Palladium-catalyzed reaction of allyl carbamates; allylation of carbonucleophiles, and protection-deprotection of amines

Palladium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Allylic Amidation via Decarboxylative Aromatization: Synthesis of N-Allyl-N-aryl Sulfonamides

A protocol in the preparation of functionalized N-allyl-N-aryl sulfonamides via palladium-catalyzed intramolecular decarboxylative N-allylation reaction is presented. The alkylated 2,5-cyclohexadienyl ketoesters reacted with arylsulfonamides in the presence of titanium tetrachloride and pyridine, which allows the formation of alkylated 2,5-cyclohexadienyl sulfonyl iminoesters which then undergo a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular allylic amidation through decarboxylative aromatization to provide functionalized N-allyl-N-aryl sulfonamides. This allylation protocol proceeds with good regioselectivity. Moreover, we have also shown that N-allyl-N-aryl sulfonamide can be transformed into 4-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline and nitrogen-containing β-hydroxysulfide bioactives.

Pd-Catalyzed Asymmetric N-Allylation of Amino Acid Esters with Exceptional Levels of Catalyst Control: Stereo-Divergent Synthesis of ProM-15 and Related Bicyclic Dipeptide Mimetics

A general and powerful method for the stereo‐controlled Pd‐catalyzed N‐allylation of amino acid esters is reported, as a previously largely unsolved synthetic challenge. Employing a new class of tartaric acid‐derived C₂‐symmetric chiral diphosphane ligands the developed asymmetric amination protocol allows the conversion of various amino acid esters to the N‐allylated products with highest levels of enantio‐ or diastereoselectivity in a fully catalyst‐controlled fashion and predictable configuration. Remarkably, the in situ generated catalysts also exhibit outstanding levels of activity (ligand acceleration). The usefulness of the method was demonstrated in the stereo‐divergent synthesis of a set of new conformationally defined dipeptide mimetics, which represent new modular building blocks for the development of peptide‐inspired bioactive compounds.

Toward ideal carbon dioxide functionalization

This Perspective recapitulates recent developments of carbon dioxide utilization in carbon-carbon bond formation reactions, with an intention of paving a way toward sustainable CO2-functionalization and its tangible applications in synthetic chemistry. CO2 functionalization reactions possess intrinsic drawbacks: the high kinetic inertness and thermodynamic stability of CO2. Numerous procedures for CO2 utilization depend on energy-intensive processes (i.e. high pressure and/or temperature), often solely relying on reactive substrates, hampering its general applications. Recent efforts thus have been dedicated to catalytic CO2-utilization under ambient reaction conditions, however, it is still limited to a few activation modes and the use of reactive substrates. Herein, ideal CO2-functionalization with particular emphasis on sustainability will be discussed based on the following sub-categories; (1) metal-catalyzed 'reductive' carboxylation reaction of halides, olefins and allyl alcohols, (2) photochemical CO2-utilization, (3) redox-neutral CO2-functionalization, and (4) enantioselective catalysis incorporating CO2 to form C-CO2 bonds (excluding strain mediated reactions with epoxide- and aziridine-based substrates). Recent progress in these fields will be discussed with the proposed reaction mechanisms and selected examples, highlighting redox-neutral, umpolung, and asymmetric carboxylation to postulate ideal CO2 functionalization reactions to be developed in the near future.

Synthetic studies of viridiofungins, broad-spectrum antifungal agents and serine palmitoyl transferase inhibitors

Viridiofungins are alkyl citrate natural products characterized by their inhibitory effects on squalene synthase and serine palmitoyl transferase. Their activities as broad-spectrum antifungal agents as well as blocking agents for the biosynthesis of sphingolipids have inspired the development of several approaches toward their stereoselective total synthesis. Structurally, these natural products are a family of hybrid molecules comprising a longer alkyl chain and a citric acid unit, rendering an asymmetric structure that is difficult to access. Herein, we summarize the synthetic approaches to this attractive class of natural products, including proficient synthetic strategies for constructing the densely and chirally functionalized citric acid unit with high polarity. Particular emphasis is placed on methods for furnishing stereogenic centers in the highly constrained carbon framework.The Journal of Antibiotics advance online publication, 27 September 2017; doi:10.1038/ja.2017.110.

Concise total synthesis of (±)-actinophyllic acid

A concise total synthesis of the complex indole alkaloid (±)-actinophyllic acid was accomplished by a sequence of reactions requiring only 10 steps from readily-available, known starting materials. The approach featured a Lewis acid-catalyzed cascade of reactions involving stabilized carbocations that delivered the tetracyclic core of the natural product in a single chemical operation. Optimal conversion of this key intermediate into (±)-actinophyllic acid required judicious selection of a protecting group strategy.

Palladium-catalyzed allylic substitution with (η6-arene-CH2Z)Cr(CO)(3)-based nucleophiles

Although the palladium-catalyzed Tsuji-Trost allylic substitution reaction has been intensively studied, there is a lack of general methods to employ simple benzylic nucleophiles. Such a method would facilitate access to "α-2-propenyl benzyl" motifs, which are common structural motifs in bioactive compounds and natural products. We report herein the palladium-catalyzed allylation reaction of toluene-derived pronucleophiles activated by tricarbonylchromium. A variety of cyclic and acyclic allylic electrophiles can be employed with in situ generated (η(6)-C(6)H(5)CHLiR)Cr(CO)(3) nucleophiles. Catalyst identification was performed by high throughput experimentation (HTE) and led to the Xantphos/palladium hit, which proved to be a general catalyst for this class of reactions. In addition to η(6)-toluene complexes, benzyl amine and ether derivatives (η(6)-C(6)H(5)CH(2)Z)Cr(CO)(3) (Z = NR(2), OR) are also viable pronucleophiles, allowing C-C bond-formation α to heteroatoms with excellent yields. Finally, a tandem allylic substitution/demetalation procedure is described that affords the corresponding metal-free allylic substitution products. This method will be a valuable complement to the existing arsenal of nucleophiles with applications in allylic substitution reactions.

Transition metal-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation and benzylation reactions

A review. Transition metal catalyzed decarboxylative allylations, benzylations, and interceptive allylations are reviewed.

Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Aza-Michael Addition−Allylation Reactions between Allyl Carbamates and Activated Olefins. Generation of Quaternary Carbon Adjacent to Secondary Amine Carbon Center

The reaction of allyl carbamates with activated olefins in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4 catalyst in THF proceeded smoothly at room temperature to give the corresponding beta,alpha-bisadducts, beta-amino-alpha-allylated products, in high yields. Not only highly activated olefins containing two cyano groups but also 2-cyano enones underwent facile aza-Michael addition--allylation with various allylic carbamates giving the corresponding products in high yields and with high diastereoselectivities. The stereochemistry of the singly formed product was confirmed with the help of X-ray crystallographic technique. It is an excellent method for creating beta-amino alpha-allyl ketones having two contiguous stereocenters: quaternary carbon adjacent to secondary amine carbon center.

Catalytic Removal of N-Allyloxycarbonyl Groups Using the [CpRu(IV)(π-C3H5)(2-quinolinecarboxylato)]PF6 Complex. A New Efficient Deprotecting Method in Peptide Synthesis

A variety of amines including even sterically less demanding and highly nucleophilic secondary amines have been efficiently deprotected without decarboxylative N-allylation from the corresponding N-allyloxycarbonyl (N-AOC) compounds by using a catalytic amount of [CpRu(IV)(pi-C3H5)(2-quinolinecarboxylato)]PF6 in the presence of 1 molar amount of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, the general utility of which has been demonstrated by the efficient synthesis of a collagen protein unit tripeptide, Pro-Pro-Gly.

Palladium-Catalyzed Allylation of Acidic and Less Nucleophilic Anilines Using Allylic Alcohols Directly

The direct activation of C-O bonds in allylic alcohols by palladium complexes has been accelerated by carrying out the reactions in the presence of titanium(IV) isoproxide and 4 A molecular sieves. The acidic and less nucleophilic anilines such as diphenylamine, phenothiazine, 4-cyanoaniline, and nitroanilines are efficiently allylated under palladium catalysis using allylic alcohols as allylating reagents.

Total synthesis of viridiofungin A

Viridiofungin A, a member of amino alkyl citrate antibiotics from Trichoderma viride, was enantioselectively synthesized in naturally occurring form for the first time, employing regio- and stereoselective opening of the chiral glycidate with vinylmagnesium bromide and alkene cross metathesis of the citric acid core and hexadec-15-en-8-one as key steps.

Synthesis of N-Fmoc-O- (N'-Boc-N'-methyl)-aminohomoserine, an amino acid for the facile preparation of neoglycopeptides

The synthesis of N-Fmoc-O-(N'-Boc-N'-methyl)-aminohomoserine in 35% overall yield from l-homoserine is described. This amino acid can be efficiently incorporated into peptides using Fmoc-chemistry-based solid-phase peptide synthesis, and the resulting peptides can be chemoselectively glycosylated at the aminooxy side chains to generate neoglycopeptides. The synthesis of this derivative greatly expands the availability of a previously developed neoglycopeptide synthesis strategy.

Reaction of vinyl epoxides with palladium-switchable bisnucleophiles: synthesis of carbocycles

The selective activation of substrates I, potential bisnucleophiles, was achieved by using different palladium catalysts. The synthetic potential of this strategy has been demonstrated in the regiodivergent synthesis of carbocycles from substrates of type I, bearing malonate-type pronucleophiles and an alkenyl stannane, with vinyl epoxides. A selective palladium-catalyzed reaction of I with the vinyl epoxide gives rise to an allylic alcohol, which, after activation as a carbonate, led to the cyclization product by a second palladium-catalyzed reaction. The transmetalation process is favored with palladium-catalysts without phosphines or arsines as the ligands. On the other hand, the use of palladium complexes with PPh3 as the ligand inhibits the transmetalation pathway and promotes the nucleophilic attack of the malonate-type anions on the intermediate (eta 3-allyl)-palladium complexes.