One-Pot Catalytic Synthesis of α-Tetrasubstituted Amino Acid Derivatives via In Situ Generation of N-Unsubstituted Ketimines.

A one-pot catalytic synthesis of α-tetrasubstituted amino acid derivatives via in situ generation of N-unsubstituted ketimines is reported. Because of the irreversible formation of N-unsubstituted ketimines, the yields were higher than those generated under the conventional one-pot reaction conditions. This process prevents the need to isolate unstable N-unsubstituted ketimines with alkyl substituents and streamlines the synthesis of highly congested α-amino acid derivatives.

ß-Silicon-effect-promoted intermolecular site-selective C(sp3)-H amination with dirhodium nitrenes.

A dirhodium-catalyzed, ß-selective C-H amination of organosilicon compounds has been developed. Primary C(sp3)-H bonds of silylethyl groups and secondary C(sp3)-H bonds of silacycloalkanes can be selectively converted to C-N bonds at the ß-position of the silicon atoms. The experimental data and theoretical calculations indicate that the strong σ-donor ability of the carbon-silicon bonds is responsible for the ß-selectivity. Kinetic isotope effects clearly demonstrate that the C-H bond cleavage step is not turnover-limiting, but selectivity-determining.

Scandium(III) Triflate Catalyzed Direct Synthesis of N-Unprotected Ketimines.

N-Unprotected ketimines are useful substrates and intermediates for synthesizing valuable nitrogen-containing compounds, but their potential applicability is limited by the available synthetic methods. To address this issue, we report a scandium(III) triflate catalyzed direct synthesis of N-unprotected ketimines. Using commercially available reagents and Lewis acid catalysts, ketones were directly transformed into the corresponding N-unprotected ketimines in high yields with broad functional group tolerance, even in multigram scales. The reactions were readily applicable for one-pot synthesis of important compounds such as a glycine Schiff base without isolation of N-unprotected ketimine intermediates. Preliminary mechanistic studies to clarify the reaction mechanism are also described.

3-Mono-Substituted BINOL Phosphoric Acids as Effective Organocatalysts in Direct Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts-Type Alkylation of N-Unprotected α-Ketiminoester.

Although BINOL-derived phosphoric acids are among the most widely used chiral Brønsted acid organocatalysts, their structures are mostly limited to 3,3'-disubstituted ones and simple 3-mono-substituted ones without any polar functionalities on the 3-substituent have not been used in highly enantioselective reactions. This work reports such 3-mono-substituted analogues as effective organocatalysts in direct highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts-type alkylation of N-unprotected α-ketiminoester. The origin of the observed high enantioselectivity with the 3-mono-substituted catalyst is also discussed.

Intermolecular chemo- and regioselective aromatic C-H amination of alkoxyarenes promoted by rhodium nitrenoids.

Intermolecular aromatic C(sp2)-H amination promoted by neutral rhodium nitrenoids has been developed. The reactions proceeded with various oxygen-substituted arenes (1.5 equiv.) in a chemo- and regioselective manner. The aromatic C(sp2)-H amination took place at the para position of the oxygen substituent in the presence of benzylic C(sp3)-H bonds and/or C(sp3)-H bonds α to ethereal oxygen.

Synthesis of 1-Tetrasubstituted 2,2,2-Trifluoroethylamine Derivatives via Palladium-Catalyzed Allylation of sp3 C-H Bonds.

This note describes the construction of tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters via palladium-catalyzed allylation of sp3 C-H bonds of 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine derivatives. The presence of 2-pyridyl group of the imines derived from 1-substituted-2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine was key to promoting the reaction efficiently, allowing an access to a variety of 1-allylated 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine derivatives with tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters.

Direct Access to N-Unprotected α- and/or ß-Tetrasubstituted Amino Acid Esters via Direct Catalytic Mannich-Type Reactions Using N-Unprotected Trifluoromethyl Ketimines.

Direct catalytic C-C bond-forming addition to N-unprotected ketimines is an efficient and straightforward method of synthesizing N-unprotected tetrasubstituted amines that eliminates prior protection/deprotection steps and allows facile transformation of the products. Despite its advantages, however, N-unprotected ketimines have difficulties in C-C bond-forming reactions, and only a limited number of reactions and substrates are reported compared with their N-protected counterparts. Herein we report that N-unprotected trifluoromethyl ketimines are effective for C-C bond-forming reactions using Mannich-type reactions as a model case. We demonstrate that Lewis acid catalysis was effective for promoting reactions with various N-unprotected trifluoromethyl ketimines, and thiourea organocatalysis was effective for promoting highly enantioselective reactions with various carbonyl nucleophiles, providing direct access to various N-unprotected α- and/or ß-tetrasubstituted amino acid esters. Furthermore, direct construction of vicinal tetrasubstituted chiral carbon stereocenters was achieved for the first time in a highly enantio- and diastereoselective manner. These results demonstrate the potential of N-unprotected ketimines as substrates applicable to many other addition reactions.

Direct access to N-unprotected tetrasubstituted propargylamines via direct catalytic alkynylation of N-unprotected trifluoromethyl ketimines.

Direct catalytic alkynylation of N-unprotected trifluoromethyl ketimines is reported for the first time. A combination of catalytic amounts of diethylzinc and carboxylic acids promoted the reactions under proton-transfer conditions, allowing an unprecedented direct access to N-unprotected α-tetrasubstituted primary amines without additional deprotection steps.

Mechanistic Studies and Expansion of the Substrate Scope of Direct Enantioselective Alkynylation of α-Ketiminoesters Catalyzed by Adaptable (Phebox)Rhodium(III) Complexes.

Mechanistic studies and expansion of the substrate scope of direct enantioselective alkynylation of α-ketiminoesters catalyzed by adaptable (phebox)rhodium(III) complexes are described. The mechanistic studies revealed that less acidic alkyne rather than more acidic acetic acid acted as a proton source in the catalytic cycle, and the generation of more active (acetato-κ(2)O,O')(alkynyl)(phebox)rhodium(III) complexes from the starting (diacetato)rhodium(III) complexes limited the overall reactivity of the reaction. These findings, as well as facile exchange of the alkynyl ligand on the (alkynyl)rhodium(III) complexes led us to use (acetato-κ(2)O,O')(trimethylsilylethynyl)(phebox)rhodium(III) complexes as a general precatalyst for various (alkynyl)rhodium(III) complexes. Use of the (trimethylsilylethynyl)rhodium(III) complexes as precatalysts enhanced the catalytic performance of the reactions with an α-ketiminoester derived from ethyl trifluoropyruvate at a catalyst loading as low as 0.5 mol % and expanded the substrate scope to unprecedented α-ketiminophosphonate and cyclic N-sulfonyl α-ketiminoesters.

Lanthanum(III) triflate catalyzed direct amidation of esters.

Lanthanum trifluoromethanesulfonate is an effective single-component catalyst for synthesizing a variety of amides directly from esters and amines under mild conditions. Highly selective amidation of esters and amines, as well as catalyst-controlled amidation of esters, demonstrated the effectiveness of the catalyst system.

Rh-catalyzed direct enantioselective alkynylation of α-ketiminoesters.

A green way to amino acids: α-Tetrasubstituted α-amino acid derivatives are formed in high yield and enantioselectivity by using a Rh-catalyzed enantioselective alkynylation of α-ketiminoesters. This reaction, which involves a proton transfer and can be conducted at room temperature, has high substrate scope (see scheme; Cbz = benzyloxycarbonyl, Fmoc = 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl).