Highly diastereo- and enantioselective Mannich reactions of synthetically flexible ketimines with secondary amine organocatalysts

Harnessing Dpp-Imine as a Powerful Achiral Cocatalyst to Dramatically Increase the Efficiency and Stereoselectivity in a Magnesium-Mediated Oxa-Michael Reaction

Dpp-imines are classic model substrates for synthetic method studies. Here, we disclose their powerful use as achiral coligands in metal-catalyzed reactions. It is highly interesting to find that the Dpp-imine can not only act as powerful ligand to create excellent chiral pockets with magnesium complexes but also, more importantly, this coligand can dramatically enhance the catalytic ability of the metal catalyst. The underlying reaction mechanism was extensively explored by conducting a series of experiments, including 31P NMR studies of the coordination complex between the Dpp-imine coligand and magnesium complexes, ESI capture results, multiple control experiments, studies and comparison of different coligands, 1H NMR studies on the relationship between the substrate and Dpp-imine coligand, as well as the relationship between the substrate and the full complexes. Furthermore, DFT calculation provided valuable insights in the role of the imine additive and demonstrated that adding the Dpp-imine coligand in the magnesium catalyst can switch the deprotonation/nucleophilic addition steps from a stepwise mechanism to a concerted process during the oxa-cyclization reaction. The crucial factors responsible for the excellent enantioselectivity and enhanced reaction efficiency brought by Dpp-imine have been extracted from the calculation model. These mechanistic experiments and DFT calculation data clearly disclose and prove the powerful and interesting functions of the Dpp-imine coligand, which also direct a novel application of this type of active imine as useful ligands in metal-catalyzed asymmetric reactions.

Organocatalytic enantioselective Mannich and retro-Mannich reactions and combinations of these reactions to afford tetrasubstituted α-amino acid derivatives

Organocatalytic asymmetric Mannich reactions and kinetic resolutions of the products via retro-Mannich reactions that afford enantiomerically enriched tetrasubstituted α-amino acid derivatives (α,α-disubstituted-α-amino acid derivatives) were developed. Furthermore, the combination of the Mannich reaction and the retro-Mannich reaction allowed access to products with almost perfect enantiopurities.

Synthesis of biphenyl-based chiral amine catalysts from dibromopyrenes and their application in enamine catalysis

Novel axially chiral biphenyl-based amine catalysts have been designed and synthesized from dibromopyrenes. These chiral amines function as effective catalysts for asymmetric reactions through enamine intermediates.

Sulfur and Azobenzenes, a Profitable Liaison: Straightforward Synthesis of Photoswitchable Thioglycosides with Tunable Properties

Azobenzene photoswitches are valuable tools for controlling properties of molecular systems with light. We have been investigating azobenzene glycoconjugates to probe carbohydrate-protein interactions and to design glycoazobenzene macrocycles with chiroptical and physicochemical properties modulated by light irradiation. To date, direct conjugation of glycosides to azobenzenes was performed by reactions providing target compounds in limited yields. We therefore sought a more effective and reliable coupling method. In this paper, we report on a straightforward thioarylation of azobenzene derivatives with glycosyl thiols as well as other thiols, thereby increasing the scope of azobenzene conjugation. Even challenging unsymmetrical conjugates can be achieved in good yields via sequential or one-pot procedures. Importantly, red-shifted azoswitches, which are addressed with visible light, were easily functionalized. Additionally, by oxidation of the sulfide bridge to the respective sulfones, both the photochromic and the thermal relaxation properties of the core azobenzene can be tuned. Utilizing this option, we realized orthogonal three-state photoswitching in mixtures containing two distinct azobenzene thioglycosides.

Design of Bifunctional Amino Tf-Amide Organocatalysts and Application in Various Asymmetric Transformations

In this personal account, we describe our recent developments on the four types of amino Tf-amide catalysts in asymmetric transformations. Firstly, axially chiral biaryl-based secondary-amino Tf-amide catalyzed various stereoselective reactions via enamine intermediates. Secondly, pyrrolidine-based secondary-amino aliphatic Tf-amide catalyzed asymmetric direct Mannich reaction. Thirdly, chiral primary-amino aliphatic Tf-amide catalyzed asymmetric direct aldol reaction and conjugate addition. Finally, modified chiral amino aromatic Tf-amide catalyzed asymmetric transformations. These four different strategies are illustrated by using various organocatalyzed asymmetric transformations.

Sequential Addition of Amines to Nitrile and Carbon-Carbon Multiple Bond: A Route to 7-Amino-5H-dibenzo[c,e]azepines

A rare earth metal-catalyzed sequential inter- and intramolecular C-N bond formation of 2-nitrile-2'-alkenyl(alkynyl)biphenyls with amines has been developed, which provides a straightforward and efficient access to a range of new functional dibenzo[c,e]azepines. This represents the first examples of direct construction of seven-membered azaheterocycle from unsaturated nitriles and amines. Such transformations have the advantages of avoiding the use of additives, easily available starting materials, step- and high atom-economy, mild reaction conditions, and high selectivity.

Asymmetric Catalytic Ketimine Mannich Reactions and Related Transformations

The catalytic enantioselective ketimine Mannich and its related reactions provide direct access to chiral building blocks bearing an α-tertiary amine stereogenic center, a ubiquitous structural motif in nature. Although ketimines are often viewed as challenging electrophiles, various approaches/strategies to circumvent or overcome the adverse properties of ketimines have been developed for these transformations. This review showcases the selected examples that highlight the benefits and utilities of various ketimines and remaining challenges associated with them in the context of Mannich, allylation, and aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions as well as their variants.

Bifunctional amino sulfonamide-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition to alkenyl alkynyl ketimines as enone surrogates

A bifunctional amino sulfonamide-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of aldehydes to alkenyl alkynyl ketimines as reactive surrogates for enones has been developed. Use of a phenylcyclopropane-based amino sulfonamide catalyst, which can activate and orient the ketimines through hydrogen bonding, affords the desired conjugate adducts with high chemo-, diastereo- and enantioselectivity.

Construction of chiral α-tert-amine scaffolds via amine-catalyzed asymmetric Mannich reactions of alkyl-substituted ketimines

Stereoselective Mannich reactions of aldehydes with ketimines provide chiral β-amino aldehydes that bear an α-tert-amine moiety. However, the structural variation of the ketimines is limited due to the formation of inseparable E/Z isomers, low reactivity, and other synthetic difficulties. In this study, a highly diastereodivergent synthesis of hitherto difficult-to-access β-amino aldehydes that bear a chiral α-tert-amine moiety was achieved using the amine-catalyzed Mannich reactions of aldehydes with less-activated Z-ketimines that bear both alkyl and alkynyl groups.

Enantiodivergence by minimal modification of an acyclic chiral secondary aminocatalyst

The development of enantiodivergent catalysis for the preparation of both enantiomers of a chiral compound is of importance in pharmaceutical and bioorganic chemistry. With the design of a class of reactive and stereoselective organocatalysts, acyclic chiral secondary amines, a method for achieving the enantiodivergence is developed simply by changing the secondary N-i-Bu- to N-Me-group within the catalyst architecture while maintaining the same absolute configuration of the catalysts, which modulates the catalyst conformation. This catalyst-controlled enantiodivergent method not only enables challenging asymmetric transformations to occur in an enantiodivergent manner but also features a high level of stereocontrol and broad scope that is demonstrated in eight different reactions (90 examples), all delivering both enantiomers of a range of structurally diverse products including hitherto less accessible, yet important, compounds in good yields with high stereoselectivities.

Enantiodivergent methods, which to access both enantiomers of the same compound, are of importance in drug synthesis. Here, the authors show that by simply changing a NiBu- to a NMe-group in readily available amine organocatalysts, high stereocontrol and broad scope are achieved in eight asymmetric reactions.

Synthesis of Phenylcyclopropane-Based Secondary Amine Catalysts and Their Applications in Enamine Catalysis

A novel chiral motif based on a phenylcyclopropane scaffold has been designed, and a facile synthetic route to the key intermediate for the synthesis of phenylcyclopropane-based chiral secondary amines has been developed. Newly synthesized chiral amines function as effective catalysts for several asymmetric reactions through enamine intermediates.

Synthesis of Structurally Diverse 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-Membered Heterocycles from Diisopropyl Iminomalonates and Soft C-Nucleophiles

Herein, we present a general synthetic strategy for the preparation of 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-membered heterocyclic unnatural amino acid derivatives by exploiting facile Mannich-type reactions between readily available N-alkyl- and N-aryl-substituted diisopropyl iminomalonates and a wide range of soft anionic C-nucleophiles without using any catalyst or additive. Fully substituted aziridines were obtained in a single step when enolates of α-bromo esters were employed as nucleophiles. Enantiomerically enriched azetidines, γ-lactones, and tetrahydroquinolines were obtained via a two-step catalytic asymmetric reduction and cyclization sequence from ketone enolate-derived adducts. Finally, highly substituted γ-lactams were prepared in one pot from adducts obtained using acetonitrile-derived carbanions. Overall, this work clearly demonstrates the utility of iminomalonates as highly versatile building blocks for the practical and scalable synthesis of structurally diverse heterocycles.

Catalytic Asymmetric Mannich Reaction of α-Fluoronitriles with Ketimines: Enantioselective and Diastereodivergent Construction of Vicinal Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters

Diastereodivergent and enantioselective conversion of isatin ketimines to α-fluoro-β-aminonitriles with vicinal tetrasubstituted stereocenters is achieved by a chiral copper complex/guanidine base catalyzed Mannich reaction with proper choice of the bisphosphine ligand. The reaction is broad in scope, scalable, and provides efficient access to a series of 3-aminoindolinones exhibiting a quaternary carbon-fluorine stereocenter with high yields and stereoselectivities. Selective transformations of the Mannich reaction products into multifunctional 3-aminooxindoles without erosion of enantiomeric and diastereomeric purity highlight the synthetic utility.

Intramolecular asymmetric reductive amination: synthesis of enantioenriched dibenz[c,e]azepines

An enantioselective synthesis of dibenz[c,e]azepines containing both central and axial chiralities through a one pot N-Boc deprotection/intramolecular asymmetric reductive amination sequence has been achieved with generally excellent enantiocontrol (up to 97% ee).

An Ir-catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric reductive amination (ARA) of bridged biaryl derivatives has been described. Using this unprecedented approach, synthetically useful dibenz[c,e]azepines containing both central and axial chiralities are obtained with excellent enantiocontrol (up to 97% ee). This methodology represents a rare example of enantioselective chemocatalytic synthesis of chiral dibenz[c,e]azepines featuring a broad substrate scope, and their synthetic utilities are exhibited by derivatizing the products into a chiral amino acid derivative and chiral phosphoramidite ligands, which display excellent enantiocontrol in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-dehydroamino acid derivatives. Remarkably, our method is also applicable to enantioselectively synthesize an allocolchicine analogue.

Catalytic Enantio- and Diastereoselective Mannich Addition of TosMIC to Ketimines

Chiral amines bearing a stereocenter in the α position are ubiquitous compounds with many applications in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical sectors, as well as in catalysis. Catalytic asymmetric Mannich additions represent a valuable method to access such compounds in enantioenriched form. This work reports the first enantio- and diastereoselective addition of commercially available p-toluenesulfonylmethyl isocyanide (TosMIC) to ketimines, affording 2-imidazolines bearing two contiguous stereocenters, one of which is fully-substituted, with high yields and excellent stereocontrol. The reaction, catalyzed by silver oxide and a dihydroquinine-derived N,P-ligand, is broad in scope, operationally simple, and scalable. Derivatization of the products provides enantioenriched vicinal diamines, precursors to NHC ligands and sp³ -rich heterocyclic scaffolds. Computations are used to understand catalysis and rationalize stereoselectivity.

One-Pot Synthesis of Chiral Tetracyclic Dibenzo[ b, f][1,4]oxazepine-Fused 1,2-Dihydropyridines (DHPs) under Metal-Free Conditions

An efficient protocol for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of new dibenzo[ b, f][1,4]-oxazepine-fused 1,2-dihydropyridines (DHPs) has been described under metal-free conditions. This reaction proceeds through proline-catalyzed direct Mannich/cyclization between seven-membered dibenzo[ b, f][1,4]-oxazepine-imines and aqueous glutaraldehyde, followed by IBX-mediated site-selective dehydrogenative oxidation in one-pot operation with high yields (up to 92%) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99:1 er).

Chiral Primary Amine Catalysis for Asymmetric Mannich Reactions of Aldehydes with Ketimines: Stereoselectivity and Reactivity

The application potential of primary amine catalysts in the context of Mannich reactions of aldehydes with ketimines is exemplified by isatin-derived ketimines and cyclic trifluoromethyl ketimines. Primary amine catalysts exhibit either unusual stereoselectivity or reactivity, which is not observable with secondary amine catalysts. Moreover, reversal of diastereofacial selectivity between primary and secondary amine catalysts is disclosed. These new reactions provide useful methods for the syntheses of chiral 3-substituted 3-amino-2-oxindoles and dihydroquinazolinones bearing a trifluoromethylated quaternary stereocenter. The synthetic utility of the reactions is demonstrated through the formal synthesis of AG-041R and DPC 083 and the total synthesis of (-)-psychotriasine.

Catalytic diastereo- and enantioselective additions of versatile allyl groups to N-H ketimines

There are many biologically active organic molecules that contain one or more nitrogen-containing moieties, and broadly applicable and efficient catalytic transformations that deliver them diastereoselectively and/or enantioselectively are much sought after. Various methods for enantioselective synthesis of α-secondary amines are available (for example, from additions to protected/activated aldimines), but those involving ketimines are much less common. There are no reported additions of carbon-based nucleophiles to unprotected/unactivated (or N-H) ketimines. Here, we report a catalytic, diastereo- and enantioselective three-component strategy for merging an N-H ketimine, a monosubstituted allene and B₂(pin)₂, affording products in up to 95% yield, >98% diastereoselectivity and >99:1 enantiomeric ratio. The utility of the approach is highlighted by synthesis of the tricyclic core of a class of compounds that have been shown to possess anti-Alzheimer activity. Stereochemical models developed with the aid of density functional theory calculations, which account for the observed trends and levels of enantioselectivity, are presented.

Biocatalytic asymmetric Mannich reaction of ketimines using wheat germ lipase

Wheat germ lipase (WGL) was used for the first time as a biocatalyst in asymmetric Mannich reaction of ketimines.

A highly efficient Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction of N-Boc isatin ketimines and other active cyclic ketimines using difluoroenol silyl ethers catalyzed by Ph3PAuOTf

A Ph₃PAuOTf catalyzed highly efficient reaction of difluoroenoxysilanes and active ketimines is reported, which represents the first Au(i)-catalyzed Mukaiyama–Mannich reaction.