Excellent Enantioselectivities Research Articles

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,4‐Hydroarsination of α,β‐Unsaturated Compounds

Herein, a copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric 1,4‐hydroarsination of β‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated esters is achieved in moderate to excellent yields with high to excellent enantioselectivity, based on the proposed nucleophilic [Cu]‐AsPh2 species. As for α‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated esters, a 1,4‐hydroarsination/enantioselective protonation event occurs smoothly in satisfying results. Furthermore, β‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated ketone, α,β‐unsaturated amide, and α,β‐unsaturated phosphine sulfide are well applied in the present catalytic system. Finally, some control experiments show that HAsPh2 is activated through coordination with the copper(I) catalyst and HAsPh2 exhibits inferior soft Lewis basicity to HPPh2 in the presence of a copper(I)‐bisphosphine complex.

Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,4‐Hydroarsination of α,β‐Unsaturated Compounds

Herein, a copper(I)‐catalyzed asymmetric 1,4‐hydroarsination of β‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated esters is achieved in moderate to excellent yields with high to excellent enantioselectivity, based on the proposed nucleophilic [Cu]‐AsPh2 species. As for α‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated esters, a 1,4‐hydroarsination/enantioselective protonation event occurs smoothly in satisfying results. Furthermore, β‐substituted α,β‐unsaturated ketone, α,β‐unsaturated amide, and α,β‐unsaturated phosphine sulfide are well applied in the present catalytic system. Finally, some control experiments show that HAsPh2 is activated through coordination with the copper(I) catalyst and HAsPh2 exhibits inferior soft Lewis basicity to HPPh2 in the presence of a copper(I)‐bisphosphine complex.

Construction of Axially Chiral 4-Aminoquinolines by Cycloaddition and Central-to-Axial Chirality Conversion.

A two-step strategy has been established for the enantioselective synthesis of 4-aminoquinolines possessing axial chirality. This approach involves a chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed cycloaddition, followed by a DDQ oxidation step. The method offers efficient access to a variety of 1,1'-biaryl-2,2'-amino alcohol derivatives in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 98% yield and 93% ee). Furthermore, the synthetic transformation of the products was also investigated.

Iridium-Catalyzed Chemo- and Enantioselective Hydrogenation of Cycloalkenones to Access Chiral Cycloallylalcohols.

A method for the efficient synthesis of chiral cycloallylalcohols has been developed, achieving excellent yields and enantioselectivities (>99% conversion, turnover number of ≤50 000, and >99% ee). This approach accommodates a variety of cycloalkenones with different aryl substituents and is tolerant of a broad range of functional groups. The synthetic utility of this method has been demonstrated through gram-scale synthesis and subsequent transformations into diverse enantioenriched oxygen-containing compounds.

Switch of Five Contiguous Chiral Centers in the Synthesis of Both Enantiomers of Hajos-Parrish Ketone Analogs via Diphenylprolinol Silyl Ether-Mediated Domino Reaction.

Both enantiomers of functionalized Hajos-Parrish ketone (HPK) analogs were prepared with excellent diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities using the same chiral catalyst under two slightly different conditions. In condition A, dioxane was used as the solvent with 3 equivalents of water. In condition B, acetonitrile was used as the solvent with 30 equivalents of water, followed by epimerization with a base in a one-pot. The reaction consisted of a domino reaction including a diphenylprolinol silyl ether-mediated asymmetric Michael reaction and an intramolecular Henry reaction. In the Michael reaction, depending on the solvent and water amounts, syn- and anti-isomers were selectively synthesized with excellent enantioselectivity, in which the absolute configuration at C5 (indanone numbering) was opposite. The subsequent Henry reaction was diastereoselective, in which the C5 substituent controlled the three chiral centers in a highly diastereoselective manner. The final base treatment in condition B caused epimerization, changing the stereochemistry at C6. Switching more than two chiral centers with high enantioselectivity is extremely difficult using the same chiral catalyst; the present reaction is a very rare enantiodivergent reaction that switches five continuous chiral centers with high enantioselectivity.

Remote Enantioselective ϵ-Alkylation of Copper Ethynylallenylidenes: Precise Control of Central and Axial Chirality.

Chiral tetrasubstituted allenes have emerged as important architectures for engineering biologically active compounds. The construction of unique tetrasubstituted allene scaffolds with precise control of continuous central and axial chirality remains yet to be developed. Here, we report a remote enantioselective ϵ-alkylation of yne-propargylic acetates with enals enabled by NHC and copper cooperative catalysis, leading to a series of tetrasubstituted allenes with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee) and diastereoselectivities (up to >95 : 5 dr). This method features high regioselectivity and simultaneous control of axial and central chirality. Mechanistic studies suggest a cooperative activation mode and synergistic control of distal chirality created from the copper ethynylallenylidenes.

Construction of Spiro[pyrrolidine-azlactone] via [2 + 3] Cycloaddition of Alkylidene Azlactone with Trifluoromethylated Imine.

A Ag-catalyzed [2 + 3] cycloaddition of alkylidene azlactones with trifluoromethylated imines has been documented, providing spiro[pyrrolidine-azlactones] bearing four adjacent stereogenic centers with good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities. Catalytic asymmetric cycloaddition has also been developed with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Further gram-scale preparation and synthetic transformation to pyrrolidine derivative showed the good practicality and applicability of this reaction.

Remote Enantioselective ϵ‐Alkylation of Copper Ethynylallenylidenes: Precise Control of Central and Axial Chirality

AbstractChiral tetrasubstituted allenes have emerged as important architectures for engineering biologically active compounds. The construction of unique tetrasubstituted allene scaffolds with precise control of continuous central and axial chirality remains yet to be developed. Here, we report a remote enantioselective ϵ‐alkylation of yne‐propargylic acetates with enals enabled by NHC and copper cooperative catalysis, leading to a series of tetrasubstituted allenes with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee) and diastereoselectivities (up to >95 : 5 dr). This method features high regioselectivity and simultaneous control of axial and central chirality. Mechanistic studies suggest a cooperative activation mode and synergistic control of distal chirality created from the copper ethynylallenylidenes.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Transfer Hydrogenation of α-Nitro Ketones.

A catalytic protocol for the enantioselective hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of α-nitro ketones was developed, providing a wide range of β-nitro-α-phenylethanols with high yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% yield and up to >99.9% ee). Compatibility with a wide range of solvents and bases demonstrates the robustness of this reaction. The synthetic potential of the protocol was demonstrated by the high TON experiment as well as the application in the synthesis of key intermediates of mirabegron (S/C = 10,000, 95% yield, 99% ee).

Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Radical Oxysulfonylation of 2-Vinylbenzoic Acids to Access Chiral Sulfonyl Phthalides.

This study presents the development of a radical enantioselective alkene oxysulfonylation approach for the synthesis of enantioenriched sulfonyl phthalides via a catalyst system consisting of a copper salt and an OPPA ligand. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions with a wide range of substrates, good yields, and excellent enantioselectivities. Mechanistic studies suggested that the reaction proceeded through a radical-mediated process. Scalable synthesis and transformation experiments also demonstrated the applicable potential of this method.

“Boron Ylide” Enables Stereoselective Construction of gem‐Diborylcyclopropanes

AbstractThe stereoselective cyclopropanation of olefins with “boron ylide” is disclosed for the first time, providing a modular strategy for the synthesis of stereospecific diboryl‐functionalized cyclopropanes. The chiral gem‐diborylcyclopropanes are synthesized with excellent enantioselectivity with the aid of a chiral auxiliary. Based on the powerful transformable ability of boryl group, those challenging multi‐quaternary carbon centers in cyclopropane units have been facilely constructed with excellent stereoselectivity. Control experiments indicate that the boryl groups are necessary for both chemoselectivity and stereoselectivity control.

"Boron Ylide" Enables Stereoselective Construction of gem-Diborylcyclopropanes.

The stereoselective cyclopropanation of olefins with "boron ylide" is disclosed for the first time, providing a modular strategy for the synthesis of stereospecific diboryl-functionalized cyclopropanes. The chiral gem-diborylcyclopropanes are synthesized with excellent enantioselectivity with the aid of a chiral auxiliary. Based on the powerful transformable ability of boryl group, those challenging multi-quaternary carbon centers in cyclopropane units have been facilely constructed with excellent stereoselectivity. Control experiments indicate that the boryl groups are necessary for both chemoselectivity and stereoselectivity control.

Pd(II)‐Catalyzed Asymmetric [2+2] Annulation for the Construction of Chiral Benzocyclobutenes

Asymmetric de novo synthesis of benzocyclobutenes (BCBs) via catalytic intermolecular reaction is highly desired for efficient access to this important class of compounds, yet such a strategy remains unmet challenge. Here, we report a Pd/Pyrox‐catalyzed asymmetric [2+2] annulation between arylboronic acids and functionalized alkenes, providing an unprecedented efficient protocol to access various enantio‐enriched BCBs in a modular and versatile manner under mild conditions. A broad substrate scope with excellent enantioselectivity has been achieved under the current protocol. The isolation and characterization of the key chiral palladacycle intermediate, together with DFT calculations, provides strong evidence for the catalytic pathway including an enantiodetermining arylpalladation step.

Pd(II)-Catalyzed Asymmetric [2+2] Annulation for the Construction of Chiral Benzocyclobutenes.

Asymmetric de novo synthesis of benzocyclobutenes (BCBs) via catalytic intermolecular reaction is highly desired for efficient access to this important class of compounds, yet such a strategy remains unmet challenge. Here, we report a Pd/Pyrox-catalyzed asymmetric [2+2] annulation between arylboronic acids and functionalized alkenes, providing an unprecedented efficient protocol to access various enantio-enriched BCBs in a modular and versatile manner under mild conditions. A broad substrate scope with excellent enantioselectivity has been achieved under the current protocol. The isolation and characterization of the key chiral palladacycle intermediate, together with DFT calculations, provides strong evidence for the catalytic pathway including an enantiodetermining arylpalladation step.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Benzylic Boronic Esters via Photoredox/Nickel-Catalyzed Multicomponent Cross-Couplings.

As a class of versatile building blocks, chiral benzylic boronic esters are important intermediates employed in modern organic chemistry. We describe herein the first stereoconvergent multicomponent cross-coupling reaction of vinyl boronates, alkyltrifluoroborates, and aryl halides through a dual photoredox/nickel catalysis methodology. This synergistic platform permitted the benign construction of various enantioenriched benzylic boronic esters with broad substrate tolerance and moderate to excellent enantioselectivity (up to 98:2 er) from commercially available starting materials. Moreover, experimental and computational studies shed light on the nickel catalytic transformation and the origin of the enantioselectivity.

Organocatalytic Atroposelective C‐H Amination of Arenes with Indolines

An atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral N‐arylindolines has been established by organocatalytic nucleophilic amination of arenes with 7‐substituted indolines, providing a straightforward way to achieve the expected C‐N atropisomers in good yields (up to 95%) with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee) from readily available starting materials. Furthermore, axially chiral N‐arylindole derivatives could be prepared upon oxidative aromatization of the corresponding N‐arylindolines.

Photobiocatalytic Platform for the Efficient Enantio-Divergent Synthesis of β-Fluoromethylated Ketones.

β-Fluoromethyl (CH2F, CHF2, and CF3)-substituted chiral ketones are essential moieties and are vital building blocks in pharmaceutical and agrochemistry. However, general and convenient methods for enantio-diverse access to diverse β-fluoromethylated ketones are lacking, hindering the further development of these functional moieties. In this study, we developed an ene-reductase-based photobiocatalytic platform for efficient synthesis of enantio-divergent β-fluoromethylated chiral ketones. Our method highlights substrate-type diversity, excellent enantioselectivity, enzymatic enantio-divergent synthesis, as well as a dicyanopyrazine (DPZ)-type photosensitizer for biocompatible olefin E/Z isomerization in enzymatic stereoconvergent olefin asymmetric reduction, thereby providing a general photobiocatalytic solution to diverse β-fluoromethylated chiral ketones.

Chiral amido-oxazoline functionalized MCM-41: A sustainable heterogeneous catalyst for enantioselective Kharasch–Sosnovsky and Henry reactions

In this study, a series of chiral amido-oxazoline ligands was synthesized with a primary focus on immobilizing the most effective ligands on MCM-41 mesoporous material. Following several attempts, the para-nitro group of the chiral amido-oxazoline ligands was successfully reduced to amino group, enabling their immobilization on MCM-41. The resulting chiral heterogeneous amido-oxazoline ligands were characterized using various techniques, including FT-IR, XRD, TGA, SEM, TEM, EDX, and BET-BJH, confirming the successful immobilization of the amido-oxazoline ligands. A comparison of the efficiency of the homogeneous and heterogeneous amido-oxazoline-based ligands in the Kharasch-Sosnovsky and Henry reactions revealed better performance of the heterogeneous ligand. The immobilized amido-oxazoline-copper complexes exhibited remarkable catalytic activity, achieving excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 88 % ee) in the Kharasch-Sosnovsky reaction, and delivering excellent yields with moderate enantioselectivities in the Henry reaction. Notably, the Henry reaction proceeded with moderate diastereoselectivity, favoring the syn diastereomer, under solvent-free conditions, highlighting the sustainability of the process. The heterogeneous nature of the catalysts facilitated effortless recovery and efficient reusability.

Synthesis of Chiral Axially Diaryl Aldehydes by Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Desymmetrization Reaction

Axially chiral biaryl aldehydes are precursors for the synthesis of axially chiral compounds and novel chiral catalysts of great interest, which play vital roles in extensive research fields. However, limited strategies exist for the efficient synthesis of axially chiral aldehydes, and the construction of structurally diverse axially chiral aldehydes remains challenging. Herein, a strategy is reported for the synthesis of biaryl axially chiral aldehydes with varying structures from biaryl dialdehydes and aromatic amines in the presence of a chiral phosphoric acid catalyst. This protocol features excellent enantioselectivity, mild conditions, and good functional‐group tolerance.

Organocatalytic Asymmetric [3 + 2] Cyclization: Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Indolyl Pyrrolo[1,2-a]indole Scaffolds.

A novel asymmetric [3 + 2] cyclization of α-indolyl propargylic alcohols with 3-alkyl-1H-indoles via chiral phosphoric acid catalysis has been established. This strategy allowed the synthesis of chiral α-indolyl pyrrolo[1,2-a]indole derivatives with high yields (up to 91%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee), facilitating both the reaction activity and enantioselectivity by using the solvent of CH3CFCl2. Significantly, this protocol will provide an effective synthetic approach for constructing enantioenriched α-indolyl pyrrolo[1,2-a]indole cores of antimalarial natural product isoborreverine analogues.