Axially chiral triazoloisoquinolin-3-ylidene ligands in gold(I)-catalyzed asymmetric intermolecular (4 + 2) cycloadditions of allenamides and dienes

The first highly enantioselective intermolecular (4 + 2) cycloaddition between allenes and dienes is reported. The reaction provides good yields of optically active cyclohexenes featuring diverse substitution patterns and up to three stereocenters. Key to the success of the process is the use of newly designed axially chiral N-heterocyclic carbene-gold catalysts.

Asymmetric formal carbonyl-ene reactions of formaldehyde tert-butyl hydrazone with α-keto esters: dual activation by bis-urea catalysts

The dual activation of α-keto esters and formaldehyde tert-butyl hydrazone by BINAM-derived bis-ureas is the key to achieve high reactivity and excellent enantioselectivities in nucleophilic addition (formal carbonyl-ene reaction) to functionalized tertiary carbinols. Ensuing high-yielding diazene-to-aldehyde tranformations and subsequent derivatizations provides a direct entry to a variety of densely functionalized products.

C2-symmetric bis-hydrazones as ligands in the asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling

Glyoxal bis-hydrazone derived from (S,S)-1-amino-2,5-diphenylpyrrolidine behaves as an excellent ligand for phosphine-free, asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura cross couplings, thereby affording a variety of enantiomerically enriched biaryls with different substitution patterns. The high catalytic activity of the [PdCl2(bis-hydrazone)] complex allows reactions to be performed at room temperature, affording products with excellent enantioselectivities in all cases.

Organocatalytic Conjugate Addition of Formaldehyde N,N-Dialkylhydrazones to β,γ-Unsaturated α-Keto Esters

(1S,2R)-1-Aminoindan-2-ol-derived thioureas behave as efficient H-bonding organocatalysts for the nucleophilic conjugate addition of formaldehyde hydrazones to beta,gamma-unsaturated alpha-keto esters as enoate surrogates, affording the corresponding adducts in good yields and enantioselectivities.

Enantioselective Conjugate Addition ofN,N-Dialkylhydrazones to α-Hydroxy Enones‡

The activation of alpha-hydroxy enones by the Zn(OTf)2/tBuBOX catalyst enables the enantioselective conjugate addition of 1-methyleneaminopyrrolidine as a neutral d1 synthon. Experimental evidence supports a stereochemical model where a triflate ligand controls the geometry of the catalyst-substrate complex by means of a OH-OTf hydrogen bond. The synthesis of beta-cyano acids illustrates the potential of the methodology.

Isoquinolin-1-ylidenes as electronically tuneable ligands

The novel isoquinolin-1-ylidene ligands, introduced into Rh(I) complexes by exploiting the carbene-like reactivity of adducts , exhibit ligand properties similar to those of classic NHCs, and their electronic properties can be tuned by the introduction of electron-withdrawing or donating groups in the benzene ring.