Das Isoinversionsprinzip - ein allgemeines Selektionsmodell in der Chemie

Entropy-Induced Selectivity Switch in Gold Catalysis: Fast Access to Indolo[1,2-a]quinolines

New N-heterocyclic compounds for organic functional materials and their efficient syntheses are highly demanded. A surprising entropy-induced selectivity switch in the gold-catalyzed intramolecular hydroarylation of 2-ethynyl N-aryl indoles was found and its exploitation led to straightforward syntheses of indolo[1,2-a]quinolines. Experimental and computational mechanistic investigations gave insight into this uncommon selectivity phenomenon and into the special reactivity of the indolo[1,2-a]quinolines. The high functional group tolerance of this methodology enabled access to a diverse scope with high yields. In addition, bidirectional approaches, post-functionalization reactions, and π-extension of the core structure were feasible. An in-depth study of the photophysical properties explored the structure-effect relationship for different derivatives and revealed a high potential of these compounds for future applications as functional materials.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Asymmetric Alkylation of (Hetero)Arenes with Styrenes

An efficient and general intermolecular Cobalt(II)-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of styrenes with (hetero)arenes including indoles, thiophene and electron rich arenes has been developed, providing straightforward access to enantioenriched alkyl(hetero)arenes with high enantioselectivity. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction underwent a CoH-mediated hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) with alkenes, followed by a pivotal catalyst-controlled S_N 2-like pathway between in situ generated organocobalt(IV) species and aromatic nucleophiles. This is the first CoH-catalyzed asymmetric hydrofunctionalization using carbon nucleophiles, providing a new strategy for asymmetric Friedel-Crafts type alkylation.

Photochemical reactions as key steps in natural product synthesis

Photochemical reactions contribute in a significant way to the existing repertoire of carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions by allowing access to exceptional molecular structures that cannot be obtained by conventional means. In this Review, the most important photochemical transformations that have been employed in natural product synthesis are presented. Selected total syntheses are discussed as examples, with particular attention given to the photochemical key step and its stereoselectivity. The structural relationship between the photochemically generated molecule and the natural product is shown, and, where necessary, the consecutive reactions in the synthesis are illustrated and classified.

Systematic studies using 2-(1-adamantylethynyl)pyrimidine-5-carbaldehyde as a starting material in Soai's asymmetric autocatalysis

Herein, we present a new substrate for the Soai reaction, which has an adamantylethynyl residue (1 g) and exhibits asymmetric autocatalysis, yielding products with enantiomeric excesses above 99%. For the first time, all reactions were performed on a parallel synthesizer system to ensure identical reaction conditions. A detailed systematic study of reaction parameters was performed and we report the highest enhancements of enantiomeric excess reported so far in the Soai reaction in one reaction cycle (7.2-->94.1% ee or 3.1-->92.1% ee). Our results led to a set of reaction parameters that yield reproducible results. Therefore, our new starting material 1 g is suitable for systematic and mechanistic studies on this remarkable reaction. A series of experiments designed to quantify the amplification of enantiomeric excess demonstrated that the reaction can be used in principle as a tool for the detection of low enantiomeric excesses: under definite conditions, an unknown low enantiomeric excess (0.1-7%) was amplified to a detectable one. A back calculation to the original value offers a new method for the determination of small enantiomeric excesses.

Design of concise, scalable route to a cholecystokinin 1 (CCK 1) receptor antagonist

Development of efficient, scalable routes for the synthesis of (S)-3-[5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-2-m-tolyl propionic acid, a selective cholecystokinin 1 (CCK 1) receptor antagonist, is described. A key feature of the scale-up route is a concise construction of the complete pyrazole framework in a single step by reacting an aryl hydrazine with an elaborated acetylenic ketone. This route was then further refined incorporating efficient enantioselective strategies to obtain the desired S-enantiomer in high optical purity. The first strategy involved an efficient, recyclable, kinetic resolution by enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of the racemic ester. In the second-generation route, the requisite stereochemistry at the chiral center was generated at an early stage in the synthesis involving a remarkable diastereoselective addition of inexpensive (S)-(-)-ethyl lactate to an alkylaryl ketene. Both methods furnished optically pure (>99% ee) final drug substance as its crystalline sodium salt.

Modulation of the reactivity, stability and substrate- and enantioselectivity of an epoxidation catalyst by noncovalent dynamic attachment of a receptor functionality—aspects on the mechanism of the Jacobsen–Katsuki epoxidation applied to a supramolecular system

The synthesis of the components of the dynamic supramolecular hydrogen-bonded catalytic system 2 + 3 is described. The catalytic performance and substrate- and enantioselectivity of Mn(salen) catalyst 2 were investigated in the presence and absence of the Zn(porphyrin) receptor unit 3. The effects of pyridine and pyridine N-oxide donor ligands were also studied. Some aspects on the mechanism of the Jacobsen-Katsuki epoxidation, based on literature observations, are introduced as a means to analyse the behaviour of 2 and its modulation by the formation of macrocycle 1 with 3. A complete association model of the metal-free system 4 + 5 refutes the earlier assumption that macrocycle 1 is the predominant form of catalyst 2 under the standard epoxidation reaction conditions with 2 + 3. Evidence are provided that receptor-binding substrates and nonbinding substrates, respectively, are epoxidised by two different catalytic species, or two distinct distributions of species in competitive epoxidations using catalytic system 2 + 3. The two species are assigned to the endo and exo faces of the Mn(salen) catalyst in macrocycle 1, and to equivalently folded oligomeric structures with monomers 2 and 3 in adjacent positions.

Can the π-Facial Selectivity of Solvation Be Predicted by Atomistic Simulation?

This work is concerned with the rationalization and prediction of solvent and temperature effects in nucleophilic addition to alpha-chiral carbonyl compounds leading to facial diastereoselectivity. We study, using molecular dynamics simulations, the facial solvation of (R)-2-phenyl-propionaldehyde in n-pentane and n-octane at a number of temperatures and compare it with experimental selectivity data for the nBuLi addition leading to syn- and anti-(2R)-2-phenyl-3-heptanol, which give nonlinear Eyring plots with the presence of inversion temperatures. We have found from simulations that the facial solvation changes with temperature and alkane. Moreover, by introducing a suitable molecular chirality index we have been able to predict break temperatures (T(CI)) for the two solvents within less than 20 degrees of the inversion temperatures experimentally observed in the diastereoselective nBuLi addition. We believe this could lead to a viable approach for predicting inversion temperatures and other subtle solvent effects in a number of stereoselective reactions.

Designing the “Search Pathway” in the Development of a New Class of Highly Efficient Stereoselective Hydrosilylation Catalysts

The direct coupling of oxazolines and N-heterocyclic carbenes leads to chelating C,N ancillary ligands for asymmetric catalysis that combine both an "anchor" unit and a stereodirecting element. Reacting various N-substituted imidazoles with 2-bromo-4(S)-tert-butyl- and 2-bromo-4(S)-isopropyloxazoline gave the imidazolium precursors of the stereodirecting ancillary ligands. A library of ten different ligand precursors was obtained by using this simple procedure (65-97 % yield). These protioligands were metalated in a subsequent step by reaction with [{Rh(mu-OtBu)(nbd)}2] (nbd=norbornadiene), generated in situ from KOtBu and [{RhCl(nbd)}2] giving the corresponding N-heterocyclic carbene complexes [RhBr(nbd)(oxazolinyl-carbene)] 4 a-j in good yields. X-ray diffraction studies of two of the rhodium complexes, 4 d and 4 j, established a distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry with the bromo ligand occupying the apical position. The rhodium-carbene bond length was found to be 2.070(4) A (4 d) and 2.012(3) A (4 j). Complexes 4 a-j were treated with AgBF4 in dichloromethane, giving the active cationic square-planar catalysts for the hydrosilylation of ketones. As a reference reaction for the catalyst optimisation, the hydrosilylation of acetophenone with diphenylsilane was studied and the system optimised with respect to the counterion (BF(4) (-)), solvent (THF) and the silane reducing agent (diphenylsilane). The reaction product (1-phenylethanol) was obtained with the highest enantiomeric excess (ee) by carrying out the reaction at -60 degrees C, whilst the enantioselectivity drops upon going both to lower and higher temperatures. The observation that the temperature dependence of the ee values goes through a maximum indicated a change in the rate-determining step as the temperature is varied. The determination of the initial reaction rate in the hydrosilylation of acetophenone upon varying the catalyst (4 d) and substrate concentrations at -55 degrees C established a rate law for the initial conversion which is first-order in both substrates as well as the catalyst (Vi = k[4][PhCOMe][Ph2SiH2]). The catalytic system derived from complex 4 d was found to afford high yields and good enantioselectivities in the reduction of various aryl alkyl ketones (acetophenone: 92 % isolated yield and 90 % ee, 2-naphtyl methyl ketone: 99 % yield, 91 % ee). The selectivity for the reduction of prochiral dialkyl ketones is comparable or even superior to the best previously reported for prochiral nonaromatic ketones; whereas cyclopropyl methyl ketone is hydrosilylated with an enantioselectivity of 81 % ee, the increase of the steric demand of one of the alkyl groups leads to improved ee's, reaching 95 % ee in the case of tert-butyl methyl ketone. Linear chain n-alkyl methyl ketones, which are particularly challenging substrates, are reduced in good asymmetric induction, such as 2-octanone (79 % ee) and even 2-butanone (65 % ee).

Asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of N-sulfinyl dienophiles using chiral bis(oxazoline)-copper(II) and -zinc(II) triflates

Asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) reactions of N-sulfinyl dienophiles using bis(oxazoline)-copper(II) and -zinc(II) triflates are described. The cycloadditions with cyclic and acyclic 1,3-dienes have been studied. In most cases, good enantioselectivities (70-98% ee) and yields (60-85%) were obtained with stoichiometric amounts of the Lewis acids. Cyclic dienes gave the endo adducts as major products, while acyclic dienes provided cis adducts. The HDA adducts have been transformed into N-protected alpha-amino acid methyl esters, amino alcohols, and homoallylic amines. A stereochemical model, which accounts for the enantiofacial selectivity of the HDA reaction by a tetrahedral metal center, has been proposed. Mechanistic studies revealed positive nonlinear effects, assumed to arise from the formation of less-reactive heterochiral complexes. Investigation of the temperature dependence of the enantioselectivity indicated that at least two selective reaction steps exist in the zinc-catalyzed reaction. Reactions run with 10 mol % chiral Lewis acid gave poor yields and selectivities. However, in combination with TMSOTf (100 mol %), high yields (68-86%) and enantioselectivities (97-98% ee) were obtained.

Theoretical Study of the Stereoselective Additions of Chiral Alcohols to Ketenes

In 1989, Larsen et al. at Merck discovered that the addition of chiral alcohols to ketenes provided enantiomerically enriched aryl propionic acids, compounds valued for their therapeutic antiinflammatory properties. The high 1,4-asymmetric induction observed (>99:1 dr in the addition, and up to 99% ee after hydrolysis to the acid) is rare. A quantitative model based on B3LYP density functional theory calculations accounts for the stereoselectivity in the addition of (S)-methyl lactate, (S)-3-methyl-2-butanol, and (S)-pantolactone to methylphenylketene. The conformational processes of the intermediates can impact the stereoselectivity of the process, and either the addition step, or the protonation of the enolate intermediate, may be stereoselectivity determining.

Chiral aldehydes in hydrocarbons: diastereoselective nucleophilic addition, NMR, and CD spectroscopy reveal dynamic solvation effects

Temperature-dependent studies on the diastereoselective nucleophilic addition of n- BuLi to alpha-chiral aldehydes as (S)-O-(t-butyl-dimethylsilyl)lactal, (S)-O-(t-butyl-dimethylsilyl) mandelic aldehyde, and (R)-2-phenylpropanal in n-decane and n-dodecane reveal dynamic solvation phenomena with the presence of inversion temperatures (T(inv)) in the Eyring plots of ln (anti/syn) vs. 1/ T. These dynamic solvent effects were disclosed by temperature-dependent studies of the (13)C NMR, CD, and UV spectra of the starting aldehydes in solution of n-decane and n-dodecane. The concomitant presence of three peculiar temperatures T(CD), T(UV), and T(NMR), whose values are identical and match T(inv), clearly confirms our earlier interpretation of the solvent-dependent nature of T(inv). The inversion temperature, as well as T(CD), T(UV), and T(NMR) represents the interconversion temperature of two different solvation clusters which act as two different supramolecules with different stereoselectivities.