Protecting-group-free diastereoselective C-C coupling of 1,3-glycols and allyl acetate through site-selective primary alcohol dehydrogenation

Alcohols as Substrates in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Arylation, Alkylation, and Related Reactions

Alcohols are abundant and attractive feedstock molecules for organic synthesis. Many methods for their functionalization require them to first be converted into a more activated derivative, while recent years have seen a vast increase in the number of complexity-building transformations that directly harness unprotected alcohols. This Review discusses how transition metal catalysis can be used toward this goal. These transformations are broadly classified into three categories. Deoxygenative functionalizations, representing derivatization of the C-O bond, enable the alcohol to act as a leaving group toward the formation of new C-C bonds. Etherifications, characterized by derivatization of the O-H bond, represent classical reactivity that has been modernized to include mild reaction conditions, diverse reaction partners, and high selectivities. Lastly, chain functionalization reactions are described, wherein the alcohol group acts as a mediator in formal C-H functionalization reactions of the alkyl backbone. Each of these three classes of transformation will be discussed in context of intermolecular arylation, alkylation, and related reactions, illustrating how catalysis can enable alcohols to be directly harnessed for organic synthesis.

Leveraging the Stereochemical Complexity of Octahedral Diastereomeric-at-Metal Catalysts to Unlock Regio-, Diastereo-, and Enantioselectivity in Alcohol-Mediated C-C Couplings via Hydrogen Transfer

Experimental and computational studies illuminating the factors that guide metal-centered stereogenicity and, therefrom, selectivity in transfer hydrogenative carbonyl additions of alcohol proelectrophiles catalyzed by chiral-at-metal-and-ligand octahedral d6 metal ions, iridium(III) and ruthenium(II), are described. To augment or invert regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity, predominantly one from among as many as 15 diastereomeric-at-metal complexes is required. For iridium(III) catalysts, cyclometalation assists in defining the metal stereocenter, and for ruthenium(II) catalysts, iodide counterions play a key role. Whereas classical strategies to promote selectivity in metal catalysis aim for high-symmetry transition states, well-defined low-symmetry transition states can unlock selectivities that are otherwise difficult to achieve or inaccessible.

Total Synthesis of Antibacterial Macrolide Sorangiolide A

A convergent route for the asymmetric total synthesis of antibacterial macrolide sorangiolide A has been developed for the first time. The key feature of this synthesis includes Krische iridium-catalyzed anti-diastereoselective carbonyl crotylation, Crimmins acetate aldol, Yamaguchi esterification, Julia-Kocienski olefination, Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination, and ring-closing metathesis. The origin of the low intensity of the 13C{1H} NMR signals of the C1 and C2 centers of the natural product has been investigated, disclosing possible forms of existence for the natural product in the solution phase.

Asymmetric Ruthenium-Catalyzed Carbonyl Allylations by Gaseous Allene via Hydrogen Auto-Transfer: 1° vs 2° Alcohol Dehydrogenation for Streamlined Polyketide Construction

Iodide-bound ruthenium-JOSIPHOS complexes catalyze the redox-neutral C-C coupling of primary alcohols 2a-2r with the gaseous allene (propadiene) 1a to form enantiomerically enriched homoallylic alcohols 3a-3r with complete atom-efficiency. Using formic acid as reductant, aldehydes dehydro-2a and dehydro-2c participate in reductive C-C coupling with allene to deliver adducts 3a and 3c with comparable levels of asymmetric induction. Deuterium labeling studies corroborate a mechanism in which alcohol dehydrogenation triggers allene hydroruthenation to form transient allylruthenium-aldehyde pairs that participate in carbonyl addition. Notably, due to a kinetic preference for primary alcohol dehydrogenation, chemoselective C-C coupling of 1°,2°-1,3-diols occurs in the absence of protecting groups. As illustrated by the synthesis of C7-C15 of spirastrellolide B and F (7 vs 17 steps), C3-C10 of cryptocarya diacetate (3 vs 7 or 9 steps), and a fragment common to C8'-C14' of mycolactone F (1 vs 4 steps) and C22-C28 marinomycin A (1 vs 9 steps), this capability streamlines type I polyketide construction.

Stereo- and Site-Selective Crotylation of Alcohol Proelectrophiles via Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrogen Auto-Transfer Mediated by Methylallene and Butadiene

Iodide-bound ruthenium-JOSIPHOS complexes catalyze the redox-neutral C-C coupling of primary alcohols with methylallene (1,2-butadiene) or 1,3-butadiene to form products of anti-crotylation with good to excellent levels of diastereo- and enantioselectivity. Distinct from other methods, direct crotylation of primary alcohols in the presence of unprotected secondary alcohols is possible, enabling generation of spirastrellolide B (C9-C15) and leucascandrolide A (C9-C15) substructures in significantly fewer steps than previously possible.

Catalysis Driven Six-Step Synthesis of Apratoxin A Key Polyketide Fragment

Apratoxin A is a potent anticancer natural product whose key polyketide fragment constitutes a considerable challenge for organic synthesis, with five prior syntheses requiring 12 to 20 steps for its preparation. By combining different redox-economical catalytic stereoselective transformations, the key polyketide fragment could be rapidly prepared. Followed by a site-selective protection of the diol, this strategy enables the preparation of the apratoxin A fragment in only six steps, representing the shortest route to this polyketide.

Stereo- and Site-Selective Conversion of Primary Alcohols to Allylic Alcohols via Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrogen Auto-Transfer Mediated by 2-Butyne

The first enantioselective ruthenium-catalyzed carbonyl vinylations via hydrogen autotransfer are described. Using a ruthenium-JOSIPHOS catalyst, primary alcohols 2a-2m and 2-butyne 1a are converted to chiral allylic alcohols 3a-3m with excellent levels of absolute stereocontrol. Notably, 1°,2°-1,3-diols participate in site-selective C-C coupling, enabling asymmetric carbonyl vinylation beyond premetalated reagents, exogenous reductants, or hydroxyl protecting groups. Using 2-propanol as a reductant, aldehydes dehydro-2a, 2l participate in highly enantioselective 2-butyne-mediated vinylation under otherwise identical reaction conditions. Regio-, stereo-, and site-selective vinylations mediated by 2-pentyne 1b to form adducts 3n, 3o, and epi-3o also are described. The tiglyl alcohol motif obtained upon butyne-mediated vinylation, which is itself found in diverse secondary metabolites, may be converted to commonly encountered polyketide stereodiads, -triads, and -tetrads, as demonstrated by the formation of adducts 4a-4d. The collective mechanistic studies, including deuterium labeling experiments, corroborate a catalytic cycle involving alcohol dehydrogenation to form a transient aldehyde and a ruthenium hydride, which engages in alkyne hydrometalation to form a nucleophilic vinylruthenium species that enacts carbonyl addition. A stereochemical model for carbonyl addition invoking formyl CH···I[Ru] and CH···O≡C[Ru] hydrogen bonds is proposed based on prior calculations and crystallographic data.

From Hydrogenation to Transfer Hydrogenation to Hydrogen Auto-Transfer in Enantioselective Metal-Catalyzed Carbonyl Reductive Coupling: Past, Present, and Future

Atom-efficient processes that occur via addition, redistribution or removal of hydrogen underlie many large volume industrial processes and pervade all segments of chemical industry. Although carbonyl addition is one of the oldest and most broadly utilized methods for C-C bond formation, the delivery of non-stabilized carbanions to carbonyl compounds has relied on premetalated reagents or metallic/organometallic reductants, which pose issues of safety and challenges vis-à-vis large volume implementation. Catalytic carbonyl reductive couplings promoted via hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation and hydrogen auto-transfer allow abundant unsaturated hydrocarbons to serve as substitutes to organometallic reagents, enabling C-C bond formation in the absence of stoichiometric metals. This perspective (a) highlights past milestones in catalytic hydrogenation, hydrogen transfer and hydrogen auto-transfer, (b) summarizes current methods for catalytic enantioselective carbonyl reductive couplings, and (c) describes future opportunities based on the patterns of reactivity that animate transformations of this type.

Ethanol: Unlocking an Abundant Renewable C2 -Feedstock for Catalytic Enantioselective C-C Coupling

With annual production at >85 million tons/year, ethanol is the world's largest-volume renewable small molecule carbon source, yet its use as a C2 -feedstock in enantioselective C-C coupling is unknown. Here, the first catalytic enantioselective C-C couplings of ethanol are demonstrated in reactions with structurally complex, nitrogen-rich allylic acetates incorporating the top 10 N-heterocycles found in FDA-approved drugs.

The catalytic dehydrogenation of ethanol by heterogeneous catalysts

In this review, recent advances in the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehytde with the release of hydrogen catalyzed by a heterogeneous catalyst aresummerized and discussed.

Studies toward the Synthesis of Amphidinolide C1: Stereoselective Construction of the C(1)-C(15) Segment

An enantioselective synthesis of the C(1)-C(15) segment of the marine natural product amphidinolide C has been accomplished by a route that includes a stereoselective boron-Wittig reaction to furnish a trisubstituted alkenylboronate. In addition, the route employs enantioselective alkene diboration to install the C(6) hydroxyl group which undergoes intramolecular conjugate addition to establish a tetrahydrofuran ring. Lastly, a catalytic Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling is accomplished to construct the C(9)-C(10) bond.

Bi(cyclopentyl)diol-Derived Boronates in Highly Enantioselective Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Allylation, Propargylation, and Crotylation of Aldehydes

In this study, we disclose the catalytic addition of bi(cyclopentyl)diol-derived boronates to aldehydes promoted by chiral phosphoric acids, allowing for the formation of enantioenriched homoallylic, propargylic, and crotylic alcohols (up to >99% enantiomeric excess (ee), diastereomeric ratio (dr) >20:1). These boronate substrates provided superior enantioselectivities, allowing for the reactions to proceed with low catalyst loading (0.5-5 mol %) and reduced reaction time (15 min at room temperature for aldehyde allylboration). A wide substrate scope was exhibited, and the novel boronates provided high enantiocontrol. Reactions with substituted allylboronates and aldehydes yielded vicinal stereogenic alcohols bearing β-tertiary or quaternary carbon centers. High enantio- and diastereoselectivities were found due to the closed six-membered chair-like transition state, with backbone modifications of the boronate and its interactions with the chiral phosphoric acid being the most likely contributing factor.

Total Synthesis of Dysoxylactam A

The total synthesis of a potent multi-drug-resistant reverser, dysoxylacatam A (1), was achieved in a highly efficient and stereocontrolled fashion. The highlights of the strategy enlisted an iterative combination of lithiation-borylation tactics including Aggarwal homologation and Matteson homologation, Brown crotylation, Krische allylation, and ring-closing metathesis to forge the macrocycle.

Inversion of Enantioselectivity in Allene Gas versus Allyl Acetate Reductive Aldehyde Allylation Guided by Metal-Centered Stereogenicity: An Experimental and Computational Study

The use of gaseous allene as an allyl pronucleophile in enantioselective aldehyde reductive coupling is described. Notably, using the same antipode of chiral ligand, (S)-tol-BINAP, an inversion of enantioselectivity is observed for allene vs allyl acetate pronucleophiles. Experimental and computational studies corroborate intervention of diastereomeric π-allyliridium-C,O-benzoate complexes, which arise via allene hydrometalation (from a pentacoordinate iridium hydride) vs allyl acetate ionization (from a square planar iridium species).

Total Synthesis and Structural Validation of Phosdiecin A via Asymmetric Alcohol-Mediated Carbonyl Reductive Coupling

The first total synthesis and structural validation of phosdiecin A was accomplished in 13 steps through asymmetric iridium-catalyzed alcohol-mediated carbonyl reductive coupling. The present route is the shortest among >30 total and formal syntheses of fostriecin family members.

Remote Allylation of Unactivated C(sp3)-H Bonds Triggered by Photogenerated Amidyl Radicals

The allylation reaction is a highly versatile transformation in chemical synthesis. While many elegant direct C(sp²)-H allylation reactions have been developed, the direct allylation of unactivated C(sp³)-H bonds is underdeveloped. By applying photoredox catalysis and a [1,5]-HAT process, herein we report a direct allylation of unactivated C(sp³)‒H bonds. This photocatalyzed transformation is tolerant of several functional groups in the amide and allylic chloride substrates. Various allyl-substituted amide products were obtained with good yields and high δ-selectivity.

Enantioselective iridium-catalyzed carbonyl isoprenylation via alcohol-mediated hydrogen transfer

Highly enantioselective iridium catalyzed carbonyl (2-vinyl)allylation or "isoprenylation" is achieved via hydrogen auto-transfer or 2-propanol-mediated reductive coupling from primary alcohol or aldehyde reactants, respectively. Using this method, asymmetric total syntheses of the terpenoid natural products (+)-ipsenol and (+)-ipsdienol were achieved.

Enantioselective Ir-Catalyzed Bidirectional Reductive Coupling

In the presence of a chiral iridium complex, commercially available 3-chloro-2-chloromethyl-1-propene (1) was selectively activated for various reductive couplings. Depending on the reaction conditions it allows a selective mono- or bidirectional condensation with one or two external aldehydes with excellent enantiocontrol (>90% ee). This approach occurring simply under mild conditions and avoiding premetalated reagents constructs rapidly chiral homoallylic alcohols, key precursors of important molecular fragments such as furans, pyrans, ketodiols, or 1,3,5-polyols.

The asymmetric syntheses of cryptocaryols A and B

The recent total syntheses of cryptocaryols A and B are reviewed. These efforts include the correction of the initially assigned absolute and relative stereochemistry of this class of natural products. In addition to enabling the initial structure activity relationships for this class of natural products, these syntheses demonstrated the practical utility of several novel synthetic approaches.

Catalytic Nucleophilic Allylation Driven by the Water-Gas Shift Reaction

The ruthenium-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes with allylic pro-nucleophiles has been demonstrated to be an efficient means to form carbon-carbon bonds under mild conditions. The evolution of this reaction from the initial serendipitous discovery to its general synthetic scope is detailed, highlighting the roles of water, CO, and amine in the generation of a more complete catalytic cycle. The use of unsymmetrical allylic pro-nucleophiles was shown to give preferential product formation through the modulation of reaction conditions. Both (E)-cinnamyl acetate and vinyl oxirane were efficiently used to form the anti-branched products (up to >20:1 anti/syn) and E-linear products (up to >20:1 E/Z) in high selectivity with aromatic, α,β-unsaturated, and aliphatic aldehydes, respectively. Attempts to render the reaction enantioselective are highlighted and include enantioenrichment of up to 75:25 for benzaldehyde.

Synthesis of the C(1)-C(13) Fragment of Leiodermatolide via Hydrogen-Mediated C-C Bond Formation

The C(1)-C(13) fragment of the antimitotic marine macrolide leiodermatolide is prepared in seven steps via hydrogenative and transfer-hydrogenative reductive C-C couplings. A hydrogen-mediated reductive coupling of acetylene with a Roche-type aldehyde is used to construct C(7)-C(13). A 2-propanol-mediated reductive coupling of allyl acetate with (E)-2-methylbut-2-enal at a low loading of iridium (1 mol %) is used to construct C(1)-C(6), which is converted to an allylsilane using Oestereich's copper-catalyzed allylic substitution of Si-Zn reagents. The union of the C(1)-C(6) and C(7)-C(13) fragments is achieved via stereoselective Sakurai allylation.

Catalytic Enantioselective Carbonyl Allylation and Propargylation via Alcohol-Mediated Hydrogen Transfer: Merging the Chemistry of Grignard and Sabatier

Merging the characteristics of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl addition, we have developed a new class of catalytic enantioselective C-C bond formations. In these processes, hydrogen transfer between alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants generates carbonyl-organometal pairs that combine to deliver products of addition. On the basis of this mechanistic paradigm, lower alcohols are converted directly to higher alcohols in the absence of premetalated reagents or discrete alcohol-to-carbonyl redox reactions. In certain cases, due to a pronounced kinetic preference for primary versus secondary alcohol dehydrogenation, diols and higher polyols are found to engage in catalytic stereo- and site-selective C-C bond formation-a capability that further enhances efficiency by enabling skeletal construction events without extraneous manipulations devoted to the installation and removal of protecting groups. While this Account focuses on redox-neutral couplings of alcohols, corresponding aldehyde reductive couplings mediated by 2-propanol were developed in parallel for most of the catalytic transformations reported herein. Mechanistically, two distinct classes of alcohol C-H functionalizations have emerged, which are distinguished by the mode of pronucleophile activation, specifically, processes wherein alcohol oxidation is balanced by (a) π-bond hydrometalation or (b) C-X bond reductive cleavage. Each pathway offers access to allylmetal or allenylmetal intermediates and, therefrom, enantiomerically enriched homoallylic or homopropargylic alcohol products, respectively. In the broadest terms, carbonyl addition mediated by premetalated reagents has played a central role in synthetic organic chemistry for well over a century, but the requisite organometallic reagents pose issues of safety, require multistep syntheses, and generate stoichiometric quantities of metallic byproducts. The concepts and catalytic processes described in this Account, conceived and developed wholly within the author's laboratory, signal a departure from the use of stoichiometric organometallic reagents in carbonyl addition. Rather, they reimagine carbonyl addition as a hydrogen autotransfer process or cross-coupling in which alcohol reactants, by virtue of their native reducing ability, drive the generation of transient organometallic nucleophiles and, in doing so, serve dually as carbonyl proelectrophiles. The catalytic allylative and propargylative transformations developed to date display capabilities far beyond their classical counterparts, and their application to the total synthesis of type-I polyketide natural products have evoked a step-change in efficiency. More importantly, the present data suggest that diverse transformations traditionally reliant on premetalated reagents may now be conducted catalytically without stoichiometric metals. This Account provides the reader and potential practitioner with a catalog of enantioselective alcohol-mediated carbonyl additions-a user's guide, 10-year retrospective, and foundation for future work in this emerging area of catalytic C-C bond formation.

Alkynes as Electrophilic or Nucleophilic Allylmetal Precursors in Transition-Metal Catalysis

Diverse late transition metal catalysts convert terminal or internal alkynes into transient allylmetal species that display electrophilic or nucleophilic properties. Whereas classical methods for the generation of allylmetal species often form stoichiometric by-products, the recent use of alkynes as allylmetal precursors enables completely atom-efficient catalytic processes to be carried out, including enantioselective transformations.

Leptolyngbyolides, Cytotoxic Macrolides from the Marine Cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp.: Isolation, Biological Activity, and Catalytic Asymmetric Total Synthesis

Four new macrolactones, leptolyngbyolides A-D, were isolated from the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. collected in Okinawa, Japan. The planar structures of leptolyngbyolides were determined by extensive NMR studies, although complete assignment of the absolute configuration awaited the catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of leptolyngbyolide C. The synthesis took advantage of the catalytic asymmetric thioamide-aldol reaction using copper(I) complexed with a chiral bidentate phosphine ligand to regulate two key stereochemistries of the molecule at the outset. The present total synthesis demonstrates the utility of this reaction for the construction of complex chemical entities. In addition to the total synthesis, this work reports that leptolyngbyolides depolymerize filamentous actin (F-actin) both in vitro and in cells. Detailed biological studies suggest the probable order of F-actin depolymerization and apoptosis caused by leptolyngbyolides.

Asymmetric Allylation of Glycidols Mediated by Allyl Acetate via Iridium-Catalyzed Hydrogen Transfer

Glycidols prepared via Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation participate in asymmetric redox-neutral carbonyl allylation with good levels of catalyst-directed diastereoselectivity. Equally stereoselective allylations may be performed from the aldehyde oxidation level using 2-propanol as the terminal reductant. An epoxide ring-opening reaction using AlMe3-n-BuLi is used to prepare the propionate-based stereotetrad spanning C17-C23 of dictyostatin, illustrating how this method may be applied to polyketide construction.

Ruthenium(0)-Catalyzed C-C Coupling of Alkynes and 3-Hydroxy-2-oxindoles: Direct C-H Vinylation of Alcohols

Upon exposure to a ruthenium(0) catalyst, N-benzyl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles react with diverse alkynes to form products of C-H vinylation with complete control of regioselectivity and olefin geometry. This method contributes to a growing body of catalytic processes that enable direct conversion of lower alcohols to higher alcohols in the absence of stoichiometric organometallic reagents.

Versatile process for the stereodiverse construction of 1,3-polyols: iterative chain elongation with chiral building blocks

A versatile process for the construction of 1,3-polyols, a key structural element of polyketide-type natural products, is presented. The modular synthesis strategy involves the iterative chain elongation with novel four-carbon building blocks to access all possible stereoisomers of a growing 1,3-polyol chain. These chiral building blocks are designed to install four carbon atoms with two stereogenic centres by performing only four experimentally simple steps per elongation cycle, thus making these building blocks attractive for the realization of a universal platform from which to access a diverse range of polyketidic molecules.

Dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol with N2O as the hydrogen acceptor catalyzed by the rhodium(i) carbene complex: insights from quantum chemistry calculations

The detailed mechanisms of the dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol with N₂O as the hydrogen acceptor catalyzed by the rhodium(i) carbene complex for the formation of the corresponding carboxylic acid or ester have been investigated via density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the M06 level of theory. Three cycles were considered for the formation of benzaldehyde, benzyl benzoate and benzoic acid. On the basis of the calculations, the rate-determining step for these three cycles is involved in N₂O activation by the rhodium ammine hydride complex with an activation barrier of only 22.6 kcal mol^-1, which is different from the previous mechanism proposed by Gianetti and co-workers, where the hydride is transferred from the Rh atom to the oxygen atom of N₂O with a barrier of 30.5 kcal mol^-1. In addition, the calculations also demonstrated that one more N₂O is necessary to give benzoic acid, and the reaction can only take place under anhydrous conditions. Present calculations are in good agreement with the experimental observations and provide new insights into the dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol with N₂O as the hydrogen acceptor.

Enantioselective Alcohol C-H Functionalization for Polyketide Construction: Unlocking Redox-Economy and Site-Selectivity for Ideal Chemical Synthesis

The development and application of stereoselective and site-selective catalytic methods that directly convert lower alcohols to higher alcohols are described. These processes merge the characteristics of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl addition, exploiting alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants as redox pairs, which upon hydrogen transfer generate transient carbonyl-organometal pairs en route to products of C-C coupling. Unlike classical carbonyl additions, stoichiometric organometallic reagents and discrete alcohol-to-carbonyl redox reactions are not required. Additionally, due to a kinetic preference for primary alcohol dehydrogenation, the site-selective modification of glycols and higher polyols is possible, streamlining or eliminating use of protecting groups. The total syntheses of several iconic type I polyketide natural products were undertaken using these methods. In each case, the target compounds were prepared in significantly fewer steps than previously achieved.

Total Synthesis of Cryptocaryol A by Enantioselective Iridium-Catalyzed Alcohol C-H Allylation

The polyketide natural product cryptocaryol A is prepared in 8 steps via iridium catalyzed enantioselective diol double C-H allylation, which directly generates an acetate-based triketide stereodiad. In 4 previously reported total syntheses, 17-28 steps were required.

Hydroxymethylation beyond Carbonylation: Enantioselective Iridium-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling of Formaldehyde with Allylic Acetates via Enantiotopic π-Facial Discrimination

Chiral iridium complexes modified by SEGPHOS catalyze the 2-propanol-mediated reductive coupling of branched allylic acetates 1a-1o with formaldehyde to form primary homoallylic alcohols 2a-2o with excellent control of regio- and enantioselectivity. These processes, which rely on enantiotopic π-facial discrimination of σ-allyliridium intermediates, represent the first examples of enantioselective formaldehyde C-C coupling beyond aldol addition.

An Expeditious Synthesis of Sialic Acid Derivatives by Copper(I)-Catalyzed Stereodivergent Propargylation of Unprotected Aldoses

We developed a copper(I)-catalyzed stereodivergent anomeric propargylation of unprotected aldoses as a facile synthetic pathway to a broad variety of sialic acid derivatives. The soft allenylcopper(I) species, catalytically generated from stable allenylboronic acid pinacolate (2), is unusually inert to protonolysis by the multiple hydroxy groups of the substrates and thereby functions as a carbon nucleophile. The key additive B(OMe)3 facilitated ring-opening of the nonelectrophilic cyclic hemiacetal forms of aldoses to the reactive aldehyde forms. The chirality of the catalyst, and not the internal stereogenic centers of substrates, predominantly controlled the stereochemistry of the propargylation step; i.e., the diastereoselectivity was switched simply by changing the catalyst chirality. This is the first nonenzyme catalyst-controlled stereodivergent C-C bond elongation at the anomeric center of unprotected aldoses, which contain multiple protic functional groups and stereogenic centers. The propargylation products can be expeditiously transformed into naturally occurring and synthetic sialic acid derivatives in a simple three-step sequence. This synthetic method, which requires no protecting groups, can be performed on a gram-scale and thus offers general and practical access to various sialic acid derivatives from unprotected aldoses.

Asymmetric Iridium-Catalyzed C-C Coupling of Chiral Diols via Site-Selective Redox-Triggered Carbonyl Addition

Cyclometalated π-allyliridium C,O-benzoate complexes modified by axially chiral chelating phosphine ligands display a pronounced kinetic preference for primary alcohol dehydrogenation, enabling highly site-selective redox-triggered carbonyl additions of chiral primary-secondary 1,3-diols with exceptional levels of catalyst-directed diastereoselectivity. Unlike conventional methods for carbonyl allylation, the present redox-triggered alcohol C-H functionalizations bypass the use of protecting groups, premetalated reagents, and discrete alcohol-to-aldehyde redox reactions.

Iridium-Catalyzed C-C Coupling of a Simple Propargyl Ether with Primary Alcohols: Enantioselective Homoaldol Addition via Redox-Triggered (Z)-Siloxyallylation

A chiral iridium complex formed in situ from [Ir(cod)Cl]2 and (R)-H8-BINAP is found to catalyze the direct enantioselective C-C coupling of a simple propargyl ether, TIPSOCH2C≡CH, with primary alcohols to form γ-hydroxy (Z)-enol silanes with uniformly high enantioselectivity and complete alkene (Z)-stereoselectivity. As corroborated by deuterium labeling studies, these studies represent the first examples of 1,2-hydride shift-enabled π-allyl formation in the context of iridium catalysis.

Organoboron-Promoted Regioselective Glycosylations in the Synthesis of a Saponin-Derived Pentasaccharide from Spergularia ramosa

Organoboron-mediated regioselective glycosylations were employed as key steps in the total synthesis of a branched pentasaccharide from a saponin natural product. The ability to use organoboron activation to differentiate OH groups in an unprotected glycosyl acceptor, followed by substrate-controlled reactions of the obtained disaccharide, enabled a streamlining of the synthesis relative to a protective group-based approach. This study revealed a matching/mismatching effect of the relative configuration of donor and acceptor on the efficiency of a regioselective glycosylation reaction, a problem that was solved through the development of a novel boronic acid-amine copromoter system for glycosyl acceptor activation.