Catalytic, asymmetric synthesis of α-phenoxy-β-aryl-β-lactams

Enantioselective α-heterofunctionalization reactions of catalytically generated C1-Lewis base enolates

Chiral Lewis base (LB) organocatalysis has emerged as a powerful covalent catalysis concept which allows for highly selective asymmetric C-C and C-heteroatom bond formations. Considering significant recent progress in the development of strategies to access α-heterofunctionalized carboxylic acid derivatives under chiral LB catalysis, we wish to summarize the most significant concepts and advances in this field within this mini review now.

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridines via the addition of C(1)-ammonium enolates to pyridinium salts

The regio- and stereoselective addition of C(1)-ammonium enolates - generated in situ from aryl esters and the isothiourea catalyst (R)-BTM - to pyridinium salts bearing an electron withdrawing substituent in the 3-position allows the synthesis of a range of enantioenriched 1,4-dihydropyridines. This represents the first organocatalytic approach to pyridine dearomatisation using pronucleophiles at the carboxylic acid oxidation level. Optimisation studies revealed a significant solvent dependency upon product enantioselectivity, with only toluene providing significant asymmetric induction. Using DABCO as a base also proved beneficial for product enantioselectivity, while investigations into the nature of the counterion showed that co-ordinating bromide or chloride substrates led to higher product er than the corresponding tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate. The scope and limitations of this process are developed, with enantioselective addition to 3-cyano- or 3-sulfonylpyridinium salts giving the corresponding 1,4-dihydropyridines (15 examples, up to 95 : 5 dr and 98 : 2 er).

Generation and Reactivity of C(1)-Ammonium Enolates by Using Isothiourea Catalysis

C(1)-Ammonium enolates are powerful, catalytically generated synthetic intermediates applied in the enantioselective α-functionalisation of carboxylic acid derivatives. This minireview describes the recent developments in the generation and application of C(1)-ammonium enolates from various precursors (carboxylic acids, anhydrides, acyl imidazoles, aryl esters, α-diazoketones, alkyl halides) using isothiourea Lewis base organocatalysts. Their synthetic utility in intra- and intermolecular enantioselective C-C and C-X bond forming processes on reaction with various electrophiles will be showcased utilising two distinct catalyst turnover approaches.

Tertiary Amine Lewis Base Catalysis in Combination with Transition Metal Catalysis

The cooperation between two orthogonal catalytic events during the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds has emerged as an effective strategy for enantioselective chemical synthesis. In recent years, a number of pioneering investigations have described useful chemical synthesis methods whereby the reactivity or nucleophile-electrophile combinations can be fine-tuned or extended far beyond the effect and influence of a single catalyst. The recognition of this has had profound implications for the development cooperative catalysis as a field and has provided a foundation for the development of broadly useful chemical synthesis methods. This chapter focuses on the combination of tertiary amine Lewis base and transition metal catalysts, which the authors hope will simulate further developments and advances.

Diastereoselective synthesis of potent antimalarial cis-β-lactam agents through a [2 + 2] cycloaddition of chiral imines with a chiral ketene

The effect of double asymmetric induction for the synthesis of new cis-β-lactams by [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of chiral imines with a chiral ketene was investigated. The cycloaddition reaction was found to be totally diastereoselective leading exclusively to the formation of the cis-β-lactam derivatives. The newly synthesized cycloadducts were evaluated for their antimalarial activities against Plasmodium falciparum K14 resistant strain with moderate to excellent IC50 values varying from 8 to 50 μM. Of the fifteen β-lactams tested, four showed IC50 ≤ 11 μM.

Total synthesis and configurational assignment of chondramide A

The first total synthesis of the cyclodepsipeptide chondramide A (2 b) is described. This depsipeptide is composed of four subunits, namely L-alanine, N-Me-D-tryptophan, 3-amino-2-methoxy-propionic acid (beta-tyrosine derivative), and a 7-hydroxy-alkenoic acid. While the configuration of the stereogenic centers in the 7-hydroxy-alkenoic acid were known, the configuration of the tyrosine derivative required clarification and turned out to be (2S,3R) or (2L,3L), respectively. The synthesis of the 3-amino-2-methoxy-3-arylpropanoic ester 20 b relied on an asymmetric dihydroxylation yielding diol ent-15 a followed by a regioselective Mitsunobu substitution leading to 3-azido-2-hydroxypropanoate 18 b. We could also show that the ester bond in the seco compound 26 b can be fashioned by a Mitsunobu esterification by using hydroxy ester (7S)-7 and the tripeptide acid 25 b. This synthesis should allow for the preparation of various analogues.

Bifunctional asymmetric catalysis: cooperative Lewis acid/base systems

In the field of catalytic, asymmetric synthesis, there is a growing emphasis on multifunctional systems, in which multiple parts of a catalyst or multiple catalysts work together to promote a specific reaction. These efforts, in part, are result-driven, and they are also part of a movement toward emulating the efficiency and selectivity of nature's catalysts, enzymes. In this Account, we illustrate the importance of bifunctional catalytic methods, focusing on the cooperative action of Lewis acidic and Lewis basic catalysts by the simultaneous activation of both electrophilic and nucleophilic reaction partners. For our part, we have contributed three separate bifunctional methods that combine achiral Lewis acids with chiral cinchona alkaloid nucleophiles, for example, benzoylquinine (BQ), to catalyze highly enantioselective cycloaddition reactions between ketene enolates and various electrophiles. Each method requires a distinct Lewis acid to coordinate and activate the electrophile, which in turn increases the reaction rates and yields, without any detectable influence on the outstanding enantioselectivities inherent to these reactions. To place our results in perspective, many important contributions to this emerging field are highlighted and our own reports are chronicled.