Organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of β-amino sulfonic acid derivatives

An unprecedented enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of sodium bisulfite to various nitrostyrenes occurred upon the influence of a bifunctional amino-thiourea organocatalyst; a strategy that opens a straightforward route to unprotected chiral taurine derivatives thanks to the reduction of the obtained β-nitroethanesulfonic acids into the corresponding amino derivatives.

Cinchona Alkaloids-Derivatives and Applications

Major Cinchona alkaloids quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, and cinchonidine are available chiral natural compounds (chiral pool). Unlike many other natural products, these alkaloids are available in multiple diastereomeric forms which are separated on an industrial scale. The introduction discusses in short conformational equilibria, traditional separation scheme, biosynthesis, and de novo chemical syntheses. The second section concerns useful chemical applications of the alkaloids as chiral recognition agents and effective chiral catalysts. Besides the Sharpless ethers and quaternary ammonium salts (chiral PTC), the most successful bifunctional organocatalysts are based on 9-amino derivatives: thioureas and squaramides. The third section reports the main transformations of Cinchona alkaloids. This covers reactions of the 9-hydroxyl group with the retention or inversion of configuration. Specific Cinchona rearrangements enlarging [2.2.2]bicycle of quinuclidine to [3.2.2] products are connected to the 9-OH substitution. The syntheses of numerous esterification and etherification products are described, including many examples of bi-Cinchona alkaloid ethers. Further derivatives comprise 9-N-substituted compounds. The amino group is introduced via an azido function with the inversion of configuration at the stereogenic center C9. The 9-epi-amino-alkaloids provide imines, amides, imides, thioureas, and squaramides. The syntheses of 9-carbon-, 9-sulfur-, and 9-selenium-substituted derivatives are discussed. Oxidation of the hydroxyl group of any alkaloid gives ketones, which can be selectively reduced, reacted with Grignard reagents, or subjected to the Corey-Chaykovsky reaction. The alkaloids were also partially degraded by splitting C4'-C9 or N1-C8 bonds. In order to immobilize Cinchona alkaloids the transformations of the 3-vinyl group were often exploited. Finally, miscellaneous functionalizations of quinuclidine, quinoline, and examples of various metal complexes of the alkaloids are considered.

Bifunctional iminophosphorane catalysed enantioselective sulfa-Michael addition of alkyl thiols to alkenyl benzimidazoles

The first enantioselective sulfa-Michael addition of alkyl thiols to alkenyl benzimidazoles, enabled by a bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) organocatalyst, is described. The iminophosphorane moiety of the catalyst provides the required basicity to deprotonate the thiol nucleophile while the chiral scaffold and H-bond donor control facial selectivity. The reaction is broad in scope with respect to the thiol and benzimidazole reaction partners with the reaction proceeding in up to 98% yield and 96 : 4 er.

Stereoselective organocatalytic sulfa-Michael reactions of aryl substituted α,β-unsaturated N-acyl pyrazoles

A variety of functionalised sulfides has been obtained in good to high stereoselectivity via sulfa-Michael reaction of α,β-unsaturated N-acyl pyrazoles with thiols or thioacetic acid using readily available organocatalysts and working under mild conditions.

Enantioselective bifunctional iminophosphorane catalyzed sulfa-Michael addition of alkyl thiols to unactivated β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated esters

The highly enantioselective sulfa-Michael addition of alkyl thiols to unactivated β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated esters catalyzed by a bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) organocatalyst is described.

The highly enantioselective sulfa-Michael addition of alkyl thiols to unactivated β-substituted-α,β-unsaturated esters catalyzed by a bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) organocatalyst is described. The low acidity of the alkyl thiol pro-nucleophiles is overcome by the high Brønsted basicity of the catalyst and the chiral scaffold/thiourea hydrogen-bond donor moiety provides the required enantiofacial discrimination in the addition step. The reaction is broad in scope with respect to the alkyl thiol and β-substituent of the α,β-unsaturated ester, affords sulfa-Michael adducts in excellent yields (up to >99%) and enantioselectivity (up to 97 : 3 er) and can operate down to 1 mol% catalyst loading.

Stereoselective Glycosylation of 2-Nitrogalactals Catalyzed by a Bifunctional Organocatalyst

The use of a bifunctional cinchona/thiourea organocatalyst for the direct and α-stereoselective glycosylation of 2-nitrogalactals is demonstrated for the first time. The conditions are mild, practical, and applicable to a wide range of glycoside acceptors with products being isolated in good to excellent yields. The method is exemplified in the synthesis of mucin type Core 6 and 7 glycopeptides.

Highly enantioselective sulfa-Michael addition reactions using N-heterocyclic carbene as a non-covalent organocatalyst

We report the first asymmetric sulfa-Michael addition (SMA) reactions using a chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as a non-covalent organocatalyst. We demonstrate that a triazolium salt derived NHC functions as an excellent Brønsted base to promote enantioselective carbon-sulfur bond formation. The reaction is applicable to a wide range of thiols and electrophilic olefins. Notably, quaternary chiral centers bearing both an S atom and a CF3 group were synthesized with excellent asymmetric control. Mechanistic studies suggest that the facial discrimination is likely to be guided by non-covalent interactions: hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking.

Site and stereoselectivity in sulfa-Michael addition to equivocally activated conjugated dienes

Two terminally-linked Michael acceptors can react in either a 1,4- or 1,6-fashion with thiols depending on the choice of activation method.

Peptide-catalyzed consecutive 1,6- and 1,4-additions of thiols to α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated aldehydes

Regio- and enantioselective addition of thiols to α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated aldehydes was performed with a resin-supported peptide catalyst. It was shown that a 1,4-adduct was generated mainly at the initial stage of the reaction, and this was eventually converted to a thermodynamically stable 1,6- and 1,4-diadduct through retro-addition/addition reactions.

Iron catalyzed enantioselective sulfa-Michael addition: a four-step synthesis of the anti-asthma agent Montelukast

Asymmetric conjugate addition of thiols to acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by an iron(iii)–salen complex gives β-thioketones in high enantiomeric excess.

Continuous flow, highly enantioselective Michael additions catalyzed by a PS-supported squaramide

A polystyrene (PS) supported bifunctional squaramide organocatalyst promotes fast Michael addition of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone to nitroalkenes with very high enantioselectivities at low catalyst loadings. The polystyrene supported catalyst can be recycled up to 10 times without any decrease in enantioselectivity (average 96% ee) and adapted to continuous flow operation (24 h). A single flow experiment involving six different nitroalkenes in a sequential manner highlights the applicability of this methodology for rapid access to chemical diversity.