Methodology for the construction of quaternary carbon centers

Construction of a chiral quaternary carbon center by catalytic asymmetric alkylation of 2-arylcyclohexanones under phase-transfer conditions

In this paper, we present an asymmetric alkylation of modified 2-arylcyclohexanones that employs a novel chiral ammonium bromide as a phase-transfer catalyst and an achiral auxiliary as a controller to improve the enantioselectivity to afford optically enriched products having a chiral quaternary carbon center.

The Construction of All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters by Use of Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation Reactions in Total Synthesis

All-carbon quaternary stereocenters have posed significant challenges in the synthesis of complex natural products. These important structural motifs have inspired the development of broadly applicable palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reactions of unstabilized non-biased enolates for the synthesis of enantioenriched α-quaternary products. This microreview outlines key considerations in the application of palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reactions and presents recent total syntheses of complex natural products that have employed these powerful transformations for the direct, catalytic, enantioselective construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters.

Asymmetric organocatalytic allylic alkylation of Reissert compounds: a facile access to chiral 1,1-disubstituted 1,2-dihydroisoquinolines

The first asymmetric organocatalytic allylic alkylation of 1,2-dihydro-Reissert compounds and Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates has been developed, which provided a novel protocol to construct enantioenriched functionalized 1,2-dihydroisoquinolines bearing vicinal quaternary and tertiary chiral centers at C-1 position (up to 94% ee, dr > 20 : 1).

Lewis base promoted intramolecular acylcyanation of α-substituted activated alkenes: construction of ketones bearing β-quaternary carbon centers

A novel phosphine-promoted intramolecular acylcyanation of α-substituted activated alkenes has been developed, which provides a unique access to densely functionalized acyclic ketones bearing β-quaternary carbon centers with a remarkable feature that both α- and β-positions of activated alkene are functionalized.

The chemistry of the polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols

With their fascinating biological profiles and stunningly complex molecular architectures, the polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) have long provided a fertile playing field for synthetic organic chemists. In particular, the recent advent of innovative synthetic methods and strategies together with C-C bond-forming reactions and asymmetric catalysis have revitalized this field tremendously. Consequently, PPAP targets which once seemed beyond reach have now been synthesized. This Review aims to highlight the recent achievements in the total synthesis of PPAPs, as well as notable methods developed for the construction of the bicyclo[3.3.1] core of these chemically and biologically intriguing molecules.

Direct amination of α-substituted nitroacetates using di-tert-butyl azodicarboxylate catalyzed by Hatakeyama's catalyst β-ICD

We report the first example of catalytic asymmetric direct amination of α-monosubstituted nitroacetates using di-tert-butyl azodicarboxylate. The simple and easily available Hatakeyama's catalyst β-ICD 11 was found to be a highly enantioselective catalyst for this reaction.

Enantioselective decarboxylative alkylation reactions: catalyst development, substrate scope, and mechanistic studies

α-Quaternary ketones are accessed through novel enantioselective alkylations of allyl and propargyl electrophiles by unstabilized prochiral enolate nucleophiles in the presence of palladium complexes with various phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligands. Excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses are obtained from three classes of enolate precursor: enol carbonates, enol silanes, and racemic β-ketoesters. Each of these substrate classes functions with nearly identical efficiency in terms of yield and enantioselectivity. Catalyst discovery and development, the optimization of reaction conditions, the exploration of reaction scope, and applications in target-directed synthesis are reported. Experimental observations suggest that these alkylation reactions occur through an unusual inner-sphere mechanism involving binding of the prochiral enolate nucleophile directly to the palladium center.

Ethylene in organic synthesis: a new route to anticholenergic pyrrolidinoindolines, and other molecules with all carbon-quaternary centers via asymmetric hydrovinylation

The asymmetric hydrovinylation (1 mol % Ni-cat., 1 atm, ethylene, >98% ee) products from 1-methylenetetralines are readily converted into 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles and subsequently to pyrrolidinoindolines. These hydrovinylation products are also useful for the syntheses of enantiopure benzomorphans.

Oxidative allylic rearrangement of cycloalkenols: Formal total synthesis of enantiomerically pure trisporic acid B

Enantiomerically highly enriched unsaturated β-ketoesters bearing a quaternary stereocenter can be utilized as building blocks for the synthesis of natural occurring terpenes, i. a., trisporic acid and its derivatives. An advanced building block has been synthesized in a short reaction sequence, which involves an oxidative allylic rearrangement initiated by pyridinium dichromate (PDC) as the key step.

Synthesis of β-Heteroaryl Propionates via Trapping of Carbocations with π-Nucleophiles

A variety of heterocyclic alcohols and acetates were coupled with silyl ketene acetals and other π-nucleophiles in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate to provide an array of substituted β-heteroaryl propionates, including those with contiguous quaternary centers, as well as vinylogs thereof. This reaction also proceeds with high diastereoselectivity when the π-nucleophile bears a chiral auxiliary.

Asymmetric Michael addition of trisubstituted carbanion to nitroalkenes catalyzed by sodium demethylquinine salt in water

A mild method for the asymmetric synthesis of quaternary and tertiary carbon centers has been developed through Michael addition of trisubstituted carbon nucleophile to nitroalkenes catalyzed by low loading sodium demethylquinine salt in water.

Conversion of allylic alcohols to stereodefined trisubstituted alkenes: a complementary process to the Claisen rearrangement

A stereoselective method for the conversion of allylic alcohols to (Z)-trisubstituted alkenes is presented. Overall, the reaction sequence described is stereochemically complementary to related Claisen rearrangement reactions--processes that typically deliver the stereoisomeric trisubstituted alkene containing products.