Synthesis of (−)-pinidinone

The logic of translating chemical knowledge into machine-processable forms: a modern playground for physical-organic chemistry

With renewed interest and significant progress in computer-assisted synthetic planning, it is essential to codify the logic that should be followed when translating organic synthetic knowledge into reaction rules understandable to the machine.

Iterative direct C(sp3)–H functionalization of amines: diastereoselective divergent syntheses of α,α′-disubstituted alicyclic amines

Facile access to the syn-α,α′-disubstituted N-heterocycles via iterative C–H oxygenation and C–C bond formation.

Transaminase Triggered Aza-Michael Approach for the Enantioselective Synthesis of Piperidine Scaffolds

The expanding "toolbox" of biocatalysts opens new opportunities to redesign synthetic strategies to target molecules by incorporating a key enzymatic step into the synthesis. Herein, we describe a general biocatalytic approach for the enantioselective preparation of 2,6-disubstituted piperidines starting from easily accessible pro-chiral ketoenones. The strategy represents a new biocatalytic disconnection, which relies on an ω-TA-mediated aza-Michael reaction. Significantly, we show that the reversible enzymatic process can power the shuttling of amine functionality across a molecular framework, providing access to the desired aza-Michael products.