A convenient synthesis of (S)-2-Azidonitriles, (S)-2-aminonitriles and (S)-1,2-diamines

CO2 -Enabled Cyanohydrin Synthesis and Facile Iterative Homologation Reactions*

Thermodynamic and kinetic control of a chemical process is the key to access desired products and states. Changes are made when a desired product is not accessible; one may manipulate the reaction with additional reagents, catalysts and/or protecting groups. Here we report the use of carbon dioxide to accelerate cyanohydrin synthesis under neutral conditions with an insoluble cyanide source (KCN) without generating toxic HCN. Under inert atmosphere, the reaction is essentially not operative due to the unfavored equilibrium. The utility of CO₂ -mediated selective cyanohydrin synthesis was further showcased by broadening Kiliani-Fischer synthesis under neutral conditions. This protocol offers an easy access to a variety of polyols, cyanohydrins, linear alkylnitriles, by simply starting from alkyl- and arylaldehydes, KCN and an atmospheric pressure of CO₂ .

Potential and capabilities of hydroxynitrile lyases as biocatalysts in the chemical industry

The application of hydroxynitrile lyases (HNLs) as catalysts for the stereoselective condensation of HCN with carbonyl compounds has been reported as early as 1908. This enzymatic C-C bond coupling reaction furnishes enantiopure cyanohydrins which serve as versatile bifunctional building blocks for chemical synthesis. Screening of natural sources led to the discovery of both (R)- and (S)-selective HNLs, and several distinctly different classes of these enzymes with substantial differences concerning sequence, structure, and mechanism have been found. Especially during the last two centuries, HNLs have been developed into valuable biocatalysts, which can be produced in recombinant form by overexpression in microbial hosts, resulting in the implementation of industrial processes utilizing these enzymes. Recently, protein engineering in combination with in silico methods gave rise to the development of a tailor-made HNL for large-scale manufacturing of a specific target cyanohydrin.

Lewis Base Catalyzed Addition of Trimethylsilyl Cyanide to Aldehydes

A variety of achiral Lewis bases were found to catalyze the addition of TMSCN to the aldehydes. Among them, phosphines and amines were the most efficient catalysts. In addition, several chiral amines and phosphines were examined in a catalytic, asymmetric addition of TMSCN to benzaldehyde albeit with low enantioselectivity. A mechanistic study revealed that the reaction was first order in aldehyde, first order in Lewis base, and zeroth order in TMSCN, suggesting the complex formation of TMSCN and Lewis base formation of complex i. However, there are at least two possible scenarios for this catalytic process, and in view of the low selectivities observed, it is not clear which mechanism is operative.

Dual-Function Cinchona Alkaloid Catalysis: Catalytic Asymmetric Tandem Conjugate Addition−Protonation for the Direct Creation of Nonadjacent Stereocenters

Catalytic tandem asymmetric reactions constitute a powerful strategy for the asymmetric construction of nonadjacent stereocenters in acyclic molecules directly from achiral precursors. In this Communication, we report a highly enantioselective and diastereoselective addition of trisubstituted carbon donors to 2-chloroacrylonitrile catalyzed by bifunctional cinchona alkaloid catalysts. This represents the first asymmetric tandem conjugate addition-protonation with efficient catalytic control of two nonadjacent stereocenters. As demonstrated in a concise and highly stereoselective formal total synthesis of (-)-manzacidin A, this asymmetric tandem reaction establishes a new and versatile catalytic approach for the enantioselective and diastereoselective creation of 1,3-tertiary-quaternary stereocenters.

Synthesis of 4-Amino-5-H-2,3-dihydroisothiazole-1,1-dioxide Ring Systems on Sugar Templates via Carbanion-Mediated Sulfonamide Intramolecular Cyclization Reactions (CSIC Protocols) of Glyco-α-sulfonamidonitriles

The carbanion-mediated sulfonate intramolecular cyclizations (CSIC protocols) of glyco-alpha-sulfonamidonitriles derived from readily available monosaccharides have been extensively investigated using potassium carbonate, cesium carbonate, n-BuLi, and LDA as bases. As a result, a series of enantiomerically pure spiro(4-amino-5-H-2,3-dihydroisothiazole-1,1-dioxide) derivatives have been prepared efficiently and isolated in good yield. The synthesis of these new bicyclic systems is key to accessing a novel range of aza analogues of TSAO nucleosides (ATSAOs).

Hydroxynitrile lyases in stereoselective catalysis

(R)- as well as (S)-cyanohydrins are now easily available as a result of the excellent accessibility, the relatively high stability and the easy handling of hydroxynitrile lyases (HNLs). The optimization of reaction conditions (solvent, temperature, and using site-directed mutagenesis, etc.) has enabled HNL-catalyzed preparations of optically active cyanohydrins on a technical scale. The enantioselectivity of chiral metal-complex-catalyzed additions of trimethylsilyl cyanide to aldehydes has been improved, but is, by far, not yet competitive with the HNL-catalyzed reactions.