Heteroaromatic N-Oxides in Asymmetric Catalysis: A Review

An increasing interest in the synthesis and use of optically active pyridine N-oxides as chiral controllers for asymmetric reactions has been observed in the last few years. Chiral heteroaromatic N-oxides can work as powerful electron-pair donors, providing suitable electronic environments in the transition state formed within the reaction. The nucleophilicity of the oxygen atom in N-oxides, coupled with a high affinity of silicon to oxygen, represent ideal properties for the development of synthetic methodology based on nucleophilic activation of organosilicon reagents. The application of chiral N-oxides as efficient organocatalysts in allylation, propargylation, allenylation, and ring-opening of meso-epoxides, as well as chiral ligands for metal complexes catalyzing Michael addition or nitroaldol reaction, can also be found in the literature. This review deals with stereoselective applications of N-oxides, and how the differentiating properties are correlated with their structure. It contains more recent results, covering approximately the last ten years. All the reported examples have been divided into five classes, according to the chirality elements present in their basic molecular frameworks.

Asymmetric Baeyer-Villiger oxidation: classical and parallel kinetic resolution of 3-substituted cyclohexanones and desymmetrization of meso-disubstituted cycloketones

Classical kinetic resolution, parallel kinetic resolution and desymmetrization were achieved by asymmetric BV oxidation of 3-substituted and meso-disubstituted cycloketones.

Regioselectivity is a crucial issue in Baeyer–Villiger (BV) oxidation. To date, few reports have addressed asymmetric BV oxidation of 3-substituted cycloketones due to the high difficulty of controlling regio- and stereoselectivity. Herein, we report the asymmetric BV oxidation of 3-substituted and meso-disubstituted cycloketones with chiral N,N′-dioxide/Sc(iii) catalysts performed in three ways: classical kinetic resolution, parallel kinetic resolution and desymmetrization. The methodology was applied in the total and formal synthesis of bioactive compounds and natural products. Control experiments and calculations demonstrated that flexible and adjustable catalysts played a significant role in the chiral recognition of substrates.

Theoretical investigation on donor–acceptor interaction between a carbonyl compound and an N,N′-dioxide–Sc(iii) complex

The counterion and substituent on amide of the N,N′-dioxide ligand could affect electrostatic energy (ΔV_elstat) as well as orbital energy (ΔE_orb) between CH₂O and Sc(iii)-based catalyst, adjusting the Lewis acidity of the metal centre.