Asymmetric Michael Addition of Cyclohexanone or Cyclopentanone to Chalcones Catalyzed by anL-Proline-Based Organic Phosphane

Pnictogen-bonding catalysis: brevetoxin-type polyether cyclizations

This study marks chemical space available for pnictogen-bonding catalysis, and demonstrates that reactivity accessible in this space is unique.

Pnictogen-bond donors are attractive for use in catalysis because of deep σ holes, high multivalency, rich hypervalency, and chiral binding pockets. We here report natural product inspired epoxide-opening polyether cyclizations catalyzed by fluoroarylated Sb(v) > Sb(iii) > Bi > Sn > Ge. The distinctive characteristic found for pnictogen-bonding catalysis is the breaking of the Baldwin rules, that is selective endo cyclization into the trans-fused ladder oligomers known from the brevetoxins. Moreover, tris(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)stibines and their hypervalent stiborane catecholates afford different anti-Baldwin stereoselectivity. Lewis (SbCl₃), Brønsted (AcOH) and π acids fail to provide similar access to these forbidden rings. Like hydrogen-bonding catalysis differs from Brønsted acid catalysis, pnictogen-bonding catalysis thus emerges as the supramolecular counterpart of covalent Lewis acid catalysis.

One-pot synthesis of 1,5-diketones from 3-acetyl-4-hydroxycoumarin and effective cyclization to unexpected 3,4-dihydropyridines

A facile synthesis of 1,5-diketones from 3-acetyl-4-hydroxycoumarin, aldehydes and cyclic-ketones via a one-pot aldol condensation and subsequent Michael addition reaction in the presence of a single catalyst of l-proline under mild reaction conditions has been developed. Novel 1,5-diketones were further cyclized to unexpected 3,4-dihydropyridines rather than generally formed pyridine analogues with ammonium acetate in acetic acid. One pot, high yields (72-92%) for novel 1,5-diketones and (70-90%) for the 3,4-dihydropyridine adducts, easy work-up and purification of products are the key advantages of this method.

The potential of pnicogen bonding for catalysis - a computational study

Pnicogen bonding is a noncovalent interaction between the electrophilic region of a phosphorus atom and a Lewis base. Although this interaction can be comparable in strength to other noncovalent interactions, no systematic application in organic synthesis or catalysis is known so far. To identify the potential of this interaction for organocatalysis, we have now analysed different pnicogen-bond donors as catalysts for the activation of three different model reactions employing density functional theory. Our calculations suggest rate accelerations of several orders of magnitude for all cases indicating that synthetic applications should be feasible. Furthermore, our results indicate that pnicogen-bond donors can be comparable to halogen-bond-based catalysts in these reactions.

In situ formed acetals facilitated direct Michael addition of unactivated ketones

A facile Michael addition of unactivated ketones under Brønsted acid conditions for the synthesis of 1,5-diketones.

Cerium(iii)-catalyzed regioselective coupling of 2-hydroxychalcones and polyphenols: an efficient domino approach towards synthesis of novel dibenzo-2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes

Efficient cerium(iii)-catalyzed regioselective synthesis of functionalized dibenzannulated mono- and novel bisbicyclic-O,O-ketals is described by coupling of 2-hydroxychalcone and resorcinol/phloroglucinol via Michael addition–bicyclization cascade.