosphine ligands: remarkably efficient ligand syntheses and their applications in highly enantioselective hydrogenation reactions

A series of chiral diphosphine ligands denoted as PQ-Phos was prepared by atropdiastereoselective Ullmann coupling and ring-closure reactions. The Ullmann coupling reaction of the biaryl diphosphine dioxides is featured by highly efficient central-to-axial chirality transfer with diastereomeric excess >99%. This substrate-directed diastereomeric biaryl coupling reaction is unprecedented for the preparation of chiral diphosphine dioxides, and our method precludes the tedious resolution procedures usually required for preparing enantiomerically pure diphosphine ligands. The effect of chiral recognition was also revealed in a relevant asymmetric ring-closure reaction. The chiral tether bridging the two aryl units creates a conformationally rigid scaffold essential for enantiofacial differentiation; fine-tuning of the ligand scaffold (e.g., dihedral angles) can be achieved by varying the chain length of the chiral tether. The enantiomerically pure Ru- and Ir-PQ-Phos complexes have been prepared and applied to the catalytic enantioselective hydrogenations of alpha- and beta-ketoesters (C=O bond reduction), 2-(6'-methoxy-2'-naphthyl)propenoic acid, alkyl-substituted beta-dehydroamino acids (C=C bond reduction), and N-heteroaromatic compounds (C=N bond reduction). An excellent level of enantioselection (up to 99.9% ee) has been attained for the catalytic reactions. In addition, the significant ligand dihedral angle effects on the Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-heteroaromatic compounds were also revealed.     

Synthesis of New Chiral Phosphine Ligands and Their Application in Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones

The design of new chiral ligands is the key in the development of transition metal catalyzed asymmetric synthesis. Many chiral diphosphine ligands have been prepared and applied in asymmetric catalytic reactions with excellent enantioselectivities. Among the chiral diphosphine ligands that have been reported, the atropisomeric C2-symmetric phosphines with a biaryl scaffold initiated by Noyori and co-workers with BINAP were found to have the widest application in the transition metal catalyze…     

The asymmetric Heck and related reactions

The asymmetric inter- and intramolecular Heck and related reactions are comprehensively reviewed, from their original development to recent advances in terms of substrate scope, reactivity, regio- and enantioselectivity. Their reaction mechanisms/catalytic cycles are discussed in order to understand the concepts underpinning the significant recent developments of these processes. The design and application of new chiral ligands has been pivotal to reaction enhancements and, for each Heck and related process, we classify ligands by the nature of the denticity, chirality and donor atoms involved. In this manner, the continued development of ligand architectural design and application can be more easily monitored for each process. Significant improvements in reaction times, a disadvantage in many Heck reactions, have been addressed through a combination the use of microwave-assisted protocols and ligand design. The asymmetric Fujiwara-Moritani and oxidative boron Heck-type reactions, recent additions to Heck type processes, will also be discussed in this critical review (149 references).     

New chiral benzothiazine ligand and its use in the synthesis of a chiral receptor

The development of chiral ligands to direct the course and stereoselectivity of many catalytic asymmetric reactions is an important area of interest for many research groups. As part of a program examining the chemistry of 2,1-benzothiazines, we have prepared a new chiral benzothiazine ligand. This ligand can be made in as few as three steps from commercially available starting materials. Presented herein is the synthesis of the ligand along with the synthesis of a chiral molecular receptor that potentially presages a new class of chiral molecular tweezers.     

Enantioselective Hydroarylation of Olefins Using Palladium/Chiral Quinoline Oxazolines

Palladium-catalyzed arylation and alkenylation of olefins, known as the Heck reaction, is one of the most efficient catalytic methods for carbon-carbon bond formation in organic synthesis^[1]. During the last decade, asymmetric Heck reactions have attracted great attention, and a number of highly enantioselective chiral ligands have been developed to enhance chiral discrimination in these reactions^[2]. However, asymmetric Heck-type hydroarylations of olefins, addition of aryl halides or triflates to carbon-carbon double bonds, have not been well studied. In 1991, Brunner reported an asymmetric hydroarylation of norbornene and norbornadiene with aryl iodides using chiral bisphosphine ligands, and around 40% ee was achieved^[3]. Later on, Achiwa reached around 70% ee in the asymmetric hydroarylation of norbornene with phenyl triflate by using chiral P-N ligands^[4,5]. Herein, we wish to describe our investigations on chiral quinolinyl-oxazoline ligands that provide the first examples of efficient bisnitrogen ligands in Heck-type hydroarylation and the application of this reaction in the asymmetric synthesis of Epibatidine.     

Geminal dicarboxylates as carbonyl surrogates for asymmetric synthesis. Part I. Asymmetric addition of malonate nucleophiles.

Asymmetric alkylations of allylic geminal dicarboxylates with dialkyl malonates have been investigated. The requisite allylic geminal dicarboxylates are prepared in good yields and high isomeric purities by two catalytic methods, ferric chloride-catalyzed addition of acid anhydrides to alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and palladium-catalyzed isomerization and addition reactions of propargylic acetates. The complex of palladium(0) and the chiral ligand derived from the diamide of trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and 2-diphenylphosphinobenzoic acid most efficiently catalyzed the asymmetric process to provide allylic carboxylate esters with high ee. By systematic optimization studies, factors affecting the enantioselectivity of the reaction have been probed. In general, higher ee's have been achieved with those conditions which facilitate kinetic capture of the incipient pi-allylpalladium intermediate. These conditions also proved effective for achieving high regioselectivities. The minor regioisomeric product was formed when reactive substrates or achiral ligands were employed for the reaction, and could be minimized through the use of the chiral ligand. Under the established conditions, the alkylation of various gem-dicarboxylates afforded monoalkylated products in high yields with greater than 90% ee. The process constitutes the equivalent of an addition of a stabilized nucleophile to a carbonyl group with high asymmetric induction.     

Pd‐Catalyzed Dearomatization of Anthranils with Vinylcyclopropanes by [4+3] Cyclization Reaction

Dearomatization of anthranils with vinylcyclopropanes (VCPs) by Pd‐catalyzed [4+3] cyclization reaction has been realized. In the presence of a catalytic amount of borane as an activator, bridged cyclic products were obtained in good to excellent yields with excellent stereoselectivities. By introducing a chiral PHOX ligand ( L5 ), asymmetric dearomatization reactions of anthranils with vinylcyclopropanes proceeded with excellent enantioselectivity. Borane plays a key role for the reactivity, likely owing to the formation of a borane–anthranil complex which has been confirmed by NMR experiments.     

Asymmetric Borohydride Reduction of Acetophenone Catalyzed by Chiral Salen-Co(Ⅱ) Complex Using Sodium Borohydride

Development of efficient catalytic asymmetric reactions is the most challenging task in current synthetic chemistry; much effort has been devoted to create the chiral metal complexes of asymmetric catalysis. In the last two decades' many brand-new ligands had been synthesized and their combination with various metal ions has been applied in asymmetric catalysis. However, most ligands have only narrow applications and their use is limited to some reactions. Exceptionally, a few ligands and their metal complexes such as binaphthol, semicollin,and binap show wide applicability. Chiral salen ligand is one of such ligands and their metal complexes are now used as the catalysts for a variety of asymmetric reactions such as epoxidation^[1], aziridination^[2], cyclopropanation^[3], Diels-Alder reaction^[4], asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones^[5] and kinetic resolution of racemic epoxides^[6] and so on.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed H/D Exchange: Ligand Complexes with Improved Efficiency and Scope

Hydrogen isotope exchange (HIE) is one of the most attractive tools for the introduction of deuterium or tritium to an organic compound. Herein, iridium complexes with N,P‐ligands, highly active catalysts for asymmetric double bond reductions, have been tested for their HIE capabilities. Electron‐rich ligands, containing dicyclohexylphosphines or phosphinites, have been identified as excellent ligands for efficient deuterium incorporation. Substrates with strong directing groups, that is, pyridines, ketones, and amides, as well as weak ligating units, such as, nitro, sulfones, and sulfonamides, could be labeled efficiently. With the addition of tris(pentafluorophenyl) borane to the reaction mixture, also highly deactivating nitrile substituents were well tolerated in the reaction. Based on the excellent results obtained with the chiral ThrePhox ligand, a structurally simpler, achiral ligand was developed. The iridium complex containing this ligand, proved to be a powerful catalyst for HIE reactions.