Enantioselective Diels–Alder reaction of anthrone and maleimide catalyzed by a simple chiral tertiary amine

Organocatalytic enantioselective aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction between benzothiazolimines and 2-naphthols for the preparation of chiral 2'-aminobenzothiazolomethyl naphthols

A bifunctional cinchona squaramide catalyzed enantioselective aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction between 2-naphthols and benzothiazolimines has been developed, and a series of chiral 2'-aminobenzothiazolomethyl naphthols with potential antiproliferative and anthelmintic activities have been successfully and effectively prepared in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) even in a scale-up preparation under mild conditions.

A chiral analog of the bicyclic guanidine TBD: synthesis, structure and Brønsted base catalysis

Starting from (S)-β-phenylalanine, easily accessible by lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution, a chiral triamine was assembled by a reductive amination and finally cyclized to form the title compound 10. In the crystals of the guanidinium benzoate salt the six membered rings of 10 adopt conformations close to an envelope with the phenyl substituents in pseudo-axial positions. The unprotonated guanidine 10 catalyzes Diels–Alder reactions of anthrones and maleimides (25–30% ee). It also promotes as a strong Brønsted base the retro-aldol reaction of some cycloadducts with kinetic resolution of the enantiomers. In three cases, the retro-aldol products (48–83% ee) could be recrystallized to high enantiopurity (≥95% ee). The absolute configuration of several compounds is supported by anomalous X-ray diffraction and by chemical correlation.

Bifunctional thiourea catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of anthrone to methyleneindolinones

Bifunctional thiourea catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of anthrones to methyleneindolinones were developed to prepare biologically significant hybrid derivatives of oxindoles and anthrones in high yield, high regioselectivity and stereoselectivity.