Structural Diversity through Gold Catalysis: Stereoselective Synthesis of N-Hydroxypyrrolines, Dihydroisoxazoles, and Dihydro-1,2-oxazines

Hydroxylamines: From Synthetic Intermediates to Synthetic Targets

ConspectusSynergy between the teaching and research activities of a University should be a source of new ideas, each informing the other. A classroom discussion gave rise to our concept of using hydroxylamines as a form of "tethered nitrogen" for alkaloid synthesis. The "tether" temporarily connects a nucleophilic nitrogen atom to the substrate, rendering an intermolecular reaction intramolecular, thus providing stereo- and regiochemical control for C-N bond formation. In the context of the synthesis of 1,3-amino alcohols, this necessitated the synthesis of isoxazolidines. This concept led to the exploration of methods for the synthesis of these heterocycles beyond the well-established 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions. The first two methods developed based upon this concept were palladium catalyzed cyclocarbonylation and silver catalyzed allene cyclization. These new methods were applied to two syntheses of sedamine and the synthesis of three Nuphar alkaloids. Intramolecular aza-Michael addition, combined with the use of cross-metathesis to generate the substrates, gave access to both isoxazolidines and tetrahydro-1,2-oxazines. This new method made possible a synthesis of monomorine with high stereochemical control. The extension to more complex alkaloids required the incorporation of additional chemistry. Combining allene cyclization with iminium ion chemistry allowed the extension to the more complex piperidine alkaloids porantheridine and sedinine. In these cases, successful stereocontrol relied on the ability to predict the conformation of the intermediates and the trajectory of the nucleophilic attack, which may be sterically or stereoelectronically controlled. Inspection of our collection of methods revealed that we had good methods for cis-3,5-disubstituted isoxazolidines and trans-3,6-disubstituted tetrahydro-1,2-oxazines. Inspired by earlier work involving iminium ions, methods were developed to provide the complementary trans-isoxazolidines and cis-oxazines, using an allylation reaction. This, combined with our interest in applications of hydroformylation, led to the synthesis of 5-hydroxysedamine. Venturing away from piperidines, this method was successfully applied to the synthesis of the β-amino acid antibiotic negamycin. Use of N,O-heterocycles as intermediates naturally sparked an interest in N,O-heterocycles as synthetic targets, as there are many natural products that contain the hydroxylamine moiety, often incorporated into an isoxazolidine or 1,2-oxazine ring. As the presence of the hydroxylamine moiety cannot be fully demonstrated using the usual spectroscopic methods, total synthesis can be employed to bridge this logical gap. A synthesis of raistrickindole A, utilizing an intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction of a hydroxamic acid to form a 1,2-oxazine, confirmed the structure of this diketopiperazine natural product. A synthesis of preisomide, using an aza-Michael addition to form the required 1,2-oxazine, also confirmed the structure of this natural product.

Asymmetric Photoaerobic Lactonization and Aza-Wacker Cyclization of Alkenes Enabled by Ternary Selenium-Sulfur Multicatalysis

An adaptable, sulfur-accelerated photoaerobic selenium-π-acid ternary catalyst system for the enantioselective allylic redox functionalization of simple, nondirecting alkenes is reported. In contrast to related photoredox catalytic methods, which largely depend on olefinic substrates with heteroatomic directing groups to unfold high degrees of stereoinduction, the current protocol relies on chiral, spirocyclic selenium-π-acids that covalently bind to the alkene moiety. The performance of this ternary catalytic method is demonstrated in the asymmetric, photoaerobic lactonization and cycloamination of enoic acids and unsaturated sulfonamides, respectively, leading to an averaged enantiomeric ratio (er) of 92:8. Notably, this protocol provides for the first time an asymmetric, catalytic entryway to pharmaceutically relevant 3-pyrroline motifs, which was used as a platform to access a 3,4-dihydroxyproline derivative in only seven steps with a 92:8 er.

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Gold-Catalyzed Hydroamination of 1,1-Dimethylallene with N-Methylaniline

The mechanism of the intermolecular hydroamination of 3-methylbuta-1,2-diene (1) with N-methylaniline (2) catalyzed by (IPr)AuOTf has been studied by employing a combination of kinetic analysis, deuterium labelling studies, and in situ spectral analysis of catalytically active mixtures. The results of these and additional experiments are consistent with a mechanism for hydroamination involving reversible, endergonic displacement of N-methylaniline from [(IPr)Au(NHMePh)]⁺ (4) by allene to form the cationic gold π-C1,C2-allene complex [(IPr)Au(η² -H₂ C=C=CMe₂ )]⁺ (I), which is in rapid, endergonic equilibrium with the regioisomeric π-C2,C3-allene complex [(IPr)Au(η² -Me₂ C=C=CH₂ )]⁺ (I'). Rapid and reversible outer-sphere addition of 2 to the terminal allene carbon atom of I' to form gold vinyl complex (IPr)Au[C(=CH₂ )CMe₂ NMePh] (II) is superimposed on the slower addition of 2 to the terminal allene carbon atom of I to form gold vinyl complex (IPr)Au[C(=CMe₂ )CH₂ NMePh] (III). Selective protodeauration of III releases N-methyl-N-(3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl)aniline (3 a) with regeneration of 4. At high conversion, gold vinyl complex II is competitively trapped by an (IPr)Au⁺ fragment to form the cationic bis(gold) vinyl complex {[(IPr)Au]₂ [C(=CH₂ )CMe₂ NMePh]}⁺ (6).

Cycloisomerization of π-Coupled Heteroatom Nucleophiles by Gold Catalysis: En Route to Regiochemically Defined Heterocycles

Since the dawn of millennium, catalytic gold chemistry is at the forefront to set off diverse organic reactions via unique activation of π-bonded molecules. Within this purview, cycloisomerization of heteroatom nucleophiles linked to a π-system is one of the well recognized chemistry for the construction of numerous heterocyclic cores. Though the rudimentary aspects of this transformation are reviewed by several groups in different timeline, a holistic view on regiochemistry of such reactions went largely overlooked. Hence, this account emphasizes the gold catalyzed regioselective cycloisomerization of structurally distinctive π-connected hetero-nucleophiles leading to different heterocycles documented in the last two decades. From an application perspective, this account also highlights those methodologies which find a role in the total synthesis of natural products. Wherever appropriate, mechanistic details and contributing factors for selectivity are also discussed.

Divergent Gold Catalysis: Unlocking Molecular Diversity through Catalyst Control

The catalyst-directed divergent synthesis, commonly termed as "divergent catalysis", has emerged as a promising technique as it allows chartering of structurally distinct products from common substrates simply by modulating the catalyst system. In this regard, gold complexes emerged as powerful catalysts as they offer unique reactivity profiles as compared to various other transition metal catalysts, primarily due to their salient electronic and geometrical features. Owing to the tunable soft π-acidic nature, gold catalysts not only evolved as superior contenders for catalyzing the reactions of alkynes, alkenes, and allenes but also, more intriguingly, have been found to provide divergent reaction pathways over other π-acid catalysts such as Ag, Pt, Pd, Rh, Cu, In, Sc, Hg, Zn, etc. The recent past has witnessed a renaissance in such examples wherein, by choosing gold catalysts over other transition metal catalysts or by fine-tuning the ligands, counteranions or oxidation states of the gold catalyst itself, a complete reactivity switch was observed. However, reviews documenting such examples are sporadic; as a result, most of the reports of this kind remained scattered in the literature, thereby hampering further development of this burgeoning field. By conceptualizing the idea of "Divergent Gold Catalysis (DGC)", this review aims to consolidate all such reports and provide a unified approach necessary to pave the way for further advancement of this exciting area. Based on the factors governing the divergence in product formation, an explicit classification of DGC has been provided. To gain a fundamental understanding of the divergence in observed reactivities and selectivities, the review is accompanied by mechanistic insights at appropriate places.

Diastereospecific Gold(I)-Catalyzed Cyclization Cascade for the Controlled Preparation of N- and N,O-Heterocycles

The reaction of oxime-tethered 1,6-enynes with a cationic gold(I) catalyst demonstrates a great potential for the synthesis of a range of heterocycles in a diastereospecific fashion. The control of the configuration of the oxime and the alkene of the enyne moiety is the key to selectively obtain dihydro-1,2-oxazines, isoxazolines or dihydropyrrole-N-oxides as single diastereoisomers. As supported by DFT calculations, these cascade reactions proceed stepwise, by the intramolecular addition of the O or N atom of the oxime onto cyclopropyl gold(I) carbene intermediates. In this study, a rare [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of nitrones is also observed.

Gold-catalyzed stereoselective cycloisomerization of allenoic acids for two types of common natural γ-butyrolactones

γ-(E)-Vinylic and γ-alkylic γ-butyrolactones are two different types of lactones existing extensively in animals and plants and many of them show interesting biological activities. Nature makes alkylic γ-butyrolactones by many different enzymatic lactonization processes. Scientists have been mimicking the natural strategy by developing new catalysts. However, direct and efficient access to γ-(E)-vinylic γ-butyrolactones is still extremely limited. Here, we wish to present our modular allene approach, which provides an efficient asymmetric approach to (E)-vinylic γ-butyrolactones from allenoic acids by identifying a new gold complex as the catalyst. Based on this cycloisomerization strategy, the first syntheses of racemic xestospongiene and xestospongienes E, F, G, and H have been realized and the absolute configurations of the chiral centers in xestospongienes E and F have been revised. In addition, by applying a C–O bond cleavage-free hydrogenation, the syntheses of naturally occurring γ-alkylic γ-lactones, (R)-4-tetradecalactone, (S)-4-tetradecalactone, (R)-γ-palmitolactone, and (R)-4-decalactone, have also been achieved.

Gamma-butyrolactones are widespread in Nature, however direct catalytic methods to access them are limited. Here, the authors report a gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of allenoic acids to acces γ-butyrolactones and apply it to the asymmetric synthesis of xestospongienes E, F, G, and H and other naturally occurring lactones.

Revealing the Activity of π-Acid Catalysts using a 7-Alkynyl Cycloheptatriene

A compound that isomerizes into distinct products depending on the particular Lewis acid or Brønsted acid catalyst used is disclosed. One product can only be obtained with the softest π-acids, such as Au, Pt, Ga, or In complexes. Another is formed only with harder π-acids incorporating Ag or Cu salts. The formation of the third category requires even harder π-acids or protons. This simple benchmark reaction allows for prediction of the category of transformations that can be catalyzed by a new complex. It also informs whether protons have been unintentionally generated in the reaction mixture.

Governing effects in the mechanism of the gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of allenic hydroxylamine derivatives

The formation of chiral heterocycles via cycloisomerization reactions of allene derivatives has gained relevance due to their associated efficiency and atom-economy. The only drawback that keeps these reactions away from being routine synthetic strategies is the control in the regioselectivity (most often 5-endo vs. 6-endo). In this work, we computationally explore the experimental chemistry reported by Krause using N-hydroxy-α-aminoallenes and hydroxylamine ethers as substrates and provide a rationale for the different reactivity observed. The drastic effects observed experimentally when changing the nature of the gold catalyst have also been studied mechanistically. These results are expected to help in the design of improved regioselective protocols for the formation of medium sized chiral heterocycles from allene substrates.

Dual-role of PtCl2 catalysis in the intramolecular cyclization of (hetero)aryl-allenes for the facile construction of substituted 2,3-dihydropyrroles and polyheterocyclic skeletons

A novel PtCl₂-catalyzed cyclization of (hetero)aryl-allenes has been developed, providing controllable and facile synthesis of substituted 2,3-dihydropyrroles and polyheterocyclic skeletons in moderate to good yields.

Anatomy of gold catalysts: facts and myths

This review article covers the main types of gold(i) complexes used as precatalysts under homogeneous conditions in organic synthesis and discusses the different ways of catalyst activation as well as ligand, silver, and anion effects.

Ligand- and Brønsted acid/base-switchable reaction pathways in gold(i)-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of allenoic acids

Competing gold-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of γ-allenoic acids are optimized through ligand and Brønsted acid/base effects, affording three distinct classes of lactones.

Gold(i)-catalyzed hydroindolylation of allenyl ethers

Nucleophilicity game: the gold(i)-catalyzed reaction/rearrangement of allenyl ethers has been investigated in the presence of indoles. The reaction outcome seems to be decided mainly by the nature of the pendant group of allenyl ether. Control experiments are indicative of an inner sphere mechanism for the hydroindolylation reaction.

Pyrroles versus cyclic nitrones: catalyst-controlled divergent cyclization of N-(2-perfluoroalkyl-3-alkynyl) hydroxylamines

Divergent cyclizations ofN-(2-(perfluoroalkyl)-3-alkynyl) hydroxylamines1have been realized by subtle choice of the catalyst under mild conditions, leading to two distinct types of synthetic valuable compounds, cyclic nitrones2and pyrroles3, in moderate to excellent yields.

Gold-catalyzed oxycyclization of allenic carbamates: expeditious synthesis of 1,3-oxazin-2-ones

A combined experimental and computational study on regioselective gold-catalyzed synthetic routes to 1,3-oxazinan-2-ones (kinetically controlled products) and 1,3-oxazin-2-one derivatives (thermodynamically favored) from easily accessible allenic carbamates has been carried out.