Advances in Chiral Pincer Complexes: Insights and Applications in Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions

Chiral pincer complexes, characterized by their rigid tridentate coordination framework, have emerged as powerful catalysts in asymmetric synthesis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the development of chiral pincer-type ligands and their corresponding transition metal complexes. We highlight the latest progress in their application across a range of catalytic asymmetric reactions, including the (transfer) hydrogenation of polar and non-polar bonds, hydrophosphination, alkynylation, Friedel-Crafts reactions, enantioselective reductive cyclization of alkynyl-tethered cyclohexadienones, enantioselective hydrosilylation, as well as Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions. The structural rigidity and tunability of chiral pincer complexes enable precise control over stereoselectivity, resulting in high enantioselectivity and efficiency in complex molecular transformations. As the field advances, innovations in ligand design and the exploration of new metal centers are expected to expand the scope and utility of these catalysts, bearing significant implications for the synthesis of enantioenriched compounds in pharmaceuticals, materials science, and beyond.

Bifunctional Thiourea-Catalyzed Enantioselective Aza-Friedel-Crafts Reaction of 3-Aminobenzofurans with Isatin-Derived Ketimines

A quinine-derived thiourea-promoted enantioselective aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of 3-aminobenzofurans with isatin-derived ketimines is developed, providing a variety of 3-benzofuran-3-amino-2-oxindoles bearing a quaternary stereocenter with good to excellent yields (72-95%) and moderate to excellent enantioselectivities (48-97%). The synthetic potential of this concise and efficient protocol is revealed by gram-scale preparation and further transformation of the adduct to an optically pure spirocyclic oxindole.

Chiral (phosphine)-(imidazoline) PCN pincer palladium(II) complexes: synthesis and application in asymmetric hydrophosphination of 2-alkenoylpyridines with diphenylphosphine

A series of new chiral PCN pincer Pd(II) complexes 3a−l with aryl-based (phosphine)-(imidazoline) ligands were conveniently synthesized from readily available starting materials with the key step being phosphination/C−H palladation reaction....

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.

Imidazoline synthesis: mechanistic investigations show that Fe catalysts promote a new multicomponent redox reaction

Multicomponent reactions are attracting strong interest because they contribute to develop more efficient synthetic chemistry. Understanding their mechanism at the molecular level is thus an important issue to optimize their operation. The development of integrated experimental and theoretical approaches has very recently emerged as most powerful to achieve this goal. In the wake of our recent investigation of amidine synthesis, we used this approach to explore how an Fe-catalyzed aziridination can lead to an imidazoline when run in acetonitrile. We report that the synthesis of imidazoline by combination of styrene, acetonitrile, an iron catalyst and a nitrene precursor occurs along a new kind of multicomponent reaction. The formation of imidazoline results from acetonitrile interception of a benzyl radical styrene aziridination intermediate within Fe coordination sphere, as opposed to classical nucleophilic opening of the aziridine by a Lewis acid. Comparison of this mechanism to that of amidine formation allows a rationalization of the modes of intermediates trapping by acetonitrile according to the oxidation state Fe active species. The molecular understanding of these processes may help to design other multicomponent reactions.

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of 3-aminooxindoles to access chiral homoallylic aminooxindoles

An organometal catalytic conversion of 3-aminooxindoles for the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of homoallylic aminooxindoles has been described. The asymmetric allylic alkylation of 3-aminooxindoles with allyl carboxylates proceeded smoothly to afford a series of chiral 3-allyl-3-aminooxindoles. This work offers an alternative route to build these scaffolds. The application of this protocol is also highlighted by a significant conversion of products to the potential applicable spiro[indoline-3,2'-pyrrolidin]-2-one derivatives.

Palladium-catalysed oxidative nucleophilic allylation between alkenes and activated ketimines

A direct linear regioselective oxidative allylation reaction between alkenes and activated ketimines has been developed by using a Pd(OAc)2/2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone system.

Brønsted Acid-Catalyzed General Petasis Allylation and Isoprenylation of Unactivated Ketones

Brønsted acid-catalyzed general Petasis allylation and isoprenylation of unactivated ketones were developed by using o-hydroxyaniline and the corresponding pinacolyl boronic esters. This robust methodology provided access to a broad variety of quaternary homoallylic amines and dienyl amines in high yields, proved to be applicable to a gram-scale synthesis, and allowed the synthesis of a potentially bioactive quaternary homoallylic aminodiol.

Synthesis and application in asymmetric catalysis of P-stereogenic pincer–metal complexes

P-stereogenic pincer: synthesis and application in asymmetric catalysis.

Bi(III)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Allylation Reactions of Ketimines

Chiral homoallylic amines not only are found in pharmaceutically relevant compounds but also serve as versatile building blocks for chemical synthesis. However, catalytic allylation of ketimines with allylboronates, an attractive approach to synthesize chiral homoallylic amine scaffolds remain scarce. Herein, we develop a highly enantioselective allylation of isatin-derived ketimines with boron allylation reagents catalyzed by a Bi(OAc)₃-chiral phosphoric acid catalyst system. The reactions are remarkably efficient and mild, most of which were completed in less than an hour at room temperature with only 1/2 mol% (Bi(OAc)₃/CPA) catalyst loading. A wide range of chiral 3-allyl 3-aminooxindoles were obtained in excellent yields and enantioselectivities. The synthetic utility was demonstrated by efficient formal synthesis of (+)-AG-041R and (−)-psychotriasine. Preliminary mechanism was studied by control experiments and theoretical calculations.

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Asymmetric allylation of ketimines

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Bi(OAc)₃-chiral phosphoric acid catalyst

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Downstream synthetic transformations

Chiral palladium pincer complexes for asymmetric catalytic reactions

Palladium pincer complexes, containing a monoanionic terdentate ligand composed of an anionic aryl carbon atom and two mutually compatible donor sites, have aroused considerable interest since their first reports in the late 1970s. The high stability of the Pd pincer complexes and particularly their high modularity make these species ideal candidates for catalysis. Furthermore, the nature of the meridional coordination of the pincer ligands, and along with this their ability to enforce a stereo-specific environment around the Pd center, provide a good opportunity for developing chiral Pd pincer catalysts. Thus, a broad variety of chiral Pd pincer complexes have been prepared by the introduction of various stereochemical centers in the pincer skeletons. These chiral Pd pincer complexes have been successfully applied to many asymmetric catalytic reactions such as hydrophosphination reactions, allylation of aldehydes and imines, Michael and aldol reactions, Suzuki-Miyaura reactions as well as reactions of nitrile compounds with imines. This review focuses on the synthetic methods and the applications of chiral Pd pincer complexes in asymmetric catalysis.

Enantioselective conjugate addition of an α,α-dithioacetonitrile with nitroalkenes using chiral bis(imidazoline)–Pd complexes

The first highly enantioselective reaction of α,α-dithioacetonitriles with nitroolefins as electron deficient olefins using chiral Phebim–Pd catalysts was developed.

Highly enantioselective addition of sulfur-containing heterocycles to isatin-derived ketimines

In this study, we report a highly stereoselective addition of sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds to isatin-derived ketimines efficiently catalyzed by cinchonidine-derived bifunctional tertiary aminothiourea (1 mol%).

The enantioselective addition of 1-fluoro-1-nitro(phenylsulfonyl)methane to isatin-derived ketimines

An asymmetric organocatalytic addition of fluorinated phenylsulfonylnitromethane to isatin-derived ketimines was developed. The reaction was efficiently catalyzed by a chiral tertiary amine, cinchonine. This methodology provides a new type of optically active compound with two adjacent quaternary carbon stereocenters in good yield (up to 96%), with moderate diastereoselectivity (up to 5.7 : 1 dr) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 98/96% ee).

Enantioselective aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction of cyclic ketimines with indoles using chiral imidazoline–phosphoric acid catalysts

A highly enantioselective aza-Friedel Crafts reaction of cyclic 4-aryl-3-oxo-1,2,5-thiadiazol-1,1-oxides as cyclic ketimines with indoles was developed.

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.

Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective Alkylation of Enolizable Ketimines with Organomagnesium Reagents

Inexpensive and readily available organomagnesium reagents were used for the catalytic enantioselective alkylation of enolizable N-sulfonyl ketimines. The low reactivity and competing enolization of the ketimines was overcome by the use of a copper-phosphine chiral catalyst, which also rendered the transformation highly chemoselective and enantioselective for a broad range of ketimine substrates.

Enantioselective Barbier-type allylation of ketones using allyl halide and indium in water

We disclose herein an efficient enantioselective Barbier-type allylation of ketones using allyl halide and indium metal in water.

Indium-catalysed amide allylation of α-iminoamide: highly enantioselective synthesis of amide functionalised α-methylene-γ-butyrolactams

A highly enantioselective amide allylation of α-iminoamides has been achieved using catalytic amounts of InCl₃, ZnCl₂ and a BINOL derivative.

Direct catalytic enantioselective Mannich-type reaction of α,α-dithioacetonitriles with imines using chiral bis(imidazoline)–Pd complexes

The first highly enantioselective reaction of α,α-dithioacetonitriles with imines has been developed.

Development of (quinolinyl)amido-based pincer palladium complexes: a robust and phosphine-free catalyst system for C–H arylation of benzothiazoles

Well-defined (quinolinyl)amido-pincer palladium complexes are developed and employed for the catalytic C–H bond arylation of benzothiazoles with aryl iodides, which can be recycled and reused for several cycles.

Dual Palladium(II)/Tertiary Amine Catalysis for Asymmetric Regioselective Rearrangements of Allylic Carbamates

The streamlined catalytic access to enantiopure allylic amines as valuable precursors towards chiral β- and γ-aminoalcohols as well as α- and β-aminoacids is desirable for industrial purposes. In this article an enantioselective method is described that transforms achiral allylic alcohols and N-tosylisocyanate in a single step into highly enantioenriched N-tosyl protected allylic amines via an allylic carbamate intermediate. The latter is likely to undergo a cyclisation-induced [3,3]-rearrangement catalysed by a planar chiral pentaphenylferrocene palladacycle in cooperation with a tertiary amine base. The otherwise often indispensable activation of palladacycle catalysts by a silver salt is not required in the present case and there is also no need for an inert gas atmosphere. To further improve the synthetic value, the rearrangement was used to form dimethylaminosulfonyl-protected allylic amines, which can be deprotected under non-reductive conditions.