Michael addition–electrophilic quenching chemistry of maleimides using dialkylzinc reagents

Catalyst-Free Formal Conjugate Addition/Aldol or Mannich Multicomponent Reactions of Mixed Aliphatic Organozinc Reagents, π-Electrophiles and Michael Acceptors

Catalyst-free multicomponent reactions of mixed alkylzinc reagents with Michael acceptors and aldehydes, ketones or activated imines are described. Primary, secondary and tertiary alkylzinc reagents, pre-generated in acetonitrile from the corresponding iodoalkanes, were used in the process, leading to the very efficient formation of a variety of β-hydroxycarbonyl compounds. The imines showed more contrasting results, due to the direct addition of the organozinc compound to the C=N bond. Mechanistic assays involving TEMPO account for a polar instead of a radical character of the reaction.

Peptide-Catalyzed Stereoselective Conjugate Addition Reaction of Aldehydes to C-Substituted Maleimides

Catalytic stereoselective additions with maleimides are useful one-step reactions to yield chiral succinimides, molecules that are widespread among therapeutically active compounds but challenging to prepare when the maleimide is C-substituted. We present the tripeptide H-Pro-Pro-Asp-NHC12 H25 as a catalyst for conjugate addition reactions between aldehydes and C-substituted maleimides to form succinimides with three contiguous stereogenic centers in high yields and stereoselectivities. The peptidic catalyst is so chemoselective that no protecting group is needed at the imide nitrogen of the maleimides. Derivatization of the succinimides was straightforward and provided access to chiral pyrrolidines, lactones, and lactams. Kinetic studies, including a Hammett plot, provided detailed insight into the reaction mechanism.

Phosphoramidites: privileged ligands in asymmetric catalysis

Asymmetric catalysis with transition-metal complexes is the basis for a vast array of stereoselective transformations and has changed the face of modern synthetic chemistry. Key to this success has been the design of chiral ligands to control the regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity. Phosphoramidites have emerged as a highly versatile and readily accessible class of chiral ligands. Their modular structure enables the formation of ligand libraries and easy fine-tuning for a specific catalytic reaction. Phosphoramidites frequently show exceptional levels of stereocontrol, and their monodentate nature is essential in combinatorial catalysis, where a ligand-mixture approach is used. In this Review, recent developments in asymmetric catalysis with phosphoramidites used as ligands are discussed, with a focus on the formation of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds.

General strategy for the synthesis of natural and unnatural dialkylmaleic anhydrides

Starting from alkylidenesuccinimides, a wide range of dialkylmaleic anhydrides have been synthesized via the generation of a carbanion on a succinimide unit and its condensation with various alkyl halides as the key reaction.