Chalcogen Bonding Catalysis of a Nitro‐Michael Reaction

Chalcogen bonding is the non‐covalent interaction between Lewis acidic chalcogen substituents and Lewis bases. Herein, we present the first application of dicationic tellurium‐based chalcogen bond donors in the nitro‐Michael reaction between trans‐β‐nitrostyrene and indoles. This also constitutes the first activation of nitro derivatives by chalcogen bonding (and halogen bonding). The catalysts showed rate accelerations of more than a factor of 300 compared to strongly Lewis acidic hydrogen bond donors. Several comparison experiments, titrations, and DFT calculations support a chalcogen‐bonding‐based mode of activation of β‐nitrostyrene.     

Catalytic Activation of Imines by Chalcogen Bond Donors in a Povarov [4+2] Cycloaddition Reaction

Recently, chalcogen bonding has been investigated in more detail in organocatalysis and the scope of activated functionalities continues to increase. Herein, the activation of imines in a Povarov [4+2] cycloaddition reaction with bidentate cationic chalcogen bond donors is presented. Tellurium-based Lewis acids show superior properties compared to selenium-based catalysts and inactive sulfur-based analogues. The catalytic activity of the chalcogen bonding donors increases with weaker binding anions. Triflate, however, is not suitable due to its participation in the catalytic pathway. A solvent screening revealed a more efficient activation in less polar solvents and a pronounced effect of solvent (and catalyst) on endo : exo diastereomeric ratio. Finally, new chiral chalcogen bonding catalysts were applied but provided only racemic mixtures of the product.     

Chalcogen Bonding: An Overview

In the last few decades, “unusual” noncovalent interactions like anion‐π and halogen bonding have emerged as interesting alternatives to the ubiquitous hydrogen bonding in many research areas. This is also true, to a somewhat lesser extent, for chalcogen bonding, the noncovalent interaction involving Lewis acidic chalcogen centers. Herein, we aim to provide an overview on the use of chalcogen bonding in crystal engineering and in solution, with a focus on the recent developments concerning intermolecular chalcogen bonding in solution‐phase applications. In the solid phase, chalcogen bonding has been used for the construction of nano‐sized structures and the self‐assembly of sophisticated self‐complementary arrays. In solution, until very recently applications mostly focused on intramolecular interactions which stabilized the conformation of intermediates or reagents. In the last few years, intermolecular chalcogen bonding has increasingly also been exploited in solution, most notably in anion recognition and transport as well as in organic synthesis and organocatalysis.     

Activating Chalcogen Bonding (ChB) in Alkylseleno/Alkyltelluroacetylenes toward Chalcogen Bonding Directionality Control

Activation of a deep electron-deficient area on chalcogen atoms (Ch=Se, Te) is demonstrated in alkynyl chalcogen derivatives, in the prolongation of the (C≡)C−Ch bond. The solid-state structures of 1,4-bis(methylselenoethynyl)perfluorobenzene ( 1Se ) show the formation of recurrent chalcogen-bonded (ChB) motifs. Association of 1Se and the tellurium analogue 1Te with 4,4′-bipyridine and with the stronger Lewis base 1,4-di(4-pyridyl)piperazine gives 1:1 co-crystals with 1D extended structures linked by short and directional ChB interactions, comparable to those observed with the corresponding halogen bond (XB) donor, 1,4-bis(iodoethynyl)-perfluorobenzene. This “alkynyl” approach for chalcogen activation provides the crystal-engineering community with efficient, and neutral ChB donors for the elaboration of supramolecular 1D (and potentially 2D or 3D) architectures, with a degree of strength and predictability comparable to that of halogen bonding in iodoacetylene derivatives.     

Chalcogen Bonding in Co-Crystals: Activation through 1,4-Perfluorophenylene vs. 4,4′-Perfluorobiphenylene Cores

The ability of alkylseleno/alkyltelluroacetylenes such as bis(selenomethylethynyl)-perfluorobenzene (4F-Se) to act as a ditopic chalcogen bond (ChB) donor in co-crystals with ditopic Lewis bases such as 4,4′-bipyridine is extended here to the octafluorobiphenylene analog, 4,4′-bis(selenomethylethynyl)-perfluorobiphenyl (8F-Se), with the more electron-rich 4,4′-bipyridylethane (bpe), showing in the 1:1 (8F-Se)•(bpe) co-crystal a shorter and more linear C−Se•••N ChB interaction than in (4F-Se)•(bpe), with Se•••N distances down to 2.958(2) Å at 150 K, i.e., a reduction ratio of 0.85 vs. the van der Waals contact distance.     

The Importance of 1,5‐Oxygen⋅⋅⋅Chalcogen Interactions in Enantioselective Isochalcogenourea Catalysis

The importance of 1,5‐O???chalcogen (Ch) interactions in isochalcogenourea catalysis (Ch=O, S, Se) is investigated. Conformational analyses of N‐acyl isochalcogenouronium species and comparison with kinetic data demonstrate the significance of 1,5‐O???Ch interactions in enantioselective catalysis. Importantly, the selenium analogue demonstrates enhanced rate and selectivity profiles across a range of reaction processes including nitronate conjugate addition and formal [4+2] cycloadditions. A gram‐scale synthesis of the most active selenium analogue was developed using a previously unreported seleno‐Hugerschoff reaction, allowing the challenging kinetic resolutions of tertiary alcohols to be performed at 500 ppm catalyst loading. Density functional theory (DFT) and natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations support the role of orbital delocalization (occurring by intramolecular chalcogen bonding) in determining the conformation, equilibrium population, and reactivity of N‐acylated intermediates.     

Polymorphism,Halogen Bonding,and Chalcogen Bonding in the Diiodine Adducts of 1,3- and 1,4-Dithiane

Through variations in reaction solvent and stoichiometry, a series of S-diiodine adducts of 1,3- and 1,4-dithiane were isolated by direct reaction of the dithianes with molecular diiodine in solution. In the case of 1,3-dithiane, variations in reaction solvent yielded both the equatorial and the axial isomers of S-diiodo-1,3-dithiane, and their solution thermodynamics were further studied via DFT. Additionally, S,S’-bis(diiodo)-1,3-dithiane was also isolated. The 1:1 cocrystal, (1,4-dithiane)·(I₂) was further isolated, as well as a new polymorph of S,S’-bis(diiodo)-1,4-dithiane. Each structure showed significant S···I halogen and chalcogen bonding interactions. Further, the product of the diiodine-promoted oxidative addition of acetone to 1,4-dithiane, as well as two new cocrystals of 1,4-dithiane-1,4-dioxide involving hydronium, bromide, and tribromide ions, was isolated.     

Chalcogen‐Bonding Catalysis: From Neutral to Cationic Benzodiselenazole Scaffolds

Benzodiselenazoles (BDS) are emerging as privileged structures for chalcogen‐bonding catalysis in the focal point of conformationally immobilized σ holes on strong selenium donors in a neutral scaffold. Whereas much attention has been devoted to work out the advantages of selenium compared to the less polarizable sulfur donors, high expectations concerning bidentate, rigid, and neutral scaffolds have been generated with little experimental support. Here we report design, synthesis and evaluation of the necessary catalysts to confirm that i) bidentate BDS are more effective than their monodentate analogs, ii) conformationally immobilized scaffolds are more effective than more flexible ones, iii) cationic BDS scaffolds are more effective than neutral ones, and iv) in dicationic‐bidentate BDS, contributions from chalcogen‐bonding dominate possible contributions from ion‐pairing catalysis. These conclusions result from rate enhancements found for a Ritter‐type anion‐binding reaction and an X‐ray crystal structure of dicationic BDS with a triflate anion bound with highest precision in the focal point of the σ holes.     

Modification of Nano-alumina Surface by Michael Addition Reaction

With recent interest in polymer-based nanocomposites, nano-alumina has receivedconsiderable attention because of their high hardness, high strength and good wearresistance. Improvements in mechanical, tribological, conductive and barrier propertiesof some…     

Halogen Bonding in Organic Synthesis and Organocatalysis

Halogen bonding is a noncovalent interaction similar to hydrogen bonding, which is based on electrophilic halogen substituents. Hydrogen‐bonding‐based organocatalysis is a well‐established strategy which has found numerous applications in recent years. In light of this, halogen bonding has recently been introduced as a key interaction for the design of activators or organocatalysts that is complementary to hydrogen bonding. This Concept features a discussion on the history and electronic origin of halogen bonding, summarizes all relevant examples of its application in organocatalysis, and provides an overview on the use of cationic or polyfluorinated halogen‐bond donors in halide abstraction reactions or in the activation of neutral organic substrates.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Pentasubstituted Cyclohexanes by a Michael Addition Followed by a Tandem Inter–Intra Double Henry Reaction

Michael, Henry, and Henry : A new one‐pot reaction of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes and β‐dicarbonyls, which involves a Michael reaction catalyzed by diarylprolinol ethers and an inter–intramolecular Henry tandem reaction catalyzed by TBAF (see scheme), has been developed. The reaction proceeds in high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity for a wide range of unsaturated aldehydes and β‐dicarbonyl reagents.

     

Michael Addition of Thiols to á,(a)-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by Bifunctional Organocatalysts:Asymmetric Michael Addition and Asymmetric Protonation

Recently the hydrogen-bond activated reactions have attracted much attention.1 Takemoto2 reported a highly enantioselective Michael addition of manolate to nitroolefins catalyzed by a bifunctional organocatalyst with tertiary amine and thiourea moiety. As we known,stereoselective conjugate additions of thiols are interesting due to the standpoint of biological and synthetic importance, however, only very limited good results have been obtained except for the works of Shibasaki3, Kanemasa4 and Deng5 et al.In this letter, we report an efficient catalytic asymmetric Michael reactions of thiols to a,a-unsaturated carbonyl compounds promoted by bifunctional organocatalysts. A series of organocatalysts with chiral amine and thiourea structures were designed and synthesized and have been successfully applied in the conjugated additions of thiols to a,a-unsaturated imides and enones.The reactions got quantitative yields and the ee values were up to 84%. It is noteworthy that the a-asymmetric protonation (up to 43% ee) also could be achieved.The Michael addition between aromatic thiols and a,a-unsaturated carbonyl compounds isdescribed as follows:Works to further increase the enantioselectivity is under investigation in our laboratory.     

2‐Hydroxybenzophenone as a Chemical Auxiliary for the Activation of Ketiminoesters for Highly Enantioselective Addition to Nitroalkenes under Bifunctional Catalysis

An organocatalytic system is presented for the Michael addition of monoactivated glycine ketimine ylides with a bifunctional catalyst. The ketimine bears an ortho hydroxy group, which increases the acidity of the methylene hydrogen atoms and enhances the reactivity, thus allowing the synthesis of a large variety of α,γ‐diamino acid derivatives with excellent stereoselectivity.     

Polymer‐Supported Enantioselective Bifunctional Catalysts for Nitro‐Michael Addition of Ketones and Aldehydes

Introduction of an L ‐amino acid as a spacer and a urea‐forming moiety in a polymer‐supported bifunctional urea–primary amine catalyst, based on (1R, 2R)‐(+)‐1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine, significantly improves the catalyst’s activity and stereoselectivity in the asymmetric addition of ketones and aldehydes to nitroolefins. Yields and enantioselectivities, unprecedented for immobilized catalysts, were obtained with such challenging donors as acetone, cyclopentanone, and α,α‐disubstituted aldehydes, which usually perform inadequately in this reaction (particularly when a secondary‐amine‐based catalyst is used). Remarkably, though in the examined catalysts the D ‐amino acids as spacers were significantly inferior to the L isomers, for the chosen configuration of the diamine (match–mismatch pairs) the size of the side chain of the amino acid hardly influenced the enantioselectivity of the catalyst. These results, combined with the reactivity profile of the catalysts with substrates bearing two electron‐withdrawing groups and the behavior of the catalysts’ analogues based on tertiary (rather than primary) amine, suggest an enamine‐involving addition mechanism and a particular ordered C? C bond‐forming transition state as being responsible for the catalytic reactions with high enantioselectivity.