Copper-bipyridine-catalyzed enantioselective α-amination of β-keto esters

The Cu(OTf)₂-bipyridine-catalyzed, enantioselective, direct α-amination of β-keto esters and β-diketones with diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) has been studied. Exceptionally high enantioselectivities of up to 99% ee were found for 1-indanone-based β-keto esters in particular even for substrates and reagents carrying conventional ester groups such as methyl and ethyl.     

Noncovalent organocatalysis: a powerful tool for the nucleophilic epoxidation of α-ylideneoxindoles

A novel asymmetric nucleophilic epoxidation for α-ylideneoxindole esters has been successfully devised, resulting in enantioenriched spiro compounds with two new contiguous stereocenters. The employed (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol functions as a bifunctional catalyst, creating a complex H-bond network in conjunction with a substrate and an oxidant.     

Application of hydroxyproline derivatives in enantioselective α-amination reactions in organic and aqueous environments: a structure-activity relationship study

We examined the activity of a series of L-hydroxyproline derivatives in enantioselective α-amination reaction between diethyl azodicarboxylate and propanal both in organic and aqueous media. In organic media most of the catalysts showed high activity and enantioselectivities comparable to that accessible with L-proline that is among the best catalysts in the reaction. The catalysts showed good activity under aqueous conditions as well; however, only low enantioselectivities were obtained in this case, primarily due to the racemisation of the product under the reaction conditions. Thus, the attempted achiral acid/base additive-driven stereocontrol was not feasible on a practical level.     

Highly enantioselective organocatalytic α-amination reactions of aryl oxindoles: developing designer multifunctional alkaloid catalysts

An enantioselective α-amination of aryl oxindoles catalyzed by a dimeric quinidine has been developed. The reaction is general, broad in substrate scope, and affords the desired products in good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities. This study provides the first examples of a general organocatalytic method for the creation of nitrogen-containing, tetrasubstituted chiral centers at C(3) of various aryl oxindoles. Furthermore, new catalysts and insights into structural elements of the catalysts that significantly influence enantioselectivities are disclosed.     

Aluminium–SALEN complex: a new catalyst for the enantioselective Michael reaction

A new heterobimetallic complex prepared from a chiral SALEN ligand and Red-Al® was found to catalyse the Michael reaction between various dialkyl malonates and cycloalkenones to give products in high yields with e.e.s of up to 58%.     

C_2-symmetric BINOL-squaramide as efficient organocatalyst for the enantioselective α-amination of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with dialkyl azodicarboxylates

The asymmetric α-amination of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with dialkyl azodicarboxylates has been achieved by C2-symmetric BINOL-squaramide bearing multiple hydrogen bond donors to provide the desired products in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield and 98% ee).     

A mild,chemoselective, one-pot synthesis of δ-keto α-cyano esters by organocatalysis

A sequential condensation of α-cyano esters, aldehydes, and ketones with catalytic amount of pyrrolidine/HOAc at room temperature has been developed. This method offers a chemoselective, one-pot cascade access to δ-keto α-cyano esters with moderate to good yields under mild conditions.     

Cooperative thiourea-Brønsted acid organocatalysis: enantioselective cyanosilylation of aldehydes with TMSCN

We report a new thiourea-Br?nsted acid cooperative catalytic system for the enantioselective cyanosilylation of aldehydes with yields up to 90% and enantioselectivities up to 88%. The addition of an achiral acid was found to be crucial for high asymmetric induction. Mechanistic investigations using a combination of NMR, ESI-MS, and density functional theory computations (including solvent corrections) at the M06/6-31G(d,p) level of theory suggest that the key catalytic species results from the cooperative interaction of bifunctional thioureas and an achiral acid that form well-defined chiral hydrogen-bonding environments.     

Highly effective and enantioselective α-amination of aldehydes promoted by chiral proline amide-thiourea bifunctional catalysts

A series of secondary amine-thiourea catalysts derived from l-proline and chiral diamine were prepared and successfully applied to the highly effective and enantioselective α-amination of unmodified aldehydes with various azodicarboxylates in excellent yields (up to 99%) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) within a few minutes.     

Highly enantioselective zinc/BINOL-catalyzed alkynylation of α-ketoimine ester: a new entry to optically active quaternary α-CF3 α-amino acids

An effective method for highly enantioselective alkynylation of ketoimine (α-trifluoromethyl ketoimine ester) has been developed via a zinc/BINOL catalyzed process. This protocol provides a useful and facile access to optically active quaternary α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acids and related derivatives of interest in life sciences.     

A new general, practical and enantioselective synthesis of α-amino acids

In recent years, considerable efforts have been expended to the development ofenantioselective synthesis of α-amino acids and the use of α-amino acids as chiralbuilding blocks for the synthesis of complex molecules. Numerous unnatural aminoacids which are often the characteristic units of biologically active peptides, have alsobeen discovered. Herein we describe a convenient and general access to natural andunnatural α-amino acids which are based on the use of the chiral building blocks,(S)-1a-e and (R)-1a-e from kinetic resolution of α-furfuryl amines (Scheme 1).     

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective one-pot Michael-Aldol reactions of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with imidazole derivatives

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective one-pot Michael-Aldol reactions of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with imidazole derivatives have been developed. The cascade reactions products could be obtained with three stereocenters in high yields and excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Highly enantioselective γ-amination of α,β-unsaturated acyl chlorides with azodicarboxylates: efficient synthesis of chiral γ-amino acid derivatives

The cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed γ-amination of α,β-unsaturated acyl chlorides with azodicarboxylates to give the corresponding dihydropyridazinones in good yields with high enantioselectivities has been developed. Reductive ring opening of the dihydropyridazinones afforded series of cyclic and acyclic γ-amino acid derivatives in good yields with high enantiopurity.     

Hydrotalcite-bound ruthenium as a multifunctional heterogeneous catalyst for one-pot synthesis of α-alkylated nitriles and quinolines

This article reviews our recent progress in one-pot syntheses of α-alkylated nitriles and quinolines by heterogeneous catalysis with hydrotalcite-bound ruthenium based on cooperative action between cationic Ru species and the base sites of the hydrotalcite surface.     

Alum： An efficient catalyst for one-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates

Alum (KAl(SO ₄) ₂·12H ₂O) is an inexpensive, efficient, non-toxic and mild catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of α-aminophosphonates.A three component reaction of an aldehyde/ketone, an amine and triethyl phosphite was carried out under solvent-free conditions to afford the corresponding a-aminophosphonates in short reaction times and high yields with the green aspects by avoiding toxic catalysts and solvents.     

Fe3O4@SiO2@Propyl–ANDSA: as a new catalyst for one-pot synthesis of 4H-chromene

Research on Chemical Intermediates - This work describes a new method for a one-pot multicomponent condensation of a variety of aldehydes with dimedone and malononitrile in water, providing a...     

Merging organocatalysis with transition metal catalysis: highly stereoselective α-alkylation of aldehydes

The unprecedented cooperative systems involving a diarylprolinol silyl ether with various Lewis acids have been found to effect the highly enantioselective intermolecular α-alkylation of aldehydes. A wide variety of aldehydes and alcohols can be transformed into the desired highly functionalized aldehydes in high yields, excellent enantioselectivities, and good diastereoselectivities at room temperature under mild conditions.