Catalytic asymmetric bromoamination of chalcones: highly efficient synthesis of chiral alpha-bromo-beta-amino ketone derivatives

CuCl2 -Catalyzed α-Chloroketonation of Aromatic Alkenes via Visible-Light-Induced LMCT

Here we report a copper-catalyzed protocol for the synthesis of α-chloroketones from aromatic alkenes including electron-deficient olefins under visible-light irradiation. Preliminary mechanistic studies show that the peroxo Cu(II) species is the key intermediate and hydroperoxyl (HOO⋅) and chlorine (Cl⋅) radicals can be generated by ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT).

Electrophilic Thiocyanato Reagent Assisted Oxa-Michael/Thiocyanation of α,β-Unsaturated Ketones

A route for thiocyanation-functionalization of the electron-deficient C═C double bond was developed. Regioselective thiocyanation-etherification of α,β-unsaturated ketones was achieved. The desired products were obtained in moderate to high yields under mild conditions. It was suggested that the nucleophile was activated by the electrophilic thiocyanato reagent, and difunctionalization was achieved through a 1,4-addition/thiocyanation pathway.

Anionic Chiral Co(III) Complexes Mediated Asymmetric Halocyclization─Synthesis of 5-Halomethyl Pyrazolines and Isoxazolines

An asymmetric synthesis of 5-halomethyl pyrazolines and isoxazolines which bear a tertiary stereocenter by catalytic halocyclization of β,γ-unsaturated hydrazones and ketoximes is described. By using Brønsted acids of anionic chiral Co(III) complexes as catalysts, a variety of chiral 5-halomethyl pyrazolines and isoxazolines were obtained in good yields with high enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield, 97:3 er). Preliminary bioassay results indicated that several isoxazoline derivatives exhibited significant antifungal activities.

Asymmetric Halocyclizations of 2-Vinylbenzyl Alcohols with Chiral FLPs

By the use of a chiral frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) consisting of a chiral-diene-derived borane and ^tBu₃P as the catalyst, an asymmetric halocyclization of 2-vinylbenzyl alcohols with NBS or NIS was successfully realized. A variety of optically active 1,3-dihydroisobenofuran derivatives were obtained in high yields with up to 87% ee and could be conveniently converted to other useful chiral compounds.

Bi(OTf)3 -catalyed One-pot Synthesis of α-Halo-β-amino Ketones and Acyl Aziridines from 3-Aryl Propargyl Alcohols

A Bi(OTf)₃ -catalyed reaction of 3-aryl propargyl alcohols with sulfonamide and halogen source was firstly investigated, which provided a facile route for the synthesis of a large variety of α-halo-β-amino ketones. The key intermediates, β-amino ketones, were obtained through tandem Meyer-Schuster rearrangement reaction of propargyl alcohols and intermolecular Michael addition of α, β-unsaturated ketones and sulfonamide. Then the in situ generated α-halo-β-amino ketones underwent the base-promoted intramolecular cyclization to give diverse acyl aziridines in a one-pot fashion. These transformations are reliable on a large scale. The high yields and convenient experimental operations make it a valuable method for the construction of α-halo-β-amino ketones and acyl aziridine derivatives.

Direct amidation of metallaaromatics: access to N-functionalized osmapentalynes via a 1,5-bromoamidated intermediate

The direct C–H amidation or imidation of metallaaromatics with N-bromoamides or imides has been achieved under mild conditions and leads to the formation of a family of N-functionalized metallapentalyne derivatives. A unique 1,5-bromoamidated species has been identified, and can be viewed as a σ^H-adduct intermediate in a nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The 1,5-addition of both electrophilic and nucleophilic moieties into the metallaaromatic framework demonstrates a novel pathway in contrast to the typical radical process of arene C–H amidation involving N-haloamide reagents.

The direct C–H amidation of metallapentalyne has been achieved under mild conditions in which key 1,5-bromoamidated intermediates was determined.

Catalytic enantioselective bromohydroxylation of cinnamyl alcohols

This work describes an effective enantioselective bromohydroxylation of cinnamyl alcohols with (DHQD)₂PHAL as the catalyst and H₂O as the nucleophile, providing a variety of corresponding optically active bromohydrins with up to 95% ee.

Optically active bromohydrins are obtained with up to 95% ee via asymmetric bromohydroxylation of cinnamyl alcohols with H₂O as nucleophile.

Ritter-enabled catalytic asymmetric chloroamidation of olefins

Intermolecular asymmetric haloamination reactions are challenging due to the inherently high halenium affinity (HalA) of the nitrogen atom, which often leads to N-halogenated products as a kinetic trap. To circumvent this issue, acetonitrile, possessing a low HalA, was used as the nucleophile in the catalytic asymmetric Ritter-type chloroamidation of allyl-amides. This method is compatible with Z and E alkenes with both alkyl and aromatic substitution. Mild acidic workup reveals the 1,2-chloroamide products with enantiomeric excess greater than 95% for many examples. We also report the successful use of the sulfonamide chlorenium reagent dichloramine-T in this chlorenium-initiated catalytic asymmetric Ritter-type reaction. Facile modifications lead to chiral imidazoline, guanidine, and orthogonally protected 1,2,3 chiral tri-amines.

Intermolecular haloamination reactions are challenging due to the high halenium affinity of the nitrogen atom. This is circumvented by using acetonitrile as an attenuated nucleophile, resulting in an enantioselective halo-Ritter reaction.

Triple Frustrated Lewis Pair-Type Reactivity on a Single Rare-Earth Metal Center

Rare-earth metal cations have been used rarely as Lewis-acidic components in the chemistry of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs). Herein, we report the first cerium/phosphorus system (2) employing a heptadentate N₄ P₃ ligand, which exhibits triple FLP-type reactivity towards a series of organic substrates, including isocyanates, isothiocyanates, diazomethane, and azides on a single rare-earth Lewis acidic Ce center. This result shows that the Ce center and three P atoms in 2 could simultaneously activate three equivalents of small molecules under mild conditions. This study broadens the diversity of FLPs and demonstrates that rare earth based FLP exhibit unique properties compared with other FLP systems.

Solvent interception, heterocyclization and desilylation upon NBS-induced sulfamidation of trimethyl(vinyl)silane

The reaction of trimethyl(vinyl)silane with sulfonamides in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide was shown to proceed regioselectively in methylene chloride under mild conditions and led to the products of bromosulfamidation in up to 88% yield. The obtained adducts undergo base-promoted dehydrobromination to give 2-trimethylsilyl-N-sulfonyl aziridines in a close to quantitative yield. In the reaction with trifluoromethanesulfonamide in acetonitrile or tetrahydrofuran, the Ritter-type (solvent-interception) products were obtained and converted to 1-triflyl-2-methyl-5-(trimethylsilyl)-2-imidazoline or 4-triflyl-3-(trimethylsilyl)-1,4-oxazocane in almost quantitative yield.

Kinetic Resolution of Aziridines via Catalytic Asymmetric Ring-Opening Reaction with Mercaptobenzothiazoles

A highly efficient kinetic resolution of racemic 2-acyl-3-aryl-N-tosylaziridines is achieved through a chiral Lewis acid promoted ring-opening reaction with 2-mercaptobenzothiazoles as the nucleophiles. The chiral N,N'-dioxide-lanthanum complex as catalyst and the 2-mercaptobenzothiazoles as active sulfur nucleophiles are the keys to the success of the reaction. A variety of enantioenriched β-amino thioethers and aziridines are obtained in good yields with good ee values.

A Convenient C-H Functionalization Platform for Pyrroloiminoquinone Alkaloid Synthesis

Pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids represent a structurally intriguing class of natural products that display an array of useful biological properties. Here, we present a versatile and scalable platform for the synthesis of this diverse family - and in particular the antitumor discorhabdins - built upon sequential selective C-H functionalization of tryptamine. The utility of this strategy is showcased through short formal syntheses of damirones A-C, makaluvamines D and I, and discorhadbin E. Additionally, we describe efforts to develop the first catalytic asymmetric entry to the discorhabdin subclass.

Catalytic Asymmetric Construction of β-Azido Amides and Esters via Haloazidation

A catalytic regio- and enantioselective haloazidation reaction with a chiral iron(II) complex catalyst under mild reaction conditions was reported. By this approach, the stereoselective α-halo-β-azido difunctionalization of both α,β-unsaturated amides and α,β-unsaturated esters was achieved. This method enabled the construction of a broad spectrum of valuable functionalized amides and esters, including enantiomerically enriched β-azido amides, aziridine amides, α-amino amide derivatives, β-triazole amides, functionalized peptide derivatives, and α-halo-β-azido-substituted esters.

Catalytic Regio- and Enantioselective Haloazidation of Allylic Alcohols

Herein we report a highly regio- and stereoselective haloazidation of allylic alcohols. This enantioselective reaction uses readily available materials and can be performed on a variety of alkyl-substituted alkenes and can incorporate either bromine or chlorine as the electrophilic halogen component. Both halide and azido groups of the resulting products can be transformed into valuable building blocks with complete stereospecificity. The first example of an enantioselective 1,4-haloazidation of a conjugated diene is reported as well as its application to a concise synthesis of an aza-sugar.

Asymmetric Catalytic Halofunctionalization of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Halofunctionalization methods enable the vicinal difunctionalization of alkenes with heteroatom nucleophiles and halogen moieties. As a fundamental transformation in organic synthesis, the catalytic asymmetric variants have only recently been reported. In sharp contrast to the asymmetric halocyclization of simple alkenes which involves a nucleophile-assisted alkene activation process, the asymmetric halofunctionalization of enones developed by our laboratory features an electrophile-assisted 1,4-addition pathway. Our work in this area has resulted in the development of several different types of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective processes, including inter- and intramolecular haloaminations, haloetherifications, and haloazidations. The scope, updated mechanism, limitations, and future perspective of these reactions are discussed.

Synthesis of Enantioenriched Bromohydrins via Divergent Reactions of Racemic Intermediates from Anchimeric Oxygen Borrowing

We report a chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed bromocyclization/regiodivergent reaction of racemic intermediates sequence, which is enabled by anchimeric oxygen borrowing. Different types of alkenes are applicable, and both enantiomers of the bromohydrin products were obtained in generally excellent yields and enantioselectivities. In addition, an example of enantioconvergent synthesis from the two isomeric products is presented.

Recent Advances in Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,4-Conjugate Addition (ACA) of Nonorganometallic Nucleophiles

The metal-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition (ACA) reaction has emerged as a general and powerful approach for the construction of optically active compounds and is among the most significant and useful reactions in synthetic organic chemistry. In recent years, great progress has been made in this area with the use of various chiral metal complexes based on different chiral ligands. This review provides comprehensive and critical information on the enantioselective 1,4-conjugate addition of nonorganometallic (soft) nucleophiles and their importance in synthetic applications. The literature is covered from the last 10 years, and a number of examples from before 2007 are included as background information. The review is divided into multiple parts according to the type of nucleophile involved in the reaction (such as C-, B-, O-, N-, S-, P-, and Si-centered nucleophiles) and metal catalyst systems used.

Iron-Catalyzed Asymmetric Haloazidation of α,β-Unsaturated Ketones: Construction of Organic Azides with Two Vicinal Stereocenters

Organic azides play important roles in synthetic chemistry, chemical biology, drug discovery, and material science. Azido-functionalization of alkenes is one of the most efficient procedures for rapid introduction of azide group into organic compounds. But only a few examples have been documented in the catalytic asymmetric version of the azidation of alkenes. Herein, we report an unprecedented highly diastereo- and enantioselective bromoazidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by chiral N,N'-dioxide/Fe(OTf)₂ complexes. An array of aryl, heteroaryl, and alkyl substituted α,β-unsaturated ketones were transformed to the corresponding α-bromo-β-azido ketones in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The catalytic system was also applicable for chloroazidation and iodoazidation of chalcone. Kinetic studies and some control experiments suggested that the reaction might proceed via a 1,4-addition/halogenation pathway.

Chiral ligands designed in China

Asymmetric catalysis has become an indispensable and productive field within the Chinese organic chemistry society. The design of chiral ligands is one of the most prominent research areas in this field. Since the late 1990s, Chinese organic chemists have developed numerous chiral ligands possessing novel chiral skeletons and design concepts. Some of these ligands have been widely adopted and can be regarded as ‘privileged ligand’, which have shown excellent performance in many asymmetric catalytic reactions. In this review, we provide an overview of the chiral ligands designed by Chinese scientists with the aim of promoting the development of this area in China and with the hope of encouraging more scientists across the world to use these ligands when designing asymmetric reactions.

Highly Regio- and Enantioselective Vicinal Dihalogenation of Allyl Amides

We report a highly regio-, diastereo- and enantioselective vicinal dihalogenation of allyl amides. E- and Z-alkenes with both aryl and alkyl substituents were compatible with this chemistry. This is the result of exquisite catalyst controlled regioselectivity enabling use of electronically unbiased substrates. The reaction employs commercially available catalysts and halenium sources along with cheap inorganic halide salts to affect this transformation. A preliminary effort to extend this chemistry to heterodihalogenation is also presented.

Reversing the Regioselectivity of Halofunctionalization Reactions through Cooperative Photoredox and Copper Catalysis

Halofunctionalization of alkenes is a classical method for olefin difunctionalization. It gives rise to adducts which are found in many natural products and biologically active molecules, and offers a synthetic handle for further manipulation. Classically, this reaction is performed with an electrophilic halogen source and leads to regioselective formation of the halofunctionalized adducts. Herein, we demonstrate a reversal of the native regioselectivity for alkene halofunctionalization through the use of an acridinium photooxidant in conjunction with a copper cocatalyst.

Enantioselective conjugate addition of hydroxylamines to α,β-unsaturated 2-acyl imidazoles catalyzed by a chiral-at-metal Rh(iii) complex

A highly efficient chiral-at-metal Rh(iii) complex catalyzed asymmetric aza-Michael addition was developed, affordingN-protected β-amino acid derivatives with excellent enantioselectivity.

Catalytic enantioselective bromohydroxylation of aryl olefins with flexible functionalities

A highly enantioselective bromohydroxylation of aryl olefins with flexible functionalities has been achieved with (DHQD)₂PHAL as a catalyst and H₂O as a nucleophile, giving a variety of optically active bromohydrins with up to 98% ee.

Chiral N,N′-dioxide-Sc(NTf2)3 complex-catalyzed asymmetric bromoamination of chalones with N-bromosuccinimide as both bromine and amide source

A chiral N,N′-dioxide-Sc(NTf₂)₃ complex catalytic system has been developed to catalyze the asymmetric bromoamination reaction of chalones with N-bromosuccinimide.

A Metal-Free Protocol for Aminofunctionalization of Olefins Using TsNBr2

N,N-Dibromo-p-toluene sulfonamide (TsNBr2) has been found to be an effective reagent for various aminofunctionalization reactions. This reagent behaves both as an electrophilic bromine source as well as amine to react with olefins under different conditions to yield aminoether, imidazoline, diamine and amino bromine. The reaction proceeds rapidly under mild conditions with high regioselectivity. Olefins react with TsNBr2 in moist THF to form δ-amino ether at room temperature. Treatment of TsNBr2 with olefin in MeCN at room temperature produced imidazoline in high yield. Further modification of the reaction condition resulted in the development of a one-step procedure for the synthesis of N-acetyl,N'-tosyl diamine derivatives directly from olefin. When the olefin was treated with 2.4 mol equiv of TsNBr2 in the presence of K2CO3, N,N'-ditosyl diamine derivative was obtained in moderate yield. Instantaneous formation of aminobromine was observed when an olefin was treated with the reagent in dry CH2Cl2 at room temperature.

Use of Bromine and Bromo-Organic Compounds in Organic Synthesis

Bromination is one of the most important transformations in organic synthesis and can be carried out using bromine and many other bromo compounds. Use of molecular bromine in organic synthesis is well-known. However, due to the hazardous nature of bromine, enormous growth has been witnessed in the past several decades for the development of solid bromine carriers. This review outlines the use of bromine and different bromo-organic compounds in organic synthesis. The applications of bromine, a total of 107 bromo-organic compounds, 11 other brominating agents, and a few natural bromine sources were incorporated. The scope of these reagents for various organic transformations such as bromination, cohalogenation, oxidation, cyclization, ring-opening reactions, substitution, rearrangement, hydrolysis, catalysis, etc. has been described briefly to highlight important aspects of the bromo-organic compounds in organic synthesis.