Silyl Nucleophiles Research Articles

Stereospecific synthesis of silicon-stereogenic optically active silylboranes and general synthesis of chiral silyl Anions

Silicon-stereogenic optically active silylboranes could potentially allow the formation of chiral silyl nucleophiles as well as the synthesis of various chiral silicon compounds. However, the synthesis of such silicon-stereogenic silylboranes has not been achieved so far. Here, we report the synthesis of silicon-stereogenic optically active silylboranes via a stereospecific Pt(PPh3)4-catalyzed Si–H borylation of chiral hydrosilanes, which are synthesized by stoichiometric and catalytic asymmetric synthesis, in high yield and very high or perfect enantiospecificity (99% es in one case, and >99% es in the others) with retention of the configuration. Furthermore, we report a practical approach to generate silicon-stereogenic silyl nucleophiles with high enantiopurity and configurational stability using MeLi activation. This protocol is suitable for the stereospecific and general synthesis of silicon-stereogenic trialkyl-, dialkylbenzyl-, dialkylaryl-, diarylalkyl-, and alkylary benzyloxy-substituted silylboranes and their corresponding silyl nucleophiles with excellent enantiospecificity (>99% es except one case of 99% es). Transition-metal-catalyzed C–Si bond-forming cross-coupling reactions and conjugate-addition reactions are also demonstrated. The mechanisms underlying the stability and reactivity of such chiral silyl anion were investigated by combining NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations.

Metal‐Free Carbocyclization of Homoallylic Silyl Ethers Leading to Cyclopropanes and Cyclobutanes

AbstractWe have developed a Hosomi‐Sakurai type carbocyclization of homoallylic silyl ethers in reaction with silyl nucleophiles, catalyzed by Lewis acidic silylium salt. It offers cyclopropane and cyclobutane products with high efficiency and selectivity. A range of silyl nucleophiles could be engaged in this transformation to give small‐sized carbocycles incorporating allyl, allenyl, carbonyl, indole or thioether groups. Diastereoselectivity in the cyclobutane formation was observed to be dependent on the steric bulkiness of incoming nucleophiles.

Boron-Catalyzed Double Hydrofunctionalization Reactions of Unactivated Alkynes

Tandem hydroalkoxylation/hydroallylation and hydroalkoxylation/hydrocyanation reactions of alkyl-substituted unactivated alkynes by catalytic systems based on B(C6F5)3·nH2O and silyl nucleophiles were developed. The characteristic high alkynophilicity of B(C6F5)3 enabled the selective activation of the unactivated alkynes in the presence of the reactive alkene of allylsilane. Moreover, the alkynes were electrophilically activated in the presence of cyanide in this catalytic system. Mechanistic studies suggest that the alkynes are activated by the different catalytic species in the two reactions.

Gold(I)-Catalyzed Glycosylation with Glycosyl o-Alkynylbenzoates as Donors.

Naturally occurring glycans and glycoconjugates have extremely diverse structures and biological functions. Syntheses of these molecules and their artificial mimics, which have attracted the interest of those developing new therapeutic agents, rely on glycosylation methodologies to construct the various glycosidic linkages. In this regard, a wide array of glycosylation methods have been developed, and they mainly involve the substitution of a leaving group on the anomeric carbon of a glycosyl donor with an acceptor (a nucleophile) under the action of a particular promoter (usually a stoichiometric electrophile). However, glycosylations involving inherently unstable or unreactive donors/acceptors are still problematic. In those systems, reactions involving nucleophilic, electrophilic, or acidic species present on the leaving group and the promoter could become competitive and detrimental to the glycosylation. To address this problem, we applied the recently developed chemistry of alkynophilic gold(I) catalysts to the development of new glycosylation reactions that would avoid the use of the conventional leaving groups and promoters. Gratifyingly, glycosyl o-alkynylbenzoates (namely, glycosyl o-hexynyl- and o-cyclopropylethynylbenzoates) turned out to be privileged donors under gold(I) catalysis with Ph3PAuNTf2 and Ph3PAuOTf. The merits of this new glycosylation protocol include the following: (1) the donors are easily prepared and are generally shelf-stable; (2) the promotion is catalytic; (3) the substrate scope is extremely wide; (4) relatively few side reactions are observed; (5) the glycosylation conditions are orthogonal to those of conventional methods; and (6) the method is operationally simple. Indeed, this method has been successfully applied in the synthesis of a wide variety of complex glycans and glycoconjugates, including complex glycosides of epoxides, nucleobases, flavonoids, lignans, steroids, triterpenes, and peptides. The direct glycosylation of some sensitive aglycones, such as dammarane C20-ol and sugar oximes, and the glycosylation-initiated polymerization of tetrahydrofuran were achieved for the first time. The gold(I) catalytic cycle of the present glycosylation protocol has been fully elucidated. In particular, key intermediates, such as the 1-glycosyloxyisochromenylium-4-gold(I) and isochromen-4-ylgold(I) complexes, have been unambiguously characterized. Exploiting the former glycosyloxypyrylium intermediate, SN2-type glycosylations were realized in specific cases, such as β-mannosylation/rhamnosylation. The protodeauration of the latter vinylgold(I) intermediate has been reported to be critically important for the gold(I) catalytic cycle. Thus, the addition of a strong acid as a cocatalyst can dramatically reduce the required loading of the gold(I) catalyst (down to 0.001 equiv). C-Glycosylation with silyl nucleophiles can proceed catalytically when moisture, which is sequestered by molecular sieves, can serve as the H+ donor for the required protodeauration step. Indeed, the unique mechanism explains the merits and broad applicability of the present glycosylation method and provides a foundation for future developments in glycosylation methodologies that mainly involve improving the diastereoselectivity and catalytic efficiency of glycosylations.

Transition-Metal-Free Boryl Substitution Using Silylboranes and Alkoxy Bases

Silylboranes are used as borylation reagents for organohalides in the presence of alkoxy bases without transition-metal catalysts. PhMe2Si–B(pin) reacts with a variety of aryl, alkenyl, and alkyl halides, including sterically hindered examples, to provide the corresponding organoboronates in good yields with high borylation/silylation ratios, showing good functional group compatibility. Halogenophilic attack of a silyl nucleophile on organohalides, and subsequent nucleophilic attack on the boron electrophile are identified to be crucial, based on the results of extensive theoretical and experimental studies. This boryl­ation reaction is further applied to the first direct dimesitylboryl (BMes2) substitution of aryl halides using Ph2MeSi–BMes2 and Na(O-t-Bu), affording aryldimesitylboranes, which are regarded as an important class of compounds for organic materials.1 Introduction2 Boryl Substitution of Organohalides with PhMe2Si–B(pin)/Alkoxy Bases3 Mechanistic Investigations4 DFT Mechanistic Studies Using an Artificial Force Induced Reaction (AFIR) Method5 Dimesitylboryl Substitution of Aryl Halides with Ph2MeSi–BMes2/Na(O-t-Bu)6 Conclusion

A True Brønsted Acid Catalyst with Silyl Nucleophiles

A True Brønsted Acid Catalyst with Silyl Nucleophiles

Chiral Brønsted Acid as a True Catalyst: Asymmetric Mukaiyama Aldol and Hosomi-Sakurai Allylation Reactions.

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective Mukaiyama aldol reaction catalyzed by a new chiral Brønsted acid, N-(perfluorooctanesulfonyl)thiophosphoramide, is described. The perfluorooctyl substituent on the sulfonyl group of the catalyst plays an essential role in the stereoselection. The catalyst also allows the asymmetric Hosomi-Sakurai allylation, which has been considerably challenging due to the low reactivity of allylsilanes. (29)Si and (31)P NMR monitoring reveals the characteristic feature of the thiophosphoramide catalyst, acting as a strong Brønsted acid even in the presence of excess silyl nucleophiles, which cannot be found in other related phosphoric acid analogues.

Reaction progress kinetic analysis of a copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative coupling reaction with N-phenyl tetrahydroisoquinoline.

The results from a kinetic investigation of a Cu-catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction between N-phenyl tetrahydroisoquinoline and a silyl enol ether using elemental oxygen as oxidant are presented. By using reaction progress kinetic analysis as an evaluation method for the obtained data, we discovered information regarding the reaction order of the substrates and catalysts. Based on this information and some additional experiments, a refined model for the initial oxidative activation of the amine substrate and the activation of the nucleophile by the catalyst was developed. The mechanistic information also helped to understand why silyl nucleophiles have previously failed in a related Cu-catalyzed reaction using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as oxidant and how to overcome this limitation.

Diastereoselective Oxidative Cross-Coupling Reactions of Chiral Alkylbenzenes with Arenes and Silyl Nucleophiles

Chiral di- and trimethoxysubstituted alkylbenzenes underwent oxidative cross-dehydrogenative coupling reactions with arenes and related oxidative coupling reactions with silyl nucleophiles in moderate to good yields (41–99%) and with significant diastereoselectivities (dr = 71:29 to >95:5).

Chiral Propargylic Cations as Intermediates in SN1-Type Reactions: Substitution Pattern, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies, and Origin of the Diastereoselectivity

Nine propargylic acetates, bearing a stereogenic center (-C*HXR(2)) adjacent to the electrophilic carbon atom, were prepared and subjected to SN1-type substitution reactions with various silyl nucleophiles employing bismuth trifluoromethanesulfonate [Bi(OTf)3] as the Lewis acid. The diastereoselectivity of the reactions was high when the alkyl group R(2) was tertiary (tert-butyl), irrespective of the substituent X. Products were formed consistently with a diastereomeric ratio larger than 95:5 in favor of the anti-diastereoisomer. If the alkyl substitutent R(2) was secondary, the diastereoselectivity decreased to 80:20. The reaction was shown to proceed stereoconvergently, and the relative product configuration was elucidated. The reaction outcome is explained by invoking a chiral propargylic cation as an intermediate, which is preferentially attacked by the nucleophile from one of its two diastereotopic faces. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest a preferred conformation in which the group R(2) is almost perpendicular to the plane defined by the three substituents at the cationic center, with the nucleophile approaching the electrophilic center opposite to R(2). Transition states calculated for the reaction of allyltrimethylsilane with two representative cations support this hypothesis. Tertiary propargylic cations with a stereogenic center (-C*HXR(2)) in the α position were generated by ionization of the respective alcohol precursors with FSO3H in SO2ClF at -80 °C. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were obtained for five cations, and the chemical shifts could be unambiguously assigned. The preferred conformation of the cations as extracted from nuclear Overhauser experiments is in line with the preferred conformation responsible for the reaction of the secondary propargylic cations.

ChemInform Abstract: Bismuth‐Catalyzed Addition of Silyl Nucleophiles to Carbonyl Compounds and Imines

AbstractReview: 159 refs.

ChemInform Abstract: Lewis Acid Promoted Reaction of β,γ‐Unsaturated α,α‐Dimethoxy Esters with Silyl Nucleophiles.

AbstractThe reaction of esters (I) with silyl enolate and allylsilane in the presence of BF3·OEt2 affords E/Z‐mixtures of γ‐substituted esters.

ChemInform Abstract: Metal or Ammonium Alginates as Lewis Base Catalysts for the 1,2‐Addition of Silyl Nucleophiles to Carbonyl Compounds.

AbstractThe first investigation of ammonium or metal alginates reveals that TBA is the most efficient catalyst.

Lewis acid-promoted reaction of β,γ-unsaturated α,α-dimethoxy esters with silyl nucleophiles

The Lewis acid-promoted reaction of β,γ-unsaturated α,α-dimethoxy esters, which are easily prepared by the acetalization of β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters, with silyl nucleophiles is presented. By employing trimethylsilyl enolate and allyltrimethylsilane as nucleophiles, the BF3-promoted reactions of a series of β,γ-unsaturated α,α-dimethoxy esters bearing aromatic and aliphatic substituents proceeded at the γ-position in an SN2′ manner to furnish γ-substituted α,β-unsaturated α-methoxy esters in good yields with high regioselectivity. In contrast, the reaction using trimethylsilyl cyanide predominantly occurred at the α-position, and the reaction of silyl hydride resulted in a mixture of α- and γ-regioisomers in favor of the γ-substitution products.

ChemInform Abstract: Lithium Bis[dimethyl(phenyl)silyl]cuprate

AbstractReview: 50 refs.

Metal or ammonium alginates as Lewis base catalysts for the 1,2-addition of silyl nucleophiles to carbonyl compounds

Several metal (Na+, Ca2+) or ammonium (n-Bu4N+) derivatives of alginic acid, an abundant bio-polymer obtained from the cell walls of brown algae, were synthesized. Their potential to act as organocatalysts to catalyze the 1,2-addition of various silyl derivatives to carbonyl compounds was evaluated for the first time. Ammonium alginate 1h is able to promote the reaction in modest to good isolated yields (up to 98%) affording access to a large range of substrates (β-cyano alcohols or ester, β-substituted methylacrylate or acrylonitrile, and cyanohydrin) by using only 5mol% of catalyst.

ChemInform Abstract: The Stereoselective Synthesis of Trisubstituted Olefins by the Reaction of (2-Phenylthiocyclobutyl)methyl Benzoates and Methyl Ethers with Silyl Nucleophiles.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

Platinum(II) complex-catalyzed enantioselective aldol reaction with ketene silyl acetals in DMF at room temperature

[{( R)-binap}Pt(μ-OH)] 22X is a weak Lewis acid, which can catalyze the enantioselective aldol reaction of aldehydes with ketene silyl acetals in DMF at room temperature. The platinum(II) complex-catalyzed the enantioselective aldol reaction of aldehydes with 1-methoxy-2-methyl-(1-trimethylsilyloxy)propene gave the corresponding aldols in high yields with enantioselectivity up to 92%. With 5 mol % loading of the complexes, the enantioselective aldol reaction of aldehydes with 1-benzyloxy-1-(trimethylsilyloxy)propene smoothly proceeded in DMF containing 10% HMPA as to predominantly give anti-propionates with enantioselectivity up to 89%, irrespective of the silyl nucleophile geometry.

Tetrabutylammonium phenoxide induced reaction of silyl nucleophiles

Reaction of silyl dithiolanes with electrophiles can be efficiently promoted by catalytic amounts of tetrabutylammonium phenoxide (PhON n–Bu 4), leading to a convenient access to functionalized dithiolanes. PhON n–Bu 4 proved effective also in promoting reactions of silylated sulfides such as PhSTMS and HMDST as well as silylated selenides such as PhSeTMS and HMDSS toward epoxides. The present reactivity is also observed on using ILs as reaction media.

Catalytic, Enantioselective Ring Opening of Aziridines

Cooperative metal centers in a bimetallic catalyst facilitate the highly enantioselective ring opening of meso aziridines 1 with silyl nucleophiles (see scheme; TMS = trimethylsilyl). The 1,2-azidoamides 2 and 1,2-amidonitriles 3 obtained in this way in high yields and with up to 99% ee are valuable precursors to enantiomerically pure 1,2-diamines and beta-amino acids.