Stereoselective expoxidation of allylic and homoallylic alcohols with 30% hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by tungstic acid in buffered media

The aqueous tungstic acid-catalyzed hydrogen peroxide epoxidation of allylic alcohols affords the same major diastereoisomer as the VO(acac)₂/tBuOOH system with quite comparable stereoselectivities. In contrast, epoxidation of homoallylic alcohols appears to be much less stereoselective.     

Catalytic asymmetric weitz-scheffer epoxidation promoted by bovine serum albumin. Part II

The epoxidation of 2 and 2,3-substituted naphthoquinones with t-BuOOH in aqueous buffer solutions, in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as chiral catalyst, affords the corresponding epoxynaphthoquinones with enantiomeric excess (e.e.) up to 79%. The influences on the enantioselectivity of the pH of the buffer solution, of the oxidizing agent, and of inorganic salts have also been examined.     

Synthese d'analogues morphiniques a squelette tetrahydrodibenzofurannique

A highly selective epoxidation of 1-aryl-2-cyclohexene bearing a quaternary carbon, synthesized by Claisen-Eschenmoser reaction, affords morphin-like derivatives possessing the stereochemical relationship of the carbons 4, 4a and 9b of the morphin.     

Mechanistic insights into the palladiumII-catalyzed hydroxyalkoxylation of 2-allylphenols

The Pd(OCOCF3)2/[(HOCH2CH2NHCOCH2)2NCH2]2-catalyzed oxidation of o-allylphenol with H2O2 in water/methanol affords a syn and anti mixture of 2-(1,2-dihydroxypropyl)phenol and 2-(2-hydroxy-1-methoxypropyl)phenol. Mechanistic experiments and ESI-MS studies support a pathway wherein isomerization of the C=C bond followed by its epoxidation and oxirane opening led to the products. Recycling of the catalytic system led to gradual lost of activity.     

Asymmetric epoxidation using iminium salt organocatalysts featuring dynamically controlled atropoisomerism

Introduction of a pseudoaxial substituent at a stereogenic center adjacent to the nitrogen atom in binaphthyl- and biphenyl-derived azepinium salt organocatalysts affords improved enantioselectivities and yields in the epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes. In the biphenyl-derived catalysts, the atropoisomerism at the biphenyl axis is controlled by the interaction of this substituent with the chiral substituent at nitrogen.     

Sequential enzymatic epoxidation involved in polyether lasalocid biosynthesis

Enantioselective epoxidation followed by regioselective epoxide opening reaction are the key processes in construction of the polyether skeleton. Recent genetic analysis of ionophore polyether biosynthetic gene clusters suggested that flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) could be involved in the oxidation steps. In vivo and in vitro analyses of Lsd18, an FMO involved in the biosynthesis of polyether lasalocid, using simple olefin or truncated diene of a putative substrate as substrate mimics demonstrated that enantioselective epoxidation affords natural type mono- or bis-epoxide in a stepwise manner. These findings allow us to figure out enzymatic polyether construction in lasalocid biosynthesis.     

Asymmetric Weitz-Scheffer epoxidation of isoflavones with hydroperoxides mediated by optically active phase-transfer catalysts.

The asymmetric Weitz-Scheffer epoxidation of the isoflavones 3, mediated by the cinchonine- and cinchonidine-derived phase-transfer catalysts (PTCs) 1, affords the enantiomerically enriched isoflavone epoxides 4 with ee values of up to 98% in nearly quantitative yields. With the appropriately configured PTC 1, both enantiomers of the isoflavone epoxides may be obtained by using the commercially available cumyl hydroperoxide 2b as oxidant. Methylation of the hydroxy functionality in the most effective PTC (1b) reduces significantly the enantioselectivity of the isoflavone epoxidation as illustrated for the substrate 3c. This fact indicates the pivotal role of the hydroxy group for enantioselective control, which is rationalized in terms of a hydrogen-bonded aggregate between the ether-oxygen atom of isoflavone 3 and the phase-transfer catalyst 1. The present attractive and convenient method should be useful for the preparation of optically active epoxides of the biologically relevant isoflavone structure.     

A convenient method for the preparation of 3-trimethylsilyl-2,5-dihydrofurans and their conversion to furans

Hydromagnesiation of 3-trimethylsilyl-2-propyn-1-o1 (1) followed by reaction with aldehydes or ketones affords (E)-3-trimethylsilyl-2-alken-1,4-diols (2), which can be readily dehydrated to 3-trimethylsilyl-2,5-dihydrofurans (3) by treatment with BF₃OEt₂. The compounds (3) are converted to furans (5) by epoxidation and subsequent treatment with H₂SO₄.     

Asymmetric catalytic epoxidation of enones by chiral binaphthol‐derived lanthanum catalyst

Asymmetric epoxidation of chalcone catalyzed by chiral (5)‐6, 6′‐diphenyl‐BINOL‐lanthanum complex affords the corresponding epoxychalcone with excellent yields as well as the good enantioselective excesses of 93%. The influences of solvent, the temperature, the structure of the chiral ligand, as well as the substrate on the stereochemistry were discussed.     

Anchoring of copper complex in MCM-41 matrix: a highly efficient catalyst for epoxidation of olefins by tert-BuOOH

A complex moiety containing copper (II) has been anchored covalently into the organic-modified Si-MCM-41 to prepare a new catalyst. The amine group containing organic moiety 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane has been first anchored on the surface of Si-MCM-41 via silicon alkoxide route. The amine group upon condensation with salicyldehyde affords a bidentate ligand in the mesoporous matrix for anchoring copper(II) ions. The prepared catalyst has been characterized by UV-vis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopic analysis, small-angle X-ray diffraction, and N2 sorption study. A remarkable difference in the pore structure has been observed after the immobilization of copper(II) complex in Si-MCM-41. The catalyst showed excellent catalytic efficiency in epoxidation reactions with various olefinic compounds including styrene and allyl alcohol, using tert-BuOOH as oxidant. Notably, styrene shows unprecedented high conversion (97%) as well as epoxide selectivity (89%) with tert-BuOOH over the Cu-MCM-41 catalyst.     

Diastereoselective Weitz-Scheffer epoxidation of levoglucosenone for the synthesis of isolevoglucosenone and derivatives

High-yielding epoxidation conditions for the cellulose pyrolysis product (?)-levoglucosenone (LGO) and 3-aryl derivatives of LGO have been developed. The reaction of LGO with hydrogen peroxide/base is known to give a Baeyer-Villiger reaction, however, it was found that the reactions of LGO or derivatives with tert-butylhydroperoxide/base affords solely epoxides through the Weitz-Scheffer reaction. A critical parameter in the successful isolation of the epoxide from LGO was to avoid all contact with water or alcohols during the reaction and workup. The epoxide products were reacted under Wharton conditions affording allylic alcohols and subsequent oxidation led to isolevoglucosenone or 3-arylisolevoglucosenone derivatives. Previously unreported reactions on isolevoglucosenone were then investigated.     

Epoxidation of Bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2,3-endo- and Exodicarboxylic Acid N-Arylimides

Epoxidation of endo- and exo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic acid N-arylimides with a solution of peracetic acid in anhydrous dioxane affords 5,6-exo-epoxybicycloheptanedicarboxylic acid N-arylimides. The epoxidation reaction is not sensitive to the configuration of the imide fragment, to the character and position of the substituent in the aromatic ring. The reaction is determined only by oxidation conditions.     

A new heterogeneous chiral (salen)manganese(III) system for enantioselective epoxidation of non‐functionalized olefins

This communication describes the design and application of a novel catalytic epoxidation system derived from the initial immobilization of a homogeneous sulfonato (salen)Mn(III) complex on two solid carriers (silica gel and siliceous earth) and subsequent dispersion of the supported manganese complexes into ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMImPF₆) and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMImBF₄) for recycling. The performance of chiral (salen)Mn(III) system in enantioselective epoxidation of olefins was investigated systematically. Even higher enantioselectivity than that of the homogeneous counterpart was obtained with similar catalytic activity. In particular, the best catalytic result is that the combination of the silica gel‐supported (salen)Mn(III) catalyst and BMImPF₆ affords 97–100% ee for epoxidation of α‐methylstyrene, and high ee values were retained even after three cycles. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

疏水性金属卟啉的合成及催化性能研究

本文合成了一类带疏水性长链的对称卟啉及其金属配合物, 研究了该类金属卟啉在CH2Cl2/H2O两相体系中催化苯乙烯的环氧化反应性能。通过以上研究, 发现催化反应体系中水相PH值对烯烃环氧化反应有很大影响; 改变金属卟啉的疏水性对催化反应影响不大; 具不同中心金属离子的金属卟啉有不同的催化活性, 催化活性顺序为:Mn>Co>Ni>Cu。     

A comparative study of the epoxidation of 2‐substituted isoflavones by dimethyldioxirane,sodium hypochlorite,and alkaline hydrogen peroxide (weitz‐scheffer reaction)

The comparative epoxidation of 2‐substituted isoflavones 9–16 has been conducted by the utilization of three different protocols, viz. epoxidation with isolated dimethyldioxirane (Method A), with sodium hypochlorite (Method B), and with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (Method C), to afford epoxides 17–24 . Best results have been obtained with Method C (Weitz‐Scheffer epoxidation). The structures of epoxides have been assigned on the basis of nmr spectral and mass spectral data.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric epoxidation reactions in water-alcohol solutions

The diastereo- and enantioselective organocatalytic epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes in aqueous solutions is presented. By the screening of the reaction conditions for the epoxidation of cinnamic aldehyde applying hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant and 2-[bis-(3,5-bis-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-trimethylsilanyloxy-methyl]-pyrrolidine as the catalyst, a highly stereoselective reaction has been developed. The scope of the diastereo- and enantioselective organocatalytic epoxidation in aqueous solutions is documented by the asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with enantioselectivities up to 96% ee.     

Theoretical investigation on the chiral diamine-catalyzed epoxidation of cyclic enones: mechanism and effects of cocatalyst

The asymmetric epoxidation of 2-cyclohexen-1-one with aqueous H(2)O(2) as oxidant, 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as catalyst, and a Br?nsted acid trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as cocatalyst has been studied by performing density functional theory calculations. It is confirmed that the catalyzed epoxidation proceeds via sequential nucleophilic addition and ring-closure processes involving a ketiminium intermediate. Four possible pathways associated with two Z isomers and two E isomers of ketiminium have been explored in detail. Our calculation indicates that these four pathways have high barriers and a small energy gap between two more favorable R and S pathways. We have analyzed the effects of the TFA anion and H(2)O on the activity and enantioselectivity of catalytic epoxidation. It is found that the TFA anion acts as a counterion to stabilize the transition states of the catalytic epoxidation by hydrogen-bond acceptance, leading to decreases in the barriers of the nucleophilic addition and ring-closure processes. The most significant decrease occurred in the ring-closure step of the Z-R-pathway, resulting in H-bond-induced enantioselectivity. Our calculations also show that water cooperates with TFA to further increase the reaction rate significantly.     

Peroxovanadate imidazole complexes as catalysts for olefin epoxidation: density functional study of dynamics, 51V NMR chemical shifts, and mechanism

A density functional study of [VO(O(2))(2)(Im)](-) (1, Im = imidazole) is presented, calling special attention to effects of dynamics and solvation on the (51)V chemical shift. According to Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations, rotation of the Im ligand can be fast in the gas phase, but is more hindered in aqueous solution. In the latter, bonding between Im and V is reinforced, and dynamic averaging of GIAO-B3LYP magnetic shieldings affords a gas-to-liquid shift of ca. -100 ppm for delta((51)V). A complete catalytic cycle has been characterized for olefin epoxidation mediated by 1, using H(2)O(2) as oxidant. The rate-determining step is indicated to be initial oxygen atom transfer from 1 to the substrate via a spiro-like transition state. Substituent effects on this barrier are examined, and a significant decrease (by 2-6 kcal/mol) is revealed upon removal of the Im proton or upon complexation with a H-bond acceptor. Implications for the mechanism of the oxidative chemistry of vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases and requirements for prospective biomimetic analogues are discussed.     

Stereochemical studies of tricyclo[6.2.1.O.1·6]undecanes—II : Stereochemistry of isolongifolene epoxide

The stereochemistry of epoxidation and hydroboration of isolongifolene has been elucidated by comparison with the chemistry of the C₂-desmethyl epoxides and their transformation products. The main factors controlling the stereochemistry of epoxidation of isolongifolene are the bicycloheptyl moiety and the C-2β methyl substituent.     

Structure and catalytic activity of some soluble polyethylene glycol-peptide conjugates

Soluble catalysts for the Juliá-Colonna asymmetric epoxidation reaction have been constructed in three different ways, using NH₂-PEG-OMe as the support system: suitable solvents have been identified and it is shown that the degree of helicity of the conjugates correlates with the extent of conversion and (to a lesser extent) the enantioselectivity of epoxidation.