A highly enantioselective phosphabicyclooctane catalyst for the kinetic resolution of benzylic alcohols

A new class of chiral phosphines belonging to the P-aryl-2-phosphabicyclo[3.3.0]octane family (PBO) has been prepared by enantioselective synthesis starting from lactate esters and 2,2-dimethylcyclopentanone enolate 5. A selective enolate alkylation method has been developed for preparation of 9 and 10 using a chelating ester substituent in the triflate alkylating agent 11. Subsequent conversion to the PBO catalysts 2 and 39 relies on a diastereoselective cyclization from the cyclic sulfate 17 and LiPHAr to afford the more hindered endo-aryl phosphines. These phosphines function as efficient catalysts for the kinetic resolutions of aryl alkyl carbinols by benzoylation (16, 21, 22) or iso-butyroylation in the case of the less hindered aryl alkyl carbinol substrates. With o-substituted aryl alkyl carbinols, the enantioselectivities exceed 100, and s = 380 +/- 10 has been demonstrated in the case of methyl mesityl carbinol. The PBO-catalyzed acylations probably involve a P-acylphosphonium carboxylate intermediate and a tightly ion paired transition state.     

Intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloadditions of 1,3-enynes or arylalkynes with alkenes with highly reactive cationic phosphine Au(I) complexes

New Au(I) complexes with bulky, biphenyl phosphines are the most reactive catalysts for the cyclizations of enynes. 1,6-Enynes with an aryl ring at the alkyne give 2,3,9,9a-tetrahydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]naphthalenes by a 5-exo-dig cyclization followed by a Nazarov-type ring expansion. 1,8-Dien-3-ynes also cyclize by a 5-exo-dig pathway to form hydrindanes.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of piperidine derivatives through the [4 + 2] annulation of imines with allenes

Although tertiary phosphines have emerged as remarkably versatile nucleophilic catalysts, there has been only very limited progress in achieving asymmetric catalysis with chiral phosphines. In this report, the first highly enantioselective variant of the Kwon annulation of imines with allenes is described. Thus, C2-symmetric chiral phosphepine 1 serves as an effective catalyst for this powerful process, furnishing an array of functionalized piperidine derivatives with very good stereoselectivity.     

Phosphine-catalyzed nitroaldol reactions

Trialkyl phosphines and electron-rich triaryl phosphines are excellent catalysts for the nitroaldol (Henry) reaction. Aryl and alkyl aldehydes participate well in the reaction with nitromethane providing good yields of product. Care should be exercised in the use of phosphine-metal complexes as catalysts for the nitroaldol reaction, as the phosphine can alone function as the catalyst.     

Synthesis and evaluation of a new steroidal BINAP type phosphine

The short and high yielding synthesis of a new cis-configured bissteroidal phosphine 7 is reported. The comparison of these new phosphines as ligands in ruthenium-based hydrogenation catalysts with the previously synthesized diastereomeric trans-configured phosphines 20 shows that the steroid backbone exerts only a minor influence on the enantioselection of the ruthenium catalysts and confirms that the bissteroidal phosphines behave as ‘pseudo’-enantiomers in spite of their diastereomeric nature. Evidence is presented that the mode of catalyst preparation, i.e. catalyst structure, is the crucial reaction parameter which mainly determines the enantiomeric excess of the hydrogenation products.     

Reactions of Trivalent Phosphorus Compounds with Palladium Bis(acetylacetonate). Complexes Catalytically Active in Hydrogenation

Mechanisms of reactions between palladium bis(acetylacetonate) and tertiary and secondary phosphines and alkali-metal diphenylphosphides are discussed. Depending on the conditions, either complex formation or redox processes occur. The mechanism of formation and the nature of microheterogeneous catalysts for hydrogenation are considered using palladium acetylacetonate complexes with tertiary phosphines as an example. Data of NMR and IR spectroscopies, electron microscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that the catalysts are a palladium organophosphorus matrix with nanosize and with immobilized palladium clusters in the zero oxidation state.     

Synthesis characterization and hydroformylation activity of new mononuclear rhodium(I) compounds incorporated with polar-group functionalized phosphines

A first effort employing a range of polar-group functionalized phosphines (L ₁ –L ₇ ) to design mononuclear Rh(I) compounds of [Rh(quin-8-O)(CO)(L)] (quin-8-O = 8-hydroxy quinolate) is described. The reaction of a Rh(I) precursor [Rh(μ-Cl)(CO)₂]₂ with 8-hydroxyquinoline in the presence of a base followed by phosphines (L ₁ –L ₇ ) produced only a single isomer of [Rh(quin-8-O)(CO)(L)] compounds (1–7) with pendant, i.e. non-bonded, polar-groups (includes carboxyl, hydroxyl and formyl). A relationship between Δgd³¹P chemical shifts and the ν(C≡O) was derived to evaluate and explain the σ-donor properties of these phosphines with respect to the electronic properties of the polar groups and the extent of π-back-bonding to the CO group. These mononuclear Rh(I)-Phosphines were investigated as catalysts in the hydroformylation of 1-hexene and cyclohexene in aqueous two-phase and single-phase solvent systems. The Rh(I) catalysts with strong σ-donor and hydrophilic phosphines provided better yields and selectivities for the hydroformylation products, which is a reverse trend compared to literature reports. When the Rh(I) compounds contained strong σ-donor phosphines, the π-acceptor properties of the pyridine ring of 8-hydroxyquinolate were found to be beneficial for the facile cleavage of the CO group during hydroformylation, and additionally, to improve the kinetic stability of catalysts.     

Palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling of aryl halides with aryl boronic acids in the presence of glucosamine-based phosphines

Carbohydrate-substituted phosphines are easily obtained in quite good yields by coupling of protected or non-protected d-glucosamine with the corresponding diphenylphosphino acid. These neutral ligands, in association with palladium acetate, are very active catalysts in the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. The polyhydroxy phosphines are more active than the peracetylated phosphines. The process tolerates electron-rich as well as electron-poor substituents. Excellent turnovers, up to 97?000 are observed.     

Rhodium phosphine complexes as homogeneous catalysts. part 3. Homogeneous ssymmetric hydrogenation of schiffs bases

Summary Complexes formed from [Rh(norbornadiene)Cl]₂ and tertiary phosphines under hydrogen are active catalysts for the homogeneous hydrogenation of Schiff bases at 30–80° and 1-70 bars. Using chiral phosphines some optical induction can be achieved, but the optical yields are rather low.     

High efficiency of cavity-based triaryl-phosphines in nickel-catalysed Kumada-Tamao-Corriu cross-coupling

Combining diaryl-calixarenyl phosphines with [Ni(cod)(2)] resulted in highly active Kumada-Tamao-Corriu cross-coupling catalysts. With one of the ligands, TOFs up to 439,000 mol(ArBr) mol(Ni)(-1) h(-1) were observed in the reaction of 1-bromonaphthalene with PhMgBr. The systems were also found to be active at room temperature with aryl chlorides.     

Applications of Chiral Phosphine‐Based Organocatalysts in Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions

Chiral phosphines are versatile Lewis basic catalysts that are capable of promoting a wide range of asymmetric reactions. In particular, recently designed chiral phosphines based on the concept of bi‐/multifunctionality have been demonstrated to be effective catalysts for many types of asymmetric reactions, such as (aza)‐MBH reactions, cycloaddition reactions, and nucleophilic addition reactions. This short overview summarizes the recent advances in this field and highlights the most‐significant achievements.     

Palladacycle-catalyzed asymmetric hydrophosphination of enones for synthesis of C*- and P*-chiral tertiary phosphines

A highly reactive and stereoselective hydrophosphination of enones catalyzed by palladacycles for the synthesis of C*- and P*-chiral tertiary phosphines has been developed. When Ph(2)PH was employed as the hydrophosphinating reagent, a series of C*-chiral tertiary phosphines were synthesized (C*-P bond formation) in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities, and a single recrystallization provides access to their enantiomerically pure forms. When racemic secondary phosphines rac-R(3)(R(4))PH were utilized, a series of tertiary phosphines containing both C*- and P*-chiral centers were generated (C*-P* bond formation) in high yields with good diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The stereoelectronic factors involved in the catalytic cycle have been revealed.     

Palladium-catalyzed 1,3-butadiene telomerization with methanol. Improved catalyst performance using bis-o-methoxy substituted triarylphosphines

New, improved phosphine ligands for palladium-catalyzed butadiene telomerization with methanol have been discovered. Using high throughput experimentation and an Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) investigation of telomerization catalysts solutions, we have identified phosphines of the type P(C₆H₄-2-OMe)₂(C₆H_5−n(X)_n), where X is an electron-withdrawing group, as high selectivity, high activity phosphine ligands for butadiene telomerization with methanol to 1-methoxy-2,7-octadiene (MOD-1). These ligands were designed to mitigate anaerobic oxidation of phosphines by alkylation which was shown by Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) studies to correlate with catalyst death and palladium precipitation in working telomerization catalyst solutions. The best phosphine-promoted catalysts achieve selectivities to desired 1-methoxy-2,7-octadiene of 94% at high butadiene conversion, significantly improved over those achieved commercially by triphenylphosphine.     

Recent Advances in Amino Acid-Based Phosphine Catalysts and Their Applications in Asymmetric Reactions

Amino acid-based catalysts have been intensively researched in recent years. Amino acid-derived phosphines possess high nucleophilicity and exhibit unique catalytic activities in asymmetric synthesis. L-Threonine and valine are most utilized natural amino acids in the preparation of chiral phosphines. The efficient and versatile chiral phosphine catalysts are applied in a wide range of reactions such as MBH reaction, Rauhut–Currier reaction, Michael addition, [4 + 2]-annulation, [3 + 2]-annulation, 1,4-dipolar cycloaddition. They are also widely used in the construction of core structures of natural products. Amino acid-based phosphine catalysts and their applications in asymmetric synthesis are summarized.     

Chemoselective electrophilic oxidation of heteroatoms by hydroperoxy sultams

The synthesis of novel hydroperoxy sultams 1b-d and their potential as renewable chemoselective electrophilic oxidants for a wide range of nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus heteroatoms in nonaqueous media is described. Reactions of 1b,c with secondary amines 10f,g yielded the hydroxysultams 2b,c and nitrone 11f or radical 11g depending on the substrate and stoichiometry, while tertiary amines 10a-d gave amine oxides 11a-d. Compounds 1c,d oxidized various thioethers 12a-g to sulfoxides 13a-g smoothly that were isolated by chromatography in nearly quantitative yields. 1c was regenerated from 2c by treatment of the latter with acidified H2O2. Kinetic studies of the reaction of 1c with 1,4-thioxane 12f suggest that the reaction follows the second-order kinetics, first order in substrate and first order in oxidant with the second-order rate constant several orders of magnitude larger than that of the corresponding reaction with hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide without the need for any acid or heavy metal catalysts. The phosphines 14a,b were also oxidized by 1c to the respective phosphine oxides 15a,b readily in quantitative yields. The reactions may be conducted at ambient temperature or lower and appear to proceed via a nonradical mechanism. Reactions are sensitive to steric as well as electronic factors.     

Phosphine-catalyzed Heine reaction

Aziridines are important synthetic intermediates which readily undergo ring-opening reactions. It is demonstrated that electron-rich phosphines are efficient catalysts for the regioselective rearrangement of N-acylaziridines to oxazolines. The reactions occur in excellent yield under neutral conditions. Evidence is provided for an addition/elimination mechanism by generation of a phosphonium intermediate. Similar intermediates may be useful for the development of alternate aziridine ring-opening processes and stereoselective synthesis with enantiopure phosphines.     

Expanding the catalytic activity of nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbenes for transesterification reactions

[reaction: see text] Currently, there is a renewed interest in reactions that are catalyzed by organic compounds. Typical organic catalysts for acylation or transesterification reactions are based on either nucleophilic tertiary amines or phosphines. This communication discusses the use of nucleophilic N-heterocyclic carbenes as efficient transesterification catalysts. These relatively unexplored and highly versatile organic catalysts were found to be mild, selective, and more active than traditional organic nucleophiles.     

Synthesis of unprotected and borane-protected cyclic phosphines using Ru- and Mo- based olefin metathesis catalysts

Ru- and Mo-based catalysts can be used in ring closing metathesis (RCM) reactions to synthesise cyclic phosphines protected as their borane complexes. The compatibility of the Schrock Mo-catalyst and the N-heterocyclic carbene Ru-catalysts with this class of substrates is particularly noteworthy as asymmetric RCM (ARCM) is now emerging as a new tool for the preparation of homochiral phosphines. One of the key results is that the Mo-catalyst allows the ring closure of the unprotected diallylphenylphosphine with 95% conversion.     

End Group Functionalization of PFpP Macromolecules Via Fp Migration Insertion Reactions

PFpP macromolecules, synthesized via migration insertion polymerization of CpFe(CO)₂(CH₂)₃PPh₂ (FpP), exhibit reactive Fp end groups for further migration insertion reactions in the presence of phosphines. A number of alkyl diphenylphosphines with varied alkyl length, Ph₂PCn (n = 6, 10, 18), have been prepared for the reaction, resulting in PFpP‐PPh₂Cn (n = 6, 10, 18) amphiphiles. The phosphines with longer alkyl chains impose steric hindrance for the reaction and therefore require longer reaction times and excess phosphines relative to PFpP.

     

Phosphines: Nucleophilic organic catalysts for the controlled ring‐opening polymerization of lactides

A new metal‐free synthetic approach to the controlled ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide with nucleophilic phosphines as transesterification catalysts is described. P(Bu)₃, PhPMe₂, Ph₂PMe, PPh₃, and related phosphines are commercially available, inexpensive catalysts that generate narrowly dispersed polylactides with predictable molecular weights. These organic catalysts must be used in combination with an initiator, such as an alcohol, to generate an alcoholate ester α‐end group upon ROP. A likely polymerization pathway is through a monomer‐activated mechanism, with minimal active species, facilitating narrow molecular weight distributions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 844–851, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10168