10-Step Asymmetric Total Synthesis and Stereochemical Elucidation of (+)-Dragmacidin D

Lithium Enolate with a Lithium-Alkyne Interaction in the Enantioselective Construction of Quaternary Carbon Centers: Concise Synthesis of (+)-Goniomitine

We report a method for direct enantioselective alkylation of 3-alkynoic and 2,3-alkendioic acids that form quaternary stereogenic centers, and application of this method to the total enantioselective synthesis of a complex alkaloid (+)-goniomitine. The methods were effective in the alkylation of both 3-alkynoic acids, 2,3-alkendioic acids substrates with a broad range of heterocyclic and functionalized alkyl group substituents. Accompanying crystallographic studies provide mechanistic insight into the structure of well-defined chiral aggregates, highlighting cation-π interactions between lithium and alkyne groups.

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Thiocarbonylation of Styrenes

A highly enantioselective thiocarbonylation of styrenes with CO and thiols has been achieved by Pd catalysis, providing highly enantioenriched thioesters in good to excellent yields. Key to the successful execution of this reaction is the use of a chiral sulfoxide-(P-dialkyl)-phosphine (SOP) ligands. This thiocarbonylation proceeds smoothly under mild reaction conditions (1 atm CO and 0 °C) and displays broad substrate scope. Also demonstrated is that this transformation can be conducted using surrogates of CO, greatly increasing the safety aspects of running the reaction. The generality and utility of the method is manifested by its application to the synthetic transformations of thioester products and the direct acylation of cysteine-containing dipeptides. A primary mechanism was investigated and a plausible catalytic cycle was proposed.

Mixed Aggregates of the Dilithiated Koga Tetraamine: NMR Spectroscopic and Computational Studies

A combination of (1) H, (6) Li, (13) C, and (15) N NMR spectroscopies and density functional theory computations explores the formation of mixed aggregates by a dilithium salt of a C2 -symmetric chiral tetraamine (Koga's base). Lithium halides, acetylides, alkoxides, and monoalkylamides form isostructural trilithiated mixed aggregates with few exceptions. (6) Li-(13) C and (6) Li-(15) N couplings reveal heretofore undetected transannular contacts (laddering) with lithium acetylides and lithium monoalkylamides. Marked temperature-dependent (15) N chemical shifts seem to be associated with this laddering. Computational studies shed light on the general structures of the aggregates, their penchant for laddering, and the stereochemical consequences of aggregation.