Peptide Catalyzed Conjugate Additions to ß-Nitroacrylates - Steric Bulk Increases the Reaction Rate.

The organocatalytic conjugate addition of aldehydes to ß-nitroacrylates provides direct access to ß-ester-γ-nitroaldehydes and, thereby, common structural motifs of many bioactive compounds. However, the deactivation of amine-based catalysts by alkylation with the highly electrophilic nitroacrylates hampers this reaction. Here, we show that the peptide H-Mep-dPro-dGlu-NH2, which is reluctant to under alkylation, catalyzes this reaction at low catalyst loading (0.5-1 mol%) within short reaction times (15-60 min) to yield a broad range of ß-ester-γ-nitroaldehydes with high stereoselectivity. Kinetic studies revealed that increased steric bulk on the ß-nitroacrylate enhances the reaction rate by hindering catalyst alkylation.

Kinetic Resolution of ß-Branched Aldehydes through Peptide-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition Reactions.

The catalytic kinetic resolution of racemic ß-branched aldehydes offers a straightforward stereoselective entry to aldehydes and addition products. Yet, control over stereoselectivity is difficult due to the conformational flexibility of ß-branched aldehydes. Here, we show that the peptide catalyst H-dPro-αMePro-Glu-NH2 resolves ß-branched aldehydes through reaction with nitroolefins and provides γ-nitroaldehydes with three consecutive stereogenic centers in high yields and stereoselectivities. Kinetic, NMR spectroscopic, and computational studies provided insights into the selectivity-determining step and origins of the kinetic resolution.

Catalytic ipso-Nitration of Organosilanes Enabled by Electrophilic N-Nitrosaccharin Reagent.

Nitroaromatic compounds represent one of the essential classes of molecules that are widely used as feedstock for the synthesis of intermediates, the preparation of nitro-derived pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials on both laboratory and industrial scales. We herein disclose the efficient, mild, and catalytic ipso-nitration of organotrimethylsilanes, enabled by an electrophilic N-nitrosaccharin reagent and allows chemoselective nitration under mild reaction conditions, while exhibiting remarkable substrate generality and functional group compatibility. Additionally, the reaction conditions proved to be orthogonal to other common functionalities, allowing programming of molecular complexity via successive transformations or late-stage nitration. Detailed mechanistic investigation by experimental and computational approaches strongly supported a classical electrophilic aromatic substitution (SE Ar) mechanism, which was found to proceed through a highly ordered transition state.

Organocatalytic Synthesis of Triflones Bearing Two Non-Adjacent Stereogenic Centers.

Trifluoromethylsulfones (triflones) are useful compounds for synthesis and beyond. Yet, methods to access chiral triflones are scarce. Here, we present a mild and efficient organocatalytic method for the stereoselective synthesis of chiral triflones using α-aryl vinyl triflones, building blocks previously unexplored in asymmetric synthesis. The peptide-catalyzed reaction gives rise to a broad range of γ-triflylaldehydes with two non-adjacent stereogenic centers in high yields and stereoselectivities. A catalyst-controlled stereoselective protonation following a C-C bond formation is key to control over the absolute and relative configuration. Straightforward derivatization of the products into, e.g., disubstituted δ-sultones, γ-lactones, and pyrrolidine heterocycles highlights the synthetic versatility of the products.

N-Nitroheterocycles: Bench-Stable Organic Reagents for Catalytic Ipso-Nitration of Aryl- and Heteroarylboronic Acids.

Photocatalytic and metal-free protocols to access various aromatic and heteroaromatic nitro compounds through ipso-nitration of readily available boronic acid derivatives were developed using non-metal-based, bench-stable, and recyclable nitrating reagents. These methods are operationally simple, mild, regioselective, and possess excellent functional group compatibility, delivering desired products in up to 99% yield.

Nucleophilic Tetrafluoroethylation Employing in Situ Formed Organomagnesium Reagents.

Tetrafluoroalkyl bromides are metalated with equimolar iPrMgCl·LiCl (Turbo Grignard) to form organomagnesium compounds which are stable at low temperatures and react with various electrophiles (aldehydes, ketones, CO2, cyclic sulfate and sulfamidate, N-sulfonylimines, nitrone, chlorophosphate, nonaflyl azide) to afford novel functionalized tetrafluoroethylene-containing products. Ease of operation, excellent selectivity, high nucleophilicity, and enhanced stability of the reactive species together with a broad substrate scope comprise a highly attractive nucleophilic tetrafluoroethylation protocol affording unique synthetic building blocks.

Expanding the Scope of Hypervalent Iodine Reagents for Perfluoroalkylation: From Trifluoromethyl to Functionalized Perfluoroethyl.

A series of new hypervalent iodine reagents based on the 1,3-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-1,2-benziodoxole and 1,2-benziodoxol-3-(1H)-one scaffolds, which contain a functionalized tetrafluoroethyl group, have been prepared, characterized, and used in synthetic applications. Their corresponding electrophilic fluoroalkylation reactions with various sulfur, oxygen, phosphorus, and carbon-centered nucleophiles afford products that feature a tetrafluoroethylene unit, which connects two functional moieties. A related λ(3) -iodane that contains a fluorophore was shown to react with a cysteine derivative under mild conditions to give a thiol-tagged product that is stable in the presence of excess thiol. Therefore, these new reagents show a significant potential for applications in chemical biology as tools for fast, irreversible, and selective thiol bioconjugation.