Highly Enantiospecific Borylation for Chiral α-Amino Tertiary Boronic Esters.

Herein we report a highly efficient and enantiospecific borylation method to synthesize a wide range of enantiopure (>99 % ee) α-amino tertiary boronic esters. The configurationally stable α-N-Boc substituted tertiary organolithium species and pinacolborane (HBpin) underwent enantiospecific borylation at -78 °C with the formation of a new stereogenic C-B bond. This reaction has a broad scope, enabling the synthesis of various α-amino tertiary boronic esters in excellent yields and, importantly, with universally excellent enantiospecificity (>99 % es) and complete retention of configuration.

Zirconium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Carboalumination of Unactivated Terminal Alkenes.

Carbometalation of alkenes with stereocontrol offers an important opportunity for asymmetric C-C bond formation. However, the scope of catalytic stereoselective carbometalation of alkenes had until recently been limited to electronically biased alkenes or those with the presence of directing groups or other auxiliary functionalities to overcome the challenge associated with regio- and stereoselectivity. Catalytic asymmetric carbometalation of unactivated alkenes on the other hand remained as a formidable challenge. To address this long-standing problem, we sought to develop Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (namely, ZACA reaction) encouraged by our discovery of Zr-catalyzed alkyne carboalumination in 1978. Zr-catalyzed methylalumination of alkynes (ZMA) shows high regioselectivity and nearly perfect stereoselectivity. Its mechanistic studies have revealed that the ZMA reaction involves acyclic carbometalation with "superacidic" bimetallic reagents generated by interaction between two Lewis acids, i.e., alkylalanes and 16-electron zirconocene derivatives through dynamic polarization and ate complexation, affectionately termed as the "two-is-better-than-one" principle. With the encouraging results of Zr-catalyzed carboalumination of alkynes in hand, we sought to develop its alkene version for discovering a catalytic asymmetric C-C bond-forming reaction by using alkylalanes and suitable chiral zirconocene derivatives, which would generate "superacidic" bimetallic species to promote the desired carbometalation of alkenes. However, this proved to be quite challenging. Three major competing side reactions occur, i.e., (i) ß-H transfer hydrometalation, (ii) bimetallic cyclic carbometalation, and (iii) Ziegler-Natta polymerization. The ZACA reaction was finally discovered by employing Erker's (-)-(NMI)2ZrCl2 as the catalyst and chlorinated hydrocarbon as solvent to suppress the undesired side reactions mentioned above. The ZACA reaction has evolved as a powerful tool for the efficient preparation of a wide range of chiral natural products through the following methodological developments: (1) three mutually complementary protocols for methyl-branched chiral alkanols; (2) water, MAO, and IBAO as promoters to accelerate otherwise sluggish carboaluminations; (3) one-step homologation synthesis of deoxypropionates based on one-pot ZACA-Pd-catalyzed vinylation tandem process; (4) ZACA-lipase-catalyzed acetylation-transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling processes for preparing various virtually enantiopure chiral alcohols; (5) the chemoselective ZMA and ZACA reactions as well as alkyne elementometalation-Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling for constructing a variety of chiral compounds containing regio- and stereodefined substituted alkenes; (6) the ZACA reaction of dienes to generate chiral organocyclic compounds including those with all-carbon quaternary stereocenters.

One-Step Homologation for the Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Deoxypropionates.

A one-step homologation protocol for the synthesis of natural products containing deoxypropionate motif is described by the combination of Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA)-Pd-catalyzed vinylation and ZACA-oxidation reaction. In contrast to most other synthetic strategies used to date that typically require three steps per deoxypropionate unit due to the functional-group interconversions, our one-step homologation strategy promises to provide a general and more efficient synthetic route toward deoxypropionate natural products as exemplified by significant improvements in the syntheses of intermediates and/or final products of mycolipenic acid 1 and its analogue 2, (-)-rasfonin, and syn- and anti-dicarboxylic acids 5 and 6.

Highly enantioselective synthesis of γ-, δ-, and ε-chiral 1-alkanols via Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA)-Cu- or Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling.

Despite recent advances of asymmetric synthesis, the preparation of enantiomerically pure (≥99% ee) compounds remains a challenge in modern organic chemistry. We report here a strategy for a highly enantioselective (≥99% ee) and catalytic synthesis of various γ- and more-remotely chiral alcohols from terminal alkenes via Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA reaction)-Cu- or Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling. ZACA-in situ oxidation of tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS)-protected ω-alkene-1-ols produced both (R)- and (S)-α,ω-dioxyfunctional intermediates (3) in 80-88% ee, which were readily purified to the ≥99% ee level by lipase-catalyzed acetylation through exploitation of their high selectivity factors. These α,ω-dioxyfunctional intermediates serve as versatile synthons for the construction of various chiral compounds. Their subsequent Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling with various alkyl (primary, secondary, tertiary, cyclic) Grignard reagents and Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling with aryl and alkenyl halides proceeded smoothly with essentially complete retention of stereochemical configuration to produce a wide variety of γ-, δ-, and ε-chiral 1-alkanols of ≥99% ee. The MαNP ester analysis has been applied to the determination of the enantiomeric purities of δ- and ε-chiral primary alkanols, which sheds light on the relatively undeveloped area of determination of enantiomeric purity and/or absolute configuration of remotely chiral primary alcohols.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Cyclopentanes Bearing an All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenter by Zirconium-Catalyzed Double Carboalumination.

Herein, we report a zirconium-catalyzed enantio- and diastereoselective inter/intramolecular double carboalumination of unactivated 2-substituted 1,5-dienes, which provides efficient and direct access to chiral cyclopentanes through the generation of two stereocenters, including one all-carbon quaternary stereocenter, generally with excellent diastereo- and high enantioselectivity. This tandem carboalumination process creates two new C-C bonds as well as one C-Al bond, which can be oxidized in situ with O2 or hydrolyzed. Furthermore, the obtained chiral cyclopentanes can be readily functionalized to provide various chiral compounds.

Molecularly Tuning the Radicaloid N-H···O═C Hydrogen Bond.

Substituent effects on the open shell N-H···O═C hydrogen-bond has never been reported. This study examines how 12 functional groups composed of electron donating groups (EDG), halogen atoms and electron withdrawing groups (EWG) affect the N-H···O═C hydrogen-bond properties in a six-membered cyclic model system of O═C(Y)-CH═C(X)N-H. It is found that group effects on this open shell H-bonding system are significant and have predictive trends when X = H and Y is varied. When Y is an EDG, the N-H···O═C hydrogen-bond is strengthened; and when Y is an EWG, the bond is weakened; whereas the variation in electronic properties of X group do not exhibit a significant impact upon the hydrogen bond strength. The structural impact of the stronger N-H···O═C hydrogen-bond are (1) shorter H and O distance, r(H···O) and (2) a longer N-H bond length, r(NH). The stronger N-H···O═C hydrogen-bond also acts to pull the H and O in toward one another which has an effect on the bond angles. Our findings show that there is a linear relationship between hydrogen-bond angle and N-H···O═C hydrogen-bond energy in this unusual H-bonding system. In addition, there is a linear correlation of the r(H···O) and the hydrogen bond energy. A short r(H···O) distance corresponds to a large hydrogen bond energy when Y is varied. The observed trends and findings have been validated using three different methods (UB3LYP, M06-2X, and UMP2) with two different basis sets.

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of chiral organic compounds of ultra-high purity of >99% ee.

Shortly after the discovery of Zr-catalyzed carboalumination of alkynes in 1978, we sought expansion of the scope of this reaction so as to develop its alkene version for catalytic asymmetric C-C bond formation, namely the ZACA (Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes). However, this seemingly easy task proved to be quite challenging. The ZACA reaction was finally discovered in 1995 by suppressing three competitive side reactions, i.e., (i) cyclic carbometalation, (ii) ß-H transfer hydrometalation, and (iii) alkene polymerization. The ZACA reaction has been used to significantly modernize and improve syntheses of various natural products including deoxypolypropionates and isoprenoids. This review focuses on our recent progress on the development of ZACA-lipase-catalyzed acetylation-transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling processes for highly efficient and enantioselective syntheses of a wide range of chiral organic compounds with ultra-high enantiomeric purities.

Highly Efficient, Convergent, and Enantioselective Synthesis of Phthioceranic Acid.

A new strategy for highly concise, convergent, and enantioselective access to polydeoxypropionates has been developed. ZACA-Pd-catalyzed vinylation was used to prepare smaller deoxypropionate fragments, and then two key sequential Cu-catalyzed stereocontrolled sp(3)-sp(3) cross-coupling reactions allowed convergent assembly of smaller building blocks to build-up long polydeoxypropionate chains with excellent stereoselectivity. We employed this strategy for the synthesis of phthioceranic acid, a key constituent of the cell-wall lipid of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in just 8 longest linear steps with full stereocontrol.

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral isotopomers of 1-alkanols by a ZACA-Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling protocol.

Chiral compounds arising from the replacement of hydrogen atoms by deuterium are very important in organic chemistry and biochemistry. Some of these chiral compounds have a non-measurable specific rotation, owing to very small differences between the isotopomeric groups, and exhibit cryptochirality. This particular class of compounds is difficult to synthesize and characterize. Herein, we present a catalytic and highly enantioselective conversion of terminal alkenes to various ß and more remote chiral isotopomers of 1-alkanols, with ≥99 % enantiomeric excess (ee), by the Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination of alkenes (ZACA) and Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. ZACA-in situ iodinolysis of allyl alcohol and ZACA-in situ oxidation of TBS-protected ω-alkene-1-ols protocols were applied to the synthesis of both (R)- and (S)-difunctional intermediates with 80-90 % ee. These intermediates were readily purified to provide enantiomerically pure (≥99 % ee) compounds by lipase-catalyzed acetylation. These functionally rich intermediates serve as very useful synthons for the construction of various chiral isotopomers of 1-alkanols in excellent enantiomeric purity (≥99 % ee) by introducing deuterium-labeled groups by Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions without epimerization.

Highly selective synthesis of conjugated dienoic and trienoic esters via alkyne elementometalation-Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling.

All four stereoisomers (7-10) of ethyl undeca-2,4-dienoate were prepared in ≥ 98% isomeric purity by Pd-catalyzed alkenylation (Negishi coupling) using ethyl (E)- and (Z)-ß-bromoacrylates. Although the stereoisomeric purity of the 2Z,4E-isomer (8) prepared by Suzuki coupling using conventional alkoxide and carbonate bases was ≤ 95%, as reported earlier, the use of CsF or (n)Bu(4)NF as a promoter base has now been found to give all of 7-10 in ≥ 98% selectivity. Other widely known methods reveal considerable limitations. Heck alkenylation was satisfactory for the syntheses of the 2E,4E and 2E,4Z isomers of ≥ 98% purity, but the purity of the 2Z,4E isomer was ≤ 95%. Mutually complementary Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons and Still-Gennari (SG) olefinations are also of considerably limited scopes. Neither 2E,4Z nor 2Z,4Z isomer is readily prepared in ≥ 90% selectivity. In addition to (2Z,4E)-dienoic esters, some (2Z,4E,6E)- and (2Z,4E,6Z)-trienoic esters have been prepared in ≥ 98% selectivity by a newly devised Pd-catalyzed alkenylation-SG olefination tandem process. As models for conjugated higher oligoenoic esters, all eight stereoisomers for ethyl trideca-2,4,6-trienoate (23-30) have been prepared in ≥ 98% overall selectivity.

Pd- and Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in the synthesis of organic electronic materials.

Organic molecules and polymers with extended π-conjugation are appealing as advanced electronic materials, and have already found practical applications in thin-film transistors, light emitting diodes, and chemical sensors. Transition metal (TM)-catalyzed cross-coupling methodologies have evolved over the past four decades into one of the most powerful and versatile methods for C-C bond formation, enabling the construction of a diverse and sophisticated range of π-conjugated oligomers and polymers. In this review, we focus our discussion on recent synthetic developments of several important classes of π-conjugated systems using TM-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, with a perspective on their utility for organic electronic materials.

Search for highly efficient, stereoselective, and practical synthesis of complex organic compounds of medicinal importance as exemplified by the synthesis of the C21-C37 fragment of amphotericin†B.

Highly stereoselective: A highly efficient, stereoselective and practical synthesis of the C21-C37 fragment of amphotericin B was realized in 25 % overall yield in eight longest linear steps from commercially available ethyl (S)-3-hydroxybutyrate by using Fráter-Seebach alkylation, Brown crotylboration, Negishi coupling, Heck reaction, and Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) olefination as key steps (see diagram).

Molecular tuning of the closed shell C-H···F-C hydrogen bond.

The existence of the rare six-membered and intramolecular C-H···F-C hydrogen-bond has been experimentally proven in the gas phase and in the solid state recently. However, the effect of the substituents on this C-H···F-C hydrogen-bond system has never been reported. In view of the importance of this type of C-H···F-C H-bonding whose weak interaction has been found critical in nanotechnology and biological systems, the nine functional groups composed of electron donating and electron withdrawing groups are inserted into this C-H···F-C interaction to study the group effect on the hydrogen bonding. Group effects on this C-H···F-C H-bonding system have been found, and their effects on the H-bonding system have been found to be tunable.

Highly stereoselective total synthesis of fully hydroxy-protected mycolactones A and B and their stereoisomerization upon deprotection.

Unprecedentedly efficient and highly (≥98 %) stereoselective syntheses of mycolactones A and B side chains relied heavily on Pd-catalyzed alkenylation (Negishi version) and were completed in 11 longest linear steps from ethyl (S)-3-hydroxybutyrate in 12% and 11% overall yield, respectively, roughly corresponding to an average of 82% yield per step. The synthesis of mycolactone core was realized by using Pd-catalyzed alkenyl-allyl coupling and an epoxide-opening reaction with a trialkylalkenylaluminate as key steps. Fully hydroxy-protected mycolactones A and B of ≥98% isomeric purity were synthesized successfully for the first time. However, unexpected 4:3-5:4 inseparable mixtures of mycolactones A and B were obtained upon deprotection.

Highly(≥98%) Stereo- and Regioselective Trisubstituted Alkene Synthesis of Wide Applicability via 1-Halo-1-alkyne Hydroboration-Tandem Negishi-Suzuki Coupling or Organoborate Migratory Insertion Protocol.

(Z)-1-Halo-1-alkenylboranes (7), preparable in 82-90% yields as ≥98% isomerically pure compounds via hydroboration of 1-halo-1-alkynes, have been converted to a wide range of trisubstituted alkenes via three different routes in the tail-to-head (T-to-H) direction, i.e., (i) Palladium-catalyzed Negishi-Suzuki tandem alkenylation, (ii) treatment of 7 with organolithium or Grignard reagents to generate α-bromo-1-alkenylboronate complexes (10) that can undergo migratory insertion of a carbon group (R2) to form (E)-alkenylboranes (11) with inversion of alkene configuration (≥98% inversion), followed by fluoride-promoted Suzuki alkenylation, and (iii) Negishi coupling to generate (Z)-alkenylboranes (8) in ≥98% retention of configuration, followed by treatment with organolithium or Grignard reagents to produce trisubstituted alkenes with reversed stereo configurations. The synthetic utility of the present methodology has been demonstrated in the highly selective synthesis of side chain (4) of scyphostatin in 28% yield over nine steps in the longest linear sequence from allyl alcohol. Thus, this new tandem protocol has been emerged as the most widely applicable and highly selective route to trisubstituted alkenes including those that are otherwise difficult to prepare.

Chemo- and Stereoselective Dearomative Coupling of Indoles and Bielectrophilic ß-Imino Boronic Esters via Imine-Induced 1,2-Boronate Migration.

A new imine-induced 1,2-boronate migration has been developed for achieving chemo- and stereoselective dearomative coupling of C3-substituted indoles and bi-electrophilic ß-imino boronic esters, providing rapid access to complex chiral indoline boronic esters with four stereocenters including an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter and a tertiary α-aminoboronic ester. In contrast, coupling of indoles without C3 substitution and ß-imino boronic esters provided tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[4,3-b]indoles via imine-induced 1,2-boronate migration followed by deborylative rearomatization.

Arylethyne Bromoboration-Negishi Coupling Route to E- or Z-Aryl-Substituted Trisubstituted Alkenes of ≥98% IsomericPurity. New Horizon in the Highly Selective Synthesis of Trisubstituted Alkenes.

The hitherto unprecedented palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of (Z)-ß-bromo-ß-arylethenylboranes can be made to proceed satisfactorily through (1) the use of highly catalytically active bis(tri-tert-butylphosphine)palladium or dichloro[N,N-bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-yl](m-chloropyridine)palladium and (2) conversion of dibromoboryl group to (pinacol)boryl group. Thus, a wide variety of carbon groups can be used to substitute bromine in ≥98% stereo- and regioselectivity, while suppressing the otherwise dominant ß-debromoboration. Together with the alkylethyne-based protocols, the alkyne bromoboration-Negishi coupling tandem process has emerged as the most widely applicable and highly selective route to trisubstituted alkenes including those that are otherwise difficult to access.

Alkyne elementometalation-Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling. Toward synthesis of all conceivable types of acyclic alkenes in high yields, efficiently, selectively, economically, and safely: "green" way.

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, especially those involving Zn, Al, Zr (Negishi coupling), and B (Suzuki coupling), collectively have brought about "revolutionary" changes in organic synthesis. Thus, two regio- and stereodefined carbon groups generated as R(1)M (M = Zn, Al, B, Cu, Zr, etc.) and R(2)X (X = I, Br, OTs, etc.) may now be cross-coupled to give R(1)-R(2) with essentially full retention of all structural features. For alkene syntheses, alkyne elementometalation reactions including hydrometalation (B, Al, Zr, etc.), carbometalation (Cu, Al-Zr, etc.), and haloboration (BX(3) where X is Cl, Br, and I) have proven to be critically important. Some representative examples of highly efficient and selective (>or=98%) syntheses of di-, tri-, and oligoenes containing regio- and stereodefined di- and trisubstituted alkenes of all conceivable types will be discussed with emphasis on those of natural products. Some interesting but undesirable cases involving loss of the initial structural identities of the alkenyl groups are attributable to the formation of allylpalladium species, which must be either tamed or avoided. Some such examples involving the synthesis of 1,3-, 1,4-, and 1,5-dienes will also be discussed.

Highly(≥98%) Selective Trisubstituted Alkene Synthesis of Wide Applicability via Fluoride-Promoted Pd-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Alkenylboranes.

(Z)-ß-bromo-1-propenyl(pinacol)borane(4), recently made available in 85% yield as a ≥98% isomerically pure compound via bromoboration of 1-propyne, has been converted to ß-alkyl-, aryl-, and alkenyl-substituted (Z)-2-methyl-1-alkenyl(pinacol)boranes(2a) in ca. 75% yield based on propyne via Pd-catalyzed Negishi alkenylation with suitable organozinc bromide. The previously sluggish and modest-yielding Suzuki alkenylation of ß,ß-disubstituted alkenylboranes has been significantly promoted by fluorides, especially nBu4NF(TBAF) or CsF to give trisubstituted alkenes, i.e., (Z)-ß-Me-substituted 3-i-3-xi and (E)-ß-Ph-substituted 2b-i and 2b-ii. In all cases, each alkene product was formed in a ≥98% seteoselectivity. The propyne-based protocol nicely complements the widely used Zr-catalyzed alkyne methylalumination-Pd-catalyzed alkenylation by providing a highly stereoselective(≥98%) route to (Z)-Me-substituted alkenes.

Recent advances in efficient and selective synthesis of di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted alkenes via Pd-catalyzed alkenylation-carbonyl olefination synergy.

Although generally considered competitive, the alkenylation and carbonyl olefination routes to alkenes are also complementary. In this Account, we focus on these approaches for the synthesis of regio- and stereodefined di- and trisubstituted alkenes and a few examples of tetrasubstituted alkenes. We also discuss the subset of regio- and stereodefined dienes and oligoenes that are conjugated. Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling using alkenyl metals containing Zn, Al, Zr, and B (Negishi coupling and Suzuki coupling) or alkenyl halides and related alkenyl electrophiles provides a method of alkenylation with the widest applicability and predictability, with high stereo- and regioselectivity. The requisite alkenyl metals or alkenyl electrophiles are most commonly prepared through highly selective alkyne addition reactions including (i) conventional polar additions, (ii) hydrometalation, (iii) carbometalation, (iv) halometalation, and (v) other heteroatom-metal additions. Although much more limited in applicability, the Heck alkenylation offers an operationally simpler, viable alternative when it is highly selective and satisfactory. A wide variety of carbonyl olefination reactions, especially the Wittig olefination and its modifications represented by the E-selective HWE olefination and the Z-selective Still-Gennari olefination, collectively offer the major alternative to the Pd-catalyzed alkenylation. However, the carbonyl olefination method fundamentally suffers from more limited stereochemical options and generally lower stereoselectivity levels than the Pd-catalyzed alkenylation. In a number of cases, however, very high (>98%) stereoselectivity levels have been attained in the syntheses of both E and Z isomers. The complementarity of the alkenylation and carbonyl olefination routes provide synthetic chemists with valuable options. While the alkenylation involves formation of a C-C single bond to a CC bond, the carbonyl olefination converts a CO bond to a CC bond. When a precursor to the desired alkene is readily available as an aldehyde, the carbonyl olefination is generally the more convenient of the two. This is a particularly important factor in many cases where the desired alkene contains an allylic asymmetric carbon center, since alpha-chiral aldehydes can be prepared by a variety of known asymmetric methods and readily converted to allylically chiral alkenes via carbonyl olefination. On the other hand, a homoallylically carbon-branched asymmetric center can be readily installed by either Pd-catalyzed isoalkyl-alkenyl coupling or Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination (ZACA reaction) of 1,4-dienes. In short, it takes all kinds to make alkenes, just as it takes all kinds to make the world.