Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Access to Distant Stereocenters Embedded within Tetrahydroxanthenes: Utilizing ortho‐Quinone Methides as Reactive Intermediates in Asymmetric Brønsted Acid Catalysis

A protocol for the highly enantioselective synthesis of 9‐substituted tetrahydroxanthenones by means of asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis has been developed. A chiral binol‐based N‐triflyphosphoramide was found to promote the in situ generation of ortho‐quinone methides and their subsequent reaction with 1,3‐cyclohexanedione to provide the desired products with excellent enantioselectivities. In addition, a highly enantio‐ and diastereoselective Brønsted acid catalyzed desymmetrization of 5‐monosubstituted 1,3‐dicarbonyl substrates with ortho‐quinone methides gives rise to valuable tetrahydroxanthenes containing two distant stereocenters.     

Asymmetric Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Nazarov Cyclization of Acyclic α‐Alkoxy Dienones

A Brønsted acid‐catalyzed asymmetric Nazarov cyclization of acyclic α‐alkoxy dienones has been developed. The reaction offers access to chiral cyclopentenones in a highly enantioselective manner. The reaction is complementary to our previously reported Brønsted acid‐catalyzed electrocyclization reactions, which provided differently substituted optically active cyclopentenones with a fused tetrahydropyrane ring in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities.     

Enantioselective Direct Mannich‐Type Reactions Catalyzed by Frustrated Lewis Acid/Brønsted Base Complexes

An enantioselective direct Mannich‐type reaction catalyzed by a sterically frustrated Lewis acid/Brønsted base complex is disclosed. Cooperative functioning of the chiral Lewis acid and achiral Brønsted base components gives rise to in situ enolate generation from monocarbonyl compounds. Subsequent reaction with hydrogen‐bond‐activated aldimines delivers β‐aminocarbonyl compounds with high enantiomeric purity.     

Enantioselective Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylative Carbocyclization of Enallenes via Cross‐Dehydrogenative Coupling with Terminal Alkynes: Efficient Construction of α‐Chirality of Ketones

An enantioselective Pd^II/Brønsted acid‐catalyzed carbonylative carbocyclization of enallenes ending with a cross‐dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) with a terminal alkyne was developed. VAPOL phosphoric acid was found as the best co‐catalyst among the examined 28 chiral acids, for inducing the enantioselectivity of α‐chiral ketones. As a result, a number of chiral cyclopentenones were easily synthesized in good to excellent enantiomeric ratio with good yields.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Intramolecular Aza‐Diels–Alder Reactions

A readily available chiral Brønsted acid was identified as an efficient catalyst for intramolecular Povarov reactions. Polycyclic amines containing three contiguous stereogenic centers were obtained with excellent stereocontrol in a single step from secondary anilines and aldehydes possessing a pendent dienophile. These transformations constitute the first examples of catalytic enantioselective intramolecular aza‐Diels–Alder reactions.     

Brønsted Acid Catalyzed,Conjugate Addition of β‐Dicarbonyls to In Situ Generated ortho‐Quinone Methides—Enantioselective Synthesis of 4‐Aryl‐4H‐Chromenes

We describe herein a catalytic, enantioselective process for the synthesis of 4H‐chromenes which are important structural elements of many natural products and biologically active compounds. A sequence comprising a conjugate addition of β‐diketones to in situ generated ortho‐quinone methides followed by a cyclodehydration reaction furnished 4‐aryl‐4H‐chromenes in generally excellent yields and high optical purity. A BINOL‐based chiral phosphoric acid was employed as a Brønsted acid catalyst which converted ortho‐hydroxy benzhydryl alcohols into hydrogen‐bonded ortho‐quinone methides and effected the carbon–carbon bond‐forming event with high enantioselectivity.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Heterocyclic γ‐Amino‐Acid and Diamine Derivatives by Three‐Component Radical Cascade Reactions

An enantioselective three‐component radical reaction of quinolines or pyridines with enamides and α‐bromo carbonyl compounds by dual photoredox and chiral Brønsted acid catalysis is presented. A range of valuable chiral γ‐amino‐acid derivatives are accessible in high chemo‐, regio‐, and enantioselectivity from simple, readily available starting materials under mild reaction conditions. Using the same strategy, the asymmetric synthesis of 1,2‐diamine derivatives is also reported.     

Enantioselective CH Bond Functionalization Triggered by Radical Trifluoromethylation of Unactivated Alkene

An asymmetric unactivated alkene/C? H bond difunctionalization reaction for the concomitant construction of C? CF₃ and C? O bonds was realized by using a Cu/Brønsted acid cooperative catalytic system, thus providing facile access to valuable chiral CF₃‐containing N,O‐aminals with excellent regio‐, chemo‐, and enantioselectivity. Mechanistic studies revealed that this reaction may proceed by an unprecedented 1,5‐hydride shift involving activation of unactivated alkenes and a radical trifluoromethylation to initiate subsequent enantioselective functionalization of C? H bonds. Control experiments also suggested that chiral Brønsted acid plays multiple roles and not only controls the stereoselectivity but also increases the reaction rate through activation of Togni’s reagent.     

Brønsted Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydroamination of Alkenes: Synthesis of Pyrrolidines Bearing a Tetrasubstituted Carbon Stereocenter

The first highly enantioselective Brønsted acid catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of alkenes enables the efficient construction of a series of chiral (spirocyclic) pyrrolidines with an α‐tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenter with excellent functional group tolerance. A unique feature of this strategy is the use of a thiourea group acting as both the activating and the directing group through cooperative multiple hydrogen bonding with a Brønsted acid and the double bond. The utility of this method is highlighted by the facile construction of chiral synthetic intermediates and important structural motifs that are widely found in organic synthesis.     

Synthesis of Enantioenriched Indolines by a Conjugate Addition/Asymmetric Protonation/Aza‐Prins Cascade Reaction

A conjugate addition/asymmetric protonation/aza‐Prins cascade reaction has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of fused polycyclic indolines. A catalyst system generated from ZrCl₄ and 3,3′‐dibromo‐BINOL enables the synthesis of a range of polycyclic indolines in good yields and with high enantioselectivity. A key finding is the use of TMSCl and 2,6‐dibromophenol as a stoichiometric source of HCl to facilitate catalyst turnover. This transformation is the first in which a ZrCl₄?BINOL complex serves as a chiral Lewis‐acid‐assisted Brønsted acid.     

Asymmetric Triple Relay Catalysis: Enantioselective Synthesis of Spirocyclic Indolines through a One‐Pot Process Featuring an Asymmetric 6π Electrocyclization

A rare example of a one‐pot process that involves asymmetric triple relay catalysis is reported. The key step is an asymmetric [1,5] electrocyclic reaction of functionalized ketimines. The substrates for this process were obtained in situ in a two‐step process that involved the hydrogenation of nitroarenes with a Pd/C catalyst to yield aryl amines and their subsequent coupling with isatin derivatives in a Brønsted acid catalyzed ketimine formation reaction. The electrocyclization was catalyzed by a bifunctional chiral Brønsted base/hydrogen bond donor catalyst. The one‐pot process gave the desired products in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivity.     

Palladium(II)/Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Oxidative Carbocyclization–Borylation of Enallenes

An enantioselective oxidative carbocyclization–borylation of enallenes that is catalyzed by palladium(II) and a Brønsted acid was developed. Biphenol‐type chiral phosphoric acids were superior co‐catalysts for inducing the enantioselective cyclization. A number of chiral borylated carbocycles were synthesized in high enantiomeric excess.     

Development of Chiral Organosuperbase Catalysts Consisting of Two Different Organobase Functionalities

In the field of chiral Brønsted base catalysis, a new generation of chiral catalysts has been highly anticipated to overcome the intrinsic limitation of pronucleophiles that are applicable to the enantioselective reactions. Herein, we reveal conceptually new chiral Brønsted base catalysts consisting of two different organobase functionalities, one of which functions as an organosuperbase and the other as the substrate recognition site. Their prominent activity, which stems from the distinctive cooperative function by the two organobases in a single catalyst molecule, was demonstrated in the unprecedented enantioselective direct Mannich‐type reaction of α‐phenylthioacetate as a less acidic pronucleophile. The present achievement would provide a new guiding principle for the design and development of chiral Brønsted base catalysts and significantly broaden the utility of Brønsted base catalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.     

Organoiodine‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Alkoxylation/Oxidative Rearrangement of Allylic Alcohols

An enantioselective catalytic alkoxylation/oxidative rearrangement of allylic alcohols has been established by using a Brønsted acid and chiral organoiodine. The presence of 20 mol % of an (S)‐proline‐derived C₂‐symmetric chiral iodine led to enantioenriched α‐arylated β‐alkoxylated ketones in good yields and with high levels of enantioselectivity (84–94 % ee).     

Chiral Brønsted Acid Directed Iron‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with β‐Aryl α′‐Hydroxy Enones

A cooperative catalytic system established by the combination of an iron salt and a chiral Brønsted acid has proven to be effective in the asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with β‐aryl α′‐hydroxy enones. Good to excellent yields and enatioselectivities were observed for a variety of α′‐hydroxy enones and indoles, particularly for the β‐aryl α′‐hydroxy enones bearing an electron‐withdrawing group at the para position of the phenyl ring (up to 90 % yield and 91 % ee). The proton of the chiral Brønsted acid, the Lewis acid activation site, as well as the inherent basic site for the hydrogen‐bonding interaction of the Brønsted acid are responsible for the high catalytic activities and enantioselectivities of the title reaction. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed. The key catalytic species in the catalytic system, the phosphate salt of Fe^III, which was thought to be responsible for the high activity and good enantioselectivity, was then confirmed by ESIMS studies.     

Enantioselective Addition Reaction of Azlactones with Styrene Derivatives Catalyzed by Strong Chiral Brønsted Acids

An enantioselective intermolecular addition reaction of azlactones, as carbon nucleophiles, with styrene derivatives, as simple olefins, was demonstrated using a newly developed chiral Brønsted acid catalyst, namely, F₁₀BINOL‐derived N‐triflyl phosphoramide. Addition products having vicinal tetrasubstituted carbon centers, one of which is an all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center, were formed in good yields with moderate to high stereoselectivities. Extremely high acidity of the new chiral Brønsted acid was confirmed by its calculated pK_a value based on DFT studies and is the key to accomplishing not only high catalytic activity but also efficient stereocontrol in the intermolecular addition.     

Enantioselective C?H Bond Functionalization Triggered by Radical Trifluoromethylation of Unactivated Alkene

An asymmetric unactivated alkene/C H bond difunctionalization reaction for the concomitant construction of C CF₃ and C O bonds was realized by using a Cu/Brønsted acid cooperative catalytic system, thus providing facile access to valuable chiral CF₃‐containing N,O‐aminals with excellent regio‐, chemo‐, and enantioselectivity. Mechanistic studies revealed that this reaction may proceed by an unprecedented 1,5‐hydride shift involving activation of unactivated alkenes and a radical trifluoromethylation to initiate subsequent enantioselective functionalization of C H bonds. Control experiments also suggested that chiral Brønsted acid plays multiple roles and not only controls the stereoselectivity but also increases the reaction rate through activation of Togni’s reagent.     

Exploiting the Multidentate Nature of Chiral Disulfonimides in a Multicomponent Reaction for the Asymmetric Synthesis of Pyrrolo[1,2‐a]indoles: A Remarkable Case of Enantioinversion

A new multicomponent coupling reaction for the enantioselective synthesis of pyrrolo[1,2‐a]indoles under the catalysis of a chiral disulfonimide is described. The high specificity of the reaction is a consequence of the multidentate character of the Brønsted acid catalyst. Insights from DFT calculations helped explain the unexpected high enantioselectivity observed with the simplest 3,3′‐unsubstituted binaphthyl catalyst as a result of transition‐state stabilization by a network of cooperative noncovalent interactions. The remarkable enantioinversion resulting from the simple introduction of substituents at 3‐ and 3′‐positions, the first reported example of this phenomenon in the context of binaphthalene‐derived Brønsted acid catalysis, was instead attributed to destabilizing steric interactions.     

A Cooperative N‐Heterocyclic Carbene/Chiral Phosphate Catalysis System for Allenolate Annulations

The highly enantioselective NHC‐catalyzed [3+2] annulation reaction with α,β‐alkynals and α‐ketoesters has been developed. A new mode of cooperative catalysis involving the combination of a chiral Brønsted acid and a C₁‐symmetric biaryl saturated‐imidazolium precatalyst was required to generate the desired γ‐crotonolactones in high yields and levels of enantioselectivity.     

From Palladium to Brønsted Acid Catalysis: Highly Enantioselective Regiodivergent Addition of Alkoxyallenes to Pyrazolones

A highly enantioselective regiodivergent addition of alkoxyallenes to pyrazolones was developed to afford multiply functionalized alkylated products bearing a quaternary carbon stereocenter in high yields with excellent stereoselectivities. One approach is enabled by palladium catalysis, thus leading to branched allylic pyrazol‐5‐ones under mild reaction conditions. The other is catalyzed by a chiral Brønsted acid to give linear products exclusively. Moreover, the usefulness of this new method was highlighted by converting the allylic products into other interesting multifunctionalized pyrazolone derivatives which would be of great potential for the exploitation of pharmaceutically important molecules.