Enantiomerically pure α-fluoroalkyl-α-amino acids: Synthesis of (R)-α-difluoromethyl-alanine and (S)-α-difluoromethyl-serine

Organocatalytic asymmetric Strecker reaction of di- and trifluoromethyl ketoimines. Remarkable fluorine effect

A highly enantioselective Strecker reaction of difluoromethyl and trifluoromethyl ketoimines was developed. Remarkable fluorine effect on the reactivity and selectivity is observed and discussed.

Recent Progress on the Stereoselective Synthesis of Cyclic Quaternary alpha-Amino Acids

The most recent papers describing the stereoselective synthesis of cyclic quaternary alpha-amino acids are collected in this review. The diverse synthetic approaches are classified according to the size of the ring and taking into account the bond that is formed to complete the quaternary skeleton.

Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of α,α,α-Trifluoromethylamines by the Copper-Catalyzed Nucleophilic Addition of Diorganozinc Reagents to Imines

[reaction: see text] A copper-catalyzed asymmetric addition of diorganozinc reagents to N-phosphinoylimines has been developed for the synthesis of chiral alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoromethylamines. The trifluoromethyl ketimines, generated in situ from the corresponding hemiaminals, led to the chiral amides in high yields (71-89%) and excellent enantiocontrol (91-99% ee).

The "Non-Oxidative" pummerer reaction: conclusive evidence for S(N)2-type stereoselectivity, mechanistic insight, and synthesis of enantiopure L-alpha-trifluoromethylthreoninate and D-alpha-trifluoromethyl-allo-threoninate(1)

Enantiopure methyl D-alpha-trifluoromethyl-allo-threoninate 18 and L-alpha-trifluoromethylthreoninate 19 were synthesized using (R)-ethyl p-tolylsulfoxide as chiral alpha-hydroxyethyl anion equivalent. The key step was the S(N)2-type replacement of the sulfinyl auxiliary with a hydroxy group, via trifluoroacetic anhydride promoted "non-oxidative" Pummerer reaction (NOPR) of the diastereomeric intermediate beta-sulfinyl amines 14 and 15, obtained by condensation of (R)-ethyl p-tolylsulfoxide 13 with the N-Cbz imine of methyl trifluoropyruvate 12. The conclusive evidence for S(N)2-type stereoselectivity of the NOPR was achieved by X-ray diffraction of both the starting diastereomer 14 and the p-bromobenzoate 25, obtained from the threoninate 19. NMR monitoring of the NOPR performed on 15 allowed the detection of a transient intermediate, which was identified as the four membered cyclic sigma-sulfurane 27. This intermediate spontaneously rearranged (40 min, rt) into the corresponding sulfenamide 17, probably via an intramolecular displacement of the sulfinyl by a trifluoroacetoxy group, with inversion of configuration at the carbon stereocenter. The same process occurred for the diastereomeric beta-sulfinyl amine 14, but the sulfenamide 16 was formed at a very fast rate, thus precluding NMR detection of the corresponding sigma-sulfurane intermediate 26. One-pot treatment of the diastereomeric sulfenamides 16 and 17 with NaBH(4) afforded very good yields of the corresponding threoninates 18 and 19.

Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Heteroarylation of 2- and 3-Indolylzinc Derivatives. An Efficient General Method for the Preparation of (2-Pyridyl)indoles and Their Application to Indole Alkaloid Synthesis

Palladium(0)-catalyzed coupling of (1-(benzenesulfonyl)-2-indolyl)zinc chloride (1) and (1-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-3-indolyl)zinc chloride (6) with diversely substituted (alkyl, methoxy, methoxycarbonyl, nitro, hydroxy) 2-halopyridines gives the corresponding 2- and 3-(2-pyridyl)indoles [4 and 7 (or 8), respectively] in excellent yields. A series of other 3-(heteroaryl)indoles (pyrazinyl, furyl, thienyl, indolyl) have been similarly prepared from 6. The potential of some of these (2-pyridyl)indoles in alkaloid synthesis is demonstrated. Thus, from 2-(2-pyridyl)indole 4b, a new synthetic entry to the indolo[2,3-a]quinolizidine system, involving stereoselective hydrogenation of the pyridine ring with subsequent electrophilic cyclization upon the indole 3-position from an appropriately N(b)-substituted 2-(2-piperidyl)indole, is reported. For this purpose, Pummerer cyclizations have been extensively studied. Whereas the indole-unprotected sulfoxide 17 gives the corresponding indoloquinolizidine 19 in low yield and mainly undergoes an abnormal Pummerer cyclization that ultimately leads to sulfide 18, the N(a)-protected sulfoxides 24a and 24b afford the respective indoloquinolizidines 25a,b in 70% yield. On the other hand, the conversion of 3-(2-pyridyl)indole 8k into tetracyclic ketone 35 by stereoselective hydrogenation, followed by cyclization of the resulting all-cis-3-(2-piperidyl)indole 34, represents a formal synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids with the strychnan skeletal type (tubifoline, tubifolidine, 19,20-dihydroakuammicine). A similar conversion of 8j into nordasycarpidone constitutes a formal synthesis of the alkaloids of the uleine group. Reduction of nordasycarpidone leads to tetracycle 37, an advanced intermediate in a previous synthesis of tubotaiwine, a Strychnos alkaloid with the aspidospermatan skeletal type. Finally, piperidylindole 34 was transformed into tetracycle 41, an ABDE substructure of akuammiline alkaloids, by a sequence involving the skeletal rearrangement of an intermediate spiroindolenine as the crucial step.