Highly regio‐ and enantioselective alcohol dehydrogenases BDHA (2,3‐butanediol dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis BGSC1A1), CDDHPm (cyclic diol dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas medocina TA5), and CDDHRh (cyclic diol dehydrogenase from Rhodococcus sp. Moj‐3449) were discovered for the oxidation of racemic trans‐cyclic vicinal diols. Recombinant Escherichia coli expressing BDHA was engineered as an efficient whole‐cell biocatalyst for the oxidation of (±)‐1,2‐cyclopentanediol, 1,2‐cyclohexanediol, 1,2‐cycloheptane‐diol, and 1,2‐cyclooctanediol, respectively, to give the corresponding (R)‐α‐hydroxy ketones in >99% ee and (S,S)‐cyclic diols in >99% ee at 50% conversion in one pot. Escherichia coli (BDHA‐LDH) co‐expressing lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for intracellular regeneration of NAD+ catalyzed the regio‐ and enantioselective oxidation of (±)‐1,2‐dihydroxy‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene to produce the corresponding (R)‐α‐hydroxy ketone in >99% ee and (S,S)‐cyclic diol in 96% ee at 49% conversion. Preparative biotransformations were also demonstrated. Thus, a novel and useful method for the one‐pot synthesis of both vicinal diols and α‐hydroxy ketones in high ee was developed via highly regio‐ and enantioselective oxidations of the racemic vicinal diols.
An efficient intramolecular arene‐alkene oxidative coupling of 1,4‐diaryl‐1,3‐butadienes has been developed involving the use of a 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐para‐benzoquinone (DDQ)/acid catalyst. The reaction involves the generation of a radical cation by abstraction of an electron from the substrate with DDQ, an intramolecular Friedel–Crafts‐type reaction, and the loss of hydrogen radical.
An unprecedented organocatalytic enantioselective cascade Michael/hemiketalization/retro‐aldol reaction of 2‐[(E)‐2‐nitrovinyl]phenols and 2,4‐dioxo‐4‐arylbutanoates is described. With a bifunctional squaramide catalyst incorporating (1R,2R)‐1,2‐diphenylethane‐1,2‐diamine, the reactions afford products in 75–99% yields with 80–98% ee. This process provides an enantioselective pathway for the synthesis of chiral α‐keto esters, precursors of 3‐arylproline derivatives, δ‐amino α‐keto acids or cyclic α‐keto lactams.
An efficient multi‐enzyme cascade reaction for the synthesis of (R)‐ or (S)‐2‐hydroxybutyric acid [(R)‐ or (S)‐2‐HB] from l ‐threonine was developed by using recombinant Escherichia coli cells expressing separately or co‐expressing l ‐threonine deaminase from Escherichia coli K‐12 (ilvA), formate dehydrogenase (FDH) from Candida boidinii and l ‐lactate dehydrogenase (l ‐LDH) from Oryctolagus cuniculus or d ‐lactate dehydrogenase (d ‐LDH) from Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228. Up to 750 mM of l ‐threonine were completely transformed to (R)‐ or (S)‐2‐HB in optically pure form (>99% ee) with high isolated yields. This one‐pot multi‐enzyme transformation provides a new practical method for the synthesis of these important optically pure compounds.
The rhodium(I)‐catalyzed cycloisomerization of enynes with tethered (S)‐2‐methyl‐2‐propanesulfinyl imine affords 5‐ or 6‐membered cyclic compounds containing exocyclic 1,3‐diene moieties in a stereoselective manner. The reaction proceeds through β‐hydride elimination of a 7‐membered azarhodacycle intermediate, which is generated from three unsaturated bonds (i.e., alkene, alkyne, and CN bonds) and an Rh(I) complex. The resultant cyclic compounds could be reacted with various dienophiles to afford spiroamides as single isomers through the Diels–Alder reaction.
Asymmetric allylation of (hetero)aromatic aldehydes by a zinc(II)‐allylbutyrolactone species catalyzed by a chiral BINOL‐type phosphoric acid gave β‐substituted α‐methylenebutyrolactones in 68 to >99% ee and 52–91% isolated yield. DFT studies on the intermediate Zn2+‐complex – crucial for chiral induction – suggest a six‐membered ring intermediate, which allows the phosphoric acid moiety to activate the aldehyde. The methodology was applied to the synthesis of the antitumour natural product (S)‐(−)‐hydroxymatairesinol.
A highly efficient, iridium‐catalyzed, enantioselective hydrogenation of β,β‐disubstituted nitroalkenes has been developed. Using a complex consisting of iridium and (S,S)‐f‐spiroPhos as the catalyst, a variety of β,β‐disubstituted nitroalkenes were successfully hydrogenated to the corresponding chiral nitroalkanes with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) and high turnover numbers (TON=1000).
We describe a practical (time‐efficient, with commercially available building blocks, user friendly reaction conditions, high purity of products) synthesis of pharmacologically relevant quinoxalinones with three points of diversification that takes advantage of solid‐phase synthesis and cyclative cleavage. Resin‐bound (S)‐2‐(N‐alkyl‐2‐nitrophenyl)sulfonamide‐3‐alkyl‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)propanamides, which are accessible from Fmoc‐protected α‐amino acids, 2‐nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride and alcohols, underwent base‐mediated N‐arylation. The reduction of the nitro group produced acyclic intermediates that were subjected to acid‐mediated cyclative cleavage to yield 3,4‐dihydroquinoxalin‐2(1H)‐ones.
Through an unexpected CC bond migration, 2(E)‐enals were efficiently prepared highly stereoselectively in moderate to good yields via the sodium iodide/tert‐butyl(dimethyl)silyl chloride (NaI/TBSCl)‐mediated reaction of the easily available 2,3‐allenols. Based on a careful mechanistic study, including control experiments and deuterium‐labeling experiments, an electron‐withdrawing substituent group in the 4 position has been proven to be crucial and a possible mechanism has been proposed.
A facile one‐pot, catalyst‐free reaction has been developed for the synthesis of 2,3,6,7‐tetrahydro‐1H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐c]pyridin‐4(5H)‐ones from readily available 1‐acryloyl‐1‐N‐arylcarbamylcyclopropanes and amines using a domino ring‐opening/cyclization/aza‐addition sequence.
An efficient method for the synthesis of indole derivatives from readily available pyrimidyl‐substituted anilines and diazo compounds via rhodium(III)‐catalyzed C H bond activation has been developed. This cyclization reaction displays excellent functional group compatibility and regioselectivity, which overcomes some drawbacks of the classical indole synthetic methods and provides a facile approach for the construction of multi‐substituted indole derivatives. The redox‐neutral intermolecular annulation procedure comprises tandem C H bond activation, cyclization, and condensation steps, releasing water and nitrogen as by‐products.
The ring‐opening of N‐tert‐butanesulfinylethynylaziridines with lithium tris(dimethylphenylsilyl)zincate is reported. The reaction is demonstrated to be both stereoselective and stereospecific and to proceed through an anti‐SN2′ process. Further deprotection of the nitrogen atom under mild conditions allows access to 4‐amino‐1‐(dimethylphenylsilyl)allenes with high yields and levels of stereoselectivity.
The selective copper‐catalyzed borylation of silylalkynes in the presence of a diboron reagent and methanol produced a variety of (Z)‐β‐(borylvinyl)silanes. The appropriate use of a selective ligand for copper allows the chemo‐, regio‐, and stereoselective monoborylation of silylalkynes. The β‐regioselectivity of an N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐copper catalyst was investigated by DFT calculations.
A method for copper‐catalyzed aryltrifluoromethylation of N‐phenylcinnamamides is reported. This method provides a straightforward route to a variety of CF3‐containing 3,4‐dihydroquinolin‐2(1 H)‐ones with excellent regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity.
A highly efficient gold(I)‐catalyzed cascade reaction for the synthesis of fully substituted 3‐formyl‐4‐iodofurans has been developed. Mechanistic investigations indicate a reaction pathway that involves a direct iodination reaction of the organogold intermediate via functionalization of the Au C(sp2) bond, instead of a direct iodination of the 3‐formylfurans.
(−)‐erythro‐Mefloquine hydrochloride was synthesized stereospecifically from commercially available (S)‐(−)‐1‐Boc‐2‐piperidinecarboxylic acid in four steps without disturbing the chiral center, and the absolute configuration of (−)‐erythro‐mefloquine hydrochloride was unambiguously determined as (11R,12S). (11S,12R)‐(+)‐erythro‐Mefloquine hydrochloride was synthesized utilizing [(S,S)‐TsDpen]Ru(p‐cymene)Cl complexes‐catalyzed enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of pyridyl ketone 7 as the key step, and the sense of asymmetric induction of 2‐pyridyl ketone 7 is opposite to that of normal ketones in the transfer hydrogenation. Our results confirm the correctness of the determination of the absolute configuration by three physical chemistry methods, and, unbelievably, the erroneous assignments by all previous five asymmetric syntheses.
An efficient synthesis of (E)‐5‐aryl(halo)methylenebicyclo[2.2.2]oct‐2‐enes is reported. Lewis acid‐promoted carbohalogenation of 4‐(3‐arylprop‐2‐ynyl)‐cyclohex‐2‐enols in dichloromethane proceeds rapidly to afford the exo‐methylene‐bridged bicycles in good yields. This method also provides an easy access to (E)‐5‐aryl(halo)methylenebicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐enes from the five‐membered ring 2,6‐enynols. The reactions are procedurally simple and high yielding, producing the aryl(halo)methylene‐bridged bicycles in minutes under air and mild conditions.
The regioselective direct 3‐arylation of indoles with 1‐diazonaphthalen‐2‐(1H)‐ones was developed by means of a rhodium(II) pivalate‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reaction. This procedure provided a variety of novel 3‐naphthylindoles in high yield. The direct coupling of benzofuran, pyrrole or furan with 1‐diazonaphthalen‐2‐(1H)‐ones afforded 2‐ or 3‐naphthyl substituted heterocycles.
trans‐2‐Aroyl‐3‐arylcyclopropane‐1,1‐dicarboxylates upon treatment with aluminium(III) chloride (AlCl3) underwent ring‐opening, fragmentation, recombination and lactonization to give highly substituted 2‐pyrones. Alternatively, when treated with titanium(IV) chloride (TiCl4), the cyclopropane diesters underwent a Nazarov cyclization to afford 1‐indanones with high diastereoselectivity.
Asymmetric bioreduction of an (E)‐β‐cyano‐2,4‐dienoic acid derivative by ene‐reductases allowed a shortened access to a precursor of pregabalin [(S)‐3‐(aminomethyl)‐5‐methylhexanoic acid] possessing the desired configuration in up to 94% conversion and >99% ee. Deuterium labelling studies showed that the nitrile moiety was the preferred activating/anchor group in the active site of the enzyme over the carboxylic acid or the corresponding methyl ester.
