Organocatalytic Asymmetric Michael Addition of Oxazolones to Arylsulfonyl Indoles: Facile Access tosyn-Configured α,β-Disubstituted Tryptophan Derivatives

Asymmetric Addition of α-Diazomethylphosphonate to Alkylideneindolenine Catalyzed by a Trifunctional BINAP-Based Monophosphonium Salt

A series of trifunctional BINAP-based monophosphonium phase-transfer catalysts were developed and used in the asymmetric addition of α-diazomethylphosphonates to vinylogous imines formed in situ from sulfonylindoles. This methodology tolerates a broad scope of 2-unsubstituted sulfonyl indoles, which have seldom achieved high enantioselectivities in similar asymmetric reactions with other nucleophiles. Chiral 3-sec-alkyl-substituted indoles containing α-diazophosphonate were afforded in up to 99% yield and 95% ee.

Catalytic asymmetric coupling of vinylogous species via deconjugated butenolide addition to vinylogous imines in situ generated from arylsulfonyl indoles

An efficient catalytic asymmetric coupling of vinylogous species is developed via deconjugated butenolide addition to vinylogous imines in situ generated from arylsulfonyl indoles. With quinine-derived bifunctional squaramide as the catalyst, a series of structurally diverse enantioenriched sec-alkyl-3-substituted indoles containing valuable γ,γ-disubstituted butenolide moieties and adjacent quaternary-tertiary stereocenters are obtained in synthetically viable results (up to 97% yield, 77 : 23 dr and 97% ee).

Arenesulfonyl indole: new precursor for diversification of C-3 functionalized indoles

Arenesulfonyl indoles, bearing a good leaving group, are effective precursors for vinylogous imine intermediates which are generated in situ under basic conditions. This intermediate can readily react with other nucleophilic reagents to obtain C-3 substituted indole derivatives. In the last few years, a plethora of exciting synthetic applications of this substrate have been exploited. The stability of arylsulfonyl-containing substrates, mild reaction conditions, and the large variety of nucleophiles involved in these procedures are the key to their success in organic synthesis.

Sulfonyl Azoles in the Synthesis of 3-Functionalized Azole Derivatives

Sulfonyl indoles, as well as related azolyl derivatives, have been recently introduced in synthesis as stable precursors of reactive indolenine intermediates. This personal account reports on the discovery of sulfonyl azoles and their practical utilization in many synthetic processes for the preparation of functionalized 3-substituted indoles, indazoles, and pyrroles. The indolenine intermediates obtained by treatment of sulfonyl azoles with Brønsted bases or Lewis acids can be considered as vinylogous imino derivatives that can be made to react with different nucleophilic reagents. These include organometallic reagents, reducing agents, stabilized carbanions, and heteronucleophiles. The controlled and mild conditions for the generation of indolenines from sulfonyl azoles make these substrates particularly useful in asymmetric synthesis, exploiting organo- or metal-catalyzed processes. Although less exploited, sulfonyl indoles can also be involved in photochemical processes for the preparation of polycyclic derivatives.

Organocatalytic Highly Enantioselective Substitution of 3-(1-Tosylalkyl)indoles with Oxindoles Enables the First Total Synthesis of (+)-Trigolutes B

A highly enantioselective organocatalytic substitution of 3-(1-tosylalkyl)indoles with oxindoles has been established by using chiral bifunctional organocatalysts, providing an efficient entry to multiply functionalized 3,3'-disubstituted oxindoles, and was exploited as the key step to enable the first asymmetric total synthesis of optically pure (+)-trigolutes B to be accomplished in a concise manner, within seven steps with an 18% overall yield.

Organocatalytic regioselective asymmetric Michael addition of azlactones to o-hydroxy chalcone derivatives

The regioselective and enantioselective Michael addition between azlactones and o-hydroxy chalcone derivatives is reported. Enantiomerically enriched N,O-aminals with two continuous stereogenic centers are exclusively obtained in moderate to good yields with excellent diastereoselectivities and good to excellent enantioselectivities. The experimental results show that an o-hydroxy group on the cinnamenyl motif of chalcone derivatives plays a crucial role at the reaction sites for the regioselective Michael addition. In addition, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) are used to investigate the absolute configuration of N,O-aminals and the corresponding transition-state structures.

Strategies for the asymmetric functionalization of indoles: an update

During the past four years, the research of new synthetic methodologies for the rapid construction of enantiomerically pure substituted indole has had a fruitful and important growth.

Enantioselective addition of oxazolones to N-protected imines catalysed by chiral thioureas

Chiral thiourea-catalysed Mannich-type addition of oxazolones to imines, which provide highly functionalized amino oxazolones with quaternary stereogenic centres.