Construction of Quaternary Stereocenters by Nickel-Catalysis of Asymmetric Michael Reactions

A Practical and Robust Zwitterionic Cooperative Lewis Acid/Acetate/Benzimidazolium Catalyst for Direct 1,4-Additions

A catalyst type is disclosed allowing for exceptional efficiency in direct 1,4-additions. The catalyst is a zwitterionic entity, in which acetate binds to Cu^II , which is formally negatively charged and serving as counterion for benzimidazolium. All 3 functionalities are involved in the catalytic activation. For maleimides productivity was increased by a factor >300 compared to literature (TONs up to 6700). High stereoselectivity and productivity was attained for a broad range of other Michael acceptors as well. The polyfunctional catalyst is accessible in only 4 steps from N-Ph-benzimidazole with an overall yield of 96 % and robust during catalysis. This allowed to reuse the same catalyst multiple times with nearly constant efficiency. Mechanistic studies, in particular by DFT, give a detailed picture how the catalyst operates. The benzimidazolium unit stabilizes the coordinated enolate nucleophile and prevents that acetate/acetic acid dissociate from the catalyst.

Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of Bicyclo[3.n.1]alkenones

A series of highly strained bicyclo[3.n.1]alkenones have been successfully constructed in good-to-excellent enantioselectivities and moderate-to-good yields via copper-catalyzed formal [3+3] cycloaddition. The versatile chiral cycloadducts could be selectively converted into various valuable bridge systems, which hold considerable potential for the construction of natural and bioactive compounds containing a [3.n.1] moiety.

Dibenzofuran-4,6-bis(oxazoline) (DBFOX). A novel trans-chelating bis(oxazoline) ligand for asymmetric reactions

The trans-chelating bis(oxazoline) ligand (R,R)-4,6-dibenzofurandiyl-2,2'-bis(4-phenyloxazoline) [(R,R)-DBFOX/Ph] coordinates metal ions to give C2-symmetric complexes which effectively catalyze a variety of asymmetric reactions. (R,R)-DBFOX/Ph·Ni(ClO4)2·3H2O, whose crystal structure is octahedral with three aqua ligands, can be stored under air for several months without loss of catalytic activity and promotes highly enantioselective reactions even in the presence of excess amounts of water, alcohols, amines, and acids. The complex shows remarkable chiral amplification in asymmetric Diels-Alder (DA) reactions. This review focuses on enantioselective reactions catalyzed by (R,R)-DBFOX/Ph·metal complexes.

Highly Enantioselective Electrophilic Amination and Michael Addition of Cyclic β-Ketoesters Induced by Lanthanides and (S,S)-ip-pybox: The Mechanism

High enantioselection is obtained in Michael additions of cyclic beta-ketoesters in the presence of lanthanium triflates and (S,S)-ip-pybox. Intermediates based on simultaneous coordination of the lanthanide to both (S,S)-ip-box and beta-ketoester (in keto and enolate forms) are detected by means of ESI mass spectrometry and NMR experiments, and a possible mechanism is proposed through theoretical calculations.

Direct Organocatalytic Asymmetric α-Sulfenylation of Activated CH Bonds in Lactones, Lactams, and β-Dicarbonyl Compounds

The application of cinchona alkaloid derivatives as catalysts for enantioselective alpha-sulfenylation of activated C-H bonds in lactones, lactams, and beta-dicarbonyl compounds by different electrophilic sulfur reagents is presented. Optically active products are obtained in good to excellent yields and up to 91 % ee. Furthermore, the diastereoselective reduction of alpha-sulfenylated beta-keto esters to give optically active alpha-sulfenylated beta-hydroxy esters has been studied. A model for the intermediate is presented, in which the protonated cinchona alkaloid interacts with the substrate leading to face-shielding in accordance with the enantioselective alpha-sulfenylation step.

Nanocrystalline MgO for Asymmetric Henry and Michael Reactions

Nanomaterials with their three-dimensional structure and defined size and shape are considered to be suitable candidates for proper alignment with prochiral substrates for unidirectional introduction of reacting species to induce an asymmetric center. We herein report the design and development of a truly recyclable heterogeneous catalyst, nanocrystalline magnesium oxide, for the asymmetric Henry reaction (AH) to afford chiral nitro alcohols with excellent yields and good to excellent enantioselectivities (ee's) for the first time. Bronsted hydroxyls are the sole contributors for the ee, while they add on to the activity in AH. It is demonstrated that the hydrogen bond interactions between the -OH groups of (S)-(-)-binol and the -OH groups of MgO are essential for the induction of enantioselectivity. Further, to prove the above hypothesis, we have successfully carried out another reaction, asymmetric Michael reaction (AM) with nanocrystalline MgO. The reusable and suitably aligned nanocrystalline MgO-catalyzed AH and AM reactions afforded chiral products with comparable ee's to that of the homogeneous system.

Ionic and Covalent Copper(II)-Based Catalysts for Michael Additions. The Mechanism

Cu(SbF6)2-AdamBox and copper(II) bis-(5-tert-butylsalicylaldehydate) catalyze the Michael addition in neutral media. Mechanistic studies, based on UV-vis, IR, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), suggest that copper enolates of the beta-dicarbonyl formed in situ are the active nucleophilic species.

Catalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of beta-keto esters: effects of the linker heteroatom in linked-BINOL

We describe the development of a general catalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of acyclic beta-keto esters to cyclic enones, in which asymmetric induction occurs at the beta-position of the acceptors. Among the various asymmetric catalyst systems examined, the newly developed La-NR-linked-BINOL complexes (R = H or Me) afforded the best results in terms of reactivity and selectivity. In general, the NMe ligand 2 was suitable for the combination of small enones and small beta-keto esters, and the NH ligand 1 was suitable for bulkier substrates (steric tuning of the catalyst). Using the La-NMe-linked-BINOL complex, the Michael reaction of methyl acetoacetate (8a) to 2-cyclohexen-1-one (7b) gave the corresponding Michael adduct 9ba in 82% yield and 92% ee. The linker heteroatom in linked-BINOL is crucial for achieving high reactivity and selectivity in the Michael reaction of beta-keto esters. The amine moiety in the NR-linked-BINOL can also tune the Lewis acidity of the central metal (electronic tuning of the catalyst), which was supported by density functional studies and experimental results. Another advantage of the NR-linked-BINOL ligand as compared with O-linked-BINOL is the ease of modifying a substituent on the amine moiety, making it possible to synthesize a variety of NR-linked-BINOL ligands for further improvement or development of new asymmetric catalyses by introducing additional functionality on the linker with the amine moiety. The efficiency of the present asymmetric catalysis was demonstrated by the synthesis of the key intermediate of (-)-tubifolidine and (-)-19,20-dihydroakuammicine in only five steps compared to the nine steps required by the original process from the Michael product of malonate. This strategy is much more atom economical. On the basis of the results of mechanistic studies, we propose that a beta-keto ester serves as a ligand as well as a substrate and at least one beta-keto ester should be included in the active catalyst complex. Further improvement of the reaction by maintaining an appropriate ratio of the La-NMe-linked-BINOL complex and beta-keto esters is also described.

Enantioselective Total Syntheses of Several Bioactive Natural Products Based on the Development of Practical Asymmetric Catalysis

I present herewith enantioselective total syntheses of several bioactive natural products, such as (-)-strychnine, (+)-decursin, (-)-cryptocaryolone diacetate, (-)-fluoxetine, and aeruginosin 298-A, based on practical asymmetric catalyses (Michael reaction, epoxidation, and phase-transfer reaction) that I developed with co-workers in Prof. Shibasaki's group over the past 5 years. In the first part of this review, I discuss the great improvement of catalyst efficiency in an ALB-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reaction of malonate and application to the pre-manufacturing scale (greater than kilogram scale) and enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-strychnine with the development of novel domino cyclization. To broaden the substrate generality of the Michael reaction, we developed a highly stable, storable, and reusable La-O-linked-BINOL complex. Further extension of the reaction using beta-keto ester as a Michael donor was achieved with the development of a La-NR-linked-BINOL complex, thereby improving indole alkaloid syntheses. In the second section, I discuss enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-decursin using catalytic asymmetric epoxidation. To achieve the synthesis, we developed a new La-BINOL-Ph(3)As = O (1:1:1) complex catalyst system, which has much higher reactivity and broader substrate generality than the previously developed catalyst systems. This allowed us to achieve catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives with high enantioselectivity and broad substrate generality for the first time by changing the lanthanide metal and reaction conditions. Among them, catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated morpholinyl amides is quite useful in terms of synthetic utility of the corresponding alpha,beta-epoxy morpholinyl amides. Highly catalyst-controlled enantio- or diastereoselective epoxidation of the alpha,beta-unsaturated morpholinyl amides, coupled with diastereoselective reduction of beta-hydroxy ketones, enabled the synthesis of all possible stereoisomers of 1,3-polyol arrays with successful enantioselective total synthesis of several 1,3-polyol natural products, such as (-)-cryptocaryolone diacetate. In addition, the development of a new regioselective epoxide-opening reaction of alpha,beta-epoxy amides to the corresponding alpha- and beta-hydroxy amides enhanced the usefulness of the present epoxidation and was applied to the enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-fluoxetine. In the final section, I report the development of a new asymmetric two-center organocatalyst (TaDiAS) and its application to the enantioselective synthesis of aeruginosin 298-A and its analogues. Because of the remarkable structural diversity of TaDiAS, a practical asymmetric phase-transfer reaction with broad substrate generality was achieved. As a result, we succeeded in developing a highly versatile synthetic method for aeruginosin 298-A and its analogues. Inhibitory activity studies of the compounds against the serine protease trypsin provided preliminary information about their structure-activity relations.

Enantioselective Construction of Quaternary Stereocenters

The stereoselective formation of C-C bonds is of great importance for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure natural products and pharmaceuticals. A broad repertoire of chiral auxiliaries, reagents, and catalysts can be utilized for the reliable generation of tertiary stereocenters. In contrast, the synthesis of organic compounds with quaternary stereocenters is a much more demanding and challenging task. Every enantioselective synthetic method can demonstrate its value through the generation of a fully substituted carbon center. In this Minireview examples of newer stoichiometric and catalytic methods are summarized which have proved their suitability for the enantioselective construction of quaternary stereocenters.

New auxiliaries for copper-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reactions: generation of quaternary stereocenters at room temperature

Dialkyl amides of L-valine, L-isoleucine, and L-tert-leucine (2) are excellent chiral auxiliaries for the construction of quaternary stereocenters at ambient temperature. Enaminoesters 3, prepared from these auxiliaries 2 and Michael donors 1, undergo a copper-catalyzed asymmetric Michael reaction with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK, 4) to afford products 5 in 70-90% yield and 90-99% ee (enantiomeric excess). The exclusion of moisture or oxygen is not necessary. The auxiliaries 2 are readily available by standard procedures. After workup they can be recovered almost quantitatively.