Enantioselective Synthesis of Succinimides by Michael Addition of Aldehydes to Maleimides Organocatalyzed by Chiral Primary Amine-Guanidines

The monoguanylation of (1S,2S)- and (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine affords chiral primary amine-guanidines that are used as chiral organocatalysts in the enantioselective Michael addition of aldehydes, particularly α,α-disubstituted aldehydes, to maleimides. The reaction is carried out in the presence of imidazole, as an additive, in aqueous N,N-dimethylformamide, as the solvent, and affords the corresponding enantioenriched succinimides in high or quantitative yields with enantioselectivities up to 96 % ee. Theoretical calculations (DFT and M06–2X) suggest a different hydrogen-bonding coordination pattern between the maleimide (C=O) and the catalyst (NH groups) is responsible for the enantioinduction switch that is observed when the reaction is carried out using primary amine-guanidines versus primary amine-thioureas as the organocatalysts.

The authors thank the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MEC) (projects CTQ2010-20387, CTQ2010-21263-C02, and Consolider Ingenio 2010, CSD2007-00006), the Fondos Europeos para el Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), the COST Action CM0905 “Organocatalysis”, the Generalitat Valenciana (Prometeo/2009/039), the Basque Government (GV grant IT-291-07), the University of Alicante, and the University of the Basque Country for the financial support.