Inner Workings of a Cinchona Alkaloid Catalyzed Oxa-Michael Cyclization: Evidence for a Concerted Hydrogen-Bond-Network Mechanism

Gold catalyzed efficient preparation of dihydrobenzofuran from 1,3-enyne and phenol

A gold catalyzed formal intermolecular [2+3] cyclo-coupling of 1,3-enynes with phenols was developed to prepare dihydrobenzofuran derivatives with the addition of 2,6-dichloropyridine N-oxide, in which, a highly ortho-selective phenol S_EAr functionalization was achieved by using 1,3-enynes as α-oxo vinyl gold carbenoid surrogates.

Stereodivergent Synthesis of Enantioenriched 2,3-Disubstituted Dihydrobenzofurans via a One-Pot C-H Functionalization/Oxa-Michael Addition Cascade

A one-pot rhodium-catalyzed C-H functionalization/organocatalyzed oxa-Michael addition cascade reaction has been developed. This methodology enables the stereodivergent synthesis of diverse 2,3-disubstituted dihydrobenzofurans with broad functional group compatibility in good yields with high levels of stereoselectivity under exceptionally mild conditions. The full complement of stereoisomers of chiral 2,3-disubstituted dihydrobenzofurans and 3,4-disubstituted isochromans could be accessed at will by appropriate permutations of the two chiral catalysts. The current work provides a rare example of two chiral catalysts independently controlling two contiguous stereogenic centers subsequently via a two-step reaction in a single operation.

Squaramide-Catalyzed Asymmetric Intramolecular Oxa-Michael Reaction of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyls Containing Benzyl Alcohol: Construction of Chiral 1-Substituted Phthalans

Organocatalytic enantioselective intramolecular oxa-Michael reactions of benzyl alcohol bearing α,β-unsaturated carbonyls as Michael acceptors are presented herein. Using cinchona squaramide-based organocatalyst, enones as well as α,β-unsaturated esters containing benzyl alcohol provided their corresponding 1,3-dihydroisobenzofuranyl-1-methylene ketones and 1,3-dihydroisobenzofuranyl-1-methylene esters in excellent yields with high enantioselectivities. In addition, enantioenriched 1,3-dihydroisobenzofuranyl-1-methylene ketone could be obtained from the Wittig/oxa-Michael reaction cascade of 1,3-dihydro-2-benzofuran-1-ol.

Brønsted acid-catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution of in situ formed acyclic N,O-hemiaminals: cascade synthesis of chiral cyclic N,O-aminals

A H2O controlled dynamic kinetic resolution was involved in a Brønsted acid-catalyzed acyclic N,O-hemiaminal formation/oxa-Michael reaction cascade, leading to highly enantioenriched cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans bearing an exo amide group.

New Mechanism for Cinchona Alkaloid-Catalysis Allows for an Efficient Thiophosphorylation Reaction

An efficient synthesis of nucleoside 5'-monothiophosphates under mild reaction conditions using commercially available thiophosphoryl chloride was achieved with a cinchona alkaloid catalyst. A detailed mechanistic study of the reaction was undertaken, employing a combination of reaction kinetics, NMR spectroscopy, and computational modeling, to better understand the observed reactivity. Taken collectively, the results support an unprecedented mechanism for this class of organocatalyst.

Mechanistic Insight into Asymmetric Hetero-Michael Addition of α,β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids Catalyzed by Multifunctional Thioureas

Carboxylic acids and their corresponding carboxylate anions are generally utilized as Brønsted acids/bases and oxygen nucleophiles in organic synthesis. However, a few asymmetric reactions have used carboxylic acids as electrophiles. Although chiral thioureas bearing both arylboronic acid and tertiary amine were found to promote the aza-Michael addition of BnONH₂ to α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids with moderate to good enantioselectivities, the reaction mechanism remains to be clarified. Detailed investigation of the reaction using spectroscopic analysis and kinetic studies identified tetrahedral borate complexes, comprising two carboxylate anions, as reaction intermediates. We realized a dramatic improvement in product enantioselectivity with the addition of 1 equiv of benzoic acid. In this aza-Michael reaction, the boronic acid not only activates the carboxylate ligand as a Lewis acid, together with the thiourea NH-protons, but also functions as a Brønsted base through a benzoyloxy anion to activate the nucleophile. Moreover, molecular sieves were found to play an important role in generating the ternary borate complexes, which were crucial for obtaining high enantioselectivity as demonstrated by DFT calculations. We also designed a new thiourea catalyst for the intramolecular oxa-Michael addition to suppress another catalytic pathway via a binary borate complex using steric hindrance between the catalyst and substrate. Finally, to demonstrate the synthetic versatility of both hetero-Michael additions, we used them to accomplish the asymmetric synthesis of key intermediates in pharmaceutically important molecules, including sitagliptin and α-tocopherol.

Asymmetric Catalysis via Cyclic, Aliphatic Oxocarbenium Ions

A direct enantioselective synthesis of substituted oxygen heterocycles from lactol acetates and enolsilanes has been realized using a highly reactive and confined imidodiphosphorimidate (IDPi) catalyst. Various chiral oxygen heterocycles, including tetrahydrofurans, tetrahydropyrans, oxepanes, chromans, and dihydrobenzofurans, were obtained in excellent enantioselectivities by reacting the corresponding lactol acetates with diverse enol silanes. Mechanistic studies suggest the reaction to proceed via a nonstabilized, aliphatic, cyclic oxocarbenium ion intermediate paired with the confined chiral counteranion.

Synthetic and Organocatalytic Studies of Quinidine Analogues with Ring-Size Modifications in the Quinuclidine Moiety

Six highly enantiopure analogues of [2.2.2] were synthesized with five- or seven-membered rings in the (original) quinuclidine skeleton. Five of these compounds were prepared through epoxide opening by a secondary cyclic amine, providing the nor- and homoquinuclidine moieties through five- and six-membered ring formation. This method failed in the case of seven-membered ring formation, so for that particular ring size a different synthetic route starting from 3-quinuclidone was applied. The six novel analogues were examined as organocatalysts in four asymmetric conjugate addition reactions and the results compared with those of known cinchona alkaloid catalysts. This study shows that modification of the quinuclidine ring can have a substantial influence on catalyst activity and enantioselectivity. To acquire more insight into the characteristics of the new catalysts, the pKaH values were determined by means of fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, relative reaction rates of conjugate thiol additions reactions catalyzed by these quinidine analogues were measured through polarimetry.

An Evolving Insight into Chiral H-Bond Catalyzed Aza-Henry Reactions: A Cooperative Role for Noncovalent Attractive Interactions Unveiled by Density Functional Theory

The role of cooperative effects arising from noncovalent attractive interactions as a vital factor governing stereoinduction in chiral H-bond catalyzed aza-Henry reactions is reported. Supporting this finding were density functional theory (DFT) calculations which revealed a shape and size dependency existed between the catalyst and substrates that when matched lead to high enantioselectivity, as reflected by favorable activation parameters. Associated with optimal catalyst and substrate pairing were a closed catalytic binding pocket and a synclinal orientation of the substrates that reinforced favorable stereoelectronic effects and dispersive type forces. Meanwhile, unfavorable steric interactions were found to be a dominant effect controlling diastereoselection.

Catalytic asymmetric formal synthesis of beraprost

The first catalytic asymmetric synthesis of the key intermediate for beraprost has been achieved through an enantioselective intramolecular oxa-Michael reaction of an α,β-unsaturated amide mediated by a newly developed benzothiadiazine catalyst. The Weinreb amide moiety and bromo substituent of the Michael adduct were utilized for the C-C bond formations to construct the scaffold. All four contiguous stereocenters of the tricyclic core were controlled via Rh-catalyzed stereoselective C-H insertion and the subsequent reduction from the convex face.

Organocatalytic, Enantioselective Synthesis of 1- and 3-Substituted Isochromans via Intramolecular Oxa-Michael Reaction of Alkoxyboronate: Synthesis of (+)-Sonepiprazole

The enantioselective oxa-Michael reaction of alkoxyboronate strategy was demonstrated to provide a new and practical route to enantioriched 1- and 3-substituted isochromans using a chiral bifunctional organocatalyst. Furthermore, this methodology was extended to the enantioselective synthesis of (+)-sonepiprazole, a dopamine receptor antagonist.

A novel enantioselective synthesis of 6H-dibenzopyran derivatives by combined palladium/norbornene and cinchona alkaloid catalysis

Chiral dibenzopyran derivatives were obtained by cinchona alkaloid, as organocatalyst, in combination, for the first time, with palladium/norbornene catalytic system.

Organocatalytic, enantioselective, intramolecular oxa-Michael reaction of alkoxyboronate: a new strategy for enantioenriched 1-substituted 1,3-dihydroisobenzofurans

An unprecedented strategy for the synthesis of enantioenriched 1-substituted 1,3-dihydroisobenzofurans via an enantioselective oxa-Michael reaction of o-alkoxyboronate containing chalcone (II) has been accomplished employing cinchona alkaloid based squaramide bifunctional organocatalyst in the presence of proton source. The corresponding alkoxyboronate intermediates have been readily prepared in situ from o-formyl chalcones using neutral borane as hydride source and a tertiary amine moiety which is a counterpart of the catalyst.