Enantioselective Synthesis of Quaternary Carbon Stereogenic Centers through Copper-Catalyzed Conjugate Additions of Aryl- and Alkylaluminum Reagents to Acyclic Trisubstituted Enones

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.

Organocatalyzed Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Heteroaryl and Aryl Trifluoroborates: a Synthetic Strategy for Discoipyrrole D

Bis-heteroaryl or bis-aryl stereocenters were formed by an organocatalytic enantioselective conjugate addition using the respective trifluoroborate salts as nucleophiles. Control studies suggested that fluoride dissociation is necessary in the anhydrous conditions. This strategy is applicable to the synthesis of discoipyrrole D, an inhibitor of BR5 fibroblast migration.

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.