Enantioselective Copper‐Catalyzed Azide–Alkyne Click Cycloaddition to Desymmetrization of Maleimide‐Based Bis(alkynes)

A copper catalyst system derived from TaoPhos and CuF₂ was used successfully for catalytic asymmetric Huisgen [3+2] cycloaddition of azides and alkynes to give optically pure products containing succinimide‐ and triazole‐substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic centers. The desired products were obtained in good yields (60–80 %) and 85:15 to >99:1 enantiomeric ratio (e.r.) in this click cycloaddition reaction.     

Ni‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Cycloisomerization of Dienes by Using TADDOL Phosphoramidites

A library of α,α,α,α‐tetraaryl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4,5‐dimethanol (TADDOL)‐based phosphoramidites has been synthesized and applied in the Ni‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of different dienes. Through the systematic variation of the three structural motifs of the lead structure, that is, the amine moiety, the protecting group, and the aryl substituents, the ligand features could be optimized for the asymmetric cycloisomerization of the model substrate diethyl diallylmalonate. The substrate scope of the new catalytic system was extended to other diallylic substrates, including unsymmetrical dienes. Overall remarkably high activities of up to approximately 13 500 h^?1, very high selectivities toward five‐membered exo‐methylenecyclopentanes, and enantioselectivities of up to 92 % ee have been achieved.     

Immobilized Catalysts for Iridium‐Catalyzed Allylic Amination: Rate Enhancement by Immobilization

The first immobilized catalyst for Ir‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic aminations is described. The catalyst is a cationic (π‐allyl)Ir complex bound by cation exchange to an anionic silica gel support. Preparation of the catalyst is facile, and the supported catalyst displayed considerably enhanced activity compared with the parent homogeneous catalyst. Up to 43 consecutive amination runs were possible in recycling experiments.     

Easy To Synthesize,Robust Organo‐osmium Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation Catalysts

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) is an important process in organic synthesis for which the Noyori‐type Ru^II catalysts [(arene)Ru(Tsdiamine)] are now well established and widely used. We now demonstrate for the first time the catalytic activity of the osmium analogues. X‐ray crystal structures of the 16‐electron Os^II catalysts are almost identical to those of Ru^II. Intriguingly the precursor complex was isolated as a dichlorido complex with a monodentate amine ligand. The Os^II catalysts are readily synthesised (within 1 h) and exhibit excellent enantioselectivity in ATH reactions of ketones.     

NHC‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of Functionalized Succinimides from Enals and α‐Ketoamides

The efficient asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted succinimides from α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes and α‐ketoamides via NHC‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition has been developed. The new scalable protocol significantly expands the utility of NHC catalysis for the synthesis of heterocycles and provides easy access to assemble a wide range of succinimides from simple starting materials.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Fluorinated Isoindolinones through Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylative Amination of Enantioenriched Benzylic Carbamates

The asymmetric synthesis of fluorinated isoindolinones has been achieved by a palladium‐catalyzed aminocarbonylation reaction of the corresponding α‐fluoroalkyl o‐iodobenzylamines. A base‐mediated anti β‐hydride elimination process was suggested to explain the partial erosion of the optical purity observed in some cases. This mechanistic rationale enabled the minimization of this partial racemization by fine‐tuning the pK_a of the base.     

Catalytic Kinetic Resolution of Biaryl Compounds

Biaryl compounds with axial chirality are very common in synthetic chemistry, especially in catalysis. Axially chiral biaryls are important due to their biological activities and extensive applications in asymmetric catalysis. Thus the development of efficient enantioselective methods for their synthesis has attracted considerable attention. This Minireview discusses the progress made in catalytic kinetic resolution of biaryl compounds and chronicles significant advances made recently in catalytic kinetic resolution of biaryl scaffolds.     

Direct Catalytic Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of an α‐Azido Amide

A direct aldol reaction of an α‐azido 7‐azaindolinylamide, promoted by a Cu‐based cooperative catalyst, is documented. Aromatic aldehydes bearing an ortho substituent exhibited diastereodivergency depending on the nature of the chiral ligands used. Smooth reactions with ynals highlighted the broad substrate scope. A vicinal azido alcohol unit in the product allowed direct access to the corresponding aziridine and facile hydrolysis of the 7‐azaindolinylamide moiety furnished enantioenriched β‐hydroxy‐α‐azido carboxylic acid derivatives.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Reductive Heck Reaction of Aryl Halides

Asymmetric reductive Heck reaction of aryl halides is realized in high stereoselectivity. Hydrogen‐bond donors, trialkylammonium salts in a glycol solvent, were used to promote halide dissociation from neutral arylpalladium complexes to access cationic, stereoselective pathways.     

Organocatalytic,Asymmetric Eliminative [4+2] Cycloaddition of Allylidene Malononitriles with Enals: Rapid Entry to Cyclohexadiene‐Embedding Linear and Angular Polycycles

A direct aminocatalytic synthesis has been developed for the chemo‐, regio‐, diastereo‐, and enantioselective construction of densely substituted polycyclic carbaldehydes containing fused cyclohexadiene rings. The chemistry utilizes, for the first time, remotely enolizable π‐extended allylidenemalononitriles as electron‐rich 1,3‐diene precursors in a direct eliminative [4+2] cycloaddition with both aromatic and aliphatic α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes. The generality of the process is demonstrated by approaching 6,6‐, 5,6‐, 7,6‐, 6,6,6‐, and 6,5,6‐fused ring systems, as well as biorelevant steroid‐like 6,6,6,6,5‐ and 6,6,6,5,6‐rings. A stepwise reaction mechanism for the key [4+2] addition is proposed as a domino bis‐vinylogous Michael/Michael/retro‐Michael reaction cascade. The utility of the malononitrile moiety as traceless activating group of the dicyano nucleophilic substrates is demonstrated.