Chiral amino alcohol-mediated asymmetric conjugate addition of arylalkynes to nitroolefins

Ir-Catalyzed Regio- and Enantioselective Hydroalkynylation of Trisubstituted Alkene to Access All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters

The stereoselective construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters, especially acyclic ones, represents an important challenge in organic synthesis. In particular, homopropargyl amides with a quaternary stereocenter β to a nitrogen atom are valuable synthetic intermediates, which could be transformed to diverse chiral structures through alkyne transformations. However, highly enantioselective synthetic methods for homopropargyl amides with a β quaternary stereocenter are extremely rare. We report here unprecedented substrate-directed, iridium-catalyzed enantioselective hydroalkynylations of trisubstituted alkenes to form an acyclic all-carbon quaternary stereocenter β to a nitrogen atom. The hydroalkynylation of enamide occurred with unconventional selectivity, favoring the more hindered reaction site. Homopropargyl amides with β-stereocenters were prepared in high regio- and enantioselectivities. Combined experimental and computational studies revealed the origin of the regio- and enantioselectivities.

Enantioselective zinc-mediated conjugate alkynylation of saccharin-derived 1-aza-butadienes

Diethylzinc and a bis(hydroxyl)malonamide ligand allow the first conjugate alkynylation of α,β-unsaturated imines. Excellent enatioselectivities are obtained with aliphatic alkynes.

Iridium-catalysed conjugated alkynylation of α,β-unsaturated amide through alkene isomerization

We have developed an iridium-catalysed conjugated alkynylation of α,β-unsaturated amide.

Development of recyclable chiral macrocyclic metal complexes for asymmetric aminolysis of epoxides: application for the synthesis of an enantiopure oxazolidine ring

Macrocyclic Cr(iii)-salen complexes were synthesized for the ring opening reaction of various epoxides with anilines to furnish the corresponding β-amino-α-hydroxyl esters and β-amino alcohols with excellent ee/yield upto 99/95%.

Asymmetric synthesis of chiral β-alkynyl carbonyl and sulfonyl derivatives via sequential palladium and copper catalysis

We present a full account detailing the development of a sequential catalysis strategy for the synthesis of chiral β-alkynyl carbonyl and sulfonyl derivatives. A palladium-catalyzed cross coupling of terminal alkyne donors with acetylenic ester, ketone, and sulfone acceptors generates stereodefined enynes in high yield. These compounds are engaged in an unprecedented, regio- and enantioselective copper-catalyzed conjugate reduction. The process exhibits a high functional group tolerance, and this enables the synthesis of a broad range of chiral products from simple, readily available alkyne precursors. The utility of the method is demonstrated through the elaboration of the chiral β-alkynyl products into a variety of different molecular scaffolds. Its value in complex molecule synthesis is further validated through a concise, enantioselective synthesis of AMG 837, a potent GPR40 receptor agonist.

Iridium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroalkynylation of Enamides for the Synthesis of Homopropargyl Amides

Reported is an iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydroalkynylation of enamides with terminal alkynes. The reaction occurs regioselectively at the β-position of an enamide to produce homopropargyl amides. Good to high enantioselectivity was observed with an iridium complex ligated by a chiral bis(phosphine) ligand. This method provides a straightforward route to synthesize chiral homopropargyl amides with a stereocenter β to the amide.

A new strategy for the synthesis of chiral β-alkynyl esters via sequential palladium and copper catalysis

A new strategy for the synthesis of chiral β-alkynyl esters which relies on sequential Pd and Cu catalysis is reported. Terminal alkynes bearing aryl, alkyl, and silyl groups can be employed without prior activation yielding a wide range of important chiral building blocks. The reaction sequence utilizes a robust Pd(II)-catalyzed hydroalkynylation of ynoates with terminal alkynes providing geometrically pure ynenoates which are readily reduced by CuH. In contrast to previous reports, where additions to ynenoates proceed with marginal preference for the 1,6-pathway, this conjugate reduction occurs with high 1,4-selectivity yielding β-alkynyl esters with excellent levels of enantioselectivity. Importantly, the method tolerates a wide range of functionality, including allylic carbonates and carbamates, and thus allows for rapid elaboration of the β-alkynyl esters into a variety of chiral, substituted heterocycles.

Enantioselective synthesis of alkyne-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic centers through NHC-Cu-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions with (i-Bu)2(alkynyl)aluminum reagents

A catalytic enantioselective method for the formation of alkyne-substituted all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers is reported. Additions of alkynylaluminums to alkyl-, aryl-, carboxylic ester-, or silyl-substituted allylic phosphates are promoted by 1.0-5.0 mol % loadings of NHC-Cu complexes derived from air-stable and commercially available CuCl(2)·2H(2)O. The requisite Al-based reagents are prepared through treatment of the corresponding aryl-, heteroaryl-, alkyl-, or alkenyl-substituted terminal alkynes with diisobutylaluminum hydride in the presence of 5.0 mol % Et(3)N at ambient temperature. The desired 1,4-enynes are obtained in up to 98% yield and >99:1 enantiomeric ratio. Selected Au-catalyzed cyclizations involving the alkyne unit of the enantiomerically enriched products are presented as a demonstration of the method's utility in chemical synthesis.

The Enantioselective Addition of Alkyne Nucleophiles to Carbonyl Groups

Over the past decade, large strides have been achieved in the invention of methods for the direct enantioselective addition of alkynes and metal alkynylide nucleophiles into prochiral aldehydes, ketones, and imines. This review highlights and compares the available methods for these transformations.

Asymmetric catalysis in aqueous media

Lewis acid catalysis has attracted much attention in organic synthesis because of unique reactivity and selectivity attained under mild conditions. Although various kinds of Lewis acids have been developed and applied in industry, these Lewis acids must be generally used under strictly anhydrous conditions. The presence of even a small amount of water handles the reactions owing to preferential reactions of the Lewis acids with water rather than the substrates. In contrast, rare earth and other metal complexes have been found to be water-compatible. Several catalytic asymmetric reactions in aqueous media, including hydroxymethylation of silicon enolates with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde in the presence of Sc(OTf)3-chiral bipyridine ligand or Bi(OTf)3-chiral bipyridine ligand, Sc- or Bi-catalyzed asymmetric meso-epoxide ring-opening reactions with amines, and asymmetric Mannich-type reactions of silicon enolates with N-acylhydrazones in the presence of a chiral Zn catalyst have been developed. Water plays key roles in these asymmetric reactions.