Base-induced heterochiral dimerization of an oxiranyl carbaldimine: stereoselective synthesis of a highly functionalized aziridine

Stereoretentive enantioconvergent reactions

Enantioconvergent reactions are pre-eminent in contemporary asymmetric synthesis as they convert both enantiomers of a racemic starting material into a single enantioenriched product, thus avoiding the maximum 50% yield associated with resolutions. All currently known enantioconvergent processes necessitate the loss or partial loss of the racemic substrate's stereochemical information, thus limiting the potential substrate scope to molecules that contain labile stereogenic units. Here we present an alternative approach to enantioconvergent reactions that can proceed with full retention of the racemic substrate's configuration. This uniquely stereo-economic approach is possible if the two enantiomers of a racemic starting material are joined together to form one enantiomer of a non-meso product. Experimental validation of this concept is presented using two distinct strategies: (1) a direct asymmetric coupling approach, and (2) a multicomponent approach, which exhibits statistical amplification of enantiopurity. Thus, the established dogma that enantioconvergent reactions require substrates that contain labile stereogenic units is shown to be incorrect.

Mutual kinetic resolution: probing enantiorecognition phenomena and screening for kinetic resolution with racemic reagents

Enantiorecognition between a racemic reagent and a racemic substrate can be a valuable process in organic synthesis. This review highlights representative examples of this phenomenon and the use of mutual kinetic resolution as a method for screening of kinetic and/or parallel kinetic resolutions.

Organocatalyzed highly enantioselective direct aldol reactions of aldehydes with hydroxyacetone and fluoroacetone in aqueous media: the use of water to control regioselectivity

An organocatalyst prepared from (2R,3R)-diethyl 2-amino-3-hydroxysuccinate and L-proline exhibited high regio- and enantioselectivities for the direct aldol reactions of hydroxyacetone and fluoroacetone with aldehydes in aqueous media. It was found that water could be used to control the regioselectivity. The presence of 20-30 mol% of the catalyst afforded the direct aldol reactions of a wide range of aldehydes with hydroxyacetone to give the otherwise disfavored products with excellent enantioselectivities, ranging from 91 to 99% ee, and high regioselectivities. Aldolizations of fluoroacetone with aldehydes mediated by 30 mol% of the organocatalyst in aqueous media preferentially occurred at the methyl group, yielding products with high enantioselectivities (up to 91% ee); however, these additions took place dominantly at the fluoromethyl group in THF. Optically active 3,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans and (2S,4R)-dihydroxy-4-biphenylbutyric acid were prepared by starting from the aldol reaction of hydroxyacetone. Theoretical studies on the role of water in controlling the regioselectivity revealed that the hydrogen bonds formed between the amide oxygen of proline amide, the hydroxy of hydroxyacetone, and water are responsible for the regioselectivity by microsolvation with explicit one water molecule as a hydrogen-bond donor and/or an acceptor.

Synthesis of 2-chloro-2-imidoylaziridines via aza-Darzens-type reaction of 3,3-dichloro-1-azaallylic anions and N-(arylsulfonyl)imines

3,3-Dichloro-1-azaallylic anions, generated by deprotonation of alpha,alpha-dichloroketimines 10 with lithium diisopropylamide, reacted with N-sulfonylaldimines 7 to produce the Mannich-type products N-[2,2-dichloro-3-(N-alkylimino)-1,3-diarylpropyl]benzenesulfonamides 11. The latter stable compounds were hydrolyzed at the imino functionality to afford N-[2,2-dichloro-3-oxo-1,3-diarylpropyl]benzenesulfonamides 12 in excellent yields. N-[2,2-Dichloro-3-(N-alkylimino)-1,3-diarylpropyl]benzenesulfonamides 11 were cyclized to cis-3-aryl-2-chloro-2-imidoylaziridines 19 in 81-99% yield with high diastereoselectivity, representing a novel and readily available class of stable 2-chloroaziridines. Finally, a highly stereoselective entry to 2-(aminomethyl)-2-chloroaziridines 27 (70-98% yield; de > 95-99) was worked out from the reaction of cis-3-aryl-2-chloro-2-imidoylaziridines 19 and sodium cyanoborohydride in the presence of acetic acid. The latter 2-(aminomethyl)aziridines 27 represent stereochemically defined small azaheterocyclic rings which were scarcely reported in the literature.

A computational study of mixed aggregates of chloromethyllithium with lithium dialkylamides

DFT calculations were performed to examine the possible formation of mixed aggregates between chloromethyllithium carbenoids and lithium dimethylamide (LiDMA). In the gas phase mixed aggregates were readily formed and consisted of mixed dimers, mixed trimers, and mixed tetramers. THF solvation disfavored the formation of mixed tetramers and resulted in less exergonic free energies of mixed dimer and mixed trimer formation.

A Computational Study of Oxiranyllithium

[reaction: see text] Computational methods were used to determine the structure, bonding, and aggregation states of oxiranyllithium in the gas phase and in THF solution, at 200 and 298 K. THF solvation was modeled by microsolvation with explicit THF ligands, forming a supermolecule that includes the oxiranyllithium aggregate and its first solvation shell. Because oxiranyllithium has a chiral center, two diastereomeric dimers were formed, the RR and the RS, along with their enantiomers. Similarly, three diastereomers of the tetramer were formed, the RRRR, RRRS, and RRSS and their enantiomers. Oxiranyllithium was found to exist predominantly as the tetramer in the gas phase, while the dimer was the dominant species in THF solution. The relative concentrations of the different stereoisomers were calculated from equilibrium constants.

2-Ene-1,4-diols by Dimerization of Terminal Epoxides using Hindered Lithium Amides

[reaction: see text] Reaction of hindered lithium amides with readily available (enantiopure) terminal epoxides gives 2-ene-1,4-diols via carbenoid dimerization of the corresponding alpha-lithiated epoxides. D-Mannitol and D-iditol were synthesized using this method in three steps from (S)-tritylglycidyl ether.

Asymmetric synthesis of (1R,2S,3R)-gamma-methyl-cis-pentacin by a kinetic resolution protocol

The asymmetric synthesis of (1R,2S,3R)-3-methyl-2-amino-cyclopentane carboxylic acid has been achieved via kinetic resolution of racemic tert-butyl 3-methyl-cyclopentene-1-carboxylate with homochiral lithium (S)-N-benzyl-N-alpha-methylbenzylamide.