Multiple approaches to enantiopure spirocyclic benzofuranones using organocatalytic cascade reactions

Three distinct aminocatalytic cascade reactions leading to enantiomerically pure spirocyclic benzofuranones have been devised, highlighting the ability of organocascade to generate high degrees of stereochemical and architectural complexity in a single chemical transformation. © 2010 Royal Society of Chemistry

Multicatalytic asymmetric synthesis of complex tetrahydrocarbazoles via a Diels-Alder/benzoin reaction sequence

Expanding upon the recently developed aminocatalytic asymmetric indole-2,3-quinodimethane strategy, a straightforward synthesis of structurally and stereochemically complex tetrahydrocarbazoles has been devised. The chemistry's complexity-generating power was further harnessed by designing a multicatalytic, one-pot Diels-Alder/benzoin reaction sequence to stereoselectively access trans-fused tetracyclic indole-based compounds having four stereogenic centers with very high fidelity. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Efficient self-sorting of a racemic tetra-urea calix4pyrrole into a single heterodimeric capsule

A racemic calix4pyrrole self-sorts into a single achiral heterodimeric capsule. This process is induced either by encapsulation of one ditopic or two monotopic N-oxide guests. The influence of the guest structure in the dynamics of the disproportionation process of the two homochiral capsules is reported. The unidirectional sense of rotation of the urea groups assigned to the heterodimeric capsule is explained as the outcome of an induction of chirality from the stereogenic centers. © 2010 American Chemical Society