Synthesis of (R)-Modafinil via Organocatalyzed and Non-Heme Iron-Catalyzed Sulfoxidation Using H2O2 as an Environmentally Benign Oxidant

The first organocatalyzed sulfoxidation reaction towards enantioenriched (R)-modafinil (Armodafinil®), a drug against narcolepsy, is reported here. A series of chiral organocatalysts, e.g., different chiral BINOL-phosphates, or a fructose-derived N-substituted oxazolidinone ketone (Shi catalyst) were applied for the sulfoxidation reaction with environmentally friendly H2O2 as a convenient oxygen transferring agent. Furthermore, the potential of a biomimetic catalytic system consisting of FeCl3 and a dipeptide-based chiral ligand was demonstrated, which constitutes the most successful asymmetric non-heme iron-catalyzed synthesis of (R)-modafinil so far

Biomimetic Non-Heme Iron-Catalyzed Epoxidation of Challenging Terminal Alkenes Using Aqueous H2O2 as an Environmentally Friendly Oxidant

Catalysis mediated by iron complexes is emerging as an eco-friendly and inexpensive option in comparison to traditional metal catalysis. The epoxidation of alkenes constitutes an attractive application of iron(III) catalysis, in which terminal olefins are challenging substrates. Herein, we describe our study on the design of biomimetic non-heme ligands for the in situ generation of iron(III) complexes and their evaluation as potential catalysts in epoxidation of terminal olefins. Since it is well-known that active sites of oxidases might involve imidazole fragment of histidine, various simple imidazole derivatives (seven compounds) were initially evaluated in order to find the best reaction conditions and to develop, subsequently, more elaborated amino acid-derived peptide-like chiral ligands (10 derivatives) for enantioselective epoxidations

Four-Step Domino Reaction Enables Fully Controlled Non-Statistical Synthesis of Hexaarylbenzene with Six Different Aryl Groups*

Hexaarylbenzene (HAB) derivatives are versatile aromatic systems playing a significant role as chromophores, liquid crystalline materials, molecular receptors, molecular-scale devices, organic light-emitting diodes and candidates for organic electronics. Statistical synthesis of simple symmetrical HABs is known via cyclotrimerization or Diels–Alder reactions. By contrast, the synthesis of more complex, asymmetrical systems, and without involvement of statistical steps, remains an unsolved problem. Here we present a generally applicable synthetic strategy to access asymmetrical HAB via an atom-economical and high-yielding metal-free four-step domino reaction using nitrostyrenes and α,α-dicyanoolefins as easily available starting materials. Resulting domino product—functionalized triarylbenzene (TAB)—can be used as a key starting compound to furnish asymmetrically substituted hexaarylbenzenes in high overall yield and without involvement of statistical steps. This straightforward domino process represents a distinct approach to create diverse and still unexplored HAB scaffolds, containing six different aromatic rings around central benzene core. © 2021 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH Gmb

Asymmetric cycloaddition reactions catalyzed by bifunctional thiourea and squaramide organocatalysts: recent advances

High on the list of challenges in organic chemistry is the development of new efficient chiral catalysts for enantioselective cycloaddition reactions, which are among the most useful processes in chemical synthesis. In the past few decades, various highly enantioselective bifunctional organocatalysts for different versatile cycloaddition reactions have been developed. In most cases, these organocatalytic cycloadditions (e.g. [4 + 2], [3 + 2], formal [3 + 2], formal [3 + 3], formal [5 + 1], [5 + 2], 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions and Tamura cycloaddition) provide the most convenient and economical routes to nitrogen- and oxygen-containing heterocyclic bioactive molecules. This minireview summarizes the recent developments in this field using chiral bifunctional amine-thiourea and amine-squaramide organocatalysts

Kinetics and mechanism of organocatalytic aza-Michael additions: direct observation of enamine intermediates.

The imidazoles 1a–g add to the CC-double bond of the iminium ion 2 with rate constants as predicted by the equation log k = sN(N + E). Unfavourable proton shifts from the imidazolium unit to the enamine fragment in the adduct 3 account for the failure of imidazoles to take part in iminium-activated aza-Michael additions to enals

Counterion effects in iminium-activated electrophilic aromatic substitutions of pyrroles.

Electrophilic substitution of pyrroles by a,b-unsaturated iminium ions is slow in acetonitrile when only weakly basic counterions are present. When the reactions are carried out in the presence of KCF3CO2, fast deprotonation of the intermediate r-adducts occurs, and the rate constant for the rate-determining CC bond-forming step can be predicted from the electrophilicity parameter E of the iminium ion and the N and s parameters of the pyrroles

Non-heme iron catalysts for epoxidation and aziridination reactions of challenging terminal alkenes: towards sustainability

Through catalytic epoxidation and aziridination of olefins versatile synthetic intermediates and subunits of biologically active compounds and pharmaceuticals –epoxides and aziridines– can be obtained. The focus of this review is on recent advances in the epoxidation and aziridination of challenging terminal alkenes with respect to safety of solvents or reagents used and atom economy aspects, as well as scope and limitations of developed non-heme iron catalysts. The still large research potential for sustainable and environmentally attractive iron-based catalysts in enantioselective epoxide and aziridine synthesis is demonstrated

Generation of Complex Azabicycles and Carbobicycles from Two Simple Compounds in a Single Operation through a Metal‐Free Six‐Step Domino Reaction

Aza‐ and carbobicyclic compounds possess favorable pharmaceutical properties, but they are difficult to access. Herein, we demonstrate an unprecedented organocatalytic two component six‐step chemodivergent domino reaction, which provides a straightforward, sustainable and atom economical route to difficult‐to‐access complex bicyclic architectures: azabicycles and carbobicycles, whose ratios can be controlled by the applied electrophiles and catalysts. Detailed NMR and X‐ray studies on the structures and relative stereochemistry of selected compounds are presented. Mechanistic investigations of the chemoselective branching step have been carried out with DFT methods in conjunction with semiempirical van der Waals interactions. This new domino reaction opens up a new vista of generating, in a single operation, new bioactive compounds with strong antiviral properties (EC50 up to 0.071 μm for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)) outperforming clinically used ganciclovir (EC50 2.6 μm).Six steps in one go! An unprecedented two component six‐step domino reaction, providing a straightforward and atom economical route to bioactive azabicycles and carbobicycles is presented. DFT calculations accounting for dispersion interactions revealed that chemoselectivity might result from small differences in transition state and reaction energies of the branching step. This reaction opens up a new vista of generating, in a single operation, new antivirals outperforming clinically used drugs.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137557/1/chem201504798.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137557/2/chem201504798_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137557/3/chem201504798-sup-0001-misc_information.pd

One-pot synthesis of (R)-convolutamydine A involving in situ chiral organocatalyst formation

The application of a convenient one-pot synthetic strategy, utilizing an in situ formed organocatalyst, to the enantioselective synthesis of anti-leukaemia agent (R)-convolutamydine A has been demonstrated

Visible-light-driven metal-free C-H functionalization: access to new bioactive tetrahydroisoquinoline-butenolide hybrids via domino amine oxidation/vinylogous mannich reaction

An efficient metal-free visible-light-driven two-step domino reaction towards new bioactive tetrahydroisoquinoline-butenolide hybrid compounds was developed for the first time. The combination of fluorescein as photosensitizer and thiourea as an additive was found to be the most effective way to promote an aerobic amine oxidation/vinylogous Mannich domino reaction sequence with yields up to 97% for a broad substrate scope. Both experimental and computational evidence supported the crucial role of singlet oxygen in the developed C H functionalization reaction. Furthermore, the data suggest that thiourea is essential due to its ability to act as an electron-transfer mediator and/or scavenger of reactive oxygen species. In addition, in vitro studies of tetrahydroisoquinoline-butenolide hybrid compounds demonstrated their high antischistosomal and anti-cancer activities