Enantioselective Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl α,β-Unsaturated δ-Lactones via Vinylogous Aldol-Lactonization Cascade

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.

Copper(I)-free syntheses of [11C/18F]trifluoromethyl ketones from alkyl or aryl esters and [11C/18F]fluoroform

Herein, we report a copper(I)-free method for labeling the trifluoroacetyl group with positron-emitting carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min) or fluorine-18 (t1/2 = 109.8 min) as part of our exploration of radiolabeled fluoroforms to access new radiolabeled chemotypes of interest for tracer development. Treatment of alkyl esters and aryl esters, containing electron-donating or electron-withdrawing groups, with [11C/18F]fluoroform in the presence of strong base, gave [11C/18F]trifluoromethyl ketones as novel radiolabeling synthons in moderate to high yields within 15 minutes.

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.

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Direct Vinylogous Michael Initiated Ring Closure Reaction of 4-Nitroisoxazole Derivatives to 3-Isopropylidene Oxindoles

Herein, we present the first ever use of 3-isopropylidene oxindoles as electrophiles in vinylogous Michael initiated ring closure reaction (MIRC). Among the various alkylidene oxindoles used in enantioselective spirocyclization reactions, isopropylidene oxindoles are the least explored to date. The competing reactivity of isopropylidene oxindoles (electrophilicity vs nucleophilicity) in the presence of a chiral organocatalyst is controlled by the logical selection of a more reactive nucleophile. The methodology produces a library of densely substituted highly enantioenriched spirocyclopropyl oxindoles with excellent yield and stereoselectivities. Moreover, the first enantioselective synthesis of HIV-1 NNRT inhibitor indicates the importance of our synthesized spiro-cyclopropyl oxindole core.

Catalytic Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Tertiary Trifluoromethyl Carbinols through a Vinylogous Aldol Reaction of Alkylidenepyrazolones with Trifluoromethyl Ketones

A diastereo- and enantioselective organocatalytic aldol reaction between alkylidenepyrazolones and trifluoromethyl ketones leading to chiral tertiary alcohols bearing a trifluoromethyl group is presented. The methodology is based on the use of a bifunctional organocatalyst in order to activate the γ-hydrogen atoms of the alkylidenepyrazolone nucleophile and the carbonyl group of the trifluoromethylarylketone providing highly functionalized trifluoromethyl alcohols with moderate yields, excellent diastereoselectivity, and moderate to good enantioselectivity. Experiments monitoring the conversion by 1H NMR and the enantiomeric excess by HPLC with the reaction time showed that full conversion of the starting materials is not achieved and that the enantiomeric excess decreases upon extended times, probably due to the reversibility of the reaction.

Diastereoselective Formation of Quaternary Stereocenters in Imidazole N-Oxide Cycloaddition with Fluoroalkenes

Imidazole N-oxides are attractive starting materials for the preparation of complex molecules containing an imidazole ring. Dipolar cycloaddition between 1,1-difluoroalkenes and imidazole N-oxides bearing a chiral auxiliary performed in the presence of oxygen or nitrogen nucleophiles was found to provide access to esters and amides bearing a 2-azaheteroaryl substituent at the α position of the imidazole ring as mixtures of diastereomers that, in most cases, are readily separable. This three-component reaction introduces a new tertiary or quaternary all-carbon stereocenter into the heterocyclic ring at a position originally occupied by hydrogen. Importantly, products containing a trifluoromethyl group attached to this stereocenter are readily available as well.

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Three-Component Vinylogous Michael/Aldol Tandem Reaction among 3-Alkylidene oxindoles, Methyleneindolinones, and Aldehydes

We reported a one-pot enantioselective three-component vinylogous Michael/aldol tandem reaction of prochiral 3-alkylidene oxindoles with methyleneindolinones and aldehydes using bifunctional organocatalysts. A variety of enantioenriched 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles 3 and spirolactones 4 were generated in moderate yields (up to 78%) with high stereoselectivities (up to >20:1 dr, >99% ee). Intriguingly, we observed that the aldol reaction with paraformaldehyde generates 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles 3 bearing a hydroxymethyl group, while the reaction with aliphatic aldehydes generates spirolactones 4.

Enantioselective organocatalytic vinylogous aldol-cyclization cascade reaction of 3-alkylidene oxindoles with o-quinones

Spirocyclic o-quinone analogues show a broad spectrum of applications as biologically active compounds. We herein report the chiral bifunctional squaramide catalysed asymmetric vinylogous aldol-cyclization cascade reaction between 3-alkylidene oxindoles and o-quinones. A wide range of enantioenriched spirocyclic o-quinone analogues with a quaternary stereocenter could be smoothly synthesized in good to excellent yields (up to 99%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 99%).

Synthesis of Chiral α-CF3-Substituted Benzhydryls via Cross-Coupling Reaction of Aryltitanates

We describe a highly efficient approach toward α-CF₃-substituted benzhydryls thanks to the employment of organotitanium(IV) based nucleophiles. The use of commercially available anesthetic halothane as a cheap fluorinated building block in a sequential one-pot nickel-catalyzed enantioselective cross-coupling reaction of aryl titanates allowed for the synthesis of chiral α-CF₃-substituted benzhydryls in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Alternatively, α-CF₃-benzyl bromides could be employed under similar conditions to obtain the same family of compounds in higher yields and excellent selectivities. A benzhydryl moiety is a common motif in many biologically active compounds, and their enantioenriched fluorinated analogs should be of great interest in the search for novel drugs and agrochemicals.

Enantioselective vinylogous aldol/lactonization cascade reaction between β,γ-unsaturated amides and trifluoromethyl ketones: facile access to chiral trifluoromethyl dihydropyranones

An efficient asymmetric vinylogous aldol/lactonization cascade reaction between β,γ-unsaturated amides and trifluoromethyl ketones has been developed. Using a chiral cyclohexanediamine-based tertiary amine-thiourea catalyst, optically active trifluoromethyl dihydropyranones have been constructed in moderate-to-excellent yields (up to 99%) with excellent stereoselectivities (96-> 99.5% ee).

New Developments of the Principle of Vinylogy as Applied to π-Extended Enolate-Type Donor Systems

The principle of vinylogy states that the electronic effects of a functional group in a molecule are possibly transmitted to a distal position through interposed conjugated multiple bonds. As an emblematic case, the nucleophilic character of a π-extended enolate-type chain system may be relayed from the legitimate α-site to the vinylogous γ, ε, ..., ω remote carbon sites along the chain, provided that suitable HOMO-raising strategies are adopted to transform the unsaturated pronucleophilic precursors into the reactive polyenolate species. On the other hand, when "unnatural" carbonyl ipso-sites are activated as nucleophiles (umpolung), vinylogation extends the nucleophilic character to "unnatural" β, δ, ... remote sites. Merging the principle of vinylogy with activation modalities and concepts such as iminium ion/enamine organocatalysis, NHC-organocatalysis, cooperative organo/metal catalysis, bifunctional organocatalysis, dicyanoalkylidene activation, and organocascade reactions represents an impressive step forward for all vinylogous transformations. This review article celebrates this evolutionary progress, by collecting, comparing, and critically describing the achievements made over the nine year period 2010-2018, in the generation of vinylogous enolate-type donor substrates and their use in chemical synthesis.

Enantioselective synthesis of trifluoromethyl substituted cyclohexanones via an organocatalytic cascade Michael/aldol reaction

An enantioselective (92-99% ee) Michael/aldol cascade reaction between 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetates and α,β-unsaturated enones was established in the presence of cinchona alkaloid-based primary amines. Various β-CF3-cyclohexanones were constructed in high yields (81-99%) as a couple of separable diastereomers. This tandem reaction was sensitive to acidic co-catalysts, with a Michael/aldol condensation process favorably occurring to generate β-CF3-cyclohexenones (42-69% yield, 84-96% ee) in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid.

Organocatalytic, Enantioselective, Polarity-Matched Ring-Reorganization Domino Sequence Based on the 3-Oxindole Scaffold

A one-pot squaramide-catalyzed enantioselective ring-reorganization domino sequence (Michael addition/intramolecular ring-opening/lactamization) of 3-hydroxyoxindole and methyleneindolinone, which can be readily derived from 3-oxindole, has been established in this work. As a result, novel polycyclic quinolinone-spirooxindoles bearing three contiguous chiral centers were efficiently and step-economically assembled under mild conditions in high yields (up to 97%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee) and moderate to good diastereoselectivities (up to >95:5 dr).

Asymmetric vinylogous aldol addition of alkylidene oxindoles on trifluoromethyl-α,β-unsaturated ketones

A novel vinylogous aldol addition of alkylidene oxindole with 1-trifluoromethyl-3-alkylidene-propan-2-ones is presented. The reaction, catalyzed by a bifunctional tertiary amine, provides an efficient application of the vinylogous reactivity of oxindoles for the preparation of enantioenriched trifluoromethylated allylic alcohols.