N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes as Efficient Organocatalysts for CO2 Fixation Reactions

Getting a fix : N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and NHC–CO₂ adducts serve as potent organocatalysts for carbonate synthesis by the addition of a CO₂ unit to propargylic alcohols or epoxides under mild and solvent‐free reaction conditions (see scheme). The enhanced Lewis basicity of imidazol‐2‐ylidenes bearing electron‐donating alkyl groups on the nitrogen atoms leads to utilizing CO₂ as a nucleophilic fragment in the chemical fixation processes.

     

Photoswitchable Chiral Organocatalysts: Photocontrol of Enantioselective Reactions

This study presents recent advances in photoswitchable chiral organocatalysts and their applications in the photomodulation of enantioselective reactions. Under irradiation with an appropriate wavelength of light, the E/Z-photoisomerization of the photoresponsive units on the catalysts leads to the control of the catalytic activity and/or selectivity of the enantioselective reactions. Additionally, this study elucidates the design, synthesis, and catalytic application of the fabricated azobenzene BINOL-based photoswitchable chiral phase-transfer catalysts. This account will provide insights into the appropriate design of a photoswitchable chiral organocatalyst that can achieve both good enantioselectivity and photocontrol.     

Chiral Organocatalysts in Enantioselective CO2 Utilization Reactions

The development of efficient CO₂ utilization reactions has gained a significant amount of attention in recent years. Although transformations of CO₂ to produce basic chemicals have been extensively investigated, the development of catalytic enantioselective CO₂ utilization reactions for the preparation of fine chemicals remains limited at this stage. Several excellent methods for catalytic enantioselective CO₂ utilization using chiral metal complex catalysts have been reported. Many researchers have also focused on developing organocatalyzed approaches to enantioselective CO₂ utilization, and several excellent examples have appeared in recent years. Herein, recent advances in catalytic enantioselective CO₂ utilization reactions using chiral organocatalysts are reviewed to provide a forecast for organocatalyzed enantioselective CO₂ utilization research.     

Applications of Chiral Phosphine‐Based Organocatalysts in Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions

Chiral phosphines are versatile Lewis basic catalysts that are capable of promoting a wide range of asymmetric reactions. In particular, recently designed chiral phosphines based on the concept of bi‐/multifunctionality have been demonstrated to be effective catalysts for many types of asymmetric reactions, such as (aza)‐MBH reactions, cycloaddition reactions, and nucleophilic addition reactions. This short overview summarizes the recent advances in this field and highlights the most‐significant achievements.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric 1,6‐Addition/1,4‐Addition Sequence to 2,4‐Dienals for the Synthesis of Chiral Chromans

A novel asymmetric organocatalytic 1,6‐addition/1,4‐addition sequence to 2,4‐dienals is described. Based on a 1,6‐Friedel–Crafts/1,4‐oxa‐Michael cascade, the organocatalyst directs the reaction of hydroxyarenes with a vinylogous iminium‐ion intermediate to give only one out of four possible regioisomers, thus providing optically active chromans in high yields and 94–99 % ee. Furthermore, several transformations are presented, including the formation of an optically active macrocyclic lactam. Finally, the mechanism for the novel reaction is discussed based on computational studies.     

Catalytic Asymmetric 1,6‐Conjugate Addition of para‐Quinone Methides: Formation of All‐Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters

Described herein is a general and mild catalytic asymmetric 1,6‐conjugate addition of para‐quinone methides (p‐QMs), a class of challenging reactions with previous limited success. Benefiting from chiral Brønsted acid catalysis, which allows in situ formation of p‐QMs, our reaction expands the scope to general p‐QMs with various substitution patterns. It also enables efficient intermolecular formation of all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters with high enantioselectivity.     

N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalyzed Formal [3+2] Annulation Reaction of Enals: An Efficient Enantioselective Access to Spiro‐Heterocycles

A highly enantioselective N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed formal [3+2] annulation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes with azaaurones or aurone generating spiro‐heterocycles has been developed. The protocol represents a unique NHC‐activation‐based approach to access spiro‐heterocyclic derivatives bearing a quaternary stereogenic center with high optical purity (up to 95 % ee).     

Enantioselective Synthesis of N‐Phenyl‐dihydropyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazoles via Cascade Michael Addition/Thorpe‐Ziegler Type Cyclization Catalyzed by a Chiral Squaramide

Enantioselective synthesis of biologically active dihydropyrano[2,3‐c]pyrazoles has been achieved through a squaramide‐catalysed Michael addition/Thorpe‐Ziegler type cyclization cascade reaction between arylidenepyrazolones and malononitrile. A series of optically active dihydropyano[2,3‐c]pyrazoles were obtained in excellent yields (up to 99%) and moderate to good enantioselectivities (up to 79% ee) under mild reaction conditions.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Aza‐Benzoin Reactions of Aldehydes with 2H‐Azirines

The unprecedented enantioselective aza‐benzoin reaction of aldehydes with 2H‐azirines was developed by utilizing a chiral N‐heterocyclic carbene as the catalyst. A wide range of corresponding aziridines can be obtained in good yields with high enantioselectivities. The obtained optically active aziridines should be useful in the synthesis of other valuable molecules.     

N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Annulation of Indolin‐3‐ones with Bromoenals

N‐Heterocyclic carbene‐catalyzed reactions of indolin‐3‐ones with 2‐bromoenals opened an asymmetric access to 3,4‐dihydropyrano[3,2‐b]indol‐2(5 H)‐ones in good yields and with good to excellent enantioselectivities. This protocol tolerates a broad substrate scope. In addition, a possible mechanism for the annulation reaction is presented.     

Construction of Vicinal Quaternary Stereogenic Centers by Enantioselective Direct Mannich‐Type Reaction Using a Chiral Bis(guanidino)iminophosphorane Catalyst

A novel asymmetric direct Mannich‐type reaction of α‐iminophenylacetate esters with thionolactones, bearing a substituent at the α‐position, as a less acidic pronucleophile was developed. Using bis(guanidino)iminophosphorane as the chiral organosuperbase catalyst, the reaction afforded densely functionalized amino‐acid derivatives having vicinal quaternary stereogenic centers, one of which is an all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center, in good yield with high diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities.     

Enantioselective Rhodium‐Catalyzed Dearomative Arylation or Alkenylation of Quinolinium Salts

A highly enantioselective rhodium(I)‐catalyzed dearomative arylation or alkenylation of easily available N‐alkylquinolinium salts is reported, thus providing an effective and practical approach to the synthesis of dihydroquinolines in up to 99 % ee. This reaction tolerates a wide range of functional groups with respect to both the organic boronic acids and the quinoline starting materials. Moreover, the synthetic utility of this protocol is demonstrated in the formal asymmetric synthesis of bioactive tetrahydroquinoline and the total syntheses of (?)‐angustureine and (+)‐cuspareine.     

Extremely Active Organocatalysts Enable a Highly Enantioselective Addition of Allyltrimethylsilane to Aldehydes

The enantioselective allylation of aldehydes to form homoallylic alcohols is one of the most frequently used carbon–carbon bond‐forming reaction in chemical synthesis and, for several decades, has been a testing ground for new asymmetric methodology. However, a general and highly enantioselective catalytic addition of the inexpensive, nontoxic, air‐ and moisture‐stable allyltrimethylsilane to aldehydes, the Hosomi–Sakurai 1 reaction, has remained elusive. 2 , 3 Reported herein is the design and synthesis of a highly acidic imidodiphosphorimidate motif (IDPi), which enables this transformation, thus converting various aldehydes with aromatic and aliphatic groups at catalyst loadings ranging from 0.05 to 2.0 mol % with excellent enantioselectivities. Our rationally constructed catalysts feature a highly tunable active site, and selectively process small substrates, thus promising utility in various other challenging chemical reactions.     

Recent Advances in Chiral Guanidine‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Reactions

Chiral guanidines have been widely used as Brønsted base catalysts and phase transfer catalysts in enantioselective reactions. Due to their amendable structure and powerful catalytic ability, they have attracted much interest. Several new catalysts containing a guanidinium moiety have been reported over the past decade and many promising outcomes have been achieved. This article illustrates the progress of chiral guanidine catalysis in asymmetric synthesis from 2009 to 2018. It is an update of a review of the same title published in 2009.     

手性伯胺催化剂用于顺式选择性的不对称Cross-Aldol反应

基于酸碱作用,将手性伯胺与质子酸原位结合制得有机小分子催化剂,并用于醛与醛的不对称Cross-aldol反应.与一般手性仲胺催化剂不同,该类伯胺催化剂得到的是顺式选择性构型的Cross-aldol产物,其产率达90%,顺反比和ee值分别为9:1和90%.相比而言,采用简单易得的(1S,2S)-(+)-环己二胺即可得到较高选择性的顺式产物.