Highly enantioselective direct Michael addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to β-fluoroalkyl-α-nitroalkenes

Cinchona alkaloid catalysts were used in the Michael addition reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to β-fluoroalkyl-α-nitroalkenes for the first time. The catalytic system performed well over a broad scope of substrates including β-keto esters and 1,3-diketones with high diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) under mild conditions. A wide range of useful fluorinated chiral building blocks was synthesized.     

Highly enantioselective direct vinylogous Michael addition of γ-butenolide to enals

An unprecedented and simple direct vinylogous addition of deconjugated butenolide to enals has been developed in excellent stereoselectivities (>95% ee), with Aminal-PYrrolidine (APY) catalyst. This methodology allows for the efficient preparation of complex γ-butenolide from readily available renewable resources. Furthermore, preliminary mechanistic investigations have allowed for the better understanding of the origin of both stereoselectivities and of the observed high reactivities.     

High enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters catalyzed by bifunctional thioureas

A highly enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters was achieved using cinchona alkaloid-derived thioureas as the bifunctional catalyst. The corresponding Michael addition products were obtained in excellent yields (90–99%) and ee values (up to >99% ee) using a quinidine-derived thiourea as the catalyst under neat conditions. The opposite enantiomer may be obtained using a quinine- or cinchonidine-derived thiourea as the catalyst.     

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective organocatalytic michael addition of α-ketoamides to nitroalkenes

The first organocatalytic enantio- and diastereoselective conjugate addition of α-ketoamides to nitroalkenes has been achieved using a bifunctional amino thiourea catalyst. In this new approach, the substrate amide proton plays a critical role in the formation of the Michael anti-adducts in high yields and high stereoselectivities. To illustrate the high synthetic potential of this methodology, the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of a hexasubstituted cyclohexane via a Michael-Michael-Henry cascade reaction is described.     

Pyridylmagnesiates: generation by bromine–metal exchange and enantioselective addition to aldehydes

Butyl and dibutylmagnesiates incorporating chiral ligands have been prepared and their reactivity studied. The reagents were efficient to promote the clean bromine–magnesium exchange of azinyl bromides at room temperature and subsequent reaction with aldehydes affording pyridylcarbinols. (R,R)-TADDOL-based dibutylmagnesiate was the best reagent leading to acceptable to good enantioselectivities, depending on the substrate and on the aldehyde substitution. This is the first example of enantioselective addition of in situ generated pyridylmagnesiate to carbonyl electrophiles.     

Chiral cobalt(II)-salen-catalyzed Michael addition of amines to β-substituted nitroalkenes

Optically active cobalt(II) salen complexes were found to be effective Lewis acid catalysts for the enantioselective Michael addition of O-alkylhydroxylamines to nitroalkenes to afford the corresponding N-alkylhydroxyl-1,2-nitroamines in high yields and with good to high enantioselectivities. This study represents the first example of a transition-metal-catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of amines to nitroalkenes.     

Comparison of the reactivity of β-thiolactones and β-lactones toward ring-opening by thiols and amines

An investigation into the comparative reactivity of simple β-lactones and β-thiolactones toward a thiol and a primary amine is reported. A simple 3-mercaptomethyl-2-oxetanone is found to undergo rearrangement in the presence of aqueous base to give the corresponding thietane-3-carboxylic acid rather than the 3-hydroxymethyl-2-thietanone. Implications for the use of β-thiolactones in bioorganic and medicinal chemistry are discussed.     

Noscapine-derived β-amino alcohols as new organocatalysts for enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

In this paper, synthesis of two derivatives of noscapine and their application as organocatalysts in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aromatic aldehydes is reported. The first catalyst (2) was synthesized by the reduction of lactone ring of noscapine to form the corresponding diol, and the second one (3) was prepared by tert-butyl dimethyl silylation of the primary hydroxyl group of 2. Excellent yields and high ees up to 95% were obtained by using 3 as the catalyst. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the application of lactone ring opened noscapinoid compounds as organocatalysts in asymmetric reactions.     

Trimethylsilyl chloride promoted synthesis of α-branched amines by nucleophilic addition of organozinc halides to nitrones

A general procedure for the nucleophilic addition of organozinc halides with nitrones in the presence of trimethylsilyl chloride has been developed. Trimethylsilyl chloride was found to be both an indispensable reaction promoter and a ready hydroxylamine protective agent in these reactions. The produced O-(trimethylsilyl)hydroxylamines can be easily reduced into corresponding amines just by a zinc-copper couple in saturated aqueous NH(4)Cl solution.     

Ru-catalyzed highly enantioselective hydrogenation of α-keto Weinreb amides

Asymmetric hydrogenation of α-keto Weinreb amides has been realized with [Ru((S)-Sunphos)(benzene)Cl]Cl as the catalyst and CeCl 3·7H2O as the additive.A series of enantiopure α-hydroxy Weinreb amides(up to 97% ee) have been obtained.Catalytic amount of CeCl3·7H2O is essential for the high reactivity and enantioselectivity and the ratio of CeCl3·7H2O to [Ru((S)-Sunphos)(benzene)Cl]Cl plays an important role in the hydrogenation reaction.     

Synthesis of β-hydroxyphosphonates by iron-catalyzed oxidative addition of phosphonyl radicals to alkenes

Phosphorohydrazidates have been shown to work as radical precursors by iron-catalyzed aerobic oxidation to generate corresponding phosphonyl radicals. Generated radicals cause intermolecular addition to various alkenes in the presence of molecular oxygen to give β-hydroxyphosphonate compounds in good yield.     

Synthesis of chiral cyclic β-amino ketones by Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

Synthesis of chiral cyclic β-amino ketones has been first reported via Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation. High enantioselectivities were achieved by using (S)-C₃-TunePhos chiral ligand (up to 94% ee).     

Visible-light-mediated direct access to α-ketoamides by dealkylative amidation of tertiary amines with benzoylformic acids

A visible-light induced direct amidation of benzoylformic acids with tertiary amines has been explored. Tertiary amines underwent N-dealkylative amidation with α-keto acid in the presence of [Ir{dFCF₃ppy}₂(bpy)]PF₆ and Cs₂CO₃, affording the corresponding α-ketoamides in good yields under mild conditions. This transformation exhibits a wide substrate scope and provides a facile synthetic approach to α-ketoamides.     

α,β-Unsaturated imines via Ru-catalyzed coupling of allylic alcohols and amines

A convenient synthesis of α,β-unsaturated imines requiring only an allylic alcohol, an amine and a Ru catalyst has been developed. The use of large excesses of oxidant and the purification of sensitive intermediates can be avoided.     

Regio- and enantioselective conjugate addition of β-nitro α,β-unsaturated carbonyls to construct 3-alkenyl disubstituted oxindoles

Reversal of regioselectivity in the catalytic asymmetric conjugate additions of 3-substituted oxindoles to β-nitroenones or β-nitroacrylates was established with chiral scandium catalysts. It enabled the construction of functionalized 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles, including terminal and internal vinyl groups in excellent yields and ee values.     

Studies on sulfinatodehalogenation ⅩⅩⅧ.The addition of polyfluoroalkyl iodides to olefins initiated by sodium disulfite

Polyfluoroalkyl iodides reacted with olefins in aqueous DMF solution of sodiumdisulfite under mild conditions to give the corresponding 1:1 adducts in good yields,providinga convenient polyfluoroalkylation method.This indicated that R_F radicals were formed inthe reaction of polyfluoroalkyl iodides and sodium disulfite.A SET mechanism is proposedfor the sulfinatodehalogenation reaction of sodium disulfite.     

Hydrogen bonding mediated enantioselective organocatalysis in brine: significant rate acceleration and enhanced stereoselectivity in enantioselective Michael addition reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls to β-nitroolefins

Brine provides remarkable rate acceleration and a higher level of stereoselectivity over organic solvents, due to the hydrophobic hydration effect, in the enantioselective Michael addition reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls to β-nitroolefins using chiral H-donors as organocatalysts.     

Ring transformations of β-lactam-condensed 1,3-benzothiazines to isoquinoline and thiazole derivatives by sulfur extrusion and addition sequences

The ring transformations of dichloro-β-lactam-fused 2-aryl-1,3-benzothiazines with sodium methoxide were investigated. With 2 equiv of base, the dichloro-β-lactam derivatives underwent rearrangement and dihydro-1,4-benzothiazepines, 3,4-substituted isoquinolines and substituted thiazole disulfides were isolated. A possible reaction mechanism is proposed for the simultaneous formation of the novel products. The formation of isoquinoline and thiazole derivatives can be explained by sulfur extrusion and addition sequences.     

Stereoselective synthesis of α,α-disubstituted amines by a sequential nucleophilic addition to O-protected cyanohydrins

The first enantioselective double nucleophilic addition reaction to O-protected cyanohydrin was achieved in 71% yield and 82:18 enantiomeric ratio by using a bis(BINOL)titanium Lewis acid complex. New (4S,5S)-2,2-dialkyl-4,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolane titanium complexes were synthesized and they displayed good levels of enantioselection in the nucleophilic addition reaction.