Pd-catalyzed asymmetric β-hydride elimination en route to chiral allenes

Enantiodivergent Synthesis of Allenes by Point-to-Axial Chirality Transfer

An enantiodivergent method for the synthesis of multiply substituted allenes is described. Highly enantioenriched, point-chiral boronic esters were synthesized by homologation of α-seleno alkenyl boronic esters with lithiated carbamates and eliminated to form axially chiral allene products. By employing either oxidative or alkylative conditions, both syn and anti elimination could be achieved with complete stereospecificity. The process enables the synthesis of either M or P allenes from a single isomer of a point-chiral precursor and can be employed for the enantioselective assembly of di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted allenes.

Formation of Chiral Allylic Ethers via an Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Alkenylation of Acyclic Enol Ethers

This report details a palladium-catalyzed process to access highly functionalized, optically active allylic aryl ethers. A number of electron-deficient alkenyl triflates underwent enantioselective and site-selective coupling with acyclic aryl enol ethers in the presence of a chiral palladium catalyst. This transform provides chiral allylic ether products in high yields and excellent enantiomeric ratios, furnishing a unique disconnection to incorporate heteroatoms at a stereocenter. Finally, the applicability of the products to target synthesis was demonstrated through the formation of a chiral allylic alcohol and the generation of a flavone-inspired product.

Oxidative Asymmetric Aza-Friedel-Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with 3-Indolinone-2-carboxylates Catalyzed by a BINOL Phosphoric Acid and Promoted by DDQ

An asymmetric aza-Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction between indoles and indolenines that were derived in situ from 3-indolinone-2-carboxylates has been developed by using 3,3'-bis(triphenylsilyl)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diyl hydrogen phosphate as a catalyst. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions and provided chiral indol-3-yl-3-indolinone-2-carboxylate derivatives in good yields with excellent ee values (up to 98.6 %). Similarly, the Mannich-type addition of indoline-3-ones to indolenines provided heterodimers with vicinal chiral quaternary centers. This method was successfully applied to the construction of the core structure of trigonoliimine C.

Heterobicyclic Core Retained Hydroarylations through C-H Activation: Synthesis of Epibatidine Analogues

The heterobicyclic core retained hydroarylation of oxa/azabenzonorbornadienes with quinoline N-oxides has been achieved under rhodium catalysis, giving quinoline N-oxide substituted heterobicyclic structures with excellent regioselectivity and in good yields. As the first example of the direct introduction of quinoline N-oxides onto heterobicyclic structures, the strained heterobicyclic core was well retained in the reaction. The products could be successfully transformed into a series of useful compounds, including epibatidine analogues.

Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Allenoates via Phosphine-Catalyzed and ZnI2-Promoted Preparation of Oxazolidines and Propargylamines Using Chiral Amines, 1-Alkynes, and Propiolates

Diphenylphosphinoethane (DPPE)-catalyzed and ZnI₂-promoted in situ formation of oxazolidine, alkynyl zinc, and propargylamine intermediates from 1-alkynes, chiral (S)-diphenyl(pyrrolidin-2-yl)methanol, and propiolates gave the corresponding chiral (R)-β-allenoates in 40-72% yield with up to >99% ee. The intermediate propargylamine was isolated in 50% yield and converted to give the β-allenoate 10aa in 68% yield and 96% ee upon reaction with ZnI₂. The results are discussed considering a mechanism involving oxazolidine and iminium ions formed in situ followed by addition of alkynyl zinc complex to produce the propargylamine that gives the corresponding allenoate via a 1,5-hydrogen shift in the presence of ZnI₂.

Unified Approach to Substituted Allenoates via Pd-Catalyzed β-Hydride Elimination of (E)-Enol Triflates

A robust synthesis of allenoates via a Pd-catalyzed β-hydride elimination of (E)-enol triflates is presented. Salient features of this method include low catalyst loadings, mild reaction conditions, and the ability to access all four patterns of substituted allenoates from a single substrate class.

Intramolecular Chirality Transfer [2 + 2] Cycloadditions of Allenoates and Alkenes

Intramolecular chirality transfer [2 + 2] cycloaddition of enantiomerically enriched allenoates and alkenes is presented. The use of a chiral catalyst was found to be critical to achieve high levels of diastereoselectivity compared to use of an achiral catalyst. The method developed leads to highly substituted cyclobutanes that would be difficult to prepare by alternative methods.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Allenes by Catalytic Traceless Petasis Reactions

Allenes are useful functional groups in synthesis as a result of their inherent chemical properties and established reactivity patterns. One property of chemical bonding renders 1,3-substituted allenes chiral, making them attractive targets for asymmetric synthesis. While there are many enantioselective methods to synthesize chiral allenes from chiral starting materials, fewer methods exist to directly synthesize enantioenriched chiral allenes from achiral precursors. We report here an asymmetric boronate addition to sulfonyl hydrazones catalyzed by chiral biphenols to access enantioenriched allenes in a traceless Petasis reaction. The resulting Mannich product from nucleophilic addition eliminates sulfinic acid, yielding a propargylic diazene that performs an alkyne walk to afford the allene. Two enantioselective approaches have been developed; alkynyl boronates add to glycolaldehyde imine to afford allylic hydroxyl allenes, and allyl boronates add to alkynyl imines to form 1,3-alkenyl allenes. In both cases, the products are obtained in high yields and enantioselectivities.

Recent advances in catalytic asymmetric synthesis of allenes

This minireview summarizes the recent advances in the synthesis of allenes with catalytic asymmetric methods.

Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Alkynes via a Tandem Decarboxylation/Elimination of (E)-Enol Triflates

A mild catalytic synthesis of alkynes via a tandem Pd-catalyzed decarboxylation/elimination of enol triflates is described. Key attributes of the method include readily available starting materials, broad functional group tolerance, and the ability to access terminal, internal, and halogenated alkynes. The preliminary scope of the reaction is demonstrated on 25 different examples with yields ranging from 63% to 96%.

Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Synthesis of α-Acetoxylated Enones from Alkynes

We report a palladium-catalyzed oxidative functionalization of alkynes to generate α-acetoxylated enones in one step. A range of functional groups are well-tolerated in this reaction. Mechanistic studies, including the use of (18) O-labeled DMSO, revealed that the ketone oxygen atom in the product originates from DMSO.

Synthesis of 2,3-allenylamides utilizing [1,2]-phospha-Brook rearrangement and their application to gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization providing 2-aminofuran derivatives

An efficient synthetic method for 2,3-allenylamides having an oxygen functionality at the 2-position was newly developed by utilizing the [1,2]-phospha-Brook rearrangement under Brønsted base catalysis.

Efficient Synthesis of Chiral Trisubstituted 1,2-Allenyl Ketones by Catalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Malonic Esters to Enynes

An N,N'-dioxide/scandium(III) complex catalyzed, highly efficient conjugate addition of malonic esters to enynes is described. A range of trisubstituted 1,2-allenyl ketones were obtained in high yields (up to 99 %) with good d.r. (up to 95/5) and excellent ee values (97 %-99 %). Moreover, the products could be easily transformed into chiral furan and 5-hydroxypyrazoline derivatives, both of which are important skeletons of many biologically active compounds and pharmacologicals.

Synthesis of highly functionalized tri- and tetrasubstituted alkenes via Pd-catalyzed 1,2-hydrovinylation of terminal 1,3-dienes

An efficient method for the construction of Csp²–Csp³ bond in a regio- and stereoselective fashion involving 1,3-terminal dienes, enol triflates/nonaflates, and sodium formate under Pd(0)-catalysis is described. The three component assembly allows trapping of a π-allyl intermediate, after the initial migratory insertion of the diene, by a hydride source that leads to structurally complex and synthetically challenging tri- and tetrasubstituted alkene building blocks.

CuBr2-catalyzed enantioselective routes to highly functionalized and naturally occurring allenes

CuBr₂-catalyzed highly enantioselective synthesis of functionalized 1,3-disubstituted allenes including three natural ones from readily available terminal alkynes, aldehydes, and (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol has been demonstrated.

Harmony of CdI2with CuBr for the one-pot synthesis of optically active α-allenols

A highly efficient one-pot synthesis of chiral α-allenols from propargylic alcohols, aldehydes and pyrrolidine induced by CuBr and (R,R_a)-N-PINAP or (R,S_a)-N-PINAP and CdI₂has been developed.

General CuBr2-catalyzed highly enantioselective approach for optically active allenols from terminal alkynols

A copper(ii) bromide-catalyzed highly enantioselective direct synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted allenols from commercially available aldehydes, terminal alkynols and (R)- or (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol has been developed.

Spontaneous resolution upon crystallization of allenyl-bis-phosphine oxides

The first example of ‘spontaneous resolution by crystallization’ in allene chemistry, by means of crystal structures and solid state CD spectra of the R and S enantiomers, is presented.

A concise construction of carbohydrate-tethered axially chiral allenes via copper catalysis

Here we observed that CuBr₂ may smoothly catalyze the highly diastereoselective three-component reaction of carbohydrates bearing a terminal alkyne unit, aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes, and (R) or (S)-α,α-diphenylprolinol, affording carbohydrates bearing the chiral 1,3-substituted allene entity in 94–99% de.

Palladium-catalyzed chemoselective allylic substitution, Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, and allene formation of bifunctional 2-B(pin)-substituted allylic acetate derivatives

A formidable challenge at the forefront of organic synthesis is the control of chemoselectivity to enable the selective formation of diverse structural motifs from a readily available substrate class. Presented herein is a detailed study of chemoselectivity with palladium-based phosphane catalysts and readily available 2-B(pin)-substituted allylic acetates, benzoates, and carbonates. Depending on the choice of reagents, catalysts, and reaction conditions, 2-B(pin)-substituted allylic acetates and derivatives can be steered into one of three reaction manifolds: allylic substitution, Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, or elimination to form allenes, all with excellent chemoselectivity. Studies on the chemoselectivity of Pd catalysts in their reactivity with boron-bearing allylic acetate derivatives led to the development of diverse and practical reactions with potential utility in synthetic organic chemistry.

Asymmetric oxidative dearomatizations promoted by hypervalent iodine(III) reagents: an opportunity for rational catalyst design?

The use of and λ³- and λ⁵-iodanes in the oxidative dearomatization of phenols is a well-established and general procedure for the construction of cyclohexadienone structures. However, their use in asymmetric dearomatization reactions is quite underdeveloped and, despite work by several research groups over the past several years, a general chiral aryl iodide catalyst has yet to emerge. This article will serve to highlight the significant progress that has been made in this area and will reveal some of deficiencies in the literature that the author believes may be hindering further progress.