Economy of Catalyst Synthesis-Convenient Access to Libraries of Di- and Tetranaphtho Azepinium Compounds

Enantioselective Synthesis of Acyclic Orthogonally Functionalized Compounds Bearing a Quaternary Stereocenter Using Chiral Ammonium Salt Catalysis

We herein report an asymmetric protocol to access a series of orthogonally functionalized acyclic chiral target molecules containing a quaternary stereogenic center by carrying out the enantioselective α-alkylation of novel orthogonally functionalized dioxolane-containing cyanoacetates under chiral ammonium salt catalysis. By using just 1 mol % of Maruoka's spirocyclic ammonium salt catalysts enantioselectivities up to e.r.=97.5 : 2.5 could be achieved and further functional group manipulations of the products were carried out as well.

Improved Access to Chiral Tetranaphthoazepinium-Based Organocatalysts Using Aqueous Ammonia as Nitrogen Source

The class of 3,3'-diaryl substituted tetranaphthobisazepinium bromides has found wide application as highly efficient C₂-symmetrical phase-transfer catalysts (PTCs, Maruoka type catalysts). Unfortunately, the synthesis requires a large number of steps and hampers the build-up of catalyst libraries which are often desired for screening experiments. Here, we present a more economic strategy using dinaphthoazepine 7 as the common key intermediate. Only at this stage various aryl substituents are introduced, and only two individual steps are required to access target structures. This protocol was applied to synthesize ten tetranaphthobisazepinium compounds 1a-1j. Their efficiency as PTCs was tested in the asymmetric substitution of tert-butyl 2-((diphenylmethylene)amino)acetate. Enantioselectivities up to 92% have been observed with new catalysts.