A Data-Driven Workflow for Assigning and Predicting Generality in Asymmetric Catalysis.

The development of chiral catalysts that can provide high enantioselectivities across a wide assortment of substrates or reaction range is a priority for many catalyst design efforts. While several approaches are available to aid in the identification of general catalyst systems, there is currently no simple procedure for directly measuring how general a given catalyst could be. Herein, we present a catalyst-agnostic workflow centered on unsupervised machine learning that enables the rapid assessment and quantification of catalyst generality. The workflow uses curated literature data sets and reaction descriptors to visualize and cluster chemical space coverage. This reaction network can then be applied to derive a catalyst generality metric through designer equations and interfaced with other regression techniques for general catalyst prediction. As validating case studies, we have successfully applied this method to identify-through-quantification the most general catalyst chemotype for an organocatalytic asymmetric Mannich reaction and predicted the most general chiral phosphoric acid catalyst for the addition of nucleophiles to imines. The mechanistic basis for catalyst generality can then be gleaned from the calculated values by deconstructing the contributions of chemical space and enantiomeric excess to the overall result. Finally, our generality techniques permitted the development of mechanistically informative catalyst screening sets that allow experimentalists to rationally select catalysts that have the highest probability of achieving a good result in the first round of reaction development. Overall, our findings represent a framework for interrogating catalyst generality, and this strategy should be relevant to other catalytic systems widely applied in asymmetric synthesis.

Transferrable selectivity profiles enable prediction in synergistic catalyst space.

Organometallic intermediates participate in many multi-catalytic enantioselective transformations directed by a chiral catalyst, but the requirement of optimizing two catalyst components is a significant barrier to widely adopting this approach for chiral molecule synthesis. Algorithms can potentially accelerate the screening process by developing quantitative structure-function relationships from large experimental datasets. However, the chemical data available in this catalyst space is limited. Herein, we report a data-driven strategy that effectively translates selectivity relationships trained on enantioselectivity outcomes derived from one catalyst reaction systems where an abundance of data exists, to synergistic catalyst space. We describe three case studies involving different modes of catalysis (Brønsted acid, chiral anion, and secondary amine) that substantiate the prospect of this approach to predict and elucidate selectivity in reactions where more than one catalyst is involved. Ultimately, the success in applying our approach to diverse areas of asymmetric catalysis implies that this general workflow should find broad use in the study and development of new enantioselective, multi-catalytic processes.

Interrogating the thionium hydrogen bond as a noncovalent stereocontrolling interaction in chiral phosphate catalysis.

CH⋯O bonds are a privileged noncovalent interaction determining the energies and geometries of a large number of structures. In catalytic settings, these are invoked as a decisive feature controlling many asymmetric transformations involving aldehydes. However, little is known about their stereochemical role when the interaction involves other substrate types. We report the results of computations that show for the first time thionium hydrogen bonds to be an important noncovalent interaction in asymmetric catalysis. As a validating case study, we explored an asymmetric Pummerer rearrangement involving thionium intermediates to yield enantioenriched N,S-acetals under BINOL-derived chiral phosphate catalysis. DFT and QM/MM hybrid calculations showed that the lowest energy pathway corresponded to a transition state involving two hydrogen bonding interactions from the thionium intermediate to the catalyst. However, the enantiomer resulting from this process differed from the originally published absolute configuration. Experimental determination of the absolute configuration resolved this conflict in favor of our calculations. The reaction features required for enantioselectivity were further interrogated by statistical modeling analysis that utilized bespoke featurization techniques to enable the translation of enantioselectivity trends from intermolecular reactions to those proceeding intramolecularly. Through this suite of computational modeling techniques, a new model is revealed that provides a different explanation for the product outcome and enabled reassignment of the absolute product configuration.

Manganese/Copper Co-catalyzed Electrochemical Wacker-Tsuji-Type Oxidation of Aryl-Substituted Alkenes.

A manganese/copper co-catalyzed electrochemical Wacker-Tsuji-type oxidation of aryl-substituted alkenes has been developed. The process involves the use of 5 mol % MnBr2 and 7.5 mol % CuCl2, in 4:1 acetonitrile/water in an undivided cell at 60 °C, with 2.8 V constant applied potential. α-Aryl ketones are formed in moderate to excellent yields, with the advantages of avoidance of palladium as a catalyst and any external chemical oxidant in an easily operated, cost-effective procedure.

Alcohol-mediated direct dithioacetalization of alkynes with 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane for the synthesis of Markovnikov dithianes.

An alcohol-mediated dithioacetalization process that gains direct access to the corresponding Markovnikov-selective 1,3-dithianes using unactivated alkynes and nonthiolic/odorless 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane in a highly efficient manner has been developed. This methodology has the advantage of having mild reaction conditions, and the dithioacetalization process gives good to excellent yields with high Markovnikov-selectivity.

Direct Regioselective [3 + 2]-Cyclization Reactions of Ambivalent Electrophilic/Nucleophilic ß-Chlorovinyl Dithianes: Access to Cyclopentene Derivatives.

The highly regioselective and operationally straightforward [3 + 2] cyclizations of ß-chlorovinyl dithianes with α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl compounds have been developed. This protocol provides direct access to highly functionalized cyclopentenes with perfect chemo- and regioselectivities under extremely mild reaction conditions. In particular, the unprecedented cyclization allows for the selective preparation of hydroxylated cyclopentenes.

Dithiane Induced Cycloaddition/Aromatization Tactic for the Synthesis of Multisubstituted Furans.

The development of a new transition-metal-free tactic for convergent, one-pot synthesis of multisubstituted furans by ß-chloro-vinyl dithiane cyclization with aldehydes is described. Key to the success was the development of a new vinylidene dithiane site as a donor allene that generates the active dihydrofuran, which undergoes in situ aromatization under mild conditions.

Di-tert-butyl peroxide-mediated atom-transfer radical addition of 2-chlorodithiane to aryl alkynes under mild conditions.

Atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) of 2-chlorodithiane onto aryl alkynes through the use of di-tert-butyl peroxide as an oxidant at room temperature directly affords a variety of synthetically valuable ß-chloro-(Z)-vinyl dithianes in good yields with high regioselectivities and without the assistance of any transition metals. It provides an operationally simple pathway to access vinyl dithianes with controlled formation of a new C(sp(2) )C bond and a C(sp(2) )Cl bond.

Metal-Free Difunctionalization of Alkynes with 2-Chlorodithiane for Synthesis of ß-Ketodithianes.

Dithianes are versatile umpolung intermediates in organic synthesis but have rarely been employed in radical cross-coupling reactions. Here we describe the oxidative coupling method for alkyne difunctionalization under metal-catalyst-free conditions. The efficient protocol directly affords a variety of ß-ketodithianes in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivities. It provides a general pathway for accessing valuable dithianes with controlled formation of a new C-C bond and a C-O bond via a radical coupling pathway.

Metal-free Mizoroki-Heck type reaction: a radical oxidative coupling reaction of 2-chloro-dithiane with substituted olefins.

An efficient metal-free Mizoroki-Heck type reaction of di- and tri-substituted alkenes with 2-chloro-dithiane has been developed under ambient pressure of air or using a relatively low loading of BF3·Et2O. This study represents a new environmentally friendly method for the syntheses of dithianyl-substituted alkene derivatives via a radical oxidative coupling process.

Fe-catalyzed direct dithioacetalization of aldehydes with 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane.

Present methods to synthesize 1,3-dithiane molecules require either harsh reaction conditions or highly specialized reagents. We have developed a catalytic dithioacetalization process that directly gains access to the corresponding 1,3-dithianes using aldehydes and 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane in a highly efficient manner. This methodology is beneficial due to mildness of the reaction conditions, and the dithioacetaliation process results in good to excellent yields by using 15 mol % of an iron catalyst.

Iron-catalyzed radical oxidative coupling reaction of aryl olefins with 1,3-dithiane.

An alternative method to an iron-catalyzed radical oxidative cross-coupling reaction followed by 2-chloro-1,3-dithiane and aryl olefins for the synthesis of ß-chloro substituent 1,3-dithiane products is presented. The described method has the advantage of mildness of the reaction conditions and tolerates a variety of functional groups. Preliminary mechanistic studies have confirmed the first example of a coupling of 1,3-dithiane with unactivated alkenes that proceeds via an iron-catalyzed oxidative radical intermediate along the reaction pathway.