Aryl sulfoxides via palladium-catalyzed arylation of sulfenate anions

[Structure: see text] Palladium-catalyzed arylation of sulfenate anions generated from beta-sulfinyl esters can take place under biphasic conditions. This hitherto unknown reaction provides a simple, mild, and efficient route to aryl sulfoxides in good yields. The development of a new pseudo-domino type I procedure involving a sulfinylation followed by a Mirozoki-Heck coupling is also described.     

Enantioselective synthesis of aryl sulfoxides via palladium-catalyzed arylation of sulfenate anions

Arylation of various sulfenate anions generated from beta-sulfinyl esters by retro-Michael reaction in the presence of palladium(0) and enantiopure ligands gave the corresponding aryl sulfoxides in enantio-enriched form. The Josiphos-type ligand (R)-(S)-PPF-t-Bu2 turned out to be the best ligand tested, allowing ee's up to 83% in a predictable sense.     

Novel approach to the synthesis of enantioenriched sulfoxides. Highly diastereoselective alkylation of sulfenate anions with 1,4-asymmetric induction

[reaction: see text] Efficient 1,4-asymmetric induction with an enantiopure aminoalkyl group as the chiral auxiliary has been achieved in the first example of diastereoselective alkylation (up to 98:2) of a sulfenate anion, readily prepared by oxidation of the corresponding thiolate. The stereochemistry of the sulfoxide produced is the opposite of that obtained by the conventional route based on oxidation of the sulfide precursor.     

Ruthenium-catalysed linear-selective allylic alkylation of allyl acetates

The regioselectivity in the ruthenium-catalysed allylic alkylation of mono substituted allyl acetates with the malonate anion was highly controlled by Ru3(CO)12 with 2-(diphenylphosphino)benzoic acid, and the linear-type alkylated product was obtained.     

Chiral sulfideoxathiane ligands for palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

Easily prepared, chiral sulfideoxathiane ligands are described, which give excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate with a range of alkyl malonate nucleophiles.     

Isotope effects and the mechanism of palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

The palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction of 1,1-dimethylallyl acetate with dimethyl malonate is studied by a combination of isotope effects and theoretical calculations. A large ¹³C isotope effect of ≈1.037 is observed at the tertiary carbon, while small isotope effects are observed at the olefinic carbons. These results support rate-limiting ionization of a η²-Pd complex. The observed isotope effects are compared with predictions from calculational models employing either solvent models or ionization of an amidinium ion. The calculated transition structures are notably η² in character, and the implications of this observation are discussed.     

Efficient palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of ketones and aldehydes

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of ketones, via enamines generated in situ as nucleophiles, were carried out smoothly with chiral metallocene-based P,N-ligands. Under the same conditions, however, reactions of aldehydes could hardly be observed. Subsequently, this obstacle was resolved by using chiral metallocene-based P,P-ligands. Both ketones and aldehydes afforded excellent enantioselectivities with up to 98% ee and 94% ee, respectively.     

Chiral ditopic receptors. Application to palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

Chiral pyridinooxazoline, quinolinooxazoline, bis(oxazolino)pyridine (pybox), and bisoxazoline (box) derivatives containing crown ether residues were prepared. Some of the ligands were assessed in substrate binding studies and in palladium catalyzed allylic alkylations.     

Pd-catalyzed nucleophilic allylic alkylation of aliphatic aldehydes by the use of allyl alcohols

Under catalysis of Pd(OAc)₂-(P-n-Bu)₃, Et₂Zn promotes a variety of allyl alcohols to undergo nucleophilic allylation of aliphatic aldehydes and ketones at room temperature and provides homoallyl alcohols in 60-90 and ca. 60% isolated yield, respectively. The reaction is irreversible and kinetically controlled, and unique regio- and stereoselectivities observed for the allylation with unsymmetrically substituted allyl alcohols are discussed.     

New chiral phosphine-phosphite ligands in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

A series of chiral phosphine-phosphite ligands 1-6 have been synthesized and used in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed reaction of rac-1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate with dimethyl malonate as nucleophile. Ligands 1a, 2, 3, 5a, 6a, and 6b have been synthesized starting from racemic tert-butylphenylphosphinoborane. The use of dynamically resolved Li phosphide (-)-sparteine provided the optically pure ligands. Crystals of the allylpalladium (6a) complex were obtained, suitable for X-ray crystal structure determination. The X-ray crystal structure of the allylpalladium (6a) complex revealed a longer palladium-carbon bond distance trans to the phosphine moiety indicating that the attack of the nucleophile takes place at the carbon trans to the phosphine moiety. This was confirmed by the fact that the phosphine moiety did not affect the enantioselectivity directly. Under mild reaction conditions, enantioselectivities up to 83% were obtained (25 degrees C) with ligand 1e. Systematic variation of the ligand bridge and the phosphite moiety showed that the configuration of the product is controlled by the atropisomerism of the biphenyl substituent at the phosphite moiety. The conformation of the biphenyl group, in turn, is controlled by the substituent at the chiral carbon in the bridge. Ligands with large bite angles yielded higher enantioselectivities.     

Enamines: efficient nucleophiles for the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

Enamines were tested to be efficient nucleophiles for palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation, avoiding the use of unstablilized ketone enolates formed by strong bases. The influence of the chiral metallocene-based ligands upon this reaction was studied in detail. It was shown that planar chirality played an important role in enantioselectivities. Meanwhile, different kinds of enamines and allylic acetate to the reactions were also investigated. High catalytic activity and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) were obtained with pyrrolidine enamines of both aliphatic and aromatic ketone.     

Synthesis and application of chiral cyclopropane-based ligands in palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

A series of chiral, cyclopropane-based phosphorus/sulfur ligands have been synthesized and evaluated in the palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenylpropenyl acetate with dimethyl malonate. Variation of the ligand substituents at phosphorus, sulfur, and the carbon backbone revealed 24d to have the optimal configuration for this reaction, giving the product in high yield and with good enantioselectivity (93%). A model for the observed enantioselectivity is discussed within the context of existing models, using X-ray crystallographic data, solution-phase NMR studies, and the absolute stereochemistry of the products. Selected ligands were also evaluated in the palladium-catalyzed intermolecular Heck reaction and the rhodium-catalyzed hydrogenation of a dehydroamino acid.     

Modification of optically active ferrocenylphosphine ligands for palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

Optically active ferrocenylphosphines containing a functional group on the side chain were effective as ligands for the palladium—catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of 1,3-disubstituted allyl acetates such as l,3-diphenyl-3-acetoxy-l-propene with sodium acetylacetonate and related soft carbon nucleophiles to give the alkylation products of up to 92% ee.     

Application of chiral dipyridylmethane ligands in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

New chiral C₁-symmetric dipyridylmethane ligands have been prepared from naturally occurring monoterpenes according to a method based on two consecutive constructions of the pyridine rings. These ligands have been assessed in the enantioselective palladium catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate with dimethylmalonate. Enantioselectivity up to 68% ee has been obtained.     

Novel and efficient chiral sulfideoxathiane ligands for palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

Easily prepared, chiral sulfideoxathiane ligands are described which give excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1,3-diphenyl-2-propenyl acetate with a range of alkyl malonate nucleophiles.     

Chiral pyridylmethyl- and quinolinyl-oxazolines as ligands for enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation

Chiral pyridylmethyl- and quinolinyl-oxazolines were prepared and assessed in the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution of 1,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate with dimethyl malonate. Enantioselectivities up to 77% were obtained.     

Regio- and stereoselectivity control in palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation of 1-cycloalkenylmethyl acetates

Enantiomerically pure allylic acetates 1a and 1b were obtained by lipase-catalyzed acylation through kinetic resolution processes of the racemates. Palladium-catalyzed alkylation of 1a with dimethyl malonate was both regio- and stereoselective, showing that no isomerization of the acetate 1a or the intermediate π-allylic palladium complex took place under the conditions used. Alkylation of 1b was stereoselective but not regioselective. The regioselectivity could be partially controlled by the proper choice of a chiral ligand. Conditions were set up to perform both the alkylation of 1b and the decarbomethoxylation of the resulting product to afford 3-(cyclohex-1-enyl) butanoate in a one-pot, one-step process.     

Remarkably mild and simple preparation of sulfenate anions from beta-sulfinylesters: a new route to enantioenriched sulfoxides

[reaction: see text] A general, efficient, and experimentally simple method for the generation of sulfenate salts has been developed using beta-sulfinylesters as substrates. The process is based on a retro-Michael reaction, initiated by deprotonation at low temperature. Upon treatment with alkyl halides, the liberated sulfenates are subsequently converted into sulfoxides in good to excellent yield. Extension of the methodology to an unprecedented access to nonracemic sulfoxides by introduction of an enantiopure ligand, (-)-sparteine, is also described.