Organocatalytic Enantioselective Aza‐Michael Addition of Purine Bases to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

The first organocatalytic enantioselective aza‐Michael addition of purine bases to α,β‐unsaturated ketones has been developed, affording Michael adducts in moderate to high yields (up to 96% yield) and high to excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee). A wide range of α,β‐unsaturated ketones including aliphatic and aromatic enones are tolerated in this process, generally demonstrating good reactivity, regioselectivity and enantioselectivity. The aromatic α,β‐unsaturated ketones showing quite low reactivity in the reported catalytic systems, were first successfully employed as Michael acceptors in this transformation, yielding high enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The utility of this method was also applied for the synthesis of enantioenriched non‐natural nucleoside analogues with potential biological activities.     

Ruthenium(II)‐Catalyzed Regioselective Synthesis of Allyl Ketones from Alkynes and their Silver(I)‐Catalyzed Hydroarylation into γ‐Functionalized Ketones

The regioselective synthesis of β,γ‐unsaturated ketones from terminal alkynes is achieved by cooperative action of tris(acetonitrile)pentamethylcyclopentadieneruthenium hexafluorophosphate [Cp*Ru(NCMe)₃⁺ PF₆⁻] and para‐toluenesulfonic acid catalysts. These allyl ketones undergo direct regioselective hydroarylation/Friedel–Crafts reaction to introduce an electron‐rich aryl group at the γ‐position in the presence of ligand‐free silver triflate (AgOTf) catalyst. Both catalytic reactions take place with atom economy and provide an alternative to the synthesis of a variety of allyl ketones and γ‐arylated ketones.     

Convenient Preparation of Chiral α,β‐Epoxy Ketones via Claisen–Schmidt Condensation‐Epoxidation Sequence

A novel Clasisen–Schmidt condensation‐epoxidation sequence of aldehydes and ketones was developed to produce a series of chiral α,β‐epoxy ketones under asymmetric phase‐transfer catalytic conditions. The organocatalytic method reported here can afford chiral α,β‐epoxy ketones under mild conditions with moderate to good yields and up to 96 % ee.     

Progress in the Palladium‐Catalyzed α‐Arylation of Ketones with Chloroarenes

Non‐ and deactivated chloroarenes can be coupled with a wide range of ketones to yield the corresponding arylmethyl ketones in good to excellent yields using a palladium(II) acetate/n‐BuPAd₂ catalyst system. Depending on the ketone, the chloroarene/ketone ratio and the base, mono or diarylation can be effected selectively.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Efficient Formation of α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones from Propargylic Acetates

An efficient gold‐catalyzed method for the preparation of α,β‐unsaturated ketones from propargylic acetates has been developed. Under mild reaction conditions, β‐monosubstituted enones were formed mostly with excellent E‐selectivity. β,β‐Disubstituted enones can be prepared from propargylic acetates derived from ketones. The high efficiency and mild nature of this reaction render it a viable alternative for the synthesis of α,β‐unsaturated ketones.     

Heme Oxygenase Inhibition by 1‐Aryl‐2‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl/1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)ethanones and Their Derivatives

Previous studies by our research group have been concerned with the design of selective inhibitors of heme oxygenases (HO‐1 and HO‐2). The majority of these were based on a four‐carbon linkage of an azole, usually an imidazole, and an aromatic moiety. In the present study, we designed and synthesized a series of inhibition candidates containing a shorter linkage between these groups, specifically, a series of 1‐aryl‐2‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl/1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)ethanones and their derivatives. As regards HO‐1 inhibition, the aromatic moieties yielding best results were found to be halogen‐substituted residues such as 3‐bromophenyl, 4‐bromophenyl, and 3,4‐dichlorophenyl, or hydrocarbon residues such as 2‐naphthyl, 4‐biphenyl, 4‐benzylphenyl, and 4‐(2‐phenethyl)phenyl. Among the imidazole‐ketones, five ( 36 – 39 , and 44 ) were found to be very potent (IC₅₀<5 μM ) toward both isozymes. Relative to the imidazole‐ketones, the series of corresponding triazole‐ketones showed four compounds ( 54 , 55 , 61 , and 62 ) having a selectivity index >50 in favor of HO‐1. In the case of the azole‐dioxolanes, two of them ( 80 and 85 ), each possessing a 2‐naphthyl moiety, were found to be particularly potent and selective HO‐1 inhibitors. Three non‐carbonyl analogues ( 87 , 89 , and 91 ) of 1‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)ethanone were found to be good inhibitors of HO‐1. For the first time in our studies, two azole‐based inhibitors ( 37 and 39 ) were found to exhibit a modest selectivity index in favor of HO‐2. The present study has revealed additional candidates based on inhibition of heme oxygenases for potentially useful pharmacological and therapeutic applications.     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Addition of α‐Keto Acid Chlorides with Terminal Alkynes

The addition reaction of α‐keto acid chlorides with terminal alkynes proceeds in the presence of (acetylacetonato)dicarbonylrhodium used as catalyst to afford synthetically versatile (Z)‐γ‐chloro‐α‐oxo‐β,γ‐unsaturated ketones regio‐ and stereoselectively.     

A Convenient Ruthenium‐Catalysed α‐Methylation of Carbonyl Compounds using Methanol

An efficient ruthenium catalyst is reported, for the first time, to catalyse the α‐methylation of ketones and esters using methanol as a green methylating agent. The in situ generated catalyst from the complexes [RuCp*Cl₂]₂ or [RuCp*Cl₂]_n with dpePhos provided up to quantitative yields in the presence of only 20 mol% of lithium tert‐butoxide (LiO‐t‐Bu) as a base. Regioselective mono‐ or multi‐methylation could be effectively controlled by temperature. This catalyst system was also effective for the one‐pot sequential α‐alkylation–α‐methylation of methyl ketones and conjugate reduction–α‐methylation of α,β‐unsaturated ketones to synthesise α‐branched ketones. An application of the α‐methylation of esters using the ruthenium catalyst was demonstrated for an alternative catalytic synthesis of Ketoprofen.

     

Regioselective Addition of Organometallic Reagents to 2‐(1‐Alkynyl)‐2‐alken‐1‐ones for an Efficient Synthesis of Substituted 1,2‐Allenyl Ketones

Highly substituted 1,2‐allenyl ketones can be easily and efficiently prepared from organometallic reagents and readily available 2‐(1‐alkynyl)‐2‐alken‐1‐ones. The synthetic application of 1,2‐allenyl ketone products was also showcased by palladium‐catalyzed further transformation.     

Enantioselective Additions of Aryltitanium Tris(isopropoxide) to Ketones: Structure of [(i‐PrO)2Ti{μ‐(S)‐BINOLate}(μ‐O‐i‐Pr)TiPh(O‐i‐Pr)2], Study of Mechanistic and Stereochemical Insights

Aryl addition reactions of ArTi(O‐i‐Pr)₃ to aromatic, heteroaromatic, or α,β‐unsaturated ketones are described, producing tertiary alcohols in good to excellent enantioselectivities of up to 97% ee. The structure of the dititanium complex [(i‐PrO)₂Ti{μ‐(S)‐BINOLate}(μ‐O‐i‐Pr)TiPh(O‐i‐Pr)₂] [(S)‐ 4 ] that simultaneously bears a chiral directing ligand and a nucleophile is reported. Complex (S)‐ 4 possesses a pocket structure and has been illustrated as the key active species for addition reactions of both aldehydes and ketones. Mechanistic and stereochemical insights concerning addition reactions of organometallic reagents to organic carbonyls are rationalized based on the pocket structure and pocket size of (S)‐ 4 .     

Studies on Electrophilic Interaction of 2,3‐Allenols with Electrophilic Halogen Reagents: Selective Synthesis of 2,5‐Dihydrofurans, 3‐Halo‐3‐alkenals,or 2‐Halo‐2‐alkenyl Ketones

The reaction of primary 2,3‐allenols with iodine (I₂) afforded 2,5‐dihydrofurans while that of readily available 1‐aryl or 1‐methyl substituted 2,3‐allenols with bromine (Br₂), N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS), I₂ or N‐iodosuccinimide (NIS) formed the not easily available but synthetically useful 3‐halo‐3‐alkenals and 2‐halo‐2‐alkenyl ketones with good selectivity and yields via a sequential electrophilic interaction of X⁺ with the allene moiety, 1,2‐aryl or 1,2‐proton shift, and H⁺ elimination process.     

Metal‐Free Synthesis of Chlorinated β‐Amino Ketones via an Unexpected Reaction of Imines with Arylacetylenes in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐Hexafluoro‐2‐propanol

The metal‐free reaction of terminal arylacetylenes with α,α‐dichloroaldimines in 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol as the sole solvent results in the rapid and selective formation of γ,γ‐dichloro‐β‐amino ketones. In this solvent the expected dichlorinated propargylamines and/or allylic amines are not formed. The dichloromethylene moiety of the aldimine acts as an activating group and is essential to accomplish this transformation. Electron‐rich acetylenes lead to the best results and work well with all imines (with or without α′‐H at the nitrogen substituent), while electron‐deficient acetylenes only reacted with N‐tert‐butylaldimines (no α′‐H). The mechanistic pathway showed 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐propanol to protonate the aldimine, which in the rate‐determining step will react with the arylacetylene to form a resonance‐stabilized allene cation, which is trapped by a HFIP molecule giving rise to an enol ether, which promptly hydrolyzes to furnish exclusively the β‐amino ketones. Using DFT techniques we found that the first C C bond forming step is the rate‐determining step and is associated with a barrier of about 21 kcal mol⁻¹.

     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Sulfa‐Michael Addition to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones

The highly enantioselective organocatalytic sulfa‐Michael addition to α,β‐unsaturated ketones has been accomplished using benzyl and tert‐butyl mercaptans as the sulfur‐centered nucleophiles. Optically active products are obtained in high yields and good to excellent stereocontrol (up to 96 % ee) from a large variety of enones. Central to these studies has been the use of the catalytic primary amine salt A , derived from 9‐amino‐(9‐deoxy)‐epi‐hydroquinine and D ‐N‐Boc‐phenylglycine, in which both the cation and the anion are chiral, that exhibits high reactivity and selectivity for iminium ion catalysis with enones.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of Ketones with β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Keto Esters: An Efficient Access to Chiral Tertiary Alcohol Skeletons

This update describes a highly efficient organocatalytic aldol reaction of ketones and β,γ‐unsaturated α‐keto esters for constructing the chiral tertiary alcohol motif. With the application of 9‐amino(9‐deoxy)epi‐Cinchona alkaloid and an acidic additive as catalysts, both acyclic and cyclic ketones react with β,γ‐unsaturated α‐keto esters smoothly to afford aldol adducts in good to excellent yields and asymmetric induction. This protocol offers a new pathway for the construction of adjacent chiral carbon centers and the synthesis of chiral β‐hydroxy carbonyl compounds.     

β‐Hydroxycarboxylic Acids from Simple Ketones by Carboxylation and Asymmetric Hydrogenation

We present a new asymmetric synthesis of β‐hydroxycarboxylic acids from ketones, performed by carboxylation using CO₂ followed by asymmetric hydrogenation. First, the carboxylation of ketones gives β‐ketocarboxylic acids. The effects of temperature, reaction time, and amount of 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) promoter on the carboxylation were investigated. The DBU can be recycled. For the second step, the asymmetric hydrogenation of these β‐ketocarboxylic acids, we determined the effect of solvent choice, H₂ pressure, and substrate substitution. Hydrogenation yield and enantioselectivity are solvent‐dependent, and the mechanism could proceed through hydrogenation of either the enol or the keto forms of the bound substrate. This synthesis is industrially advantageous due to the limited number of reactants required, their low‐cost, and the potential for recycling unused materials.     

Boronic Acid‐Catalyzed Selective Oxidation of 1,2‐Diols to α‐Hydroxy Ketones in Water

The activation of 1,2‐diols through formation of boronate esters was found to enhance the selective oxidation of 1,2‐diols to their corresponding α‐hydroxy ketones in aqueous medium. The oxidation step was accomplished using dibromoisocyanuric acid (DBI) as a terminal chemical oxidant or an electrochemical process. The electrochemical process was based on the use of platinum electrodes, methylboronic acid [MeB(OH)₂] as a catalyst and bromide ion as a mediator. Electro‐generated OH⁻ ions (EGB) at the cathode acted as a base and “Br⁺” ion generated at the anode acted as an oxidant. Various cyclic and acyclic 1,2‐diols as substrates were selectively oxidized to the corresponding α‐hydroxy ketones via their boronate esters by the two oxidative methods in good to excellent yields.

     

A Novel D2‐Symmetrical Chiral Tetraoxazoline Ligand for Highly Enantioselective Hydrosilylation of Aromatic Ketones

A novel D₂‐symmetrical chiral tetraoxazoline ligand was synthesized from 1,2,4,5‐benzenetetracarboxylic acid and L ‐valinol via a one‐pot reaction, and the asymmetric hydrosilylation of aromatic ketones was carried out in dichloromethane in the presence of 1.0 mol% of a bivalent copper ion catalyst with the tetraoxazoline to give optically active secondary alcohols. The chiral catalyst showed excellent activities and enantioselectivities in the hydrosilylation of aryl ketones with up to 99% ee.     

A General and Efficient Method for the Alkoxycarbonylation of α‐Chloro Ketones

The alkoxycarbonylation of α‐chloro ketones with carbon monoxide in alcoholic solvents could be optimized to generate β‐keto esters in high yields using much lower catalyst loadings than previously reported in the literature. Among the different screened parameters, the nature of the ligand proved to be the most crucial one, the Xantphos ligand affording the highest yields. The scope of the reaction could then be extended to a wide variety of chloro ketones with different types of alcohols.     

Reversed‐Polarity Synthesis of Diaryl Ketones through Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct Arylation of 2‐Aryl‐1,3‐dithianes

An umpolung approach to the synthesis of diaryl ketones has been developed based on in situ generation of acyl anion equivalents and their catalytic arylation. This method entails the base‐promoted, palladium‐catalyzed direct C‐H arylation of 2‐aryl‐1,3‐dithianes with aryl bromides. Use of MN(SiMe₃)₂ (M=Li, Na) base results in reversible deprotonation of the weakly acidic dithiane. In the presence of a Pd(NiXantphos)‐based catalyst and aryl bromide, cross‐coupling of the metallated 2‐aryl‐1,3‐dithiane takes place under mild conditions (2 h at rt) with yields as high as 96 %. The resulting 2,2‐diaryl‐1,3‐dithianes were converted into diaryl ketones by either molecular iodine, N‐bromo succinimide (NBS) or Selectfluor in the presence of water. The dithiane arylation/hydrolysis can be performed in a one‐pot procedure to yield a variety of diaryl ketones in good to excellent yields. This method is suitable for rapid and large‐scale synthesis of diaryl ketones. A one‐pot preparation of anti‐cholesterol drug fenofibrate (TriCor®) has been achieved on 10.0 mmol scale in 86 % yield.

     

Bulky Achiral Triarylphosphines Mimic BINAP in Ru(II)‐ Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Ketones

In the present work, we report on catalysis of the enantioselective hydrogenation of ketones with Ru(II) complexes composed of cheap achiral monodentate phosphine ligands in combination with an enantiopure 1,2‐diamine, affording a variety of optically active secondary alcohols with high efficiency and enantioselectivity. The steric impact of achiral monophosphine ligands in Ru complexes was found to be a critical factor for the high enantioselectivity of the reaction. This finding throws some light on a long‐standing challenge, the high cost of chiral bisphosphine ligands, associated with an industrial application of the asymmetric hydrogenation of ketones.