Enantioselective Epoxidation of Conjugated cis-Enynes by Chiral Dioxirane

Dioxiranes: A Half-Century Journey

Dioxiranes are multi-tasking reagents inheriting mild and selective oxygen transfer attributes. These oxidants are accessed from the reaction of ketones with an oxidant and are employed stoichiometrically or catalytically (in...

Synthesis and Applications of Carbohydrate-Based Organocatalysts

Organocatalysis is a very useful tool for the asymmetric synthesis of biologically or pharmacologically active compounds because it avoids the use of noxious metals, which are difficult to eliminate from the target products. Moreover, in many cases, the organocatalysed reactions can be performed in benign solvents and do not require anhydrous conditions. It is well-known that most of the above-mentioned reactions are promoted by a simple aminoacid, l-proline, or, to a lesser extent, by the more complex cinchona alkaloids. However, during the past three decades, other enantiopure natural compounds, the carbohydrates, have been employed as organocatalysts. In the present exhaustive review, the detailed preparation of all the sugar-based organocatalysts as well as their catalytic properties are described.

Aldehyde-catalyzed epoxidation of unactivated alkenes with aqueous hydrogen peroxide

The organocatalytic epoxidation of unactivated alkenes using aqueous hydrogen peroxide provides various indispensable products and intermediates in a sustainable manner. While formyl functionalities typically undergo irreversible oxidations when activating an oxidant, an atropisomeric two-axis aldehyde capable of catalytic turnover was identified for high-yielding epoxidations of cyclic and acyclic alkenes. The relative configuration of the stereogenic axes of the catalyst and the resulting proximity of the aldehyde and backbone residues resulted in high catalytic efficiencies. Mechanistic studies support a non-radical alkene oxidation by an aldehyde-derived dioxirane intermediate generated from hydrogen peroxide through the Payne and Criegee intermediates.

Copper-Catalyzed Regioselective and Stereoselective Coupling of Grignard Reagents with Pent-1-en-4-yn-3-yl Benzoates: A Shortcut to ( Z) -1,5-Disubstituted Pent-3-en-1-ynes from Accessible Starting Materials

Copper-catalyzed coupling of Grignard reagents with pent-1-en-4-yn-3-yl benzoates occurs regioselectively at the terminal alkenyl carbon rather than the alkynyl site, leading to the stereoselective formation of unexpected ( Z) -1,5-disubstituted pent-3-en-1-ynes without generation of the initially expected alkenyl allene products. By using easily accessible starting materials, this reaction can provide direct access to thermodynamically unfavorable Z-configured enynes, which widely exist in many bioactive natural products, such as the anti-inflammatory components in henna.

Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Redox-Neutral C-H Activation/Annulation of N-Aryloxyacetamides with Alkynyloxiranes: Synthesis of Highly Functionalized 2,3-Dihydrobenzofurans

Alkynyloxiranes have been employed for the first time as effective coupling partners in Cp*Rh^III-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions. Their annulation with N-aryloxyamides then offers a redox-neutral and efficient synthesis of functionalized 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans bearing an exocyclic E-allylic alcohol and a tetrasubstituted carbon center in good yields with a broad substrate scope. The products can be easily converted to molecules with more complexity, which provides an opportunity for rapid assembly of structurally diverse heterocycles.

Rearrangements of organic peroxides and related processes

This review is the first to collate and summarize main data on named and unnamed rearrangement reactions of peroxides. It should be noted, that in the chemistry of peroxides two types of processes are considered under the term rearrangements. These are conventional rearrangements occurring with the retention of the molecular weight and transformations of one of the peroxide moieties after O-O-bond cleavage. Detailed information about the Baeyer-Villiger, Criegee, Hock, Kornblum-DeLaMare, Dakin, Elbs, Schenck, Smith, Wieland, and Story reactions is given. Unnamed rearrangements of organic peroxides and related processes are also analyzed. The rearrangements and related processes of important natural and synthetic peroxides are discussed separately.

Synthesis of enantiopure 1,2-azido and 1,2-amino alcohols via regio- and stereoselective ring-opening of enantiopure epoxides by sodium azide in hot water

A practical and convenient method for the efficient and regio- and stereoselective ring-opening of enantiopure monosubstituted epoxides by sodium azide under hydrolytic conditions is reported. The ring-opening of enantiopure styryl and pyridyl (S)-epoxides by N3- in hot water takes place preferentially at the internal position with complete inversion of configuration to produce (R)-2-azido ethanols with up to 99% enantio- and regioselectivity, while the (S)-adamantyl oxirane provides mainly the (S)-1-adamantyl-2-azido ethanol in excellent yield. In general, 1,2-amino ethanols were obtained in high yield and excellent enantiopurity by the reduction of the chiral 1,2-azido ethanols with PPh3 in water/THF, and then converted into the Boc or acetamide derivatives.

Asymmetric synthesis of crambescin A–C carboxylic acids and their inhibitory activity on voltage-gated sodium channels

Both enantiomers of crambescin A–C carboxylic acids were synthesized via Katsuki asymmetric epoxidation and bromocation-triggered cascade cyclization.

Asymmetric organocatalytic epoxidations: reactions, scope, mechanisms, and applications

Chiral epoxides serve as versatile building blocks in the synthesis of complex organic frameworks. The high strain imposed by the three-membered ring system makes epoxides prone to a variety of nucleophilic ring-opening reactions. Since the development of the Sharpless epoxidation, there have been many important contributions and advances in this area. With the rapid development of the field of asymmetric organocatalysis, a wide range of organocatalysts is now able to catalyze the epoxidation of broad class of unsaturated carbonyl compounds. In this Minireview, recent progress in the development of organocatalytic asymmetric epoxidation methods, the proposed mechanisms of these reactions and their applications as intermediates is reported.

Chiral epoxides via borane reduction of 2-haloketones catalyzed by spiroborate ester: application to the synthesis of optically pure 1,2-hydroxy ethers and 1,2-azido alcohols

An enantioselective borane-mediated reduction of a variety of 2-haloketones with 10% spiroaminoborate ester 1 as catalyst is described. By a simple basic workup of 2-halohydrins, optically active epoxides are obtained in high yield and with excellent enantiopurity (up to 99% ee). Ring-opening of oxiranes with phenoxides or sodium azide is investigated under different reaction conditions affording nonracemic 1,2-hydroxy ethers and 1,2-azido alcohols with excellent enantioselectivity (99% ee) and in good to high chemical yield.

Scalable and efficient synthesis of the mycolactone core

A highly efficient, scalable, and stereoselective synthesis of the mycolactone core is reported. The synthesis consists of 14 longest linear steps, with 19% overall yield.

Enantioselective epoxidation of nonconjugated cis-olefins by chiral dioxirane

A variety of nonconjugated cis-olefins has been enantioselectively epoxidized with chiral ketones 2, and up to 92% ee has been obtained. The two prochiral faces of an olefin are likely stereodifferentiated by the relative hydrophobicity of the olefin substituents and/or allylic oxygen functionality.

Asymmetric epoxidation of fluoroolefins by chiral dioxirane. Fluorine effect on enantioselectivity

The asymmetric epoxidation of various fluoroolefins has been studied using chiral ketone catalyst, and up to 93% ee was achieved with fructose-derived ketone 1.

DABCO-catalyzed 1,4-bromolactonization of conjugated enynes: highly stereoselective formation of a stereogenic center and an axially chiral allene

A DABCO-catalyzed highly regio- and stereoselective syn-1,4-bromolactonization of conjugated enynes was discovered. The 1,4-addition occurred selectively over 1,2-addition for most enynes. In contrast to anti 1,2-addition to alkenes, where two adjacent stereogenic centers are created, 1,4-addition across conjugated enynes can produce a stereogenic center and an axially chiral allene simultaneously. Enynes with Z and E configurations yielded products with complementary stereochemistries at the newly generated stereogenic center and axially chiral allene. Di-, tri-, or even tetrasubstituted allenes together with lactones can be efficiently and selectively prepared from this enyne bromolactonization reaction.

A diacetate ketone-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of olefins

A fructose-derived diacetate ketone has been shown to be an effective catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation. High ee values have been obtained for a variety of trans and trisubstituted olefins including electron-deficient alpha,beta-unsaturated esters as well as certain cis olefins.

Chiral ketone and iminium catalysts for olefin epoxidation

Organo-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation has received much attention in the past 30 years and significant progress has been made for various types of olefins. This review will cover the advancement made in the field of chiral ketone and chiral iminium salt-catalyzed epoxidations.

Asymmetric epoxidation of 1,1-disubstituted terminal olefins by chiral dioxirane via a planar-like transition state

Various 1,1-disubstituted terminal olefins have been investigated for asymmetric epoxidation using chiral ketone catalysts. Up to 88% ee has been achieved with a lactam ketone, and a planar transition state is likely to be a major reaction pathway.

Carbohydrates as Synthetic Tools in Organic Chemistry

While amino acids, terpenes and alkaloids have found broad application as tools in stereoselective organic synthesis, carbohydrates have only lately been recognised as versatile starting materials for chiral auxiliaries, reagents, ligands and organocatalysts. The structural diversity of carbohydrates and the high density of functional groups offer a wide variety of opportunities for derivatization and tailoring of synthetic tools to a specific problem.

An N-aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketone-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide as the primary oxidant

Asymmetric epoxidation of various olefins with an N-aryl-substituted oxazolidinone-containing ketone as catalyst and hydrogen peroxide as the primary oxidant has been investigated, and up to 96% ee was obtained.