Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha-amino acids

Highly enantioselective aza-Henry reaction of ketoimines catalyzed by chiral N,N'-dioxide-copper(I) complexes

The first example of catalytic enantioselective aza-Henry reaction of ketoimines has been realized using a simple chiral N,N'-dioxide-Cu(I) complex as catalyst. It performs well over a range of substrates to give the corresponding products in moderate to good yields (up to 83%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).

Natural products as inspiration for the development of asymmetric catalysis

Biologically active natural products often contain particularly challenging structural features and functionalities in terms of synthesis. Perhaps the greatest difficulties are those caused by issues of stereochemistry. A useful strategy for synthesizing such molecules is to devise methods of bond formation that provide opportunities for using enantioselective catalysis. In using this tactic, the desire for a particular target structure ultimately drives the development of catalytic methods. New enantioselective catalytic methods contribute to a greater fundamental understanding of how bonds can be constructed and lead to valuable synthetic technologies that are useful for a variety of applications.

Using enantioselective indicator displacement assays to determine the enantiomeric excess of alpha-amino acids

Enantioselective indicator displacement assays (eIDAs) were used for the determination of enantiomeric excess (ee) of alpha-amino acids as an alternative to the labor-intensive technique of chromatography. In this study, eIDAs were implemented by the use of two chiral receptors [(Cu(II)(1)](2+), [Cu(II)(2)](2+)) in conjunction with the indicator chrome azurol S. The two receptors were able to enantioselectively discriminate 13 of the 17 analyzed alpha-amino acids. Enantiomeric excess calibration curves were made using both receptors and then used to analyze true test samples to check the system's ability to determine ee accurately. The proposed method uses a conventional UV-vis spectrophotometer to monitor the colorimetric signal, which allows for a potential high-throughput screening (HTS) method for determining ee. The techniques created consistently produced results accurate enough for rapid preliminary determination of ee.

Enamides: valuable organic substrates

Enamides display a fine balance of stability and reactivity, which is now leading to their increasing use in organic synthesis. Enamides offer multiple opportunities for the inclusion of nitrogen based functionality into organic systems. Recent examples of these compounds as substrates are discussed in this article.

Asymmetric petasis reactions catalyzed by chiral biphenols

Chiral biphenols catalyze the enantioselective Petasis reaction of alkenyl boronates, secondary amines, and ethyl glyoxylate. The reaction requires the use of 15 mol % of (S)-VAPOL as the catalyst, alkenyl boronates as nucleophiles, ethyl glyoxylate as the aldehyde component, and 3 A molecular sieves as an additive. The chiral alpha-amino ester products are obtained in good yields (71-92%) and high enantiomeric ratios (89:11-98:2). Mechanistic investigations indicate single ligand exchange of acyclic boronate with VAPOL and tetracoordinate boronate intermediates.

Photocycloaddition of 5-Methoxyoxazoles to Aldehydes and ?-Keto Esters: A Comprehensive View on Stereoselectivity, Triplet Biradical Conformations, and Synthetic Applications of Paternò–Büchi Adducts

The photocycloaddition of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and keto esters, respectively) with 5-methoxyoxazoles bearing substituents at C2 and C4 is described with respect to regio- and diastereoselectivity. In all cases the reactions proceed with excellent regioselectivity and with high to moderate (exo) diastereoselectivity independent of the nature of the excited carbonyl compound. The products can be easily ring-opened to give α-amino, β-hydroxy carboxylic acid derivatives.