All-Carbon Quaternary Stereogenic Centers by Enantioselective Cu-Catalyzed Conjugate Additions Promoted by a Chiral N-Heterocyclic Carbene

Enantioselective Allylboration of Acetylene: A Versatile Tool for the Stereodivergent Synthesis of Natural Products

Efficient catalytic methods that allow the use of simple and abundant chemical feedstocks for the preparation of synthetically versatile compounds are central to modern synthetic chemistry. Acetylene is a basic feedstock with a remarkable production over one million tons per year, although it is underutilized in the stereoselective synthesis of fine chemicals. Here we report a facile catalytic multicomponent reaction that allows for the enantio- and diastereoselective allylboration of acetylene gas. This process is catalyzed by a chiral copper catalyst, operates without specialized equipment or pressurization, and provides chiral skipped dienes bearing stereodefined and orthogonally functionalized olefins with excellent levels of chemo-, regio-, enantio- and diastereoselectivity. The combined stereochemical features and orthogonal functionalization make the products privileged structural scaffolds to access the complete set of stereoisomers of the chiral skipped diene core through simple enantio- and diastereodivergent pathways. The utility of the method is demonstrated with the enantioselective synthesis of three bioactive natural skipped diene products, namely (+)-Nyasol, (+)-Hinokiresinol and Phorbasin C, and other related synthetically relevant chiral molecules.

Sulfonate N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Copper Complexes: Uniquely Effective Catalysts for Enantioselective Synthesis of C-C, C-B, C-H, and C-Si Bonds

A copper-based complex that contains a sulfonate N-heterocyclic carbene ligand was first reported 15 years ago. Since then, these organometallic entities have proven to be uniquely effective in catalyzing an assortment of enantioselective transformations, including allylic substitutions, conjugate additions, proto-boryl additions to alkenes, boryl and silyl substitutions, hydride-allyl additions to alkenyl boronates, and additions of boron-containing allyl moieties to N-H ketimines. In this review article, we detail the shortcomings in the state-of-the-art that fueled the development of this air stable ligand class, members of which can be prepared on multigram scale. For each reaction type, when relevant, the prior art at the time of the advance involving sulfonate NHC-Cu catalysts and/or subsequent key developments are briefly analyzed, and the relevance of the advance to efficient and enantioselective total or formal synthesis of biologically active molecules is underscored. Mechanistic analysis of the structural attributes of sulfonate NHC-Cu catalysts that are responsible for their ability to facilitate transformations with high efficiency as well as regio- and enantioselectivity are detailed. This review contains several formerly undisclosed methodological advances and mechanistic analyses, the latter of which constitute a revision of previously reported proposals.

A Concise Total Synthesis of (+)-Waihoensene Guided by Quaternary Center Analysis

The four contiguous all-carbon quaternary centers of waihoensene, coupled with the absence of any traditional reactive functional groups other than a single alkene, render it a particularly challenging synthetic target among angular triquinane natural products. Here, we show that its polycyclic frame can be assembled concisely by using a strategically chosen quaternary center to guide the formation of the other three through judiciously selected C-C bond formation reactions. Those events, which included a unique Conia-ene cyclization and a challenging Pauson-Khand reaction, afforded a 17-step synthesis of the molecule in enantioenriched form.

Versatile Homoallylic Boronates by Chemo-, SN 2'-, Diastereo- and Enantioselective Catalytic Sequence of Cu-H Addition to Vinyl-B(pin)/Allylic Substitution

A highly chemo-, diastereo- and enantioselective catalytic method that efficiently combines a silyl hydride, vinyl-B(pin) (pin=pinacolato) and (E)-1,2-disubstituted allylic phosphates is introduced. Reactions, best promoted by a Cu-based complex with a chiral sulfonate-containing N-heterocyclic carbene, are broadly applicable. Aryl-, heteroaryl-, alkenyl-, alkynyl- and alkyl-substituted allylic phosphates may thus be converted to the corresponding homoallylic boronates and then alcohols (after C-B bond oxidation) in 46-91 % yield and in up to >98 % SN 2':SN 2 ratio, 96:4 diastereomeric ratio and 98:2 enantiomeric ratio. The reasons why an NHC-Cu catalyst is uniquely effective (vs. the corresponding phosphine systems) and the basis for different trends in stereoselectivity are provided with the aid of DFT calculations.

Chiral Bidentate NHC Ligands Based on the 1,1'-Binaphthyl Scaffold: Synthesis and Application in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric Reactions

The use of the chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl scaffold to construct chiral ligands can be traced back for a long time. However, the development of bidentate NHC ligands based on the same backbone has only appeared recently. In this account, we describe the design and synthesis of a new family of chiral NHC ligands based on the 1,1'-binaphthyl scaffold and demonstrate the applications of these chiral NHC-metal complexes in the catalyzed oxidative kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols, asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formations, hydrosilylations, and cyclizations of 1,6-enynes. The chiral NHC ligands containing the 1,1'-binaphthyl backbone can be synthesized in good yields from enantiomerically pure 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine. These transition metals coordinated with chiral bidentate NHC ligands exhibit high catalytic activities and good enantioselectivities for a wide range of metal-catalyzed asymmetric reactions.

Chiral N-heterocyclic carbene ligands bearing a pyridine moiety for the copper-catalyzed alkylation of N-sulfonylimines with dialkylzinc reagents

Amino acid-derived chiral imidazolium salts, each bearing a pyridine ring, were developed as N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. The copper-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of various N-sulfonylimines with dialkylzinc reagents in the presence of these chiral imidazolium salts afforded the corresponding alkylated products with high enantioselectivity (up to 99 % ee). The addition of HMPA to the reaction mixture as a co-solvent is critical in terms of chemical yield and enantioselectivity. A wide range of N-sulfonylimines and dialkylzinc reagents were found to be applicable to this reaction.

Remarkable enhancement of enantioselectivity in the asymmetric conjugate addition of dimethylzinc to (Z)-nitroalkenes with a catalytic [(MeCN)₄Cu]PF₆-Hoveyda ligand complex

An enantioselective copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of Me2Zn to (Z)-nitroalkenes led to the formation of all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers with high stereoselectivity. The key features of the new method are the unprecedented use of [(MeCN)4Cu]PF6 in conjunction with the Hoveyda ligand L1 and the use of (Z)-nitroalkene substrates so that undesired nitroalkene isomerization is minimized and enantioselectivity is enhanced dramatically. We also describe a novel, practical, and highly (Z)-selective nitroalkene synthesis.

A cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene/chiral phosphate catalysis system for allenolate annulations

The highly enantioselective NHC-catalyzed [3+2] annulation reaction with α,β-alkynals and α-ketoesters has been developed. A new mode of cooperative catalysis involving the combination of a chiral Brønsted acid and a C1-symmetric biaryl saturated-imidazolium precatalyst was required to generate the desired γ-crotonolactones in high yields and levels of enantioselectivity.

Highly chemo-, enantio-, and regioselective synthesis of α,α-disubstituted furanones by Cu-catalyzed conjugate addition

A highly chemo-, enantio-, and regioselective synthesis of furanones bearing an α,α-disubstituted quaternary stereogenic center is reported. The Cu-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of organoaluminum reagents to unsaturated ketoesters at room temperature and subsequent lactonization took place. Synthetic transformations of furanones represent facile approaches to various cyclic or acyclic compounds bearing a quaternary stereogenic center.

A multicomponent Ni-, Zr-, and Cu-catalyzed strategy for enantioselective synthesis of alkenyl-substituted quaternary carbons

The availability of enantiomerically enriched carbonyl-containing compounds is essential to the synthesis of biologically active molecules. Since catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition (ECA) reactions directly generate the latter valuable class of molecules, the design and development of such protocols represents a compelling objective in modern chemistry. Herein, we disclose the first solution to the problem of ECA of alkenyl groups to acyclic trisubstituted enones, an advance achieved by adopting an easily modifiable and fully catalytic approach. The requisite alkenylaluminum reagents are synthesized with exceptional site- and/or stereoselectivity by a Ni-catalyzed hydroalumination process, and the necessary enones are prepared through a site- and stereoselective zirconocene-catalyzed carboalumination/acylation reaction. The all-catalytic procedure is complete within four hours, furnishing the desired products in up to 77 % overall yield and 99:1 enantiomeric ratio.

Formation of quaternary stereogenic centers by NHC-Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition reactions with Grignard reagents on polyconjugated cyclic enones

The copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of various Grignard reagents to polyconjugated enones (dienone and enynone derivatives) is reported. The catalyst system, composed of copper triflate and an NHC ligand, led to the unusual selective formation of the 1,4-addition products. This reaction allows for the creation of all-carbon chiral quaternary centers with enantiomeric excesses up to 99%. The remaining unsaturation on the 1,4 adducts give access to valuable synthetic transformations.

Terpenoid-Alkaloids: Their Biosynthetic Twist of Fate and Total Synthesis

Terpenes and alkaloids are ever-growing classes of natural products that provide new molecular structures which inspire chemists and possess a broad range of biological activity. Terpenoid-alkaloids originate from the same prenyl units that construct terpene skeletons. However, during biosynthesis, a nitrogen atom (or atoms) is introduced in the form of β-aminoethanol, ethylamine, or methylamine. Nitrogen incorporation can occur either before, during, or after the cyclase phase. The outcome of this unique biosynthesis is the formation of natural products containing unprecedented structures. These complex structural motifs expose current limitations in organic chemistry, thus providing opportunities for invention. This review focuses on total syntheses of terpenoid-alkaloids and unique issues presented by this class of natural products. More specifically, it examines how these syntheses relate to the way terpenoid-alkaloids are made in Nature. Developments in chemistry that have facilitated these syntheses are emphasized, as well as chemical technology needed to conquer those that evade synthesis.