Copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to acyclic enones using monodentate phosphoramidite ligands

Herein, we report efficient catalysts based on phosphoramidites for the asymmetric copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones. A variety of Grignard reagents can be added to aliphatic and aromatic acyclic enones with good yields and moderate to good enantioselectivities.     

Catalytic enantioselective Michael addition of deconjugated butyrolactams to maleimides

The first catalytic enantioselective Michael addition of deconjugated butyrolactams to N-arylmaleimides is developed with the help of a bifunctional tertiary aminosquaramide catalyst. Unlike the widely explored and structurally related vinylogous nucleophile – deconjugated butenolides, deconjugated butyrolactams are found to be exclusively α-selective. The resulting highly substituted and densely functionalized products, bearing contiguous all-carbon quaternary and tertiary stereocenters, are formed in good yields with moderate diastereoselectivity and good to excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99:1 er).     

Enantioselective organocatalytic conjugate addition of organoboron nucleophiles

This review covers the use of organoboron nucleophiles in enantioselective conjugate additions catalyzed by organic-based catalysts. It is divided into sections based on the type of nucleophile, with each section arranged in roughly chronological order. The categories of nucleophiles are alkynyl, alkenyl, and aryl boronates or borates. The principle modes of catalysis, iminium formation and boron chelation, are covered.     

Chiral dinuclear phthalazine bridged bisoxazoline ligands: synthesis and application in enantioselective Cu-catalyzed conjugate addition of ZnEt2 to enones

A new class of chiral dinuclear ligands with phthalazine bridged bisoxazoline scaffold was designed and prepared in convenient synthetic routes. ¹H NMR analysis showed that this class of ligands could coordinate with two metal ions, either same or different. These ligands afforded good to excellent yields and enantioselectivities in Cu-catalyzed conjugate addition of ZnEt₂ to enones.     

Highly enantioselective copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of diethylzinc to cyclic enones with spirocyclic phosphoramidite ligands

A series of spirocyclic phosphoramidite ligands 6-9 with different substituents on the amine moiety were synthesized from the chiral spirocyclic diol (R)-5. These monodentate ligands have been applied in copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of diethylzinc to cyclic enones. Excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) can be achieved by the use of ligand (R,S,S)-9 bearing stereochemically matched structure derived from the C₂-symmetric (S,S)-bis(α-methylbenzyl)amine.     

Catalytic enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation at the 2-position of indole with simple enones

A procedure for the enantioselective alkylation of indole at the 2-position with simple non-chelating enones is described for the first time. Reaction between 4,7-dihydroindole and enones in the presence of zirconium(IV)-BINOL complexes, followed by a p-benzoquinone oxidation gives indoles alkylated at the 2-position with good yields and moderate enantioselectivities.     

N-Fluoro-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxy)benzenesulfonimide (NFBSI): A sterically demanding electrophilic fluorinating reagent for enantioselective fluorination

We disclose here a novel electrophilic fluorinating reagent, N-fluoro-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxy)benzenesulfonimide (NFBSI) as a sterically demanding analogue of popular fluorinating reagent, N-fluorobenzenesulfonmide (NFSI). NFBSI improves the enantioselectivity of the products as much as 18% for the cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed enantioselective fluorination of silylenol ether compared to the use of NFSI.     

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral tertiary borylated phosphonates by copper-catalyzed conjugate borylation

Enantioselective copper-catalyzed conjugate borylation of α,β-unsaturated phosphonates with bis(pinacolato)diboron affords chiral tertiary organoboronate esters with a vicinal phosphonate group in good yields and enantiomeric excess. Linear aliphatic, aromatic, and heteroaromatic substituents at the β-position can be accommodated, and oxidation of the borylated organophosphonate products leads to β-hydroxyphosphonates.     

Iron-catalyzed δ-selective conjugate addition of methyl and cyclopropyl Grignard reagents to α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated esters and amides

Iron-catalyzed δ-selective conjugate addition of methyl and cyclopropyl Grignard reagents to α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated esters and amides took place in good yields to give products exclusively with cis-β,γ-olefinic bond.     

Asymmetric syntheses of a GPR40 receptor agonist via diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate alkynylation

Two asymmetric methods to synthesize a potent GPR40 receptor agonist are reported. Both synthetic routes utilize readily available, inexpensive starting materials and reagents. The first route relies on a highly diastereoselective conjugate alkynylation of an ephedrine-derived oxazepanedione acceptor. The second route features the enantioselective alkynylation of a Meldrum’s acid-derived acceptor mediated by a chiral zinc cinchonidine reagent.     

Chiral amidophosphane-copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of dialkylzinc reagents to nitroalkenes

The copper-amidophosphane-catalyzed asymmetric addition reaction of dialkylzinc reagents with β-aryl and β-alkylnitroalkenes afforded the corresponding nitroalkanes with moderate to good enantioselectivities (54-80% ee). The performance was highly dependent on the reaction procedure where the addition of nitroalkene to the mixture of copper-amidophosphane and dialkylzinc gave higher ee than the addition of dialkylzinc to a mixture of copper-amidophosphane and nitroalkene.     

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of cyclic ketones to chalcones catalyzed by pyrrolidine-based imides

An efficient procedure for asymmetric Michael addition reaction of cyclic ketones with low activated chalcones catalyzed by pyrrolidine-based phthalimide and 1,8-Naphthalimide catalysts was developed. The corresponding products were obtained in high yields with high diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr) and high enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee) under mild conditions.     

Transition metal-mediated routes to cyclopentenones

Cyclopentenones are not only key building blocks for organic synthesis, but many possess interesting biological properties in their own right. This review begins with an overview of the biological importance of cyclopentenones and a summary of the main classical routes to cyclopentenones. A detailed account of recent advances in transition metal-mediated approaches to cyclopentenones follows. The aim of the review is to draw attention to transition metal-mediated approaches to cyclopentenones that are starting to be applied in organic synthesis, and to highlight promising cyclopentenone-forming reactions that have not yet realised their full potential in a synthetic context.     

Copper(II)-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of nitro esters to 2-enoyl-pyridine N-oxides

A highly enantioselective Michael addition of nitro esters to 2-enoyl-pyridine N-oxides was developed by using chiral copper catalysts. The Michael addition products can be obtained in high yields and with up to 96% ee.     

A first high enantiocontrol of an asymmetric tertiary carbon center attached with a fluoroalkyl group via Rh(I)-catalyzed conjugate addition reaction

Treatment of fluoroalkylated electron-deficient olefins with various boronic acids in the presence of a catalytic amount of Rh(I) coordinated with (S)-BINAP in toluene/H₂O at the reflux temperature for 3 h gave the corresponding conjugate addition products with high enantioselectivity in high yields.     

Thioallenoates in catalytic enantioselective [2+2]-cycloadditions with unactivated alkenes

The application of thioallenoates to catalytic enantioselective [2+2]-cycloadditions with unactivated alkenes is reported. In many cases, the thioallenoates examined exhibit superior reactivity and selectivity compared to the allenic esters generally used in these cycloadditions.     

Concise synthesis of valuable chiral N-Boc-β-benzyl-β-amino acid via construction of chiral N-Boc-3-benzyl-5-oxoisoxazolidine through cross-metathesis/conjugate addition/oxidation

Valuable chiral N-Boc-β-benzyl-β-amino acid was concisely synthesized via construction of chiral NBoc-3-benzyl-5-oxoisoxazolidine through cross-metathesis/conjugate addition/oxidation.All of the starting materials for the synthesis of chiral N-Boc-β-benzyl-β-amino acid are cheap,and two-step short procedure make it easy for the rapid construction of various chiral β-arylmethyl-β-amino acids and important drugs,such as sitagliptin phosphate.