Site-Selective C-H Arylation of Diverse Arenes Ortho to Small Alkyl Groups

Catalytic systems for direct C-H activation of arenes commonly show preference for electronically activated and sterically exposed C-H sites. Here we show that a range of functionally rich and pharmaceutically relevant arene classes can undergo site-selective C-H arylation ortho to small alkyl substituents, preferably endocyclic methylene groups. The C-H activation is experimentally supported as being the selectivity-determining step, while computational studies of the transition state models indicate the relevance of non-covalent interactions between the catalyst and the methylene group of the substrate. Our results suggest that preference for C(sp2 )-H activation next to alkyl groups could be a general selectivity mode, distinct from common steric and electronic factors.

Size-Induced Inversion of Selectivity in the Acylation of 1,2-Diols

Relative rates for the Lewis base-catalyzed acylation of aryl-substituted 1,2-diols with anhydrides differing in size have been determined by turnover-limited competition experiments and absolute kinetics measurements. Depending on the structure of the anhydride reagent, the secondary hydroxyl group of the 1,2-diol reacts faster than the primary one. This preference towards the secondary hydroxyl group is boosted in the second acylation step from the monoesters to the diester through size and additional steric effects. In absolute terms the first acylation step is found to be up to 35 times faster than the second one for the primary alcohols due to neighboring group effects.

Catalytic Substrate-Selective Silylation of Primary Alcohols via Remote Functional-Group Discrimination

Silylation of alcohols has generally been known to take place at the sterically most accessible less-hindered hydroxy group. However, we report here the catalyst-controlled substrate-selective silylation of primary alcohols, where the selectivity was controlled independent of the innate reactivity of the hydroxy group based on the steric environment. The chain-length-selective silylation of 1, n- amino alcohol derivatives was achieved, where 1,5-amino alcohol derivatives showed outstanding high reactivity in the presence of analogues with a shorter or longer chain length under catalyst-controlled conditions. A highly substrate-selective catalytic silylation of pentanol analogues was also developed, in which the remote functionality at C(5) from the reacting hydroxy groups was effectively discriminated on silylation.

Experimental and Computational Studies on Regiodivergent Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Mupirocin Methyl Ester

This article presents a new strategy for achieving regiocontrol over the endo versus exo modes of cycloisomerizations of epoxide-containing alcohols, which leads to the formation of five- or six-membered cyclic ethers. Unlike traditional methods relying on achiral reagents or enzymes, this approach utilizes chiral phosphoric acids to catalyze the regiodivergent selective formations of either tetrahydrofuran- or tetrahydropyran-containing products. By using methyl ester of epoxide-containing antibiotic mupirocin as the substrate, it is demonstrated that catalytic chiral phosphoric acids (R)-TCYP and (S)-TIPSY could be used to achieve the selective formation of either the six-membered endo product (95:5 r.r.) or the five-membered exo product (77:23 r.r.), correspondingly. This cyclization was found to be unselective under the standard conditions involving various achiral acids, bases, or buffers. The subsequent mechanistic studies using state-of-the-art quantum chemical solutions provided the description of the potential energy surface, which is fully consistent with the experimental observations. Based on these results, highly detailed reaction paths are obtained and a concerted and highly synchronous mechanism is proposed for the formation of both exo and endo products.

A DNA-conjugated small molecule catalyst enzyme mimic for site-selective ester hydrolysis

The challenge of site-selectivity must be overcome in many chemical research contexts, including selective functionalization in complex natural products and labeling of one biomolecule in a living system. Synthetic catalysts incorporating molecular recognition domains can mimic naturally-occurring enzymes to direct a chemical reaction to a particular instance of a functional group. We propose that DNA-conjugated small molecule catalysts (DCats), prepared by tethering a small molecule catalyst to a DNA aptamer, are a promising class of reagents for site-selective transformations. Specifically, a DNA-imidazole conjugate able to increase the rate of ester hydrolysis in a target ester by >100-fold compared with equimolar untethered imidazole was developed. Other esters are unaffected. Furthermore, DCat-catalyzed hydrolysis follows enzyme-like kinetics and a stimuli-responsive variant of the DCat enables programmable "turn on" of the desired reaction.

Regiodivergent Glycosylations of 6-Deoxy-erythronolide B and Oleandomycin-Derived Macrolactones Enabled by Chiral Acid Catalysis

This work describes the first example of using chiral catalysts to control site-selectivity for the glycosylations of complex polyols such as 6-deoxyerythronolide B and oleandomycin-derived macrolactones. The regiodivergent introduction of sugars at the C3, C5, and C11 positions of macrolactones was achieved by selecting appropriate chiral acids as catalysts or through introduction of stoichiometric boronic acid-based additives. BINOL-based chiral phosphoric acids (CPAs) were used to catalyze highly selective glycosylations at the C5 positions of macrolactones (up to 99:1 rr), whereas the use of SPINOL-based CPAs resulted in selectivity switch and glycosylation of the C3 alcohol (up to 91:9 rr). Additionally, the C11 position of macrolactones was selectively functionalized through traceless protection of the C3/C5 diol with boronic acids prior to glycosylation. Investigation of the reaction mechanism for the CPA-controlled glycosylations revealed the involvement of covalently linked anomeric phosphates rather than oxocarbenium ion pairs as the reactive intermediates.

Exploring Cooperative Effects in Oxidative NHC Catalysis: Regioselective Acylation of Carbohydrates

The utility of oxidative NHC catalysis for both the regioselective and chemoselective functionalization of carbohydrates is explored. Chiral NHCs allow for the highly regioselective oxidative esterification of various carbohydrates using aldehydes as acylation precursors. The transformation was also shown to be amenable to both cis/trans diol isomers, free amino groups, and selective for specific sugar epimers in competition experiments. Efficiency and regioselectivity of the acylation can be improved upon using two different NHC catalysts that act cooperatively. The potential of the method is documented by the regioselective acylation of an amino-linked neodisaccharide.

Identifying the cellular targets of natural products using T7 phage display

A description of the T7 phage biopanning procedure is provided with tips and advice suitable for setup in a chemistry laboratory.

Catalyst-directed diastereo- and site-selectivity in successive nucleophilic and electrophilic allylations of chiral 1,3-diols: protecting-group-free synthesis of substituted pyrans

The iridium-catalyzed, protecting group-free synthesis of 4-hydroxy-2,6-cis- or trans-pyrans through successive nucleophilic and electrophilic allylations of chiral 1,3-diols occurs with complete levels of catalyst-directed diastereoselectivity in the absence of protecting groups, premetallated reagents, or discrete alcohol-to-aldehyde redox reactions.

Recognition and site-selective transformation of monosaccharides by using copper(II) catalysis

We demonstrate copper(II)-catalyzed acylation and tosylation of monosaccharides. Various carbohydrate derivatives, including glucopyranosides and ribofuranosides, are obtained in high yields and regioselectivities. Using this versatile strategy, the site of acylation can be switched by choice of ligand. Preliminary mechanistic studies support nucleophilic addition of a copper-sugar complex to the acyl chloride to be turnover limiting.

Chemical tailoring of teicoplanin with site-selective reactions

Semisynthesis of natural product derivatives combines the power of fermentation with orthogonal chemical reactions. Yet, chemical modification of complex structures represents an unmet challenge, as poor selectivity often undermines efficiency. The complex antibiotic teicoplanin eradicates bacterial infections. However, as resistance emerges, the demand for improved analogues grows. We have discovered chemical reactions that achieve site-selective alteration of teicoplanin. Utilizing peptide-based additives that alter reaction selectivities, certain bromo-teicoplanins are accessible. These new compounds are also scaffolds for selective cross-coupling reactions, enabling further molecular diversification. These studies enable two-step access to glycopeptide analogues not available through either biosynthesis or rapid total chemical synthesis alone. The new compounds exhibit a spectrum of activities, revealing that selective chemical alteration of teicoplanin may lead to analogues with attenuated or enhanced antibacterial properties, in particular against vancomycin- and teicoplanin-resistant strains.

Ketone hydrosilylation with sugar silanes followed by intramolecular aglycone delivery: an orthogonal glycosylation strategy

Gettin' a little sugar-no alcohol required: A procedure for the direct glycosylation of ketones without a hydroxy intermediate enables the site-selective glycosylation of hydroxyketones at the ketone or the alcohol functionality without the use of protecting groups on the aglycone (see scheme). Site selectivity is controlled by the catalyst structure in hydrosilylation and dehydrogenative silylation reactions with sugar silanes. Bn=benzyl.

Palladium(II)-catalyzed C-H activation/C-C cross-coupling reactions: versatility and practicality

In the past decade, palladium-catalyzed C-H activation/C-C bond-forming reactions have emerged as promising new catalytic transformations; however, development in this field is still at an early stage compared to the state of the art in cross-coupling reactions using aryl and alkyl halides. This Review begins with a brief introduction of four extensively investigated modes of catalysis for forming C-C bonds from C-H bonds: Pd(II)/Pd(0), Pd(II)/Pd(IV), Pd(0)/Pd(II)/Pd(IV), and Pd(0)/Pd(II) catalysis. A more detailed discussion is then directed towards the recent development of palladium(II)-catalyzed coupling of C-H bonds with organometallic reagents through a Pd(II)/Pd(0) catalytic cycle. Despite the progress made to date, improving the versatility and practicality of this new reaction remains a tremendous challenge.

Supramolecular bidentate ligands by metal-directed in situ formation of antiparallel beta-sheet structures and application in asymmetric catalysis

The principles of protein structure design, molecular recognition, and supramolecular and combinatorial chemistry have been applied to develop a convergent metal-ion-assisted self-assembly approach that is a very simple and effective method for the de novo design and the construction of topologically predetermined antiparallel beta-sheet structures and self-assembled catalysts. A new concept of in situ generation of bidentate P-ligands for transition-metal catalysis, in which two complementary, monodentate, peptide-based ligands are brought together by employing peptide secondary structure motif as constructing tool to direct the self-assembly process, is achieved through formation of stable beta-sheet motifs and subsequent control of selectivity. The supramolecular structures were studied by (1)H, (31)P, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, X-ray structure analysis, and theoretical calculations. Our initial catalysis results confirm the close relationship between the self-assembled sheet conformations and the catalytic activity of these metallopeptides in the asymmetric rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation. Good catalyst activity and moderate enantioselectivity were observed for the selected combination of catalyst and substrate, but most importantly the concept of this new methodology was successfully proven. This work presents a perspective interface between protein design and supramolecular catalysis for the design of beta-sheet mimetics and screening of libraries of self-organizing supramolecular catalysts.