Enantioselective aldol reactions of α,β-unsaturated ketones with trifluoroacetophenone catalyzed by a chiral primary amine

Catalytic Enantioselective Aldol Reactions of Pyruvates as Nucleophiles with Chlorinated and Fluorinated Aldehydes and Ketones

Reactions of pyruvates as nucleophiles under catalytic conditions are difficult to control without the use of enzymes as catalysts. Here, enantioselective aldol reactions of pyruvates with chlorinated and fluorinated aldehydes and ketones under organocatalytic conditions, in which pyruvates act as nucleophiles, are reported. Based on analyses of self-aldol reactions of pyruvates in the presence of model catalysts, catalysts of the desired cross aldol reactions were developed. Using the primary amine-derived catalyst, the desired aldol products, i.e., γ-chlorinated alkyl or γ-fluorinated alkyl group-substituted γ-hydroxy α-ketoesters, were obtained in good to high yields with high enantioselectivities.

Catalytic Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Tertiary Trifluoromethyl Carbinols through a Vinylogous Aldol Reaction of Alkylidenepyrazolones with Trifluoromethyl Ketones

A diastereo- and enantioselective organocatalytic aldol reaction between alkylidenepyrazolones and trifluoromethyl ketones leading to chiral tertiary alcohols bearing a trifluoromethyl group is presented. The methodology is based on the use of a bifunctional organocatalyst in order to activate the γ-hydrogen atoms of the alkylidenepyrazolone nucleophile and the carbonyl group of the trifluoromethylarylketone providing highly functionalized trifluoromethyl alcohols with moderate yields, excellent diastereoselectivity, and moderate to good enantioselectivity. Experiments monitoring the conversion by 1H NMR and the enantiomeric excess by HPLC with the reaction time showed that full conversion of the starting materials is not achieved and that the enantiomeric excess decreases upon extended times, probably due to the reversibility of the reaction.

Organocatalytic diastereo- and enantioselective oxa-hetero-Diels-Alder reactions of enones with aryl trifluoromethyl ketones for the synthesis of trifluoromethyl-substituted tetrahydropyrans

Tetrahydropyran derivatives are found in bioactives, and introduction of the trifluoromethyl group into molecules often improves biofunctions. Here we report diastereo- and enantioselective oxa-hetero-Diels-Alder reactions catalyzed by amine-based catalyst systems that afford trifluoromethyl-substituted tetrahydropyranones. Catalyst systems and conditions suitable for the reactions to provide the desired diastereomer products with high enantioselectivities were identified, and various trifluoromethyl-substituted tetrahydropyranones were synthesized with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities. Mechanistic investigation suggested that the reactions involve a [4 + 2] cycloaddition pathway, in which the enamine of the enone acts as the diene and the ketone carbonyl group of the aryl trifluoromethyl ketone acts as the dienophile. In this study, tetrahydropyran derivatives with the desired stereochemistry that are difficult to synthesize by previously reported methods were concisely obtained, and the range of tetrahydropyran derivatives that can be synthesized was expanded.

Silver salts and DBU cooperatively catalyzed nucleophilic addition/cyclization of propargylic alcohols with trifluoromethyl ketones

A general and efficient synthesis of trifluoromethyl substituted 5-alkylidene-1,3-dioxolane using a silver salt and DBU cooperatively catalyzed nucleophilic addition/cyclization of propargylic alcohols and trifluoromethyl ketones is described.