A new synthetic route to enantiomerically pure axially chiral 2,2'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxides. Highly efficient catalysts for asymmetric allylation of aldehydes with allyl(trichloro)silanes

New axially chiral 2,2'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxides 1 were obtained in an enantiomerically pure form by way of cyclic diesters 6 or 7 which were formed by the esterification of diols 2 with (R)-2,2'-bis(chlorocarbonyl)-1,1'-binaphthalene (5). Epimerization of the kinetic products at the ester formation (R(nap),S(pyr))-6 to the thermodynamically stable isomers (R(nap),R(pyr))-7 was observed in refluxing toluene or in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid. One of the N,N'-dioxides 1a which is substituted with phenyl groups at the 6 and 6' positions was found to be highly catalytically active and enantioselective for the asymmetric allylation of aldehydes with allyl(trichloro)silane giving homoallyl alcohols.     

A highly efficient kinetic resolution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts achieved by N-Ar axially chiral Pd-complexes catalyzed asymmetric allylation

Palladium complexes with an axially chiral N-Ar framework have been developed. These complexes showed high stereoselectivities in asymmetric allylic arylation to achieve the kinetic resolution of Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts, affording up to 99% ee of (E)-allylation products and 92% ee of recovered Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts.     

A SeCSe-Pd(II) pincer complex as a highly efficient catalyst for allylation of aldehydes with allyltributyltin

An air- and moisture-stable SeCSe-Pd(II) pincer complex was synthesized and found to catalyze the nucleophilic allylation of aldehydes with allyltributyltin. The allylation of a variety of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to give the corresponding homoallyl alcohols was performed at room temperature to 60 degrees C in yields ranging from 50% (for typical aliphatic aldehydes) to up to 97% (for aromatic aldehydes) using 5 x 10(-3) to 1 mol % of the Pd catalyst. NMR spectroscopic study indicated that a sigma-allylpalladium intermediate was formed and possibly functions as the nucleophilic species that undergoes addition to the aldehydes.     

Synthesis of a biphenyl-based axially chiral amino acid as a highly efficient catalyst for the direct asymmetric aldol reaction

A biphenyl-based axially chiral amino acid (S)-2 has been designed and synthesized. The new amino acid (S)-2 has been found to be a more efficient catalyst than (S)-1 in the direct asymmetric aldol reaction of acetone with aldehydes. For instance, the use of only 0.1 mol % of (S)-2 was sufficient to complete the reaction between acetone and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde, giving the corresponding aldol adduct in good yield with an excellent enantioselectivity.     

Bis(NHC)-Pd(II) complexes as highly efficient catalysts for allylation of aldehydes with allyltributyltin

Novel cis-chelated bidentate bis(NHC)-Pd(II) complexes derived from 1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diamine (BINAM) bearing weakly coordinating acetate or trifluoroacetate counterions have been synthesized and their structures have been characterized by X-ray diffraction of single crystals. We found that these bis(NHC)-Pd(II) complexes were highly effective in the allylation of aldehydes with allyltributyltin to give the corresponding products in good to excellent yields in most cases at room temperature.     

A new pyrrolidine-derived atropisomeric amino alcohol as a highly efficient chiral ligand for the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

A highly efficient pyrrolidine-derived atropisomeric amino alcohol, (S_a)-1-[2-diphenylhydroxymethyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2-(1-pyrrolido)methyl-1H-pyrrole, has been synthesized as a chiral ligand for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to some prochiral aldehydes to afford (S)-alcohols. The conversion rates were close to quantitative with good to excellent enantiomeric excesses (up to 95% ee).     

A fluorous chiral dirhodium(II) complex as a recyclable asymmetric catalyst

[reaction: see text] The chiral fluorous complex tetrakis-dirhodium(II)-(S)-N-(n-perfluorooctylsulfonyl)prolinate has been prepared and used as a catalyst in homogeneous or fluorous biphasic fashion. The catalyst displays good chemo- and enantioselectivity in intermolecular cyclopropanation and C-H bond activation reactions. The catalyst can be simply and thoroughly separated from the reaction mixture and is recyclable.     

A highly efficient asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction catalyzed by cationic chiral palladium(ii) complexes

Cationic chiral palladium(ii) complexes are shown to catalyze the asymmetric coupling reaction of aryl boronates and aryl halides within a short period of time in good yield and enantioselectivity.     

Copper(II) tetrafluoroborate as a novel and highly efficient catalyst for acetal formation

Commercially available copper(II) tetrafluoroborate hydrate has been found to be a highly efficient catalyst for dimethyl/diethyl acetal formation in high yields from aldehydes and ketones by reaction with trimethyl/triethyl orthoformate at room temperature and in short period. Acetalisation was carried out under solvent-free conditions with electrophilic aldehydes/ketones. For weakly electrophilic aldehydes/ketones (e.g., benzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and acetophenone) and for aldehydes having a substituent that can coordinate with the catalyst, the corresponding alcohol was used as solvent.     

(S,S,S)-Perhydroindolic acid: efficient catalyst for direct asymmetric aldol reaction from aromatic aldehydes

Enantioselective addition of ketones to aromatic aldehydes has been achieved with up to 88% enantiomeric excess, using the commercially available (S,S,S)-perhydroindolic acid catalyst.     

Highly efficient asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with a D(4)-symmetric chiral dichlororuthenium(IV) porphyrin catalyst.

A dichlororuthenium(IV) complex of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[(1S,4R,5R,8S)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-1,2:5,8-dimethanoanthrance-9-yl]porphyrin, [Ru(IV)(D(4)-Por)Cl(2)] (1), was prepared by heating [Ru(II)(D(4)-Por)(CO)(MeOH)] (2) in refluxing CCl(4). Complex 1 is characterized by (1)H NMR (paramagnetically shifted pyrrolic protons at delta(H) = -52.3 ppm), FAB-mass spectroscopies, and magnetic susceptibility measurement (mu(eff) = 3.1 mu(B)). The ruthenium complex exhibits remarkable catalytic activity toward enantioselective alkene epoxidation using 2,6-dichloropyridine N-oxide (Cl(2)pyNO) as terminal oxidant. The Ru(IV)-catalyzed styrene epoxidation is achieved within 2 h (versus 48 h for the 2-catalyzed reaction), and optically active styrene oxide was obtained in 69% ee and 84% yield (875 turnovers). Likewise, substituted styrenes and some conjugated cis-disubstituted alkenes (e.g., cis-beta-methylstyrene, cis-1-phenyl-3-penten-1-yne, 1,2-dihydronaphthalene, and 2,2-dimethylchromenes) are converted effectively to their organic epoxides in 50-80% ee under the Ru(IV)-catalyzed conditions, and more than 850 turnovers of epoxides have been attained. When subjecting 1 to four repetitive uses by recharging the reaction mixture with Cl(2)pyNO and styrene, styrene oxide was obtained in a total of 2190 turnovers and 69% ee. UV-vis and ESI-mass spectral analysis of the final reaction mixture revealed that a ruthenium-carbonyl species could have been formed during the catalytic reaction, leading to the apparent catalyst deactivation. We prepared a heterogeneous chiral ruthenium porphyrin catalyst by immobilizing 1 into sol-gel matrix. The heterogeneous catalyst is highly active toward asymmetric styrene epoxidation producing styrene oxide in 69% ee with up to 10,800 turnovers being achieved. The loss of activity of the Ru/sol-gel catalyst is ascribed to catalyst leaching and/or deactivation. On the basis of Hammett correlation (rho(+) = -1.62, R = 0.99) and product analysis, a dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrin intermediate is not favored.     

Solid silica sulfuric acid (SSA) as a novel and efficient catalyst for acetylation of aldehydes and sugars

Acetylation of aldehydes and sugars catalyzed by solid silica sulfuric acid (SSA) is described. In these reactions SSA shows a highly catalytic nature: easy to handle procedure, short reaction time, recycle exploitation, insensitivity to air and moisture, excellent isolated yields. The catalyst could be recycled at least five times.     

A convenient and highly efficient method for the protection of aldehydes using very low loading hydrous ruthenium(III) trichloride as catalyst

A convenient method for the chemoselective protections of both aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes has been developed. Ruthenium(III) trichloride (0.1 mol %) has found to be an highly efficient catalyst in the acetalizations of aldehydes with various simple alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, or diols such as 1,2-ethylanediol and 1,3-propanediol under mild reaction conditions.     

Pyrrolidine-based chiral pyridinium ionic liquids (ILs) as recyclable and highly efficient organocatalysts for the asymmetric Michael addition reactions

A novel series of pyrrolidine-based chiral pyridinium ionic liquids (ILs) have been developed by using commercially available (S)-(2-aminomethyl)-1-N-Boc-pyrrolidine. These chiral ILs have been found to be recyclable and efficient organocatalysts for the asymmetric catalytic Michael addition reactions of ketones to nitroolefins with high yields, high enantioselectivies, and diastereoselectivies.     

Eu(III) dithiocarbamate complex and N-p-tolylsulfonylphenylalanine as a novel chiral catalyst for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

The use of a new chiral lanthanide complex derived from a europium dithiocarbamate complex and a N-tosylated amino acid for the asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins is described. In some cases, high enantioselectivities were observed.     

Synthesis of novel N,O-planar chiral [2,2]paracyclophane ligands and their application as catalysts in the addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

A series of novel planar chiral N,O-[2,2]paracyclophane ligands were synthesised and applied as catalysts in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. The results indicate that the planar chirality of [2,2]paracyclophane, not the central chirality of the oxazoline, is the dominant stereocontrolling element.