Alpha-fluorotropinone immobilized on silica: a new stereoselective heterogeneous catalyst for epoxidation of alkenes with oxone

The dioxirane-mediated epoxidation of alkenes in the presence of supported alpha-fluorotropinones 5 and 9 has been evaluated. The catalysts anchored onto silica supports 5 have shown comparable activity with respect to the homogeneous counterpart 10 and good stability on recycling. In the second part of this paper the enantiomerically enriched alpha-fluorotropinone 4 was anchored onto both mesoporous MCM-41 and amorphous KG-60 silicas. The chiral-supported catalysts promoted the stereoselective epoxidation of several trans-substituted and trisubstituted alkenes with ee values up to 80% and were perfectly reusable with the same performance for at least three catalytic cycles.     

Metalloporphyrin-catalyzed diastereoselective epoxidation of allyl-substituted alkenes

By using [Mn(2,6-Cl(2)TPP)Cl] (1) as a catalyst and Oxone/H(2)O(2) as an oxidant, we have developed an efficient method for erythro-selective epoxidation of acyclic allyl-substituted alkenes, including allylic alcohols, amines, and esters. Up to 9:1 erythro selectivities for terminal allyllic alkenes could be achieved, which are significantly higher than that achieved using m-CPBA as an oxidant. In addition, the synthetic utilities of this epoxidation method were highlighted in stereoselective synthesis of key anti-HIV drug intermediates and epoxidation of glycals.     

Organocatalytic stereoselective epoxidation of trisubstituted acrylonitriles

The first diastereospecific and enantioselective epoxidation of trans-2-aroyl-3-arylacrylonitriles by means of the commercially available diaryl L-prolinol/tert-butyl hydroperoxide system has been developed. These diversely functionalized epoxides were obtained in excellent yield (up to 99%), complete diastereoselectivity for the trans-isomer, and good enantioselectivity (up to 84% ee). Highly enantioenriched epoxides can be easily obtained after a single crystallization (ee > 90%).     

Arabinose-derived ketones as catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes

[reaction: see text] Readily available arabinose-derived ketones, containing a tunable butane-2,3-diacetal as the steric blocker, displayed increasing enantioselectivity (up to 90% ee) with the size of the acetal alkyl group in catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of trans-disubstituted and trisubstituted alkenes. The stereochemical communication between our ketone catalysts and the alkene substrates is mainly due to steric effect, and electronic effect involving pi-pi interaction between phenyl groups of substrate and of catalyst did not appear to be operative in our system.     

A general and stereoselective method for synthesis of tri- and tetrasubstituted alkenes

A convenient, general and stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted alkenes and tetrasubstituted alkenes containing a cyanide function as well as trisubstituted episulphides have been elaborated. Methodology described for the preparation of these compounds is based on the corresponding readily available selenophosphates 1 and thiophosphates 2.     

Rhodium acetate-catalyzed aerobic Mukaiyama epoxidation of alkenes

Mukaiyama epoxidation of alkenes under oxygen catalyzed by rhodium acetate with isobutyraldehyde as the reducing agent is as or more effective than previously reported procedures. A variety of alkenes, including terpenes and cholesterol derivatives, were oxidized. And high regioselectivity for monoepoxidation was observed with neryl, geranyl, and linalyl acetates.     

Carbohydrate-derived iminium salt organocatalysts for the asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes

A new family of carbohydrate-based dihydroisoquinolinium salts has been prepared and tested for potential as asymmetric catalysts for the epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkene substrates, providing up to 57% ee in the product epoxides.     

Convenient method for epoxidation of alkenes using aqueous hydrogen peroxide

[reaction: see text] The complex [Ru(tpy)(pydic)] (1a) is an active catalyst for epoxidation of alkenes by aqueous 30% hydrogen peroxide in tertiary alcohols. The protocol is simple to operate and gives the corresponding epoxides in good to excellent yields. Chiral enantiopure [Ru(tpy)(pydic)] complexes have been synthesized and successfully applied in this procedure.     

A new class of chiral tetrahydropyran-4-one catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes

A new class of chiral α-oxygenated-tetrahydropyran-4-ones for asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes using Oxone^® is described, affording epoxides with up to 83% ee.     

A chemoenzymic approach to the epoxidation of alkenes in aqueous media

Hydrogen peroxide, generated insitu by the enzymic oxidation of glucose using glucose oxidase, is coupled to a catalytic system of sodium bicarbonate/manganese sulfate to epoxidize alkenes in aqueous media.     

Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with arabinose-derived uloses

Four l-erythro-2-uloses were readily prepared from l-arabinose via a reaction sequence involving Fischer glycosidation, acetalization and oxidation. Bulky steric sensors at the anomeric center could enhance the stereoselectivity of the dioxirane epoxidation and one of the uloses performed with good enantioselectivity towards trans-stilbene (up to 90% ee). However, the catalysts decomposed during the epoxidation and the maximum chemical yield was only 13% under the basic conditions. Three l-threo-3-uloses could overcome the decomposition problem based on the electron withdrawing effect of the ester group(s) α to the ketone functionality. The best chemical yield was up to 93% using a ketone with two flanking ester groups. One of the improved uloses displayed moderate enantioselectivity towards trans-disubstituted and trisubstituted alkenes (40-68% ee).     

Zinc-mediated asymmetric epoxidation of nitro alkenes with oxygen

The asymmetric epoxidation of nitro alkenes using oxygen in the presence of diethylzinc and N-methyl pseudo-ephedrine as a chiral additive is reported. This method provides an access to 3-substituted trans-2-nitro oxiranes of excellent diastereomeric purity (de≥98%) and with medium to good enantiomeric excesses (ee=36–82%).     

New chiral binaphthalene-derived iminium salt organocatalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes

A series of binaphthalene-fused azepinium salts has been generated and used as organocatalysts in the asymmetric epoxidation of unfunctionalized alkenes, giving rise to ees of up to 84%.     

Chiral fluoro ketones for catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with oxone

Two structurally dissimilar, chiral fluoro ketones have been prepared and their potential as enantioselective catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation with Oxone has been evaluated. The tropinone-based ketone (-)-5 was easily prepared and showed excellent reactivity but only modest enantioselectivity. The biphenyl-based ketone (-)-6 was prepared in a somewhat lengthy synthesis (along with its monofluoro and geminal fluoro analogues). This ketone exhibited only modest reactivity; 30 mol % of (-)-6 was needed to bring about complete conversion in a reasonable time. The enantioselectivity of this catalyst was generally much higher, but again very substrate dependent.     

Organocatalyzed regio- and stereoselective diamination of functionalized alkenes

The first organocatalyzed diamination reaction of alkenes with N,N-dichlorotoluenesulfonamide (TsNCl₂) and acetonitrile as nitrogen sources was reported. The catalytic diamination reaction was convenient to carry out, resulting in imidazoline products with good yields and excellent regio- and stereoselectivities. Several other organic molecules were also tried as catalyst for this reaction and good results were achieved. A new one-pot synthesis of vicinal diamines via the current PPh₃-catalyzed diamination and the hydrolysis of resulting imidazoline products with SnCl₄ as promoter was also established.     

Aldehyde-catalyzed epoxidation of unactivated alkenes with aqueous hydrogen peroxide

The organocatalytic epoxidation of unactivated alkenes using aqueous hydrogen peroxide provides various indispensable products and intermediates in a sustainable manner. While formyl functionalities typically undergo irreversible oxidations when activating an oxidant, an atropisomeric two-axis aldehyde capable of catalytic turnover was identified for high-yielding epoxidations of cyclic and acyclic alkenes. The relative configuration of the stereogenic axes of the catalyst and the resulting proximity of the aldehyde and backbone residues resulted in high catalytic efficiencies. Mechanistic studies support a non-radical alkene oxidation by an aldehyde-derived dioxirane intermediate generated from hydrogen peroxide through the Payne and Criegee intermediates.

An atropisomeric two-axis aldehyde is capable of catalysing the organocatalytic epoxidation of unactivated alkenes using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant.     

Highly effective epoxidation of alkenes with Ti-containing soluble polymers

Ti-containing polysiloxane epoxidation catalysts have been prepared by controlled hydrolysis of titanium- and alkylsilane precursors. These polysilkoxanes exhibit very high yields to epoxides in the epoxidation reaction of primary alkenes with organic hydroproxides.     

An improved methyltrioxorhenium-catalyzed epoxidation of alkenes with hydrogen peroxide

Methyltrioxorhenium (MTO)-catalyzed epoxidation of alkenes with H(2)O(2) has been significantly improved by using 3-methylpyrazole as an additive. A system consisting of 35% H(2)O(2) and MTO-3-methylpyrazole in CH(2)Cl(2) catalyzes the epoxidation of various alkenes in excellent yields. The catalytic activity of MTO-3-methylpyrazole surpasses MTO-pyrazole and MTO-pyridine catalysts. Quantitative yields of epoxides from cyclic and internal alkenes were obtained with only 0.05-0.1 mol% of MTO in the presence of 10 mol% of 3-methylpyrazole.