A catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of (–)-perophoramidine

We report a catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of the ascidian natural product perophoramidine. The synthesis employs a molybdenum-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of an oxindole nucleophile and a monosubstituted allylic electrophile as a key asymmetric step. The enantioenriched oxindole product from this transformation contains vicinal quaternary and tertiary stereocenters, and is obtained in high yield along with high levels of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity. To install the second quaternary stereocenter in the target, the route utilizes a novel regio- and diastereoselective allylation of a cyclic imino ether to deliver an allylated imino ether product in near quantitative yield and with complete regio- and diastereocontrol. Oxidative cleavage and reductive amination are used as final steps to access the natural product.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] trimethylenemethane cycloaddition reactions

Transition-metal-catalyzed trimethylenemethane (TMM) [3 + 2] cycloadditions provide direct routes to functionalized cyclopentanes. This reaction has been shown to be a highly chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselective process. We report a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] trimethylenemethane (TMM) cycloaddition between 3-acetoxy-2-trimethylsilylmethyl-1-propene and various di- and trisubstituted olefins. Yields of exo-methylenecyclopentane products range from 59 to 99%, and enantiomeric excesses range from 58 to 92% ee.     

Palladium-catalyzed chemo- and enantioselective oxidation of allylic esters and carbonates

The palladium-catalyzed oxidation of allylic esters and carbonates using a novel potassium nitronate has been developed. This method is highly chemoselective, leaving other esters, alcohols, thioethers, and amines undisturbed. The oxidation can be operated in two modes: an achiral mode, using either PPh3 or rac-2 as ligand, or a chiral and highly enantioselective mode, using 2 as ligand. The oxidative enantioselective desymmetrization of meso bis-esters provides a significantly shorter method to arrive at commonly used synthetic intermediates compared to other strategies. Highly efficient kinetic resolution is also possible using this methodology.     

A heterodinuclear asymmetric catalyst for conjugate additions of alpha-hydroxyketones to beta-substituted nitroalkenes

[Structure: see text] The bis-ProPhenol ligand was designed to facilitate formation of hetereodinuclear complexes based upon the large difference in pKa of the one phenolic OH group to the tertiary OH groups. In exploring the first example of hydroxyacetophenones as donors in asymmetric Michael reactions with nitroalkene acceptors, the best stereocontrol was observed with a zinc/magnesium dinuclear complex where enantiomeric excesses ranged up to 92% for the major anti diastereomer.     

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of adociacetylene B

A catalytic enantioselective total synthesis of adociacetylene B (2) in five steps is reported. The efficiency of this synthesis was enabled by an asymmetric zinc alkynylation catalyzed by the proline-derived ligand (1).