A new dinuclear chiral salen complexes for asymmetric ring opening and closing reactions: Synthesis of valuable chiral intermediates

A new dinuclear chiral Co(salen) complexes bearing group 13 metals have been synthesized and characterized. The easily prepared complexes exhibited very high catalytic reactivity and enantioselectivity for the asymmetric ring opening of epoxides with H₂O, chloride ions and carboxylic acids and consequently provide enantiomerically enriched terminal epoxides (>99% ee). It also catalyzes the asymmetric cyclization of ring opened product, to prepare optically pure terminal epoxides in one step. The homogeneous dinuclear chiral Co(salen) have been covalently immobilized on MCM-41. The potential benefits of heterogenization include facilitation of catalyst separation and recyclability requiring very simple techniques. The system described is very efficient.     

Synthesis of Optically Pure Terminal Epoxide and 1,2‐Diol via Hydrolytic Kinetic Resolution Catalyzed by New Heterometallic Salen Complexes

The inactive chiral (salen)Co complex is easily activated by InCl₃ and TlCl₃ Lewis acids by forming heterometallic salen complexes. These complexes show very high catalytic activity for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched terminal epoxides (>99% ee) and 1,2‐diols simultaneously via hydrolytic kinetic resolution. Strong synergistic effects of different Lewis acids, Co‐In and Co‐Tl, were exhibited in the catalytic process. The system described is very simple and efficient.     

Highly reactive and enantioselective kinetic resolution of terminal epoxides with H2O and HCl catalyzed by new chiral (salen)Co complex linked with Al

The asymmetric hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) of racemic terminal epoxides by new easily synthesized dimeric chiral (salen)Co bearing Al, provides a practical and straightforward method for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched terminal epoxides (>99% ee) and diols. An inorganic acid, HCl is applied first time for the asymmetric ring opening reaction of terminal epoxides. Reactions are conveniently carried out at room temperature under an air atmosphere.     

Total selective synthesis of enantiopure O1-acyl-3-aminoalkane-1,2-diols by ring opening of aminoepoxides with carboxylic acids

[reaction: see text] Synthesis of (2R,3S)- or (2S,3S)-O1-acyl-3-aminoalkane-1,2-diols by ring opening of enantiopure (2R,1'S)- or (2S,1'S)-2-(1-aminoalkyl)epoxides 1 or 2, with carboxylic acids in the presence of BF3 x Et2O and chlorotrimethylsilane, is described. The conversion takes place with total selectivity and in good yield. In addition, (2R,3S)-O,O-diacyl-3-aminoalkane-1,2-diols 3 were also prepared from reaction of (2R,1'S)-2-(1-aminoalkyl)epoxides 1 with carboxylic acids under the same reaction conditions and without chlorotrimethylsilane. Mechanisms to explain both transformations are proposed.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Hydrolysis of Epoxides

The hydrolytic ring opening of epoxides is an important biosynthetic transformation and is also applied industrially. We report the first organocatalytic variant of this reaction, exploiting our recently discovered activation of carboxylic acids with chiral phosphoric acids via heterodimerization. The methodology mimics the enzymatic mechanism, which involves an enzyme‐bound carboxylate nucleophile. A newly designed phosphoric acid catalyst displays high stereocontrol in the desymmetrization of meso‐epoxides. The methodology shows wide generality with cyclic, acylic, aromatic, and aliphatic substrates. We also apply our method in the first highly enantioselective anti‐dihydroxylation of simple olefins.     

Catalytic activity of salenCo(III)OAc complex in the reaction of addition of carboxylic acids to terminal epoxides

The catalytic activity and regioselectivity were studied of the salenCo(III)OAc complex in the reaction of addition of aliphatic carboxylic acids to a series of terminal epoxides (epichlorohydrin, 1,2-epoxybutane, propylene oxide, tert-butyl glycidyl ether and 2,3-epoxypropyl phenyl ether). The reduction in the activity in the order: acetic > acrylic > methacrylic acid was found. The regioselectivity of the addition was independent on carboxylic acid nature and depended on the nature of the epoxide. The best regioselectivity for the addition to epichlorohydrin was observed. The catalytic activity and regioselectivity of salenCo(III)OAc were compared with those for chromium(III) acetate catalyst.     

Multisite catalysis: a mechanistic study of beta-lactone synthesis from epoxides and CO--insights into a difficult case of homogeneous catalysis

Carbonylation of epoxides with a combination of Lewis acids and cobalt carbonyls was studied by both theoretical and experimental methods. Only multisite catalysis opens a low-energy pathway for trans opening of oxirane rings. This ring-opening reaction is not easily achieved with a single-site metal catalyst due to structural and thermodynamic constraints. The overall reaction pathway includes epoxide ring opening, which requires both a Lewis acid and a tetracarbonylcobaltate nucleophile, yielding a cobalt alkyl-alkoxy-Lewis acid moiety. After CO insertion into the Co-C(alkyl) bond, lactone formation results from a nucleophilic attack of the alkoxy Lewis acid entity on the acylium carbon atom. A theoretical study indicates a marked influence of the Lewis acid on both ring-opening and lactone-formation steps, but not on carbonylation. Strong Lewis acids induce fast ring opening, but slow lactone formation, and visa versa: a good balance of Lewis acidity would give the fastest catalytic cycle as all steps have low barriers. Experimentally, carbonylation of propylene oxide to beta-butyrolactone was monitored by online ATR-IR techniques with a mixture of tetracarbonylcobaltate and Lewis acids, namely BF(3), Me(3)Al, Et(2)Al(+).diglyme, and a combination of Me(3)Al/dicobaltoctacarbonyl. We found that the last two mixtures are extremely active in lactone formation.     

Enantioselective Ring Opening of Epoxides with 4-Methoxyphenol Catalyzed by Gallium Heterobimetallic Complexes: An Efficient Method for the Synthesis of Optically Active 1,2-Diol Monoethers

Useful chiral building blocks such as 1,2-diols can be obtained by the enantioselective ring opening of achiral epoxides with oxygen nucleophiles. The ring opening is carried out effectively (up to 94 % ee) with 4-methoxyphenol and catalytic amounts of gallium complexes. The novel complex GaSO 1 displays a particularly high catalytic activity.     

Synthesis and properties of new types of sulfoxide‐ or sulfone‐bridged lewis acids

A series of new types of sulfur‐bridged Lewis acids were synthesized. The ligands that contained the sulfoxide or sulfone as the joint moieties of two phenols were found to quantitatively give Lewis acids. These obtained Lewis acids also have good discrimination properties of some epoxides. The reaction prop erties of the Lewis acids were studied using the rearrangement of the epoxides to carbonyl compounds.     

Macrolactonization via Ti(IV)-mediated epoxy-acid coupling: a total synthesis of (-)-dactylolide [and zampanolide

A total synthesis of dactylolide (1) is described. The key feature involves the Ti(IV)-mediated coupling of structurally complex "Sharpless epoxides" and carboxylic acids in either an intramolecular (macrolactonization) or an intermolecular mode. Other notable aspects include a proton-catalyzed, cis-selective construction of the 4-methylenetetrahydropyran ring; a selective oxidation of an allylic alcohol in the presence of a 1,2-diol by an oxoammonium ion; an efficient ring-closing metathesis reaction of an in situ (bis-TMS) protected alpha,omega-diene-vic-diol; and an aluminum-mediated aza-aldol reaction of a primary amide to 1 to construct the acyclic carbinolamide in zampanolide.     

Hydrolytic Kinetic Resolution of Terminal Epoxides catalyzed by Novel Bimetallic Chiral Co (Salen) Complexes

Novel bimetallic chiral Co (salen) complexes bearing transition‐metal salts have been synthesized. The easily prepared complexes exhibited very high catalytic reactivity and enantioselectivity in hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) of racemic terminal epoxides and consequently provided enantiomerically enriched epoxides (up to 99% ee).     

(Salen)Ti(IV) complex catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening of epoxides using dithiophosphorus acid as the nucleophile

A series of chiral bis-Schiff bases were synthesized starting from (1R,2R)-(+)-diaminocyclohexane, (+)-cis-1,2,2-trimethyl-1,3-diaminocyclopentane, (R)-2,2^′-diamino-1,1^′-binaphthalene, and (1S,2S)-diphenyl-1,2-ethanediamine. The enantioselective ring-opening of meso epoxides with dithiophosphorus acids catalyzed by a (salen)Ti(IV) complex formed in situ upon the treatment of Ti(OPr-i)₄ and the aforementioned chiral Schiff base was realized. The resulting products were obtained with low to good enantioselectivities (up to 73% ee). The (salen)Ti(IV) complex containing the backbone of 1,2-diaminocyclohexane exhibited the best enantioselectivity. The substituents in dithiophosphorus acids and those on the salen aromatic ring have a significant influence on the reaction. Moderate enantioselectivity were obtained for the (salen)Ti(IV) complex catalyzed ring-opening of racemic monosubstituted epoxides. High regioselectivity was observed for the alkyl substituted epoxides, whereas poor regioselectivity was obtained for the aryl substituted ones.     

Preparation of enol ester epoxides and their ring-opening to α-silyloxyaldehydes

The Z-selective ruthenium-catalyzed addition of aromatic carboxylic acids to alkynes was followed by dioxirane epoxidation to furnish enol ester epoxides with cis configuration. Upon treatment of enol ester epoxides with tert-butyldimethylsilyl triflate in the presence of 2,6-lutidine, synthetically useful α-silyloxyaldehydes were obtained. This novel transformation was facilitated by microwave irradiation.     

An effective method for the synthesis of carboxylic esters and lactones using substituted benzoic anhydrides with Lewis acid catalysts

An efficient mixed-anhydride method for the synthesis of carboxylic esters and lactones using benzoic anhydride having electron withdrawing substituent(s) is developed by the promotion of Lewis acid catalysts. In the presence of a catalytic amount of TiCl₂(ClO₄)₂, various carboxylic esters are prepared in high yields through the formation of the corresponding mixed-anhydrides from 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzoic anhydride and carboxylic acids. The combined catalyst consisting of TiCl₂(ClO₄)₂ together with chlorotrimethylsilane functions as an effective catalyst for the synthesis of carboxylic esters from free carboxylic acids and alcohols with 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic anhydride. Various macrolactones are prepared from the free ω-hydroxycarboxylic acids by the combined use of 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic anhydride and titanium(IV) catalysts together with chlorotrimethylsilane under mild reaction conditions. The lactonization of trimethylsilyl ω-(trimethylsiloxy)carboxylates using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic anhydride is also promoted at room temperature in the presence of a catalytic amount of TiCl₂(ClO₄)₂. An 8-membered ring lactone, a synthetic intermediate of cephalosporolide D, is successfully synthesized according to this mixed-anhydride method using 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic anhydride by the promotion of a catalytic amount of Hf(OTf)₄.     

Direct Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids to Alcohols

The “green” reduction of carboxylic acids to alcohols is a challenging task in organic chemistry. Herein, we describe a general protocol for generation of alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acids. Key to success is the use of a combination of Ru(acac)₃, triphos and Lewis acids. The novel method showed broad substrate tolerance and a variety of aliphatic carboxylic acids including biomass‐derived compounds can be smoothly reduced.     

Polymerization of N-substituted lactams

This study deals with a comparison of the rates and activation parameters of the polymerizations of N-methyl and N-benzoyl derivatives of lactams containing 4, 9 or 13 ring atoms initiated by carboxylic acids, amino acids, strong protonic acids or Lewis acids. The respective polymerization mechanisms of substituted and unsubstituted lactams are discussed. The initiators mentioned above lead to the polymerization mechanisms with activated monomer in most cases. The use of stable carbenium cations results in a new type of polymerization of N-benzoyl lactams with a cationic propagation centre on the chain.     

Chitosan‐Silica Sulfate Nano Hybrid as a Novel and Highly Proficient Heterogeneous Nano Catalyst for Regioselective Ring Opening of Epoxides via Carboxylic Acids

The synthesis and characterization of chitosan‐silica sulfate nano hybrid (CSSNH ) as a novel and efficient heterogeneous nano catalyst involving acid‐base bifunctional activity is described. The catalytic potency and activity of this eco‐friendly catalyst was investigated in regioselective ring opening of epoxides with carboxylic acids to access structurally diverse 1,2‐diol mono‐esters in good to excellent yields. CSSNH catalyst was characterized using different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques encompassing scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption isotherm, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The green nature, cheapness, efficiency, ease of preparation, handling and reusability of this new catalyst makes this catalyst to be useful for green industrial processes.     

Zirconyl triflate, [ZrO(OTf)2], as a new and highly efficient catalyst for ring-opening of epoxides

A highly efficient method for the ring opening of epoxides catalyzed by ZrO(OTf)₂ was adopted. This catalyst efficiently catalyzed alcoholysis, acetolysis and hydrolysis of epoxides and the corresponding alkoxy alcohols, acetoxy alcohols and 1,2- diols were obtained in excellent yields. Conversion of epoxides to 1,2-diacetetes, thiiranes and 1,3-dioxolanes was also performed in the presence of catalytic amounts of ZrO(OTf)₂, and the corresponding products were obtained in high to excellent yields. The high catalytic activity of ZrO(OTf)₂ is due to the replacement of Cl with OTf, which makes the ZrO(OTf)₂ as efficient Lewis acid.     

Chiral cobalt salen complexes containing Lewis acid: A highly reactive and enantioselective catalyst for the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of terminal epoxides

A type of chiral salen complexes bearing Lewis acid, including FeCl₃, AlCl₃, ZnCl₂, and SnCl₄ has been synthesized. The prepared complexes proved to be reactive and enantioselective in the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of terminal epoxides. The catalysts could be recovered and reused several times with simple treatment after reaction, without loss of activity and enantioselectivity. (salen)Co(II) and Lewis acid in mol ratios of 1: 1, 1: 2, and 1: 3 showed the same activity, enatioselectivity, and stability. The characterization of the complexes in-situ generated by the reaction of (salen)Co(II) and Lewis acid in mol ratios of 1: 1, 1: 2, and 1: 3 in CH₂Cl₂ was performed by UV-Vis, which showed an identical spectrum and did not display any change along with the time prolonged. Thus, the present catalysts can be applicable for large scale processes for HKR reaction of racemic epoxides.     

New chiral cobalt salen complexes containing Lewis acid BF3; a highly reactive and enantioselective catalyst for the hydrolytic kinetic resolution of epoxides

A new type of chiral cobalt salen complexes bearing BF₃ Lewis acid proved to be reactive and enantioselective in the hydrolytic resolution of terminal epoxides. The polymer type salen catalysts also showed a high enantioselectivity in the same reaction.