Enantioselective Conjugate Addition‐Protonation of 5H‐Oxazol‐4‐ones and 5‐Methylene 1,3‐Oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones: 2,2'‐Biphenol‐Induced Diastereoselectivity Switch

A synthetic strategy for catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition‐protonation and diastereoselective switch between 5H‐oxazol‐4‐ones and 5‐methylene 1,3‐oxazolidine‐2,4‐diones was established. An array of chiral conjugate addition‐protonation products bearing 1,3‐O‐heterotertiary‐O‐heteroquarternary nonadjacent stereocenters were obtained in excellent yields, moderate to good diastereoselectivities, and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% yield, 11: 1 dr, and 98% ee). Induction by 2,2’‐biphenol could effectively promote the production of the corresponding diastereoisomers via cycloaddition intermedia.     

()‐3‐Oxo­cyclo­hexane­carboxyl­ic and ‐acetic acids: contrasting hydrogen‐bonding patterns in two homologous keto acids

The crystal structures for the title compounds reveal fundamentally different hydrogen‐bonding patterns. ()‐3‐Oxo­cyclo­hexanecarboxylic acid, C₇H₁₀O₃, displays acid‐to‐ketone catemers having a glide relationship for successive components of the hydrogen‐bonding chains which advance simultaneously by two cells in a and one in c [O?O = 2.683 (3) Å and O—H?O = 166°]. A pair of intermolecular close contacts exists involving the acid carbonyl group. The asymmetric unit in ()‐3‐oxo­cyclo­hexane­acetic acid, C₈H₁₂O₃, utilizes only one of two available isoenthalpic conformers and its aggregation involves mutual hydrogen bonding by centrosymmetric carboxyl dimerization [O?O = 2.648 (3) Å and O—H?O = 171°]. Intermolecular close contacts exist for both the ketone and the acid carbonyl group.     

Diastereoselective addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to chiral O‐, S‐ and N‐heterocyclic aldimines

Systematic investigation of asymmetric trimethylsilylcyanation of heterocyclic azomethines has been realized. The addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to optically active furan, thiophene and pyridine aldimines, derived from (R)‐ and (S)‐1‐phenylethylamine, was studied in the presence of Lewis acids, and a series of the corresponding α‐amino nitriles was obtained in fair to good yields (up to 91%). Unsaturated nitriles were also formed from pyridine imines. The sense of asymmetric induction and the degree of diastereoselectivity in the synthesis of α‐amino nitriles were determined by means of ¹H NMR. The stereochemical outcome is a result of the same sense of asymmetric induction: Re face attack to the (S)‐imines and Si face addition to the (R)‐imines took place. The (R,R)‐ (up to 81%) or (S,S)‐ (up to 87%) α‐amino nitriles predominated in the products obtained from the all furan, thiophene and pyridine (R)‐ or (S)‐imines respectively. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Practical Stereo‐ and Regioselective,Copper(I)‐Promoted Strecker Synthesis of Sugar‐Modified α,β‐Unsaturated Imines

The regio‐ and stereoselective, Lewis acid catalyzed Strecker reaction between Me₃SiCN and different aldimines incorporating a 2,3,4,6‐tetrakis‐O‐pivaloyl‐D ‐glucopyranosyl (Piv₄Glc) chiral auxiliary has been worked out. Depending on the conditions used, high yields (up to 95%) and good diastereoselectivities (de > 86%) were achieved under mild conditions (Table 1), especially with CuBr ? Me₂S as catalyst. Our protocol allows the ready preparation of asymmetric β,γ‐unsaturated α‐amino acids such as (R)‐2‐amino‐4‐phenylbut‐3‐enoic acid ( 13 ; Scheme 2) and congeners thereof.     

Optically Active Helical Poly[(S)‐3‐vinyl‐2,2′‐dihydroxy‐1,1′‐binaphthyl]: New Ligand for Asymmetric Addition of Diethylzinc to Aryl Aldehyde

Poly[(S)‐3‐vinyl‐2,2′‐dihydroxy‐1,1′‐binaphthyl] (L*) was obtained by taking off the protecting groups of poly[(S)‐3‐vinyl‐2,2′‐bis(methoxymethoxy)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl] (poly‐ 1 ). L* was proved to keep a stable helical conformation in solution. The application of helical L* in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes has been studied. The catalytic system employing 10 mol% of L* and 150 mol% of Ti(OⁱPr)₄ was found to promote the addition of diethylzinc to a wide range of aromatic aldehydes, giving up to 99% enantiomeric excess (ee) and up to 93% yield of the corresponding secondary alcohol at 0°C. The chiral polymer can be easily recovered and reused without loss of catalytic activity as well as enantioselectivity.     

Asymmetric Hydroformylation of 4‐Vinyl‐1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one

A chiral cyclic carbonate, 4‐vinyl‐1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one was used as racemic substrate in asymmetric hydroformylation. The catalysts were formed in situ from “pre‐formed” PtCl₂(diphosphine) and tin(II) chloride. (2S,4S )‐2,4‐Bis(diphenylphosphinopentane ((S,S )‐BDPP)), (S,S )‐2,3‐O‐izopropylidine‐2,3‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐bis(diphenylphosphino)butane ((S,S )‐DIOP)), and (R )‐2,2′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)‐1,1′‐binaphthyl ((R )‐BINAP)) were used as optically active diphosphine ligands. The platinum‐containing catalytic systems provided surprisingly high activity. The hydroformylation selectivities of up to 97% were accompanied by perfect regioselectivity towards the dioxolane‐based linear aldehyde. The enantiomeric composition of all components in the reaction mixture was determined and followed throughout the reaction. The unreacted 4‐vinyl‐1,3‐dioxolan‐2‐one was recovered in optically active form. The kinetic resolution was rationalized using the enantiomeric composition of the substrate and the products.     

(±)‐2‐Oxocyclohexanepropionic acid: dual conformational selection and hydrogen bonding in a δ‐keto acid,and a two‐phase technique for crystallizing acids by contact with aqueous solutions of their salts

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C₉H₁₄O₃, consists of two mol­ecules having conformations that differ by 121.7 (4)° in their rotation about the equatorial substituent bond, so that the side chain extends away from the ring in different directions in the two species. The hydrogen‐bonding mode is acid‐to‐acid dimerization. However, despite the centrosymmetric space group (P), the dimers are asymmetric, formed by pairing mol­ecules of identical chirality but differing conformational type [O⋯O = 2.681 (2) and 2.654 (2) Å, and O—H⋯O = 175 (3) and 176 (3)°]. Two intermolecular C—H⋯O=C close contacts exist, involving the ketone group of one of the mol­ecules. A two‐phase technique is described for slow reforming of crystals of a water‐insoluble acid by contact with an aqueous solution of its water‐soluble salt.     

Highly Enantioselective Iron‐Catalyzed cis‐Dihydroxylation of Alkenes with Hydrogen Peroxide Oxidant via an FeIII‐OOH Reactive Intermediate

The development of environmentally benign catalysts for highly enantioselective asymmetric cis‐dihydroxylation (AD) of alkenes with broad substrate scope remains a challenge. By employing [Fe^II(L)(OTf)₂] (L=N,N′‐dimethyl‐N,N′‐bis(2‐methyl‐8‐quinolyl)‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine) as a catalyst, cis‐diols in up to 99.8 % ee with 85 % isolated yield have been achieved in AD of alkenes with H₂O₂ as an oxidant and alkenes in a limiting amount. This “[Fe^II(L)(OTf)₂]+H₂O₂” method is applicable to both (E)‐alkenes and terminal alkenes (24 examples >80 % ee, up to 1 g scale). Mechanistic studies, including ¹⁸O‐labeling, UV/Vis, EPR, ESI‐MS analyses, and DFT calculations lend evidence for the involvement of chiral Fe^III‐OOH active species in enantioselective formation of the two C?O bonds.     

Asymmetric Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of 2,6‐Disubstituted 1,5‐Naphthyridines: Access to Chiral 1,5‐Diaza‐cis‐Decalins

The first asymmetric hydrogenation (AH) of 2,6‐disubstituted and 2,3,6‐trisubstituted 1,5‐naphthyridines, catalyzed by chiral cationic ruthenium diamine complexes, has been developed. A wide range of 1,5‐naphthyridine derivatives were efficiently hydrogenated to give 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐1,5‐naphthyridines with up to 99 % ee and full conversions. This facile and green protocol is applicable to the scaled‐up synthesis of optically pure 1,5‐diaza‐cis‐decalins, which have been used as rigid chelating diamine ligands for asymmetric synthesis.     

3‐(1H‐Pyrrol‐2‐yl)‐1H‐pyrazole forms an unusual hydrogen‐bonded two‐dimensional (3,4)‐connected net

The title compound, C₇H₇N₃, is the first crystallographically characterized 1H‐pyrrolyl‐1H‐pyrazole derivative and contains two unique molecules in its asymmetric unit (Z′ = 2). These molecules associate into centrosymmetric tetramers through N—H...N hydrogen bonding, including a cyclic dimerization of one of the two unique pyrazole rings. These tetramers are linked further by two weaker N—H...π contacts to give a novel two‐dimensional (3,4)‐connected net with a (3².8)₂(3.8²)₂ topology.     

Synthesis of Chiral 2‐Aroyl‐1‐tetralols: Asymmetric Transfer Hydrgenation of 2‐Aroyl‐1‐tetralones via Dynamic Kinetic Resolution

The dynamic kinetic resolution of 2‐aroyl‐1‐tetralones was achieved via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation using (S,S)‐RuCl(p‐cymene)TsDPEN (TsDPEN=N‐(tosyl)‐1,2‐diphenylethylenediamine) in formic acid/triethyl‐ amine (5:2, molar ratio), afforded the desired products in good yields (up to 85%) with diastereomeric ratio up to >99:1 and high enantiomeric excesses (up to >99%). The absolute configuration of major the product was confirmed by X‐ray crystal structure analysis.     

Asymmetric Michael Addition/Intramolecular Cyclization Catalyzed by Bifunctional Tertiary Amine–Squaramides: Construction of Chiral 2‐Amino‐4H‐chromene‐3‐Carbonitrile Derivatives

The efficient asymmetric Michael addition/intramolecular cyclization of malononitrile with dienones catalyzed by a chiral bifunctional tertiary amine–squaramide catalyst for the synthesis of chiral 2‐amino‐4H‐chromene‐3‐carbonitrile derivatives was developed. The corresponding products were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 99 %) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98 % ee) for most of the bisarylidenecyclopentanones.     

Lewis‐Pair‐Mediated Selective Dimerization and Polymerization of Lignocellulose‐Based β‐Angelica Lactone into Biofuel and Acrylic Bioplastic

This contribution reports an unprecedentedly efficient dimerization and the first successful polymerization of lignocellulose‐based β‐angelica lactone (β‐AL) by utilizing a selective Lewis pair (LP) catalytic system, thereby establishing a versatile bio‐refinery platform wherein two products, including a dimer for high‐quality gasoline‐like biofuel (C₈–C₉ branched alkanes, yield=87 %) and a heat‐ and solvent‐resistant acrylic bioplastic (M_n up to 26.0 kg mol^?1), can be synthesized from one feedstock by one catalytic system. The underlying reason for exquisite selectivity of the LP catalytic system toward dimerization and polymerization was explored mechanistically.     

Crystal structures of the anhydrous and two solvated forms of methyl 4‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐6‐methyl‐2‐oxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidine‐5‐carboxylate

Methyl 4‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐6‐methyl‐2‐oxo‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidine‐5‐carboxylate, ( I ), was found to exhibit solvatomorphism. The compound was prepared using a classic Biginelli reaction under mild conditions, without using catalysts and in a solvent‐free environment. Single crystals of two solvatomorphs and one anhydrous form of ( I ) were obtained through various crystallization methods. The anhydrous form, C₁₃H₁₃FN₂O₃, was found to crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/c. It showed one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The solvatomorph with included carbon tetrachloride, C₁₃H₁₃FN₂O₃·0.25CCl₄, was found to crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2/n. The asymmetric unit revealed two molecules of ( I ) and one disordered carbon tetrachloride solvent molecule that lies on a twofold axis. A solvatomorph including ethyl acetate, C₁₃H₁₃FN₂O₃·0.5C₄H₈O₂, was found to crystallize in the triclinic space group P with one molecule of ( I ) and one solvent molecule on an inversion centre in the asymmetric unit. The solvent molecules in the solvatomorphs were found to be disordered, with a unique case of crystallographically induced disorder in ( I ) crystallized with ethyl acetate. Hydrogen‐bonding interactions, for example, N—H…O=C, C—H…O=C, C—H…F and C—H…π, contribute to the crystal packing with the formation of a characteristic dimer through N—H…O=C interactions in all three forms. The solvatomorphs display additional interactions, such as C—F…N and C—Cl…π, which are responsible for their molecular arrangement. The thermal properties of the forms were analysed through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hot stage microscopy (HSM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments.     

Preparation and structural analysis of (±)‐cis‐ethyl 2‐sulfanylidenedecahydro‐1,6‐naphthyridine‐6‐carboxylate and (±)‐trans‐ethyl 2‐oxooctahydro‐1H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐c]pyridine‐5‐carboxylate

Bicycle ring closure on a mixture of (4aS,8aR)‐ and (4aR,8aS)‐ethyl 2‐oxodecahydro‐1,6‐naphthyridine‐6‐carboxylate, followed by conversion of the separated cis and trans isomers to the corresponding thioamide derivatives, gave (4aSR,8aRS)‐ethyl 2‐sulfanylidenedecahydro‐1,6‐naphthyridine‐6‐carboxylate, C₁₁H₁₈N₂O₂S. Structural analysis of this thioamide revealed a structure with two crystallographically independent conformers per asymmetric unit (Z′ = 2). The reciprocal bicycle ring closure on (3aRS,7aRS)‐ethyl 2‐oxooctahydro‐1H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐c]pyridine‐5‐carboxylate, C₁₀H₁₆N₂O₃, was also accomplished in good overall yield. Here the five‐membered ring is disordered over two positions, so that both enantiomers are represented in the asymmetric unit. The compounds act as key intermediates towards the synthesis of potential new polycyclic medicinal chemical structures.     

Catalytic,Cascade Ring‐Opening Benzannulations of 2,3‐Dihydrofuran O,O‐ and N,O‐Acetals

An Al(OTf)₃‐catalyzed intramolecular cascade ring‐opening benzannulation of 2,3‐dihydrofuran O,O‐ and N,O‐acetals is described. The cascade sequence involves the dihydrofuran ring‐opening by acetal hydrolysis, an intramolecular Prins‐type cyclization, and aromatization to generate an array of benzo‐fused (hetero)aromatic systems in up to 95 % yield. This method represents the first example of dihydrofuran acetal usage in benzannulation reactions. The approach provides excellent regiocontrol based on the choice of alkenes used to form the requisite dihydrofuran acetals.     

Catalytic Asymmetric (4+3) Cyclizations of In Situ Generated ortho‐Quinone Methides with 2‐Indolylmethanols

The first catalytic asymmetric (4+3) cyclization of in situ generated ortho‐quinone methides with 2‐indolylmethanols has been established, which constructed seven‐membered heterocycles in high yields (up to 95 %) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 98 %). This approach not only represents the first catalytic asymmetric (4+3) cyclization of o‐hydroxybenzyl alcohols, but also enabled an unprecedented catalytic asymmetric (4+3) cyclization of 2‐indolylmethanols. In addition, a scarcely reported catalytic asymmetric (4+3) cyclization of para‐quinone methide derivatives was accomplished.     

Asymmetric Henry reactions of aldehydes with various nitroalkanes catalyzed by copper(II) complexes of novel chiral N‐monoalkyl cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamines

A number of novel chiral diamines 3 , (1R,2R)‐N‐monoalkylcyclohexane‐1,2‐diamines, were designed and synthesized from trans‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine and applied to the catalytic asymmetric Henry reaction of benzaldehyde and nitromethane to provide β‐nitroalcohol in high yield (up to 99%) and good enantiomeric excess (up to 89%). By using ligand (1R,2R)‐N¹‐(4‐methylpentan‐2‐yl)cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine ( 3g ), the reaction was optimized in terms of the metal ion, temperature, solvent and base. Further experiments indicated that the complex, 3g –Cu(OAc)₂, was an efficient catalyst in the asymmetric Henry reaction between different aldehydes and nitromethane, and the desired products have been obtained with high chemical yields (up to 99%) and high enantiomeric excess (up to 93%). The optimized catalyst promoted the diastereoselective Henry reaction of various aldehyde substrates and nitroalkane, which gave the corresponding anti‐selective adduct with up to 99% yield and 83:17 anti/syn selectivity. Upon scaling up to gram quantities, the β‐nitroalcohol was obtained in good yield (96%) with excellent selectivities (93% ee). The chiral induction mechanism was tentatively explained on the basis of a previously proposed transition‐state model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly Enantioselective Direct Asymmetric Aldol Reaction Catalyzed by 4,5‐Methano‐L‐proline

The 4,5‐methano‐L‐proline was used as chiral organocatalysts in direct asymmetric aldol reactions. Under the optimal conditions, excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) were obtained with high chemical yields (up to 95%) for a series of aldehydes using only 5 mol% catalyst loading. To show the practicality of the method, the reaction was tested at a large scale. The reaction was complete in 16 h, and the aldol product was obtained in 86% yield and 93% ee.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Iodocyclization of N‐Tosyl Alkenamides using Aminoiminophenoxy Copper Carboxylate: A Concise Synthesis of Chiral 8‐Oxa‐6‐Azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes

A newly developed aminoiminophenoxy copper carboxylate ( L7 ‐Cu‐OAc)‐catalyzed asymmetric iodocyclization of N‐Tosyl alkenamides gave O‐cyclized products in good yields with high enantioselectivity. From the O‐cyclized products, a skeletal transformation was succeeded in the synthesis of biologically important chiral 8‐oxa‐6‐azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes. DFT calculations suggested that the acetoxy anion of the [ L7 ‐Cu‐OAc] acts as a base to generate the anion of N‐Tosyl alkenamide substrates. The exchanged acetic acid reconstructs a new hydrogen‐bonding network between the catalyst and the substrates to accomplish the highly efficient asymmetric O‐iodocyclization of N‐Tosyl alkenamides.