Organocatalytic direct asymmetric alpha-heteroatom functionalization of aldehydes and ketones

The direct enantioselective introduction of a stereogenic carbon-heteroatom bond adjacent to a carbonyl functionality leads to optically active compounds of significant importance for e.g. the life-science industry. Organocatalytic enantioselective amination, oxygenation, fluorination, chlorination, bromination and sulfenylation of aldehydes and ketones, using chiral amines as the catalysts, are reviewed in this feature article. Furthermore, a few other transformations are also outlined. The scope, potential and application of these organocatalytic asymmetric reactions are presented and the mechanistic aspects discussed.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric assembly reactions: one-pot synthesis of functionalized beta-amino alcohols from aldehydes,ketones, and azodicarboxylates

[reaction: see text] l-Proline catalyzed the enzyme-like direct asymmetric assembly of aldehydes, ketones, and azodicarboxylic acid esters to provide optically active beta-amino alcohols. This assembly reaction uses both aldehydes and ketones as donors in one pot. The aldol-derived stereocenter is formed with a reduced facial selectivity in reactions involving (R)-amino aldehydes. The reactions can be performed on a multigram scale under operationally simple and safe conditions without the requirement of an inert atmosphere or dry solvents.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition to allenic esters and ketones

The first example of an organocatalytic enantioselective conjugate addition of cyclic beta-ketoesters and glycine imine derivatives to electron-deficient allenes is described. We disclose that the corresponding chiral beta,gamma-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are formed exclusively under phase-transfer conditions using either cinchona-alkaloid-derived or biphenyl-based chiral quaternary ammonium salts as catalysts. The scope of the reaction for beta-ketoesters is outlined for allenes having a ketone or ester motif as electron-withdrawing group as well as different substituents in the 3-position, giving the optically active products in high yields and excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (90-96% ee). The conjugate addition also proceeds for a number of cyclic beta-ketoesters having different ring sizes, ring systems, and substituents in high yields and enantioselectivities. Glycine imine derivatives also undergo the asymmetric conjugate addition to electron-deficient allenes in high yields and with enantioselectivities in the range of 60-88% ee, thus providing a rapid entry to optically active alpha-vinyl-substituted alpha-amino acid derivatives. It is shown that the enantioselectivity is strongly dependent on the size of the ester moiety of the nucleophile in combination with the catalytic system used. The high synthetic value of the chiral products arising from these new catalytic processes is demonstrated by two straightforward transformations leading in one case to optically active hexahydrobenzopyranones and in the other to substituted pyroglutamates (gamma-lactames).     

Direct proline-catalyzed asymmetric alpha-aminoxylation of aldehydes and ketones

The direct proline-catalyzed asymmetric alpha-aminoxylation of aldehydes and ketones has been developed using nitrosobenzene as an oxygen source, affording alpha-anilinoxy-aldehydes and -ketones with excellent enantioselectivity. Reaction conditions have been optimized, and low temperature (-20 degrees C) was found to be a key for the successful alpha-aminoxylation of aldehydes, while slow addition of nitrosobenzene is essential for that of ketones. The scope of the reaction is presented.     

Direct organocatalytic asymmetric α-hydroxymethylation of ketones and aldehydes

Direct organocatalytic asymmetric α-hydroxymethylation of ketones and aldehydes with formaldehyde has been developed, which furnished the corresponding α-hydroxymethylated adducts with high chemo- and enantioselectivity. The reaction is catalyzed by proline derivatives and is a simple method for the enantioselective synthesis of α-hydroxymethylated ketones and aldehydes, and C-2 symmetric diols.     

Efficient palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of ketones and aldehydes

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of ketones, via enamines generated in situ as nucleophiles, were carried out smoothly with chiral metallocene-based P,N-ligands. Under the same conditions, however, reactions of aldehydes could hardly be observed. Subsequently, this obstacle was resolved by using chiral metallocene-based P,P-ligands. Both ketones and aldehydes afforded excellent enantioselectivities with up to 98% ee and 94% ee, respectively.     

Organocatalytic direct michael reaction of ketones and aldehydes with beta-nitrostyrene in brine

We have developed a direct, asymmetric Michael reaction that can be performed in brine or seawater without addition of organic solvents. A bifunctional catalyst with long hydrophobic alkyl chains efficiently catalyzed Michael reactions and afforded the desired products in excellent yield with high enantiomeric excess, even when only an equal molar ratio of the donor to acceptor was used.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric direct Michael addition of aromatic ketones to alkylidenemalononitriles

The asymmetric direct Michael addition of aromatic ketones to highly active alkylidenemalononitriles was investigated by employing a chiral primary amine 9-amino-9-deoxyepicinchonine. In general modest to good enantioselectivities (71–84% ee) could be obtained in acceptable isolated yields (48–85%) for an array of substrates.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric michael addition of aldehydes to beta-nitroacroleine dimethyl acetal

[Structure: see text] The organocatalytic asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to beta-nitroacroleine dimethyl acetal has been studied in detail. The reaction took place with excellent yields and high stereoselectivities when a chiral beta-amino alcohol such as L-prolinol was employed as the catalyst, leaving a formation of highly functionalized enantioenriched compounds containing two differentiated formyl groups together with a nitro moiety.     

Proline-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reactions between ketones and alpha-unsubstituted aldehydes

[reaction: see text] With this communication we extend the methodology of proline-catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reactions to include alpha-unsubstituted aldehydes as acceptors. This important aldehyde class gives the corresponding aldols in 22-77% yield and up to 95% ee when the reactions are performed in pure acetone or in ketone/chloroform mixtures. On the basis of these results we have developed a concise new synthesis of (S)-ipsenol.     

Diamine-catalyzed asymmetric Michael additions of aldehydes and ketones to nitrostyrene

[reaction: see text] The direct Michael addition of aldehydes and ketones to nitrostyrene, catalyzed by N-i-Pr-2,2'-bipyrrolidine, is described. The desired 1,4-adducts are obtained in excellent yield with enantioselectivities up to 85% ee and dr up to 95:5 of the syn product.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with arsonium ylides

A novel organocatalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with arsonium ylides using diphenylprolinol silylether as a catalyst is described. A variety of chiral cyclopropyl aldehydes are obtained in moderate to good yields with up to 99:1 dr (diastereomeric ratio) and 99% ee under simple and mild reaction conditions.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with simple alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones

[structure: see text]. The first general and highly enantioselective organocatalytic Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with simple alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones has been accomplished. Central to these studies has been the identification of a new catalyst amine salt, in which both the cation and the anion are chiral, that exhibits high reactivity and selectivity for iminium ion catalysis.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric vinylogous addition to quinones - formation of optically active alpha-aryl ketones

The first organocatalytic addition of dicyanoalkylidenes to quinones catalyzed by Cinchona alkaloids leading to formation of 1,4-diketone derivatives with high diastereomeric ratios (up to >98 : <2 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) has been developed; the optically active compounds obtained are useful for a number of transformations, e.g. the synthesis of optically active alpha-aryl ketones.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric direct aldol reactions of trifluoroacetaldehyde ethyl hemiacetal with aromatic methyl ketones

The organocatalytic asymmetric direct aldol reaction of trifluoroacetaldehyde ethyl hemiacetal with aromatic methyl ketones in the presence of a catalytic amount of (S)-5-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)-1H-tetrazole in dichloroethane at 40 °C proceeds smoothly to produce (R)-4,4,4-trifluoro-1-aryl-3-hydroxy-1-butanones in high yields with up to 90% ee.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric 1,4-addition of aldehydes to acridiniums catalyzed by a diarylprolinol silyl ether

The organocatalytic enantioselective 1,4-addition of aldehydes to acridiniums catalyzed by diarylprolinol silyl ether was achieved to furnish chiral acridanes in both high yields (82-96%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee), which also provides the highly enantioselective intermolecular α-alkylation of aldehydes with acridiniums salt.     

Biocatalytic promiscuity: lipase-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reaction of heterocyclic ketones with aldehydes

The new promiscuous activity of lipase from porcine pancreas, type II (PPL II), has been observed to catalyze the direct asymmetric aldol reaction of heterocyclic ketones with aromatic aldehydes. PPL II showed favorable catalytic activity and had a good adaptability to different substrates in the reaction. The enantioselectivities of up to 87% ee and diastereoselectivities of up to 83:17 (anti/syn) were achieved. It is interesting that PPL II possesses the function of aldolase in organic solvents.