Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Diarylmethylamines from Racemic Alcohols

An organocatalytic approach for direct conversion of racemic diarylmethanols to valuable chiral diarylmethylamines is described. Different from the previously reported elegant “borrowing hydrogen” approach, the present process employs a distinct complementary formal S_N1 strategy. This approach enjoys excellent enantioselectivity, mild conditions, broad scope, and easy product derivatization. Mechanistically, control experiments also provided important insights into some notable features, such as substrate kinetic resolution and reversibility as well as the critical role of the ortho‐ hydroxy group in the substrate.     

Synergistic Kinetic Resolution and Asymmetric Propargyl Claisen Rearrangement for the Synthesis of Chiral Allenes

The asymmetric propargyl Claisen rearrangement provides a convenient entry to chiral allene motifs. Herein, we describe the development of a kinetic resolution and asymmetric rearrangement of racemic propargyl vinyl ethers. This transformation afforded chiral allene products along with the enantiomerically enriched substrate in good yields with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivity. The complete chirality transfer and facially selective rearrangement enabled the simultaneous construction of an axially chiral allenic unit and a quaternary carbon stereocenter.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Allenes: Remote Asymmetric 1,8-Addition of Indole Imine Methides

An organocatalytic enantioconvergent synthesis of chiral tetrasubstituted allenes is disclosed. With suitable chiral phosphoric acid catalysts, a range of racemic indole-substituted propargylic alcohols reacted with nucleophiles to provide efficient access to a series of enantioenriched allenes with high enantioselectivities. Control experiments suggested a mechanism involving remotely controlled asymmetric 1,8-addition of the in situ generated indole imine methide via a bifunctional transition state.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Propargylic Substitution of Dichloro Substrates: Enantioselective Synthesis of Trisubstituted Allenes and Formation of Propargylic Quaternary Stereogenic Centers

An easy and versatile Cu‐catalyzed propargylic substitution process is presented. Using easily prepared prochiral dichloro substrates, readily available Grignard reagents together with catalytic amount of copper salt and chiral ligand, we accessed a range of synthetically interesting trisubstituted chloroallenes. Substrate scope and nucleophile scope are broad, providing generally high enantioselectivity for the desired 1,3‐substitution products. The enantioenriched chloroallenes could be further transformed into the corresponding trisubstituted allenes or terminal alkynes bearing all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic centers, through the copper‐catalyzed enantiospecific 1,1/1,3‐substitutions. The two successive copper‐catalyzed reactions could be eventually combined into a one‐pot procedure and different desired allenes or alkynes were obtained respectively with high enantiomeric excesses.     

Organocatalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral Allenes: Remote Asymmetric 1,8‐Addition of Indole Imine Methides

An organocatalytic enantioconvergent synthesis of chiral tetrasubstituted allenes is disclosed. With suitable chiral phosphoric acid catalysts, a range of racemic indole‐substituted propargylic alcohols reacted with nucleophiles to provide efficient access to a series of enantioenriched allenes with high enantioselectivities. Control experiments suggested a mechanism involving remotely controlled asymmetric 1,8‐addition of the in situ generated indole imine methide via a bifunctional transition state.     

Michael Addition Catalyzed by Chiral Secondary Amine Phosphoramide Using Fluorinated Silyl Enol Ethers: Formation of Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters

A chiral secondary amine phosphoramide was developed and identified as a powerful catalyst for the Mukaiyama–Michael addition of fluorinated enol silyl ethers to tetrasubstituted olefins. The resulting products are obtained with high enantioselectivities and contain a quaternary carbon stereocenter bearing either a difluoroalkyl or monofluoroalkyl group.     

Chiral Allenes via Alkynylogous Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction

Herein we describe the development of a catalytic enantioselective alkynylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction. The reaction is catalyzed by a newly designed chiral disulfonimide and delivers chiral allenoates in high yields and with excellent regio‐, diastereo‐, and enantioselectivity. Our process tolerates a broad range of aldehydes in combination with diverse alkynyl‐substituted ketene acetals. The reaction products can be readily derivatized to furnish a variety of highly substituted enantiomerically enriched building blocks.     

Atom‐Economic,Regiodivergent, and Stereoselective Coupling of Imidazole Derivatives with Terminal Allenes

New Rh‐ and Pd‐catalyzed regiodivergent and stereoselective intermolecular coupling reactions of imidazole derivatives with mono‐substituted allenes are herein reported. Using a Rh^I/Josiphos system, perfect regioselectivities and high enantiomeric excess were obtained, while a Pd^II/dppf system gave linear products with high regioselectivities and high E/Z selectivities. This method permits the atom economic synthesis of valuable branched and linear allylic imidazole derivatives.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative γ‐Arylation for the Synthesis of Tetrasubstituted Chiral Allenes

An enantiospecific palladium‐catalyzed decarboxylative coupling of acyclic β,γ‐alkynoic acids with various aryl iodides to chiral tetrasubstituted allenes is described. The coupling reaction comprises a decarboxylative γ‐palladation of α,α‐disubstituted carboxylic acids to provide the tetrasubstituted allenes with complete point‐to‐axial chirality transfer in excellent yields.     

Asymmetric Organocatalytic Addition Reactions of Maleimides: A Promising Approach Towards the Synthesis of Chiral Succinimide Derivatives

Recent progress in asymmetric organocatalysis has led to the development of several asymmetric transformations that employ various substrates. Among these substrates, maleimides have emerged as excellent Michael acceptors, dienophiles, and dipolarophiles. In this Focus Review we highlight the advances in the asymmetric synthesis of succinimide derivatives through asymmetric organocatalytic addition reactions of maleimides.     

Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Enantioselective Synthesis of Axially Chiral Compounds Involving Indole Derivatives

Indoles are one of the most ubiquitous subclass of N-heterocycles and are increasingly incorporated to design new axially chiral scaffolds. The rich profile of reactivity and N−H functionality allow chemical derivatization for enhanced medicinal, material and catalytic properties. Although asymmetric C−C coupling of two arenes gives the most direct access of axially chiral biaryl scaffolds, this chemistry has been the remit of metal catalysis and works efficiently on limited substrates. Our group has devoted special interest in devising novel organocatalytic arylation reactions to fabricate biaryl atropisomers. In this realm, indoles and derivatives have been reliably used as the arylation partners in combination with azoarenes, nitrosonapthalenes and quinone derivatives. Their efficient interaction with chiral phosphoric acid catalyst as well as the tunability of electronics and sterics have enabled excellent control of stereo-, chemo- and regioselectivity to furnish diverse scaffolds. In addition, indoles could act as nucleophiles in desymmetrization of 1,2,4-triazole-3,5-diones. This account provides a succinct illustration of these developments.     

有机催化的不对称傅克烷基化反应

傅克烷基化反应是对芳香化合物衍生化的最为有效的方法之一, 而不对称傅克烷基化反应则提供了合成手性芳基衍生物的直接途径. 综述了近年来手性有机小分子催化的不对称傅克烷基化反应的研究进展.     

Construction of All-Carbon Chiral Quaternary Centers through CuI-Catalyzed Enantioselective Reductive Hydroxymethylation of 1,1-Disubstituted Allenes with CO2

A catalytic enantioselective construction of all-carbon chiral quaternary centers through reductive hydroxymethylation of 1,1-disubstituted allenes with CO₂ has been developed. In the presence of a copper/Mandyphos catalyst, CO₂ is transformed into an alcohol oxidation level by an asymmetric reductive C−C bond formation with allenes by using hydrosilane (HSi(OMe)₂Me) as a reductant. The resulting chiral homoallylic alcohols are versatile synthetic intermediates and can be conveniently converted into a variety of useful chiral chemicals.     

Counterion‐Induced Asymmetric Control in Ring‐Opening of Azetidiniums: Facile Access to Chiral Amines

Counterion‐induced stereocontrol is a powerful tool in organic synthesis. However, such enantiocontrol on tetrahedral ammonium cations remains challenging. Described here is the first example of using chiral anion phase‐transfer catalysis to achieve intermolecular ring‐opening of azetidiniums with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 97 % ee). Precise control over the formation and reaction of the chiral ion pair as well as inhibition of the background reaction by the biphasic system is key to the success of the reaction.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Addition of Thioacids to Trisubstituted Nitroalkenes

The first example of a catalytic enantioselective addition to and nitronate protonation of trisubstituted nitroalkenes to produce highly enantioenriched products with a tetrasubstituted carbon is reported. Thioacids added in excellent yields and with high enantioselectivities to both activated and unactivated nitroalkenes. The 1,2‐nitrothioacetate products can be readily converted in two steps to biomedically relevant 1,2‐aminosulfonic acids without loss of enantiopurity.     

手性胺-质子酸催化剂在有机催化不对称合成中的应用

手性胺-质子酸是近年来发展起来的新型高效、高对映选择性的有机催化体系, 已成功应用于催化不对称Aldol反应、Michael加成反应、Diels-Alder反应和Strecker反应等许多重要的有机合成反应. 价廉易得的质子酸的引入不仅可促进活性中间体烯胺的生成, 并可通过形成的氢键稳定反应的过渡态, 从而显著提高该催化体系的催化活性和立体选择性. 对各类手性胺-质子酸催化剂在有机催化不对称合成反应中的应用、不对称诱导反应的机理、手性胺和质子酸的分子结构对其催化活性和不对称诱导活性的影响进行了评述.     

Efficient Synthesis of Chiral Trisubstituted 1,2‐Allenyl Ketones by Catalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Malonic Esters to Enynes

An N,N′‐dioxide/scandium(III) complex catalyzed, highly efficient conjugate addition of malonic esters to enynes is described. A range of trisubstituted 1,2‐allenyl ketones were obtained in high yields (up to 99 %) with good d.r. (up to 95/5) and excellent ee values (97 %–99 %). Moreover, the products could be easily transformed into chiral furan and 5‐hydroxypyrazoline derivatives, both of which are important skeletons of many biologically active compounds and pharmacologicals.