Catalyst-directed diastereoselectivity in hydrogenative couplings of acetylene to alpha-chiral aldehydes: formal synthesis of all eight L-hexoses

1,n-glycols as dialdehyde equivalents in iridium-catalyzed enantioselective carbonyl allylation and iterative two-directional assembly of 1,3-polyols

Unstable? We're able! 1,n-Glycols serve as synthetic equivalents to unstable dialdehydes in two-directional carbonyl allylation from the alcohol oxidation level under iridium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation conditions. Iterative asymmetric allylation employing 1,3-propanediol enables the rapid assembly of protected 1,3-polyol substructures with exceptional levels of stereocontrol.

Elongation of 1,3-polyols via iterative catalyst-directed carbonyl allylation from the alcohol oxidation level

Iterative enantioselective carbonyl allylation from the alcohol oxidation level under the conditions of iridium catalyzed transfer hydrogenation enables chain elongation of 1,3-polyols. High levels of catalyst-directed enantioselectivity and diastereoselectivity are observed.

Enantioselective carbonyl reverse prenylation from the alcohol or aldehyde oxidation level employing 1,1-dimethylallene as the prenyl donor

Enantioselective transfer hydrogenation of 1,1-dimethylallene 1a in the presence of aromatic, alpha,beta-unsaturated, or aliphatic aldehydes 2a-i mediated by 2-propanol and employing a cyclometalated iridium C,O-benzoate derived from allyl acetate, m-nitrobenzoic acid, and (S)-SEGPHOS delivers reverse-prenylation products 4a-i in good to excellent isolated yields (65-96%) and enantioselectivities (87-93% ee). In the absence of 2-propanol, enantioselective carbonyl reverse prenylation is achieved directly from the alcohol oxidation level to furnish an equivalent set of adducts 4a-i in good to excellent isolated yields (68-94%) and enantioselectivities (86-91% ee). Competition and isotopic labeling experiments suggest rapid alcohol-aldehyde redox equilibration in advance of carbonyl addition along with capture of the kinetically formed pi-allyl complex at a higher rate than reversible beta-hydride elimination-hydrometalation. This protocol represents an alternative to the use of allylmetal reagents in enantioselective carbonyl reverse prenylation and represents the first use of allenes in enantioselective C-C bond-forming transfer hydrogenation.

Direct vinylation of alcohols or aldehydes employing alkynes as vinyl donors: a ruthenium catalyzed C-C bond-forming transfer hydrogenation

Under the conditions of ruthenium catalyzed transfer hydrogenation, 2-butyne couples to benzylic and aliphatic alcohols 1a-1l to furnish allylic alcohols 2a-2l, constituting a direct C-H vinylation of alcohols employing alkynes as vinyl donors. Under related transfer hydrogenation conditions employing formic acid as terminal reductant, 2-butyne couples to aldehydes 4a, 4b, and 4e to furnish identical products of carbonyl vinylation 2a, 2b, and 2e. Thus, carbonyl vinylation is achieved from the alcohol or the aldehyde oxidation level in the absence of any stoichiometric metallic reagents. Nonsymmetric alkynes 6a-6c couple efficiently to aldehyde 4b to provide allylic alcohols 2m-2o as single regioisomers. Acetylenic aldehyde 7a engages in efficient intramolecular coupling to deliver cyclic allylic alcohol 8a.

anti-Aminoallylation of aldehydes via ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenative coupling of sulfonamido allenes: 1,2-aminoalcohols

Ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of N-sulfonamido allene 1e in the presence of aromatic aldehydes 2a-f, alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes 2g-i, and aliphatic aldehydes 2j-l results in reductive coupling to furnish the corresponding anti-aminoallylation products 3a-l. Reductive coupling of allenamide 1e to aldehyde 2a conducted using 2-propanol-d(8) as the terminal reductant delivers deuterio-3a. The observed pattern of deuterium incorporation suggests reversible allene hydrometalation with incomplete regioselectivity in advance of carbonyl addition. A survey of monosubstituted allenes 1f-i was conducted. High levels of anti-diastereoselectivity were observed only when tert-butyl allene 1f was used. This protocol represents an alternative to the use of amino-substituted allylborane reagents in carbonyl aminoallylation and avoids the use of stoichiometric metallic reagents.

Enantioselective allylation, crotylation, and reverse prenylation of substituted isatins: iridium-catalyzed C-C bond-forming transfer hydrogenation

Transfer hydrogenation of substituted isatins in the presence of allyl acetate, α-methyl allyl acetate or 1,1,-dimethylallene employing an ortho -cyclometallated iridium catalyst modified by CTH-(R )-P-PHOS provides products of carbonyl allylation, crotylation and reverse prenylation, respectively, in highly enantiomerically enriched form. These studies represent the first use of activated ketones as electrophilic partners in asymmetric C-C bond forming transfer hydrogenation.