Highly stereoselective addition of organometallic reagents to N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines derived from 3- and 4-substituted cyclohexanones

Addition of alkyl or aryl Grignard reagents to N-sulfinyl imines derived from 3- and 4-substituted cyclohexanones proceeds with good yields and with excellent diasteroselectivity. The selectivity of the reaction is controlled by the ring substituent rather than the sulfinyl group stereochemistry, and therefore racemic tert-butanesulfinamide can be employed.     

Highly enantioselective 1,2-additions of various organolithium reagents to aldehydes

Several asymmetric 1,2-additions of various organolithium reagents (methyllithium, n-butyllithium, phenyllithium, lithioacetonitrile, lithium n-propylacetylide, lithium phenylacetylide) to aldehydes are shown to result in decent to excellent enantiomeric excesses (65–98%) when performed in the presence of a chiral lithium amido sulfide. The chiral lithium amido sulfides invariably exhibited higher levels of enantioselectivity in all the reactions tested, compared to the structurally similar chiral lithium amido ethers and the chiral lithium amide without a chelating group.     

Asymmetric synthesis of aziridines by reduction of N-tert-butanesulfinyl alpha-chloro imines

Reduction of (RS)-N-tert-butanesulfinyl alpha-halo imines afforded chiral aziridines in good to excellent yields. Upon reduction of (RS)-N-tert-butanesulfinyl alpha-halo imines with NaBH4 in THF, in the presence of 10 equiv of MeOH, (RS,S)-beta-halo sulfinamides were formed in excellent yield (up to 98%) with very good stereoselectivity (>98:2). Simple treatment of the latter (RS,S)-beta-halo-tert-butanesulfinamides with KOH afforded the corresponding (RS,S)-N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)aziridines in quantitative yields. On the contrary, its epimer, (RS,R)-N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)aziridine was synthesized by switchover of the reducing agent from NaBH4 to LiBHEt3. (RS,R)-N-(tert-Butylsulfinyl)aziridines were synthesized in good yields (up to 85%) and diastereoselectivity (up to 92:8) by reduction of (RS)-N-tert-butanesulfinyl alpha-halo imines with LiBHEt3 in dry THF and subsequent treatment with KOH. All chiral aziridines were obtained as a single diastereomer after recrystallization (overall yield up to 91%) or after flash chromatography.     

Asymmetric synthesis of trifluoromethylated propargylamines via 1,2-additions of trifluoromethylacetylide to N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines

An efficient method for the asymmetric synthesis of the trifluoromethylated propargylamines was described. Addition of lithium trifluoromethylacetylide, in situ prepared from lithium diisopropylamide and the 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, to various N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines provided a range of trifluoromethylated propargyl sulfinamides. Besides high yields and excellent diastereoselectivities, the additions featured that the diastereoselectivities could be reversed when polar or nonpolar solvent was used. Acidic cleavage of the tert-butanesulfinyl groups delivered highly optically pure trifluoromethylated propargylamines.     

Samarium diiodide-induced asymmetric synthesis of optically pure unsymmetrical vicinal diamines by reductive cross-coupling of nitrones with N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines

[reaction: see text] An efficient method for the preparation of optically pure unsymmetrical vicinal diamines by the SmI(2)-induced reductive cross-coupling of nitrones with chiral N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines was developed. This is the first successful example of the highly diastereoselective and enantioselective cross-coupling between two different imine species. It provides a straightforward access to enantiopure unsymmetrical vicinal diamines that are widely applicable in asymmetric synthesis.     

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of organometallic reagents

Asymmetric 1,4-arylation and 1,4-alkenylation were achieved with the use of organoboronic acids or their derivatives in the presence of a rhodium catalyst coordinated with ligands of the S-2,2"-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1"-binaphthyl (S-binap) type. The scope of this asymmetric addition is very broad: ,-unsaturated ketones, esters, amides, alk-1-enyl phosphonates, and 1-nitroalkenes are efficiently converted into the corresponding 1,4-addition products with enantioselectivity >95%. As shown by NMR spectroscopy, the catalytic cycle of the reaction in water involves three intermediates (aryl- or alkenylrhodium, (oxa--allyl)rhodium, and hydroxorhodium complexes). The asymmetric addition of B-Ar-9BBN and ArTi(OPrⁱ)₃ in aprotic solvents occurs with high enantioselectivity under mild conditions to give the corresponding metal enolates as the 1,4-addition products.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted beta-amino alcohols by nucleophilic addition to N-tert-butanesulfinyl alpha-alkoxyaldimines

N-tert-Butanesulfinyl alpha-alkoxyaldimines are readily prepared from protected (S)-lactals without epimerization at the alpha-stereocenter. Addition of ethyl and phenyl Grignard reagents, as well as the titanium enolate of methyl acetate, to the N-tert-butanesulfinyl aldimines provides 1,2-disubstituted beta-amino alcohols in good yields (73-98%) and with high diastereoselectivities. Either syn- or anti-amino alcohol products can be obtained by the appropriate choice of alcohol protecting groups and/or reaction conditions. Finally, deprotection of the addition products provides straightforward access to either syn- or anti-1,2-amino alcohols.     

Enantioselective addition of aryllithium reagents to aromatic imines mediated by 1,2-diamine ligands

A variety of optically enriched amines have been obtained by addition of aryllithium reagents to aromatic imines using N,N′-tetramethylcyclohexane-1,2-diamine as chiral ligands. Enantiomeric excesses up to 90% could be obtained.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoromethylamines by the copper-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of diorganozinc reagents to imines

[reaction: see text] A copper-catalyzed asymmetric addition of diorganozinc reagents to N-phosphinoylimines has been developed for the synthesis of chiral alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoromethylamines. The trifluoromethyl ketimines, generated in situ from the corresponding hemiaminals, led to the chiral amides in high yields (71-89%) and excellent enantiocontrol (91-99% ee).     

Asymmetric synthesis of amines by the Knochel-type MgCl2-enhanced addition of benzyl zinc reagents to N-tert-butanesulfinyl aldimines

The MgCl(2)-enhanced addition of benzyl zinc reagents to N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines proceeds readily at room temperature to afford the N-tert-butanesulfinyl-protected amine products in good yields and diastereomeric ratios. This method is functional group tolerant in both the imine substrate and benzyl zinc coupling partner. Moreover, benzyl zinc reagent addition to the N-tert-butanesulfinyl imine 3o prepared from isopropylidene-protected glyceraldehyde proceeds in high yield and with exceptional selectivity to provide rapid entry to hydroxyethylamine-based aspartyl protease inhibitors.     

Copper-catalysed asymmetric 1,4-addition of organometallic reagents to 2-cyclohexenone using novel phosphine-phosphite ligands

A series of novel non-symmetrical phosphine-phosphite ligands 1–10 have been tested in the copper-catalysed asymmetric addition of diethylzinc and triethylaluminium to 2-cyclohexenone. In all cases, excellent conversion and regioselectivities for the 1,4-product were found. Good enantiomeric excesses (up to 62%) were obtained when triethylaluminium was used as the alkylating reagent.     

Highly diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of enantiopure C2-Symmetrical vicinal diamines by reductive homocoupling of chiral N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines

[reaction: see text] An efficient and straightforward method for the preparation of highly enantiomerically enriched C2-symmetrical vicinal diamines by the reductive homocoupling of aromatic N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines in the presence of SmI2 and HMPA was developed. It gives access to a variety of enantiopure C2-symmetrical 1,2-diamines in a very mild and practical way.     

Switching stereoselectivity in rhodium-catalysed 1,4-additions: The asymmetric synthesis of 2-substituted pyrrolizidinones

The appropriate choice of organometallic nucleophile enables the straightforward preparation of different stereoisomers of 2-substituted pyrrolizidinones utilising the rhodium-catalysed 1,4-addition reaction.     

Practical asymmetric synthesis of 1,2-diamines in the 3-aminoazepane series

A simple and versatile method for the enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of mono- or disubstituted 3-aminoazepanes is described. The key step involves a highly regio- and diastereoselective tandem ring-enlargement/alkylation or reduction process. This novel synthetic route provides enantiomerically pure constrained diamines interesting as scaffolds for medicinal chemistry.     

Practical asymmetric synthesis of beta-trichloromethyl-beta-hydroxy ketones by the reaction of chloral or chloral hydrate with chiral imines

[reaction: see text] Chloral or its hydrate undergoes the carbon-carbon bond-formation reaction with various optically active imines in the absence of any additive, followed by hydrolysis, to produce the corresponding beta-trichloromethyl-beta-hydroxy ketones in good yields with high enantioselectivities. In addition, the products with higher ee values were obtained by a simple recrystallization process.     

Stereoselective 1,2-additions of alpha-alkoxymethyllithiums to aldehydes

[reaction: see text]. A chiral derivative of tributylstannylmethanol, readily prepared from L-valine, undergoes Sn-Li exchange to provide an alpha-alkoxyorganolithium that adds to aldehydes with up to 91:9 dr. The diastereoselectivity depends on the solvent and alkyllithium used for transmetalation. Treatment of adducts with acid allowed recovery of the chiral auxiliary and diol with complete stereochemical integrity.     

Structure of n-butyllithium in mixtures of ethers and diamines: influence of mixed solvation on 1,2-additions to imines

n-BuLi in diamine/dialkyl ether mixtures forms ensembles of hetero- and homosolvated dimers. Solutions in TMEDA/THF (TMEDA = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) are not amenable to detailed investigation because of rapid ligand exchange. TMCDA/THF mixtures (TMCDA = trans-N,N,N',N'-tetramethylcyclohexanediamine) afford clean assignments for a mixture of homo- and heterosolvated dimers but demonstrate poor control over structure. TMCDA/tetrahydropyran (THP) mixtures and TMEDA/Et2O mixtures afford clean structural assignments as well as excellent structural control. Rate studies of the 1,2-addition of n-BuLi using TMCDA/THP mixtures reveal cooperative solvation in which both THP and TMCDA coordinate to lithium at the monomer- and dimer-based transition structures. The two mechanisms are affiliated with markedly different stereochemistries of the 1,2-addition to imines. The results show strong parallels with previous investigations of 1,2-additions in TMEDA/Et2O mixtures.     

Unprecedented copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of organometallic reagents to alpha,beta-unsaturated lactams

For the first time, an excellent enantioselectivity has been obtained in the conjugate addition of hard organometallic reagents to alpha,beta-unsaturated lactams bearing appropriate protecting-activating groups on the nitrogen.     

Asymmetric synthesis of organometallic reagents using enzymatic methods

The use of enzymatic catalysis in the synthesis and resolution of organometallic complexes is reviewed and discussed. Examples show the potential of biological catalysts for oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and esterification of both transition metal and main group organometallic substrates. Chirality in organometallic complexes caused by the presence of chiral carbon centers in substituent groups, tetrahedral or pseudotetrahedral metal centers, and planes of asymmetry can all be recognized by whole cell or isolated enzyme catalysts. Biocatalysts that achieve high levels of kinetic resolution are described. Other catalysts that produce high levels of asymmetric induction in reactions of a prochiral substrate are also described.