Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Synthesis of Pyrans via a Formal [3+3] Cycloaddition

Brønsted acids catalyze the addition of enolizable β‐keto esters to α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes leading to substituted 2H‐pyrans in good yields under mild conditions via a formal [3+3] cycloaddition.     

Enantioselective N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Catalyzed [3+3] Annulation of α,β‐Unsaturated Esters with Methyl Ketoimine

Herein, we disclose the N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐catalyzed [3+3] annulation of challenging esters with methyl ketoimines for the highly enantioselective synthesis of intriguing δ‐lactams featuring various substituent patterns. The annulation occurs under mild conditions and offers good tolerance, good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. The six‐membered heterocyclic products are valuable for the synthesis of bioactive molecules.

     

Rhodium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydroformylation of 1,1‐Disubstituted Allylphthalimides: A Catalytic Route to β3‐Amino Acids

The high enantioselective rhodium‐catalyzed hydroformylation of 1,1‐disubstituted allylphthalimides has been developed. By employing chiral ligand 1,2‐bis[(2S,5S)‐2,5‐diphenylphospholano]ethane [(S,S)‐Ph‐BPE], a series of β³‐aminoaldehydes can be prepared with up to 95% enantioselectivity. This asymmetric procedure provides an efficient alternative route to prepare chiral β³‐amino acids and alcohols.     

Chiral Lewis Base‐Catalyzed,Enantioselective Reduction of Unprotected β‐Enamino Esters with Trichlorosilane

Catalytic asymmetric reduction of N‐unsubstituted β‐enamino esters represents a major challenge for asymmetric catalysis. In this paper, the first organocatalytic system that could be used for the asymmetric hydrosilylation of N‐unsubstituted β‐enamino esters has been developed. Using N‐tert‐butylsulfinyl‐L ‐proline‐derived amides and L ‐pipecolinic acid‐derived formamides as catalyst, a broad range of β‐aryl‐ and β‐alkyl‐substituted free β‐amino esters could be prepared with high yields and enantioselectivities. The practicality was illustrated by the gram‐scale asymmetric synthesis of ethyl (R)‐3‐amino‐3‐phenylpropanoate and isopropyl (S)‐3‐amino‐4‐(2,3,5‐trifluorophenyl)butanoate. The resulting product can be smoothly transformed to the FDA approved medicines dapoxetine and sitagliptin in a short synthetic route.

     

Regioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Pyrroles via Gold(I)‐Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloaddition of Stabilized Vinyl Diazo Derivatives and Nitriles

The reaction of nitriles with alkenyldiazo compounds in the presence of gold catalysts provides functionalized pyrrole derivatives in moderate to high yields. This formal [3+2] cyclization reaction takes place with complete regioselectivity. The observed regiochemical outcome suggests the attack of the nitrile to the terminal position of the alkenylgold carbenoid (vinylogous reactivity). A broad range of nitriles (including those bearing functional groups) is compatible with this cyclization reaction.     

Direct Aza‐Darzens Aziridination of N‐Tosylimines with 2‐Bromomalonates for the Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Donor‐Acceptor Aziridines

An approach to highly functionalized donor‐acceptor aziridines by the aziridination of N‐tosylimines and 2‐bromomalonates in the presence of sodium hydride under mild conditions has been developed. The high‐yielding reaction has a relatively broad scope and can be easily scaled up to the gram level.     

Synthesis of Glutamic Acid and Highly Functionalized Pyrrolidine Derivatives by Utilizing Tunable Calcium Catalysts for Chemoselective Asymmetric 1,4‐Addition and [3+2] Cycloaddition Reactions

A current trend in organic chemistry is the development of highly efficient, environmentally friendly and inexpensive catalysts for asymmetric transformations. Alkaline earth metals, due to their specific chemical properties and abundance in nature, provide promising and challenging catalysts in organic synthesis. This article describes the utilization of alkaline earth metals in the development of an effective catalytic system based on calcium salts in combination with Box‐type ligands. We disclose asymmetric 1,4‐addition and [3+2] cycloaddition reactions using simple catalytic systems consisting of calcium chloride dihydrate, chiral ligands and tetramethylguanidine. Various Box ligands were synthesized and the most effective proved to be that bearing an indane chiral backbone and a cyano group. Depending on the structure of both glycine Schiff bases and α,β‐unsaturated compounds, the corresponding Michael adducts or pyrrolidine derivatives were obtained in moderate to high yields with high enantioselectivities. Modification of the catalytic system by using more Lewis acidic calcium salts such as calcium triflate and neutral Pybox‐type ligands allows a tuning of the chemoselectivity and leads to suppression of the [3+2] cycloadition reactions. Various β‐substituted acrylates provided 1,4‐addition adducts exclusively in high yields with moderate to high diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities. This methodology has broadened a synthetic route to β‐branched glutamic acid derivatives and established calcium salts as useful and attractive catalysts for asymmetric catalysis.     

Molecular Basis for the Enantioselective Ring Opening of β‐Lactams Catalyzed by Candida antarctica Lipase B

Lipase B from Candida antarctica (CAL‐B) catalyzes the slow, but highly enantioselective (E>200), ring‐opening alcoholysis of two bicyclic and two 4‐aryl‐substituted β‐lactams. Surprisingly, the rate of the reaction varies with the nature of the alcohols and was fastest with either enantiomer of 2‐octanol. A 0.5‐g scale reaction with 2‐octanol as the nucleophile in diisopropyl ether at 60 °C yielded the unreacted β‐lactam in 39–46% yield (maximum yield is 50%) with ≥96% ee. The product β‐amino acid esters reacted further by polymerization (not isolated or characterized) or by hydrolysis due to small amounts of water in the reaction mixture yielding β‐amino acids (7–11% yield, ≥96% ee). The favored enantiomer of all four β‐lactams had similar 3‐D orientation of substituents, as did most previously reported β‐lactams and β‐lactones in similar ring‐opening reactions. Computer modeling of the ring opening of 4‐phenylazetidin‐2‐one suggests that the reaction proceeds via an unusual substrate‐assisted transition state, where the substrate alcohol bridges between the catalytic histidine and the nitrogen of the β‐lactam. Computer modeling also suggested that the molecular basis for the high enantioselectivity is a severe steric clash between Ile189 in CAL‐B and the phenyl substituent on the slow‐reacting enantiomer of the β‐lactam.     

Enantioselective Hydrogenation of α‐Dehydroamino Acid Esters Catalyzed by Rhodium Complexes with Chiral Bisaminophosphine Ligands

A highly efficient strategy for the synthesis of a series of chiral bisaminophosphine ligands was well established with several remarkable features. The synthetic utility of these ligands was explored for rhodium‐catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenations of α‐dehydroamino acid esters. Up to 98% ee values were achieved for the enantioselective synthesis of aminocarboxylic acids and their derivatives, which are very important chiral building blocks for the synthesis of a variety of natural products and biologically active molecules.     

Efficient Synthesis of β,γ‐Alkynyl α‐Amino Acid Derivatives by Ag(I)‐Catalyzed Alkynylation of α‐Imino Esters

The first catalytic synthesis of β,γ‐alkynyl α‐amino acid derivatives was achieved by direct addition of terminal alkynes to α‐imino esters in the presence of an Ag(I) salt under mild reaction conditions.     

Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of 2‐Alkyleneoxetanes through [2+2] Annulation of Allenoates with Trifluoromethyl Ketones

The first example of a β‐isocupreidine (β‐ICD)‐catalyzed highly enantioselective [2+2] annulation of allenoates with trifluoromethyl ketones has been disclosed, allowing the synthesis of optically active 2‐alkyleneoxetanes in moderate to good yields along with good to high enantioselectivities and high diastereoselectivities. Further transformations of the cycloadducts have been also disclosed to afford biologically interesting 6‐trifluoromethyl‐5,6‐dihydropyran‐2‐ones and trifluoromethyl β‐keto acids in good yields.     

Stereoselective Cascade Reactions of Donor–Acceptor Cyclopropanes with m‐N,N‐Dialkylaminophenyl α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyls: Diastereoselective Synthesis of cis‐ and trans‐Tetralins

The ytterbium(III) triflate [Yb(OTf)₃]‐catalyzed diastereoselective cascade reaction of m‐N,N‐dimethylaminophenyl α,β‐unsaturated carbonyls with cyclopropane 1,1‐diesters under mild reaction conditions afforded highly substituted cis‐ and trans‐tetralins. The reaction of m‐N,N‐dimethylaminophenyl α,β‐unsaturated ketones with cyclopropane 1,1‐diesters provided tetralins with a trans orientation of the 1,4‐substitutents on the cyclohexyl ring; cis‐tetralins were obtained from m‐N,N‐dimethylaminophenyl substituted methylidenemalonates with high diastereoselectivities.

     

Efficient Lipase‐Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution and Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of β‐Hydroxy Nitriles. Correction of Absolute Configuration and Transformation to Chiral β‐Hydroxy Acids and γ‐Amino Alcohols

Chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution of β‐hydroxy nitriles 1 has been carried out using Candida antarctica lipase B and a ruthenium catalyst. The use of a hydrogen source to depress ketone formation in the dynamic kinetic resolution yields the corresponding acetates 2 in good yield and high enantioselectivity. It is shown that the ruthenium catalyst and the enzyme can be recycled when used in separate reactions. We also report on the preparation of various enantiomerically pure β‐hydroxy acid derivatives and γ‐amino alcohols from 1 and 2. The latter compounds were also used to establish the correct absolute configuration of 1 and 2.     

Multi‐Enzymatic Synthesis of Optically Pure β‐Hydroxy α‐Amino Acids

A novel enzymatic production system of optically pure β‐hydroxy α‐amino acids was developed. Two enzymes were used for the system: an N‐succinyl L ‐amino acid β‐hydroxylase (SadA) belonging to the iron(II)/α‐ketoglutarate‐dependent dioxygenase superfamily and an N‐succinyl L ‐amino acid desuccinylase (LasA). The genes encoding the two enzymes are part of a gene set responsible for the biosynthesis of peptidyl compounds found in the Burkholderia ambifaria AMMD genome. SadA stereoselectively hydroxylated several N‐succinyl aliphatic L ‐amino acids and produced N‐succinyl β‐hydroxy L ‐amino acids, such as N‐succinyl‐L ‐β‐hydroxyvaline, N‐succinyl‐L ‐threonine, (2S,3R)‐N‐succinyl‐L ‐β‐hydroxyisoleucine, and N‐succinyl‐L ‐threo‐β‐hydroxyleucine. LasA catalyzed the desuccinylation of various N‐succinyl‐L ‐amino acids. Surprisingly, LasA is the first amide bond‐forming enzyme belonging to the amidohydrolase superfamily, and has succinylation activity towards the amino group of L ‐leucine. By combining SadA and LasA in a preparative scale production using N‐succinyl‐L ‐leucine as substrate, 2.3 mmol of L ‐threo‐β‐hydroxyleucine were successfully produced with 93% conversion and over 99% of diastereomeric excess. Consequently, the new production system described in this study has advantages in optical purity and reaction efficiency for application in the mass production of several β‐hydroxy α‐amino acids.

     

Practical Enantioselective Synthesis of β‐Lactones Catalyzed by Aluminum Bissulfonamide Complexes

The development of an efficient and practical aluminum‐bissulfonamide complex catalyzed enantioselective formation of β‐lactones by [2+2] cycloaddition of ketene (generated in situ from acetyl bromide by dehydrobromination) with various α‐unbranched and ‐branched aliphatic aldehydes is presented. The methodology offers the advantage of operational simplicity not only as the ligand synthesis requires just a single sulfonylation step from commercially available enantiomerically pure diamines. The products are formed in high to excellent yields with ee values typically ranging from 78 to 90 % using 10 mol % of the bissulfonamide ligand. The key finding of this work was a remarkable rate acceleration by using an aluminum/ligand ratio of 1.5:1.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Mannich Reactions of 5H‐Oxazol‐4‐ones: Highly Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Chiral α‐Alkylisoserine Derivatives

The first organocatalytic Mannich reaction of 5H‐oxazol‐4‐ones with various readily prepared aryl‐ and alkylsulfonimides has been developed. Two commercially available pseudoenantiomeric Cinchona alkaloids‐derived tertiary amine/ureas have been demonstrated as the most efficient catalysts to access the opposite enantiomers of the Mannich products with equally excellent enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. From the Mannich adducts, important α‐methyl‐α‐hydroxy‐β‐amino acid derivatives, such as the α‐methylated C‐13 side chain of taxol and taxotere, can be conveniently prepared.     

Chemoenzymatic Preparation of Enantiopure Homoadamantyl β‐Amino Acid and β‐Lactam Derivatives

Racemic cis‐10‐azatetracyclo[7.2.0.1^2,6.1^4,8]tridecan‐11‐one was prepared from homoadamant‐4‐ene by chlorosulfonyl isocyanate addition. The transformation of the β‐lactam to the corresponding β‐amino ester followed by Candida antarctica lipase A‐catalyzed enantioselective (E>>200) N‐acylation with 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl butanoate afforded methyl (1R,4R,5S,8S)‐5‐aminotricyclo[4.3.1.1^3,8]undecane‐4‐carboxylate and the (1S,4S,5R,8R)‐butanamide with>99% ee at 50% conversion. Alternatively, transformation of the β‐lactam to the corresponding N‐hydroxymethyl‐β‐lactam and the following Pseudomonas cepacia (currently Burkholderia cepacia) lipase‐catalyzed enantioseletive O‐acylation provided the (1S,4S,6R,9R)‐alcohol (ee=87%) and the corresponding (1R,4R,6S,9S)‐butanoate (ee>99%). In the latter method, competition for the enzyme between the (1R,4R,6S,9S)‐butanoate, 2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl butanoate and the hydrolysis product, butanoic acid, tended to stop the reaction at about 45% conversion and finally gave racemization in the (1S,4S,6R,9R)‐alcohol with time.     

[3+2] Cycloaddition of Propargylamines and α‐Acylketene Dithioacetals: A Synthetic Strategy for Highly Substituted Pyrroles

A new [3+2] cycloaddition strategy for the direct synthesis of highly substituted pyrroles from the readily available α‐acylketene dithioacetals (or related substrates) and commercially available propargylamines under mild metal‐free conditions has been developed. In this reaction, the acyl group plays a critical role in driving the conjugate addition of propargylamine and further cyclization to give pyrroles. Furthermore, the wide scope was confirmed by the preparation of 1,2,3,4‐tetrasubstituted pyrroles (60–70% yields) via a formal 1,2‐acyl migrating [3+2] cycloaddition pathway with N‐methylprop‐2‐yn‐1‐amine as the secondary amine component.     

Michael Reaction of Nitroalkanes with β‐Nitroacrylates under a Solid Promoter: Advanced Regio‐ and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Nitro‐Functionalized α,β‐Unsaturated Esters and 1,3‐Butadiene‐2‐carboxylates

A new class of nitro‐functionalized α,β‐unsaturated esters has been prepared by a regio‐ and diastereoselective Michael addition of nitroalkanes to β‐nitroacrylates, performed at room temperature, under carbonate on polymer as promoter, and in the presence of ethyl acetate as eco‐friendly solvent. Moreover, by the modular choice of the reaction conditions the method allows the synthesis of 1,3‐butadiene‐2‐carboxylates.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Trifluoromethyl‐Bearing Cyclopentenes: Asymmetric [3+2] Annulation of Morita–Baylis–Hillman Carbonates with Trifluoroethylidenemalonates Catalyzed by Multifunctional Thiourea‐Phosphines

On the basis of the design and synthesis of multifunctional thiourea‐phosphines, a catalytic method for the asymmetric [3+2] annulation of Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates with trifluoroethylidenemalonates has been developed, affording highly functionalized trifluoromethyl‐bearing cyclopentenes in excellent yields, high diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities under mild conditions.