Vicinal Diamines Research Articles

One‐Pot Three‐Component Synthesis of Vicinal Diamines via In Situ Aminal Formation and Carboamination

AbstractA synthesis of vicinal diamines via in situ aminal formation and carboamination of allyl amines is reported. Employing highly electron‐poor trifluoromethyl aldimines in their stable hemiaminal form was key to enable both a fast and complete aminal formation as well as the palladium‐catalyzed carboamination step. The conditions developed allow the introduction of a wide variety of alkynyl, vinyl, aryl, and hetereoaryl groups with complete regioselectivity and high diastereoselectivity. The reaction exhibits a high functional‐group tolerance. Importantly, either nitrogen atom of the imidazolidine products can be selectively deprotected, while removal of the aminal tether can be achieved in a single step under mild conditions to reveal the free diamine. We expect that this work will promote the further use of mixed aminal tethers in organic synthesis.

One‐Pot Three‐Component Synthesis of Vicinal Diamines via In Situ Aminal Formation and Carboamination

A synthesis of vicinal diamines via in situ aminal formation and carboamination of allyl amines is reported. Employing highly electron-poor trifluoromethyl aldimines in their stable hemiaminal form was key to enable both a fast and complete aminal formation as well as the palladium-catalyzed carboamination step. The conditions developed allow the introduction of a wide variety of alkynyl, vinyl, aryl, and hetereoaryl groups with complete regioselectivity and high diastereoselectivity. The reaction exhibits a high functional-group tolerance. Importantly, either nitrogen atom of the imidazolidine products can be selectively deprotected, while removal of the aminal tether can be achieved in a single step under mild conditions to reveal the free diamine. We expect that this work will promote the further use of mixed aminal tethers in organic synthesis.

Highly Enantioselective Direct Synthesis of Endocyclic Vicinal Diamines through Chiral Ru(diamine)‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of 2,2′‐Bisquinoline Derivatives

AbstractAn asymmetric hydrogenation of 2,2′‐bisquinoline and bisquinoxaline derivatives, catalyzed by chiral cationic ruthenium diamine complexes, was developed. A broad range of chiral endocyclic vicinal diamines were obtained in high yields with excellent diastereo‐ and enantioselectivity (up to 93:7 dl/meso and >99 % ee). These chiral diamines could be easily transformed into a new class of chiral N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), which are important but difficult to access.

Highly Enantioselective Direct Synthesis of Endocyclic Vicinal Diamines through Chiral Ru(diamine)‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of 2,2′‐Bisquinoline Derivatives

An asymmetric hydrogenation of 2,2'-bisquinoline and bisquinoxaline derivatives, catalyzed by chiral cationic ruthenium diamine complexes, was developed. A broad range of chiral endocyclic vicinal diamines were obtained in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to 93:7 dl/meso and >99 % ee). These chiral diamines could be easily transformed into a new class of chiral N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), which are important but difficult to access.

Reductive Umpolung of Carbonyl Derivatives with Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis: Direct Access to Vicinal Diamines and Amino Alcohols via α-Amino Radicals and Ketyl Radicals.

Visible‐light‐mediated photoredox‐catalyzed aldimine–aniline and aldehyde–aniline couplings have been realized. The reductive single electron transfer (SET) umpolung of various carbonyl derivatives enabled the generation of intermediary ketyl and α‐amino radical anions, which were utilized for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted 1,2‐diamines and amino alcohols.

ChemInform Abstract: Theory and Modeling of Asymmetric Catalytic Reactions

AbstractReview: 70 refs.

Theory and Modeling of Asymmetric Catalytic Reactions.

Modern density functional theory and powerful contemporary computers have made it possible to explore complex reactions of value in organic synthesis. We describe recent explorations of mechanisms and origins of stereoselectivities with density functional theory calculations. The specific functionals and basis sets that are routinely used in computational studies of stereoselectivities of organic and organometallic reactions in our group are described, followed by our recent studies that uncovered the origins of stereocontrol in reactions catalyzed by (1) vicinal diamines, including cinchona alkaloid-derived primary amines, (2) vicinal amidophosphines, and (3) organo-transition-metal complexes. Two common cyclic models account for the stereoselectivity of aldol reactions of metal enolates (Zimmerman-Traxler) or those catalyzed by the organocatalyst proline (Houk-List). Three other models were derived from computational studies described in this Account. Cinchona alkaloid-derived primary amines and other vicinal diamines are venerable asymmetric organocatalysts. For α-fluorinations and a variety of aldol reactions, vicinal diamines form enamines at one terminal amine and activate electrophilically with NH(+) or NF(+) at the other. We found that the stereocontrolling transition states are cyclic and that their conformational preferences are responsible for the observed stereoselectivity. In fluorinations, the chair seven-membered cyclic transition states is highly favored, just as the Zimmerman-Traxler chair six-membered aldol transition state controls stereoselectivity. In aldol reactions with vicinal diamine catalysts, the crown transition states are favored, both in the prototype and in an experimental example, shown in the graphic. We found that low-energy conformations of cyclic transition states occur and control stereoselectivities in these reactions. Another class of bifunctional organocatalysts, the vicinal amidophosphines, catalyzes the (3 + 2) annulation reaction of allenes with activated olefins. Stereocontrol here is due to an intermolecular hydrogen bond that activates the electrophilic partner in this reaction. We have also studied complex organometallic catalysts. Krische's ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrohydroxyalkylation of butadiene involves two chiral ligands at Ru, a chiral diphosphine and a chiral phosphate. The size of this combination strains the limits of modern computations with over 160 atoms, multiple significant steps, and a variety of ligand coordinations and conformations possible. We found that carbon-carbon bond formation occurs via a chair Zimmerman-Traxler-type transition structure and that a formyl CH···O hydrogen bond from aldehyde CH to phosphate oxygen, as well as steric interactions of the two chiral ligands, control the stereoselectivity.

A General Strategy for the Nickel-Catalyzed C-H Alkylation of Anilines.

The C-H alkylation of aniline derivatives with both primary and secondary alkyl halides was achieved with a versatile nickel catalyst of a vicinal diamine ligand. Step-economic access to functionalized 2-pyrimidyl anilines, key structural motifs in anticancer drugs, is thus provided. The C-H functionalization proceeded through facile C-H activation and SET-type C-X bond cleavage with the assistance of a monodentate directing group, which could be removed in a traceless fashion.

A General Strategy for the Nickel‐Catalyzed C−H Alkylation of Anilines

AbstractThe C−H alkylation of aniline derivatives with both primary and secondary alkyl halides was achieved with a versatile nickel catalyst of a vicinal diamine ligand. Step‐economic access to functionalized 2‐pyrimidyl anilines, key structural motifs in anticancer drugs, is thus provided. The C−H functionalization proceeded through facile C−H activation and SET‐type C−X bond cleavage with the assistance of a monodentate directing group, which could be removed in a traceless fashion.

Transition States of Vicinal Diamine-Catalyzed Aldol Reactions.

The transition states of aldol reactions catalyzed by vicinal diamines are characterized with density functional calculations. It was found that a cyclic transition state involving a nine-membered hydrogen-bonded ring is preferred. The crown (chair-chair) conformations of the transition state account for the observed stereoselectivity of these reactions.

Chiral, triformylphenol-derived salen-type [4 + 6] organic cages.

A one-pot synthesis of chiral [4 + 6] tetrahedral cage compounds containing a salen fragment on each face is presented. The formation of the [4 + 6] products remains in contrast to the reaction of 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol with chiral diamines where [2 + 3] keto-enamine pseudocyclophanes are formed exclusively. The presence of OH groups determines the structural and spectroscopic properties of these cage compounds while a change in the reaction conditions facilitates the isolation of the microcrystalline products of the specific surface area varying from 5 to 578 m(2) g(-1).

A versatile access to vicinal diamine motifs by highly anti-selective asymmetric vinylogous Mannich reactions: an efficient total synthesis of (+)-absouline

An anti-stereoselective vinylogous Mannich reaction between 2-TBSO-pyrrole and N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines and its application to the efficient synthesis of (+)-absouline were reported.

Iron‐Catalyzed Direct Diazidation for a Broad Range of Olefins

AbstractReported herein is a new iron‐catalyzed diastereoselective olefin diazidation reaction which occurs at room temperature (1–5 mol % of catalysts and d.r. values of up to >20:1). This method tolerates a broad range of both unfunctionalized and highly functionalized olefins, including those that are incompatible with existing methods. It also provides a convenient approach to vicinal primary diamines as well as other synthetically valuable nitrogen‐containing building blocks which are difficult to obtain with alternative methods. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction may proceed through a new mechanistic pathway in which both Lewis acid activation and iron‐enabled redox‐catalysis are crucial for selective azido‐group transfer.

Iron-Catalyzed Direct Diazidation for a Broad Range of Olefins.

Reported herein is a new iron-catalyzed diastereoselective olefin diazidation reaction which occurs at room temperature (1-5 mol% of catalysts and d.r. values of up to >20:1). This method tolerates a broad range of both unfunctionalized and highly functionalized olefins, including those that are incompatible with existing methods. It also provides a convenient approach to vicinal primary diamines as well as other synthetically valuable nitrogen-containing building blocks which are difficult to obtain with alternative methods. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction may proceed through a new mechanistic pathway in which both Lewis acid activation and iron-enabled redox-catalysis are crucial for selective azido-group transfer.

Formaldehyde as Tethering Organocatalyst: Highly Diastereoselective Hydroaminations of Allylic Amines.

Catalysts possessing sufficient activity to achieve intermolecular alkene hydroaminations under mild conditions are rare, and this likely accounts for the scarcity of asymmetric variants of this reaction. Herein, highly diastereoselective hydroaminations of allylic amines utilizing hydroxylamines as reagents and formaldehyde as catalyst are reported. This catalyst induces temporary intramolecularity, which results in high rate accelerations, and high diastereocontrol with either chiral allylic amines or chiral hydroxylamines. The reaction scope includes internal alkenes. Overall this work provides a new, stereocontrolled route to form complex vicinal diamines.

ChemInform Abstract: A Novel One‐Pot Synthesis of Vicinal Diamines with Benzaldehyde and Aniline Derivatives Mediated by BiCl3/Zn.

AbstractThe novel method allows the condensation of benzaldehydes and anilines to imines and reductive coupling of imines in a one‐pot manner to give vicinal diamines as diastereomeric mixture.

Enantioselective aza-Henry reaction for the synthesis of (S)-levamisole using efficient recyclable chiral Cu(II)–amino alcohol derived complexes

Chiral Cu(II) complexes were generated in situ by the interaction of aminoalcohol based ligands L1–L6 derived from (1R,2S)-(−)-2-aminodiphenylethanol, (1R,2S)-1-amino-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-ol, (R or S)-valinol and (S)-2-amino-1,1-diphenylpropan-1-ol with 4-tert-butyl-2,6-diformylphenol and screened for aza-Henry reaction of a variety of aromatic, aliphatic N-tosylaldimine and aromatic N-benzenesulfonamide aldimine in toluene at RT. Excellent enantioselectivity, diastereoselectivity (99%) of β-nitro-N-tosylaldamine with good yield (80%) was achieved in case of complex L2–Cu(II) with low catalyst loading. The enantio-pure aza-Henry product obtained was straightforwardly transformed into the enantioenriched chiral vicinal diamine (ee; 96%) with good yield in successive two steps and was further used for the synthesis of (S)-levamisole (an anthelminthic agent). The catalytic system worked well up to five cycles with retention of enantioselectivity.

Copper-catalyzed aerobic autoxidation of N-hydroxycarbamates probed by mass spectrometry.

We present herein a mechanistic investigation by nanoelectrospray ionization mass spectrometry of copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative processes involved in the N-nitrosocarbonyl aldol reaction of N-hydroxycarbamates. Protonated amine and copper as charge-tags aided the detection of reaction intermediates, which verified the enamine mechanism together with a competing enol process. Our experimental results reveal that the copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of N-hydroxycarbamates may proceed through an autoxidation catalytic mechanism in which a CbzNHO(.) radical abstracts a hydrogen from the bound N-hydroxycarbamate to release the nitroso intermediate through a bimolecular hydrogen-atom transfer. In this process, the chiral diamine also works as a ligand for copper to facilitate the aerobic oxidative step. The dual role of the chiral vicinal diamine as both an aminocatalyst and a bidentate ligand was finally uncovered.

ChemInform Abstract: Synthesis of Aryl anti‐Vicinal Diamines via Aza‐Brook Rearrangement‐Initiated Nucleophilic Addition of α‐Silylamines to Imines.

An efficient protocol is described for the synthesis of vicinal diamines via aza-Brook rearrangement-initiated nucleophilic addition of α-silylamines to imines. Various symmetrical and unsymmetrical aryl diamine derivatives were prepared in moderate to high yields with high anti/syn diastereoselectivity.

ChemInform Abstract: Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl‐Containing Vicinal Diamines by Asymmetric Decarboxylative Mannich Addition Reactions.

Herein is reported a study of asymmetric decarboxylative Mannich addition reactions between (Ss)-N-t-butylsulfinyl-3,3,3-trifluoroacetaldimine and Schiff bases derived from various aldehydes and lithium 2,2-diphenylglycinate. These reactions proceed with excellent diastereoselectivities and good chemical yields, providing a practical method for preparation of trifluoromethyl-containing vicinal diamines. The procedures can be conducted under convenient conditions, rendering this approach of high synthetic value.