Screening of N,N‐bidentate and N,N,N‐tridentate pyridine‐based ligands in the catalytic allylic oxidation of cyclic olefins

A variety of chiral N,N‐bidentate and N,N,N‐tridentate ligands based on the pyridine framework, namely C2‐symmetric dipyridylmethane and terpyridine, N‐(p‐toluensulfinyl)iminopyridines and two kinds of iminopyridines, has been assessed in the asymmetric copper(I)‐catalysed allylic oxidation of cyclic olefins. Catalytic activity and enantioselectivity were found to be highly dependent upon the framework of the ligands, which afforded cycloalkenyl benzoates in low to moderate yields and enantioselectivities. The best yields (up to 70%) and enantioselectivities (up to 53% enantiomeric excess) were obtained with an iminopyridine based on camphane and quinoline skeletons. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tunable dendritic ligands of chiral 1,2-diamine and their application in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

Tunable dendritic N-mono-sulfonyl ligands have been designed and synthesized via direct N-mono-sulfonylization of the chiral dendritic vicinal diamines and their ruthenium complexes demonstrated high catalytic and recyclable activities with comparable enantioselectivities to Noyori–Ikariya’s TsDPEN-Ru in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of an extended range of substrates, such as ketones, keto esters, and olefins.     

Chiral ferrocenyl diphosphines for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone

The synthesis of new optically pure ferrocenyl diphosphines have been realized from (R)-(+)-N,N-dimethylaminoethylferrocene. Particularly, dissymmetric ferrocenyl diphosphines have been synthesized. The diphosphines have been used as ligands in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone in the presence of Ru catalysts.     

Application of chiral N,N′-dialkyl-1,2-cyclohexanediamine derivatives in asymmetric copper(II)-catalyzed Henry reactions

A series of chiral N,N′-dialkyl-1,2-cyclohexanediamine derivatives were designed, synthesized, and applied as ligands in asymmetric copper(II)-catalyzed Henry reactions. The catalysts based on such ligands and copper(II) acetate were found to promote asymmetric Henry reactions between aromatic/aliphatic aldehydes and nitromethane efficiently, and could provide the corresponding β-nitroalcohols in very good yields and with enantioselectivities of up to 93.6%.     

Novel C2-symmetric chiral O,N,N,O-tetradentate 2,2-bipyridyldiolpropane ligands: synthesis and application in asymmetric diethylzinc addition to aldehydes

First synthesis of C₂-symmetric chiral O,N,N,O-tetradentate 2,2-bipyridyldiolpropane ligands is described. The Mukaiyama–Michael reaction was applied as an important reaction for the synthesis of 2,2-bipyridylpropane 9. Among the ligands synthesized, ligand 11 exhibits excellent chiral induction (up to 97% ee) in diethylzinc addition to various aldehydes. The use of additional Lewis acid such as Ti(OⁱPr)₄ in diethylzinc addition reaction is not required for the present catalytic system.     

Synthesis of a new chiral N,N,N-tridentate pyridinebisimidazoline ligand library and its application in Ru-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation

A small ligand library of chiral tridentate N,N,N-pyridinebisimidazolines have been synthesized for the first time. This new class of ligands can be easily tuned and synthesized on multi g-scale. The usefulness of the ligands is shown in the ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Excellent yields (>99%) and good enantioselectivities (up to 71% ee) have been obtained for the epoxidation of aromatic olefins. [reaction: see text]     

Syntheses and X-ray structures of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of N,N′-dibenzyl-(R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and application to nitroaldol reaction

Chiral Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with N,N′-dibenzyl-(R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane ligands were synthesized and characterized. X-ray crystal structures of these complexes reveal that Cu complex has the distorted square-planar geometry and the Zn one has the nearly tetrahedral pattern. The coordination of metals to the chiral diamine ligand leads to a 5-membered metallaheterocycle of (S,S)-configuration of nitrogen atoms. Their asymmetric catalytic activities to nitroaldol reaction of benzaldehyde and nitromethane were examined. The difference of the geometry around metals leads to the opposite preferential configuration of alcohol products using these chiral complexes as asymmetric catalysts in the presence of triethylamine or diisopropylethylamine.     

New chiral amino-phosphoramidite and bisphosphoramidite ligands derived from (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane: application in Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of diethylzinc to 2-cyclohexenone

New bidentate amino-phosphoroamidite and diphosphoroamidite ligands derived from inexpensive (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane have been synthesized and screened in the Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of Et₂Zn to 2-cyclohexenone. The highest 74% ee value was reached with the N,N′-dimethyl substituted P,N-ligand and Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O.     

BINOL-derived N-phosphino sulfoximines as ligands for asymmetric catalysis

BINOL-derived N-phosphino sulfoximines have been prepared for the first time and tested as ligands in asymmetric transition metal catalysis. Up to 99% ee was achieved in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins and up to 66% ee in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation.     

Novel chiral copper complexes of N,P-ferrocenyl ligands with central and planar chirality as efficient catalyst for asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to imines

A new type of chiral copper complexes of N,P-ferrocenyl ligands with central and planar chirality as efficient catalyst was applied to the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to N-diphenylphosphinoylimines. The (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of the addition reaction were obtained for this transformation. In the presence of 6 mol % of bidentate ligand 1 and 12 mol % of Cu(OTf)₂, the asymmetric addition process affords N-diphenylphosphinoylamides in up to 97% ee and 95% yields.     

Novel chiral ferrocenyl-imino phosphine ligands and their use in palladium catalyzed allylic alkylations

New chiral P,N-ferrocenyl imino-phosphine ligands have been synthesized and the absolute configuration of the stereocenters in each molecule has been determined by a single-crystal X-ray analysis of a common intermediate. Pd^II-allyl complexes of the new ligands have been isolated and tested as catalyst precursors in the asymmetric allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-1-yl acetate with dimethyl malonate in different solvents. Quantitative yields and enantiomeric excesses as high as 80% have been obtained.     

Synthesis of new serine-based phosphinooxazoline ligands and iridium complexes for asymmetric hydrogenations

A series of serine-based phosphinooxazoline ligands was synthesized and the corresponding iridum complexes were successfully applied in the asymmetric hydrogenation of various unfunctionalized olefines and acetophenone-N-phenyl-imine. The results show that these new derivatives are useful substitutes for the standard tert-leucine-derived PHOX ligands.     

Chiral squaric prolinols: a new type of ligand for the asymmetric reduction of prochiral ketones by borane

A series of chiral bifunctional squaric prolinol ligands, having N, S substituents at C(3) of the squaric ring were synthesized and applied to the asymmetric borane reduction of prochiral ketones via an in situ formed chiral boron heterocycle, affording secondary alcohols with high yields and excellent enantiomeric excesses (up to 99%). The crystal structure of 5a was obtained and the mechanism of the catalytic asymmetric reduction is also discussed.     

N,N′-Mono substituted acyclic thioureas: efficient ligands for the palladium catalyzed Heck reaction of deactivated aryl bromides

A series of N,N′-mono substituted acyclic thiourea ligands are found to be highly active phosphine-free catalysts for palladium catalyzed Heck reaction of aryl iodides and bromides with olefins. We have achieved high turnover numbers for aryl iodides with olefins (TONs up to 970,000 for the reaction of iodobenzene with styrene).     

New N,N-diamine ligands derived from (−)-menthol and their application in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

Natural (?)-menthol was applied to construction of mono-N-tosylated-1,2-diamine derivatives. The O-tosylation and elimination of the tosylate of the menthol intermediate led to trans-p-menth-2-ene. The unsaturated menth-2-ene was next transformed into a mixture of N-tosylaziridines, which upon reaction with sodium azide gave four isomeric azides. The reduction of the formed tosylazides on Pd/C gave new chiral mono-N-tosylated-1,2-diamines, which were used as ligands in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation protocol on aromatic ketones and endocyclic imine.     

A convenient synthesis of N,N',N''-trisubstituted diethylenetriamines

N,N',N''-Trisubstituted diethylenetriamines (1,4,7-triaza-heptanes) were synthesized by reduction of the relevantly substituted 2,2'-iminodiacetiamides which, in turn, were accessed from cheap reactants by the methods depending on their nature. The triamines thus obtained may be promising ligands for metal catalysts.     

Applications of N′-alkylated derivatives of TsDPEN in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of CO and CN bonds

Arene/Ru(II) complexes of (R,R)-N-alkyl-TsDPEN ligands are effective in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines in formic acid/triethylamine solution. The complex derived from the N′-Bn derivative of TsDPEN reduces monocyclic imines in up to 60% ee, whilst the N′-Me derivative of TsDPEN forms a more active catalyst than the non-alkylated analogue and reduces ketones in up to 97% ee.     

Development and application of versatile bis-hydroxamic acids for catalytic asymmetric oxidation

In this article, we describe the development and preliminary results of our new designed C₂-symmetric bis-hydroxamic acid (BHA) ligands and the application of the new ligands for vanadium-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohols as well as homoallylic alcohols. From this success we demonstrate the versatile nature of BHA in the molybdenum catalyzed asymmetric oxidation of unfunctionalized olefins and sulfides.     

Designing chiral amido-oxazolines as new chelating ligands devoted to direct Cu-catalyzed oxidation of allylic CH bonds in cyclic olefins

A new type of amido-oxazoline ligands was conveniently synthesized from inexpensive and commercially available materials in high yields and enantiomeric excesses. The corresponding chiral copper complexes with this class of ligands [C₂ symmetric S,S-bis(amido-oxazoline-Cu(II) complex] were synthesized accordingly. The ORTEP diagram of ligand 6a and complex 6a-copper were compared and characterization of the complex confirmed the involvement of both dentate parts of the ligands, the oxygen and nitrogen atoms, in complexation with copper. The utilization of this amido-oxazoline ligands in the copper-catalyzed enantioselective esterification of allylic CH bonds of cyclic olefins with tert-butyl-4-nitrobenzoperoxoate resulted in the highest activities, yields (up to 95%) and enantioselectivities (up to 96%) in the presence of HZSM-5 zeolite. These new findings highlight the protocol as one of the most attractive and useful methods for the oxidation of the asymmetric allylic CH bond of cycloalkenes compared to other methodologies reported in the literature.     

A Novel 1‐Glycosyl‐1H‐triazole‐Based P,N Ligand for Rhodium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrosilylation of Ketones

A novel class of chiral glycosyl‐triazole‐based P,N ligands were synthesized by ‘click chemistry’ and were applied to the Rh‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of a range of substituted acetophenones. Enantioselective hydrosilylation of acetophenone gave (S)‐1‐phenylethanol in moderate enantioselectivity (72% ee) and in good conversion (93%).