Enantioselective enzymatic acylation of 1-(3′-bromophenyl)ethylamine

An efficient biocatalytic process has been developed for the resolution of 1-(3′-bromophenyl)ethylamine (RS)-1 by way of enantioselective lipase-mediated (R)-selective acylation with ethyl 2-methoxyacetate to afford (S)-amine (S)-1 and (R)-2″-methoxyacetamide ((R)-2) in 91–95% and 90–92% isolated yield, respectively, and both with >99% ee.     

Asymmetric synthesis of triepoxyzerumbol

The achiral sesquiterpene zerumbone 1, which is readily available from wild ginger, has a unique functionality and reactivity making it a convenient starting material for its conversion into useful compounds, such as paclitaxel. Optically active triepoxyzerumbol (−)-3 and its acetate (+)-4 were synthesized by lipase-catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of racemic 3. Under optimized conditions, a lipase from Alcaligenes sp. (Meito QL) catalyzed the reaction of racemic 3 with isopropenyl acetate in THF at 35 °C to afford (1S)-3 and (1R)-4 with an E-value of 79. The absolute configuration of (1R)-4 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction of its ester with a chlorine atom using the anomalous dispersion effect.     

Kinetic resolution of racemic secondary aliphatic allylic alcohols in lipase-catalyzed transesterification

Different lipases were screened as biocatalysts in the kinetic resolution process of (±)-hept-1-en-3-ol 1, (±)-5-methylhex-1-en-3-ol 2, (±)-6-methylhept-2-en-4-ol 3, (±)-6,6-dimethylhept-2-en-4-ol 4, and 1-phenylbut-3-en-2-ol 5 by enantioselective transesterification. The acylation of (±)-1 and (±)-2 catalyzed by Novozym 435 (Candida antarctica) was very effective and proceeded with good enantioselectivity. After 4–8 h of reactions the esters formed and the alcohols, which remained were obtained with high enantiomeric excess with 97–100% ee and 91–100% ee, respectively. The lipase Amano PS (Burkholderia cepacia) was the best catalyst in the asymmetric transesterification of (±)-5 affording the (R)-alcohol with 90–95% ee and the (S)-ester with 98–100% ee. Low enantioselectivities were observed in the cases of lipase-catalyzed acylation of (±)-3 and (±)-4.     

Enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes catalyzed by monosubstituted [2.2]paracyclophane-based N,O-ligands: remarkable cooperative effects of planar and central chiralities

Diastereomeric monosubstituted [2.2]paracyclophane-based N,O-ligands, which unite the planar and central chiral elements, were optimized for the enantioselective diethylzinc addition to aldehydes. (S)-1-{(S_p)-[2.2]Paracyclophan-4-yl}methyl-2-pyrrolidine-α,α-diphenylmethanol (S_p,S)-3 catalyzed the addition to give (R)-1-phenyl-1-propanol in a high yield and with a good enantioselectivity (91% ee).     

One step synthesis of aziridines by the Michael type addition of free sulfimides: Preparation and absolute configuration of optically active acylaziridines

The Michael type additions of diphenyl N-unsubstituted sulfimide (free sulfimide) to various electrophilic olefins were carried out. The reaction with cis- and trans-dibenzoylethylene, dimethyl-fumarate, dimethylmaleate, benzalacetophenone and benzalacetone gave mainly the corresponding trans-2-acylaziridines and trans-enaminoketones. However, phenyl vinyl sulfone or acrylonitrile afforded not the corresponding aziridine but diphenyl-N-2-cyano or N-2-phenylsulfonylethylsulfimide, a simple Michael adduct When optically active (+)-(R)-o-methoxyphenyiphenyl free sulfimide was treated with such an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound as benzalacetopbenone, an optically active 2-acylazindine, i.e., (-)-trans-2-benzoyl-3-phenylaziridine was obtained in ca 30% optical purity and its absolute configuration was assigned as (2R,3S) upon chemical transformation to the configuration-ally known 2-phenyl-2-benzoylamino-1-ethanol or by comparing its CD spectrum with that of (1R,2R)-1-phenyl-2-benzoyl-cyclopropane. Meanwhile, (-)-(S)-o-methoxyphenylphenyl free sulfimide was found to react with benzalacetophenone to afford (+)-trans-2-benzoyl-3-phenylaziridine of 25% optical purity. Effects of solvent and temperature on both die distribution of the products ratio and the optical yield were examined.     

Chiral ligands derived from abrine. Part 6: Importance of a bulky N-alkyl group in indole-containing chiral β-tertiary amino alcohols for controlling enantioselectivity in addition of diethylzinc toward aldehydes

A number of chiral β-amino alcohols possessing a 3-indolylmethyl group have been synthesized from the alkaloid, (S)-abrine and elucidated for potency in the catalytic enantioselective ethylation of PhCHO with Et₂Zn. In general, the secondary amines 15a–d bearing a dialkylhydroxymethyl group induced (R)-1-phenyl-1-propanol, whereas 15e–g and 18 bearing a diarylhydroxymethyl group favored the (S)-enantiomer. In contrast, the β-tertiary amino alcohols 20b–d and 21 produced (R)-1-phenyl-1-propanol, regardless of the substituents at the carbon bearing the hydroxy group. Enantiomeric excess of 87.5% was obtained for (R)-1-phenyl-1-propanol using ligand 21 as the promoter. Eleven substituted benzaldehydes and naphthaldehydes were examined for enantioselective ethylation by using 21 and the chiral alcohols were obtained in 93–97% ee, except for o-BrC₆H₄CHO and p-Me₂NC₆H₄CHO. Excellent enantioselectivity was also observed in the ethylation of cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde (94.8% ee) and 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde (94.9% ee) by using catalytic 21. The anti 5/4/4-fused tricyclic TS I was proposed to rationalize the asymmetric induction. The diethylhydroxymethyl and N-2-t-butylethyl groups are believed to enforce the preference for the anti-TS(R) I and it results in high enantioselectivity.     

Kinetic resolution of 5-(hydroxymethyl)-3-phenyl-2-isoxazoline by using the ‘low-temperature method’ with porous ceramic-immobilized lipase

A significant enhancement of the enantioselectivity (E value = 249) in the lipase-catalyzed resolution of a primary alcohol, racemic 5-(hydroxymethyl)-3-phenyl-2-isoxazoline (±)-1, was obtained by using the ‘low-temperature method’ (−60 °C) with porous ceramic-immobilized lipase (Amano PS-C II) and vinyl acetate in acetone.     

Lipase catalyzed acylation of primary alcohols with remotely located stereogenic centres: the resolution of (±)-4,4-dimethyl-3-phenyl-1-pentanol

Enantioselective acylation of some (±)-3-alkyl-3-phenyl-1-propanols was performed with enzymes as catalysts. Moderate enantiomeric ratios (E), ranging up to E = 11.6, were obtained. In the resolution, some of the lipases selectively acylated the (+)-enantiomer while others acylated the (−)-enantiomer of the γ-substituted primary alcohols 1–4. Thus, it is possible to obtain both enantiomers of the alcohols as remaining substrate with high enantiomeric purity. The resolution of (±)-4,4-dimethyl-3-phenyl-1-pentanol 4 was extensively studied and screening experiments were conducted to select suitable lipase(s), reaction medium, acyl donor and appropriate temperature combinations to increase the enantiomeric ratio. Chirazyme^® L-6/chloroform/vinyl propionate/38 °C and Chirazyme^® L-7/di-iso-propyl ether/vinyl propionate/0 °C were chosen to obtain both enantiomers, (R)-(+)-4 and (S)-(−)-4, respectively, via sequential resolutions in excellent enantiomeric excess (>98%) and in 25% and 22% yield, respectively.     

A novel dynamic kinetic resolution accompanied by intramolecular transesterification: asymmetric synthesis of a 4-hydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidinone from serinol derivatives

Reaction paths of the one-pot reaction of (R)-2-(α-methylbenzyl)amino-1,3-propanediol (1) and 2-chloroethyl chloroformate with DBU giving (4S,αR)-4-hydroxymethyl-3-(α-methylbenzyl)-2-oxazolidinone [(4S)-2] (94% de) were investigated. Intermediates of this reaction, 2-chloroethyl (2S)- and 2-chloroethyl (2R)-3-hydroxy-2-[(αR)-α-methylbenzyl]aminopropyl carbonates [(2S)-4 and (2R)-4], were synthesized individually. After the addition of DBU to the respective solution of the carbonate (2S)-4 and that of (2R)-4 in dichloromethane, the intramolecular transesterification between (2S)-4 and (2R)-4 and the diastereoselective intramolecular cyclization proceeded to afford (4S)-2 in high diastereomeric excess. Therefore, two monocarbonates (2S)-4 and (2R)-4 were kinetically resolved by this cyclization during the intramolecular transesterification between (2S)-4 and (2R)-4. We found that this process involved dynamic kinetic resolution accompanied by intramolecular transesterification.     

New chemical and chemo-enzymatic routes for the synthesis of (RS)- and (S)-enciprazine

The chemo-enzymatic synthesis of racemic and enantiopure (RS)- and (S)-enciprazine 1, a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic drug, is described herein. The synthesis started from 1-(2-methoxyphenyl) piperazine 3, which was treated with 2-(chloromethyl) oxirane (RS)-4 using lithium bromide to afford a racemic alcohol, 1-chloro-3-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl) piperazin-1-yl) propan-2-ol (RS)-6 in 85% yield. Intermediate (S)-6 was synthesized from racemic alcohol (RS)-6 using Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) with vinyl acetate as the acyl donor. Various reaction parameters such as temperature, time, substrate, enzyme concentration, and the effect of the reaction medium on the conversion and enantiomeric excess for the transesterification of (RS)-6 by CRL were optimized. It was observed that 10 mM of (RS)-6, 50 mg/mL of CRL in 4.0 mL of toluene with vinyl acetate (5.4 mmol) as acyl donor at 30 °C gave good conversion (C = 49.4%) and enantiomeric excess (ee_P = 98.4% and ee_S = 96%) after 9 h of reaction. Compound (S)-6 is a key intermediate for the synthesis of enantiopure (S)-1. The (RS)- and (S)-enciprazine drug 1 was synthesized by treating (RS)- and (S)-6 with 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenol 5 using MeCN as a solvent and K₂CO₃ as a base.     

Enzymatic resolution of methyl (1RS)-N-tBoc-6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinoline-1-carboxylate by Seaprose S

An efficient biocatalytic process has been developed for the resolution of methyl (1RS)-N-tBoc-6-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinoline-1-carboxylate rac-1 by means of Seaprose S-mediated enantioselective hydrolysis to afford (1S)-2 and (1R)-1 in 87% and 93% isolated yield, 101% and 96% potency, and ee >99.8% and >99.5%, respectively.     

Enzymatic kinetic resolution studies of racemic 4-hydroxycyclopent-2-en-1-one using Lipozyme IM®

Enzymatic kinetic resolution studies of (±)-4-hydroxycyclopent-2-en-1-one 2 were taken up in organic solvents by transesterification with vinyl acetate and alcoholysis of its acetate 3 as an alternative to the desymmetrization of meso-cyclopentenediol to provide faster and economic access to enantiomerically pure 4-(R)-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxycyclopent-2-en-1-one 1. Parameters were screened using Lipozyme IM^® as catalyst. Although enantioselectivity observed was moderate (E=24, by alcoholysis of 3 with 2-butanol), trends in the effect of solvent, water content and alcohol structure showed useful directions for screening of other enzymes for optimization of the method to useful levels of efficiency.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of both enantiomers of 3-hydroxy- and 3-amino-3-phenylpropanoic acid

Ethyl (S)-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate (S)-2 was obtained by the asymmetric reduction of ethyl 3-phenyl-3-oxopropionate 1 with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 9080). The kinetic resolution of racemic ethyl 2-acetoxy-3-phenyl-propionate rac-3 with the same microorganism, gave after hydrolysis ethyl (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionates (R)-2 and (S)-2 which were converted by a straightforward series of reactions to the enantiomers of 3-amino-3-phenyl-propionic acids (S)-6 and (R)-6. The asymmetric reduction and hydrolytic kinetic resolution were also tested with several other whole cell systems under a variety of conditions.     

Synthesis of optically active β′-hydroxy-β-enaminoketones via enzymatic resolution of carbinols derived from 3,5-disubstituted isoxazoles

The preparation of several enantiomerically pure β′-hydroxy-β-enaminoketones from the corresponding isoxazolic carbinols, which have been obtained by enzymatic kinetic resolution of the racemic β-hydroxyisoxazoles catalyzed by lipases, is described. The enzymatic transesterification of racemic (±)-5-(2-hydroxypropyl)-3-methylisoxazole 3a, and racemic (±)-5-(2-hydroxy-2-p-tolylethyl)-3-methylisoxazole 3d, has been studied with respect to the influence of experimental variables such as the used enzyme, the acylating agent or the solvent on the enantioselectivity of the reaction. After the reductive cleavage of the isoxazolic ring of the enantiopure carbinols, (R)- and (S)-2-amino-4-oxo-2-hepten-6-ol, (R)- and (S)-5, and (R)-2-amino-6-p-tolyl-4-oxo-2-hexen-6-ol, (R)-7 with an enantiomeric excess >98% were obtained.     

Asymmetrization of all-cis-3,5-dihydroxy-1-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclohexane and of the 4-methyl and 4-ethyl substituted homologues

Enantiomerically pure mono acylated derivatives of cis,cis-3,5-dihydroxy-1-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclohexane 1, all-cis-3,5-dihydroxy-4-methyl-1-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclohexane 2 and all-cis-3,5-dihydroxy-4-ethyl-1-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclohexane 3 were obtained upon lipase catalyzed asymmetrization. PPL-catalyzed transesterification of 1 with vinyl acetate led in high yield to the (S)-monoacetate (+)-13. With substrates 2 and 3 this process was slower and gave the (R)-monoacetates (−)-14 and (−)-15; the best results were obtained with SAM II lipase. On the other hand, enantiotoposelective hydrolysis of their diacetates and especially dibutyrates gave useful results only for the 4-substituted substrates and produced the (S)-monoesters.     

Enantiomeric resolution by lipase-catalysed esterification of a trans-5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthroline possessing helical and central chirality

Lipase-catalysed enantioselective esterification was carried out to obtain the kinetic resolution of (±)-trans-5-hydroxy-6-methoxy-1,10-phenanthroline (±)-1b. Different lipases from Candida cylindracea, Candida antarctica, Rhizomucor miehei, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas cepacia were tested in an unusual methanol/vinyl acetate (8:92 v/v) reaction mixture P. fluorescens lipase showed good enantiodifferentiation (E = 48) and allowed us to prepare both enantiomers (+)-(5S,6S,M)-1b and (−)-(5R,6R,P)-1b with an enantiomeric excess of >97%.     

Efficient and practical synthesis of both enantiomers of 6-silyloxy-3-pyranone derivatives

Lipase catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemic cis-6-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-3-ol (rac)-1 was achieved in high enantiomeric excess. Transesterification of (rac)-1 with vinylacetate in ^tBuOMe yielded the alcohol (3S,6R)-1 in 99.0% ee, whereas (3R,6S)-1 was obtained, in 99.0% ee, by the lipase catalyzed ester hydrolysis of acetate (3R,6S)-2, which was obtained along with the transesterification. Both (3S,6R)-1 and (3R,6S)-1 were subjected to oxidation to provide the corresponding 6-silyloxy-3-pyranone (6R)-3 and (6S)-3, respectively. Application to the synthesis of 7, which is the key intermediate of asymmetric synthesis of pseudomonic acid A 9 is also described.     

A convenient route to both enantiomers of endo-2-benzonorbornenol via lipase catalysed resolution of the racemic mixture

Resolution of racemic endo-benzonorbornenol (±)-4 was performed using Candida antarctica lipase (Novozym® 435) in benzene (50°C/50 hours) with vinyl acetate as the acyl donor to afford (−)-endo-2-benzonorbornenol (−)-6 and their corresponding (+)-endo-2-benzonorbornenyl acetate (+)-5 in high e.e.s of up to 99% and workable yields of up to 45–46%.     

Chemoenzymatic access to all four enantiopure stereoisomers of 1-ferrocenyl-1,3-butanediol

The kinetic resolution of ferrocenyl aldol 2 was achieved by a lipase-catalyzed esterification in organic solvent. Lipase from Candida antarctica was also found effective in promoting the enantioselective alcoholysis of acetate (±)-3 with n-BuOH. Both enantiomers of 2 were obtained in enantiopure form and subjected to chemical reduction to afford the corresponding syn- and anti-diols. These diols serve as starting materials for the preparation of new ferrocenyl amino alcohols bearing two stereocenters in the side chain.     

Synthesis of chiral C/N-functionalized morpholine alcohols: study of their catalytic ability as ligand in asymmetric diethylzinc addition to aldehyde

A broad variety of chiral C/N-functionalized morpholine alcohols sharing a common structural motif in the 3-(hydroxymethyl)morpholine 6 were prepared from enantiomerically pure serine for the purpose of studying their catalytic ligand properties. The asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde in the presence of 10 mol % of chiral C/N-functionalized morpholine alcohols gave 1-phenyl-1-propanol in 59–81% yield with 10–30% ee. The addition of 10 mol % of n-butyl lithium to the reaction mixture resulted in a significant enhancement of the stereoselectivity in the case of ligands bearing the two geminal phenyl substituents on the backbone. In the presence of n-butyl lithium and using (S)-3-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)morpholine (S)-19 as the chiral promoter, (S)-1-phenyl-1-propanol was obtained in 81% yield with 76% ee. The geminal diphenyl-class of morpholine ligands was examined for the diethylzinc addition to four different aldehydes in the presence of n-butyl lithium. (S)-N-Benzyl-3-(hydroxydiphenylmethyl)morpholine (S)-27 was found to be most enantioselective in the case of 4-methoxybenzaldehyde to give (R)-alcohol in 87% yield with 80% ee. Catalysts (S)-19 and its N-methyl derivative (S)-26 gave alcohols with an (S)-absolute configuration while the N-benzylated derivative (S)-27 gave the opposite enantiomeric products. The tentative transition state models to account for the observed product stereoselectivity with morpholine ligands holding the geminal diphenyl group on the β-amino alcohol segment are proposed.