Simple organic molecules as catalysts for enantioselective synthesis of amines and alcohols.

The discovery of catalysts that can be used to synthesize complex organic compounds by enantioselective transformations is central to advances in the life sciences; for this reason, many chemists aim to discover catalysts that allow for preparation of chiral molecules as predominantly one mirror-image isomer. The ideal catalyst should not contain precious elements and should bring reactions to completion in a few hours through operationally simple procedures. Here we introduce a set of small organic molecules that can catalyse reactions of unsaturated organoboron reagents with imines and carbonyls; the products of the reactions are enantiomerically pure amines and alcohols, which might serve as intermediates in the preparation of biologically active molecules. A distinguishing feature of this catalyst class is the presence of a 'key' proton embedded within their structure. Catalysts are derived from the abundant amino acid valine and are prepared in large quantities in four steps with inexpensive reagents. Reactions are scalable, do not demand stringent conditions, and can be performed with as little as 0.25 mole per cent catalyst in less than six hours at room temperature to generate products in more than 85 per cent yield and ≥97:3 enantiomeric ratio. The efficiency, selectivity and operational simplicity of the transformations and the range of boron-based reagents are expected to render this advance important for future progress in syntheses of amines and alcohols, which are useful in chemistry, biology and medicine.

N-Substituted tertiary and O-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic centers by site-, diastereo- and enantioselective vinylogous Mannich reactions.

A readily accessible small-molecule phosphine, derived from commercially available starting materials such as an enantiomerically pure amino acid, serves as the precursor to a Ag-based chiral complex that can be prepared and used in situ to promote a variety of enantioselective vinylogous Mannich (EVM) reactions that involve siloxypyrroles as reaction partners. Transformations with unsubstituted nucleophilic components proceed efficiently and with exceptional site- (γ vs α-addition), diastereo- and enantioselectivity [up to 98% yield, generally >98:2 γ/α and diastereomeric ratio (dr) and up to 99:1 enantiomeric ratio (er)]. The first examples of efficient, diastereo- and enantioselective vinylogous Mannich additions with 5-methyl-substituted siloxyfuran, resulting in the formation of O-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic centers are presented as well. Appreciable efficiency and diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to >98:2 dr and >99:1 er) is accompanied by formation of α-addition products that can be oxidatively removed.

Enantioselective silyl protection of alcohols catalysed by an amino-acid-based small molecule.

Reliable, selective and environmentally friendly chemical transformations are crucial to the development of new therapeutics and the design of novel materials. Chiral catalysts that can be easily prepared and used to obtain organic molecules of high enantiomeric purity are critical to modern chemical synthesis. The development of protecting groups that shield reactive functionalities has also proved indispensable in the preparation of complex biologically active molecules. Here we present a chiral catalyst that promotes the enantioselective protection of a secondary alcohol as one of the most commonly used protected forms of an alcohol: a silyl ether. The catalyst is a small, simple molecule that can be prepared in three steps from commercial materials without the need for rigorously controlled conditions. Enantioselective silylations are performed with commercial silyl chlorides and produce yields of up to 96 per cent at an enantiomeric ratio of up to 98:2. Chiral catalysts for selective formation of commonly used protecting groups such as silyl ethers should significantly enhance the ability of chemical synthesis to deliver, in a more practical and efficient manner, important organic molecules.

Enantioselective synthesis of homoallylic amines through reactions of (pinacolato)allylborons with aryl-, heteroaryl-, alkyl-, or alkene-substituted aldimines catalyzed by chiral C1-symmetric NHC-Cu complexes.

A catalytic method for enantioselective synthesis of homoallylamides through Cu-catalyzed reactions of stable and easily accessible (pinacolato)allylborons with aryl-, heteroaryl-, alkyl-, or alkenyl-substituted N-phosphinoylimines is disclosed. Transformations are promoted by 1-5 mol % of readily accessible NHC-Cu complexes, derived from C(1)-symmetric imidazolinium salts, which can be prepared in multigram quantities in four steps from commercially available materials. Allyl additions deliver the desired products in up to quantitative yield and 98.5:1.5 enantiomeric ratio and are amenable to gram-scale operations. A mechanistic model accounting for the observed selectivity levels and trends is proposed.

Formation of polycyclic lactones through a ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis/hetero-Pauson-Khand reaction sequence.

Processes that form multiple carbon-carbon bonds in one operation can generate molecular complexity quickly and therefore be used to shorten syntheses of desirable molecules. We selected the hetero-Pauson-Khand (HPK) cycloaddition and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) as two unique carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions that could be united in a tandem ruthenium-catalyzed process. In doing so, complex polycyclic products can be obtained in one reaction vessel from acyclic precursors using a single ruthenium additive that can catalyze sequentially two mechanistically distinct transformations.

Ag-catalyzed diastereo- and enantioselective vinylogous Mannich reactions of alpha-ketoimine esters. Development of a method and investigation of its mechanism.

An efficient diastereo- and enantioselective Ag-catalyzed method for additions of a commercially available siloxyfuran to alpha-ketoimine esters is disclosed. Catalytic transformations require an inexpensive metal salt (AgOAc) and an air stable chiral ligand that is prepared in three steps from commercially available materials in 42% overall yield. Aryl- as well as heterocyclic substituted ketoimines can be used effectively in the Ag-catalyzed process. Additionally, two examples regarding reactions of alkyl-substituted ketoimines are presented. An electronically modified N-aryl group is introduced that is responsible for high reaction efficiency (>98% conversion, 72-95% yields after purification) as well as diastereo- (up to >98:2 dr) and enantioselectivity (up to 97:3 er or 94% ee). The new N-aryl unit is crucial for conversion of the asymmetric vinylogous Mannich (AVM) products to the unprotected amines in high yields. Spectroscopic and X-ray data are among the physical evidence provided that shed light on the identity of the Ag-based chiral catalysts and some of the mechanistic subtleties of this class of enantioselective C-C bond forming processes.

A new structural class of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase inhibitors.

Effective inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase hold promise towards becoming useful therapeutic agents. Since most efforts have focused on the development of nucleoside analog inhibitors, issues regarding bioavailability and selectivity have been major challenges. Considering the marine sponge metabolite ilimaquinone was found to be a competitive inhibitor of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, new opportunities for developing selective new inhibitors of this enzyme have become available. Based on the activities of various hybrid analogs, SAR studies, pharmacophore modeling, and computer docking studies have lead to a predictive understanding of ilimaquinone's S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase inhibitory activities. These studies have allowed for the design and preparation of simplified structural variants possessing new furanoside bioisosteres with 100-fold greater inhibitory activities than that of the natural product.

Three-component Ag-catalyzed enantioselective vinylogous mannich and Aza-Diels-Alder reactions with alkyl-substituted aldehydes.

Efficient protocols for three-component catalytic enantioselective vinylogous Mannich (VM) reactions of alkyl-substituted aldimines (including those bearing heteroatom-containing substituents) and readily available siloxyfurans are presented. High efficiency and stereoselectivity is achieved through the use of o-thiomethyl-p-methoxyaniline-derived aldimines. Reactions, performed under an atmosphere of air and in undistilled THF, can be promoted in the presence of as little as 1 mol % of easily accessible amino acid-based chiral ligands and commercially available AgOAc. The desired products are obtained in 44 to 92% yield, and in up to >98:<2 diastereomer and >99:<1 enantiomer ratio (>98% ee). Removal of the N-activating group is performed through a one-vessel oxidation/hydrolysis operation, which proceeds via a stable aza-quinone (characterized by X-ray crystallography). Evidence is presented indicating that reactions with chiral nonracemic aldehydes are subject to catalyst control: both substrate enantiomers react to afford the desired product diastereomers in high stereoselectivity. Aryl- and alkynyl-substituted o-thiomethyl-p-methoxyaniline-derived aldimines undergo Ag-catalyzed enantioselective VM reactions more efficiently and with higher selectivity than the corresponding o-anisidyl substrates. Additionally, Ag-catalyzed aza-Diels-Alder reactions of the alkyl-substituted aldimines bearing the structurally modified N-aryl unit afford enantiomerically enriched (up to 95% ee) products in up to 88% yield.

Catalytic asymmetric alkylations of ketoimines. Enantioselective synthesis of N-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic centers by Zr-catalyzed additions of dialkylzinc reagents to aryl-, alkyl-, and trifluoroalkyl-substituted ketoimines.

Catalytic enantioselective alkylations of three classes of ketoimines are reported. Reactions are promoted in the presence 0.5-10 mol % of a Zr salt and a chiral ligand that contains two inexpensive amino acids (valine and phenylalanine) and involve Me2Zn or Et2Zn as alkylating agents. Requisite aryl- and alkyl-substituted alpha-ketoimine esters, accessed readily and in >80% yield on gram scale through a two-step sequence from the corresponding ketones, undergo alkylation to afford quaternary alpha-amino esters in 79-97% ee. Aryl-substituted trifluoroketoimines are converted to the corresponding amines by reactions with Me2Zn, catalyzed by a chiral complex that bears a modified N-terminus. The utility of the catalytic asymmetric protocols is illustrated through conversion of the enantiomerically enriched alkylation products to a range of cyclic and acyclic compounds bearing an N-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic center.

Aluminum-catalyzed asymmetric alkylations of pyridyl-substituted alkynyl ketones with dialkylzinc reagents.

Alkylations of pyridyl-substituted ynones with Et2Zn and Me2Zn, promoted by amino acid-based chiral ligands in the presence of Al-based alkoxides, afford tertiary propargyl alcohols efficiently in 57% to >98% ee. Two easily accessible chiral ligands are identified as optimal for reactions of the two dialkylzinc reagents. Catalytic alkylations with Et2Zn require a chiral ligand carrying two amino acid moieties (valine and phenylalanine) along with a p-trifluoromethylphenylamide C-terminus. In contrast, reactions with Me2Zn are most effectively promoted in the presence of a chiral ligand containing a single amino acid (benzyl cysteine), capped by an n-butylamide. Enantiomerically enriched tertiary alcohols bearing a pyridyl and an alkyne substituent can be functionalized in a variety of manners to furnish a wide range of difficult-to-access acyclic and heterocyclic structures; two noteworthy examples are Cu-catalyzed protocols for conversion of tertiary propargyl alcohols to enantiomerically enriched tetrasubstituted allenes and bicyclic amides that bear an N-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic center. Mechanistic models that account for the trends and enantioselectivity levels are provided.

Ruthenium-catalyzed tandem cross-metathesis/Wittig olefination: generation of conjugated dienoic esters from terminal olefins.

[reaction: see text] In the presence of ruthenium-based olefin metathesis catalysts and triphenylphosphine, alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes can be olefinated with diazoacetates. This ruthenium-catalyzed transformation has been employed in tandem with olefin cross-metathesis to convert terminal olefins into 1,3-dienoic esters in a single operation.

Functionalized oxepines via fragmentation of highly strained epoxides.

[Structure: see text] Epoxidation of highly strained cyclobutenes followed by thermal rearrangement provides a new entry into oxepine-containing bicyclo[5.3.0] ring systems. In contrast to the rearrangement of the corresponding cyclopropanated systems, the strained epoxides in this study are believed to fragment through two competing pathways leading to a mixture of diastereomeric 5-7 ring systems.

Ruthenium-catalyzed tandem olefin metathesis-oxidations.

[reaction: see text] The utility of Grubbs' 2nd generation metathesis catalyst has been expanded by the development of two tandem olefin metathesis/oxidation protocols. These ruthenium-catalyzed processes provide cis-diols or alpha-hydroxy ketones from simple olefinic starting materials.

Preparation of aliphatic ketones through a ruthenium-catalyzed tandem cross-metathesis/allylic alcohol isomerization.

Grubbs' 2nd generation and Hoveyda-Grubbs' ruthenium alkylidenes are shown to be effective catalysts for cross-metatheses of allylic alcohols with cyclic and acyclic olefins, as well as isomerization of the resulting allylic alcohols to alkyl ketones. The net result of this new tandem methodology is a single-flask process that provides highly functionalized, ketone-containing products from simple allylic alcohol precursors. [reaction: see text]

Lewis acid-mediated generation of bicyclo[5.3.0]decanes and bicyclo[4.3.0]nonanes.

[reactions: see text] Fragmentation of the cyclobutane-containing adducts generated from intramolecular cycloadditions of cyclobutadiene with olefins provides rapid entry into bicyclo[5.3.0]decane and bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane ring systems. Whereas earlier studies featured thermal methods to achieve the desired rearrangements, a mild, Lewis acid-mediated fragmentation has been identified for substrates with appropriate functionality adjacent to the strained ring system. The substrate scope and stereochemical outcome of the acid-mediated fragmentation are complementary to the thermal ring expansions, particularly in the case of the bicyclo[5.3.0]decanes.

Proline-based N-oxides as readily available and modular chiral catalysts. Enantioselective reactions of allyltrichlorosilane with aldehydes.

[reaction: see text]. A proline-based N-oxide is identified that serves as an effective catalyst for the reaction of allyltrichlorosilane with aryl and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes at room temperature to afford the desired homoallylic alcohols in up to 92% ee. The chiral catalyst can be easily prepared from optically pure proline in three simple steps and 60% overall yield.

Practical and highly enantioselective synthesis of beta-alkynyl-beta-amino esters through Ag-catalyzed asymmetric mannich reactions of silylketene acetals and alkynyl imines.

[reaction: see text] A readily available iso-leucine-based phosphine ligand is used to promote Ag-catalyzed Mannich reactions between silylketene acetals and various alkynyl imines. Reactions can be effected in the presence of 5 mol % catalyst, without the need for rigorous exclusion of air, and with commercially available solvents (without purification) to afford the desired beta-alkynyl-beta-amino esters in 84-94% ee and 61-91% isolated yield.

High-throughput methods for the development of new catalytic asymmetric reactions.

Chiral, single enantiomer pharmaceuticals have become increasingly more important. Therefore, research aimed at providing new methods for their selective preparation has taken on an even greater importance. One of the most efficient strategies for the synthesis of non-racemic, chiral molecules is asymmetric catalysis. There are many variables involved in the discovery of a new catalytic asymmetric transformation; hence, methods for the rapid screening of large numbers of catalysts have been developed. Herein, these techniques and strategies for the rapid discovery of novel asymmetric catalysts are reviewed.