Stereoselective deconjugation of macrocyclic α,β-unsaturated esters by sequential amidation and olefin transposition: application to enantioselective phase-transfer catalysis

Asymmetric Phase-Transfer Alkylation of Readily Available Aryl Aldehyde Schiff Bases of Amino Acid Ethyl Esters

Asymmetric phase-transfer alkylation of the N-(arylmethylene)-α-alkylamino acid ethyl esters and N-(arylmethylene)glycine ethyl esters was found to be catalyzed by the (R)- or (S)-Simplified Maruoka Catalyst with high efficiency and excellent enantioselectivity. This approach was successfully applied to the enantioselective formal synthesis of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) antagonists Olodanrigan and LX9211, and the practical aspect is demonstrated by the kilogram-scale synthesis of a key intermediate for the synthesis of LX9211.

Enantioselective organocatalytic strategies to access noncanonical α-amino acids

Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis has evolved over the years and continues to attract the interest of many researchers worldwide. Enantiopure noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) are valuable building blocks in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology. They are employed in the elaboration of peptides and proteins with enhanced activities and/or improved properties compared to their natural counterparts, as chiral catalysts, in chiral ligand design, and as chiral building blocks for asymmetric syntheses of complex molecules, including natural products. The linkage of ncAA synthesis and enantioselective organocatalysis, the subject of this perspective, tries to imitate the natural biosynthetic process. Herein, we present contemporary and earlier developments in the field of organocatalytic activation of simple feedstock materials, providing potential ncAAs with diverse side chains, unique three-dimensional structures, and a high degree of functionality. These asymmetric organocatalytic strategies, useful for forging a wide range of C-C, C-H, and C-N bonds and/or combinations thereof, vary from classical name reactions, such as Ugi, Strecker, and Mannich reactions, to the most advanced concepts such as deracemisation, transamination, and carbene N-H insertion. Concurrently, we present some interesting mechanistic studies/models, providing information on the chirality transfer process. Finally, this perspective highlights, through the diversity of the amino acids (AAs) not selected by nature for protein incorporation, the most generic modes of activation, induction, and reactivity commonly used, such as chiral enamine, hydrogen bonding, Brønsted acids/bases, and phase-transfer organocatalysis, reflecting their increasingly important role in organic and applied chemistry.

Lithium, sodium and potassium enolate aggregates and monomers: syntheses and structures

In this Article, we report the syntheses and comparative structural studies of lithium, sodium, and potassium anthracen-9-yl enolates, as their aggregates (Li, Na: hexamer; K: tetramer) and ligand-stabilized monomers (for Li and Na). The monomers add new members to the rare collection of group-1 metal monomeric enolates. Moreover, the series covers different group-1 metal cations (Li+, Na+ and K+) and aggregate sizes, allowing comparative structural studies to elucidate how the metal identity and aggregate size influence the enolate structure.

Circularly polarized luminescence from Tb(III) interacting with chiral polyether macrocycles

A straightforward two-step synthesis protocol affords a series of chiral amide-based bis-pyridine substituted polyether macrocycles. One ligand is particularly able to complex terbium(III) ions spontaneously. Upon complexation, interesting chiroptical properties are observed both in absorbance (ECD) and in fluorescence (CPL). In ligand-centered electronic circular dichroism, a sign inversion coupled with a signal enhancement is measured; while an easily detectable metal-centered circularly polarized luminescence with a glum of 0.05 is obtained for the main 5D4 → 7F5 terbium transition. The coordination mode and structure of the complex was studied using different analysis methods (NMR analysis, spectrophotometric titration and solid-state elucidation).

From reactive carbenes to chiral polyether macrocycles in two steps - synthesis and applications made easy?

Chiral polyether macrocycles are versatile molecules. For their preparation, original two-step procedures were recently developed and present the advantages of high concentration conditions and simple starting reagents (stable diazo reagents, small cyclic ethers, aliphatic or aromatic amines). Enantiopure materials are readily afforded by CSP-HPLC on a semi-preparative scale. Flexibility and adaptability in the macrocyclic design are provided by a large selection of amines to choose from while the ring size and chemical nature are controlled by the choice of 5 to 7-membered cyclic ether precursors. Such macrocycles have already been used as asymmetric catalysts, mono and ditopic receptors, fluorescent sensors and probes, and chiroptical reversible switches.

Photo-induced thiol-ene reactions for late-stage functionalization of unsaturated polyether macrocycles: regio and diastereoselective access to macrocyclic dithiol derivatives

Double hydrothiolation of bis enol ether macrocycles was achieved under photo-mediated conditions. The thiol-ene reactions afford a fully regioselective anti-Markovnikov post-functionalization. Thanks to the use of ethanedithiol as reagent, moderate to excellent diastereoselectivity was accomplished leading to macrocycles containing four defined stereocenters in only three steps from 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran (THF) or tetrahydropyran (THP).

LiOtBu-promoted stereoselective deconjugation of α,β-unsaturated diesters probed using density functional theory

We report the isomerisation of α,β-unsaturated diesters to thermodynamically less favourable β,γ-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in the absence of strongly basic anhydrous or photochemical conditions.