Synthesis of homoallylic amines by hydrozirconation-imine addition of allenes

Hydrozirconation of allenes followed by in situ transmetalation to dialkylzinc leads to the formation of an allylic zinc species that, upon addition of aldimines to the reaction mixture, provides homoallylic amines in 64-85% yield. [reaction: see text]     

Tandem zirconocene homologation-aldimine allylation

[reaction: see text]. Hydrozirconation of internal and terminal alkynes followed by in situ transmetalation to dimethylzinc and treatment with diiodomethane leads to chain extended allylic organometallics. Addition to N-phosphinoyl or N-sulfonyl aldimines provides homoallylic amines in 48-87% yield and 3:2 to >20:1 diastereomeric ratios favoring anti-products.     

Reactivity of α-chloro-aldimines

A series of secondary N-1-(2-chloroalkylidene)amines has been prepared by condensation of disubstituted acetaldehydes with primary amines followed by chlorination with N-chlorosuccinimide in carbontetrachloride. A study of the reactivity of these N-homologues of α-chloroaldehydes is described. Treatment of the title compounds with sodium methoxide in methanol gave high yields of α,β-unsaturated aldimines. However, N-1-(2-chloro-2-methylpropylidene)amines afforded a mixture of elimination and rearrangement products, which proceeded via an aziridine intermediate. On the other hand, α-phenyl-substituted α-chloro aldimines on treatment with methoxide in methanol underwent α-substitution, consistent with an S_N1 mechanism. Powerful nucleophiles such as sodium thiophenolate in methanol and sodium azide in acetone caused α-substitution. Reaction of α-chloro aldimines with Grignard reagents produced coupling of two aldimine units or α-alkylation. Finally the reactivity of α-chloro aldimines was compared with the reactivity of the corresponding oxygen-analogues, i.e. α-chloro aldehydes.     

From terminal alkynes directly to branched amines

The one-pot synthesis of several branched secondary aliphatic amines is described. Hydroamination of terminal alkynes with aliphatic primary amines in the presence of Cp₂Ti(η²-Me₃SiCCSiMe₃) gives the corresponding aldimines as intermediates. Reaction of these in situ produced aldimines with organolithium reagents (n-BuLi, PhLi) provides the α-branched amines in an easy way in upto 78% overall yield.     

Enantioselective addition of terminal alkynes to N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)imines catalyzed by Zn–BINOL complexes

Chiral nonracemic N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)-protected propargylic amines have been prepared by addition of terminal alkynes to N-(diphenylphosphinoyl)aldimines in the presence of dimethylzinc and 3,3′-dibromo-BINOL as catalyst. The reaction works with a variety of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldimines and with different alkynes, providing the expected products in generally good yields and enantiomeric excesses (up to 96%).     

Alkali Metal–Promoted Facile Synthesis of Secondary Amines from Imines and Carbodiimides

We present here an efficient method for the hydroboration of aldimines (-C=N-) with pinacolborane (HBpin) using an alkali metal catalyst, potassium benzyl. The reaction was accomplished with unprecedented catalytic efficiency under mild and solvent-free conditions to afford the high yield of the corresponding N-boryl amines up to 97%. Various functionalities on aldimines were incorporated for hydroboration. The corresponding boryl amines were subjected to further hydrolysis to yield the corresponding secondary amines with good yields up to 89%. This protocol for the reaction demonstrates an atom-economic and green method with diverse imines that bears excellent functional group tolerance. Chemoselective reduction of imines was also attained, with good yields of 74–89%. We also propose the most plausible mechanism involving the formation of metal hydride as the active pre-catalyst.     

Enantioselective Addition of Silicon Nucleophiles to Aldimines Using a Preformed NHC–Copper(I) Complex as the Catalyst

A remaining major challenge in the asymmetric addition of silicon nucleophiles to typical prochiral acceptors, the enantioselective 1,2‐addition to aldimines, is addressed. Activation of the Si? B bond in the silicon pronucleophile by a copper(I) alkoxide with McQuade’s chiral six‐membered N‐heterocyclic carbene as a supporting ligand releases the silicon nucleophile, which adds to various aldimines with high levels of enantioselectivity. The new method provides a catalytic asymmetric access to α‐silylated amines.     

Generation and tandem reactions of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallics: practical and versatile reagents for organic synthesis

A practical and straightforward method for generation of versatile 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates and their application to construction of functionalized building blocks are disclosed. Beginning with readily available air-stable 1-alkynyl-1-boronate esters, hydroboration with dicyclohexylborane generates 1-alkenyl-1,1-diboro species. In situ transmetallation with dialkylzinc reagents furnishes 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates. Direct treatment with aldehydes followed by workup allows isolation of B(pin)-substituted allylic alcohols in 70-95% yield. The B(pin)-substituted allylic alcohols react with NBS to afford (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes in 51-77% yield via a semipinacol-type rearrangement. In situ treatment of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates with aldehydes followed by TBHP oxidation enables the preparation of alpha-hydroxy ketones. Under optimized conditions, addition of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates to a variety of protected alpha- and beta-hydroxy aldehydes proceeds with good to excellent control over diastereoselectivity to furnish differentially protected dihydroxy ketones. The 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates have also been employed in tandem aldehyde addition/Suzuki cross-coupling reactions to provide densely functionalized allylic alcohols in good to excellent yields.     

Scope and limitations of the nitro-Mannich reaction for the stereoselective synthesis of 1,2-diamines

The acetic acid-promoted addition of lithium nitropropanate and the Lewis acid-catalyzed [Sc(OTf)3, Cu(OTf)2, or Ti(OiPr)4] addition of trimethylsilyl nitropropanate to a range of heteroaromatic and simple aliphatic aldimines gave anti-rich (approximately 3-19:1) beta-nitroamines in >95% yields as the kinetic products. It was found that a nonpolar N-imine protecting group was essential for reactivity with the o-methoxybenzyl (OMB) group giving better selectivities and yields than p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) or p-methoxyphenyl (PMP) in the Lewis acid-catalyzed addition reactions. Reduction with SmI2, treatment with COCl2, followed by OMB deprotection gave diastereomerically pure cis-imidazolidinones in 55-79% overall yield from imine. Preliminary results have shown that acetic acid can catalyze the reaction of N-OMB-benzylideneamine with nitropropane, used as solvent, to give the thermodynamically more stable syn-beta-nitroamine product.     

Stereoselective synthesis of densely functionalized pyrrolidin-2-ones by a conjugate addition/nitro-Mannich/lactamization reaction

Copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of diorgano zinc reagents to nitroacrylate 1 followed by a subsequent nitro-Mannich reaction and in situ lactamization leads to an efficient one-pot synthesis of 1,3,5-trisubstituted 4-nitropyrrolidin-2-ones (5). The versatility of the reaction is shown for a wide range of N-p-(methoxy)phenyl protected aldimines 3 derived from alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl aldehydes. The densely functionalized pyrrolidin-2-ones 5 are isolated as single diastereoisomers (40 examples, 33-84% yield). An enantioselective copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of diethylzinc led to highly crystalline products that could be recrystallized to enantiopurity in high yield. A range of successful chemoselective transformations were investigated, which widens the applicability of the pyrrolidn-2-ones as stereochemically pure building blocks for further organic synthesis.     

Chiral-Directing-Group-Assisted Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Asymmetric Addition of Inert Arene C−H Bond to Aldimines with Subsequent Intramolecular Cyclization

By using a chiral directing group, an asymmetric rhodium(III)-catalyzed C−H bond addition to aldimines followed by intramolecular cyclization to form chiral isoindolinones has been achieved (up to 68 % yield, up to 93 % ee). A three-component variant that resembles Mannich reaction was also realized (41 % yield, 83 % ee). Product elaborations and preliminary mechanistic studies were described.     

Recent advances in the use of chiral aldimines in asymmetric synthesis

Chiral N-(tert-butyl)sulfinyl aldimines easily prepared from commercially available compounds have been used as starting materials for the following processes: (i) hydrogen transfer, (ii) addition of zincates, (iii) In-promoted allylation, and (iv) addition of zinc enolates. In all cases, the final desulfinylation to yield the expected chiral α-substituted primary amines was easily performed with hydrochloric acid in an organic solvent. This methodology has been successfully applied to the preparation of chiral natural products such as alkaloids and amino acids.     

Synthesis of thiazole aminophosphine oxides, aminophosphonic and aminophosphinic acids and Cu(II) binding abilities of thiazole aminophosphonic acids

A series of new aminophosphine oxides, aminophosphonic and aminophosphinic acids derived from thiazole was synthesized by addition of phosphine oxides or silylated phosphorus esters to the corresponding thiazole aldimines. The thiazole aldimines were obtained from 2-thiazole aldehyde and primary amines by a standard procedure. The corresponding phosphine oxides were obtained by alkylation of diethyl phosphite or ethyl phenylphosphinate with the appropriate Grignard reagents. The silylated phosphorus esters were prepared from trimethyl phosphite and from methyl- or phenylphosphinic ethyl ester by treatment with bromotrimethylsilane. The coordination ability towards Cu(II) ions are described for two obtained aminophosphonate ligands.     

Highly diastereoselective and enantioselective preparation of homoallylic amines: application for the synthesis of beta-amino acids and gamma-lactams

Reactions of N-silyl- and N-aluminoimines with B-allyldiisopinocampheylborane in the presence of methanol, followed by oxidative workup furnished homoallylic amines in good yields and high ee. A 11B NMR spectroscopy study revealed that the reactions do not proceed, even at room temperature, unless a molar equivalent of water or methanol is added. The first reagent-controlled asymmetric crotylboration and alkoxyallylboration of aldimines furnishing beta-methyl or beta-alkoxy homoallylic amines in very high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity are reported herein. Crotylboration and alkoxyallylboration of imines proceed only with the "allyl"-boron "ate" complexes, instead of the "allyl"-dialkylboron reagents used with aldehydes. The addition of methanol is necessary for these reactions as well. Application of this methodology for the conversion of representative nitriles to beta-amino acids in two steps has been described. Additionally, a procedure for the preparation of chiral delta-amino alcohols and gamma-lactams from nitriles is also reported.     

Base catalysed decomposition of oxaziridines to yield N-unsubstituted aldimines

A range of oxaziridines bearing an α-hydrogen atom on the N-alkyl substituent react with tertiary amines at ambient temperature to yield N-unsubstituted aldimines.     

Efficient Synthesis of Homoallylic Alcohols/Amines from Allyltributylstannane and Carbonyl Compounds/Imines Using Iodine as Catalyst Under Acetic Acid–Water Medium

This paper describes a general method for the synthesis of homoallylic alcohols and amines by nucleophilic addition reaction of allyltributylstannane to carbonyl compounds and aldimines where iodine acts as a catalyst in H₂O/acetic acid (1:1) medium. Only 10 mol% of I₂ is required for various organic transformations. By using this process, various homoallylic alcohols and amines are produced in good to excellent yields.     

简单亚胺的高效烯丙基化反应研究

首次实现了In(OTf)3催化下二丁基二烯丙基锡对活性较低的简单亚胺的高效烯丙基化加成. 烯丙基锡试剂和亚胺底物在10 mol%的In(OTf)3催化下, 无需添加其它辅助试剂, 二氯甲烷中室温搅拌10 h, 就可以得到收率为80%～99%的高烯丙基胺产物. 用四烯丙基锡替换该体系中的二丁基二烯丙基锡, 50 mol%用量即能得到很好的结果. 同时还对反应的机理进行了探讨.     

Synthesis of (+/-)-strychnofoline via a highly convergent selective annulation reaction

Studies aimed at preparing (+/-)-strychnofoline by total synthesis are detailed. The route described makes use of a recently developed MgI(2)-mediated ring-expansion reaction of spiro[cyclopropan-1,3'-oxindole] with a cyclic disubstituted aldimine. The ring-expansion product was formed as a single diastereoisomer in 55 % yield, possessing the same stereochemical pattern found in strychnofoline. In addition, our synthetic effort has led to the development of new reaction methodology to access 3,4-disubstituted cyclic aldimines.     

Alkyne as a spectator ligand for the nickel-catalyzed multicomponent connection reaction of diphenylzinc, 1,3-butadiene, aldehydes, and amines

Under nickel catalysis, in the presence of 3-hexyne, the aldimines of aromatic amines react with Ph2Zn and one molecule of butadiene to provide 1 exclusively, while the aldimines of aliphatic amines react with Ph2Zn and two molecules of butadiene to provide 2 exclusively, where 3-hexyne serves as a spectator ligand controlling the selective formation of 1 and 2.     

Readily Available Primary Aminoboranes as Powerful Reagents for Aldimine Synthesis

Primary aminoboranes (RNHBR₂), which are readily available by spontaneous dehydrocoupling of amines and boranes cleanly react at room temperature with aldehydes to give aldimines. The overall transformation from amines to aldimines can be conveniently performed by a sequential one‐pot reaction. This synthetic strategy is especially useful for electron poor and bulky amines which are reluctant to react with aldehydes under dehydration conditions. Using a Glorius robustness screen, we show that this methodology is chemoselective, and functional group tolerant. Computational and experimental data support the irreversible formation of the aldimine product in marked contrast with traditional methods.