Organocatalytic Asymmetric Decarboxylative Addition of β-Ketoacids to Methyleneindolinones Derivatives

β-Keto acids in asymmetric metal catalysis and organocatalysis

β-Keto acids, ideal surrogates of inactive ketones, play an important role in organic synthesis. The asymmetric decarboxylative reaction using β-keto acids is the one which is being studied the most. Herein we present a comprehensive review on this research topic, which is generally classified according to different catalytic systems and chiral induction modes. Additionally, some extended utilities of these methodologies for synthesizing bioactive compounds were also summarized. This review will facilitate the synthetic community to understand the role of β-keto acids in asymmetric reactions, providing many new opportunities for further exploration in this field.

Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of β,β-diaryl ketones via one-pot tandem dehydration/1,6-addition/decarboxylation transformation of β-keto acids and 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohols

Herein we describe an organocatalytic protocol for the asymmetric synthesis of β,β-diaryl ketones. Under the catalysis of a chiral phosphoric acid, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohols underwent dehydration to form para-quinone methides, which reacted with β-keto acids in 1,6-addition reactions. Upon treatment with Et₃N in one-pot, decarboxylation proceeded to provide the desired chiral ketones in nearly quantitative yields with high enantioselectivities.

Catalytic enantioselective decarboxylative nucleophilic addition reactions using chiral organocatalysts

Catalytic decarboxylative reactions are attractive as biomimetic and environmentally friendly reaction processes. This review summarizes the recent results of organocatalytic enantioselective decarboxylative reactions of malonic acid half oxy- or thioesters, β-ketoacids, and related compounds from October 2013 to December 2019.