Asymmetric hydrogenolysis of racemic 3-substitued-3-hydroxy-isoindolin-1-ones employing SPINOL-derived chiral phosphoric acid

Photoredox Hydroxy-arylation of the Terminal Double Bond of N-Substituted 3-Methyleneisoindolin-1-ones in Visible Light

Mild and efficient ruthenium-catalyzed hydroxy-arylation of the terminal double bond of N-substituted 3-methyleneisoindolin-1-ones is described. The reaction takes place with aryl diazonium salt as the arylating reagent and water as the hydroxyl source in visible light at ambient temperature. The strategy entails vicinal difunctionalization of alkene and enables construction of 3-benzyl-3-hydroxyisoindolin-1-one heterocyclic scaffolds in moderate to good yields. C-C and C-O bonds are formed in one pot without any external additive and oxidant through an in situ generation of a carbocation intermediate in green light.

Asymmetric Cascade Aza-Henry/Lactamization Reaction in the Highly Enantioselective Organocatalytic Synthesis of 3-(Nitromethyl)isoindolin-1-ones from α-Amido Sulfones

The asymmetric synthesis of novel 3-substituted isoindolinones is herein reported. A new cascade reaction was developed that consisted of the asymmetric nitro-Mannich reaction of suitable α-amido sulfones designed from 2-formyl benzoates, followed by the in situ cyclization of the adducts. Very high enantioselectivities, up to 98% ee, and very good yields were obtained in the presence of the readily available neutral bifunctional organocatalyst derived from trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane, which is known as Takemoto’s catalyst. The investigation of the reactivity of the obtained products allowed either the selective Boc-deprotection or reduction of the nitro group, leading to further functionalized 3-substituted isoindolinones without affecting the enantiomeric purity.

The First Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of 3-Sulfinyl-Substituted Isoindolinones Having Adjacent Carbon and Sulfur Stereocenters

A highly stereoselective access to 3-sulfinyl-substituted isoindolinones has been achieved by a tandem organocatalytic addition/cyclization reaction of 2-carbobenzyloxy-N-tosylbenzylidenimine with thiols and succeeding diastereoselective oxidation with MCPBA. First, enantioenriched isoindolinone N,S-acetals have been obtained through a dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation induced by a bifunctional chiral thiourea organocatalyst. In turn, the newly created carbon stereocenter enabled a high diastereocontrol in the subsequent sulfoxidation. Based on DFT calculations, a theoretical rationale for the stereoselectivity of the oxidation reaction is also provided.

Synthesis and stereoselective catalytic transformations of 3-hydroxyisoindolinones

This review focuses on the synthesis of 3-hydroxyisoindolinones, and their application as substrates in stereoselective catalytic transformations reported from 2010 to date. These compounds have attracted much attention among synthetic chemists, as they are integral structural parts of a number of natural products and biologically active compounds. The first part of this review covers methods based on electrochemical, photochemical, and thermal reactions for the synthesis of 3-hydroxyisoindolinones. The second part focuses on their employment as substrates in transition metal-catalyzed and organocatalyzed stereoselective transformations for the preparation of chiral 3-substituted isoindolinone derivatives.

BF3·OEt2-Catalyzed Vinyl Azide Addition to in Situ Generated N-Acyl Iminium Salts: Synthesis of 3-Oxoisoindoline-1-acetamides

BF₃·OEt₂-catalyzed nucleophilic addition of vinyl azides to in situ generated N-acyl iminium salts obtained from 3-hydroxyisoindolinones is described in this article. The procedure is operationally simple, mild, additive, and metal-free. The reaction proceeds smoothly at ambient temperature with a wide range of 3-hydroxyisoindol-1-ones and vinyl azides to afford 3-oxoisoindoline-1-acetamides (32 examples) in high yields (up to 97%). Furthermore, the synthetic utility of this methodology is depicted by exploiting the reactivity of an amide functionality in the products.

Unexpected Rearrangement of Dilithiated Isoindoline-1,3-diols into 3-Aminoindan-1-ones via N-Lithioaminoarylcarbenes: A Combined Synthetic and Computational Study

The reaction of 2-aryl-3-hydroxyisoindolin-1-ones with the s-BuLi·TMEDA system in THF at -78 °C, affording a series of diastereomeric 3-aminoindan-1-ones via a novel rearrangement of the isoindolinone scaffold, is reported. It is proposed that α-elimination of LiOH from the transient N,O-dilithiated hemiaminal carbenoids leads to the formation of singlet carbenes followed by their trapping via an intramolecular C-H insertion. An alternative explanation based on an intramolecular Mannich reaction seem much less probable. A mechanistic-type study that combines spectroscopic data of the products and calculation results, with a special focus on the diverse lithiated intermediates that are most likely to engage in the title process (particularly those with internal Li bonds), is presented. The MP2 approach, including the NPA and QTAIM data, provided insight into structures and properties of all these species. Two reaction routes A and B appeared to be possible for the postulated carbene mechanism. An unusual metamorphosis of the CCN atom triad, from a near sp 1-azaallene-type in more stable noncarbene Li enolates to a roughly sp² type in their carbene keto tautomers, is recognized in one of these pathways (route B). Dominant forms of resonance structures for the aforementioned tautomeric systems that have seven-membered quasi rings stabilized by Li⁺ ions bridging the N and carbonyl O atoms are indicated. Large computational difficulties arising from a huge impact of internal Li⁺ complexation on conformational preferences and electronic properties of carbonyl group-bearing lithium derivatives are also discussed. The new γ-keto carbene species under study belong to a subclass of acyclic aminoarylcarbenes.

Tin Powder-Promoted Cascade Condensation/Allylation/Lactamization: Synthesis of Isoindolinones and Pyrazoloisoindol-8-ones

An efficient tin powder-promoted cascade condensation/allylation/lactamization of 2-formylbenzoic acids, hydrazides, and allyl bromides was developed for the synthesis of isoindolinones in good to excellent yields under mild conditions without any other additives or catalysts. Further manipulation of isoindolinones by iodocyclization process afforded the tricyclic tetrahydro-8 H-pyrazolo[5,1- a]isoindol-8-one derivatives, which could be converted into more complicated tetracyclic tetrahydro-4 H-azirino[1',2':2,3]pyrazolo[5,1- a]isoindol-4-ones.

Approach to Chiral 1-Substituted Isoquinolone and 3-Substituted Isoindolin-1-one by Addition-Cyclization Process

An approach to access 1-substituted isoquinolones has been developed through the addition-cyclization of imines with Grignard reagents in the presence of 2,2'-dipyridyl. A number of substituted aromatic magnesium reagents were amenable to this process, and the desired products were obtained with excellent yields and outstanding diastereoselectivities ( dr > 99:1). The utility of this convenient approach is demonstrated by the formal synthesis of ( S)-cryptostyline II. Moreover, N-methylmorpholine (NMM) was found to be an effective additive for the formation of 3-substituted isoindolin-1-ones using one-pot addition-cyclization-deprotection of imine with Grignard reagents.

Chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed enantioselective N-alkylation of indoles with in situ generated cyclic N-acyl ketimines

A chiral SPINOL derived phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric N-alkylation reaction of indoles with cyclic α-diaryl-substituted N-acyl imines, which are generated in situ from 3-aryl 3-hydroxyisoindo-linones, has been demonstrated.