Diastereo‐ and Enantioselective Synthesis of β‐Aminoboronate Esters by Copper(I)‐Catalyzed 1,2‐Addition of 1,1‐Bis[(pinacolato)boryl]alkanes to Imines

Reported herein is an efficient copper(I)‐catalytic system for the diastereo‐ and enantioselective 1,2‐addition of 1,1‐bis[(pinacolato)boryl]alkanes to protected imines to afford synthetically valuable enantioenriched β‐aminoboron compounds bearing contiguous stereogenic centers. The reaction exhibits a broad scope with respect to protected imines and 1,1‐bis[(pinacolato)boryl]alkanes, thus providing β‐aminoboronate esters with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivity. The synthetic utility of the obtained β‐aminoboronate ester was also demonstrated.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of 2,5‐Dihydrooxepines

A Michael addition initiated cyclopropanation/retro‐Claisen rearrangement tandem reaction was developed for the enantioselective synthesis of highly functionalized 2,5‐dihydrooxepines. In the presence of a chiral oxazaborolidinium ion (COBI) catalyst, the reaction proceeds to give good yields and high enantioselectivity.     

Stereospecific 1,4‐Metallate Shift Enables Stereoconvergent Synthesis of Ketoximes

Reported herein is a stereospecific 1,4‐metallate rearrangement for single‐geometry ketoxime synthesis from oxime chlorides and arylboronic acids. This strategy exhibits broad substrate scope with excellent stereoselectivity under mild reaction conditions. In comparison with the conventional approaches, each configuration of unsymmetric diaryl oximes, as well as the thermodynamically less stable Z isomer of aryl alkyl ketoximes can be selectively and exclusively obtained. The reactivities of unsymmetric diaryl oximes and the Z isomer of aryl alkyl oximes, a class of underexplored molecules, enables efficient access to the corresponding isoquinolines, isoquinoline N‐oxides, and amides having a single configuration.     

Design and Enantioselective Construction of Axially Chiral Naphthyl‐Indole Skeletons

The first enantioselective construction of a new class of axially chiral naphthyl‐indole skeletons has been established by organocatalytic asymmetric coupling reactions of 2‐naphthols with 2‐indolylmethanols (up to 99 % yield, 97:3 e.r.). This approach not only affords a new type of axially chiral heterobiaryl backbone, but also provides a new catalytic enantioselective strategy for constructing axially chiral biaryl scaffolds by making use of the C3‐electrophilicity of 2‐indolylmethanols.     

Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Fused Tri‐ and Tetrasubstituted Aziridines: aza‐Darzens Reaction of Cyclic Imines with α‐Halogenated Ketones Catalyzed by Bifunctional Phosphonium Salt

The first enantioselective aza‐Darzens reaction of cyclic imines with α‐halogenated ketones was realized under mild reaction conditions by using amino‐acid‐derived bifunctional phosphonium salts as phase‐transfer promoters. A variety of structurally dense tri‐ and tetrasubstituted aziridine derivatives, containing benzofused heterocycles as well as spiro‐structures, were readily synthesized in high yields with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities (up to >20:1 d.r. and >99.9 % ee). The highly functionalized aziridine products could be easily transformed into different classes of biologically active compounds.     

Regioselective Intermolecular Allylic C−H Amination of Disubstituted Olefins via Rhodium/π‐Allyl Intermediates

A method for catalytic intermolecular allylic C−H amination of trans ‐disubstituted olefins is reported. The reaction is efficient for a range of common nitrogen nucleophiles bearing one electron‐withdrawing group, and proceeds under mild reaction conditions. Good levels of regioselectivity are observed for a wide range of electronically diverse trans ‐β‐alkyl styrene substrates.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed meta‐C−H Functionalization of Arenes

Rhodium‐catalyzed ortho ‐C−H functionalization is well known in the literature. Described herein is the Xphos‐supported rhodium catalysis of meta ‐C−H olefination of benzylsulfonic acid and phenyl acetic acid frameworks with the assistance of a para ‐methoxy‐substituted cyano phenol as the directing group. Complete mono‐selectivity is observed for both scaffolds. A wide range of olefins and functional groups attached to arene are tolerated in this protocol.