Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Biologically Relevant 3,3- Dihydroxyphenyloxindoles via para-Quinone Methides Derived from Isatins.

The first asymmetric synthetic approach to biologically relevant 3,3-diphenyloloxindoles was developed using para-quinone methides derived from isatins and phenols. Chiral phosphoric acid efficiently catalyzed the reaction and delivered 3,3-diphenyloloxindoles under mild conditions with up to an equivalent yield and excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee). The chirality was maintained in further synthesis.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Spiro[3,2'-morpholine-oxindoles] Derivatives via the [5 + 1] Annulation Reaction.

An efficacious method in which BINOL-type chiral imidodiphosphoric acid catalyzed the asymmetric [5 + 1] annulation reaction of 2-pyrrolylphenol with 1-methylindoline-2,3-dione was established. The strategy tolerated a broad substrate scope, and 30 examples were obtained. A range of enantioenriched spiro[3,2'-morpholine-oxindole] derivatives which incorporate a tertiary stereocenter, with moderate to excellent yields (up to 96%) and enantioselectivities (up to 99%) under mild conditions, was delivered.

Asymmetric Synthesis of 1,1,1-Triarylethanes by Chiral Imidodiphosphoric Acid Catalyzed Nucleophilic Addition of Pyrrole and Indoles to 3-Vinylindoles.

Chiral imidodiphosphoric acids were employed as efficient catalysts in the enantioselective addition reaction of pyrrole and indoles to 3-vinylindoles. A series of optically active 1,1,1-triarylethmanes bearing quaternary stereocenters were synthesized in excellent yields (up to 99% yield) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee). Gram-scale reactions of 1i and 2a as well as 1o and 5a demonstrated the synthetic utility of this methodology. Control experiments showed that the formation of a double H-bond between the catalyst and substrates is necessary for an excellent outcome.

Asymmetric syntheses of spiro[benzofuro-cyclopenta[1,2-b]indole-indoline] scaffolds via consecutive cyclization.

An efficient method to construct enantioenriched spiro[benzofuro-cyclopenta[1,2-b]indole-indoline] scaffolds via consecutive cyclization is described here. The new scaffolds possess five successive chiral stereogenic centers and two spiroheterocycles. A range of highly enantioenriched scaffolds has been obtained with up to 93% yield, 99% ee and >19 : 1 d.r. catalyzed by Brønsted acid catalysts.

Enantioselective Domino Reaction of 3-Vinylindole and p-Quinone Methides Enabled by Chiral Imidodiphosphoric Acids: Asymmetric Synthesis of Multisubstituted 3-Indolyl Cyclopenta[b]indoles.

The development of a stereoselective method for the rapid assembly of structurally complex molecules remains fascinating and challenging in synthetic organic chemistry. Here, we report an enantioselective domino reaction between 3-vinylindole and p-quinone methide for the preparation of 3-indolyl cyclopenta[b]indoles containing multiple chiral centers. Chiral imidodiphosphoric acids enable this cascade asymmetric process, delivering a series of products with excellent yields (≤99%), enantioselectivities (≤99%), and diastereoselectivities (≤20:1 dr).

Chiral Imidodiphosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Highly Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Poly-Substituted 3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyrans: [4 + 2] Cycloadditions of ß,γ-Unsaturated α-Ketoesters and 3-Vinylindoles.

Imidodiphosphoric acids were employed to catalyze inverse-electron-demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of ß,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters and 3-vinylindoles. A series of optically active 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran derivatives with three contiguous stereogenic centers was synthesized in excellent yields (70-99%), diastereoselectivities (>20:1), and enantioselectivities (73-99%). The resulting indole containing 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran could be converted to tetrahydropyran derivatives, which appear in several biological active compounds by simple hydrogenation reduction.

Enzyme-Catalyzed Henry Reaction in Choline Chloride-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents.

The enzyme-catalyzed Henry reaction was realized using deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a reaction medium. The lipase from Aspergillus niger (lipase AS) showed excellent catalytic activity toward the substrates aromatic aldehydes and nitromethane in choline chloride:glycerol at a molar ratio of 1:2. Addition of 30 vol% water to DES further improved the lipase activity and inhibited DES-catalyzed transformation. A final yield of 92.2% for the lipase AS-catalyzed Henry reaction was achieved under optimized reaction conditions in only 4 h. In addition, the lipase AS activity was improved by approximately 3-fold in a DES-water mixture compared with that in pure water, which produced a final yield of only 33.4%. Structural studies with fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the established strong hydrogen bonds between DES and water may be the main driving force that affects the spatial conformation of the enzyme, leading to a change in lipase activity. The methodology was also extended to the aza-Henry reaction, which easily occurred in contrast to that in pure water. The enantioselectivity of both Henry and aza-Henry reactions was not found. However, the results are still remarkable, as we report the first use of DES as a reaction medium in a lipase-catalyzed Henry reaction.

First Novozym 435 lipase-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction in the presence of amides.

The first Novozym 435 lipase-catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction with amides as co-catalyst was realized. Results showed that neither Novozym 435 nor amide can independently catalyze the reaction. This co-catalytic system that used a catalytic amount of Novozym 435 with a corresponding amount of amide was established and optimized. The MBH reaction strongly depended on the structure of aldehyde substrate, amide co-catalyst, and reaction additives. The optimized reaction yield (43.4%) was achieved in the Novozym 435-catalyzed MBH reaction of 2, 4-dinitrobenzaldehyde and cyclohexenone with isonicotinamide as co-catalyst and ß-cyclodextrin as additive only in 2 days. Although enantioselectivity of Novozym 435 was not found, the results were still significant because an MBH reaction using lipase as biocatalyst was realized for the first time.

Organocatalyzed nucleophilic addition of pyrazoles to 2H-azirines: asymmetric synthesis of 3,3-disubstituted aziridines and kinetic resolution of racemic 2H-azirines.

The first organocatalytic asymmetric nucleophilic addition of arylpyrazoles to 2H-azirines and kinetic resolution of racemic 2H-azirines have been realized. Chiral aziridines were obtained with up to 98% yields and up to 99.9% ee. Meanwhile, simply changing the ratio of reactants, optically active 2H-azirines were recovered in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities.

Palladium(II)-catalyzed meta-selective direct arylation of O-ß-naphthyl carbamate.

Selective meta-arylation of O-ß-naphthyl carbamate has been accomplished using Pd(OAc)2 as a catalyst precursor and K2S2O8 with AgOAc as the oxidant. A range of aryl boronic acids could be introduced in moderate to good yields. Mechanistic investigation shows that the carbamate substituent has a unique effect and the reaction undergoes an ortho-carbometallation/meta-direct arylation process.

H8-BINOL chiral imidodiphosphoric acid catalyzed highly enantioselective aza-Friedel-Crafts reactions of pyrroles and enamides/imines.

The first enantioselective aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction between pyrroles and enamides has been achieved by using a novel H8-BINOL-type imidodiphosphoric acid catalyst. This methodology was also applied to the highly enantioselective aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction between pyrroles and imines. The catalyst loadings in these two reactions are low (0.3-2 mol%). Both processes are amenable to gram scales.

Enantioselective synthesis of triarylmethanes by chiral imidodiphosphoric acids catalyzed Friedel-Crafts reactions.

The first enantioselective synthesis of pyrrolyl-substituted triarylmethanes has been accomplished using a novel imidodiphosphoric acid catalyst, which is derived from two (R)-BINOL frameworks with different 3,3'-substituents. This strategy was also expanded to the synthesis of bis(indolyl)-substituted triarylmethanes with high enantioselectivities, which could only be obtained with moderate ee values in previous reports. These two efficient Friedel-Crafts alkylation processes feature low catalyst loading, broad functional group compatibilities, and the potential to provide practical pathways for the synthesis of enantioenriched bioactive triarylmethanes.

H8-BINOL chiral imidodiphosphoric acids catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of dihydroindolo-/-pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines.

The first enantioselective synthesis of 5,6-dihydroindolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines is achieved by using a newly developed H8-BINOL-type imidodiphosphoric acid catalyst with low catalyst loading through efficient Pictet-Spengler-type reactions of indolyl anilines with ketones. This methodology also generates phenyl-4,5-dihydropyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxalines with high yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Moreover, this method was utilized to synthesize an HIV-1 inhibitor with high yield and good enantioselectivity through a one-step procedure.

Stereoselective synthesis of caffeic acid amides via enzyme-catalyzed asymmetric aminolysis reaction.

In this study, a new method was developed to prepare enantiopure caffeic acid amides by enzyme-catalyzed asymmetric aminolysis reaction. Methoxymethyl chloride (MOMCl) was first introduced as a protective and esterified reagent to obtain the MOM-protected caffeic acid MOM ester 1d. Aminolysis reaction occurred between 1d and (R, S)-α-phenylethylamine in the presence of an immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) from Candida antarctica. Compared with the methyl-protected caffeic acid methyl ester 1c, 1d as substrate improved the lipase-catalyzed reaction rate by 5.5-fold. After Novozym 435-catalyzed aminolysis reaction was established, we evaluated the effects of synthesis parameters on the catalytic activity and enantioselectivity of Novozym 435. A reaction conversion rate of 25.5% and an E value of >100 were achieved under the following optimum conditions: reaction solvent, anhydrous isooctane; reaction temperature, 70°C; reaction time, 24h; ester-to-amine substrate molar ratio, 1:40; and enzyme additive amount, 40 mg. Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses were conducted to determine the main factors affecting enantiomeric discrimination. Novozym 435 still showed 80% of its initial activity after recycling five times. Highly optically pure caffeic acid amides with an enantiomeric excess of 98.5% were finally obtained by HCl deprotection. The established enzyme-catalyzed asymmetric aminolysis method in this study might be used to prepare other caffeic acid amides.