Enantioselective Michael addition of aldehydes to maleimides organocatalysed by chiral 1,2-diamines: an experimental and theoretical study

Simple and commercially available chiral 1,2-diamines were used as organocatalysts for the enantioselective conjugate addition of aldehydes, including α,α-disubstituted, to maleimides. The reaction was carried out in the presence of hexanedioic acid as an additive in aqueous solvents at room temperature. By employing (1S,2S)- and (1R,2R)-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine as organocatalysts, the corresponding Michael adducts bearing new stereocenters were obtained in high or quantitative yields with enantioselectivities of up to 92%, whereas the use of (1S,2S)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diamine gave a much lower ee. Theoretical calculations were used to justify the observed sense of the stereoinduction.

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.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Succinimides by Michael Addition of 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds to Maleimides Catalyzed by a Chiral Bis(2-aminobenzimidazole) Organocatalyst

A wide variety of chiral succinimides have been prepared in high yields and enantioselectivities by asymmetric conjugate addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds to maleimides under very mild reaction conditions using a bifunctional benzimidazole-derived organocatalyst. Computational and NMR studies support the hydrogen-bonding activation role of the catalyst and the origin of the stereoselectivity of the process.

Solvent-dependent enantioswitching in the Michael addition of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to maleimides organocatalyzed by mono-N-Boc-protected cyclohexa-1,2-diamines

Enantiomerically pure mono-N-Boc-protected trans-cyclohexa-1,2-diamines are used as organocatalysts for the enantioselective conjugate addition of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to maleimides. Using a single enantiomer of the organocatalyst, both enantiomeric forms of the resulting Michael adducts bearing a new quaternary stereocenter are obtained in high yields, by only changing the reaction solvent from chloroform (up to 86% ee) to aqueous DMF (up to 84% ee).

Primary Amine–2-Aminopyrimidine Chiral Organocatalysts for the Enantioselective Conjugate Addition of Branched Aldehydes to Maleimides

Chiral primary amines containing the (R,R)- and (S,S)-trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine scaffold and a pyrimidin-2-yl unit are synthesized and used as general organocatalysts for the Michael reaction of α-branched aldehydes to maleimides. The reaction takes place with 10 mol% organocatalyst loading and hexanedioic acid as cocatalyst in aqueous N,N-dimethylformamide at 10 °C affording the corresponding succinimides in good yields and enantioselectivities. DFT calculations support the stereochemical results and the role played by the solvents.

Solvent-Induced Reversal of Enantioselectivity in the Synthesis of Succinimides by the Addition of Aldehydes to Maleimides Catalysed by Carbamate-Monoprotected 1,2-Diamines

A simple change in the polarity of the solvent allows both enantiomers of substituted succinimides to be obtained in the enantioselective conjugate addition reaction of aldehydes, mainly α,α-disubstituted, to maleimides catalysed by chiral carbamate-monoprotected trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamines. Using a single enantiomer of the organocatalyst, both enantiomers of the resulting Michael adducts are obtained in high yields by simply changing the reaction solvent from aqueous DMF (up to 84 % ee) to chloroform (up to 86 % ee). Theoretical calculations are used to explain this uncommon reversal of the enantioselectivity; two transition state orientations of different polarities are differently favoured in polar or nonpolar solvents.

Binap-gold (I) versus Binap-silver trifluoroacetate complexes as catalysts in 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of axomethine ylides

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between azomethine ylides and alkenes is efficiently catalysed by [{(Sa)-Binap-Au(tfa)}2] (Binap=2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1′-binaphthyl; tfa=trifluoroacetyl). Maleimides, 1,2-bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene, chalcone and nitrostyrene were suitable dipolarophiles even when using sterically hindered 1,3-dipole precursors. The results obtained in these transformations improve the analogous ones obtained in the same reactions catalysed by [Binap–Ag(tfa)]. In addition, computational studies have also been carried out to demonstrate both the high enantioselectivity exhibited by the chiral gold(I) complex, and the non-linear effect observed in this transformation.

Enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of azlactones and electrophilic alkenes catalyzed by dimeric BinapAuTFA complexes

Glycine-derived azlactones react with maleimides using (S)- or (R)-dimeric BinapAuTFA complexes affording the corresponding cycloadducts in good yields and high enantioselections (up to 99% ee). The intermediate carboxylic acids are treated with trimethylsilyldiazomethane and isolated as Δ¹-pyrroline methyl esters. These cycloadducts are transformed into exo-proline derivatives by reduction with NaBH3CN in acidic media. On the other hand, N-benzoylalanine-derived oxazolone reacts with tert-butyl acrylate providing the cycloadduct with the ester group at the 3-position with a trans-relative configuration with respect to the methyl ester group.

Binap-silver salts as chiral-catalysts for the enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides and alkenes

Binap-AgSbF6 catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions between azomethine ylides and electrophilic alkenes are described and compared with analogous transformations mediated by other Binap-silver(I) salt complexes. Maleimides and 1,2-bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene are suitable dipolarophiles for obtaining very good enantioselectivities, even better values are generated by a multicomponent version. There are some very interesting applications of the disulfonylated cycloadducts in the total synthesis of cis-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines, precursors of natural products, or valuable intermediates in the synthesis of antiviral compounds.

Microwave-assisted multicomponent diastereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of ethyl glyoxylate derived azomethine ylides

The thermal multicomponent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (1,3-DC) of diethyl aminomalonate or α-amino esters (derived from glycine, alanine, phenylalanine, and phenylglycine) with ethyl glyoxylate and the corresponding dipolarophile such as maleimides, methyl acrylate, methyl fumarate, (E)-1,2-bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene, and electron deficient alkynes allows the diastereoselective synthesis of new polysubstituted pyrrolidine derivatives. Microwave-assisted heating processes give better results than conventional heating ones, affording endo-cycloadducts as major stereoisomers. In general, 2,5-cis-cycloadducts are preferentially formed according to the previous formation of the W-shaped dipole. Only in the 1,3-DC of the disulfone with phenylglycine and ethyl glyoxylate the corresponding exo-trans-cycloadduct was isolated. The compound endo-cis-4b, derived from phenylalanine, ethyl glyoxylate and N-benzylmaleimide, has been further transformed into a very complex diazabicyclo[2.2.1]octane skeleton with potential biological activity.

Synthetic scope and DFT analysis of the chiral binap-gold (I) complex-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azlactones with alkenes

The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between glycine-derived azlactones with maleimides is efficiently catalyzed by the dimeric chiral complex [(Sa)-Binap·AuTFA]2. The alanine-derived oxazolone only reacts with tert-butyl acrylate giving anomalous regiochemistry, which is explained and supported by Natural Resonance Theory and Nucleus Independent Chemical Shifts calculations. The origin of the high enantiodiscrimination observed with maleimides and tert-butyl acrylate is analyzed using DFT computed at M06/Lanl2dz//ONIOM(b3lyp/Lanl2dz:UFF) level. Several applications of these cycloadducts in the synthesis of new proline derivatives with a 2,5-trans-arrangement and in the preparation of complex fused polycyclic molecules are described.

Binap-silver-catalyzed enantioselective multicomponent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethines ylides derived from ethyl glyoxylate

The enantioselective binap–silver catalyzed multicomponent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition using ethyl glyoxylate, phenylalanine ethyl ester, and maleimides is described. The employment of basic silver carbonate allows the reaction to take place in the absence of an extra base giving high yields and ee. In addition, low-level calculations regarding the importance of the benzyl substituent at the α-position of the amino ester justify the expected absolute configuration of the final cycloadducts and the observed high enantiodiscrimination.

Bifunctional primary amine 2-aminobenzimidazole organocatalyst anchored to trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine in enantioselective conjugate additions of aldehydes

Bifunctional chiral primary amine 8 containing an (S,S)-trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine scaffold and a 2-benzimidazole unit is used as a general organocatalyst for the Michael addition of α,α-branched aldehydes to nitroalkenes and maleimides. The reactions take place, with 20 mol % of catalyst in dichloromethane at rt for nitroalkenes and with 15 mol % catalyst loading in toluene at 10 °C for maleimides, in good yields and enantioselectivities. DFT calculations demonstrate the bifunctional character of this organocatalyst activating the aldehyde by enamine formation and the Michael acceptor by double hydrogen bonding.