Three-component glycolate Michael reactions of enolates, silyl glyoxylates, and α,β-enones

Carbamoyl anion-initiated cascade reaction for stereoselective synthesis of substituted α-hydroxy-β-amino amides

A carbamoyl anion-initiated cascade reaction with acylsilanes and imines allows rapid construction of substituted α-hydroxy-β-amino amides in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivities.

Iminoiodane- and Brønsted base-mediated cross dehydrogenative coupling of cyclic ethers with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds

A one-pot, two-step approach to prepare 2-tetrahydrofuran and -pyran substituted 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds by PhI=NTs-mediated amination/Brønsted base-catalyzed cross dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction of the cyclic ether and 1,3-dicarbonyl derivative under mild conditions is reported. The reaction is compatible with a variety of cyclic ethers and 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, affording the corresponding coupled products in moderate to good yields of up to 80% over two steps.

Substrate-controlled Michael additions of chiral ketones to enones

Substrate-controlled Michael additions of the titanium(IV) enolate of lactate-derived ketone 1 to acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones in the presence of a Lewis acid (TiCl4 or SnCl4) provide the corresponding 2,4-anti-4,5-anti dicarbonyl compounds in good yields and excellent diastereomeric ratios. Likely, the nucleophilic species involved in such additions are bimetallic enolates that may add to enones through cyclic transition states. Finally, further studies indicate that a structurally related β-benzyloxy chiral ketone can also participate in such stereocontrolled conjugate additions.

Efficient synthesis of α-quaternary α-hydroxy-β-amino esters via silyl glyoxylate-mediated three-component reactions

An efficient method has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of fully protected α-quaternary α-hydroxy-β-amino esters via the coupling of three components: aryl Grignard reagents (or methyllithium), silyl glyoxylate, and N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines. This protocol enables successive formation of two C-C bonds and two adjacent chiral carbons with high stereocontrol in a one-pot operation.

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformations of β-stereogenic α-ketoesters by direct aldolization

Dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformations (DyKAT) of racemic β-bromo-α-keto esters by direct aldolization of nitromethane and acetone provide access to fully substituted α-glycolic acid derivatives bearing a β-stereocenter. The aldol adducts are obtained in excellent yield with high relative and absolute stereocontrol under mild reaction conditions. Mechanistic studies determined that the reactions proceed through a facile catalyst-mediated racemization of the β-bromo-α-keto esters under a DyKAT Type I manifold.

Diastereoselective synthesis of vicinal tertiary diols

A strategy for the synthesis of differentiated vicinal tertiary diols is described. The key step is a high-yielding, diastereoselective LaCl3·2LiCl-mediated addition of a Grignard or organolithium reagent to ketone 2a. The reaction is believed to proceed via a 1,3-chelated intermediate. One of the adducts has been transformed into a functionalized cyclopentenone resembling the core structure of pactamycin.

Alternaric acid: formal synthesis and related studies

A silyl glyoxylate three-component-coupling methodology has been exploited to achieve a formal synthesis, an analogue to an intermediate in a distinct formal synthetic route, and a third (unique) approach to the natural product alternaric acid. Highlighted in this study is the versatility of silyl glyoxylates to engage a variety of nucleophile and electrophile pairs to provide wide latitude in the approach to complex molecule synthesis.