Recent topics in enantioselective acyl transfer reactions with dialkylaminopyridine-based nucleophilic catalysts

This digest focuses on recent topics in intra- and intermolecular enantioselective acyl transfer reactions with dialkylaminopyridine-based catalysts over the past decade (2007–2017). The structures of the catalysts are divided into four categories according to the location of the chiral environment (C2, C3, or C4 position of pyridine, and miscellaneous). The role of the structure in the enantioselective acyl transfer reaction and the reaction mechanism will be discussed briefly.     

A New Synthesis of Pteridines Substituted with Branched and Linear Alkenyl Groups at C(6). The Nitroso‐Ene Reaction of 4‐(Alkenoylamino)‐5‐nitrosopyrimidines

Pteridines substituted with a 1,1‐, 1,2‐, or 1,1,3‐substituted alkenyl group (mostly (E)‐configured) at C(6) were synthesized in high yields by the intramolecular nitroso‐ene reaction of 4‐(alkenoylamino)‐2‐amino‐6‐benzyloxy‐5‐nitroso‐ and 4‐(alkenoylamino)‐2,6‐diamino‐5‐nitrosopyrimidines. Thus, the N‐alkenoyl nitrosopyrimidines 4 and 5 provided the pteridines 6 and 7 , respectively, characterized by a 1,2‐disubstituted (E)‐alkenyl substituent, the C(4)‐(E)‐geranoyl amide 13 led regio‐ and stereoselectively to the (E)‐1,1,2‐trisubstituted alkenyl‐pteridine 16 , and the C(4)‐(Z) isomer 14 led to 17 possessing a 1,1‐disubstituted alkenyl group. The trifluoromethylated butenoyl amide 15 possessing a less highly nucleophilic alkenoyl group reacted more slowly to give the trifluoromethylated vinylpteridine 18 . Also the 4‐(alkenoylamino)‐2,6‐diamino‐5‐nitrosopyrimidine 20 reacted more slowly than 4 and 5 , and provided the pteridines 23 ; introduction of additional N‐acyl groups as in 21 and 22 led to a considerably faster ene reaction. The X‐ray crystal structure analysis of the nitroso amide 15 shows eight symmetrically independent molecules in the unit cell. In the crystalline state, the N,N‐dimethylformamidine derivative 9 of 6 forms a centrosymmetric dimer with the 7,8‐lactam group connected by intermolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Photoinduced ene-reaction of 9-methylene-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene with alkenes

Irradiation of 9-methylene-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (1) in the presence of 1,1-diphenylethene or styrene in benzene afforded ene-reaction adduct in good yield. In the absence of arylalkenes, the dimerized product of 1, 9-[2-(9-phenanthryl)ethyl]-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene, and 9-methylphenanthrene were obtained as major products.     

Preparation of acyl fluorides with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine and 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide

This work presents an efficient procedure for preparing acyl fluorides by simply reacting carboxylic acid with hydrogen fluoride-pyridine and 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) in dichloromethane. The acyl fluorides were converted in situ to the corresponding benzyl carboxylic esters by adding benzyl alcohol and triethylamine to the reaction mixture.     

Ene Reaction of Pummerer-Type Reaction Intermediate and Synthesis of Achillea Amide

Pummerer-type reaction intermediate 2 of methyl α-(methylthio)acetate (1) has been found to react with 1-alkenes to afford ene adducts 3 . Achillea amide 5 was synthesized from the adduct 3g .     

Epoxidation of phosphinoyl alkenes with hydrogen peroxide

The epoxidation of alkenylphosphorus compounds with hydrogen peroxide was systematically studied, revealing that while alkenylphosphine oxides failed to produce the corresponding epoxides, alkenylphosphonates, or phosphinates having a phenyl group at α-position reacted with H₂O₂/K₂CO₃ or alkenylphosphonic acids or phosphinic acids having an aliphatic group at α- or β-positions reacted with H₂O₂/Na₂WO₄/Et₃N to produce high yields of the corresponding epoxides.     

Ene Reaction with Pummerer-Type Reaction Intermediate of α-(Methylthio)isobutyl Acetamide: A New Synthesis of Pellitorine

Pummerer-type reaction intermediate 2 of α-(methylthio)isobutyl acetamide ( 1 ) has been found to react with 1-alkenes to afford ene adducts 3 . Pellitorine 4 was synthesized from the adduct 3d.     

A New Synthesis of Ciliapterin and Dictyopterin. Ene Reactions of (Alkenylamino)‐nitroso‐pyrimidines

A comparison of the reactivity of (acylamino)‐nitroso‐pyrimidines 1 and the alkenylamino analogue 17 in intramolecular ene reactions showed the considerably lower reactivity of 17 , leading to the pteridine 18 . Pteridin‐7‐one 11 resulting from 1 (R¹=OBn, R²=Me) was transformed into 4‐(benzyloxy)‐6‐[(E)‐prop‐1‐enyl]pteridin‐2‐amine ( 13 ) by O‐triflation, followed by reduction with LiBHEt₃, while the 4‐MeO analogue 18 was prepared by spontaneous oxidation of the initial ene product of 17 . The (alkenylamino)‐nitroso‐pyrimidine 17 was synthesized by substitution of the dimethoxy‐nitroso‐pyrimidine 16 with the allylamine 15 . Ciliapterin ( 5 ) and dictyopterin ( 7 ) were synthesized from pteridine 18 by a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation.     

Atom-efficient cross-coupling reactions of triarylbismuths with acyl chlorides under Pd(0) catalysis

The atom-efficient cross-coupling reaction of triarylbismuths with a variety of aliphatic, aromatic, and hetero-aromatic acyl chlorides was demonstrated to afford high yields of cross-coupled ketones under palladium catalysis. The corresponding cross-coupling reaction with diacid chlorides also furnished bis-coupled ketones in good yields.     

Synthesis and spectral characterization of Cu(II) complexes of some thio-Schiff bases of acyl pyrazolone analogues

A series of tridentate pyrazolone-based thio-Schiff bases were synthesized by the interaction of 4-acyl/aroyl pyrazolones with thiosemicarbazide in an ethanolic medium. All of these ligands were characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, infrared (IR), ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR data. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) suggests the amine-one form of ligand in solution at room temperature. Copper Schiff-base complexes, [Cu(L)(H₂O)], have been prepared by the interaction of the aqueous solution of copper sulfate pentahydrate with hot ethanolic solution of the appropriate ligand. The resulting complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, metal content determination, molar conductance, fast atom bombardment mass spectra, magnetic measurements, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), IR, and electronic spectral studies. Thermal stability, heat capacity, and activation energy of thermal degradation for these complexes were determined by TGA, differential thermal analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. Suitable structures are proposed for these complexes.     

An efficient organic solvent-free methyltrioxorhenium-catalyzed epoxidation of alkenes with hydrogen peroxide

Methyltrioxorhenium/3-methylpyrazole has proved to be an efficient catalytic system for epoxidation of alkenes with aqueous 35% H₂O₂ in excellent yields under organic solvent-free conditions. The yields of epoxides by the organic solvent-free epoxidation are comparable to those using CH₂Cl₂ as the organic solvent. The epoxidations of simple alkenes under organic solvent-free conditions are slower than those in CH₂Cl₂, while the epoxidations of alkenols such as citronellol are faster than those in CH₂Cl₂.     

Proline-catalyzed aldol reactions of acyl cyanides with acetone: an efficient and convenient synthesis of 1,3-diketones

The aldol-type addition of acetone towards (un)substituted benzoyl, heteroarylcarbonyl or α,β-unsaturated acyl cyanides was efficiently catalyzed by l-proline (30 mol %) to give 2-hydroxy-4-oxo-2-substituted pentanenitriles. Upon the treatment with sodium hydroxide, the adducts transformed to 1,3-diketones in good-to-excellent yield, furnishing an efficient and convenient method for the regioselective synthesis of 1,3-diketones.     

The coordination chemistry and reactivity of amino-dithiaphospholanes with rhodium, iridium, and ruthenium

Novel amino-dithiaphospholane complexes of ruthenium, iridium, and rhodium were synthesized, and their properties were studied. Reaction of the new amino-dithiaphospholane (RS)₂ (R = binaphthyl, R′ = CH₂Ph, (rac)-4) with [RuCl₂(p-cymene)]₂ afforded [RuCl₂(p-cymene)((rac)-4)] in 67% isolated yield. Similarly, the new amino-dithiaphospholanes (RS)₂ (R = cyclohexyl, (rac)-7) and (RS)₂ (R = phenyl, 9) gave upon reaction with [RhCl(CO)₂]₂ and [IrCp^∗Cl₂]₂ the novel complexes [RhCl(CO)(L)₂] and [IrCp^∗Cl₂(L)] (L = (rac)-7, 9) in 61-96% yields. The ruthenium complex is catalytically active for the etherification of propargylic alcohols with methanol and ethanol (8-48 h, 90 °C, 40-85% isolated yields).     

Competitive thermal ene reaction and Diels-Alder reactions of 2-[N-(alk-2-enyl)benzylamino]-3-vinylpyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4(4H)-ones

Thermal reaction of 2-[N-(alk-2-enyl)benzylamino]-3-(2-substituted and 2,2-disubstituted)vinylpyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4(4H)-ones gave azepine, the desired ene products, and/or pyran derivatives. The formation of the latter was responsible for the [4+2] cycloaddition reaction between the α,β-unsaturated ester carbonyl moiety as a diene part and the alkenylamino moiety as an ene one. The reaction features depended upon the kinds of substituents both on the vinyl and alkenyl counterparts; strongly electron-withdrawing substituents on the vinyl moiety or an electron-donating substituent on the alkenyl one changed the reaction feature from the ene reaction to the hetero Diels-Alder reaction.     

Preparation and characterization of ruthenium(II), rhodium(III) and iridium(III) complexes of isocyanide bearing the azo group

Reactions of [(η⁶-arene)RuCl₂]₂ (1) (η⁶-arene=p-cymene (1a), 1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃ (1b), 1,2,3-Me₃C₆H₃ (1c) 1,2,3,4-Me₄C₆H₂(1d), 1,2,3,5-Me₄C₆H₂ (1e) and C₆Me₆ (1f)) or [Cp*MCl₂]₂ (M=Rh (2), Ir (3); Cp*=C₅Me₅) with 4-isocyanoazobenzene (RNC) and 4,4′-diisocyanoazobenzene (CN–R–NC) gave mononuclear and dinuclear complexes, [(η⁶-arene)Ru(CNC₆H₄N=NC₆H₅)Cl₂] (4a–f), [Cp*M(CNC₆H₄N=NC₆H₅)Cl₂] (5: M=Rh; 6: M=Ir)_, [{(η⁶-arene)RuCl₂}₂{μ-CNC₆H₄N=NC₆H₄NC}] (8a–f) and [(Cp*MCl₂)₂(μ-CNC₆H₄N=NC₆H₄NC)}] (9: M=Rh; 10: M=Ir)_, respectively. It was confirmed by X-ray analyses of 4a and 5 that these complexes have trans-forms for the ---N=N--- moieties. Reaction of [Cp*Rh(dppf)(MeCN)](PF₆)₂ (dppf=1,1′-bis (diphenylphosphino)ferrocene) with 4-isocyanoazobenzene gave [Cp*Rh(dppf)(CNC₆H₄N=NC₆H₅)](PF₆)₂ (7), confirmed by X-ray analysis. Complex 8b reacted with Ag(CF₃SO₃), giving a rectangular tetranuclear complex 11b, [{(η⁶-1,3,5-Me₃C₆H₃)Ru(μ-Cl}₄(μ-CNC₆H₄N=NC₆H₄NC)₂](CF₃SO₃)₄ bridged by four Cl atoms and two μ-diisocyanoazobenzene ligands. Photochemical reactions of the ruthenium complexes (4 and 8) led to the decomposition of the complexes, whereas those of 5, 7, 9 and 10 underwent a trans-to-cis isomerization. In the electrochemical reactions the reductive waves about −1.50 V for 4 and −1.44 V for 8 are due to the reduction of azo group, [---N=N---]→[---N=N---]²⁻. The irreversible oxidative waves at ca. 0.87 V for the 4 and at ca. 0.85 V for 8 came from the oxidation of Ru(II)→Ru(III).     

Frozen aryldiazonium chlorides in radical reactions with alkenes and arenes

Frozen aryldiazonium chlorides have been investigated in radical alkene and arene functionalizations. Through freezing at – 84?°C, aryldiazonium chlorides, which otherwise show significant decomposition in aqueous solution after several hours at room temperature, can be stored for at least 20 days. In addition, the slow melting of aryldiazonium-containing ice cubes can serve as an alternative to syringe pumps that are commonly used if a controlled addition of the diazonium salt to the reaction mixture is required.     

Sequential ene, Diels-Alder reactions of AF4-yne with 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene

(4,5-Dehydro)-1,1,2,2,9,9,10,10-octafluoro [2.2]paracyclophane (AF4-yne) undergoes an ene reaction with 1,3,5-cycloheptatriene, the adduct of which subsequently undergoes a further Diels-Alder reaction with a second equivalent of AF4-yne to give two stereoisomeric 2:1 adducts. A very small amount of the classic 1:1 Diels-Alder adduct also can be isolated from the reaction. Structure assignments of all products were determined by NMR through a series of H1-H1, H1-C13 one bond, and H1-C13 two and three bond correlation experiments as well as H1-H1 NOE experiments.     

A novel catalyzed C-H insertion reactions of hydrogen peroxide by poly(4-vinylpyridine)/methyltrioxorhenium systems

Novel poly(4-vinylpyridine) supported MTO compounds were effective heterogeneous catalysts for the C-H insertion reactions of H₂O₂ into some representative hydrocarbon derivatives. The most relevant outcomes of these oxidations are described.     

Stereoelectronic and solvent effects on the allylic oxyfunctionalization of alkenes with singlet oxygen

The factors that control the stereochemistry of sensitized photooxygenation of alkenes via singlet oxygen (ene reaction) are selectively reported. We also introduce our most recent stereoelectronic effects on the singlet oxygen-ene reaction. The origin of site selectivity and solvent-dependent stereoselectivity in this classical ene reaction with simple as well as functionalized alkenes is highlighted. These studies and other similar studies have enhanced substantially the utility of singlet oxygen in the synthesis of natural and non-natural products.