Stereoselective synthesis of cis-p-menth-8-ene-1,7-diol, cis-p-menthane-1,7-diol, and cis-p-menthane-1,7,8-triol

The natural products cis-p-menthane-1,7-diol (cis-IV), cis-p-menth-8-ene-1,7-diol (cis-I) and cis-p-menthane-1,7,8-triol (cis-II) are obtained starting from the corresponding cis-cyanohydrins, cis-2 and cis-7, respectively, by chemical transformation of the cyano into the hydroxymethyl group. The key step of the synthesis is the very high cis-selectivity (> or = 96 %) of the MeHNL-catalyzed HCN addition to 4-alkylcyclohexanones. From 4-isopropylcyclohexanone (1) the cyanohydrin cis-2 and from 4-(1-methylvinyl)cyclohexanone (6) the cyanohydrin cis-7 result almost quantitatively. Regioselective hydroxylation of cis-I affords the triol cis-II. X-ray crystal structure determinations of the final products confirm their cis-configuration.     

Vanadyl salen complexes covalently anchored to an imidazolium ion as catalysts for the cyanosilylation of aldehydes in ionic liquids

Two vanadyl salen complexes having peripheral styryl substituents have been reacted with 1-methyl-3-(3-mercaptopropyl)-imidazolium chloride using azoisobutyronitrile as radical initiator. The resulting compounds contain at the same time a vanadyl salen complex and one imidazolium cation. In agreement with the expectations in view of their structure, these compounds were insoluble in conventional organic solvents, but completely miscible in imidazolium ionic liquids. These vanadyl salen complexes bonded to an imidazolium cation are highly active and reusable catalysts for the cyanosilylation of aldehydes. Moderate enantiomeric excesses were obtained using the chiral version of this complex.     

Binolam-AlCl: a two-centre catalyst for the synthesis of enantioenriched cyanohydrin O-phosphates

The enantioselective synthesis of cyanohydrin O‐phosphates by using in situ generated bifunctional catalysts (R)‐ or (S)‐3,3′‐bis(diethylaminomethyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthol–aluminium chloride (binolam–AlCl) is reported. The reaction, which can be described as an overall cyano‐O‐phosphorylation of aldehydes, has a wide scope and applicability. Evidence is also provided, including ab initio and DFT calculations, in support of supported by the Lewis acid/Brønsted base (LABB) dual role of the catalyst in inducing first the key enantioselective hydrocyanation, which is then followed by O‐phosphorylation. A brief screening of the synthetic usefulness of the resulting cyanohydrin O‐phosphates unveiles some interesting applications. Among them, chemoselective hydrolysis, reduction and palladium‐catalysed nucleophilic allyl substitution, thereby leading to enantiomerically enriched α‐O‐phosphorylated α‐hydroxy esters, β‐amino alcohols and γ‐cyanoallyl alcohols, respectively. Naturally occurring (?)‐tembamide and (?)‐aegeline are synthesised accordingly.     

Simple Preparation Process of syn Phenylpropanolamines from Racemic O-TBDPS Cyanohydrins

In this article, a practically interesting route for the diastereoselective synthesis of phenylpropanolamines has been demonstrated for the first time. Using racemic O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) cyanohydrins as the starting materials, various syn phenylpropanolamines and derivatives (e.g., norpseudophedrine) have been successfully prepared in exellent diastereoselectivity via a practically interesting process.     

Solvent‐free cyanosilylation of aldehydes catalyzed by SmI2

A novel method to obtain racemic cyanohydrin silylethers by reaction of trimethylsilyl cyanide with a variety of aldehydes promoted by catalysis of SmI₂ is reported. The corresponding cyanosilylethers were obtained in high yields (up to 99%) in solvent‐ free conditions at room temperature within a relatively short time using 0.01–0.5 mol% catalyst loadings. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solvent‐free cyanosilylation of ketones with (CH3)3SiCN (TMSCN) catalyzed by NbF5

The addition of TMSCN to ketones catalyzed by dispersed NbF₅ gave corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilylethers with excellent yield (>90%). Cyano transfer occurs within 30 min at room temperature in the presence of 1 mol% of NbF₅ under solvent‐free conditions. These conditions are extremely mild, simple, and tolerate various functional groups. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Me2(CH2Cl)SiCN和Me3SiCN在醛的不对称氰化反应中的比较研究

研究考察了在手性（salen）AlCl-叶立德络合物（R,R）-1/2a作为催化剂和异丙醚作为溶剂的条件下,两种不同硅氰化试剂[Me₂（CH₂Cl）SiCN和Me₃SiCN（TMSCN）]在对醛的不对称氰化中的应用情况.一系列不同取代的芳香醛均可分别与这两种试剂发生反应,以高到优秀的产率和对映选择性得到目标产物.脂肪醛的反应产物的对映选择性最高只能达到中等.对比研究发现,Me₂（CH₂Cl）SiCN在醛的硅氰化反应中显示出了明显高于TMSCN的反应活性,但是产物的对映选择性大体相当.     

Copper perchlorate hexahydrate: a highly efficient catalyst for the cyanosilylation of aldehydes

Cu(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O has been found to be an efficient catalyst for cyanosilylation reaction of aldehydes in THF at room temperature with low catalytic loading (1.0 mol%) in short reaction time (mostly within 10 min). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones by a catalytic double-activation method with an aluminium complex and an N-oxide

Double-activation catalysis promises high catalytic efficiency in the enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones through the combined use of a Lewis acid and a Lewis base. Catalyst systems composed of a chiral salen-Al complex and an N-oxide have high catalytic turnovers (200 for aromatic ketones, 1000 for aliphatic ones). With these catalysts, a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic ketones were converted under mild conditions into tertiary cyanohydrin O-TMS ethers in excellent yields and with high enantioselectivities (94% ee for aromatic ketones, 90% ee for aliphatic ones). Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the salen-Al complex played the role of a Lewis acid to activate the ketone and the N-oxide that of a Lewis base to activate TMSCN; that is, double activation.     

Remote stereocontrol by sulfinyl groups: hydrocyanation of δ-ketosulfoxides

Reactions of (2-p-tolylsulfinyl)benzyl alkyl (and aryl) ketones (δ-ketosulfoxides) with Et₂AlCN in the presence of Yb(OTf)₃ take place in a completely stereoselective manner, demonstrating the efficiency of the sulfinyl group in the control of the stereoselectivity of 1,5-asymmetric hydrocyanation processes as well as the ability of Yb(OTf)₃ to form chelated species with ketosulfoxides. The behavior of their methyl derivatives at the benzylic position is dependent on the configuration at the chiral carbon. The resulting sulfinyl cyanohydrins were readily transformed into α-hydroxyamides by hydrolysis of the CN group and hydrogenolysis of the C-S bond.