Synthesis of (±)-Amathaspiramide F and Discovery of an Unusual Stereocontrolling Element for the [2,3]-Stevens Rearrangement

Iridium-catalysed reductive allylic amination of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

Allylic amination is a powerful tool for constructing N-allylic amines widely found in bioactive molecules. Generally, allylic alcohols and unsaturated hydrocarbons have been considered for allylic amination reactions to minimize waste production. Herein, we present an iridium-catalysed method for reductive allylic amination of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with amines to afford N-allylic amines under air conditions. This protocol is demonstrated to provide products from many substrates (41 examples) in moderate-to-excellent yields. This synthetic methodology is also highlighted by the synthesis of drug molecules, optically pure products, as well as scale-up experiments.

Naturally Occurring Organohalogen Compounds-A Comprehensive Review

The present volume is the third in a trilogy that documents naturally occurring organohalogen compounds, bringing the total number-from fewer than 25 in 1968-to approximately 8000 compounds to date. Nearly all of these natural products contain chlorine or bromine, with a few containing iodine and, fewer still, fluorine. Produced by ubiquitous marine (algae, sponges, corals, bryozoa, nudibranchs, fungi, bacteria) and terrestrial organisms (plants, fungi, bacteria, insects, higher animals) and universal abiotic processes (volcanos, forest fires, geothermal events), organohalogens pervade the global ecosystem. Newly identified extraterrestrial sources are also documented. In addition to chemical structures, biological activity, biohalogenation, biodegradation, natural function, and future outlook are presented.

exo'-Selective Construction of Spirobipyrrolidines by the Silver-catalyzed Asymmetric [3+2] Cycloaddition of Imino Esters with 4-Benzylidene-2,3-dioxopyrrolidines

The unprecedented Ag-catalyzed exo ' -selective [3+2] cycloaddition of imino esters with 4-benzylidene-2,3-dioxopyrrolidines is described. The reaction was efficiently catalyzed by AgOAc/( R , S p )-ThioClickFerrophos (TCF) leading to the construction of the corresponding spirobipyrrolidine scaffolds in excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivities. This reaction is the first example of a silver-catalyzed exo ' -selective asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition, as well as the first exo ' -selective spirobipyrrolidine construction via a [3+2] cycloaddition process using imino esters. The wide substrate scope of this reaction enabled the preparation of structurally diverse spirobipyrrolidine derivatives, which are attracting attention as targets for drug discovery. Mechanistic studies suggested that the unusual exo ' -selectivity of this reaction is not due to epimerization following the common exo - or endo -selective cycloaddition, but instead is due to a stepwise Michael addition/Mannich sequence with bond rotation.

Total Synthesis of (-)-Amathaspiramide A via One-pot Aldol Addition/Transamidification Reaction

The total synthesis of (-)-amathaspiramide A was accomplished through an efficient construction of chiral aza-spirobicyclic core by aldol addition/transamidification cascade. The scope of the efficient construction methodology was investigated. Configuration...

Modular Photocatalytic Synthesis of α-Trialkyl-α-Tertiary Amines

Molecules displaying an α-trialkyl-α-tertiary amine motif provide access to an important and versatile area of biologically relevant chemical space but are challenging to access through existing synthetic methods. Here, we report an operationally straightforward, multicomponent protocol for the synthesis of a range of functionally and structurally diverse α-trialkyl-α-tertiary amines, which makes use of three readily available components: dialkyl ketones, benzylamines, and alkenes. The strategy relies on the of use visible-light-mediated photocatalysis with readily available Ir(III) complexes to bring about single-electron reduction of an all-alkyl ketimine species to an α-amino radical intermediate; the α-amino radical undergoes Giese-type addition with a variety of alkenes to forge the α-trialkyl-α-tertiary amine center. The mechanism of this process is believed to proceed through an overall redox neutral pathway that involves photocatalytic redox-relay of the imine, generated from the starting amine-ketone condensation, through to an imine-derived product. This is possible because the presence of a benzylic amine component in the intermediate scaffold drives a 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer step after the Giese addition to form a stable benzylic α-amino radical, which is able to close the photocatalytic cycle. These studies detail the evolution of the reaction platform, an extensive investigation of the substrate scope, and preliminary investigation of some of the mechanistic features of this distinct photocatalytic process. We believe this transformation will provide convenient access to previously unexplored α-trialkyl-α-tertiary amine scaffolds that should be of considerable interest to practitioners of synthetic and medicinal chemistry in academic and industrial institutions.

Strain-release C-C bond cleavage enables the [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of tertiary allylamines

A new strategy has been established for the [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of quaternary allylammonium ylides, generated in situ from tertiary allylamines and a bicyclo[1.1.0]butane via strain-release C-C bond cleavage. A range of tertiary allylamines with an acidic α-C-H bond participated in the 1-sulfonylbicyclo[1.1.0]butane-mediated [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, delivering structurally diverse N-cyclobutyl homoallylamines in moderate to excellent yields.

Aryne-mediated [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of tertiary 2,3-allenylamines bearing an electron-withdrawing group at the α-position

An unprecedented [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement reaction of quaternary 2,3-allenylammonium ylides, generated in situ from tertiary 2,3-allenylamines and arynes, has been established. With 2-(trimethylsilyl)aryl triflates as aryne precursors, a range of tertiary 2,3-allenylamines bearing an electron-withdrawing group at the α-position smoothly participated in the aryne-mediated [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement at room temperature, delivering structurally diverse 2-vinylallyamines or 1-amino-1,3-dienes in moderate to excellent yields. The reaction proceeds in the absence of strong bases and transition metals, is compatible with moisture and air, and tolerates a wide variety of functional groups.

Exploring the Scope of Tandem Palladium and Isothiourea Relay Catalysis for the Synthesis of α-Amino Acid Derivatives

The scope and limitations of a tandem N-allylation/[2,3]-rearrangement protocol are investigated through the incorporation of a variety of functional groups within an allylic phosphate precursor. This method uses readily accessible N,N-dimethylglycine aryl esters and functionalized allylic phosphates, forming quaternary ammonium salts in situ in the presence of a palladium catalyst. Subsequent enantioselective [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, promoted by the chiral isothiourea tetramisole, generates α-amino acid derivatives with two contiguous stereocenters. The incorporation of electron-withdrawing ester and amide groups gave the best results, furnishing the desired products in moderate to good yields (29–70%), with low diastereocontrol (typically 60:40 dr) but high enantioselectivity (up to 90:10 er). These results indicate that substrate–catalyst interactions in the proposed transition state are sensitive to the substitution pattern of the substrates.

Chiral N,N'-dioxide/Mg(OTf)2 complex-catalyzed asymmetric [2,3]-rearrangement of in situ generated ammonium salts

Catalytic enantioselective [2,3]-rearrangements of in situ generated ammonium ylides from glycine pyrazoleamides and allyl bromides were achieved by employing a chiral N,N'-dioxide/MgII complex as the catalyst. This protocol provided a facile and efficient synthesis route to a series of anti-α-amino acid derivatives in good yields with high stereoselectivities. Moreover, a possible catalytic cycle was proposed to illustrate the reaction process and the origin of stereoselectivity.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Cα-Substituted Prolines through Curtin-Hammett-Controlled Diastereoselective N-Alkylation

Asymmetric synthesis of α-substituted proline derivatives has been accomplished by an efficient chirality-transfer method. High diastereoselectivity of the N-alkylation of the proline ester (C→N chirality transfer) was achieved when a 2,3-disubstituted benzyl group was used as the N-substituent. DFT calculations provided a mechanistic rationale for the high degree of stereoselectivity. The generated N-chirality of the quaternary ammonium salt was transferred back to the α-carbon through a stereoselective [2,3]-Stevens rearrangement (N→C chirality transfer) to give α-substituted proline ester.

Asymmetric Cα-Alkylation of Proline via Chirality Transfers of Conformationally Restricted Proline Derivative: Application to the Total Synthesis of (-)-Amathaspiramide F

An efficient strategy for the asymmetric synthesis of Cα-tetrasubstituted proline derivatives from proline has been established. A nitrogen-fused bicyclic system was devised to control the stereodynamics of proline. Through N-quaternizations with allylic electrophiles followed by [2,3]-rearrangements, the bicyclic proline system delivered enantioenriched Cα-tetrasubstituted prolines. This strategy was applied to the concise total synthesis of (-)-amathaspiramide F.

Tandem Palladium and Isothiourea Relay Catalysis: Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Amino Acid Derivatives via Allylic Amination and [2,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangement

A tandem relay catalytic protocol using both Pd and isothiourea catalysis has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of α-amino acid derivatives containing two stereogenic centers from readily accessible N,N-disubstituted glycine aryl esters and allylic phosphates. The optimized process uses a bench-stable succinimide-based Pd precatalyst (FurCat) to promote Pd-catalyzed allylic ammonium salt generation from the allylic phosphate and the glycine aryl ester. Subsequent in situ enantioselective [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement catalyzed by the isothiourea benzotetramisole forms syn-α-amino acid derivatives with high diastereo- and enantioselectivity. This methodology is most effective using 4-nitrophenylglycine esters and tolerates a variety of substituted cinnamic and styrenyl allylic ethyl phosphates. The use of challenging unsymmetrical N-allyl-N-methylglycine esters is also tolerated under the catalytic relay conditions without compromising stereoselectivity.

Catalytic Enantioselective [2,3]-Rearrangements of Allylic Ammonium Ylides: A Mechanistic and Computational Study

A mechanistic study of the isothiourea-catalyzed enantioselective [2,3]-rearrangement of allylic ammonium ylides is described. Reaction kinetic analyses using ¹⁹F NMR and density functional theory computations have elucidated a reaction profile and allowed identification of the catalyst resting state and turnover-rate limiting step. A catalytically relevant catalyst-substrate adduct has been observed, and its constitution elucidated unambiguously by ¹³C and ¹⁵N isotopic labeling. Isotopic entrainment has shown the observed catalyst-substrate adduct to be a genuine intermediate on the productive cycle toward catalysis. The influence of HOBt as an additive upon the reaction, catalyst resting state, and turnover-rate limiting step has been examined. Crossover experiments have probed the reversibility of each of the proposed steps of the catalytic cycle. Computations were also used to elucidate the origins of stereocontrol, with a 1,5-S···O interaction and the catalyst stereodirecting group providing transition structure rigidification and enantioselectivity, while preference for cation-π interactions over C-H···π is responsible for diastereoselectivity.

Synthetic approaches towards alkaloids bearing α-tertiary amines

Alkaloids account for some of the most beautiful and biologically active natural products. Although they are usually classified along biosynthetic criteria, they can also be categorized according to certain structural motifs. Amongst these, the α-tertiary amine (ATA), i.e. a tetrasubstituted carbon atom surrounded by three carbons and one nitrogen, is particularly interesting. A limited number of methods have been described to access this functional group and fewer still are commonly used in synthesis. Herein, we review some approaches to asymmetrically access ATAs and provide an overview of alkaloid total syntheses where those have been employed.