Highly Stereoselective Gold-Catalyzed Coupling of Diazo Reagents and Fluorinated Enol Silyl Ethers to Tetrasubstituted Alkenes.

We report a highly stereoselective synthesis of all-carbon or fluorinated tetrasubstituted alkenes from diazo reagents and fluorinated enol silyl ethers, using C-F bond as a synthetic handle. Cationic AuI catalysis plays a key role in this reaction. Remarkable fluorine effects on the reactivity and selectivity was also observed.

An efficient catalyst-free Mukaiyama-aldol reaction of fluorinated enol silyl ethers with tryptanthrin.

We report an efficient Mukaiyama-aldol reaction of tryptanthrin with fluorinated enol silyl ethers, which is carried out in methanol without the use of any catalyst. This method is applied to the total synthesis of the difluoro analogues of the natural product Phaitanthrin B.

Michael Addition Catalyzed by Chiral Secondary Amine Phosphoramide Using Fluorinated Silyl Enol Ethers: Formation of Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters.

A chiral secondary amine phosphoramide was developed and identified as a powerful catalyst for the Mukaiyama-Michael addition of fluorinated enol silyl ethers to tetrasubstituted olefins. The resulting products are obtained with high enantioselectivities and contain a quaternary carbon stereocenter bearing either a difluoroalkyl or monofluoroalkyl group.

Asymmetric triple relay catalysis: enantioselective synthesis of spirocyclic indolines through a one-pot process featuring an asymmetric 6π electrocyclization.

A rare example of a one-pot process that involves asymmetric triple relay catalysis is reported. The key step is an asymmetric [1,5] electrocyclic reaction of functionalized ketimines. The substrates for this process were obtained in situ in a two-step process that involved the hydrogenation of nitroarenes with a Pd/C catalyst to yield aryl amines and their subsequent coupling with isatin derivatives in a Brønsted acid catalyzed ketimine formation reaction. The electrocyclization was catalyzed by a bifunctional chiral Brønsted base/hydrogen bond donor catalyst. The one-pot process gave the desired products in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivity.

A general and efficient Lewis acid catalysed Mukaiyama-aldol reaction of difluoroenoxysilanes and ketones.

We report a general and highly efficient Mukaiyama-aldol reaction of ketones and difluoroenoxysilanes. While the reaction of aryl ketones worked efficiently in the presence of Bi(OTf)3, that of aliphatic ketones required the use of Sc(OTf)3. In addition, Sc(OTf)3 was capable of achieving excellent 1,2-selectivity in the corresponding reaction of α,ß-unsaturated ketones. This method provides a facile access to differently substituted ß-hydroxy α,α-difluoro ketones, versatile synthons for difluomethylated tertiary alcohols.