Novel chiral bis(oxazolines): synthesis and application as ligands in the copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of diethylzinc to enones

Novel chiral C₂-symmetric bis(oxazolines) were prepared from tartaric acid. They were applied as ligands in the copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of diethylzinc to chalcone and 2-cyclohexenone. Maximum enantiomeric excesses of 50% and 53% were obtained, respectively. The sense of induction was found to depend on the configuration of the stereogenic centre in the oxazoline ring, and not on the stereogenic centres of the 1,4-dioxane backbone.     

Asymmetric synthesis of dimethyl-1,2-bis-(diphenylphosphino)-1,2-ethanedicarboxylate by means of a chiral palladium template promoted hydrophosphination reaction

An optically pure C₂-symmetrical diphosphine ligand containing two ester functional groups at the two chiral carbon stereogenic centres was prepared efficiently from the asymmetric hydrophosphination reaction between diphenylphosphine and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in the presence of an organopalladium(II) complex derived from (S)-N,N-dimethyl-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine.     

A Baylis-Hillman approach to the synthesis of C1-C11 fragment of caribenolide I

Stereoselective synthesis of C₁-C₁₁ fragment of caribenolide I, a potent antitumour macrolide isolated from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. is described. The key steps rely on asymmetric aldol reactions, to control the absolute configurations of C₂, C₃ and C₁₀ stereogenic centres.     

(−)‐(1R,2S,2′R,5R)‐2‐(1‐Hydroxyprop‐2‐yl)‐5‐methylcyclohexanol

Stereoselective hydroboration of (?)‐isopulegol and subsequent fractional crystallization furnishes the title compound, C₁₀H₂₀O₂. The relative configuration of the stereogenic centres has been assigned by means of X‐ray diffraction analysis since the monoterpenediol is employed as a versatile chiral building block in stereospecific natural product synthesis.     

Synthesis of C2-symmetrical chiral diamines: diastereoselective addition to bis(1,3-oxazolidinyl)alkanes with Grignard reagents

Asymmetric syntheses of C₂-symmetrical chiral 1,4- and 1,5-diamines with stereogenic centers adjacent to the nitrogen atom have been accomplished. Chiral diamines were prepared by diastereoselective alkylations of bisoxazolidine, which was derived from (R)-phenylglycinol. Methyl and phenyl Grignard reagents were employed as alkylating reagents. In addition, tertiary chiral diamines were readily converted to primary diamines in high yield.     

New chiral polyfunctional cyclobutane derivatives from (−)-verbenone: possible surfactant behaviour

New enantiopure cyclobutane derivatives have been synthesized from a chiral precursor derived from (?)-verbenone. The cyclobutane moiety acts as a chiral platform to afford a γ-amino acid function in a branched side-chain containing an additional stereogenic centre as well as additional C₆ or C₁₆-alkyl chains linked to the ring by means of an amine or an amide function. One of these compounds, obtained as a 1:2 mixture with its TFA salt has been investigated, suggesting behaviour as a good surfactant and its critical micellar concentration has been determined.     

Enzymatic resolution of α-hydroxyphosphinates with two stereogenic centres and determination of absolute configuration of stereoisomers obtained

The use of quinine as a chiral solvating agent allows us to determine a tentative absolute configuration at the phosphorus atom of hydroxyphosphinates with two stereogenic centres (at the phosphorus and α-carbon atoms). Two ethyl butyryloxyalkane(P-phenyl)phosphinates were hydrolysed using various lipases. In all cases isomers possessing α-carbon atom with an (S)-configuration were hydrolysed preferentially. The absolute configuration of both chiral centres of obtained α-hydroxyphosphinates was determined by using (S)-(+)-MTPA-Cl and quinine. The mode of chiral discrimination of α-hydroxyphosphinates by quinine was studied by means of computational chemistry, which confirmed the experimental findings that the signals in ³¹P NMR spectra of compounds with an (R_P)-configuration are situated upfield when compared with the respective (S_P) isomers.     

The use of 1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-xylofuranose as a chiral auxiliary in asymmetric cyclopropanation reactions

The stereoselective synthesis of cyclopropylmethylidene acetals derived from 1,2-O-isopropylidene-d-xylofuranose, as a chiral auxiliary, is described. The Simmons–Smith cyclopropanation reaction of the corresponding alkenylidene derivatives with CH₂I₂/ZnEt₂, in different reaction conditions, took place with high stereoselectivity. The diastereomeric excess in each case depended on the solvent and the temperature used in the reaction. The absolute configuration of the new stereogenic centres formed was determined by acid hydrolysis of the cyclopropane moiety of the chiral auxiliary, which was also recovered.     

Supramolecular structure of racemic 5‐hydroxy‐4‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐10‐oxa‐4‐azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec‐8‐en‐3‐one

The structure of the title compound, C₁₅H₁₅NO₄, comprises a racemic mixture of chiral molecules containing five stereogenic centres. The cyclohexane ring tends towards a boat conformation and the two tetrahydrofuran rings adopt envelope conformations. Molecules are linked into sheets parallel to (100) by a combination of O—H...O, C—H...O and C—H...π hydrogen bonds, leading to a two‐dimensional supramolecular structure.     

Chiral relay effects influence the facial selectivity of N-alkylated 5-phenylmorpholin-2-one enolates

Alkylation studies on the enolate of N-methyl morpholinone 7 clearly reveal that the observed cis-selectivity is consistent with a chiral relay system operating to invert the stereochemical information of the auxiliary's C₅ stereogenic centre.     

Synthesis of new chiral organosulfur donors with hydrogen bonding functionality and their first charge transfer salts

The syntheses of a range of enantiopure organosulfur donors with hydrogen bonding groups are described including TTF related materials with two, four, six and eight hydroxyl groups and multiple stereogenic centres and a pair of chiral N-substituted BEDT-TTF acetamides. Three charge transfer salts of enantiopure poly-hydroxy-substituted donors are reported, including a 4:1 salt with the meso stereoisomer of the dinuclear [Fe₂(oxalate)₅]⁴⁻ anion in which both cation and anion have chiral components linked together by hydrogen bonding, and a semiconducting salt with triiodide.     

Regioselective synthesis of optically active (pyrazolyl)pyridines with adjacent quaternary carbon stereocenter: chiral N,N-donating ligands

Novel optically active 2-(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridines have been prepared using resolved the O-methyl ether of atrolactic acid as a source of the adjacent quaternary carbon stereocenter. Different regioisomers were formed selectively in the reaction of 2-hydrazinopyridines with the chiral 1,3-diketone and in the nucleophilic substitution of 2-chloropyridines with the potassium salt of the chiral pyrazole. The second route gave 2-(pyrazol-1-yl)pyridines with the stereogenic center neighboring the coordinating nitrogen in the pyrazole ring. Also, new C₂-symmetric chiral ligands based on 2,6-bis(pyrazolyl)pyridine and 6,6′-bis(pirazolyl)-2,2′-bipyridine structures were obtained.     

Asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene using rhodium and platinum complexes of diphosphites containing chiral chelate backbones and chiral 1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane moieties

Several chiral diphosphite ligands containing six stereogenic centres were synthesised and tested in order to study chiral cooperativity in the Rh- and Pt-catalysed asymmetric hydroformylation of styrene. The ligands were prepared either by the reaction of 2,4-pentanediol enantiomers with (4R,6R)-4,6-dimethyl-2-chloro-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane or that of (1S,3S)-1,3-diphenyl-1,3-propanediol with 4,6-dimethyl-2-chloro-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane enantiomers. Thus the chirality was varied both in the chelate backbone and in the terminal groups of the ligands. In case of Pt-catalysed hydroformylation, the stereogenic elements in the bridge have been found to be determinate for the product configuration with a cooperative effect from the terminal groups when the constellations are matched with 40% e.e. maximum enantioselectivity. Some coordination chemistry and the crystal structure determination of these ligands are also reported.     

Hydrogen Bonding Directed Supramolecular Polymerisation of Oligo(Phenylene‐Ethynylene)s: Cooperative Mechanism,Core Symmetry Effect and Chiral Amplification

The design of supramolecular motifs with tuneable stability and adjustable supramolecular polymerisation mechanisms is of crucial importance to precisely control the properties of supramolecular assemblies. This report focuses on constructing π‐conjugated oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE)‐based one‐dimensional helical supramolecular polymers that show a cooperative growth mechanism. Thus, a novel set of discotic molecules comprising a rigid OPE core, three amide groups, and peripheral solubilising wedge groups featuring C₃ and C₂ core symmetry was designed and synthesised. All of the discotic molecules are crystalline compounds and lack a columnar mesophase in the solid state. In dilute methylcyclohexane solution, one‐dimensional supramolecular polymers are formed stabilised by threefold intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions, as evidenced by ¹H NMR measurements. Small‐angle X‐ray and light scattering measurements reveal significant size differences between the columnar aggregates of C₃‐ and C₂‐symmetrical discotics, that is, the core symmetry strongly influences the nature of the supramolecular polymerisation process. Temperature‐dependent CD measurements show a highly cooperative polymerisation process for the C₃‐symmetrical discotics. In contrast, the self‐assembly of C₂‐symmetrical discotics shows a smaller enthalpy release upon aggregation and decreased cooperativity. In all cases, the peripheral stereogenic centres induce a preferred handedness in the columnar helical aggregates. Moreover, one stereogenic centre suffices to fully bias the helicity in the C₂‐symmetrical discotics. Finally, chiral amplification studies with the C₃‐symmetrical discotics were performed by mixing chiral and achiral discotics (sergeants‐and‐soldiers experiment) and discotics of opposite chirality (majority‐rules experiment). The results demonstrate a very strong sergeants‐and‐soldiers effect and a rather weak majority‐rules effect.     

Desymmetrization of meso [3.2.1]oxabicyclic systems using metal-catalysed asymmetric intramolecular C-H insertion

Diazoketone derivatives of meso 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octen-3-ones were desymmetrized by an intramolecular C-H insertion mediated by chiral copper and dirhodium catalysts to generate oxatricyclic systems with up to 5 contiguous stereogenic centres and 50% ee.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the phytotoxic nonenolide herbarumin-I from l-ascorbic acid

A stereoselective synthesis of herbarumin-I in 22% overall yield, starting from l-ascorbic acid derived (S)-2,3-O-isopropylidine glyceraldehyde as a chiral template is reported. Stereoselective allylation and vinylation to control the required stereogenic centres and macrolactonisation followed by a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) are the key steps.     

The first stereocontrolled synthesis of 12-methyl-hexahydrobenzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids

12-Methyl B/C hexahydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines have been synthesized stereoselectively starting from chiral nonracemic 2-aryl-4-pentenoic acids prepared by asymmetric allylation of (+)-(S,S)-pseudoephedrine-based arylacetamide enolates. Subsequent transformations (Friedel–Crafts acylation, stereocontrolled reductive amination, Pictet–Spengler cyclization and PPA catalyzed cationic cyclization) led to the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched hexahydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines in which the sequential formation of all the new stereogenic centres was controlled by the starting chiral acids.     

A chemoenzymatic asymmetric synthesis of (9S,12S,13S)- and (9S,12RS,13S)-pinellic acids

A brief and facile synthesis of the title compounds has been developed by using an efficient lipase-catalyzed acylation and a chiral template-directed diastereoselective alkylation for incorporating the stereogenic centres. A cross-metathesis was employed to get the required E-olefin geometry.     

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of indoles using a rhodium complex with a chiral bisphosphine ligand PhTRAP

Highly enantioselective hydrogenation of N-protected indoles was successfully developed by use of the rhodium catalyst generated in situ from [Rh(nbd)₂]SbF₆ and the chiral bisphosphine PhTRAP, which can form a trans-chelate complex with a transition metal atom. The PhTRAP–rhodium catalyst required a base (e.g., Cs₂CO₃) for the achievement of high enantioselectivity. Various 2-substituted N-acetylindoles were converted into the corresponding chiral indolines with up to 95% ee. The hydrogenations of 3-substituted N-tosylindoles yielded indolines possessing a stereogenic center at the 3-position with high enantiomeric excesses (up to 98% ee).     

BINOL-derived diphosphoramidites bearing unsymmetrical 1,2-diamine link and their application in asymmetric catalysis

New P,P-bidentate diastereomeric diphosphoramidite chiral ligands with mixed stereogenic elements and a C₁ backbone symmetry have been prepared from (S_a)- and (R_a)-1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diol (BINOL) and (S)-N-benzyl-1-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)methanamine and are fully characterized. The use of these ligands provides up to 84% ee in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution of (E)-1,3-diphenylallyl acetate and up to 95% ee in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-dehydrocarboxylic acid esters. The results indicate that the catalytic performance is highly affected by the axial chirality of the binaphthyl moieties of the ligand and the nature of the solvent.