Asymmetric Diels–Alder and Inverse‐Electron‐Demand Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reactions of β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Ketoesters with Cyclopentadiene Catalyzed by N,N′‐Dioxide Copper(II) Complex

Highly enantioselective Diels–Alder (DA) and inverse‐electron‐demand hetero‐Diels–Alder (HDA) reactions of β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters with cyclopentadiene catalyzed by chiral N,N′‐dioxide–Cu(OTf)₂ (Tf=triflate) complexes have been developed. Quantitative conversion of β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters and excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1) and enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee) were observed for a broad range of substrates. Both aromatic and aliphatic β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters were found to be suitable substrates for the reactions. Moreover, the chemoselectivity of the DA and HDA adducts were improved by regulating the reaction temperature. Good to high chemoselectivity (up to 94 %) of the DA adducts were obtained at room temperature, and moderate chemoselectivity (up to 65 %) of the HDA adducts were achieved at low temperature. The reaction also featured mild reaction conditions, a simple procedure, and remarkably low catalyst loading (0.1–1.5 mol %). A strong positive nonlinear effect was observed.     

N,N′‐Dioxide/Nickel(II)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Inverse‐Electron‐Demand Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reaction of β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Ketoesters with Enecarbamates

N,N′‐Dioxide/nickel(II) complexes have been developed to catalyze the inverse‐electron‐demand hetero‐Diels–Alder reaction of β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters with acyclic enecarbamates. After detailed screening of the reaction parameters, mild optimized reaction conditions were established, affording 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyranamines in up to 99 % yield, 99 % ee and more than 95:5 d.r. The catalytic system was also efficient for β‐substituted acyclic enecarbamates, affording more challenging 2,3,4‐trisubstituted 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyranamine with three contiguous stereogenic centers in excellent yields, diastereoselectivities, and enantioselectivities. The reaction could be scaled up to a gram scale with no deterioration of either enantioselectivity or yield. Based on these experiments and on previous reports, a possible transition state was proposed.     

Development of Chiral Spiro P‐N‐S Ligands for Iridium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of β‐Alkyl‐β‐Ketoesters

The chiral tridentate spiro P‐N‐S ligands (SpiroSAP) were developed, and their iridium complexes were prepared. Introduction of a 1,3‐dithiane moiety into the ligand resulted in a highly efficient chiral iridium catalyst for asymmetric hydrogenation of β‐alkyl‐β‐ketoesters, producing chiral β‐alkyl‐β‐hydroxyesters with excellent enantioselectivities (95–99.9 % ee) and turnover numbers of up to 355 000.     

Catalytic Enantioselective Inverse Electron Demand Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reaction with Allylsilanes

The first diastereo‐ and enantioselective inverse electron demand hetero‐Diels–Alder reaction of β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters with allylsilanes is described. Chiral copper(II) catalysts successfully activate the β,γ‐unsaturated α‐ketoesters and promote the reaction with allylsilanes with excellent enantioselectivities. This process represents a new entry to chiral oxanes.     

The Asymmetric Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reaction in the Syntheses of Biologically Relevant Compounds

The hetero‐Diels–Alder reaction is one of the most powerful transformations in the chemistry toolbox for the synthesis of aza‐ and oxa‐heterocycles embodying multiple stereogenic centers. However, as compared to other cycloadditions, in particular the dipolar cycloadditions and the Diels–Alder reaction, the hetero‐Diels–Alder reaction has been much less explored and exploited in organic synthesis. Nevertheless, this powerful transformation has opened up efficient and creative routes to biologically relevant small molecules and different natural products which contain six‐membered oxygen or nitrogen ring systems. Recent developments in this field, in particular in the establishment of enantioselectively catalyzed hetero‐Diels–Alder cycloadditions steered by a plethora of different catalysts and the application of the resulting small molecules in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry research, are highlighted in this Minireview.     

Diels–Alder Reactions of Novel (1′‐Arylallylidene)cyclopropanes with Heterodienophiles

Palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of various aryl iodides with bicyclopropylidene provided isolable (1′‐arylallylidene)cyclopropanes, which reacted with a number of carbonyl compounds in the presence of Eu(fod)₃ under high pressure to furnish oxaspiro[2.5]octene derivatives in moderate to good yields (22–69 %). The reactions of the allylidenecyclopropanes with two azo compounds as dienophiles afforded diazaspiro[2.5]octenes in high yields (82 and 99 %) even at ambient pressure. When treated with nitrosobenzene, two of the allylidenecyclopropanes gave the Diels–Alder adducts in up to 83 and 40 % yield. 2,5‐Diiodo‐p‐xylene coupled twice with bicyclopropylidene, and the product underwent a twofold Diels–Alder reaction with nitrosobenzene to produce the bis(spirocyclopropaneoxazine) derivative in 88 % yield. This overall transformation can be brought about in a one‐pot, two‐step operation by addition of the nitrosoarene to the reaction mixture immediately after formation of the allylidenecyclopropanes to furnish various 5‐oxa‐4‐azaspiro[2.5]oct‐7‐ene derivatives in 22–77 % yield. The coupling of methyl bicyclopropylidenecarboxylate with 2,6‐dimethylphenyl iodide produced a mixture of very stable regioisomeric allylidenecyclopropane derivatives in 90 % yield. The reaction of this mixture with N‐phenyltriazolinedione gave a corresponding mixture of the spirocyclopropanated heterobicycles in 61 % yield.     

Asymmetric Conjugate Alkynylation of Cyclic α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds with a Chiral Diene Rhodium Catalyst

Asymmetric conjugate alkynylation of cyclic α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds (ketones, esters, and amides) was realized by use of diphenyl[(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyl]methanol as an alkynylating reagent in the presence of a rhodium catalyst coordinated with a new chiral diene ligand (Fc‐bod; bod=bicyclo[2.2.2]octa‐2,5‐diene, Fc=ferrocenyl) to give high yields of the corresponding β‐alkynyl‐substituted carbonyl compounds with 95–98 % ee.     

Asymmetric Hetero Diels‐Alder Reaction of Chiral Imines with Danishefsky's Diene Catalyzed by Yb(OTf)3

Reaction of chiral imines with Danishefsky's diene in the presence of a catalytic amount (20 mol%) of ytterbium triflate afforded the corresponding hetero Diels‐Alder adducts with a moderate to good diastereoselectivity.     

Theoretical Investigations on the Mechanism of Hetero‐Diels–Alder Reactions of Brassard’s Diene and 1, 3‐Butadiene Catalyzed by a Tridentate Schiff Base Titanium(IV) Complex

The mechanism of the hetero‐Diels–Alder reactions of Brassard’s diene and 1,3‐butadiene catalyzed by a titanium(IV) complex of a tridentate Schiff base was investigated by DFT and ONIOM methods. The calculations indicate that the mechanism of the reaction is closely related to the nucleophilicity–electrophilicity between diene and carbonyl substrates. A stepwise pathway is adopted for Brassard’s diene, and the step corresponding to the formation of the C? C bond is predicted to be the rate‐determining step with a free‐energy barrier of 8.4 kcal mol^?1. For 1,3‐butadiene, the reaction takes place along a one‐step, two‐stage pathway with a free‐energy barrier of 14.9 kcal mol^?1. For Brassard’s diene as substrate, the OCH₃ and OSi(CH₃)₃ substituents may play a key role in the formation of the transition state and zwitterionic intermediate by participating in charge transfer from Brassard’s diene to formaldehyde. The combination of the phenyl groups at the amino alcohol moiety and the ortho‐tert‐butyl group of the salicylaldehyde moiety in the chiral tridentate Schiff base ligand plays an important role in the control of the stereoselectivity, which is in agreement with experimental observations.