Synthesis of Donor–Acceptor Alkynylcyclopropanes by Diastereoselective Cyclopropanation of Electron‐Deficient Alkenes with Alkoxyalkynyl Fischer Carbene Complexes

The reaction of electron‐deficient alkenes with alkoxyalkynyl Fischer carbene complexes (FCCs) represents a straightforward route to a new type of captodative (donor–acceptor) alkynylcyclopropanes, which have been prepared in moderate to high yields and in a diastereoselective manner. Some studies regarding the employment of additives to facilitate the recovery of the metal moiety after the reaction are also described. Finally, the first example of a cyclopropanation reaction through employing Fischer carbene complexes under microwave irradiation is presented; this method proved to be an advantageous alternative to the thermal reaction.     

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of new, carbostyril-based type of conformationally-constrained β-phenylserines

We have demonstrated that the readily available amido-keto compounds 5, with prearranged carbonyl and glycine moieties, under strongly basic conditions easily undergo complete and highly diastereoselective cyclization, affording a generalized and practical access to the conformationally constrained phenylserine derivatives 4. High chemical yields, virtually complete diastereoselectivity combined with the operational convenience of the experimental procedures render this method useful for preparation of these diastereomerically pure derivatives.     

Progressive studies on the novel samarium-catalyzed diastereoselective tandem semipinacol rearrangement/Tishchenko reduction of secondary alpha-hydroxy epoxides

A novel and highly diastereoselective samarium-catalyzed tandem rearrangement/reduction of secondary alpha-hydroxy epoxides, which involves a C1 to C3 carbon migration rearrangement and a very interesting hetero-Tishchenko reduction of the intermediate aldehyde and the reductant aldehyde, has been reported. This reaction could be developed to provide a facile and stereoselective construction of 2-quarternary 1,3-diol units with an hydroxymethyl moiety attached to the diastereogenic quaternary carbon center. Detailed investigations have been carried out concerning the screening of the aldehydes as a reductant, the optimization of reaction conditions, and the substrate scope of this tandem reaction. A catalytic cycle for this reaction, the electronic and steric effects of the reductant aldehydes, and the mechanism for the acyl migration of 1,3-diol monoesters are proposed.     

Syntheses of seven-membered rings: ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular [5+2] cycloadditions

The Ru-catalyzed intramolecular [5+2] cycloaddition of cyclopropylenynes is investigated with respect to the regio- and diastereoselectivity as well as the functional group compatibility of the reaction. Evidence for the mechanism as occurring through a ruthenacyclopentene intermediate is elucidated from 1) the study of the diastereoselectivity of the cycloaddition; 2) the effect of variation of substituents on the regioselectivity of cyclopropyl bond cleavage in 1,2-trans- and 1,2-cis-disubstituted cyclopropanes and 3) examples that clearly do not involve ruthenacyclohexene as intermediates as products still incorporate the cyclopropyl moiety. The scope and limitations of the Ru-catalyzed cycloaddition are discussed and compared with the Rh-catalyzed reaction. The potential power of this methodology towards natural product total synthesis is demonstrated by the formation of several polycyclic systems with the chosen reaction conditions and readily available cyclopropylenyne substrates.     

Three‐Component Reactions with (S)‐Methyl Pyroglutamate: An Efficient Way to Diversely Substituted Asymmetric Amidocyclohexenes

Chiral N‐dienyl lactams are crucial building blocks for the synthesis of complex organic compounds. However, their generation is rather challenging. This paper reports the novel one‐pot reaction of (S)‐methyl pyroglutamate as the a mide component with different a ldehydes and d ienophiles (AAD reaction) to give novel chiral 1‐amido‐2‐cyclohexenes. The corresponding N‐dienyl lactams generated in situ undergo subsequent Diels–Alder reactions in good yield and diastereoselectivity. The scope and limitations of the three‐component protocol were investigated. X‐ray and NMR spectroscopic analysis of the products as well as DFT calculations of the intermediates were also performed to explain the observed stereoselectivity and structural features.     

PPh3催化Mannich反应机理的密度泛函研究

通过密度泛函理论研究了PPh3催化苯胺、苯甲醛和乙酰乙酸乙酯三组分Mannich反应的机理.计算结果表明该机理主要分3个步骤进行:PPh3催化乙酰乙酸乙酯发生酮式-烯醇式互变异构得到烯醇;烯醇辅助苯胺和苯甲醛缩合并脱水生成亚胺;亚胺和烯醇通过加成反应生成β-氨基羰基化合物.通过详细的机理研究,发现烯醇从亚胺的背面进攻其亲电C原子的过渡态的相对能量更低,容易得到反式的产物,对实验观察到的非对映选择性进行了合理的解释.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (R)-S-(1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)cysteines by nucleophilic addition of triazolethiols to a NiII complex with a chiral dehydroalanine Schiff base

An efficient method was developed for the asymmetric synthesis of (R)-S-(1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)cysteines by the addition of 3,4-disubstituted 1,2,4-triazole-5-thiols at the electrophilic C=C bond in a Ni^II complex of a Schiff base of dehydroalanine with (S)-N-(N-benzylprolyl)aminobenzophenone. The stereoselectivity of the formation of diastereomeric complexes with the (S,R) configuration under conditions of thermodynamic control of the nucleophilic addition exceeds 94%. Acid treatment of the reaction mixtures afforded enantiomerically pure (R)-S-hetarylcysteines (ee >98%).