Highly diastereodivergent synthesis of tetrasubstituted cyclohexanes catalyzed by modularly designed organocatalysts

Stereodivergent Synthesis of Spiroaminals via Chiral Bifunctional Hydrogen Bonding Organocatalysis

Spiroaminals represent novel structural motifs prevalent in diverse natural products and biologically active molecules. Achieving their enantioselective synthesis is a highly desirable and challenging task in synthetic endeavors due to their intricate molecular frameworks. Herein, we accomplished the first stereodivergent construction of spiroaminals using chiral bifunctional organocatalyzed intramolecular 1,2-addition followed by an oxa-Michael addition cascade in a high atom and step economical pathway. A proper modulation of the cinchona-derived squaramide catalysts efficiently provided access to all the possible stereoisomers with high yield, diastereoselectivity, and excellent enantioselectivity while displaying a broad substrate tolerance. Additionally, we validated the scalability of the reaction and demonstrated the synthesis of variable spiroaminal scaffolds, confirming the viability of our protocol.

Divergent Total Syntheses of Lycorine Alkaloids via a Sequential C-H Functionalization Strategy

A Pd-catalyzed one-pot sequential C-H functionalization strategy was utilized to prepare four lycorine alkaloids and one pseudo-lycorine alkaloid from the common intermediate 4. By switching the followed oxidative conditions of air, DMSO/H2O/I2, and DMSO/O2, based on the Pd(PPh3)4/K2CO3/toluene catalytic system, three key intermediates 12a, 12b, and 12c with different substitution patterns could be obtained in a well-controlled manner. As a result, four natural products γ-lycorane, hippadine, anhydrolycorinone, and anhydrolycorine as well as a pseudo-lycorine alkaloid Δ(4a,10b)-6-oxodihydrolycorine were successfully synthesized within 10 steps through this divergent route.

Enantioselective Synthesis of (R)-Sitagliptin via Phase-Transfer Catalytic aza-Michael Addition

The highly enantioselective synthesis of (R)-sitagliptin has been achieved through a series of key steps, including the aza-Michael addition and Baeyer-Villiger oxidation. The enantioselective aza-Michael addition involved the reaction of tert-butyl β-naphthylmethoxycarbamate with (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4-(2,4,5-trifluorophenyl)but-2-en-1-one, utilizing a quinine-derived C(9)-urea ammonium catalyst under phase-transfer catalytic conditions. The aza-Michael addition successfully introduced chirality to the amine in (R)-sitagliptin with 96% ee. The subsequent Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the aza-Michael adduct led to the formation of 4-methoxyphenyl ester. Hydrolysis and amide coupling were then employed to construct the amide moiety. Further deprotections were performed to complete the synthesis of (R)-sitagliptin (7 steps, 41%, 96% ee).

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (-)-Cephalotanin B

Cephalotaxus diterpenoids are attractive natural products with intriguing molecular frameworks and promising biological features. As a structurally unusual member, (-)-cephalotanin B possesses an extraordinarily congested heptacyclic skeleton, three lactone units, and nine consecutive stereocenters. Herein, we report an enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-cephalotanin B based on a divergent asymmetric Michael addition reaction, a novel Pauson-Khand/deacyloxylation process discovered in the development of a second-generation stereoselective Pauson-Khand reaction protocol, and an epoxide-opening/elimination/dual-lactonization cascade to construct the challenging propeller-shaped A-B-C ring system as key transformations.

Enamine/Iminium-based Dual Organocatalytic Systems for Asymmetric Catalysis and Synthesis

The rational combination of two catalysts to expedite the construction of chiral complex biologically and pharmacologically relevant chiral compounds has widely gained momentum over the past decade. In particular, enamine or iminium catalysis ensuing from the activation of aldehyde or ketone by chiral amine catalysts in conjugation with other organocatalytic cycles has facilitated several asymmetric transformations to yield the enantioenriched products. Regardless of the considerable discussion on the various dual catalytic approaches, literature lacks a comprehensive review focusing on the enamine and iminium-based dual organocatalytic systems. Thus, this review article has discussed the noteworthy achievements in the field of asymmetric catalysis and synthesis catalyzed by the enamine and iminium-based dual organocatalytic systems.

Diastereodivergent Catalysis

Alongside enantioselective catalysis, synthetic chemists are often confronted by the challenge of achieving catalyst control over the relative configuration to stereodivergently access desired diastereomers. Typically, these approaches iteratively or simultaneously control multiple stereogenic units for which dual catalytic methods comprising sequential, relay, and synergistic catalysis emerged as particularly efficient strategies. In this Perspective, the benefits and challenges of catalyst-controlled diastereodivergence in the construction of carbon stereocenters are discussed on the basis of illustrative examples. The concepts are then transferred to diastereodivergent catalysis for atropisomeric systems with twofold and higher-order stereogenicity as well as diastereodivergent catalyst control over E- and Z-configured alkenes.

Synthetic Approaches to α-, β-, γ-, and δ-lycoranes

Lycorane is a pentacyclic core presented in alkaloids isolated from the Amaryllidaceae family of herbaceous flowering plants. Members of this class of natural products have shown to display important biological properties including analgesic, antiviral, and antiproliferative activities. This review presents the known synthetic routes toward α-, β-, γ-, and δ-lycoranes. α-(19 routes), β-(10 routes), γ-(38 routes), and δ-(6 routes).

Water enables diastereodivergency in bispidine-based chiral amine-catalyzed asymmetric Mannich reaction of cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines with ketones

Tuning diastereoselectivity is a great challenge in asymmetric catalysis for the inherent stereochemical bias of the substrates. Here, we report a diastereodivergent asymmetric Mannich reaction of cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines with ketones catalyzed by a bispidine-based chiral amine catalyst, in which additional water switches the diastereoselectivity efficiently. Both chiral anti- and syn-benzosultams with potential anti-HIV-1 activity are obtained in excellent yields and good to excellent ee values. Control experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were applied to study the diastereodivergent mechanism, which reveal that the diastereodivergent catalysis should be state-determined, and the water reverses the energies of states to realize the diastereodivergency. The findings are quite new and might inspire more diastereodivergent asymmetric synthesis.

A diastereodivergent asymmetric Mannich reaction of cyclic N-sulfonyl ketimines with ketones is realized by employing bispidine-based chiral amine as catalyst and additional water switching the diastereoselectivity.

Computational discoveries of reaction mechanisms: recent highlights and emerging challenges

This review examines some of the notable advances and trends that have shaped the field of computational elucidation of organic reaction mechanisms over the last 10-15 years. It highlights the types of mechanistic problems that have recently become possible to study and summarizes the methodological developments that have permitted these new advances. Case studies are taken from three representative areas of organic chemistry-asymmetric catalysis, glycosylation reactions, and single electron transfer reactions-which illustrate themes common to the broader field. These include the trend towards modelling systems that are increasingly complex (both structurally and mechanistically), the growing appreciation of the mechanistic roles of non-covalent interactions, and the increasing ability to explore dynamical features of reaction mechanisms. Some interesting new challenges that have emerged in the field are identified.

Hydroamination of Dihapto-Coordinated Benzene and Diene Complexes of Tungsten: Fundamental Studies and the Synthesis of γ-Lycorane

Reactions are described for complexes of the form WTp(NO)(PMe₃)(η²-arene) and various amines, where the arene is benzene or benzene with an electron-withdrawing substituent (CF₃, SO₂Ph, SO₂Me). The arene complex is first protonated to form an η²-arenium species, which then selectively adds the amine. The resulting η²-5-amino-1,3-cyclohexadiene complexes can then be subjected to the same sequence with a second nucleophile to form 3-aminocyclohexene complexes, where up to three stereocenters originate from the arene carbons. Alternatively, 1,3-cyclohexadiene complexes containing an ester group at the 5 position (also prepared from an arene) can be treated with acid followed by an amine to form trisubstituted 3-aminocyclohexenes. When the amine is primary, ring closure can occur to form a cis-fused bicyclic γ-lactam. Highly functionalized cyclohexenes can be liberated from the tungsten through oxidative decomplexation. The potential utility of this methodology is demonstrated in the synthesis of the alkaloid γ-lycorane. An enantioenriched synthesis of a lactam precursor to γ-lycorane is also described. This compound is prepared from an enantioenriched version of the tungsten benzene complex. Regio- and stereochemical assignments for the reported compounds are supported by detailed 2D-NMR analysis and 13 molecular structure determinations (SC-XRD).

Domino Michael/Michael reaction catalyzed by switchable modularly designed organocatalysts

The domino Michael/Michael reaction between (E)-7-aryl-7-oxohept-5-enals and trans-cinnamaldehydes was investigated by using modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs). It was found that both the enamine and iminium catalytic modes of the MDOs are switchable and can be individually switched on and off by using appropriate combinations of the precatalyst modules and the reaction conditions. When both the enamine and iminium catalysis modes of the MDOs are switched on, the desired domino reaction products can be obtained in good yields and stereoselectivities under optimized conditions.

Recent Advance of Domino Michael Reaction in Natural Product Synthesis

Recent advances in the total syntheses of cyclic natural products and related compounds from 2005 to 2021, which employ domino Michael reactions as key steps, have been reviewed, focusing mainly on the domino Michael reactions catalyzed by organocatalysts.

Recent applications of asymmetric organocatalytic annulation reactions in natural product synthesis

The past two decades have witnessed remarkable growth of asymmetric organocatalysis, which is now a firmly established synthetic tool, serving as a powerful platform for the production of chiral molecules. Ring structures are ubiquitous in organic compounds, and, in the context of natural product synthesis, strategic construction of ring motifs is often crucial, fundamentally impacting the eventual fate of the whole synthetic plan. In this review, we provide a comprehensive and updated summary of asymmetric organocatalytic annulation reactions; in particular, the application of these annulation strategies in natural product synthesis will be highlighted.

Short, enantioselective, gram-scale synthesis of (-)-zephyranthine

A reasonable synthesis design by strategically integrating functional group manipulation into the ring system construction resulted in a short, enantioselective, gram-scale total synthesis of (−)-zephyranthine. The concise route includes a catalytic Michael/Michael cascade for the asymmetric synthesis of a penta-substituted cyclohexane with three contiguous stereogenic centers, a remarkable 8-step one-pot operation to easily assemble the zephyranthine tetracyclic skeleton, the regioselective construction of a double bond in the C ring and an asymmetric dihydroxylation. This synthesis is also flexible and paves a potential path to a variety of cyclohexylamine-fused tricyclic or polycyclic alkaloids.

A reasonable synthesis design by strategically integrating functional group manipulation into the ring system construction resulted in a short, enantioselective, gram-scale total synthesis of (−)-zephyranthine.

Diastereodivergent synthesis of 4-oxocyclohexanecarbaldehydes by using the modularly designed organocatalysts upon switching on their iminium catalysis

The cinchona thiourea moiety in the self-assembled modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs) switches off the iminium catalysis of these catalysts. In this study, it was found that the inhibited iminium catalysis could be switched on by using an appropriate weak acid and that, once the iminium catalysis was switched on, these catalysts could be applied for the highly stereoselective and diastereodivergent synthesis of 4-oxocyclohexanecarbaldehydes via a domino reaction between ketones and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes.

The effect of carbonyl on the isomerization of a galanthan ring system and total synthesis of (±)-β-lycorane

Lycorine-type alkaloids are privileged structures in drug development due to their attractive biological activities. In this paper, the carbonyl on the C ring was proved to have played a critical role in stereoselectivity during the synthesis process, and the galanthan skeleton with a cis-B/C ring is more thermodynamically stable in its presence. Furthermore, the total synthesis of (±)-β-lycorane was successfully completed by employing the Michael addition reaction to construct the galanthan skeleton with a trans-B/C ring. This system might be applied to other structural types with similar stereochemistry setting.

Highly enantioselective addition of aliphatic aldehydes to 2-hydroxychalcone enabled by cooperative organocatalysts

Herein, we developed an enantioselective addition of aliphatic aldehydes to 2-hydroxychalcone promoted by cooperative organocatalysts, giving access to hybrid flavonoids in excellent enantioselectivities. This reaction took advantage of cycloisomerization of 2-hydroxychalcone to form a transient flavylium under the irradiation of 24 W CFL, which was trapped by the in situ generated chiral enamine intermediate. The synergistic action of chiral phosphoric acid secured the excellent outcome of this reaction by ion-pairing with the transient flavylium.

H-bond donor-directed switching of diastereoselectivity in the Michael addition of α-azido ketones to nitroolefins

The development of catalyst-controlled stereodivergent asymmetric catalysis is important for providing facile access to all stereoisomers of chiral products with multiple stereocenters from the same starting materials. Despite progress, new design strategies for diastereodivergent asymmetric catalysis are still highly desirable. Here we report the potency of H-bond donors as the governing factor to tune diastereoselectivity in a highly diastereoselective switchable enantioselective Michael addition of α-azido ketones to nitroolefins. While a newly developed bifunctional tertiary amine, phosphoramide, preferentially afforded syn-adducts, an analogous squaramide catalyst selectively gave anti-adducts. The resulting multifunctional tertiary azides can be converted to spiro-pyrrolidines with four continuous stereocenters in a one-pot operation. Mechanistic studies cast light on the control of diastereoselectivity by H-bond donors. While the squaramide-catalyzed reaction proceeded with a transition state with both squaramide N–H bonds binding to an enolate intermediate, an unprecedented model was proposed for the phosphoramide-mediated reaction wherein an amide N–H bond and an alkylammonium ion formed in situ interact with nitroolefins, with the enolate stabilized by nonclassical C–H⋯O hydrogen-bonding interactions.

We report the successful reversal of the diastereoselectivity in an unprecedented Michael addition of α-azido ketones to nitroolefins catalyzed by bifunctional tertiary amines, simply by varying the H-bond donor from phosphoramide to squaramide.

Nitro compounds as the core structures of promising energetic materials and versatile reagents for organic synthesis

This review addresses some promising areas of chemistry of nitro compounds extensively developed in recent years in Russia (particularly at the N.D.Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences) and worldwide. The most important results in the synthesis of novel energetic N-, C- and O-nitro compounds are summarized. New environmentally friendly approaches to the preparation of known compounds of this series, used as components of energetic compositions, are considered. Methods for selective transformations of various nitro compounds to valuable products of organic synthesis, primarily biologically active products and their precursors, are systematically analyzed.

The bibliography includes 446 references.

Surface modification of graphene oxide via noncovalent functionalization with porphyrins for selective photocatalytic oxidation of alcohols

GO–porphyrin composites were simply prepared by a self-assembly process. The noncovalent interactions between the porphyrins and oxygen-containing functional groups on GO play a crucial role in controlling their photocatalytic activities.

Organocatalysis and Beyond: Activating Reactions with Two Catalytic Species

Since the beginning of the millennium, organocatalysis has been gaining a predominant role in asymmetric synthesis and it is, nowadays, a foundation of catalysis. Synergistic catalysis, combining two or more different catalytic cycles acting in concert, exploits the vast knowledge acquired in organocatalysis and other fields to perform reactions that would be otherwise impossible. Merging organocatalysis with photo-, metallo- and organocatalysis itself, researchers have ingeniously devised a range of activations. This feature review, focusing on selected synergistic catalytic approaches, aims to provide a flavor of the creativity and innovation in the area, showing ground-breaking examples of organocatalysts, such as proline derivatives, hydrogen bond-mediated, Cinchona alkaloids or phosphoric acids catalysts, which work cooperatively with different catalytic partners.

Diastereodivergent Synthesis of Hexahydro-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-one Derivatives Catalyzed by Modularly Designed Organocatalysts

The diastereodivergent synthesis of hexahydro-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-one derivatives with good to high diastereoselectivities (up to 98:2 d.r.) and enantioselectivities (up to >99 % ee) has been achieved by using a domino Michael/Michael/hemiacetalization reaction between trans-2-hydroxy-β-nitrostyrenes and trans-7-oxo-5-heptenals followed by oxidation. With use of appropriate modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs) that are self-assembled in situ from amino acid derivatives and cinchona alkaloid derivatives, two different diastereomers of the desired hexahydro-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-ones are obtained from the same substrates.

Stereoselective Synthesis of 3-Oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-2-ones via a Domino Reaction Catalyzed by Modularly Designed Organocatalysts

A highly stereoselective method for the synthesis of functionalized 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-2-one derivatives with four contiguous stereogenic centers, including one tetrasubstituted stereogenic center, was realized through an organocatalytic domino Michael-hemiacetalization-Michael reaction of (E)-3-aryl-2-nitroprop-2-enols and (E)-7-aryl-7-oxohept-5-enals followed by a PCC oxidation. Using the modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs) self-assembled from cinchona alkaloid derivatives and amino acids in the reaction media, the title products were obtained in good yields (up to 84%), excellent diastereoselectivities (> 99:1 dr), and high enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).

Stereoselective synthesis of chromane derivatives via a domino reaction catalyzed by modularly designed organocatalysts

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective method for the synthesis of functionalized chroman-2-ones and chromanes was achieved by using an organocatalytic domino Michael/hemiacetalization reaction of aliphatic aldehydes and (E)-2-(2-nitrovinyl)phenols followed by a PCC oxidation and dehydroxylation, respectively. Using the modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs) self-assembled from cinchona alkaloid derivatives and amino acids in the reaction media, the title products were obtained in good to high yields (up to 97%) and excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99 : 1 dr) and enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).

Two chiral catalysts in action: insights into cooperativity and stereoselectivity in proline and cinchona-thiourea dual organocatalysis

Increasing use of two chiral catalysts in cooperative asymmetric catalysis in recent years raises some fundamental questions on chiral compatibility between the catalysts, modes of activation, and relative disposition of substrates within the chiral environment of the catalysts for effective asymmetric induction. We present molecular insights into a one-pot catalytic Michael reaction cascade between a dicarbonyl compound (7-oxo-7-phenylhept-5-enal) and nitrostyrene, catalyzed by two chiral organocatalysts (proline and cinchona-thiourea), leading to a densely functionalized tetra-substituted cyclohexane product. The density functional theory (SMD(toluene)/M06-2X/6-31G**) computations helped us identify the role of the organocatalytic catalytic dyad in providing a lower energy pathway. The covalent activation of the aldehydic end by (S)-proline results in an enamine, which then adds to the noncovalently activated nitrostyrene in the first Michael addition to give a nitronate anion. The configuration at two of the four chiral centers of the product gets fixed in this step whereas that of the remaining two is determined by intramolecular cyclization between the nitronate and the enone. Important mechanistic features such as (a) a lower energy pathway as compared to a proline-only route for the formation of the syn-enamine and its participation in the first Michael addition and (b) the origin of the preferred prochiral faces in the C-C bond formation are traced to the active involvement of the cinchona-thiourea catalyst in conjunction with proline in each step of the reaction. The true cooperative action by both the catalysts is identified as enabled by a network of hydrogen bonding, and π···π stacking between the aryl ring of the cinchona-thiourea catalyst as well as other noncovalent interactions between the catalysts themselves, and that between the catalysts and substrate.

Enantioselective anti-Mannich reaction catalyzed by modularly designed organocatalysts

A highly stereoselective method for achieving the anti-Mannich reaction of aldehydes and ketones with ethyl (4-methoxyphenylimino)acetate was realized using the modularly designed organocatalysts (MDOs) self-assembled from cinchona alkaloid derivatives and (A)-pyrrolidien-3-carboxylic acid in the reaction media. The desired anti-Mannich products were obtained in good to excellent yields (up to 93%), excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1 dr), and good to high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee).

Stereodivergent Catalysis

This review covers diastereo- and enantiodivergent catalyzed reactions in acyclic and cyclic systems using metal complexes or organocatalysts. Among them, nucleophilic addition to carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen double bonds, α-functionalization of carbonyl compounds, allylic substitutions, and ring opening of oxiranes and aziridines are considered. The diastereodivergent synthesis of alkenes from alkynes is also included. Finally, stereodivergent intramolecular and intermolecular cycloadditions and other cyclizations are also reported.

Short, Gram-Scale Syntheses of β- and γ-Lycorane Using Two Distinct Photochemical Approaches

The synthesis of two diastereomeric members of the lycorane alkaloid family is reported. Although the routes are quite different in their approach, both involve the use of photochemistry as a key step, enabling the synthesis of gram quantities in the case of β-lycorane.

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of (-)-α-Lycorane, (-)-Zephyranthine, and Formal Synthesis of (+)-Clivonine

An asymmetric route to (-)-α-lycorane and (-)-zephyranthine, and a formal total synthesis of (+)-clivonine were achieved. A pivotal intermediate, which serves as a potent precursor for the divergent syntheses of these natural products, was accessed by a diastereoselective Pd-catalyzed cinnamylation of an N-tert-butanesulfinyl imine.

Complete diastereodivergence in asymmetric 1,6-addition reactions enabled by minimal modification of a chiral catalyst

Catalytic systems that allow selective generation of any diastereomer of a reaction product bearing multiple stereocentres through minimal modification of a single catalyst scaffold remain elusive, particularly for carbon–carbon bond formations requiring simultaneous control of multiple selectivity factors. Here, we report a catalyst-directed pinpoint inversion of diastereochemical preference in the 1,6-addition of azlactones to δ-aryl dienyl carbonyl compounds with full control over other selectivities preserved. This rigorous diastereodivergence is enabled by the slight structural adjustment of a chiral iminophosphorane catalyst, providing access to all the stereoisomers with high regio-, distereo- and enantioselectivity. The utility of this method is demonstrated in the facile stereodivergent preparation of densely functionalized proline derivatives. The experimental and computational elucidation of the origin of the diastereodivergence is also reported.

For reactions producing numerous chiral centres, accessing all potential stereoisomers is synthetically appealing but difficult. Here, the authors report a stereodivergent 1,6-addition of azlactones where minimal changes to the catalyst structure switches the product selectivity.