Enantioselective synthesis of condensed and transannular ring skeletons containing pyrrolidine moiety

A new approach toward condensed and transannular ring structures containing pyrrolidine unit has been developed, based on diastereoselective nucleophilic addition of lithium enolate of α-diazoacetoacetate to chiral N-sulfinyl imine and ring-closing metathesis.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 3-hetero-substituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-1-ones

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of highly enantioenriched 3-hetero-substituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindolinones is reported. The key step is a diastereoselective nucleophilic addition on N-acylhydrazonium intermediates generated by acidic treatment of hemiaminal precursors bearing an (S)-2-alkoxymethyl-pyrrolidin-1-yl type auxiliary. The auxiliary is removed by an oxidative N,N-bond cleavage with magnesium monoperoxyphthalate.     

Flexible approach for the asymmetric synthesis of (−)-hyacinthacine A1 and its 7a-epimer

The diastereoselective nucleophilic addition of organic boronic ester to 3-hydroxy-2-substituted N-acyliminium ions 9 led to the formation of 2,5-cis-pyrrolidine 10, from which a convenient synthesis of (−)-7a-epi-1 was developed. In addition, an efficient asymmetric synthesis of (−)-hyacinthacine A1 1 was achieved through the reduction/ring-opening process.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of novel 5-substituted morpholine-3-phosphonic acids: further exploitation of N-acyliminium intermediates

The first diastereoselective total synthesis of 5-substituted morpholine-3-phosphonic acids is reported. The principal feature of the synthesis is the introduction of a dimethyl phosphonate group into 5-substituted morpholin-3-ones. The procedure is based on the preparation of N-Boc-(S)-5-phenyl- and N-Boc-(S)-5-benzylmorpholin-3-one from l-phenylglycine and l-phenylalanine methyl esters, followed by the formation of the 3-methoxylated compounds and subsequent reaction with trimethyl phosphite in the presence of BF₃·OEt₂. Diastereoselectivity in the formation of cis-disubstituted products is in agreement with the nucleophilic addition to other methoxylated derivatives.     

Synthesis of 4-(thien-2-yl)-substituted coumarins through Lewis acid catalyzed Michael addition of thiophenes to 3-benzoylcoumarins followed by oxidation

3-Benzoyl-4-(thien-2-yl)coumarins have been obtained in good yields according to the S_N^H addition–oxidation protocol, involving the diastereoselective addition of thiophenes at C-4 of 3-benzoylcoumarins under BBr₃ catalysis, followed by oxidation of the intermediate 3,4-trans-3-benzoyl-4-(thien-2-yl)-3,4-dihydrocoumarins with DDQ. This two-step procedure can be regarded as nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen (S_N^H) on the heterocyclic ring of coumarins.     

Synthesis and stereoselective evaluation of a (1R)-(–)-myrtenal-derived pseudo C2-symmetric dodecaheterocycle as a potential heterofunctional chiral auxiliary

The synthesis and diastereoselective performance of the pseudo C₂-symmetric dodecaheterocycle 3 in nucleophilic and electrophilic reactions are reported. Compound 3 proved to be a highly diastereoselective template to generate a pair of enantiomeric moieties within its structure in a programmed manner. Hence, this study describes the synthesis of a novel potential heterobifunctional chiral auxiliary.     

A Divergent Approach to the Diastereoselective Synthesis of 3,3‐Disubstituted Oxindoles from Atropisomeric N‐Aryl Oxindole Derivatives

3,3‐Disubstituted oxindoles were divergently synthesized by diastereoselective transformations including nucleophilic addition, alkylation, and cycloaddition using common, axially chiral N‐aryl oxindoles. Notably, high diastereoselectivities (up to >95:5) were observed with ortho‐monosubstituted N‐aryl oxindoles to give various oxindole scaffolds, and facile removal of the p‐(benzyloxy)aryl moiety in axially twisted amides was achieved by a mild, two‐step sequence.     

An efficient synthesis of N-protected threo (2R,3S)-3-amino-1,2-epoxy phenylbutane

A precise and versatile method was developed for the synthesis of threo amino epoxide derivatives, which are useful intermediates for protease inhibitors. It involves the diastereoselective reduction of the carbonyl group of γ-N,N-dibenzyl amino α-hydroxy β-keto sulfide prepared from an amino acid, and its subsequent stereospecific conversion to an amino epoxide via acetoxy halogenation in high yield.     

Hydroxyselanylation of acyloxycyclohex-3-enes

In contrast to the corresponding hydroxyiodination reactions, the reaction of acetoxycyclohex-2-ene 1 with N-PSP in the presence of water shows little regiocontrol, but is highly diastereoselective. However, the same reaction of the (R)-phenylglycinate derivative of (±)-cyclohexen-3-ol is highly diastereoselective, and regioselective. A hydrogen-bonding interaction is proposed to rationalize these differing selectivities.     

Stereoselective reduction of N-phthaloyl α-amino ketones: an expeditious synthesis of statine

A highly diastereoselective synthesis of a protected statine derivative via syn-selective LiAlH(OBu-t)₃ reduction of a leucine derived N-phthaloyl α-amino ketone is described.     

Regio- and diastereoselective dearomatizations of N-alkyl activated azaarenes: the maximization of the reactive sites

An unprecedented base-promoted multi-component one-pot dearomatization of N-alkyl activated azaarenes was developed, which enabled the synthesis of complex and diverse bridged cyclic polycycles with multiple stereocenters in a highly regio- and diastereoselective manner. Besides, we realized the step-controlled dearomative bi- and trifunctionalization of quinolinium salts. These transformations not only achieved the maximization of the reaction sites of pyridinium, quinolinium and isoquinolinium salts to enhance structural complexity and diversity, but also opened up a new reaction mode of these N-activated azaarenes. A unique feature of this strategy is the use of easily accessible and bench-stable N-alkyl activated azaarenes to provide maximum reactive sites for dearomative cascade cyclizations. In addition, the salient characteristics including high synthetic efficiency, short reaction time, mild conditions and simple operation made this strategy particularly attractive.

An unprecedented base-promoted multi-component one-pot dearomatization of N-alkyl activated azaarenes was developed to construct complex and diverse bridged cyclic polycycles with multiple stereocenters in a highly regio- and diastereoselective manner.     

Domino Michael/aza-Wittig reaction in the diastereoselective construction of spiro[azepane-4,3′-oxindoles]

A convenient synthetic strategy for the diastereoselective assembly of spiro[azepane-4,3′-oxindoles] was developed via a Staudinger/Michael/aza-Wittig/reduction/N-deprotection reaction sequence starting from PMB-protected oxindole-substituted ethylazides. The key step of the method is a domino self-catalytic Michael/aza-Wittig reaction wherein the phosphazene moiety acts first as the catalyst and then as the reactant, resulting in the formation of a seven-membered N-heterocycle.     

Synthesis of N-heterocyclic diols by diastereoselective pinacol coupling reactions

A series of 5-8 membered N-heterocyclic diols have been prepared from acyclic dicarbonyls via diastereoselective pinacol reactions whereby cis- or trans-diol stereoselectivity is controlled by the choice of low-valent metal reagent used.     

Metal-free and highly regioselective synthesis of N-heteroaryl substituted pyrazoles from α,β-unsaturated N-tosylhydrazones and heteroaryl chlorides

A cascade cyclization/nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) reaction of α,β-unsaturated N-tosylhydrazones with N-heteroaryl chlorides was developed for the synthesis of N-heteroaryl pyrazole derivatives. This one-pot reaction provided bi(heteroaryl) derivatives in good to excellent yields and with excellent regioselectivity. The procedure is operationally simple and applicable to large-scale synthesis.     

Synthesis of novel tetra- and pentacyclic benzosultam scaffolds via domino Knoevenagel hetero-Diels–Alder reactions in water

An efficient catalyst-free and diastereoselective synthesis of novel dihydropyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine and dihydropyrano[3,2-c]chromen-annulated benzosultams is described. A number of (E)-N-(2-formylphenyl)-N-methyl-2-phenylethenesulfonamides were synthesized and underwent a one-pot domino Knoevenagel hetero-Diels–Alder reaction, respectively, with N,N-dimethylbarbituric acid and 4-hydroxycoumarin in water, giving the desired products, in moderate to excellent yields.     

A stereoselective synthetic approach to (2S,3R)-N-(1′,1′-dimethyl-2′,3′-epoxypropyl)-3-hydroxytryptophan,a component of cyclomarin A

A stereoselective synthetic approach to (2S,3R)-N-(1′,1′-dimethyl-2′,3′-epoxypropyl)-3-hydroxytryptophan an amino acid contained in cyclomarin A was accomplished. The synthesis is based on a diastereoselective addition of an indole Grignard into a chiral serine aldehyde equivalent.     

A synthesis of 5-hydroxysedamine using hydroformylation

A synthesis of 5-hydroxysedamine, a Sedum alkaloid, has been completed using N,O-heterocycle chemistry to establish the aminoalcohol structure, hydroformylation to form the piperidine ring and diastereoselective dihydroxylation to introduce the 5-hydroxy group.     

Polymer-analogous transformations of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) to produce new complexing macromolecular systems

A new polymer-analogous transformations of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) was used to prepare new complex-forming macromolecular systems containing thiourea and thio-semicarbazone sites. Two variants of modification were realized, namely, the method including the preliminary in situ activation of nucleophilic centres of the polymer amide fragments with dimethyl sulfate followed by introducing nucleophilic agents into the system, and the method including partial hydrolysis of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) followed by the amide coupling. The obtained modified polymeric materials react with silver ions in aqueous solution.     

β-Sulfinyl acrylate esters as a convenient source of alkane- and arenesulfenate anions

Methyl acrylate esters bearing alkane- and arenesulfinyl units on the 2-carbon liberate sulfenate anions upon nucleophilic attack. The sulfenates are readily captured through sulfur alkylation. When a sulfenate derived from R-cysteine is generated, diastereoselective benzylation is observed.     

Practical synthesis of (2S,3R)-3-hydroxy-3-methylproline, a constituent of papuamides, using a diastereoselective tandem Michael-aldol reaction

(2S,3R)-3-Hydroxy-3-methylproline, a constituent of cyclodepsipeptides polyoxypeptins A and B, was efficiently synthesized by lithium chloride-induced diastereoselective tandem Michael-aldol reaction using methyl vinyl ketone and N-1-naphthylsulfonylglycine (R)-binaphthyl ester and subsequent hydrolysis of the product in 39% overall yield and five steps.