Enantio- and Diastereoselective Two-Pot Synthesis of Isoquinuclidines from Glutaraldehyde and N-Aryl Imines with DFT Calculations.

A pot-economic method for the enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of a [2.2.2] azabicyclic isoquinuclidine system is developed. This protocol involves the proline-catalyzed direct Mannich reaction-cyclization/IBX-mediated site-selective oxidation/NaBH4-reduction sequence between glutaraldehyde and imines to generate in situ chiral 1,2-DHPs, followed by the diastereoselective Diels-Alder reaction with N-aryl maleimides furnishing isoquinuclidines in overall five steps. A variety of isoquinuclidines having five-contiguous chiral centers, including an all-carbon quaternary, were prepared with high yields (up to 78%) and excellent stereoselectivity (>50:1 dr, and up to >99:1 er). DFT calculations support the observed high stereoselective reaction outcome.

One-Pot Synthesis of Chiral Tetracyclic Dibenzo[ b, f][1,4]oxazepine-Fused 1,2-Dihydropyridines (DHPs) under Metal-Free Conditions.

An efficient protocol for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of new dibenzo[ b, f][1,4]-oxazepine-fused 1,2-dihydropyridines (DHPs) has been described under metal-free conditions. This reaction proceeds through proline-catalyzed direct Mannich/cyclization between seven-membered dibenzo[ b, f][1,4]-oxazepine-imines and aqueous glutaraldehyde, followed by IBX-mediated site-selective dehydrogenative oxidation in one-pot operation with high yields (up to 92%) and excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99:1 er).