Some new C2-symmetric bicyclo[2.2.1]heptadiene ligands: synthesis and catalytic activity in rhodium(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4- and 1,2-additions

C₂-Symmetric bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-dienes with various substituents (R=Bn, i-Bu, c-Hex, allyl) are prepared starting from the corresponding enantiomerically pure bis-triflate (R=OTf). These chiral ligands are tested and compared in rhodium(I)-catalyzed 1,4- and 1,2-addition of phenylboronic acid to cyclic enones and aryl aldehydes, respectively. Some interesting reactivity and selectivity effects due to the introduction of sterically demanding or olefinic substituents are reported. Moreover, remarkably high catalytic activity is observed for the rhodium(I)-catalyzed 1,2-addition.     

Design and synthesis of chiral 1,10-phenanthroline ligand,and application in palladium catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition reactions

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of phenylboronic acid to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds was developed using chiral 1,10-phenanthroline derivative as ligand. Good yields (up to 97%), and high enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) were achieved.     

A new easily accessible chiral phosphite-phosphoramidite ligand based on 2-anilinoethanol and R-BINOL moieties for Rh-catalyzed asymmetric olefin hydrogenation

A novel chiral phosphite-phosphoramidite ligand based on 2-anilinoethanol and R-BINOL moieties has been synthesized in one-pot. The ligand was evaluated in the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of α- and β-dehydroamino acid derivatives and dimethyl itaconate in three different solvents at 25 °C, at 1 or 50 bar of hydrogen pressure. The solvent and the pressure effect are discussed.     

Novel chiral multidentate P3N4-type ligand for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones

Novel chiral multidentate P₃N₄-type ligand has been synthesized and characterized by NMR and HRMS. Using i-PrOH as solvent and hydrogen source, asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various ketones was investigated. The catalyst generated in situ from chiral multidentate aminophosphine ligand (R,R,R,R)-3 and IrCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂ exhibited highly catalytic activity and excellent enantioselectivity under mild conditions, achieving the corresponding chiral alcohols with up to 99% yield and 99% ee.     

Me-AnilaPhos: a new chiral phosphine-phosphoramidite ligand for a highly efficient Rh-catalyzed asymmetric olefin hydrogenation

A cationic rhodium(I) complex with a novel chiral phosphine-phosphoramidite ligand based on 2-diphenylphosphino-N-methylaniline and R-BINOL moieties has been synthesized. The complex provided remarkably high activity and enantioselectivity in the asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl (Z)-α-acetamidocinnamate (100% conversion after 10 min, 98% ee) and dimethyl itaconate (100% conversion after 26 min, 96% ee) under ambient conditions (1 bar hydrogen pressure, room temperature) using 1 mol % of the catalyst in dichloromethane as solvent. On the other hand, when hydrogenation was performed in methanol, both conversion and enantioselectivity were significantly diminished, due to the partial decomposition of the rhodium/phosphine-phosphoramidite complex.     

Synthesis of the new chiral tridentate ligand bis(pyrid-2-ylethyl) menthylphosphine and its use in the palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylations

We describe the synthesis of a new asymmetric P,N,N′-tridentate ligand (bis(pyrid-2-ylethyl) menthylphosphine, BPEMP), containing two pyridyl rings and (1S,2R,5S)-menthylphosphino group. The ligand is obtained in five steps from natural abundant l-menthol. The coordination behavior of the ligand toward cationic (allylic)Pd(II) moiety and its first application in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation are presented. Crystallographic and spectroscopic analyses reveal that [(η³-allylic)Pd(BPEMP)]⁺ complex forms only one isomer in the solid state as well as in solution.     

Novel chiral C2-symmetric multidentate aminophosphine ligands for use in catalytic asymmetric reduction of ketones

A series of novel chiral C₂-symmetric multidentate aminophosphine ligands have been successfully synthesized by Schiff-base condensation of bis（o-formylphenyl）phenylphosphane and easily available monoprotected（1R,2R）-diaminocyclohexane.The catalytic properties of these ligands were investigated in Ir-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of various aromatic ketones,giving the corresponding optical active alcohols with up to 98%conversion and good ee under mild reaction conditions.     

Efficient access to chiral β-arylamides via asymmetric 1,4-additions of potassium trifluoro(organo)borates

This paper describes an efficient enantioselective conjugate addition of highly stable potassium trifluoro(organo)borates to α,β-unsaturated amides. This reaction, catalyzed by chiral rhodium(I) complexes affords Michael adducts with high yields and enantiomeric excesses up to 95%.     

Synthesis of C3- and C2-symmetric tris- and bis-sulfoxide ligands by asymmetric oxidation

A series of tris- and bis-sulfoxides were synthesized by multiple asymmetric oxidation of the corresponding sulfides. High enantioselectivities were obtained based on Horeau-type amplification of selectivity. Naphthyl-substituted sulfoxides allowed for higher selectivity and greater ease of purification. These sulfoxides were tested as ligands in rhodium-catalyzed olefin hydroacylation and 1,4-addition of phenyl boronic acid to 2-cyclohexen-1-one. While no enantioinduction was observed in hydroacylation, up to 80% ee was obtained for a tris-sulfoxide and a bis-sulfoxide ligand in the 1,4-addition. Bis-sulfoxides with flexible backbones gave lower and inversed enantioselectivity, suggesting backbone rigidity plays a key role in enantioinduction.     

A new C2-symmetric azolium compound for Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of R2Zn to cyclic enone

A new chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand was designed. Thus, an efficient synthetic route to C₂-symmetric bis(hydroxyamide)-functionalized benzimidazolium salts from chiral β-amino alcohols was developed. The combination of Cu(OTf)₂ and the chiral azolium compound efficiently promoted the conjugate addition reaction of cyclic enone with dialkylzinc to give the corresponding adduct in good yield. Among a series of chiral NHC proligands, the functionalized benzimidazolium chloride possessing a tert-butyl group as a stereodirecting group was found to be the best choice of ligand. Under optimized reaction conditions, an excellent enantioselectivity (96% ee) was realized by allowing 2-cyclohepten-1-one to react with Bu₂Zn at room temperature.     

A novel and efficient synthesis of chiral C2-symmetric 1,4-diamines

A novel and efficient method for synthesis of (R,R)- and (S,S)-C₂-symmetric 1,4-diamines was established. The key steps are a combination of Pinacol Coupling and Corey-Winter olefination.     

A new pyrrolidine-derived atropisomeric amino alcohol as a highly efficient chiral ligand for the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

A highly efficient pyrrolidine-derived atropisomeric amino alcohol, (S_a)-1-[2-diphenylhydroxymethyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2-(1-pyrrolido)methyl-1H-pyrrole, has been synthesized as a chiral ligand for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to some prochiral aldehydes to afford (S)-alcohols. The conversion rates were close to quantitative with good to excellent enantiomeric excesses (up to 95% ee).     

Chiral 1,2,5-triphenylphospholanium tetrafluoroborate as ligand precursor in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl (Z)-2-acetamidocinnamate

(S,S)-1,2,5-Triphenylphospholanium tetrafluoroborate salt 2 was conveniently used as chiral ligand precursor in rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl (Z)-2-acetamidocinnamate. ³¹P NMR showed the existence of a solvent-dependent equilibrium between the salt and the free phosphine.     

Asymmetric alkylation of 5-alkyl-2-aminothiazolones using a C2-symmetric chiral tetraamine base

The diastereoselective alkylation of a series of 5-alkyl-2-aminothiazolones utilizing a C₂-symmetric chiral tetraamine base is reported.     

Stereodivergent synthesis of novel chiral C2-symmetric bis-trifluoromethyl-2-oxazolidinones

A simplified effective synthetic process is described for the diastereoselective synthesis of the chiral C₂-symmetric CF₃-ureas (R,R)-15 and (S,S)-15 from (S)-α-phenylethylamine, glyoxal and CF₃I.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric 1,4-addition of organoboronic acids to γ-hydroxy α,β-unsaturated aldehyde: facile synthesis of chiral β-substituted γ-lactones

Catalytic asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylvinyl- and arylboronic acids to a γ-hydroxy α,β-unsaturated aldehyde, which affords β-substituted γ-lactols, has been established using a diarylprolinol silyl ether as an organocatalyst. The β-substituted γ-lactols have been obtained in good yields and with up to 91% ee, which lead to chiral β-substituted γ-lactones followed by oxidation.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric tandem allylic substitution using chiral 2-(phosphinophenyl)pyridine ligand

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric tandem allylic substitution of (Z)-1,4-diacyloxy- and (Z)-1,4-bis(alkoxycarbonyloxy)-2-butene (2a-c) using 2-(phosphinophenyl)pyridine 1 as chiral ligand provided optically active six-membered 2-vinyl-1,4-diheterocyclic compounds with good to high enantioselectivity. For example, the reactions with catechol, 2-(benzylamino)phenol, or 1,2-bis(benzylamino)ethane as a nucleophile gave 2-vinyl-1,4-benzodioxane (71% ee), 4-benzyl-2-vinyl-1,4-benzoxazine (86% ee), and 1,4-dibenzyl-2-vinylpiperazine (86% ee), respectively.     

Potassium trifluoro(organo)borates in rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-additions to α,β-unsaturated esters

This letter describes an efficient and enantioselective conjugate addition of highly stable potassium trifluoro(organo)borates to α,β-unsaturated esters. This reaction, catalyzed by chiral rhodium(I) complexes, affords Michael adducts with high yields and enantiomeric excesses up to 96%.     

Synthesis of novel chiral N, P-containing multidentate ligands and their applications in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

Novel chiral PN₄-type multidentate aminophosphine ligands have been successfully synthesized by Schiff-base condensation of bis（o-formylphenyl）phenylphosphane and various chiral amino-sulfonamides.Their structures were fully characterized by IR,EI-MS and NMR.The catalytic systems,prepared in situ from the multidentate ligands and iridium（I） complexes,showed high activity in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of propiophenone in 2-propanol solution,leading to corresponding optical alcohol with up to 75%ee.     

A convenient route towards novel H8-1,1′-bis-(dibenzofuran-2-ol) derivatives and evaluation of their use as chiral auxiliaries

A novel bidentate ligand, H₈-BIFOL, was successfully prepared and resolved starting from readily available reagents. The reactivity and selectivity was evaluated in the alkynylation of benzaldehyde, resulting in ee’s up to 56%.