Rhodium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Arylation

Direct Palladium-Catalyzed β-Arylation of Lactams

A direct and catalytic method is reported here for β-arylation of N-protected lactams with simple aryl iodides. The transformation is enabled by merging soft enolization of lactams, palladium-catalyzed desaturation, Ar-X bond activation, and aryl conjugate addition. The reaction is operated under mild reaction conditions, is scalable, and is chemoselective. Application of this method to concise syntheses of pharmaceutically relevant compounds is demonstrated.

Enantioselective synthesis of gem-diarylalkanes by transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric arylations (TMCAAr)

To date, enantiomerically enriched molecules containing gem(1,1)-diaryl containing tertiary or quaternary stereogenic centers have been readily accessed by transition metal-catalyzed enantioselective or stereoconvergent aryl transfer reactions.

Chiral gem(1,1)-diaryl containing tertiary or quaternary stereogenic centers are present in many natural products and important pharmacophores. While numerous catalytic asymmetric methods enable access to 1,1-diaryl motifs, transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric arylations (TMCAAr) are one of the most powerful methods to prepare enantiopure gem-diarylalkane compounds. The main methodology includes enantioselective 1,2- or 1,4-additions across C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> O, C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> N and C Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019 ]]> C bonds by arylmetallic reagents; aryl cross-couplings of olefins, benzylic (pseudo)halides and aziridines; asymmetric aryl substitution reactions of allylic substrates; and isotopic benzylic C–H arylation.

Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioposition-Selective Hydroarylation of Divinylphosphine Oxides with Aryl Boroxines

The rhodium-catalyzed hydroarylation of divinylphosphine oxides (RP(O)(CH=CH₂ )₂ ) with aryl boroxines ((ArBO)₃ ) gives the corresponding monoarylation products (RP(O)(CH=CHAr)CH₂ CH₃ ) in high yields. One of the two vinyl groups in the phosphine oxide undergoes oxidative arylation while the other one is reduced to an ethyl moiety. These reactions proceed with high selectivity in terms of the enantiotopic vinyl groups in the presence of (R)-DTBM-segphos/Rh to give the P-stereogenic monoarylation products with high enantioselectivity.

Pd(ii)-Catalyzed asymmetric 1,6-conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to Meldrum's acid-derived dienes

A Pd(ii)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,6-conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to Meldrum's acid-derived dienes has been realized using a new pyridine–oxazoline ligand bearing an extended arm.

N-Heterocyclic carbene promoted enantioselective desymmetrization reaction of diarylalkane-bisphenols

An enantioselective NHC-catalyzed desymmetrization reaction of diarylalkane-bisphenols with aldehydes was reported under the guidance of linear free energy relationships (LFERs).

Pd(ii), Ni(ii) and Co(ii)-catalyzed enantioselective additions of organoboron reagents to ketimines

This feature article highlights the development of Pd(ii), Ni(ii), and Co(ii)-catalyzed asymmetric additions of organoboron reagents to ketimines.

Rh-Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylation of N-Tosyl- and N-Nosylaldimines: Total Synthesis of (-)-Crispine A

The unprecedented development of asymmetric Rh-catalyzed 1,2-allylation of N-Ts- and N-Ns-aldimines is achieved. This protocol utilizes potassium allyltrifluoroborates and various aldimines to generate enantioenriched homoallylic amines in the presence of 3.0 mol % of Rh(I)/L1b catalyst with up to 90% yield, 98% ee (R = H), and 10:1 diastereoselectivity (R = Me or Ph), yielding the same major diastereomer when using potassium (E)- and (Z)-crotyltrifluoroborate. Its synthetic utility is also illustrated in the total synthesis of (-)-crispine A.

Site- and Stereoselective Chemical Editing of Thiostrepton by Rh-Catalyzed Conjugate Arylation: New Analogues and Collateral Enantioselective Synthesis of Amino Acids

The synthesis of complex, biologically active molecules by catalyst-controlled, selective functionalization of complex molecules is an emerging capability. We describe the application of Rh-catalyzed conjugate arylation to the modification of thiostrepton, a complex molecule with potent antibacterial properties for which few analogues are known. By this approach, we achieve the site- and stereoselective functionalization of one subterminal dehydroalanine residue (Dha16) present in thiostrepton. The broad scope of this method enabled the preparation and isolation of 24 new analogues of thiostrepton, the biological testing of which revealed that the antimicrobial activity of thiostrepton tolerates the alteration of Dha16 to a range of amino acids. Further analysis of this Rh-catalyzed process revealed that use of sodium or potassium salts was crucial for achieving high stereoselectivity. The catalyst system was studied further by application to the synthesis of amino esters and amides from dehydroalanine monomers, a process which was found to occur with up to 93:7 er under conditions milder than those previously reported for analogous reactions. Furthermore, the addition of the same sodium and potassium salts as applied in the case of thiostrepton leads to a nearly full reversal of the enantioselectivity of the reaction. As such, this study of site-selective catalysis in a complex molecular setting also delivered synergistic insights in the arena of enantioselective catalysis. In addition, these studies greatly expand the number of known thiostrepton analogues obtained by any method and reveal a high level of functional group tolerance for metal-catalyzed, site-selective modifications of highly complex natural products.

Alkyne Hydroheteroarylation: Enantioselective Coupling of Indoles and Alkynes via Rh-Hydride Catalysis

We report an enantioselective coupling between alkynes and indoles. A Rh-hydride catalyst isomerizes alkynes to generate a metal-allyl species that can be trapped with both aromatic and heteroaromatic nucleophiles.

Convergent Synthesis of α-Branched Amines by Transition-Metal-Catalyzed C-H Bond Additions to Imines

α-Branched amines are ubiquitous in drugs and natural products, and consequently, synthetic methods that provide convergent and efficient entry to these structures are of considerable value. Transition-metal-catalyzed C-H bond additions to imines have the potential to be highly practical and atom-economic approaches for the synthesis of a diverse and complex array of α-branched amine products. These strategies typically employ readily available starting inputs, display high functional group compatibility, and often avoid the production of stoichiometric waste byproducts. A number of C-H functionalization methods have also been developed that incorporate cascade cyclization pathways to give amine-substituted carbocycles, and in many cases, proceed with the formation of multiple stereogenic centers. Advances in the area of asymmetric C-H bond additions to imines have also been achieved through the use of chiral imine N-substituents as well as by enantioselective catalysis.

Organocatalytic atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral styrenes

Axially chiral compounds are widespread in biologically active compounds and are useful chiral ligands or organocatalysts in asymmetric catalysis. It is well-known that styrenes are one of the most abundant and principal feedstocks and thus represent excellent prospective building blocks for chemical synthesis. Driven by the development of atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral styrene derivatives, we discovered herein the asymmetric organocatalytic approach via direct Michael addition reaction of substituted diones/ketone esters/malononitrile to alkynals. The axially chiral styrene compounds were produced with good chemical yields, enantioselectivities and almost complete E/Z-selectivities through a secondary amine-catalysed iminium activation strategy under mild conditions. Such structural motifs are important precursors for further transformations into biologically active compounds and synthetic useful intermediates and may have potential applications in asymmetric synthesis as olefin ligands or organocatalysts.

Many methods exist for the atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral biaryls, but axially chiral styrenes are much less explored. Here the authors report an organocatalytic procedure for the synthesis of configurationally stable, axially chiral styrenes with high enantio- and diastereoselectivities.

Cooperativity of axial and centre chirality in the biaryl disulfoxide/Rh(i)-catalysed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic aids to 2-cyclohexenone: a DFT study

Atropisomeric biaryl disulfoxides contain two independent chiral elements. Previously, the (M,S,S)-diastereomer showed very high catalytic activity and selectivity in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to α,β-enones whereas the (M,R,R) counterpart - none. Herein, DFT computations on the key transmetallation (turnover-determining) and carborhodation (enantioselectivity-determining) steps of the catalytic cycle show that the (M,S,S)-ligand gives rise to lower reaction barriers for these elementary steps. However, the barriers for the (M,R,R)-ligand are not sufficiently high to explain the lack of reactivity. Hence, this phenomenon is most likely due to the failure of catalyst formation from the ligand and the dimeric Rh precatalyst complex. The hitherto unknown (M,S,R)-ligand shows predicted enantioselectivity similar to the (M,S,S)-ligand as a consequence of lower reaction barriers associated with those isomers whose key features resemble the (M,S,S)-ligand.

Synthesis of Complex Tertiary Glycolates by Enantioconvergent Arylation of Stereochemically Labile α-Keto Esters

Enantioconvergent arylation reactions of boronic acids and racemic β-stereogenic α-keto esters have been developed. The reactions are catalyzed by a chiral (diene)Rh(I) complex and provide a wide array of β-stereogenic tertiary aryl glycolate derivatives with high levels of diastereo- and enantioselectivity. Racemization studies employing a series of sterically differentiated tertiary amines suggest that the steric nature of the amine base additive exerts a significant influence on the rate of substrate racemization.

Synthesis of functionalized alkyl substituted benzoquinones by Rh-catalyzed additions of boronic acids

An efficient, group tolerant one-pot process has been developed for the synthesis of functionalized-quinones, using a Rh-catalyzed addition as a key step.

Sequential catalysis: exploiting a single rhodium(i) catalyst to promote an alkyne hydroacylation-aryl boronic acid conjugate addition sequence

We demonstrate that a single Rh(i) complex can promote two mechanistically distinct C-C bond-forming reactions - alkyne hydroacylation and aryl boronic acid conjugate addition - to deliver substituted ketone products from the controlled assembly of three readily available fragments. This is a rare example of a Rh(i)/Rh(iii) cycle and a redox neutral Rh(i) cycle being promoted by a single catalyst. The process is broad in scope, allowing significant variation of all three reaction components. Incorporation of an enantiomerically pure bis-phosphine ligand renders the process enantioselective. Superior levels of enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee) can be achieved from using a two catalyst system, whereby two Rh(i) complexes, one incorporating an achiral bis-phosphine ligand and the second a chiral diene ligand, are introduced at the start of the reaction sequence.