Enantioselective synthesis of angularly substituted 1-azabicylic rings: coupled dynamic kinetic epimerization and chirality transfer.

A new strategy for enantioselective synthesis of azacyclic molecules in which dynamic kinetic equilibration of diastereomeric iminium ions precedes a stereochemistry-determining sigmatropic rearrangement is reported. The method is illustrated by the synthesis, in high enantiomeric purity (generally 95-99% ee), of a variety of 1-azabicyclic molecules containing angular allyl or 3-substituted 2-propenyl side chains adjacent to nitrogen and up to three stereogenic centers. In these products, the size of the carbocyclic ring is varied widely (5-12 membered); however, useful yields are obtained in forming 1-azabicyclic products containing only fused pyrrolidine and piperidine rings. Chirality transfer from substituents at carbons 1 and 2 of the 3-butenylamine fragment of the starting material is investigated, with methyl and phenyl substituents at the allylic position shown to provide exquisite stereocontrol (generally 98-99% chirality transfer). An attractive feature of the method is the ability to carry out the key transformation in the absence of solvent. Illustrated also is the high yielding conversion of four such products to a new family of bicyclic ß-amino acids of high enantiomeric purity.

Formation of vinyl-, vinylhalide- or acyl-substituted quaternary carbon stereogenic centers through NHC-Cu-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate additions of Si-containing vinylaluminums to ß-substituted cyclic enones.

A catalytic method for enantioselective conjugate addition (ECA) of Si-containing vinylaluminum reagents to ß-substituted cyclopentenones and cyclohexenones is described. Reactions are promoted by 1.0-5.0 mol % of a bidentate NHC-Cu complex, which is prepared from air-stable CuCl(2)•2H(2)O and used in situ, and typically proceed to completion within 15-20 min. The requisite vinylmetals are generated efficiently by a site-selective hydroalumination of an alkyne with dibal-H. The desired products, containing a quaternary carbon stereogenic center, are obtained in 48-95% yield after purification and in 89:11 to >98:2 enantiomer ratio (er). The vinylsilane moiety within the products can be functionalized to afford acyl, vinyliodide, or desilylated alkenes in 67% to >98% yield and with >90% retention of the alkene's stereochemical identity. The utility of the catalytic process is illustrated in the context of a concise enantioselective synthesis of riccardiphenol B.

Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate additions of dialkyl- and diarylzinc reagents to acyclic beta-silyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones. Synthesis of allylsilanes in high diastereo- and enantiomeric purity.

A readily available and simple (MW = 444.5 g/mol) valine-based chiral phosphine is used to promote highly efficient catalytic asymmetric conjugate additions of dialkyl- and diarylzinc reagents to acyclic beta-silyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones. The catalytic asymmetric protocol allows access to versatile allylsilanes that bear a trisubstituted olefin in high diastereo- and enantiomeric purity.