Enantio- and diastereoselective intermolecular Stetter reaction of glyoxamide and alkylidene ketoamides

Ru(II)-catalyzed oxidative coupling of sulfoxonium ylides with amines: efficient synthesis of α-ketoamides and indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines

The first use of sulfoxonium ylides for the synthesis of α-ketoamides is described via a Ru(II)-catalyzed amidation reaction with amines. The same Ru(II)-catalyzed reaction of sulfoxonium ylides with 2-phenylindoles provided indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines instead of α-ketoamides.

Diethylzinc-Mediated Cross-Coupling Reactions between Dibromoketones and Monobromo Carbonyl Compounds

A novel route to synthesize 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds is described. α,α-Dibromoketones generate zinc enolates through a diethylzinc-mediated halogen-metal exchange and react with α-bromocarbonyl compounds to furnish 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds via a second generation of zinc enolates. This cross-coupling reaction is enabled by the chemoselective formation of zinc enolates from α,α-dibromoketones in the presence of α-bromocarbonyl compounds. Chiral 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds can be obtained via the enantioselective bromination of aldehydes using a chiral secondary amine catalyst and a subsequent cross-coupling reaction between the resulting chiral α-bromoaldehydes and α,α-dibromoacetophenones.

One-Pot Synthesis of α-Ketoamides from α-Keto Acids and Amines Using Ynamides as Coupling Reagents

A one-pot strategy for α-keto amide bond formation have been developed by using ynamides as coupling reagents under extremely mild reaction conditions. Diversely structural α-ketoamides were afforded in up to 98% yield for 36 examples. This reaction features advantages such as practical coupling procedure, wide functional group tolerance, and extremely mild conditions and has potential applications in synthetic and medicinal chemistry.

Challenges in the Highly Selective [3 + 1]-Cycloaddition of an Enoldiazoacetamide to Form a Donor-Acceptor Cis-Cyclobutenecarboxamide

A substituted donor-acceptor cyclobutenecarboxamide is synthesized with modest enantiocontrol through a chiral copper(I) complex catalyzed [3 + 1]-cycloaddition reaction of α-acyl diphenylsulfur ylides with 3-siloxy-2-diazo-3-butenamides. With a methyl substituent on the 4-position of the 3-butenamide, the cis-vicinal-3,4-disubstituted cyclobutenecarboxamide is formed with >20:1 diastereocontrol. Donor-acceptor 3-methyl-2-siloxycyclopropenecarboxamide is rapidly formed from the reactant enoldiazoamide and undergoes catalytic ring opening to give only the Z-γ-substituted metallo-enolcarbene. Elimination from 3-siloxy-2-diazo-3-pentenamide to form the conjugated 3-siloxy-2,4-pentadienamide is competitive but minimized at low temperature.

Enantioselective Stetter Reactions Catalyzed by Bis(amino)cyclopropenylidenes: Important Role for Water as an Additive

The first highly enantioselective intermolecular Stetter reaction using simple enones is reported. A series of novel chiral BAC structures were designed and prepared. They were tested in the Stetter reaction with simple aldehydes and enones. The products were generated in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). Surprisingly, a substoichiometric amount of water was crucial to obtain high enantioselectivities. Chiral BACs were also shown to catalyze 1,6-conjugate addition reactions with paraquinone methides enantioselectively.

Chemoselective Umpolung of Enals for Asymmetric Homoenolate Cross-Annulation of Enals and Aldehydes Catalyzed by N-Heterocyclic Carbene

An asymmetric homoenolate cross-annulation of enals and aldehydes with high enantioselectivity is realized by NHC-catalyzed chemoselective umpolung of enals. The reaction proceeds in a highly chemoselective manner, selectively generating the conjugated Breslow intermediates from enals rather than aldehydes, enabling the homoenolate addition of enals to aldehydes in preference to competing acyl anion-mediated reactions. Enantioenriched substituted γ-butyrolactones are formed in good yields with high enantioselectivities.

Selective amidation by a photocatalyzed umpolung reaction

Herein, a metal-catalyzed organic transformation merged with another organophotocatalyst has been developed under mild conditions for the production of α-ketoamides.

Synthesis of N,N-disubstituted 2-aminothiophenes by the cyclization of gem-difluoroalkenes with β-keto thioamides

A novel and effective method for the construction of highly functionalized aminothiophenes via the cyclization of gem-difluoroalkenes with β-keto tertiary thioamides is described.

Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts Alkylation Reactions of 3-Substituted Indoles with Electron-Deficient Alkenes

Highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts C2-alkylation reactions of 3-substituted indoles with α,β-unsaturated esters and nitroalkenes were developed using chiral Lewis acids as catalysts, which afforded chiral indole derivatives bearing C2-benzylic stereogenic centers in good to excellent yields (up to 99%) and enantioselectivities (up to 96% ee).

Mechanistic insights into hydroacylation with non-chelating aldehydes†Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Materials and methods, reaction procedures, characterization data. CCDC 1012849. For ESI and crystallographic data in CIF or other electronic format see DOI: 10.1039/c4sc02026jClick here for additional data file

The combination of a small-bite-angle diphosphine bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)methane (dcpm) and [Rh(cod)OMe]2 catalyses the hydroacylation of 2-vinylphenols with a wide range of non-chelating aldehydes. Here we present a detailed experimental study that elucidates the factors contributing to the broad aldehyde scope and high reactivity. A variety of catalytically relevant intermediates were isolated and a [Rh(dcpm)(vinylphenolate)] complex was identified as the major catalytically relevant species. A variety of off-cycle intermediates were also identified that can re-enter the catalytic cycle by substrate- or 1,5-cyclooctadiene-mediated pathways. Saturation kinetics with respect to the 2-vinylphenol were observed, and this may contribute to the high selectivity for hydroacylation over aldehyde decarbonylation. A series of deuterium labelling experiments and Hammett studies support the oxidative addition of Rh to the aldehyde C-H bond as an irreversible and turnover-limiting step. The small bite angle of dcpm is crucial for lowering the barrier of this step and providing excellent reactivity with a variety of aldehydes.

Facile synthesis of γ-ketophosphonates by an intermolecular Stetter reaction onto vinylphosphonates

The atom-economic and practical N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed Stetter reaction for the synthesis of γ-ketophosphonates by the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with vinylphosphonates is reported. The NHC derived from N-mesitylimidazolium salt (IMes) was an effective catalyst for this transformation, and the products were formed in moderate to good yields.

Changing the reaction pathway by NHC/Brønsted base cooperative catalysis: highly stereoselective synthesis of multifunctional benzo[a]fluoren-11-ones from the dimerization of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes

The unprecedented NHC/Brønsted base-cocatalyzed dimerization reaction of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes was reported. In the presence of a triazole carbene catalyst alone, no reaction of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes was observed. However, the combination of triazole carbene and 4-methoxyphenolate efficiently catalyzed the dimerization of 2-(aroylvinyl)arylaldehydes to proceed through a benzoin-Michael-Michael reaction cascade, producing 6-aroyl-5-(aroylmethyl)-11a-hydroxybenzo[a]fluoren-11-ones as the sole diastereomers in good yields.

Asymmetric homoenolate additions to acyl phosphonates through rational design of a tailored N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst

A highly selective NHC-catalyzed synthesis of γ-butyrolactones from the fusion of enals and α-ketophosphonates has been developed. Computational modeling of competing transition states guided a rational design strategy to achieve enhanced levels of enantioselectivity with a new tailored C1-symmetric biaryl-saturated imidazolium-derived NHC catalyst.

SNAr-Derived Decomposition By-products Involving Pentafluorophenyl Triazolium Carbenes

Pentafluorophenyl triazolium carbenes, widely used in NHC-catalysis, can decompose by several mechanisms. Under high concentration conditions, the azolium may undergo a pentafluorophenyl exchange by a proposed S_NAr mechanism to give an inactive salt. In the presence of appropriate substrates, cyclization on the ortho-position of the arene can occur, also by S_NAr. These adducts provide a potential pathway for catalyst decomposition and serve as a caveat to the development of new reactions and catalysts.

A photoisomerization-coupled asymmetric Stetter reaction: application to the total synthesis of three diastereomers of (-)-cephalimysin A

The total synthesis of 8-epi, 8,9-epi, and 9-epi-(-)-cephalimysin A is described. Our catalytic enantioselective synthesis takes advantage of a novel tandem photoisomerization/Stetter reaction. The approach provides rapid access to the desired spirofuranone lactam core in good yield and excellent enantioselectivity. A late stage oxidation strategy allows for flexible access to three of the four diastereomers of cephalimysin A. Access to the epimers provides further support for the correction of the initially proposed relative stereochemistry of cephalimysin A.

Asymmetric synthesis of diverse glycolic acid scaffolds via dynamic kinetic resolution of α-keto esters

The dynamic kinetic resolution of α-keto esters via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation has been developed as a technique for the highly stereoselective construction of structurally diverse β-substituted-α-hydroxy carboxylic acid derivatives. Through the development of a privileged m-terphenylsulfonamide for (arene)RuCl(monosulfonamide) complexes with a high affinity for selective α-keto ester reduction, excellent levels of chemo-, diastereo-, and enantiocontrol can be realized in the reduction of β-aryl- and β-chloro-α-keto esters.

A continuum of progress: applications of N-hetereocyclic carbene catalysis in total synthesis

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalyzed transformations have emerged as powerful tactics for the construction of complex molecules. Since Stetter's report in 1975 of the total synthesis of cis-jasmon and dihydrojasmon by using carbene catalysis, the use of NHCs in total synthesis has grown rapidly, particularly over the last decade. This renaissance is undoubtedly due to the recent developments in NHC-catalyzed reactions, including new benzoin, Stetter, homoenolate, and aroylation processes. These transformations employ typical as well as Umpolung types of bond disconnections and have served as the key step in several new total syntheses. This Minireview highlights these reports and captures the excitement and emerging synthetic utility of carbene catalysis in total synthesis.

Highly enantioselective intermolecular Stetter reaction of simple acrylates: synthesis of α-chiral γ-ketoesters

Simple Stetter: A novel N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) was designed by combining an electron-rich 2,6-dimethoxy substituent and an underestimated yet promising chiral motif. With this NHC in hand, a highly enantioselective intermolecular Stetter reaction of simple acrylates was developed, yielding versatile α-chiral γ-ketoesters. This represents the first catalytic asymmetric route towards these valuable compounds (see scheme).

Enantioselective conjugate addition of donor-acceptor hydrazones to α,β-unsaturated aldehydes through formal diaza-ene reaction: access to 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds

Donor-acceptor monosubstituted hydrazones participate as suitable reagents able to undergo an enantioselective formal diaza-ene reaction with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes under chiral secondary amine catalysis. This constitutes a new approach for the enantioselective conjugate addition of hydrazones to enals under metal-free conditions and leads to the formation of γ-hydrazono carboxylic acids after oxidation/[1,3]-H shift. The methodology is also useful for the synthesis of enantioenriched β-substituted α-keto-1,5-diesters by using the hydrazone moiety as a masked carbonyl group.

Desymmetrization of cyclohexadienones viad-camphor-derived triazolium salt catalyzed intramolecular Stetter reaction

Enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclohexadienones via a d-camphor-derived triazolium salt catalyzed intramolecular Stetter reaction was realized. With 10 mol% of camphor-derived triazolium salt E and 10 mol% of DIEA, various substituted cyclohexadienones proceeded through an intramolecular Stetter reaction, affording tricyclic products in moderate to good yields and excellent ee.

Dynamic kinetic resolution of α-keto esters via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation

The dynamic kinetic resolution of β-aryl α-keto esters has been accomplished using a newly designed (arene)RuCl(monosulfonamide) transfer hydrogenation catalyst. This dynamic process generates three contiguous stereocenters with remarkable diastereoselectivity through a reduction/lactonization sequence. The resulting enantioenriched, densely functionalized γ-butyrolactones are of high synthetic utility, as highlighted by several secondary derivatizations.