A formidable challenge: catalytic asymmetric dichlorination

Catalytic Enantioselective Dihalogenation and the Selective Synthesis of (-)-Deschloromytilipin A and (-)-Danicalipin A

A titanium-based catalytic enantioselective dichlorination of simple allylic alcohols is described. This dichlorination reaction provides stereoselective access to all common dichloroalcohol building blocks used in syntheses of chlorosulfolipid natural products. An enantioselective synthesis of ent-(-)-deschloromytilipin A and a concise, eight-step synthesis of ent-(-)-danicalipin A are executed and employ the dichlorination reaction as the first step. Extension of this system to enantioselective dibromination and its use in the synthesis of pentabromide stereoarrays relevant to bromosulfolipids is reported. The described dichlorination and dibromination reactions are capable of exerting diastereocontrol in complex settings allowing X-ray crystal structure analysis of natural and unnatural diastereomers of polyhalogenated stereohexads.

Catalytic insertion of aldehydes into dihalonitroacetophenones via sequential bond scission-aldol reaction-acyl transfer

A catalytic process that provides dihalogenated nitro alcohols in up to 99% yield and with 100% atom economy is described. In situ cleavage of dihalonitroacetophenones affords nitronates that undergo Lewis acid catalyzed addition to aldehydes. Final benzoylation renders the sequence irreversible and regenerates the bond scission and acyl transfer agent.

Catalytic chemo-, regio-, and enantioselective bromochlorination of allylic alcohols

Herein we describe a highly chemo-, regio-, and enantioselective bromochlorination reaction of allylic alcohols, employing readily available halogen sources and a simple Schiff base as the chiral catalyst. The application of this interhalogenation reaction to a variety of substrates, the rapid enantioselective synthesis of a bromochlorinated natural product, and preliminary extension of this chemistry to dibromination and dichlorination are reported.

Catalytic enantioselective alkene aminohalogenation/cyclization involving atom transfer

Problem solved: the title reaction was used for the synthesis of chiral 2-bromo, chloro, and iodomethyl indolines and 2-iodomethyl pyrrolidines. Stereocenter formation is believed to occur by enantioselective cis aminocupration and C-X bond formation is believed to occur by atom transfer. The ultility of the products as versatile synthetic intermediates was demonstrated, as was a radical cascade cyclization sequence.