Hydrogen-Bond-Donor-Directed Switching of Enantioselectivity in the Vinylogous Aldol-Cyclization Cascade Reaction of Prostereogenic 3-Alkylidene Oxindoles with Isatins and o-Quinones

Asymmetric (3 + 3) and (4 + 2) Annulation Reactions of 2,3-Dioxopyrrolidines with 3-Alkylidene Oxindoles to Construct Diverse Chiral Heterocyclic Frameworks

Two substrate-controlled regiodivergent annulation protocols for 2,3-dioxopyrrolidines with 3-alkylidene oxindoles have been developed, which furnished a series of fused dihydropyrrolidone derivatives in high yields with excellent stereoselectivities. Plausible mechanistic pathways for both annulation reactions are proposed that [3 + 3] annulation reaction involves vinylogous Michael addition followed by intramolecular aldol cyclization, while [4 + 2] annulation reaction occurs through a vinylogous Michael addition and a subsequent intramolecular oxa-Michael cyclization.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Thiazolopyran Derivatives via a Direct Vinylogous Michael-oxa-Michael Sequence

An efficient diastereo- and enantioselective direct vinylogous Michael-oxa-Michael sequence between 5-alkenyl thiazolones and isopropylidene oxindoles has been developed. The reaction is catalyzed by a bifunctional squaramide catalyst that allows to access a wide range of densely substituted thiazolopyran derivatives containing a quaternary stereocenter. This protocol is flexible toward different sterically and electronically tuned substrates and is amenable to gram-scale synthesis and several synthetic transformations.

Regioselectivity Switch between Enantioselective 1,2- and 1,4-Addition of Allyl Aryl Ketones with 2,3-Dioxopyrrolidines

A vinylogous addition reaction of allyl aryl ketones with good yields and excellent regioselectivity catalyzed by squaramide catalysts has been developed. A series of chiral tertiary alcohols and bicyclic pyrrolidones could be synthesized in good to excellent yields, enantioselectivities, and diaseteroselectivities. Both experimental results and DFT calculations indicate that 1,2-addition reaction is favorable when the reaction is employed at a lower temperature, while the 1,4-addition/cyclization pathway is favorable when the reaction is employed at a higher temperature. Furthermore, the formation of compound 4 can potentially arise from either the 1,4-addition/cyclization pathway or retro-aldol reaction of compound 3, followed by subsequent 1,4-addition/cyclization.