Desymmetrization of meso-dienyne by asymmetric Pauson-Khand type reaction catalysts

Desymmetrization of the meso dienynes, such as propargyl 1-vinylallyl N-tosylamides (1a-c) and propargyl 1-vinylallyl ethers (1d-e), by asymmetric Pauson-Khand type reaction catalysts was studied. The corresponding vinyl substituted bicyclic pentenones (2 and 3) were obtained with high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity.     

Dual Nickel‐ and Photoredox‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Desymmetrization of Cyclic meso‐Anhydrides

The enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclic meso‐anhydrides with benzyl trifluoroborates under nickel‐photoredox catalysis is described. The reaction tolerates a variety of sterically and electronically different trifluoroborates, as well as structurally unique cyclic anhydrides. The trans isomer of the keto‐acid products is also observed at varying levels dependent on the trifluoroborate identity and relative catalyst loading. A mechanism involving decarbonylation and Ni−C bond homolysis of a Ni^II adduct is proposed. This feature allows access to a trans keto‐acid as the major product in high enantioselectivity from a cis meso anhydride.     

Highly enantioselective CH oxidation of vic-Diols with Shi's oxazolidinone dioxiranes

[reaction: see text] Through an analogical study of the transition states of CH oxidation and asymmetric epoxidation of terminal alkenes, the first dioxirane-mediated catalytic highly enantioselective CH oxidation method was realized with Shi's oxazolidinone ketone derivatives. Very good enantioselectivity (up to 92% ee) may be obtained for both asymmetrization of meso vic-diols and kinetic resolution of racemic vic-diols.     

Novel C2-symmetric planar chiral diphosphine ligands and their application in pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions

Novel C(2)-symmetric diphosphine ligands possessing only the planar chirality of ruthenocene, 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,2'-disubstituted-ruthenocenes (4), were prepared. With this kind of ligands, excellent enantioselectivity and especially highly catalytic activity in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions of rac-1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate (9) were observed, compared to their ferrocene analogues 1. Good enantioselectivity and highly catalytic activity were also obtained with 4 in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions of cyclohexen-1-yl acetate (12). Further study on the effect of R in ester group on enantioselectivity of 4 showed an opposite trend compared with their ferrocene analogues 1 in asymmetric allylic substitutions. For ruthenocene ligands 4, the one with the smaller R in the ester group gave higher enantioselectivity for the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions of 9, while a converse trend had been observed with 1. However, for the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions of 12, ligand 4 with a larger R in the ester group resulted in somewhat higher enantioselectivity but still an opposite trend with ligand 1. The X-ray diffraction study of crystal structures of 4 and 1 with Pd(II) was carried out and showed that the enantioselectivity was correlated to the twist angle existing in the palladium complex.     

Synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinoline-diamine ligands and their application in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The use of the tetrahydroisoquinoline scaffold is well documented in biologically active compounds. However, reports of the utilisation of tetrahydroisoquinoline compounds in asymmetric catalysis are limited. The synthesis of novel diamine ligands possessing the tetrahydroisoquinoline (tetrahydroisoquinoline) backbone and evaluation of their activity in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone are presented. The diamine ligands in conjunction with i-PrOH as the hydrogen source and [RhCl₂(Cp1)]₂ as the metal precursor proved to be the most effective of the tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives for this catalytic system. Water was found to have a profound influence on the enantioselectivity of the reaction. Optimisation of the amount water, i-PrOH and catalytic loading content rendered the best result of 70% enantioselectivity for the (S)-1-phenylethanol isomer product.     

Enantioselectivity in Ruthenium-Catalyzed Propargylic Substitution Reactions of Propargylic Alcohols with Acetone: A DFT Study

The enantioselectivity in the propargylic substitution reactions of propargylic alcohols with acetone catalyzed by optically active thiolate-bridged diruthenium complexes was examined via ωB97X-D level DFT calculations. Some structures with intramolecular dispersion interactions between ligands were found for the ruthenium-allenylidene complex, which is the key intermediate in the catalytic reaction, and it was determined that the structure corresponding to the X-ray crystal structure, which had provided the transition state model for the enantioselectivity in previous studies, was not the most stable among the obtained structures. Then, a variety of transition-state structures for the nucleophilic attack of prop-1-ene-2-ol, which is the enol isomer of acetone, on the γ-carbon of the ruthenium-allenylidene complex were explored. Among the transition-state structures with lower energies, the number of structures leading to the major (R) product was found to be larger than that of structures leading to the minor (S) product, providing enantioselectivity in terms of probability distributions. The introduction of a phenyl group in the thiolate ligand was suggested to increase the selectivity. Thus, we propose the novel transition state model for the asymmetric catalytic reaction system.     

Stereochemical Selection in Phosphoranyl Radical Formation Using Ionizing Radiation

Abstract

Recent electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments on phosphorus-centered radicals generated by ionizing radiation demonstrate that stereochemical aspects act strongly on the rate of radical formation and can be decisive in the selection between the possible resulting radical structures. This phenomenon was first established in a single crystal ESR study on radiogenic electron-capture phosphorus-centered radicals of the racemic and meso stereoisomers of 1.2-dimethyl-1,2-diphenyldiphosphine disulfide (1). The radiation process of the racemic form involves the formation of a symmetric species with a threeelectron bond in an overall low yield. The meso isomer, on the other hand, yields exclusively asymmetric radical configurations in which the unpaired electmn resides on one of the two phosphorus nuclei. The high intensity of the ESR spectra for the meso compound indicate a more efficient electron-capture process. A similar pronounced difference in radiosensitivity was observed for the R_p (1 and S_p (2) isomers of (4S,5R)-2-chloro-3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3,2-Oxazaphospholidine 2-sulfide. Upon X irradiation, 1 readily results in an electron-capture phosphorus centered radical, whereas the concurrent process in 2 is almost completely absent. Since the geometric parameters of the atoms directly linked to phosphorus are very much alike for 1 and 2 il can be concluded that the efficiency of electron-capture at phosphorus strongly depends on the relative configuration of the distant chiral centers at C₄ and C₅.     

Influence of α-methyl substitution of proline-based organocatalysts on the asymmetric α-oxidation of aldehydes

The direct asymmetric organocatalytic α-oxidation of aldehydes using trans-2-(p-methylphenylsulfonyl)-3-phenyloxaziridine is reported. This method affords the S isomer of α-hydroxy aldehydes, thereby complementing the selectivity for the R isomer observed using the two-step nitrosobenzene method. Use of α-methylproline and α-methylproline tetrazole significantly increases the enantioselectivity observed for the α-oxidation of aldehydes compared to analogous unsubstituted organocatalysts.     

Asymmetric Diels–Alder Reaction of α‐Substituted and β,β‐Disubstituted α,β‐Enals via Diarylprolinol Silyl Ether for the Construction of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters

The asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction of α‐substituted acrolein proceeds in the presence of the trifluoroacetic acid salt of trifluoromethyl‐substituted diarylprolinol silyl ether to afford the exo‐isomer with both excellent diastereoselectivity and high enantioselectivity. In the Diels–Alder reaction of a β,β‐disubstituted α,β‐unsaturated aldehyde, good exo‐selectivity and excellent enantioselectivity was obtained when the perchloric acid salt of the bulky triisopropyl silyl ether of trifluoromethyl substituted diarylprolinol was employed as an organocatalyst in the presence of water. In both cases, all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters are constructed enantioselectively.     

Enantioselective pinacol coupling of aryl aldehydes catalyzed by chiral Salan-Mo(IV) complexes

Reported herein is the asymmetric pinacol coupling of aromatic aldehydes with chiral Salan-Mo(VI) dioxo complex as an effective precatalyst. Chiral diols were obtained with high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity up to 92/8 and 95%, respectively. The possible mechanism of the pinacol coupling reaction with the catalytic system was investigated. The X-ray crystal structure of the precatalyst Mo(L3)O2 was determined and the oxidation state of the intermediate C was confirmed as +4 with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study. The proposed mechanism speculated the stereochemical outcome of the reaction, and a working model for the radical coupling of E was proposed, which explained the absolute configuration of the favored (S,S)-enantiomer of the dl isomer.     

Controlling the isomerization dynamics of iodide acetonitrile dimer complex by optimally designed electromagnetic field: A wave packet based approach

Both symmetric and asymmetric forms of the iodide acetonitrile dimer complex are known to exist with a higher stability shown by the symmetric isomer. Dynamics of this isomerization has been investigated on reduced dimensional surface in absence/presence of external electromagnetic field using Gaussian wave packet as the starting wave function. When the symmetric isomer has been taken as the initial structure, isomerization does not takes place without the external field due to high energy barrier, whereas with the asymmetric isomer as the starting one, isomerization takes place spontaneously with an equal population of both isomers. Our target in this study has been to get a dominant population of asymmetric isomer which is not possible without the application of electromagnetic field. However, it has also been seen that a simple monochromatic field cannot achieve this goal. Only by application of optimally designed polychromatic field the dominating population of asymmetric isomer can be obtained.     

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrroles

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of N-Boc-protected pyrroles proceeded with high enantioselectivity by using a ruthenium catalyst modified with a trans-chelating chiral bisphosphine PhTRAP. The ruthenium catalyst prepared from Ru(eta3-methallyl)2(cod) and (S,S)-(R,R)-PhTRAP in the presence of triethylamine was the most enantioselective for the asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl pyrrole-2-carboxylate, giving the desired (S)-proline derivative with 79% ee in 92% yield. Moreover, 2,3,5-trisubstituted pyrroles bearing a large substituent at the 5-position were hydrogenated with 93-99.7% ee. The asymmetric reduction of 4,5-dimethylpyrrole-2-carboxylate gave only all-cis isomer and created three chiral centers with high degree of stereocontrol in a single process. This is the first highly enantioselective reduction of pyrroles.     

On the mechanism of the unexpected facile formation of meso-diacetate products in enzymatic acetylation of alkanediols

The mechanism of the unexpected facile formation of meso-diacetate previously observed in the enzymatic resolution of dl/meso mixtures of 2,4-pentanediol and 2,5-hexanediol with Candida antarctica lipase B has been elucidated. It was found that the formation of meso-diacetate proceeds via different mechanisms for the two diols. Enzyme-catalyzed acylation of AcO-d(3) labeled (R)-monoacetates of meso-2,4-pentanediol and meso-2,5-hexanediol and analysis of the meso-diacetates obtained show that the former reaction proceeds via intramolecular acyl migration while the latter occurs via direct S-acylation of the alcohol. For the (R)-monoacetate of (R,S)-2,4-pentanediol the intramolecular acyl migration was fast and therefore direct S-acylation by the external acyl donor is suppressed. For the hexanediol monoacetate the rate ratio (pseudo E value) between (5R,2R)- and (5R,2S)-5-acetoxy-2-hexanol was experimentally determined to be k(R,R)/k(R,S) = 25, which is about 10-20 times lower than the E value for 2-pentanol and 2-octanol. In a preliminary experiment it was demonstrated that facile acyl migration in the 1,3-diol derivative can be utilized to prepare syn-1,3-diacetoxynonane (>90% syn) in high enantioselectivity (>99% ee) via a chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation of a meso/dl mixture of 1,3-nonanediol.     

Thermotropic mesomorphic changes in racemic and meso lead(II) 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecanoates

Data are presented for the heats and entropies of phase changes for the racemic and meso lead(II) 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecanoates. The total enthalpy change accompanying the transformation crystal → liquid phase is lower for the lead(II) 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecanoates than for the lead(II) octadecanoate. This suggests the solid phase of the former to be more disordered than that of the latter.Optical examination under a polarising microscope suggests the phase sequence: solid I → mesophase → liquid for the racemic isomer, and solid I → solid II → mesophase → liquid for the meso isomer. The mesophase and solid II phase are absent on reheating the racemic and meso soaps respectively. The behaviour is interpreted in terms of subtle structural rearrangement of the liquid phase arising from extensive hydrogen bonding. The texture of the mesophases of the isomers is observed to be different and the mesophase of the meso soap is stable over a wider temperature range than that of its racemic counterpart. The behaviour is indicative of the effect of stereochemical configuration on the thermal properties of the soap.     

Efficient, scalable asymmetric synthesis of an epoxy quinol via Noyori desymmetrization of a meso diketone

Epoxy quinol 1a was prepared on a multi-gram scale by Noyori transfer hydrogenative desymmetrization of the readily available meso epoxy diketone 4. Although the intrinsic enantioselectivity for the desymmetrization was modest (82:18 er at 4% conversion), a highly enantiopure product (99.6:0.4 er) could be obtained in one operation in 44% yield via kinetic resolution of the minor enantiomer with long reaction times (48 h), or in 73% yield by combination with an enzymatic resolution of a 93:7 er mixture.     

Magnetically recoverable SiO2-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles: a new platform for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in aqueous medium

A magnetically recoverable chiral rhodium catalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity and enantioselectivity in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in aqueous medium, which could be recovered easily via a small magnet and used repetitively ten times without obviously affecting its enantioselectivity.     

The synthesis of silica-supported chiral BINOL: Application in Ti-catalyzed asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

Chiral BINOL was covalently anchored on two different pore sized mesoporous silica (SBA-15 (7.5 nm) and MCF (14 nm)). These heterogenized ligands were used in Ti-catalyzed asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. High catalytic activity with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee) for secondary alcohols was achieved using MCF supported chiral BINOL under heterogeneous reaction conditions. Good to excellent enantioselectivity (ee, 68–91%) was also achieved with various small to bulkier aldehydes. The MCF supported catalyst was reused in multiple catalytic runs without loss of enantioselectivity.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of o-alkoxy-substituted arylenamides

A series of (2-alkoxyaryl)glycinols have been prepared in up to 97.8% ee by asymmetric hydrogenation with cationic rhodium Me-BPE or Me-DuPhos complexes. Others have shown that the presence of ortho substituents on related alpha-arylenamides causes a decrease in enantioselectivity. However, in this study it was found that o-alkoxy alpha-arylenamides were reduced with high enantioselectivity irrespective of substituent size.     

Platinum-catalyzed enantioselective tandem alkylation/arylation of primary phosphines. Asymmetric synthesis of P-stereogenic 1-phosphaacenaphthenes

Enantioselective tandem alkylation/arylation of primary phosphines with 1-bromo-8-chloromethylnaphthalene catalyzed by Pt(DuPhos) complexes gave P-stereogenic 1-phosphaacenaphthenes (AcePhos) in up to 74% ee. Diastereoselective formation of four P-C bonds in one pot with bis(primary) phosphines gave C2-symmetric diphosphines, including the o-phenylene derivative DuAcePhos, for which the rac isomer was formed with high enantioselectivity. These reactions, which appear to proceed via an unusual metal-mediated nucleophilic aromatic substitution pathway, yield a new class of heterocycles with potential applications in asymmetric catalysis.     

An experimental and theoretical study on free ligand conformational preferences and enantioselectivity relationship for the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde

An experimental and theoretical study on free ligand conformational preferences and enantioselectivity relationship has been described for the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde. The results show that a correlation must exist between the ground-state ligand conformational populations and the observed ee values in this reaction. As the populations of the free ligand conformation (the desired conformation) in favor of the improvement of the reaction enantioselectivity increase, so does the reaction enantioselectivity. However, the desired conformation must not be the preferred one of the ground-state ligand. This conformation-enantioselectivity relationship is well explained based on a zinc amino-alkoxide (a true asymmetric catalyst). The final synthesis and assessment of the new chiral catalyst in the asymmetric addition of Et₂Zn to benzaldehyde revealed that this necessary relationship guided our design of highly enantioselective ligands or rational improvement of existing ligands by means of knowledge of conformational analysis.