Enantioselective Construction of Chiral Cyclopropa[c]coumarins via Lewis Base-Catalyzed Cyclopropanation

Asymmetric Radical Bicyclization for Stereoselective Construction of Tricyclic Chromanones and Chromanes with Fused Cyclopropanes

Asymmetric radical bicyclization processes have been developed via metalloradical catalysis (MRC) to stereoselectively construct chiral chromanones and chromanes bearing fused cyclopropanes. Through optimization of a versatile D2-symmetric chiral amidoporphyrin ligand platform, a Co(II)-metalloradical system can homolytically activate both diazomalonates and α-aryldiazomethanes containing different alkene functionalities under mild conditions for effective radical bicyclization, delivering cyclopropane-fused tricyclic chromanones and chromanes, respectively, in high yields with excellent control of both diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities. Combined computational and experimental studies, including the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) trapping of key radical intermediates, shed light on the working details of the underlying stepwise radical mechanisms of the Co(II)-catalyzed bicyclization processes. The two catalytic radical processes provide effective synthetic tools for stereoselective construction of valuable cyclopropane-fused chromanones and chromanes with newly generated contiguous stereogenic centers. As a specific demonstration of synthetic application, the Co(II)-catalyzed radical bicyclization has been employed as a key step for the first asymmetric total synthesis of the natural product (+)-Radulanin J.

Access to Highly Strained Tricyclic Ketals Derived from Coumarins

Synthesis of highly strained fused substituted dihydrobenzopyran cyclopropyl lactones derived from coumarin carboxylates are reported. The substrate scope tolerates a variety of 6- and 8-substituents on the coumarin ring. Substitution at the 5- or 7-position is resistant to tricyclic lactone formation except with 7-methyl substitution. Benzamide-containing coumarins afford the tricyclic ketal. A plausible mechanism is proposed for the formation of the fused lactone: intramolecular rearrangement of trans cyclopropyl methyl ketones with phenolic acetate via the formation of a hemiacetal.

Asymmetric organocatalyzed synthesis of coumarin derivatives

Coumarin derivatives are essential scaffolds in medicinal and synthetic chemistry. Compounds of this class have shown important activities, such as anticancer and antiparasitic, besides the commercially available drugs. These properties led to the development of efficient and greener synthetic methods to achieve the 2H-chromen-2-one core. In this context, the advances in asymmetric organocatalyzed synthesis of coumarin derivatives are discussed in this review, according to the mode of activation of the catalyst.

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Cyclopropanation of 3-Acylcoumarins with 3-Halooxindoles: Access to Spirooxindole-cyclopropa[c]coumarin Compounds

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective cyclopropanation reaction of 3-acylcoumarins with 3-halooxindoles catalyzed by an organocatalyst through a [2 + 1] Michael/intramolecular cyclization process was developed. This scenario provides a facile strategy to access spirooxindole-cyclopropa[c]coumarin compounds bearing three continuous stereocenters, including two vicinal quaternary all-carbon stereocenters with high to excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The HRMS study revealed the vital importance of the ammonium ylide intermediate in the catalytic process.