A highly diastereoselective decarboxylative mannich reaction of β-keto acids with optically active N-sulfinyl α-imino esters

A range of protected γ-oxo-α-amino esters have been prepared in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner through the decarboxylative Mannich reaction of β-keto acids with optically active N-tert-butanesulfinyl α-imino esters in the presence of 3 mol % La(OTf)(3) or 5 mol % Y(OTf)(3) at 20 °C. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that the reaction proceeds through imine addition followed by decarboxylation.     

Studies on the reaction of α-imino esters with organometallic compounds

Benzylzinc reagent reacted with α-imino ester (2) at the α-carbon exclusively, though other organometallic reagents such as Mg. Al, Cu, Tl, and B derivatives reacted at the nitrogen atom. Use of the (S)-amine as a chiral auxiliary of 2 created the R chirality at the imino carbon. Very high chiral Induction was realized In the reaction of prenylzinc reagent wlih α-imino 8-(-)phenylmenthyl ester (10). The reaction of 2 with heteroatom substituted allylic organometalic compounds (15) gave the corresponding α-heterostom substituted amino acid derivatives (16). Here again, the allylic zinc reagent gave the adduct in higher yield than the corresponding Tl, Al, and B reagents.     

The reaction of optically active α-aminocarboxylic acid hydrazides with triethyl orthoesters

New derivatives of 2-(1-amino-1-phenylmethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole and 1,2,4-triazin-6-one were synthesised in the reactions of optically active α-aminocarboxylic acid hydrazides and triethyl orthoesters in xylene. The electronic and steric effects of substituents at the α position influencing the formation of five- or six-membered products are discussed.     

A highly stereoselective conversion of α,β-epoxy esters to α-hydroxy esters. An efficient route to optically active α-hydroxyesters

α,β-Epoxy esters were cleanly converted to α-hydroxy esters with retention of the configurations at the α-carbon atoms via MgI₂-promoted regioselective oxirane ring-opening followed by tributyltin hydride-reduction.     

Photocatalytic aerobic cross-coupling reaction of N-substituted anilines with N-aryl glycine esters: Synthesis of α-aryl α-amino esters

A novel photocatalytic cross dehydrogenative coupling reaction of N-aryl glycine esters with N-substituted anilines has been developed. The reaction proceeds effectively using methylene blue as a photocatalyst under visible light irradiation without any metal, chemical oxidant or additive. A variety of α-aryl α-amino derivatives were prepared in moderate to excellent yields with a high para-regioselectivity.     

The reaction of α-stannylmethyllithium with esters

Ketonic compounds were prepared from esters using α-stannylmethyllithium as the reagent.     

A diastereoselective aza-Diels-Alder reaction of N-aryl-1-azadienes derived from α-amino acids with enamines

A diastereoselective inverse electron demand aza-Diels-Alder reaction of N-aryl-1-azadienes derived from α-amino acids is accomplished using enamine dienophiles. Activation with ytterbium triflate of these azadienes affords dimeric structures through aza-Diels-Alder reaction, where the alkene double bond of 1-azadienes also adopts the role of dienophile. An asymmetric synthesis of functionalised 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine compounds derived from α-amino acids using an optically active enamine is reported.     

Synthesis of optically active α-aminobenzolactam via an oxidative–cyclization reaction

A convergent pathway for the asymmetric synthesis of (−)-α-aminobenzolactam 1 is described. For the first time, the key intermediate N-methoxybenzolactam 8 was prepared from l-homophenylalanine ethyl ester hydrochloride (LHPE·HCl) 5 by employing an oxidative cyclization in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA).     

The preparation of optically active α-amino 4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-5-ones from optically active α-amino acids

Optically active α-amino 4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-5-ones (oxadiazolones) were prepared from optically active α-amino acids in five synthetic steps. The oxadiazolone moiety serves as a bioisosteric replacement for the carboxylic acid. Incorporation of an α-amino oxadiazolone into a representative dipeptide mimic is described.     

Investigation of the reaction of α-thioamides, α-esters and α-nitriles with N-halosuccinimides

Investigation of the reaction of α-thioamides, α-esters and α-nitriles with NBS and NCS is described. The scope of this stereoselective oxidative transformation to the β-haloacrylamides, β-acrylates and β-acrylonitriles has been determined. A mechanistic rationale to explain the observed differences in reactivity between the amide, ester and nitrile series is proposed.     

The reaction of carbohydrate-derived alkoxyaldehydes with methoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane: stereoselective synthesis of β-unsaturated esters

The reaction of several carbohydrate-derive alkoxyaldehydes with methoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane afford α, β-unsaturated esters with Z-stereoselectivity. The stereoselectivity depends on the substrate stucture and the nature of the solvent used.     

Catalysis of highly stereoselective Mannich-type reactions of ketones with α-imino esters by a pyrrolidine-sulfonamide. Synthesis of unnatural α-amino acids

The novel pyrrolidine-sulfonamide I has been prepared and used successfully to catalyze Mannich-type reactions between ketones and α-imino esters. The process is used to efficiently synthesize functionalized α-amino acid derivatives with excellent levels of regio-, diastereo-, and enantio-selectivity.     

Advantage of in situ generation of N-arylsulfonyl imines from α-amide sulfones in the phase-transfer-catalyzed asymmetric Strecker reaction

Highly efficient, catalytic enantioselective synthesis of N-arylsulfonyl α-amino nitriles from the corresponding α-amido sulfones has been achieved under toluene-aqueous potassium cyanide biphasic conditions using chiral quaternary ammonium iodide (R,R,R)-1 as an effective phase-transfer catalyst. This Strecker synthesis involving the in situ generation of the reactive N-sulfonyl imines is advantageous for the cyanation of the substrates having primary and secondary alkyl substituents.     

Diastereoselective electrophilic α-amination of camphor N-acyl N-phenylpyrazolidinones: the metal enolate-dependent synthesis of two possible hydrazide diastereomers

Complementary approaches under enolate amination reactions for the synthesis of both α-hydrazidoacyl diastereomers have been achieved. Both isomers are obtained with high to excellent chemical yields and high stereoselectivities (up to >95:5 dr) when aryl-substituted camphor N¹-acyl N²-phenylpyrazolidinone was treated with potassium hexamethyldisilylamide (KHMDS) and lithium hexamethyldisilylamide (LHMDS), respectively, followed by the addition of di-tert-butyl azodicarboxylate. The nondestructive removal of the chiral auxiliary, which can be carried out under mild condition, afforded the hydrazido alcohol with high enantiomeric ratio. The facial stereoselectivity and stereochemical course of the reactions are discussed.     

A novel annulation reaction of N-substituted-2-nitrosoanilines with esters of α-isocyano acids. A one-pot,two-step route to 2-benzimidazole-substituted esters of α-amino acids

A BF₃-promoted α-addition of isocyanides to both nitrogen atoms of N-aryl-2-nitrosoanilines leads to stable BF₃-complexes of 3-N-hydroxy-(2-alkylimino)benzimidazole derivatives, which, after reduction with Zn in AcOH produce 1-N-aryl-2-alkylaminobenzimidazoles. This two-step annulation proceeds efficiently in a one-pot protocol with isocyanides derived from esters of α-amino acids. The chirality of the latter remains unaffected in the reaction.     

Organocatalytic conjugate addition of α-nitroacetates to β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters and subsequent decarboxylation: synthesis of optically active δ-nitro-α-keto esters

Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of tert-butyl nitroacetates to β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters has been developed. The subsequent in situ hydrolysis-decarboxylation of the adducts provided 5-nitro-2-oxopentanoates. A pyrrolidine-based thiourea-tertiary amine was identified as the best catalyst. A number of γ-aryl, γ-alkyl, and γ-heteroaryl β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters and α-substituted tert-butyl nitroacetates were examined in the transformation. Generally 5-nitro-2-oxopentanoates were obtained in good yields (up to 97%) and enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The products were readily transformed to chiral proline derivatives by catalytic hydrogenation.     

Stereoselective synthesis of optically active cyclic α- and β-amino esters through lipase-catalyzed transesterification or interesterification processes

A series of cyclic α- and β-amino esters belonging to a family of indolines and quinolines have been efficiently synthesized to study their behavior in lipase-mediated kinetic resolution reactions. The influence of the fused ring structure to the benzene ring and the position of the ester functionality relative to the amino group have been demonstrated, finding excellent values of enantiodiscrimination in the transesterification reaction of methyl indoline-3-carboxylate with n-butanol catalyzed by Candida antarctica lipase B being observed. On the other hand, low to moderate selectivities have been found when using a wide panel of lipases toward methyl indoline-2-carboxylate or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives in alkoxycarbonylation, transesterification or interesterification reactions.     

An improved procedure for the two carbon homologation of esters to α, β-unsaturated esters

Treatment of esters with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL) in the presence of lithio-trialkylphosphonoacetate results in improved yields of the homologated α, β-unsaturated esters. The problematic overreduction, which has previously observed in the half reduction of esters using DIBAL, is minimal (<3%) under these conditions.     

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of optically active α-hydroxyl-β,γ-unsaturated acid esters as novel side chains of cerebrosides

Six optically active α-hydroxyl-β,γ-unsaturated acid esters 1a to 1f were synthesised, and they are significant moieties of the cerebrosides. The chiral intermediate alkynol 4 prepared by catalytic asymmetric addition had 99% ee, and which was converted into the target compounds 1a to 1f with high enantiomeric purity.