Enantioselective Thiolysis and Aminolysis of Cyclic Anhydrides Using a Chiral Diamine-Derived Thiourea Catalyst

Investigation of d-Amino Acid-Based Surfactants and Nanocomposites with Gold and Silica Nanoparticles as against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Agents

d-amino acid-based surfactants (d-AASs) were synthesized and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated. N-α-lauroyl-d-arginine ethyl ester hydrochloride (d-LAE), d-proline dodecyl ester (d-PD), and d-alanine dodecyl ester (d-AD) were found to have antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria, but less efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria. For these reasons, combining antimicrobial agents with nanoparticles is a promising technique for improving their antibacterial properties to eliminate drug-resistant pathogens. d-LAE coated on gold (AuNP) and silica (SiNP) nanoparticles has more efficient antibacterial activity than that of d-LAE alone. However, unlike d-LAE, d-PD has enhanced antibacterial activity upon being coated on AuNP. The antibacterial d-AASs and their nanocomposites with nanoparticles were synthesized in an environmentally friendly manner and are expected to be valuable new antimicrobial agents against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens.

Enantioselective Organocatalyzed Michael Addition of Isobutyraldehyde to Maleimides in Aqueous Media

Thiourea was introduced into (R,R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine as an organocatalyst to promote the reaction between isobutyraldehydes and maleimides. Enantioselective Michael addition reaction was carried out as an eco-friendly method using water as the solvent. As a result of the reaction between isobutyraldehyde and maleimide, ≥97% yield and 99% enantioselectivity were obtained at a low catalyst loading of 0.01 mol%. The solvent effect can be explained by theoretical calculations that indicate the participation of a transition state, in which the CF₃ substituent of the catalyst is a hydrogen bond activated by the surrounding water molecules. This discovery enabled the use of low catalyst loading in the organic reactions of chiral substances for pharmaceutical applications. Furthermore, a solvent effect for Michael reaction of the organocatalysts was proposed, and the organic reaction mechanisms were determined through quantum calculations.

Protonated Chiral 1,2-Diamine Organocatalysts for N-Selective Nitroso Aldol Reaction

The introduction of nitrogen to carbonyl groups is considered both challenging and highly desirable by those who work in the field of organic synthesis. In this study, a diphenylethylenediamine-derived catalyst demonstrating N-selectivity was designed using a quantum calculation for the nitroso aldol reaction. The reductive monoalkylation of (R,R)-(+)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine afforded an organic chiral diamine catalyst in high yield. The expected reaction mechanism for the nitroso aldol reaction was determined, and the product and solvent conditions were optimized through quantum calculations. The calculation results revealed that the enantioselectivity is determined by the hydrogen bond between the alkyl substituent of the chiral diamine and the oxygen of the aromatic aldehyde on the ammonium moiety. The reaction was found to proceed optimally in the presence of 5 mol % catalyst at −10 °C in brine. Using these conditions, an eco-friendly nitroso aldol reaction was performed in which the organic catalyst and cyclohexanone formed enamine. Nitrosobenzene, activated by hydrogen bonding with an ammonium catalyst, was used to minimize the steric hindrance between the catalyst and the reactant, resulting in high enantioselectivity. A nitroso aldol product with high N-selectivity and enantioselectivity (98% ee) was obtained in 95% yield. The catalyst developed in this study provides a less expensive and more environmentally friendly alternative for the nitroso aldol reaction.

Organocatalysis for the Asymmetric Michael Addition of Aldehydes and α,β-Unsaturated Nitroalkenes

Michael addition is an important reaction because it can be used to synthesize a wide range of natural products or complex compounds that exhibit biological activities. In this study, a mirror image of an aldehyde and α,β-unsaturated nitroalkene were reacted in the presence of (R,R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine (DPEN). Herein, thiourea was introduced as an organic catalyst, and a selective Michael addition reaction was carried out. The primary amine moiety of DPEN reacts with aldehydes to form enamines, which is activated by the hydrogen bond formation between the nitro groups of α,β-unsaturated nitroalkenes and thiourea. Our aim was to obtain an asymmetric Michael product by adding 1,4-enamine to an alkene to form a new carbon–carbon bond. As a result, the primary amine of the chiral diamine was converted to an enamine. The reaction proceeded with a relatively high degree of enantioselectivity, which was achieved using double activation via hydrogen bonding of the nitro group and thiourea. Michael products with a high degree of enantioselectivity (97–99% synee) and diastereoselectivity (syn/anti = 9/1) were obtained in yields ranging from 94–99% depending on the aldehydes.