Chiral Lewis Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Cycloadditions of Carbonyl Ylides Generated from Diazoimide Derivatives and Their Synthetic Applications to Indolizidine Alkaloids

An aza-Robinson Annulation Strategy for the Synthesis of Fused Bicyclic Amides: Synthesis of (±)-Coniceine and Quinolizidine

An aza-Robinson annulation strategy is described using a NaOEt-catalyzed conjugate addition of cyclic imides onto vinyl ketones, followed by a TfOH-mediated intramolecular aldol condensation to afford densely functionalized fused bicyclic amides. The potential use of these amides in the synthesis of alkaloids is demonstrated by the sequential conversion of appropriate precursors to (±)-coniceine and quinolizidine in two additional steps, thus allowing their preparation in overall 40 and 44% yields, respectively.

Catalytic asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of isomünchnones with methyleneindolinones

An efficient enantioselective [3+2] cycloaddition of isomünchnones with methyleneindolinones that are generated by an in situ intramolecular addition of the carbonyl group to rhodium carbenes is realized with a chiral N,N'-dioxide/Zn(II) complex as a Lewis acid. A series of chiral oxa-bridged 3-spiropiperidines are obtained in high yields with excellent dr and excellent ee values.

Enantioselective Protonation of Cyclic Carbonyl Ylides by Chiral Lewis Acid Assisted Alcohols

Chiral Lewis acid-catalyzed asymmetric alcohol addition reactions to cyclic carbonyl ylides generated from N-(α-diazocarbonyl)-2-oxazolidinones featuring a dual catalytic system are reported. Construction of a chiral quaternary heteroatom-substituted carbon center was accomplished in which the unique heterobicycles were obtained in good yields with high stereoselection. The alcohol adducts were successfully converted to optically active oxazolidine-2,4-diones by hydrolysis. Mechanistic studies by DFT calculations revealed that alcohols could be activated by Lewis acids, enabling enantioselective protonation of the carbonyl ylides.

Further Developments and Applications of Oxazoline-Containing Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis

The chiral oxazoline motif is present in many ligands that have been extensively applied in a series of important metal-catalyzed enantioselective reactions. This Review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most significant applications of oxazoline-containing ligands reported in the literature starting from 2009 until the end of 2018. The ligands are classified not by the reaction to which their metal complexes have been applied but by the nature of the denticity, chirality, and donor atoms involved. As a result, the continued development of ligand architectural design from mono(oxazolines), to bis(oxazolines), to tris(oxazolines) and tetra(oxazolines) and variations thereof can be more easily monitored by the reader. In addition, the key transition states of selected asymmetric transformations will be given to illustrate the features that give rise to high levels of asymmetric induction. As a further aid to the reader, we summarize the majority of schemes with representative examples that highlight the variation in % yields and % ees for carefully selected substrates. This Review should be of particular interest to the experts in the field but also serve as a useful starting point to new researchers in this area. It is hoped that this Review will stimulate both the development/design of new ligands and their applications in novel metal-catalyzed asymmetric transformations.

Asymmetric synthesis of dihydro-1,3-dioxepines by Rh(ii)/Sm(iii) relay catalytic three-component tandem [4 + 3]-cycloaddition

Heterocycles have been widely used in organic synthesis, agrochemical, pharmaceutical and materials science industries. Catalytic three-component ylide formation/cycloaddition enables the assembly of complex heterocycles from simple starting materials in a highly efficient manner. However, asymmetric versions remain a yet-unsolved task. Here, we present a new bimetallic catalytic system for tackling this challenge. A combined system of Rh(ii) salt and chiral N,N'-dioxide-Sm(iii) complex was established for promoting the unprecedented tandem carbonyl ylide formation/asymmetric [4 + 3]-cycloaddition of aldehydes and α-diazoacetates with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters smoothly, affording various chiral 4,5-dihydro-1,3-dioxepines in up to 97% yield, with 99% ee. The utility of the current method was demonstrated by conversion of products to optically active multi-substituted tetrahydrofuran derivatives. A possible reaction mechanism was provided to elucidate the origin of chiral induction based on experimental studies and X-ray structures of catalysts and products.

Activating Imides with Triflic Acid: A General Intramolecular Aldol Condensation Strategy Toward Indolizidine, Quinolizidine, and Valmerin Alkaloids

A simple, inexpensive, step economic, and highly modular synthetic strategy to access izidine alkaloids is described. The key step is a TfOH-promoted intramolecular aldol condensation between enol and cyclic imide moieties. This cyclization strategy can be employed within an aza-Robinson annulation framework and represents a general tool to build fused bicyclic amines. To illustrate the power of this method, we describe the preparation of (±)-coniceine, (±)-quinolizidine, (±)-tashiromine, (±)-epilupinine, and the core of (±)-valmerins.

Enantioselective synthesis of 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes via asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of cyclic azomethine ylides using a dual catalytic system

The asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between diazo imine-derived cyclic azomethine ylides and acryloylpyrazolidinone using a dual catalytic system is reported.

From Conventional Lewis Acids to Heterogeneous Montmorillonite K10: Eco-Friendly Plant-Based Catalysts Used as Green Lewis Acids

The concept of green chemistry began in the USA in the 1990s. Since the publication of the 12 principles of this concept, many reactions in organic chemistry have been developed, and chemical products have been synthesized under environmentally friendly conditions. Lewis acid mediated synthetic transformations are by far the most numerous and best studied. However, the use of certain Lewis acids may cause risks to environmental and human health. This Review discusses the evolution of Lewis acid catalyzed reactions from a homogeneous liquid phase to the solid phase to yield the expected organic molecules under green, safe conditions. In particular, recent developments and applications of biosourced catalysts from plants are highlighted.

DMAP-catalyzed alkylation of isatin N,N′-cyclic azomethine imine 1,3-dipoles with Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates

Metal-free C(sp³)–H alkylation of an isatin N,N′-cyclic azomethine imine 1,3-dipole.

Catalytic Divergent [3+3]- and [3+2]-Cycloaddition by Discrimination Between Diazo Compounds

Highly selective divergent cycloaddition reactions of enoldiazo compounds and α-diazocarboximides catalyzed by copper(I) or dirhodium(II) have been developed. With tetrakis(acetonitrile)copper(I) tetrafluoroborate as the catalyst epoxypyrrolo[1,2-a]azepine derivatives were prepared in good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities through the first reported [3+3]-cycloaddition of a carbonyl ylide. Use of Rh2 (pfb)4 or Rh2 (esp)2 directs the reactants to regioselective [3+2]-cycloaddition generating cyclopenta[2,3]pyrrolo[2,1-b]oxazoles with good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities.

Novel stereocontrolled syntheses of tashiromine and epitashiromine

A novel stereocontrolled approach has been developed for the syntheses of tashiromine and epitashiromine alkaloids from cyclooctene β-amino acids. The synthetic concept is based on the azetidinone opening of a bicyclic β-lactam, followed by oxidative ring opening through ring C-C double bond and reductive ring-closure reactions of the cis- or trans-cyclooctene β-amino acids.

Simple Indolizidine and Quinolizidine Alkaloids

This review of simple indolizidine and quinolizidine alkaloids (i.e., those in which the parent bicyclic systems are in general not embedded in polycyclic arrays) is an update of the previous coverage in Volume 55 of this series (2001). The present survey covers the literature from mid-1999 to the end of 2013; and in addition to aspects of the isolation, characterization, and biological activity of the alkaloids, much emphasis is placed on their total synthesis. A brief introduction to the topic is followed by an overview of relevant alkaloids from fungal and microbial sources, among them slaframine, cyclizidine, Steptomyces metabolites, and the pantocins. The important iminosugar alkaloids lentiginosine, steviamine, swainsonine, castanospermine, and related hydroxyindolizidines are dealt with in the subsequent section. The fourth and fifth sections cover metabolites from terrestrial plants. Pertinent plant alkaloids bearing alkyl, functionalized alkyl or alkenyl substituents include dendroprimine, anibamine, simple alkaloids belonging to the genera Prosopis, Elaeocarpus, Lycopodium, and Poranthera, and bicyclic alkaloids of the lupin family. Plant alkaloids bearing aryl or heteroaryl substituents include ipalbidine and analogs, secophenanthroindolizidine and secophenanthroquinolizidine alkaloids (among them septicine, julandine, and analogs), ficuseptine, lasubines, and other simple quinolizidines of the Lythraceae, the simple furyl-substituted Nuphar alkaloids, and a mixed quinolizidine-quinazoline alkaloid. The penultimate section of the review deals with the sizable group of simple indolizidine and quinolizidine alkaloids isolated from, or detected in, ants, mites, and terrestrial amphibians, and includes an overview of the "dietary hypothesis" for the origin of the amphibian metabolites. The final section surveys relevant alkaloids from marine sources, and includes clathryimines and analogs, stellettamides, the clavepictines and pictamine, and bis(quinolizidine) alkaloids.

Recyclable organocatalyst-promoted one-pot Michael/aza-Henry/lactamization reactions for fluorinated 2-piperidinones bearing four stereogenic centres

A highly efficient method for asymmetric synthesis of fluorinated 2-piperidinones bearing four stereogenic centres is introduced.