Behaviour of aminoacids and aliphatic aldehydes in dipolar aprotic solvents: Formation of oxazolidinones—behaviour of aminoacids and aliphatic aldehydes in dipolar aprotic solvents

Reactions of aliphatic branched aldehydes with proline in dimethyl sulfoxide or acetonitrile solution afford oxazolidin-5-ones with high diastereoselection. Linear aldehydes afford aldolic/crotonic condensation products; with short reaction times, the presence of Oxazolidinones can be detected in the pmr spectra. Acyclic aminoacids and branched aldehydes yield a reaction mixture the pmr and ir spectra of which give evidence for iminic-oxazolidinone equilibria. The structure of (2R,5S)-2-trichloromethyl-1-aza-3-oxabiciclo-[3.3.0]octan-4-one has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

Enantioselective synthesis of 3-substituted-4-aryl piperidines useful for the preparation of paroxetine

The asymmetric conjugate addition reaction between 4-fluorophenylmagnesium bromide and various chiral α,β-unsaturated esters and enoylsultam substrates was explored to prepare a key intermediate useful in the preparation of paroxetine. The most selective auxiliary was found to be Oppolzer's (1S)-(−)-camphorsultam. Interestingly, the diastereoselection was opposite to that reported for acyclic enoylsultams.     

One-pot synthesis of conformationally restricted spirooxindoles

Diastereomeric three-, five- and six-membered spirocycloalkyloxindoles were successfully synthesized in a rapid and convenient manner from readily accessible starting materials in moderate to high yields using 1-methyl-3-acetonitriloxindole after a one-pot base-mediated double-alkylation strategy. It was found that the diastereoselection is dependent on the reaction conditions and the spirocycloalkyl ring size, with the 3R^∗,8R^∗ diastereomers being thermodynamically favored under the basic reaction conditions for three- and five-membered rings, and the 3R^∗,8S^∗ diastereomer in the case of six-membered rings, as predicted by DFT calculations. The relative stereochemistry was supported by 2D NMR spectra and X-ray crystal structural analysis. The conformational rigidity of the spirocycloalkyloxindoles in solution was established based on NMR experimental and theoretical DFT approaches.     

On the mechanism and diastereoselectivity of 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran formation from sulfinylbenzoquinones and 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran

A mechanistic study of the reactions between 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran 1 and (SS)-2-(arylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinones 2a and 2b, giving rise to the diastereoselective formation of [3aS,8bS,SS]-3a,8b-dihydro-7-hydroxy-8-(arylsulfinyl)furo[3,2-b]benzofuran-2(3H)-ones 3a and 3b, is reported. The detection and ¹H NMR characterization of several precursors of 3a and 3b accounts for a Michael-type initial reaction which dictates the final diastereoselection of the process. A significant improvement of the stereoselectivity (up to 96% de) in the formation of the tert-butylsulfinyl substituted derivative 3c was achieved by using 2-(tert-butylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone 2c as the starting quinone.     

Asymmetric Diels–Alder reactions of 5-substituted and 5,6-disubstituted (S)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinones with cyclopentadiene and trans-piperylene

A systematic study of reactions between 5-substituted and 5,6-disubstituted (S)-2-p-tolylsulfinyl-p-benzoquinones and cyclopentadiene or trans-piperylene is reported. Complete regio and π-facial selectivities are observed. The different behaviours of cyclic and acyclic dienes in the presence of ZnBr₂ (cyclopentadiene showed reversed diastereoselection) and the role of BF₃·OEt₂ are discussed.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-substituted 3-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-2-ones by [2+2]-cycloaddition of N-allyl-β-N-keteniminium salts derived from (R)-vinylglycinol

A stereoselective synthesis of (1R,2R,5S)-2-benzyloxymethyl-3-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-2-one was achieved, by intramolecular [2+2]-cycloaddition of (R)-vinylglycinol-derived N-allyl-β-N-keteniminium salts, with high facial diastereoselection. The regio- and stereochemical courses have been qualitatively investigated by Molecular Mechanics calculations.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of the first C2-symmetric bis-aldimine NCN-pincer complexes of platinum and palladium

(S,S)-2,6-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]phenylpalladium bromide was synthesised by oxidative addition of palladium(0) to (S,S)-1-bromo-2,6-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]benzene. In contrast, (S,S)-2,6-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]phenylplatinum chloride was synthesised by direct C-H activation from the reaction of potassium tetrachloroplatinate with (S,S)-1,3-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]benzene. The X-ray crystal structures of both pincer complexes were obtained. Treatment of both complexes with silver hexafluoroanimonate gave effective but not stereoselective catalysts for a Michael reaction between methyl vinyl ketone and methyl 2-cyanopropanoate.     

Diastereoselection in 1,3-O- to -C-alkyl migration reaction of 1-alkenyl alkyl acetals catalyzed by boron trifluoride etherate

Remarkable diastereoselection, with (E)-alkenyl alkyl acetal giving selectively the erythro α-alkyl-β-alkoxyaldehyde, and (Z)-acetal leading preferentially to the threo isomer, is observed in the 1,3-O- to - C-alkyl migration reaction of 1-alkenyl alkyl acetals catalyzed by boron trifluoride etherate.     

Diastereoselectivity in the directed aldol condensation of 2-trimethylsiloxyfuran with aldehydes. A stereodivergent route to threo and erythro δ-hydroxy-γ-lactones

Threo and erythro-δ-hydroxy-α,β-unsaturated γ-lactones are obtained with useful diastereoselection by condensing 2-trimethylsiloxyfuran and aldehydes by varying the reaction reaction conditions. A stereomechanistic rationale is presented together with a practical two-step synthesis of the threo and erythro 5-hydroxy-4-decanolides (L factors).     

Superior substrate control on diastereoselection in boric Lewis acid-promoted aldol reactions. Asymmetric synthesis of a 3,4-syn homologous series of ethyl 3,5-dihydroxy-2,4-dimethyl-5-phenylpentanoates

The BF₃·OEt₂-promoted aldol reaction of chiral syn- and anti-α-methyl-β-siloxy aldehydes with a silyl ketene acetal resulted in essentially complete syn Felkin selection. Even in the asymmetric aldol reaction using chiral oxazaborolidinones, the substrate control with respect to diastereoselection was found to overcome the promoter (catalyst) control which would normally occur depending on the stereocenter of the chiral boranes.     

Synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted piperidine alkaloids from ladybird beetles Calvia 10-guttata and Calvia 14-guttata

Optically pure (+)-calvine, (+)-2-epicalvine, (2S,6S)-(6-pentylpiperidin-2-yl)acetic acid methyl ester and (2R,6S)-(6-pentylpiperidin-2-yl)acetic acid methyl ester, four piperidine alkaloids isolated from ladybird beetles of the genus Calvia (Coccinellidae), were synthesised from a common precursor using cyclisative Pd(II)/Cu(II)-catalysed carboamination-(methoxy)carbonylation tandem reaction of alkenylamines as a key step. The first single-crystal X-ray analysis of (+)-calvine confirmed its proposed absolute configuration to be (2S,6S) corresponding to that of natural product.     

Solvent effects on the diastereoselection in LiAlH4 reduction of α-substituted ketones

Based on high-level DFT calculations including solvent molecules, it was found that steric effects of solvent may be responsible for the diastereoselection in LiAlH₄ reduction of acyclic ketones substituted by an oxygen-containing functional group at the α-position to the carbonyl. It was concluded that the conventional chelated transition state models lead to the predominance of the R^∗,S^∗-diastereoisomers against experimental observation.     

New aspects of reactions of methyl (thio)ureas with benzil

New pathways of reaction between 1-methylthiourea or 1-methylurea and benzil bring about new derivatives of (2S*,3aR*,6aS*)-perhydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-d]imidazole and racemic (4S*,5R*)-4-alkoxy-5-hydroxy-1-methyl-4,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2-thiones. Some of the obtained urea-and thiourea derivatives were characterized by X-ray diffraction, which showed their supramolecular organization governed by the directionality of hydrogen bonds at the acceptor side C=O or C=S groups.     

Preparation of new bis(oxazoline) ligand bearing non-covalent interaction sites and an application in the highly asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction

New asymmetric bis(oxazoline) (Box) ligand bearing amide group at the oxazoline 4-position, (S,S)-2,2′-methylenebis(4-tert-butylcarbamoyl-2-oxazoline) (1S), was designed and synthesized for selective catalytic reaction. The crystal structure of the ternary copper complex, consisting of 1S and N-benzoyl-N-phenyl-hydroxylamine, demonstrated interligand interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and CH-π interaction. Catalytic performance of the copper complex with 1S was investigated for an asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction using benzylidene-2-acetylpyridine and 1,3-cyclohexadiene (CHD). The reaction product was enantio-pure endo-(pyridin-2-yl)(3-phenylbicyclo[2,2,2]oct-5-ene-2-yl)methanone (BPCD), of which crystal structure was analyzed by the X-ray method. No stereo- and enantio-isomer of BPCD was detected by chiral HPLC analysis. Introduction of hydrogen bonding site into 1S can promote the Diels-Alder reaction even though using poor reactive CHD. Without 1S, this reaction did not give any product. Addition of 2-propanol to this reaction system inhibited the formation of BPCD, indicating that the designed interligand interaction sites, especially hydrogen bonding, play an important role for catalytic performance.     

trans-Dichlorobis{(1R,4S)-1,7,7-trimethyl-3-[(S)-α-methylbenzylimino]bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one-N}Palladium(II): Synthesis and structural examination

A reaction of (1R,4S)-1,7,7-trimethyl-3-[(S)-α-methylbenzylimino]bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one with lithium tetrachloropalladate gave a chiral palladium(II) complex with monodentate coordination of the organic ligand. The structure of the complex was confirmed by NMR spectra and X-ray diffraction data.     

From oxides of internal perfluoroolefins to fluorocontaining camphor thiazolinylhydrazones

The reaction of oxides of internal trans- and cis-perfluoroolefins with (1S, 4S)- or racemic camphor thiosemicarbazone leads to the formation of trans- and cis-isomers of (1S, 4S)- or racemic camphor 5′-fluoro-4′-hydroxy-4′,5′-di(perfluoroalkyl)-1′,3′-thiazolinyl-2′-hydrazones, respectively. Unsymmetrical dodecafluoro-2,3-epoxyhexane yields a mixture of regioisomeric hydrazones. The molecular structure of the trans-isomer of (1S, 4S)-camphor 5′-fluoro-4′-hydroxy-4′,5′-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1′,3′-thiazolinyl-2′-hydrazone has been established by X-ray crystallography. The quite rare example of cocrystallization of two diastereomers of the latter in homochiral crystal (sp. group P2₁) has been revealed.     

Reassignment of the absolute configuration of the baker's yeast reduction of (±)-ethyl 1-allyl-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate

The baker's yeast reduction of (±)-ethyl 1-allyl-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate under aqueous conditions in the presence of CuO yields (1S,2S)-(+)-ethyl 1-allyl-2-hydroxycyclopentanecarboxylate and the unreacted enantiomer (1R)-(−)-ethyl 1-allyl-2-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate. The absolute configuration of the secondary alcohol was determined from the X-ray crystal structure of the (1S)-10-camphorsulfonyl derivative of (1S,2S)-(+)-ethyl 1-allyl-2-hydroxycyclopentanecarboxylate. This refutes configurational claims based on CD/ORD and chemical affiliation techniques currently reported in the literature for this reaction.     

Stereoselective synthesis of trans-disubstituted-β-lactams from N-phenylsulfenylimines

N-Phenylsulfenylimines derived from aliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes act as nucleophilic partners in the Staudinger reaction with acetoxyacetyl chloride. Disubstituted-β-lactams are obtained with a surprisingly high trans diastereoselection (up to 99%).     

Synthesis of higher carbon sugars from dihydroxyacetone and d-arabinose: an organocatalytic approach

The reaction of 2,3:4,5-diacetone-d-arabinose with protected dihydroxyacetone catalyzed by l-proline afforded two diastereoisomeric octoses in a 7:1 ratio in 75% yield. The anti (3S,4S) configuration at the newly created stereogenic centers was assigned to the main isomer on the basis of the X-ray analysis. The same reaction when catalyzed with unnatural d-proline provided the same products in a 1:20 ratio.     

First attempts at differential diastereoselection in catalytic reactions of N-chirally substituted dirhodium(ii) tetrakis[methyl 2-oxoimidazolidine-4(S)-carboxylates] with diazoacetates

Chiral attachments on 2-oxoimidazolidine-4(S)-carboxylate ligands for dirhodium(ii) can provide differential diastereoselection in catalytic reactions of diazo compounds. The synthesis of these heterocyclic ligands from the readily available amino acid asparagine is reported. Reactions with diazoacetates offering intramolecular carbon—hydrogen insertion provide evaluative data that demonstrate differential diastereoselection. Surprisingly, placement of a carbonyl group within the chiral attachment removes enantiocontrol from the catalyst, presumably because of intramolecular ylide formation.