Organocatalytic asymmetric fulvene formation

The first catalytic asymmetric formation of a fulvene from a racemic α,α-disubstituted aldehyde has been developed. Dynamic kinetic resolution of rac-2-phenylpropanal by a simple, modularly designed supramolecular organocatalyst consisting of inexpensive components has been established, producing the desired fulvene in good yields and moderate enantioselectivities. Herein we propose a mechanistic interpretation of the observed solvent- and additive-induced stereoselectivity reversal.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric allylic alkylation of sulfonylimidates with Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates

The asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction of sulfonylimidates with various Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates was accomplished by the catalysis of commercially available cinchona alkaloids catalyst (DHQD)2AQN.The corresponding allylic alkylation products were obtained in good yields with high stereoselectivities (up to 99% ee,89:11 dr).     

Fluorescent detection of carbon-carbon bond formation

We have developed a new spectroscopic system for detecting carbon-carbon bond formation by fluorescence to enhance high-throughput catalyst screening and rapid characterization of catalysts on a small scale. Fluorogenic substrates composed of a fluorophore possessing an amino group are readily prepared as amides of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and generally exhibit low fluorescence, while Michael or Diels-Alder reactions of these fluorogenic substrates provide products of significantly increased fluorescence. The product's fluorescence is approximately 20- to 100-fold higher than that of the substrate. The assay system was validated by screening potential catalysts of the Michael reaction and in solvent optimization experiments. The covalent combination of fluorophores possessing an amino group with alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds should provide a diverse range of fluorogenic substrates that may be used to rapidly screen catalysts and to optimize reaction conditions.     

First catalytic asymmetric synthesis of beta-amino-beta-polyfluoroalkyl ketones via proline-catalysed direct asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation reaction of polyfluoroalkylated aldimines

Proline-catalysed direct asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation reaction of polyfluoroalkylated aldimines with acetone afforded the corresponding beta-(p-methoxyphenyl)amino-beta-polyfluoroalkyl ketones in high enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee).     

Fast carbon-carbon bond formation by a promiscuous lipase

Lipase B from Candida antarctica was redesigned to catalyze the promiscuous reaction of carbon-carbon bond formation. Mutation of the catalytic serine to alanine afforded a mutant that catalyzed Michael additions of 1,3-dicarbonyls to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds at high specific rates, such as 4000 s-1. The enzyme-catalyzed Michael addition reaction followed saturation kinetics and showed substrate inhibition. The designed enzyme showed high rate enhancements with a catalytic proficiency higher than 108, which is on the same level as that observed for enzymes with native substrates.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric direct alkylation of alpha-diazoester via C-H bond cleavage

A new variant of phosphoric acid-catalyzed C-C bond forming reaction, direct alkylation of alpha-diazoester, via C-H bond cleavage is presented. The resulting products, beta-amino-alpha-diazoesters, are highly functionalized and useful synthetic precursors for various types of beta-amino acids.     

碳-碳重键的新合成方法学研究

本研究工作包括下列8方面:(1)一种不同于Wittig反应的新的烯化方法,含氟β-酮基磷盐在有机合成中的应用。(2)"一锅"法的碳-碳双键形成反应。(3)一种新的叶立德阴离子的形成方法。(4)消去三苯基胂形成碳-碳双键的合成方法学。(5)立体选择性地控制合成(Z)或(E)-碳-碳双键化合物的新方法。(6)亲核试剂对全氟酰基膦酸酯进攻为基础的新合成方法学。(7)还原烯化反应的合成方法学。(8)含氟碳-碳叁键的合成方法学。     

Desymmetrisation of a centrosymmetric molecule by carbon-carbon bond formation: asymmetric aldol reactions of a centrosymmetric dialdehyde

The desymmetrisation of centrosymmetric molecules by enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation has been reported for the first time. A bimetallic zinc catalyst developed by Trost was exploited in the desymmetrisation of a centrosymmetric dialdehyde. The approach was successful with a range of ketone nucleophiles and was uniformly highly diastereoselective (>98:<2). The yield and the enantioselectivity of the reaction varied as a function of the ketone used, and the desymmetrised products were obtained in up to 74 % yield and 97 % ee (ee=enantiomeric excess). The desymmetrisation of centrosymmetric molecules by enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation is an efficient and convergent synthetic approach which is likely to find wide application in synthesis, particularly in the total synthesis of natural products with embedded centrosymmetric fragments.     

The role of water in lanthanide-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond formation

Luminescence-decay measurements in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography analyses were used to study the relationship between rates of catalysis and water-coordination numbers of europium-based precatalysts in the aqueous Mukaiyama aldol reaction. A correlation between reactivity and water-coordination number was observed and is reported here.     

Promiscuous zinc-dependent acylase-mediated carbon-carbon bond formation in organic media

A zinc-dependent acylase, D-aminoacylase from Escherichia. Coli, displays a promiscuous activity to catalyze the carbon-carbon bond formation reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to methyl vinyl ketone in organic media.     

Consecutive carbon-carbon bond formation approach in tandem cyclization reactions

The conventional tandem cyclization reactions involve the formation of alternating carbon-carbon bonds, whereas the newly developed cyclization reactions involve the formation of consecutive carbon-carbon bonds, in which N-aziridinylimines have been utilized as geminal radical acceptor and donor equivalents in a single operation. This unprecedented tandem cyclization approach becomes feasible by the successful generation of 5- and 6-membered ring radicals by radical cyclizations of N-aziridinylimines. The same notion can be applied to the anionic cyclizations of N-aziridinylimines, thereby allowing anionic consecutive carbon-carbon bond formation. This approach has great synthetic potential, particularly for the construction of quaternary carbon centers, and it provides highly efficient routes for the synthesis of natural products.     

Heteroatom-facilitated ortho carbon-carbon bond formation in nucleophilic F-phenyl substitution

Regioselective ortho-substitutions in F-phenyl carboxylic acid and its derivatives were accomplished by conversion into F-phenyloxazoline (1a) or F-phenyldihydrooxazine (1b), followed by nucleophilic displacements of one or two ortho-fluorines with organometallic reagents in nonpolar solvents. Requisite 1a and 1b were readily prepared by treating F-benzoyl chloride with 2-amino-2- methyl-1-propanol, and F-benzonitrile with 2-methyl-2,4- pentanediol, respectively. Treating 1a or 1b with either Grignard reagents (CH₃MgI, C₂H₅MgBr, nC₃H₇MgBr) or organolithium reagents (CH₃Li, nC₄H₉Li) gave appreciable yields of the 2-substituted F-phenyloxazoline (2a) or F- phenyldihydrooxazine (2b), while no 4-substituted ones were identified. The use of an excess of the organometallic reagents afforded 2,6-disubstitution in preference to 2,4-disubstitution. The ortho-directing effects here observed are conceivably caused through a mechanism like that suggested by Meyers(Tetrahedron Lett., 223(1978)).

     

A carbon-carbon bond formation using endoperoxides of 1,2-dihydropyridines

A novel type of a nucleophilic substitution on the piperidine ring was achieved by a stannous chloride-effected reaction of endoperoxides of N-alkoxycarbonyl-1,2-dihydropyridines with various kinds of carbon nucleophiles.     

Palladium-catalyzed sequential carbon-carbon bond cleavage/formation producing arylated benzolactones

3-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)cyclobutanones react with aryl bromides in the presence of palladium catalysts to afford 4-arylmethyl-3,4-dihydrocoumarins in high yields through a sequence involving carbon-carbon bond cleavage and formation. In the case of the reaction with 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)cyclobutanones, five- or seven-membered lactones were produced depending on the presence of an additional substituent at the 2-position.     

Asymmetric direct vinylogous carbon-carbon bond formation catalyzed by bifunctional organocatalysts

The bifunctional chiral thiourea-tertiary amine organocatalysts have been applied to a direct asymmetric vinylogous Michael addition of α,α-dicyanoolefins to nitroolefins with 2-10 mol % catalyst loadings. The electronic properties of the thiourea-based catalysts have significant influences on this reaction. Moderate to excellent enantioselectivities (57-95% ee) have been achieved with low to good isolated yields through fine tuning the structures of the bifunctional organocatalysts. Much better ees were obtained for some α,α-dicyanoolefinic substrates compared with that catalyzed by modified cinchona alkaloids.     

carbon-carbon bond formation between 1,3-dienes and electron deficient alkenes

1,3-Dienes and electron deficient alkenes are coupled in a one pot carbon-carbon bond formation reaction under mild conditions.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate additions

The asymmetric organocatalytic conjugate addition of nucleophiles to Michael acceptors is reviewed. Herein an overview of the most important developments and concepts of this flourishing area of catalysis organized by the type of nucleophile involved in the process is reported.     

Benzylic intermolecular carbon-carbon bond formation by selective anodic oxidation of dithioacetals

[reaction: see text]. Novel anodic intermolecular carbon-carbon bond formation has been accomplished by the oxidative carbon-sulfur bond fission of benzylic dithioacetals to give a wide variety of aromatic compounds. The substitution reaction successfully took place by the selective anodic oxidation of a sulfur atom of a dithioacetal. Stepwise double-substitution reactions were also achieved by the regulation of oxidation potential.     

Selective palladium-catalyzed C-F activation/carbon-carbon bond formation of polyfluoroaryl oxazolines

A selective palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of polyfluorophenyl oxazolines through ortho C-F activation is described. It was found that reactions with DPPF as the ligand occurred much faster than those with other ligands. A variety of arylboronic acids including challenging functionalized arylboronic acids such as enolizable ketones, aldehyde, cyano, ester, and trifluoromethyl groups were tolerated with the reaction conditions.