Intramolecular Michael reactions of aliphatic aldehyde enolates generated by imidazolium carbenes

Due to the high reactivity of the formyl group under either basic or acidic reaction conditions required for the direct generation of aldehyde enolates, intramolecular Michael additions of aldehyde enolates to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds have been underexplored for the stereoselective synthesis of carbocyclic compounds. The intramolecular Michael reaction of aldehyde enolates generated by imidazolium carbenes was explored for the synthesis of cyclopentane aldehydes. The imidazolium carbenes were used as Brønsted bases to directly generate the aldehydes enolates.     

Theoretical Photodynamic Study of the Photoprotolytic Cycle of Firefly Oxyluciferin

Firefly oxyluciferin presents a pH‐sensitive fluorescence in aqueous solutions. Its fluorescence spectra are composed of two green peaks at different pH values, despite the enolate anion being the only emitter. A computational approach was used to further elucidate the photoprotolytic cycle of oxyluciferin and investigate its pH sensitivity. It was found that oxyluciferin forms π–π stacking complexes both in the ground and excited states, at basic and acidic/neutral pH. However, at different pH values, these complexes adopt a different conformation, which explains the lower energy of the emission at acidic/neutral pH, in comparison with the emission at basic pH.     

Potassium enolates of N,N‐dialkylamides as initiators of anionic polymerization

Stable potassium enolates of N,N‐diethylacetamide [α‐potassio‐N,N‐diethylacetamide ( 1 )], N,N‐diethylpropionamide [α‐potassio‐N,N‐diethylpropionamide ( 2 )], and N,N‐diethylisobutyramide [α‐potassio‐N,N‐diethylisobutyramide ( 3 )] were prepared by the proton abstraction of the corresponding N,N‐diethylamides with diphenylmethylpotassium (Ph₂CHK) or potassium naphthalenide in THF. The relative nucleophilicity of 1 – 3 was estimated to be in the order of 1 < 3 < 2 from the results of the alkylation reaction with methyl iodide. N,N‐diethylacetamide transferred its α‐proton to 2 quantitatively in THF at 0 °C, whereas no reaction occurred between N,N‐diethylisobutyramide and 2 ; this indicated the relative basicity to be 1 < 2 ～ 3 . Anionic polymerizations of N,N‐diethylacrylamide (DEA) and methyl methacrylate were quantitatively initiated with 2 in THF at ?78 °C, whereas the initiation efficiencies of 2 for styrene and 2‐vinylpyridine were about 2 and 67%, respectively. The initiation of DEA with 1 – 3 at ?78 or 0 °C in THF gave poly (DEA)s having broad molecular weight distributions (MWDs; M_w/M_n = 2) and ill‐controlled molecular weights. In contrast, poly(DEA)s of narrow MWDs (M_w/M_n < 1.2) and predicted M_n's were obtained with 2 in the presence of diethylzinc (Et₂Zn) at ?78 °C, whereas the initiations with 1 /Et₂Zn and 3 /Et₂Zn at ?78 °C resulted in poor control of the molecular weights. At the higher temperature of 0 °C, all the binary initiator systems ( 1 – 3 /Et₂Zn) induced controlled polymerizations of DEA in terms of the conversion, molecular weight, and MWD. The poly(DEA)s produced with 1 – 3 /Et₂Zn at 0 °C showed mr‐rich configurations (mr = 76–89%), as observed for the poly(DEA) generated with Ph₂CHK/Et₂Zn. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1260–1271, 2007     

First regiospecific, enantiospecific total synthesis of gardnerine and gardnutine

The first enantiospecific total synthesis of gardnerine and gardnutine has been achieved from 6-methoxy-d-tryptophan via the asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction, a stereocontrolled intramolecular enolate driven palladium-mediated cross-coupling reaction and a chemospecific, regiospecific hydroboration/oxidation sequence as key steps.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylic Alkylation with a γ‐Butyrolactone‐Derived Silyl Ketene Acetal

Herein, we report a Cu‐catalyzed enantioselective allylic alkylation using a γ‐butyrolactone‐derived silyl ketene acetal. Critical to the development of this work was the identification of a novel mono‐picolinamide ligand with the appropriate steric and electronic properties to afford the desired products in high yield (up to 96 %) and high ee (up to 95 %). Aryl, aliphatic, and unsubstituted allylic chlorides bearing a broad range of functionality are well‐tolerated. Spectroscopic studies reveal that a Cu^I species is likely the active catalyst, and DFT calculations suggest ligand sterics play an important role in determining Cu coordination and thus catalyst geometry.     

A biomimetic cascade for the formation of the methyl [2(5H)-furanylidene]ethanoate core of spongosoritin A and the gracilioethers

The polyketide secondary metabolites spongosoritin A and gracilioethers A–C contain a unique methyl [2(5H)-furanylidene]ethanoate core. A synthetic model of a suspected biosynthetic intermediate to these natural products was constructed in seven steps and 48% overall yield. This model undergoes a facile cyclisation/double dehydration cascade to give the desired furanylidene motif, with the required (2Z) isomer obtained in >90 dr when an ethyl substituent is located at C3′ of the furanylidene.     

Taming the Carboxyl Group for Directed Carbometalation: Observations on the Use of Anions,Dianions and Ester Enolates

Carboxylate anions, dianions and ester enolates provide simultaneous protection and activation for directed carbometalation reactions. Advantage can be taken of the bis‐carbanionic character of the intermediate for further controlled C?C bond forming reactions.     

Enol tautomer of the acetate ester of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid: Crystallographic and NMR spectroscopic evidence

The para acetate ester azlactone of vanillin 2 was synthesized from vanillin 1 and hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide. The yielded product 3 was investigated with X-ray Crystallographic and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Compound 3 crystallized in the orthorhombic Pbca space group (Z = 8) and with cell dimensions a = 14.732(2), b = 12.756(3), c = 12.747(6)Å revealing the enolate tautomer and not the keto form of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid as the acetate ester. The structure exhibited the pyruvic acid side chain in the trans extended conformation. A single proton on the benzylic carbon atom further suggested the existence of the enolate tautomer form of 3 in solution. The chemical shift values and peak integration in the NMR spectra add additional support to this finding.     

Enantioselective protonation of prochiral enolates in the asymmetric synthesis of (S)-naproxen

Racemic methyl, iso-propyl, and tert-butyl ester derivatives of naproxen were treated with achiral LDA base to give the corresponding prochiral enolates 2-Li, 3-Li, and 4-Li. Protonation of these enolates with novel chiral proton sources (S)-10 and (S,S)-11, containing the α-phenylethylamino group, proceeded in a highly enantioselective manner. Saponification of enantioenriched ester derivatives 2-4 afforded naproxen, (S)-1, with no loss of enantiopurity.