Explorations into New Reaction Chemistry

Catalytic Addition Methods for the Synthesis of Functionalized Diazoacetoacetates and Application to the Construction of Highly Substituted Cyclobutanones

[reaction: see text] Methyl 3-(trialkylsilanyloxy)-2-diazo-3-butenoate undergoes Lewis acid-catalyzed Mukaiyama aldol addition with aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes in the presence of low catalytic amounts of Lewis acids in nearly quantitative yields. Scandium(III) triflate is the preferred catalyst and, notably, addition proceeds without decomposition of the diazo moiety. Diazoacetoacetate products from reactions with aromatic aldehydes undergo rhodium(II)-catalyzed ring closure to cyclobutanones with high diastereocontrol. Examples of complimentary Mannich-type addition reactions with imines are reported.

Acyclic amino acid-catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reactions: alanine, the simplest stereoselective organocatalyst

The linear amino acid-catalyzed direct asymmetric intermolecular aldol reaction is presented; simple amino acids such as alanine, valine, isoleucine, aspartate, alanine tetrazole and serine catalyzed the direct catalytic asymmetric intermolecular aldol reactions between unmodified ketones and aldehydes with excellent stereocontrol and furnished the corresponding aldol products in up to 98% yield and with up to > 99% ee.