Catalytic Asymmetric Aza-Morita−Baylis−Hillman Reaction of Methyl Acrylate: Role of a Bifunctional La(O-iPr)3/Linked-BINOL Complex

Organocatalyzed Enantioselective Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman Reaction of Cyclic Ketimine with α,β-Unsaturated γ-Butyrolactam

The enantioselective aza-MBH reaction is an efficient strategy for constructing novel carbon-carbon bonds, providing access to multitudinous chiral densely functionalized MBH products. However, the enantioselective aza-MBH reaction of cyclic-ketimines that would generate a versatile synthon is still missing and challenging. Herein, we developed a challenging direct organocatalytic asymmetric aza-MBH reaction involving cyclic ketimines attached to a neutral functional group. Moreover, the α,β-unsaturated γ-butyrolactam was utilized as a rare nucleophile alkene in this work. The reactions provide enantiomerically enriched 2-alkenyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-3H-indol-3-ones, bearing with a tetra-substituted stereogenic center. Moreover, this reaction features high α-selectivities, high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee), and good yields (up to 80%).

UiO-67 Metal-organic framework immobilized Fe3+ catalyst for efficient Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

A solvothermal technique was used to prepare UiO-67, a metal-organic framework based on Zirconium; immobilized Fe3+ active sites were added using a facile post-synthetic modification method. The as-synthesized catalyst UiO-67@Fe...

Investigation of catalytic effect on carbon-carbon bond formation by Baylis-Hillman (BH) reaction between (2/3/4)-nitro-arylaldehyde and alkylacrylates and computational approaches through DFT functional

The 4-diazabicyclo[2. 2. 2] octane, DABCO, had widely established with gigantic and celestial applications on catalysis for carbon-carbon bond formation reactions. Thus, it has been employed to synthesize the alkyl 2-(hydroxyl (nitrophenyl) methyl)acrylate by the reaction of arylaldehydes and alkylacrylates under a mild condition with good yields. First of all, reaction was examined effect of various solvents, such as water, MeOH, Dioxane, DMSO, t-Butanol, DMF, Toluene, and THF and THF was the best solvent in term of yield. Next, the room temperature (R.T) was the optimized condition than 60 °C and 80 °C. The overall reaction progress was monitored in presence of DABCO, Et₃N, C₂H₅ONa, C₄H₉OK, (CH₃)₃COK and pyridine catalysts with THF solvents at room temperatures, and calculated the amount for superior of catalyst. There was no product obtained in presence of catalysts, such as Et₃N, C₂H₅ONa, C₄H₉OK, (CH₃)₃COK and pyridine. But in present of DABCO, this reaction has proceeded and monitored the concentration of catalyst and various temperature effects on reaction progress. In addition, the computational approaches for speculative investigation of solvents effect has employed for predicating and comparatively verified with the proposed reaction mechanism in presence of DABCO catalyst through the Density Functional Theory (DFT). The most acceptable tools for the thermodynamic had been illustrated to get the reaction kinetics by formation energy, entropy, enthalpy for reactant, product and transition state. Finally, the Gibbs free energy for reactions from the reactants and product has calculated to predict the occurring spontaneously possibility with and without solvents, and it is said that the reaction is spontaneously occurred through the water, DMSO, THF solvent although it is opposed fact without solvent even other solvents. It might be concluded that the optimization conditions of reaction are the THF solvent in presence of 20% DABCO catalyst at room temperature with high (about 90%) throughout 6–8 h where the 4- position of nitro group in arylaldehyde is the most preferable in case of time and yield.

Titanium and Cobalt Bimetallic Radical Redox Relay for the Isomerization of N-Bz Aziridines to Allylic Amides

Herein a bimetallic radical redox-relay strategy is employed to generate alkyl radicals under mild conditions with titanium(III) catalysis and terminated via hydrogen atom transfer with cobalt(II) catalysis to enact base-free isomerizations of N-Bz aziridines to N-Bz allylic amides. This reaction provides an alternative strategy for the synthesis of allylic amides from alkenes via a three-step sequence to accomplish a formal transpositional allylic amination.

Regioselective Synthesis of Multifunctional Allylic Amines; Access to Ambiphilic Aziridine Scaffolds

We describe, for the first time, a highly regioselective hydrosilylation of propargylic amines. The reaction utilizes a PtCl₂/XantPhos catalyst system to deliver hydrosilanes across the alkyne to afford multifunctional allylic amines in high yields. The reaction is tolerant to a wide variety of functional groups and provides high value intermediates with two distinct functional handles. The synthetic applicability of the reaction has been shown through the synthesis of diverse ambiphilic aziridines.

Cu-catalyzed cyanomethylation of imines and α,β-alkenes with acetonitrile and its derivatives

We describe copper-catalyzed cyanomethylation of imines and α,β-alkenes with a methylnitrile source and provide an efficient route to synthesize arylacrylonitriles and β,γ-unsaturated nitriles. This method tolerates aliphatic and aromatic alkenes substituted with a variety of functional groups such as F, Cl, Br, Me, OMe, tert-Bu, NO2, NH2 and CO2H with good to excellent yields (69-98%). These systems consist of inexpensive, simple copper catalyst and acetonitrile with its derivatives (α-bromo/α-iodo-acetonitrile) and are highly applicable in the industrial production of acrylonitriles.

Organocatalytic Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Heterocycles by Enantioselective aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman-Type Domino Reactions

Organocatalytic enantioselective domino reactions are an extremely attractive methodology, as their use enables the construction of complex chiral skeletons from readily available starting materials in two or more steps by a single operation under mild reaction conditions. Thus, these reactions can save both the quantity of chemicals and length of time typically required for the isolation and/or purification of synthetic intermediates. Additionally, no metal contamination of the products occurs, given that organocatalysts include no expensive or toxic metals. The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (aza-MBH) reaction is an atom-economical carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction between α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds and imines mediated by Lewis base (LB) catalysts, such as nucleophilic phosphines and amines. aza-MBH products are functionalized chiral β-amino acid derivatives that are highly valuable as pharmaceutical raw materials. Although various enantioselective aza-MBH processes have been investigated, very few studies of aza-MBH-type domino reactions have been reported due to the complexity of the aza-MBH process, which involves a Michael/Mannich/H-transfer/β-elimination sequence. Accordingly, in this review article, our recent efforts in the development of enantioselective domino reactions initiated by MBH processes are described. In the domino reactions, chiral organocatalysts bearing Brønsted acid (BA) and/or LB units impart synergistic activation to substrates, leading to the easy synthesis of highly functionalized heterocycles (some of which have tetrasubstituted and/or quaternary carbon stereocenters) in high yield and enantioselectivity.

One-Pot Synthesis of Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman Adducts via Zinc-Mediated Allylation of 4-Bromocrotonates and Imines

An approach to the synthetically valuable β-substituted aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) type products, through zinc-mediated allylation of imines with 4-bromocrotonates followed by subsequent isomerization of the double bond, was developed. Complementary to classical MBH reaction, this reaction utilizes easily available 4-bromocrotonates as the reaction partners, providing a rapid alternative to the traditional use of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The short reaction time, one-pot operation, broad substrate scopes, gram-scale synthesis, and synthetic application exemplified the utility and practicability of this method.

Sulfinyl-Mediated Stereoselective Overman Rearrangements and Diels-Alder Cycloadditions

Sulfinyl trichloroacetamides are readily obtained in excellent yields through a highly stereoselective Overman rearrangement. Related bis-allylic substrates lead to amido 2-sulfinyl butadiene derivatives in excellent yields, with total chemo- and diastereoselectivity. These amido dienyl sulfoxides undergo highly selective Diels-Alder cycloadditions with N-phenylmaleimide with remarkable stereocontrol by the sulfoxide moiety.

Enantioselective synthesis of β-substituted chiral allylic amines via Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation

Rh–DuanPhos complex-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-alkenyl substituted enamides has been developed, which provides a readily accessible approach to chiral allylic amines with excellent enantioselectivities and high regioselectivities.

Accessing relatively electron poor cerium(iv) hydrazido complexes by lithium cation promoted ligand reduction

A series of substituted N,N′-diarylhydrazines (ArNHNHAr) were reacted with Ce(iii)[N(SiMe₃)₂]₃ and LiN(SiMe₃)₂ to form complexes of general formula Li₄(OEt₂)₄ [Ce(iv)(ArNNAr)₄] where the spectroscopic and redox properties were affected by the ligand substitution.

Aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman reactions catalyzed by a cyclopropenylidene

Catalysis using a bis(dialkylamino)cyclopropenylidene (BAC) has been developed, which relies on a formal umpolung activation of Michael acceptor pro-nucleophiles.

Synthesis of chiral 2,3-disubstituted 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane derivatives

Racemic 2,3-diaryl-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) derivatives are synthesized from the readily accessible piperazines in 50-64% yield by cyclization using ethylene bromide, triethylamine, and KI at 80 °C. The enantiomerically enriched 2,3-diphenylpiperazine and the 2,3-bis(1-naphthyl)piperazine derivatives are prepared by a resolution method using commercially available optically active acids, yielding the corresponding DABCO derivatives in 51-64% yield with up to 99% ee. This mild cyclization can also be applied to enantiopure camphanyldiamine derivatives, and the products are obtained in 72-86% yields.

The highly enantioselective catalytic aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction

Chiral phosphine, amine or metal catalyzed asymmetric aza-MBH reactions of various imines with different Michael acceptors in recent decades have been discussed and the perspectives offered by these new developments have also been demonstrated.

DABCO catalyzed cross-Rauhut-Currier/transesterification reactions of activated alkenes with phenyl acrylates: scope and mechanistic insight

DABCO catalyzed the cross-Rauhut-Currier/transesterification reaction of α-cyano-α,β-unsaturated ketones and aryl acrylates was discovered. The reaction rate law was determined by an integral method under pseudo-first-order reaction conditions, which assisted in proposing the mechanism of cross-Rauhut-Currier reaction promoted by Brønsted acid and establishing the rate-determining step.

Direct catalytic asymmetric Mannich-type reaction of α-sulfanyl lactones

Catalytic asymmetric Mannich-type reactions of α-sulfanyl lactones to aldimines were promoted by a chiral Ag complex/DBU binary catalyst. The reaction proceeded in a syn-selective manner in high enantioselectivity. Alkylative activation of the sulfide of the Mannich adduct allowed for the formation of trisubstituted aziridines.

The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction: a mechanistic and kinetic study

The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (aza-MBH) reaction has been studied in a variety of solvents, a selection of imine substrates and with various combinations of PPh3 and para-nitrophenol as the catalyst system. The measured kinetic data indicates that the effects of solvent and protic co-catalyst are strongly interdependent. These results are most easily reconciled with a mechanistic model involving the reversible protonation of zwitterionic intermediates in the catalytic cycle, which is also supported by (31)P NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical studies.

The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of electronically and sterically deactivated substrates

The aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (azaMBH) reaction has been studied for electronically and sterically deactivated Michael acceptors. It is found that electronically deactivated systems can be converted with electron-rich phosphanes and pyridines as catalysts equally well. For sterically deactivated systems clearly better catalytic turnover can be achieved with pyridine catalysts. This is in accordance with the calculated affinities of the catalysts towards different Michael-acceptors.

Construction of contiguous tetrasubstituted chiral carbon stereocenters via direct catalytic asymmetric aldol and Mannich-type reactions

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of unnatural amino acids with vicinal tetrasubstituted chiral carbon stereocenters is described. In the first part, direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of simple non-activated ketone electrophiles with α-substituted α-isothiocyanato ester donors was realized. A Mg/Schiff base catalyst promoted the aldol reaction, and α-amino-β-hydroxy esters were obtained in up to 98% ee and 98:2 d.r. In the second part, the Mg/Schiff base catalyst and a Sr/Schiff base catalyst were utilized for stereodivergent direct asymmetric Mannich-type reaction of ketimines. The Mg/Schiff base catalyst gave syn-α,β-diamino esters, while the Sr/Schiff base catalyst produced anti-α,β-diamino esters in good to high enantioselectivity, up to 97% ee.