Catalytic Enantioselective Synthesis of Key Intermediates for Triazole Antifungal Agents

Zirconium oxide nano-catalyzed synthesis of pharmacologically important bis(indolyl)methanes: a highly efficient and mild approach

We report herein a highly efficient and mild approach for synthesizing pharmacologically active bis(indolyl)methanes 3a-z, utilizing ZrO2 nanoparticles as a catalyst. The method involves a condensation reaction between indole and diverse aromatic aldehydes in acetonitrile under mild conditions. The ZrO2 nano-catalyst prepared via a co-precipitation method demonstrates exceptional efficacy, leading to favourable yields of the target bis(indolyl)methanes 3a-z. The versatility of this methodology is highlighted through substrate screening, showcasing its applicability to various aromatic aldehydes.

Catalytic Enantioselective Addition of an Allyl Group to Ketones Containing a Tri-, a Di-, or a Monohalomethyl Moiety. Stereochemical Control Based on Distinctive Electronic and Steric Attributes of C-Cl, C-Br, and C-F Bonds

We disclose the results of an investigation designed to generate insight regarding the differences in the electronic and steric attributes of C-F, C-Cl, and C-Br bonds. Mechanistic insight has been gleaned by analysis of variations in enantioselectivity, regarding the ability of electrostatic contact between a halomethyl moiety and a catalyst's ammonium group as opposed to factors lowering steric repulsion and/or dipole minimization. In the process, catalytic and enantioselective methods have been developed for transforming a wide range of trihalomethyl (halogen = Cl or Br), dihalomethyl, or monohalomethyl (halogen = F, Cl, or Br) ketones to the corresponding tertiary homoallylic alcohols. By exploiting electrostatic attraction between a halomethyl moiety and the catalyst's ammonium moiety and steric factors, high enantioselectivity was attained in many instances. Reactions can be performed with 0.5-5.0 mol % of an in situ generated boryl-ammonium catalyst, affording products in 42-99% yield and up to >99:1 enantiomeric ratio. Not only are there no existing protocols for accessing the great majority of the resulting products enantioselectively but also in some cases there are hardly any instances of a catalytic enantioselective addition of a carbon-based nucleophile (e.g., one enzyme-catalyzed aldol addition involving trichloromethyl ketones, and none with dichloromethyl, tribromomethyl, or dibromomethyl ketones). The approach is scalable and offers an expeditious route to the enantioselective synthesis of versatile and otherwise difficult to access aldehydes that bear an α-halo-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic center as well as an assortment of 2,2-disubstituted epoxides that contain an easily modifiable alkene. Tertiary homoallylic alcohols containing a triazole and a halomethyl moiety, structural units relevant to drug development, may also be accessed efficiently with exceptional enantioselectivity.

Oxidation-induced C-H amination leads to a new avenue to build C-N bonds

In this work, we develop an oxidation-induced C-H functionalization strategy, which not only leads to a new avenue to build C-N bonds, but also leads to different site-selectivity compared with "classic directing-groups". The high selectivity of our new catalytic system originates from the heterogeneous electron-density distribution of the radical cation species which are induced by single electron transfer between the aromatics and oxidant-Cu(ii) species.

Coordination strategy-induced selective C–H amination of 8-aminoquinolines

Using coordination-strategy, we realized a selective C–H amination of 8-aminoquinolins on the C5 position employing azoles as amines sources.

Palladium-catalyzed oxidation of unsaturated hydrocarbons using molecular oxygen

Oxidation reactions are central components of organic chemistry, and modern organic synthesis increasingly requires selective and mild oxidation methods. Although researchers have developed new organic oxidation methods in recent years, the chemistry community faces continuing challenges to use "green" reagents and maximize atom economy. Undoubtedly, with its low cost and lack of environmentally hazardous byproducts, molecular oxygen (O(2)) is an ideal oxidant. However, relatively limited methodologies are available that use O(2) efficiently in selective organic transformations. Recently, the use of metal catalysts coupled with the reduction of O(2) has become an attractive approach for aerobic oxidation. In particular, Pd complexes have shown great potential for the development of versatile aerobic reactions because of their ability to directly couple O(2) reduction. As a result, these complexes have attracted tremendous research attention and afford new opportunities for selective oxidation chemistry. In this Account we highlight some of our progress toward the synthetic goal to functionalize the unsaturated hydrocarbons largely through the appropriate choice of Pd catalysts and O(2). We have focused on developing simple and efficient methods to construct new carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds with O(2) as the oxidant and/or reactant. We have demonstrated Pd-catalyzed oxidation of carbon-carbon double bonds, Pd-catalyzed oxidation of carbon-carbon triple bonds, and Pd-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling reactions of alkenes and/or alkynes with high selectivity. O(2) plays a critical role in the success of these transformations. Most of the reactions can tolerate a range of functional groups, and some can occur under aqueous conditions. Depending on the specific process, we propose several mechanistic scenarios that describe the in situ generation of different intermediates and discuss the plausible reaction pathways. These methods provide new strategies for the green synthesis of diverse 1,2-diols, carbonyls, lactones, conjugated dienes, trienes, and aromatic rings. These products have potential applications in natural product synthesis, materials science, and bioorganic chemistry. Given our new mechanistic understanding, we are optimistic that additional Pd-catalyzed aerobic oxidative transformations will be developed that are both more economical and environmentally friendly.

Palladium-catalyzed direct oxidation of alkenes with molecular oxygen: general and practical methods for the preparation of 1,2-diols, aldehydes, and ketones

1,2-Diols, aldehydes, and ketones are important intermediates in chemical synthesis, and alkenes are possible precursors for 1,2-diols, aldehydes, and ketones. Herein, novel and environmentally benign methods for palladium-catalyzed dihydroxylation and oxidative cleavage of olefins with oxygen as sole oxidant are presented. The cleavage reactions were performed with acid as additive in aqueous solution, whereas 1,2-diols were formed in the presence of base. A broad substrate scope has been demonstrated allowing monosubstituted aromatic and aliphatic terminal alkenes, 1,2-disubstituted, and 1,1-disubstituted olefins. The cleavage reactions of dioxo-Pd(II) complexes implicate 1,2-diol might act as a key intermediate of olefin cleavage.

Enantioselective Cyanosilylation of α,α-Dialkoxy Ketones Catalyzed by Proline-Derived in-Situ-Prepared N-Oxide as Bifunctional Organocatalyst

Bifunctional N,N'-dioxide catalysts have been developed for highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of alpha,alpha-dialkoxy ketones. This process, catalyzed by in-situ-prepared proline-derived N,N'-dioxide 2b, produced the corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers in excellent yields (up to 99%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 93% ee). A reasonable mechanism was proposed according to the observation of the linear effect, 1H NMR spectra, isolated cyanohydrin, and the roles of the NH and N-oxide moieties of the catalyst.

Asymmetric catalysis for the construction of quaternary carbon centres: nucleophilic addition on ketones and ketimines

There is a growing need in organic synthesis for efficient methodologies for the asymmetric synthesis of quaternary carbon centres. One of the most attractive and straightforward methods focuses on the use of asymmetric catalysis for the addition of various types of nucleophiles on prochiral ketones and ketimines. A view of the literature from this growing area of research will be presented in this review, with an emphasis on the pioneer works and milestones brought by the main players in this field.

Well-Defined Silica-Supported Rare-Earth Silylamides

Rare-earth silylamides [Ln{N(SiMe3)2}3] [1a-d, Ln = Y (1a), La (1b), Nd (1c), Sm (1d)] react with partially dehydroxylated silica to generate the singly surface-bonded species [(Si-O)Ln{N(SiMe3)2}2] (2a-d). Trimethylsilylation of silanols occurs during the grafting process, affording in fine a hydroxyl-free surface. Contacting these well-defined surface species with excess triphenylphosphine oxide yields [(Si-O)Ln{N(SiMe3)2}2(OPPh3)] surface adducts 3a-d as the major (80%) species, leaving about 20% of unreacted siloxide bisamido species (20%). In addition to elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy, solid-state NMR spectroscopy was used to characterize these new materials and proved to be a particularly efficient tool for the study of the paramagnetic Nd- and Sm-containing materials and for providing unambiguous verification of OPPh3 coordination on the rare-earth center. Silica-supported rare-earth amides 2a-d are active catalysts for 1-hexene and styrene hydrosilylation and for phenylacetylene dimerization. When compared to the molecular species 1a-d, grafting of the catalyst induces significant changes in the activity and selectivity of these systems.

Chiral imine copper chloride-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrization of 2-substituted 1,2,3-propanetriols

Catalytic enantioselective desymmetrization of meso-2-substituted glycerols has been developed to secure a novel synthetic route to chiral tertiary alcohols. The transformation has been realized by monobenzoylation using benzoyl chloride and triethylamine in the presence of the imine ligand (25)-CuCl2 complex in THF at ambient temperature. The desymmetrization turned out to be greatly dependent on acylating reagent, base, solvent, and needless to say, catalyst. Extensive screening of chiral ligands led us to combine bromopyridinecarboxaldehyde 1 and phenyloxazoline amine 12 derived from tert-leucine, the bromo and phenyl substituents of which proved to be indispensable. All of the substrates have been desymmetrized to the corresponding monobenzoates with high enantioselectivity up to 96% enantiomeric excess. The catalytic system allows broad structural diversity of substrates and its synthetic versatility has been demonstrated by an efficient synthetic route to a known key precursor 68 of triazole antifungals.

Catalytic enantioselective construction of tetrasubstituted carbons by self-assembled poly rare earth metal complexes

Rare earth metal-based enantioselective catalysts that can promote practical cyanation reactions of ketones and ketoimines were developed. These catalytic enantioselective tetrasubstituted carbon-forming reactions are useful platforms for the synthesis of biologically active compounds. ESI-MS and crystallographic studies of the asymmetric catalysts revealed that the active catalysts are polymetallic complexes produced through the assembly of modules. The higher-order structure of the polymetallic complexes has strong effects on catalyst activity and enantioselectivity. Controlling the higher-order structure of artificial polymetallic asymmetric catalysts is a new strategy for optimizing asymmetric catalysts. Recent progress in this approach is also described.

Catalytic Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (+)-Lactacystin

Total synthesis of (+)-lactacystin, a potent and selective proteasome inhibitor, was accomplished using a catalytic enantioselective Strecker reaction of a ketoimine as the initial key step. An enone-derived N-phosphinoyl ketoimine 7 was selected as a stable masked alpha-hydroxy ketoimine analogue. Excellent enantioselectivity (98% ee) and practical catalyst activity were produced under the optimized catalyst preparation method using 2.5 mol % Gd{N(SiMe3)2}3 as a metal source and 3.8 mol % D-glucose-derived ligand 8. This reaction was conducted on a 5 g scale. The chiral tetrasubstituted C-5 carbon efficiently controlled the stereochemistry of the other three chiral centers of lactacystin. Chelation-controlled Meerwein-type reduction of ketone 5 using i-PrMgBr (originally reported by Kang in a related substrate) selectively produced the desired secondary alcohol at the C-9 position. The C-6 hydroxy and C-7 methyl groups were introduced via a silyl conjugate addition followed by the Tamao oxidation and Donohoe methylation, respectively, in a highly stereoselective manner. A practical amount of enantiomerically pure clasto-lactacystin beta-lactone (2), the biologically active form of (+)-lactacystin, can be synthesized using this route. clasto-Lactacystin beta-lactone (2) was converted to (+)-lactacystin following the reported procedure.