Highly enantioselective one-pot synthesis of spirocyclopentaneoxindoles containing the oxime group by organocatalyzed Michael addition/ISOC/fragmentation sequence

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective organocatalytic protocol for the synthesis of biologically important spirocyclopentaneoxindoles containing the oxime functional group from easily accessible 3-allyl-substituted oxindoles and nitroolefins has been developed by a one-pot Michael addition/ISOC/fragmentation sequence.     

Catalytic asymmetric Michael addition with curcumin derivative

Catalytic asymmetric Michael additions with curcumin derivatives were achieved by a new series of tertiary amine-thiourea organocatalysts to afford the Michael adducts in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities.     

Efficient enantioselective synthesis of functionalized tetrahydropyrans by Ru-catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening metathesis/cross-metathesis (AROM/CM)

An efficient method for enantioselective synthesis of highly functionalized pyrans (up to 98% ee) through Ru-catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening metathesis/cross-metathesis is described. Reactions are promoted by a recyclable chiral Ru-chloride or a new chiral Ru-iodide complex; the latter catalyst is less efficient but gives rise to significantly higher levels of enantioselectivity. Catalytic reactions can be performed in undistilled solvent and with a wide range of substrates, including those that contain secondary and tertiary alcohols. Representative regioselective functionalizations that highlight the utility of the catalytic method are also presented.     

A Ru-catalyzed tandem alkyne-enone coupling/Michael addition: synthesis of 4-methylene-2,6-cis-tetrahydropyrans

[reaction: see text] A Ru-catalyzed tandem alkyne-enone coupling/Michael addition reaction is reported. It provides an efficient, atom-economic entry to 4-methylene-2,6-cis-tetrahydropyrans from simple, readily available homopropargylic alcohols and beta,gamma-unsaturated enones in good yields. Further functionalization of the resultant vinylsilane leads to the synthesis of either geometrically defined trisubstituted alkene exocyclic to the 2,6-cis-dihydropyran.     

A new method for enol lactone synthesis by a Michael addition/cyclization sequence

Reactions of cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with 1-(2-alkenoyl)-4-bromo-3,5-dimethylpyrazoles under the double catalytic activation conditions using both catalytic amounts of Lewis acid and amine catalysts provide a new direct synthetic route to enol lactones. Thus, 1,3-cyclohexanedione is allowed to react with 4-bromo-1-crotonoyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole, in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature in the presence of both catalytic amounts (10 mol% each) of nickel(II) perchlorate hexahydrate and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, to give 4,7,7-trimethyl-3,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydrobenzopyran-2(H),5-dione in a good yield. This reaction does not proceed or is too slow under the reaction conditions other than the double catalytic activation conditions.     

Development of chiral pincer palladium complexes bearing a pyrroloimidazolone unit. Catalytic use for asymmetric Michael addition

Novel pincer palladium complexes having chiral hexahydro-1H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]imidazolone groups were designed and prepared. Catalytic asymmetric Michael addition of isopropyl 2-cyanopropionate to ethyl vinyl ketone was catalyzed by the chiral pincer palladium complex to give isopropyl 2-cyano-2-methyl-5-oxoheptanoate with high enantioselectivity (up to 83% ee). [structure: see text]     

A synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes by a Ru-catalyzed addition

Catalyzed by ruthenium trisacetonitrile hexafluorophosphate 4, the Alder-ene type reaction of alkenes and internal alkynes provides an effective way to synthesize trisubstituted alkenes. Unlike most typical olefination protocols, this reaction is atom economical, and affords trisubstituted alkenes with defined olefin geometry. The regioselectivity can be explained invoking a steric argument based on the proposed mechanism. The first C-C bond formation generally involves sterically less hindered carbons of the alkenes and alkynes. Modest to very high regioselectivity can be achieved depending on the steric difference of the two substituents of alkynes.     

Catalytic asymmetric Michael reactions using a chiral rhodium complex

Catalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of β-keto esters and methyl vinyl ketone was achieved using a chiral diamine-based Rh complex to give the Michael adducts in up to 75% e.e.     

Catalytic enantioselective construction of quaternary stereocenters by direct vinylogous Michael addition of deconjugated butenolides to nitroolefins

A direct vinylogous Michael reaction of γ-substituted deconjugated butenolides with nitroolefins has been developed with the help of a newly identified quinine-derived bifunctional catalyst, allowing the synthesis of densely functionalized products with contiguous quaternary and tertiary stereocenters in excellent yield with perfect diastereoselectivity (>20:1 dr) and high enantioselectivity (up to 99:1 er).     

Catalytic enantioselective Friedel-Crafts/Michael addition reactions of indoles to ethenetricarboxylates

[reaction: see text] The Friedel-Crafts reaction is an important reaction for the formation of new C-C bonds. Recently, catalytic enantioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction of alkylidene malonates has been reported. However, the substituents in alkylidene malonates are limited. To explore new substituents such as carboxyl and carbonyl groups, catalytic enantioselective Friedel-Crafts reactions of reactive ethenetricarboxylates and acyl-substituted methylenemalonates 1 were investigated. The reaction of 1 with indoles in the presence of catalytic amounts of chiral bisoxazoline copper(II) complex (10%) in THF at room temperature gave alkylated products in high yields and up to 95% ee. The enantioselectivity can be explained by the secondary orbital interaction on approach of indole to the less hindered side of the 1-Cu(II)-ligand complex.     

Direct asymmetric Michael addition of phthalide derivatives to chalcones

The Michael addition of phthalides to chalcones employing a quinidine-derived thiourea catalyst Q-1 has been developed. The reported method led to the synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted phthalide derivatives in excellent yields, with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.     

Aromatic l-prolinamide-catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to nitroalkenes

Two chiral aromatic l-prolinamides were synthesized in high overall yield (95%) from N-Boc-l-proline and served as organocatalysts in asymmetric Michael reactions of aldehydes to nitroalkenes. Under the optimized reaction conditions, (S)-N-tritylpyrrolidine-2-carboxamide 4 was found to be a highly efficient organocatalyst for the Michael addition, and the corresponding Michael adducts were obtained in good yields (up to 94%), with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) and diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr).     

Thiophosphoramide catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of cyclopentanone to chalcones

Thiophosphoramide 1b was found to be an effective bifunctional organocatalyst in the asymmetric Michael reaction of cyclopentanone to various chalcones, affording the corresponding adducts in satisfactory yields with moderate to excellent diastereo- (up to 90/10 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee).     

Organocatalytic asymmetric Michael addition of 2,4-pentandione to nitroolefins

[reaction: see text] A novel binaphthyl-derived amine thiourea organocatalyst has been developed and demonstrated to efficiently catalyze Michael addition reactions (using as low as 1 mol % loading) of diketones to nitroalkenes with remarkably high enantioselectivities.     

Chiral-Sc catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition/protonation of thiols with enones in water

Asymmetric Michael reactions and enantioselective protonations between enones and thiols were catalyzed by a Sc(OTf)(3)-chiral 2,2'-bipyridine complex in water. The remarkable governing of the enantioselectivity for simple introduction of protons despite their abnormally high mobility in water may provide us with new synthetic opportunities as well as significant chemical advances.