Stereoselective epoxidation of hydroxyenones. The synthesis of the sidechain of clerocidin

Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of a chiral aziridine aldehyde

The Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of (R)-1-((R)-1-phenylethyl)aziridine-2-carbaldehyde with alkyl acrylate was carried out under various conditions by changing solvents, bases, and alcohol additives. The reaction at room temperature under neat conditions (no solvent) with quinuclidine as an amine nucleophile, in the presence of benzyl alcohol as an additive, afforded a product, γ-(aziridin-2-yl)-β-hydroxy-α-methylene butanoate, in 97% yield with a diastereomeric ratio of anti and syn as 86 : 14.

[HyEtPy]Cl–H2O: an efficient and versatile solvent system for the DABCO-catalyzed Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction

A very efficient and versatile solvent system, [HyEtPy]Cl–H₂O, has been developed and used in the DABCO-catalyzed Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction.

Enantioselective, organocatalytic Morita-Baylis-Hillman and Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions: stereochemical issues

Conscious of the importance that stereochemical issues may have on the design of efficient organocatalyts for both Morita-Baylis-Hillman and aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction we have analyzed them in this minireview. The so-called standard reactions involve "naked" enolates which therefore should lead to the syn adducts as the major products, irrespective of the E, Z stereochemistry of the enolate. Accordingly, provided the second step is rate determining step, the design of successful bifunctional or polyfunctional catalysts has to consider the geometrical requirements imposed by the transition structures of the second step of these reactions. On the other hand, MBH and aza-MBH reactions co-catalyzed by (S)-proline and a secondary or tertiary amine (co-catalyst) involve the aldol-type condensation of either a 3-amino-substituted enamine, dienamine, or both, depending on the cases. A Zimmerman-Traxler mechanism defines the stereochemical issues regarding these co-catalyzed condensations which parallel those of the well established (S)-proline catalyzed aldol-like reactions.

Anti-selective epoxidation of methyl alpha-methylene-beta-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxycarboxylate esters. Evidence for stereospecific oxygen atom transfer in a nucleophilic epoxidation process

Methyl alpha-methylene-beta-tert-butyldimethylsilyloxycarboxylate esters are found to undergo diastereoselective epoxidation in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide-tert-butyl hydroperoxide to form anti products. In an effort to better understand mechanistic details of the transformation and the basis of diastereoselectivities observed, we studied the epoxidation of substrates with alpha-methylene groups containing (trans) deuterium labels and discovered that oxygen-atom transfer proceeds with > or = 95% stereospecificity in all cases examined. These and other experiments suggest that the mechanism of epoxidation is not distinguishable from a concerted process.

The enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction and its aza counterpart

The development of asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reactions has evolved dramatically over the past few years, parallel to the emerging concept of bifunctional organocatalysis. Whereas organocatalysis is starting to compete with metal-based catalysis in several important organic transformations, the MBH reaction belongs to a group of prototypical reactions in which organocatalysts already display superiority over their metal-based counterparts. This Minireview summarizes recent mechanistic insights and advances in the design and synthesis of small organic molecules for enantioselective MBH and aza-MBH reactions.

Bifunctional Polymeric Organocatalysts and Their Application in the Cooperative Catalysis of Morita–Baylis–Hillman Reactions

A series of soluble, non-cross-linked polystyrene-supported triphenylphosphane and 4-dimethylaminopyridine reagents were prepared. Some of these polymeric reagents contained either alkyl alcohol or phenol groups on the polymer backbone. The use of these materials as organocatalysts in a range of Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions indicated that hydroxyl groups could participate in the reactions and accelerate product formation. In the cases examined, phenol groups were more effective than alkyl alcohol groups for catalyzing the reactions. This article is one of the first reports of the synthesis and use of non-natural, bifunctional polymeric reagents for use in organic synthesis in which both functional groups can cooperatively participate in the catalysis of reactions.

A domino ring-opening/epoxidation of 1,2-dioxines

When allowed to react with alkaline hydrogen peroxide, monocyclic 1,2-dioxines ring-open to their isomeric gamma-hydroxyenone intermediates which are rapidly epoxidized to afford trans-4-hydroxy-2,3-epoxyketones in 21-81% yield. In the case of meso-1,2-dioxines, Co(II) complex catalyzed asymmetric ring-opening of the 1,2-dioxine may be employed to furnish enantioenriched epoxides

Titanium isopropoxide as efficient catalyst for the aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction. Selective formation of alpha-methylene-beta-amino acid derivatives

The direct formation of alpha-methylene-beta-amino acid derivatives is achieved using the aza version of the Baylis-Hillman protocol. The products are readily formed in a three-component one-pot reaction between arylaldehydes, sulfonamides, and alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The reaction is efficiently catalyzed by titanium isopropoxide and 2-hydroxyquinuclidine in the presence of molecular sieves. The protocol allows for structural variation of the substrates, tolerating electron-poor and electron-rich arylaldehydes and various Michael acceptors.

Investigation of the biological mode of action of clerocidin using whole cell assays

Clerocidin, a diterpenoid natural product, has been shown in vitro to inhibit DNA religation following cleavage by topoisomerase II. Herein, we characterize the efficacy and specificity of clerocidin in HeLa cells. Our results suggest that clerocidin recognizes topoisomerase II as its main intracellular target and binds to this enzyme prior to formation of the 'cleavable complex' with DNA. These pharmacological features attest to the promising chemotherapeutic potential of this natural product.

Nonracemic 2-diazo-1-oxiranyl-ethanone, a versatile chiral epoxide educt in diazocarbonyl reactions

(S)-(-)-2-Diazo-1-oxiranyl-ethanone, prepared in two steps from (R)-(+)-glycidol, has been employed as an intermediate in several characteristic diazocarbonyl reactions to yield novel, nonracemic products including an epoxy quinoxaline and epoxy thiazoles and oxazoles.

Synthesis of chiral hydroxyl phospholanes from D-mannitol and their use in asymmetric catalytic reactions

Chiral hydroxyl monophosphane 3 [(2S,3S,4S,5S)-3,4-dihydroxy-2, 5-dimethyl-1-phenylphospholane] and bisphospholanes 5a [1,2-bis[(2S, 3S,4S,5S)-3,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethylphospholanyl]benzene] and 5b [1, 2-bis[(2S,3S,4S,5S)-2,5-diethyl-3,4-dihydroxyphospholanyl]benzene] were synthesized from readily available D-mannitol in high yields. Strategies for protection and deprotection of OH-groups in the presence of phosphines have been explored. Rate acceleration in the Baylis-Hillman reaction was observed when a hydroxyl phosphine was used as the catalyst. Rhodium complexes with chiral bisphospholanes are highly enantioselective catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation of various kinds of functionalized olefins such as dehydroamino acid derivatives, itaconic acid derivatives, and enamides. An interesting feature of the hydroxyl phospholane system is that hydrogenation of some substrates can be carried out in water with >99% ee and 100% conversion (e.g., itaconic acid).