Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization of methyl (E)-oxo-9-phenoxy-7-nonenoate and its analogs

Asymmetric cyclizations of methyl (E)-3-oxo-9-phenoxy-7-nonenoate ($\text{1}$) or methyl (E)-3-oxo-9-(methoxycarbonyl)oxy-7-nonenoate ($\text{4}$) without added base were carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of palladium(II) acetate and chiral diphosphine as ligands. Allylic carbonate $\text{4}$ reacted by use of Pd(OAC)₂-(S)-(R)-BPPFA at room temperature to give (R)-3-vinylcyclohexanone ($\text{3}$), after decarboxylation, in up to 48% e. e.     

Enantioselective synthesis and absolute configuration of the sex pheromone of Hedypathes betulinus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The male-produced sex pheromone of Hedypathes betulinus was identified as a mixture of (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one (geranylacetone) (1) and its respective alcohol (2) and acetate (3). Kinetic resolution of alcohol (2) promoted by CAL-B in organic media provided both, (R)-(−)-(E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-yl acetate (3) and (S)-(+)-(E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-ol (2) in high enantiomeric purity. Comparative GC analysis using a chiral column revealed the natural constituents as being (R)-(3) and a mixture of (R)- and (S)-(2) in a ratio of 82.3% and 17.6%, respectively.     

An enantioselective synthesis of β2-amino acid derivatives

Enantioselective hydrogenation of a series of (E)-α-substituted β-amidoacrylates using Rh(I)-catalysts with chiral phosphine ligands (BPE, DuPHOS) gives β²-amino acid derivatives with enantioselectivities of up to 67%. A β^2,3-amino acid derivative was also synthesised with similar enantioselectivity (⩽65%) from the corresponding prochiral enamide.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of a chiral nitrone to (E)-1,4-dichloro-2-butene: a new efficient synthesis of (2S,3S,4R)-4-hydroxyisoleucine

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of a chiral nitrone derived from (?)-menthone to (E)-1,4-dichlorobut-2-ene was the key step in a novel 5 step synthesis of (2S,3S,4R)-4-hydroxyisoleucine, obtained in 21% overall yield with high enantiopurity.     

An asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-furan-2-yl-ethylamine and 3,3,3-trifluoroalanine from 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-furan-2-yl-ethanone

The selective conversion of 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-furan-2-yl-ethanone into (E)- and (Z)-oximes and oxime ethers and subsequent oxazaborolidine-catalyzed enantioselective reduction using different amino alcohols furnished both enantiomers of the important chiral building block 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-furan-2-yl-ethylamine with e.e. of up to 88%. Oxidation of the furan ring afforded both enantiomers of 3,3,3-trifluoroalanine in 91–93% yields.     

Preparation of enantiomerically pure (3E)-alkyl-4-(hetero-2-yl)-2-hydroxybut-3-enoates by Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 mediated deracemisation and determination of the absolute configuration of (3E)-ethyl-4-(thiophene-2-yl)-2-hydroxybut-3-enoate

Deracemisation of racemic (3E)-alkyl-4-(hetero-2-yl)-2-hydroxybut-3-enoates using Candida parapsilosis ATCC 7330 resulted in the formation of one enantiomer in high enantiomeric excess [up to >99% ee] and isolated yields [up to 79%]. The absolute configuration of the enantiomerically pure (3E)-ethyl-4-(thiophene-2-yl)-2-hydroxybut-3-enoate as determined by ¹H NMR of the Mosher esters was found to be (S).     

Total synthesis of (+)-piericidin A1 and (−)-piericidin B1

The convergent syntheses of (+)-piericidin A₁ 1 and (?)-piericidin B₁ 2 have been achieved based on classical Julia-Lythgoe olefination between 4-hydroxy-5,6-dimethoxy-3-methyl-2-[5-oxo-3-methyl-pent-(2E)-enyl]-pyridine 3 corresponding to the left half of the final molecule, and chiral phenyl sulfones, (4R,5R)-2,4,6-trimethyl-5-methoxy-1-phenylsulfonyl-octa-(2E,6E)-diene 20 and (4R,5R)-5-tert-butyldimethylsiloxy-2,4,6-trimethyl-1-phenylsulfonyl-octa-(2E,6E)-diene 33, corresponding to the right halves. The construction of the two stereogenic centers in the right half of piericidins was achieved based on lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of methyl (2,3)-anti-3-acetoxy-2,4-dimethyl-hex-(4E)-enoate (±)-22.     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of (E)-α,β-bis(N-acylamino)acrylates catalyzed by a rhodium complex with trans-chelating chiral diphosphine ligand

The asymmetric hydrogenation of (E)-α,β-bis(N-acylamino)acrylates was promoted by a rhodium complex bearing a trans-chelating chiral diphosphine ligand (R,R)-(S,S)-PrTRAP, providing the corresponding optically active (2S,3R)-2,3-bis(N-acylamino)carboxylates with 79–82% ee. The 2,3-bis(N-acylamino)carboxylates isolated were readily hydrolyzed under acid to afford (2S,3R)-2,3-diaminocarboxylic acids in 95% yield without epimerization.     

Chiral thiophosphoramide catalyzed asymmetric aryl transfer reactions for the synthesis of functional diarylmethanols

In this investigation, chiral thiophosphoramide 3d was easily prepared from chiral (1R,2R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine and then applied as an efficient chiral ligand in the catalytic asymmetric arylation reactions of various aromatic aldehydes. The corresponding diarylmethanol products were produced with good to excellent yields (up to 98%) and enantioselectivities (up to 94%). The recovery of chiral ligand 3d could be as high as 96%.     

Synthesis of enantiopure (R)-2-(4-methoxy-3-(3-methoxypropoxy)-benzyl)-3-methylbutanoic acid—a key intermediate for the preparation of Aliskiren

The enantioselective hydrogenation of (E)-2-(4-methoxy-3-(3-methoxypropoxy)-benzylidene)-3-methylbutanoic acid (1) to (R)-2-(4-methoxy-3-(3-methoxypropoxy)-benzyl)-3-methylbutanoic acid (2)—a key intermediate in the synthesis of the pharmacologically important renin inhibitor Aliskiren—is described. The stereochemistry of the catalytic transformation has been studied using a number of homogeneous chiral Rh(I) and Ru(II) complexes bearing ferrocene-based phosphine ligands. The highest enantioselectivity for the homogeneous hydrogenation of 1 (up to 95% ee) was achieved with a [Rh(NBD)₂]BF₄ pre-catalyst (substrate/catalyst ratio 100:1, 10 bar H₂, 40 °C, in MeOH). To bring the enantioselectivity to perfection an effective method for the isolation of the enantiopure carboxylic acid is suggested likewise.     

Copper-catalyzed enantioselective 1,4-conjugate addition of dialkylzinc reagents to α,β- and α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated ketones

An enantioselective Cu(II)-catalyzed conjugate addition of dialkylzinc reagents to α,β- or α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated ketones with chiral cyclohexane-based amidophosphine ligands was developed. With 2 mol% of Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O/L5, the conjugate addition of diethylzinc to α,β-unsaturated ketones was achieved in good-to-excellent yields (up to 98%) and high enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee). This catalytic system was shown to be efficient for the 1,4-conjugate addition of Et₂Zn to (2E,4E)-1,5-diphenylpenta-2,4-dien-1-one with 85% yield and 90% ee. Moreover, with 1 mol% of Cu(OTf)₂/L11, the conjugate addition of α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated ketones was accomplished with 1,4-regioselectivity, good yields (79–86%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee).     

BINOL-derived diphosphoramidites bearing unsymmetrical 1,2-diamine link and their application in asymmetric catalysis

New P,P-bidentate diastereomeric diphosphoramidite chiral ligands with mixed stereogenic elements and a C₁ backbone symmetry have been prepared from (S_a)- and (R_a)-1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diol (BINOL) and (S)-N-benzyl-1-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)methanamine and are fully characterized. The use of these ligands provides up to 84% ee in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution of (E)-1,3-diphenylallyl acetate and up to 95% ee in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-dehydrocarboxylic acid esters. The results indicate that the catalytic performance is highly affected by the axial chirality of the binaphthyl moieties of the ligand and the nature of the solvent.     

Facile access to chiral 4-substituted chromanes through Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

Rh/ZhaoPhos-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of a series of (E)-2-(chroman-4-ylidene)acetates was successfully developed to prepare various chiral 4-substituted chromanes with high yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield, 98% ee). Moreover, the gram-scale hydrogenation could be performed well in the presence of 0.02 mol% catalyst loading (TON = 5000), the hydrogenation product was easily converted to access other important compounds, which demonstrated the synthetic utility of this asymmetric catalytic methodology.     

Enantioselective hydrogenation of functionalized olefins catalyzed by Rh-chiral bidentatephosphite complexes

A novel catalytic system for the hydrogenation of dimethyl itaconate has been developed by using rhodium–diphosphite complexes. These chiral diphosphite ligands were derived from glucopyranoside, d-mannitol derivatives, and binaphthyl or H₈-binaphthyl phosphochloridites. The ligands based on the methyl 3,6-anhydro-α-d-glucopyranoside backbone and (R)- and (S)-binaphthol and/or (R)- and (S)-2,2′-dihydroxy-5,5′,6,6′,7,7′,8,8′-octahydro-1,1′-binaphthol gave almost complete conversion of the dimethyl itaconate and both enantiomers of dimethyl 2-methylsuccinate with excellent enantioselectivities. The stereochemically matched combination of methyl 3,6-anhydro-α-d-glucopyranoside and H₈-(S)-binaphthyl in ligand 2,4-bis{[(S)-1,1′-H₈-binaphthyl-2,2′-diyl]-phosphite} methyl 3,6-anhydro-α-d-glucopyranoside was essential to afford dimethyl 2-methylsuccinate with up to 98% ee. The sense of the enantioselectivity of products was predominantly determined by the configuration of the biaryl moieties of the ligands. An initial screening of [Rh(cod)₂]BF₄ with these ligands in the hydrogenation of (E)-2-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzylidene)-3-methylbutanoic acid was carried out. Good enantioselectivity (75% ee) and low yield for (R)-2-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-3-methylbutanoic acid were obtained.     

Novel BIPHEN H2 based P,S-bidentate phosphoramidite ligand in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylation

The reaction of P,S-phosphoramidite bearing (R_a)-BIPHEN H2 core and exocyclic amino sulfide as the new ligand with [Pd(ppp-allyl)Cl]₂ in the presence of AgBF₄ yielded a cationic metallochelate [Pd(ppp-allyl)(L)]BF₄. This new chiral inducer provided up to 90% ee in the Pd-mediated allylic substitution reaction of (E)-1,3-diphenylallyl acetate with various C- and N-nucleophiles. In the Pd-catalyzed amination of 2-diethoxyphosphoryl-1-phenylallyl acetate with aniline, ee values up to 57% were achieved.     

Asymmetric cycloaddition reactions between 2-benzopyrylium-4-olates and 3-(2-alkenoyl)-2-oxazolidinones in the presence of 2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-lanthanoid complexes

Highly enantioselective (96% ee) and endo-selective (>99:1) cycloaddition reactions were observed between carbonyl ylides, generated from o-(p-bromobenzyloxy)carbonyl-α-diazoacetophenone, and 3-crotonoyl-2-oxazolidinone using (4S,5S)-Pybox-4,5-Ph₂-Yb(OTf)₃ (20 mol %) as the chiral Lewis acid catalyst. In contrast, high exo-selectivity (exo/endo=82:18; 96% ee, exo) was observed for the reaction of o-methoxycarbonyl-α-diazoacetophenone with 3-acryloyl-2-oxazolidinone under similar conditions as reported previously. In the case of cycloaddition reactions between 2-benzopyrylium-4-olate, generated from o-methoxycarbonyl-α-diazoacetophenone, and 3-cinnamoyl- or 3-[(E)-3-(ethoxycarbonyl)propenoyl]-2-oxazolidinones, using the same chiral Lewis acid, the reaction favored the endo-adduct with relatively good enantioselectivity (72 and 78% ee, respectively).     

Efficient construction of a chiral all-carbon quaternary center by asymmetric 1,4-addition and its application to total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol

The conjugate addition of lithium divinylcuprate to (4S,2′E)-3-(6′-TBDPS-3′-methylhex-2′-enoyl)-4-phenyloxazolidin-2-one proceeded efficiently to create a chiral all-carbon quaternary center with a high diastereoselectivity (R:S = 95:5). The absolute configuration of the newly generated chiral center was confirmed by applying this methodology to the total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol.     

Total synthesis of (4R,5S,6E,14S)- and (4R,5S,6E,14R)-cystothiazoles F

Total synthesis of (4R,5S,6E,14S)- and (4R,5S,6E,14R)-cystothiazoles F 3 was achieved from the chiral bithiazole-type primary alcohols [(S)- and (R)-4-ethoxycarbonyl-2′-(1-hydroxymethylethyl)-2,4′-bithiazoles 8], which were obtained based on the enzymatic resolution of racemic alcohol 8 and its acetate 9. From a direct comparison by means of chiral HPLC between natural cystothiazole F 3 and synthetic compounds [(4R,5S,6E,14S)- and (4R,5S,6E,14R)-cystothiazoles 3], natural cystothiazole F 3 was found to be a 33:67 diastereomeric mixture [(4R,5S,6E,14S)-3:(4R,5S,6E,14R)-3 = 33:67].     

Novel thiophosphonodiamides as efficient hydrogen bond donor catalysts in tandem Michael addition–cyclization of malononitrile and 2-(E)-2-nitrovinylphenols

From l-amino acid, three chiral thiophosphonodiamides were prepared as new hydrogen bond donor organocatalysts. Under the mediation of the catalyst derived from l-valine, a tandem Michael addition/cyclization reaction between (E)-2-(2-nitrovinyl)phenols and malononitrile proceeds smoothly, giving pharmaceutically valuable 2-amino-4H-chromene-3-carbonitriles in high yields with 66–95% ee within 2 h.     

Photoinduced electron transfer-initiated asymmetric cyclization of N-benzoyl-α-dehydronaphthylalanine alkyl esters carrying chiral and bulky auxiliaries

The irradiation of the title compounds [(Z)-1] having (S)-(+)-sec-butyl, (−)-mentyl and related chiral auxiliaries in methanol and 1,2-dichloroethane containing 2-(diethylamino)ethanol afforded chiral auxiliary-substituted (4S,5S)-, (4R,5R)-, (4R,5S)- and (4S,5R)-4,5-dihydrooxazole derivatives (2) along with (E)-1. It was found that the photoinduced electron transfer-initiated cyclization of 1 gives either of the two diastereomers for cis-2 and trans-2 in diastereomeric excess whose value varies from 6% to 81% depending on solvent and chiral auxiliary.