NHC-catalyzed enantioselective access to β-cyano carboxylic esters via in situ substrate alternation and release

A carbene-catalyzed asymmetric access to chiral β-cyano carboxylic esters is disclosed. The reaction proceeds between β,β-disubstituted enals and aromatic thiols involving enantioselective protonation of enal β-carbon. Two main factors contribute to the success of this reaction. One involves in situ ultrafast addition of the aromatic thiol substrates to the carbon-carbon double bond of the enal substrate. This reaction converts almost all enal substrate to a Thiol-click Intermediate, significantly reducing aromatic thiol substrates concentration and suppressing the homo-coupling reaction of enals. Another factor is an in situ release of enal substrate from the Thiol-click Intermediate for the desired reaction to proceed effectively. The optically enriched β-cyano carboxylic esters from our method can be readily transformed to medicines that include γ-aminobutyric acids derivatives such as Rolipram. In addition to synthetic utilities, our control of reaction outcomes via in situ substrate modulation and release can likely inspire future reaction development.

Bifunctional Iminophosphorane-Catalyzed Enantioselective Nitroalkane Addition to Unactivated α,β-Unsaturated Esters

Herein we describe the enantioselective intermolecular conjugate addition of nitroalkanes to unactivated α,β-unsaturated esters, catalyzed by a bifunctional iminophosphorane (BIMP) superbase. The transformation provides the most direct access to pharmaceutically relevant enantioenriched γ-nitroesters, utilizing feedstock chemicals, with unprecedented selectivity. The methodology exhibits a broad substrate scope, including β-(fluoro)alkyl, aryl and heteroaryl substituted electrophiles, and was successfully applied on a gram scale with reduced catalyst loading, and, additionally, catalyst recovery was carried out. The formal synthesis of a range of drug molecules, and an enantioselective synthesis of (S)-rolipram were achieved. Additionally, computational studies revealed key reaction intermediates and transition state structures, and provided rationale for high enantioselectivities, in good agreement with experimental results.

Fluoride Additive as a Simple Tool to Qualitatively Improve Performance of Nickel-Catalyzed Asymmetric Michael Addition of Malonates to Nitroolefins

Nowadays, design of the new chiral ligands for organometallic catalysts is often based on the step-by-step increase in their complexity to improve efficiency. Herein we describe that simple in situ addition of the fluoride source to the asymmetric organometallic catalyst can improve not only activity but also enantioselectivity. Bromide-nickel diimine complexes were found to catalyze asymmetric Michael addition in low yields and ee, but activation with fluoride leads to a significant improvement in catalyst performance. The developed approach was applied to prepare several enantioenriched GABA analogues.

Asymmetric Michael Addition in Synthesis of β-Substituted GABA Derivatives

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) represents one of the most prolific structural units widely used in the design of modern pharmaceuticals. For example, β-substituted GABA derivatives are found in numerous neurological drugs, such as baclofen, phenibut, tolibut, pregabalin, phenylpiracetam, brivaracetam, and rolipram, to mention just a few. In this review, we critically discuss the literature data reported on the preparation of substituted GABA derivatives using the Michael addition reaction as a key synthetic transformation. Special attention is paid to asymmetric methods featuring synthetically useful stereochemical outcomes and operational simplicity.

Enantioselective Flow Synthesis of Rolipram Enabled by a Telescoped Asymmetric Conjugate Addition-Oxidative Aldehyde Esterification Sequence Using in Situ-Generated Persulfuric Acid as Oxidant

A novel approach is reported for the enantioselective flow synthesis of rolipram comprising a telescoped asymmetric conjugate addition-oxidative aldehyde esterification sequence followed by trichlorosilane-mediated nitro group reduction and concomitant lactamization. The telescoped process takes advantage of a polystyrene-supported chiral organocatalyst along with in situ-generated persulfuric acid as a robust and scalable oxidant for direct aldehyde esterification. This approach demonstrates significantly improved productivity compared with earlier methodologies while ensuring environmentally benign metal-free conditions.

Asymmetric organocatalysis: an enabling technology for medicinal chemistry

The efficacy and synthetic versatility of asymmetric organocatalysis have contributed enormously to the field of organic synthesis since the early 2000s. As asymmetric organocatalytic methods mature, they have extended beyond the academia and undergone scale-up for the production of chiral drugs, natural products, and enantiomerically enriched bioactive molecules. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the applications of asymmetric organocatalysis in medicinal chemistry. A general picture of asymmetric organocatalytic strategies in medicinal chemistry is firstly presented, and the specific applications of these strategies in pharmaceutical synthesis are systematically described, with a focus on the preparation of antiviral, anticancer, neuroprotective, cardiovascular, antibacterial, and antiparasitic agents, as well as several miscellaneous bioactive agents. The review concludes with a discussion of the challenges, limitations and future prospects for organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of medicinally valuable compounds.

Telescoped Continuous Flow Synthesis of Optically Active γ-Nitrobutyric Acids as Key Intermediates of Baclofen, Phenibut, and Fluorophenibut

The two-step flow asymmetric synthesis of chiral γ-nitrobutyric acids as key intermediates of the GABA analogues baclofen, phenibut, and fluorophenibut is reported on a multigram scale. The telescoped process comprises an enantioselective Michael-type addition facilitated by a polystyrene-supported heterogeneous organocatalyst under neat conditions followed by in situ-generated performic acid-mediated aldehyde oxidation. Simple access to valuable optically active substances is provided with key advances in terms of productivity and sustainability compared to those of previous batch approaches.

Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Baclofen

Baclofen, β-(4-chlorophenyl)-γ-aminobutyric acid, holds a unique position in neuroscience, remaining the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved GABA_B agonist. While intended to be a more brain penetrant, i.e, ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), version of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) for the potential treatment of epilepsy, baclofen's highly efficacious muscle relaxant properties led to its approval, as a racemate, for the treatment of spasticity. Interestingly, baclofen received FDA approval before its receptor, GABA_B, was discovered and its exact mechanism of action was known. In recent times, baclofen has a myriad of off-label uses, with the treatment for alcohol abuse and drug addiction garnering a great deal of attention. This Review aims to capture the >60 year legacy of baclofen by walking through the history, pharmacology, synthesis, drug metabolism, routes of administration, and societal impact of this Classic in chemical neuroscience.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of β-cyanocinnamic esters with the assistance of a single hydrogen bond in a precise position

The first asymmetric hydrogenation of β-cyanoacrylate esters has been developed to furnish chiral β-cyano esters with excellent yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Notably, the catalyst with a single H-bond donor in a precise position performed better than that with double H-bond donors.

With the assistance of hydrogen bonds, the first asymmetric hydrogenation of β-cyanocinnamic esters is developed, affording chiral β-cyano esters with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). This novel methodology provides an efficient and concise synthetic route to chiral GABA-derivatives such as (S)-Pregabalin, (R)-Phenibut, (R)-Baclofen. Interestingly, in this system, the catalyst with a single H-bond donor performs better than that with double H-bond donors, which is a novel discovery in the metalorganocatalysis area.

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials: Multi-Functional Solids for Multi-Step Reaction Processes

The design of new hybrid materials with tailored properties at the nano-, meso-, and macro-scale, with the use of structural functional nanobuilding units, is carried out to obtain specific multi-functional materials. Organization into controlled 1D, 2D, and 3D architectures with selected functionalities is key for developing advanced catalysts, but this is hardly accomplished using conventional synthesis procedures. The use of pre-formed nanostructures, derived either from known materials or made with specific innovative synthetic methodologies, has enormous potential in the generation of multi-site catalytic materials for one-pot processes. The present concept article introduces a new archetype wherein self-assembled nanostructured builder units are the base for the design of multifunctional catalysts, which combine catalytic efficiency with fast reactant and product diffusion. The article addresses a new generation of versatile hybrid organic-inorganic multi-site catalytic materials for their use in the production of (chiral) high-added-value products within the scope of chemicals and fine chemicals production. The use of those multi-reactive solids for more nanotechnological applications, such as sensors, due to the inclusion of electron donor-acceptor structural arrays is also considered, together with the adsorption-desorption capacities due to the combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic sub-domains. The innovative structured hybrid materials for multipurpose processes here considered, can allow the development of multi-stage one-pot reactions with industrial applications, using the materials as one nanoreactor systems, favoring more sustainable production pathways with economic, environmental and energetic advantages.

Asymmetric one-pot reactions using heterogeneous chemical catalysis: recent steps towards sustainable processes

Asymmetric one-pot reactions applying heterogeneous chemical catalysts and unifying the benefits of these catalytic materials with the advantages of one-pot methods, are surveyed.

Silica gel-immobilized multidisciplinary materials applicable in stereoselective organocatalysis and HPLC separation

In this pilot study, we present novel bifunctional silica gel-immobilized materials applicable as heterogeneous organocatalysts and stationary phases in HPLC. The materials provided high stereoselectivity in both batch and continuous flow catalysis of a model Michael addition (cyclohexanone to (E)-β-nitrostyrene). In the batch reaction, the catalysts proved their sustainable catalytic activity over five consecutive recycling experiments. Under continuous flow reaction conditions, the catalytic activity was found to be superior to the batch reaction, and moreover, the same immobilized materials were utilized as stationary phases in HPLC showing very good chemoselective separation of model acidic analytes.

Novel multidisciplinary silica gel-based materials were successfully employed in highly stereoselective Michael addition and as stationary phases in HPLC separation.

Continuous-flow synthesis using a column reactor packed with heterogeneous catalysts: A convenient production of nitroolefins by using amino-functionalized silicagel

A continuous-flow synthesis of β-nitroolefins by using heterogeneous base catalysts has been developed. Although the use of an excess amount of nitro-donor such as nitromethane is required in conventional methods, nearly equimolar amounts of nitro-donors and carbonyl compounds are sufficient for high-yielding production of nitroolefins. Catalysts for this flow protocol are inexpensive and abundant, and high durability and high productivity were also realized by using an appropriate second support.

Integration of aerobic oxidation and intramolecular asymmetric aza-Friedel-Crafts reactions with a chiral bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst

A new class of chiral bifunctional heterogeneous materials composed of Au/Pd nanoparticles and chiral phosphoric acids as active orthogonal catalysts was prepared by utilizing a facile pseudo-suspension co-polymerization method. It was found that this heterogeneous catalyst was capable of facilitating the sequential aerobic oxidation-asymmetric intramolecular aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction between benzyl alcohols and N-aminoethylpyrroles. Moreover, the designed chiral heterogeneous catalyst could be recovered and reused several times without significant loss of activity or enantioselectivity.

Bimetallic nanosized solids with acid and redox properties for catalytic activation of C-C and C-H bonds

A new approach is presented to form self-supported bimetallic nanosized solids with acid and redox catalytic properties. They are water-, air- and H2-stable, and are able to activate demanding C-C and C-H reactions. A detailed mechanistic study on the formation of the Ag-Fe bimetallic system shows that a rapid redox-coupled sequence between Ag+, O2 (air) and Fe2+ occurs, giving monodisperse Ag nanoparticles supported by O-bridged diatomic Fe3+ triflimides. The system can be expanded to Ag nanoparticles embedded within a matrix of Cu2+, Bi3+ and Yb3+ triflimide.

L-Proline Derived Bifunctional Organocatalysts: Enantioselective Michael Addition of Dithiomalonates to trans-β-Nitroolefins

A series of novel L-proline derived tertiary amine bifunctional organocatalysts 9 are reported, which were applied to the asymmetric Michael addition of dithiomalonates 2 to trans-β-nitroolefins 1. The reaction proceeded in high yields (up to 99%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). The synthetic utility of this methodology was demonstrated in the short synthesis of (R)-phenibut in high yield.