Asymmetric Synthesis of Dihydrofurans via Organocatalytic Domino Michael-Alkylation Reaction

Bromonitroalkenes as efficient intermediates in organic synthesis

Bromonitroalkenes are useful molecules in synthetic organic chemistry. They are mainly prepared from nitroalkenes via bromination reactions. In this review, the application of bromonitroalkenes as partners in the reaction with a diversity of mono- and bi-functional molecules, including aldehydes and ketones, active methylene compounds, 1,2-dicarbonyls, enamines, enols, electron-rich arenes, amidines, azomethine ylides, azirines, diazo compounds, and many others, is reviewed. By using these substrates, various biologically active scaffolds, such as heterocycles, carbocycles, spirocycles, polycyclic systems, natural products, and other useful acyclic compounds, were prepared. In addition, due to their dielectrophilic character, electrophilic and nucleophilic character, and ability to participate in cycloaddition reactions, bromonitroalkenes were efficiently applied in asymmetric cascade/domino/tandem reactions catalyzed by chiral catalysts. In this manuscript, around 55 papers are summarized and discussed during the years 2000-2023.

Synthesis of Chiral 2,3-Dihydrofurans via One-Pot Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylic Cycloaddition and a Retro-Dieckmann Fragmentation Cascade

An efficient method for the enantioselective synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofurans bearing a quaternary stereocenter has been developed via Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic cycloaddition and a retro-Dieckmann Fragmentation cascade. The asymmetric allylic cycloaddition of vinylethylene carbonates with 3-cyanochromone followed by base-assisted retro-Dieckmann fragmentation proceeded smoothly via a one-pot process to produce chiral 3,4-disubstituted 2,3-dihydrofurans in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.

A Visible Light Ru-Catalyzed Photoredox Access to Substituted Dihydrofurans

An efficient, visible light Ru(bpy)₃Cl₂-catalyzed method for the preparation of 2,3-dihydrofurans is reported. This approach employs 2-bromoketoesters as radical precursors and alkyl enol ethers as acceptors. The photoredox cycle furnishes an oxonium ion that is captured by an internal nucleophile to render the corresponding dihydrofurans. Moreover, the obtained products contain a versatile acetal moiety at C-2, allowing its transformation into a diverse variety of heteroaromatic and nonaromatic compounds. This method could serve as an important tool in the synthesis of complex tetrahydro- and dihydrofurans as well as heteroaromatic structures.

Gold-catalyzed formal (3 + 2) and (4 + 2) cycloaddition reactions using propiolates: assembly of 2,3-dihydrofurans and 3,4-dihydropyrans via a multistep cascade process

A gold-catalyzed formal dipolar cycloaddition reaction was developed using polarized alkynes as dipolarophiles and butenediol or pentenediol derivatives as formal dipoles. Silyl groups were used to solve the selectivity issue of unsymmetrical diols.

Enantioselective synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofurans using a bifunctional quinine/squaramide organocatalyst

Enantioselective synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofurans is carried out via domino type Michael/SN2 reactions using α-bromonitroalkenes and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds catalyzed by a quinine/squaramide organocatalyst.

Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of dihydronaphthofurans and dihydrobenzofurans: reaction development and insights into stereoselectivity

Squaramide/cinchona alkaloid-derived bifunctional organocatalysts are in high demand in asymmetric transformations.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydrofurans via Squaramide Catalyzed Michael-Alkylation Reaction

Abstract:

Asymmetric Catalysis, Dihydrofuran, Michael-Alkylation Reaction, Tertiary Amine-Squaramide, Organocatalysis, α-Bromonitroalkene

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-trifluoromethylated and 2-difluoromethylated dihydrofurans via organocatalytic cascade Michael/alkylation reaction

A highly stereoselective cascade Michael/alkylation process has been established to construct 2-trifluoromethylated and 2-difluoromethylated dihydrofurans.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Dihydrofuranoindoles via the Friedel-Crafts Alkylation/Annulation Cascade Process

A stereoselective annulation protocol was developed to construct dihydrofuranoindoles from readily available starting materials. In the presence of a bifunctional squaramide, the Friedel-Crafts alkylation/annulation cascade process occurred smoothly to provide dihydrofuranoindoles in 26-95% isolated yields exclusively as trans-diastereomers (38-99% ee). This catalytic protocol was compatible with a range of structurally distinct hydroxyindoles bearing the hydroxyl group at different positions, providing four kinds of dihydrofuranoindoles. Moreover, gram-scale synthesis and further synthetic manipulation of the product were also demonstrated.

Stereoselective synthesis of hydrazinodihydrofurans via cascade Michael addition-substitution involving the reaction of curcumin and other β-dicarbonyls with α-hydrazinonitroalkenes

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of 2-hydrazinated 2,3-dihydrofurans in good to excellent yields involving an interrupted Feist-Bénary type reaction by treating a wide variety of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, including curcumins, with α-hydrazinated nitroalkenes is reported here. The first ever enantioselective reaction of α-hydrazinonitroalkenes has also been carried out with two selected 1,3-dicarbonyls, dimedone and cyclohexanone by employing an l-t-leucine derived squaramide as the chiral organocatalyst to afford the enantio-enriched 2-hydrazinodihydrofurans as single diastereomers in good yields and with good enantioselectivities.

Bidirectional enantioselective synthesis of bis-benzofuran atropisomeric oligoarenes featuring two distal C-C stereogenic axes

We report the bidirectional enantioselective synthesis of bis-benzofuran atropisomeric oligoarenes featuring two distal C–C stereogenic axes. These are controlled by a two-fold central-to-axial chirality conversion upon oxidative aromatization.

We report the bidirectional enantioselective synthesis of bis-benzofuran atropisomeric oligoarenes featuring two distal C–C stereogenic axes obtained by a two-fold central-to-axial chirality conversion upon oxidative aromatization. The key enantioenriched centrally chiral bis-dihydrobenzofuran precursors were synthesized via a bidirectional diastereo- and enantio-selective organocatalyzed domino reaction between simple achiral and easily accessible dihydroxylated aromatics and chloronitroalkenes. Moreover, the stereodivergent nature of the methodology was established by synthesizing both diastereomers of a non-symmetrically functionalized bis-axially chiral oligoarene.

Highly stereoselective synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofurans via a cascade Michael addition-alkylation process: a nitro group as the leaving group

The Michael addition-alkylation process between gem-benzoyl-nitrostyrenes and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds proceeded smoothly in the presence of a bifunctional squaramide, exclusively providing 2,3-dihydrofurans as trans-diastereomers in 33-92% isolated yields and excellent enantioselectivities (29->99% ee).

Enantioselective [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction of Ethynylethylene Carbonates with Malononitrile Enabled by Organo/Metal Cooperative Catalysis

The first catalytic asymmetric decarboxylative [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of ethynylethylene carbonates with malononitrile has been developed successfully by an organo/copper cooperative system. This strategy led to a series of optically active polysubstituted dihydrofurans in good yields with high levels of enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield, 97% ee). The presence of the terminal alkynyl and the cyano group in the dihydrofuran products provides a wide scope for further structural transformations. More importantly, this organo/metal cooperative catalytic system will broaden the substrate scope and enable fundamentally new reactions.

Asymmetric synthesis of 3-aminodihydrocoumarins via the chiral guanidine catalyzed cascade reaction of azlactones

A new asymmetric preparative method of 3-aminodihydrocoumarins via reactions of azlactones and 2-nitrovinylphenols using chiral bifunctional guanidine catalysts.

Diastereodivergent asymmetric Michael-alkylation reactions using chiral N,N'-dioxide/metal complexes

A diastereodivergent asymmetric Michael-alkylation reaction between 3-chloro-oxindoles and β,γ-unsaturated-α-ketoesters has been achieved using L-RaPr₂ /Sc(OTf)₃ and L-PrPr₂ /Mg(OTf)₂ metal complexes as catalysts. Both rel-(1R,2S,3R) and rel-(1S,2S,3R) chiral spiro cyclopropane oxindoles were constructed in good yields, diastereoselectivities and ee values. The diastereodivergent control may originate from different alkylation pathways after the Michael addition, with either intramolecular trapping of the aza-ortho-xylylene intermediate or direct S_N2 substitution.

Crystal structure of (E)-5,5-dimethyl-2-[3-(4-nitro-phen-yl)allyl-idene]cyclo-hexane-1,3-dione

In the title compound, C₁₇H₁₇NO₄, the cylohexane-1,3-dione ring adopts an envelope conformation with the dimethyl-subsituted C atom as the flap. Its mean plane is inclined to the benzene ring by 7.99 (19)°. The mol­ecule has a trans conformation about the bridging C=C bonds of the ally­idene chain. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via pairs of C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The dimers are linked by further C—H.·O hydrogen bonds, forming sheets lying parallel to (10-1).