Corinna M. Reisinger

Chiral Brønsted Acids for Asymmetric Organocatalysis

Chiral Brønsted acid catalysis is an emerging area of organocatalysis. Since the pioneering studies of the groups of Akiyama and Terada in 2004 on the use of chiral BINOL phosphates as powerful Brønsted acid catalysts in asymmetric Mannich-type reactions, numerous catalytic asymmetric transformations involving imine activation have been realized by means of this catalyst class, including among others Friedel-Crafts, Pictet-Spengler, Strecker, cycloaddition reactions, transfer hydrogenations, and reductive aminations. More recently, chiral BINOL phosphates found application in multicomponent and cascade reactions as for example in an asymmetric version of the Biginelli reaction. With the introduction of chiral BINOL-derived N-triflyl phosphoramides in 2006, asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis is no longer restricted to reactive substrates. Also certain carbonyl compounds can be activated through these stronger Brønsted acid catalysts. In dealing with sensitive substrate classes, chiral dicarboxylic acids proved of particular value.

Catalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation of Cyclic Enones

A highly enantioselective epoxidation of cyclic enones with hydrogen peroxide has been developed that is catalyzed by chiral primary amine salts.

Catalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation of α-Branched Enals

An asymmetric catalytic epoxidation of alpha-branched, alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes is presented. A highly synergistic combination of a primary cinchona-based amine and a chiral phosphoric acid was found to promote the reaction with excellent enantiocontrol for alpha-monosubstituted and alpha,beta-disubstituted enals.

The Cinchona Primary Amine-Catalyzed Asymmetric Epoxidation and Hydroperoxidation of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds with Hydrogen Peroxide

Using cinchona alkaloid-derived primary amines as catalysts and aqueous hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant, we have developed highly enantioselective Weitz-Scheffer-type epoxidation and hydroperoxidation reactions of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (up to 99.5:0.5 er). In this article, we present our full studies on this family of reactions, employing acyclic enones, 5-15-membered cyclic enones, and α-branched enals as substrates. In addition to an expanded scope, synthetic applications of the products are presented. We also report detailed mechanistic investigations of the catalytic intermediates, structure-activity relationships of the cinchona amine catalyst, and rationalization of the absolute stereoselectivity by NMR spectroscopic studies and DFT calculations.

Novel palladium complexes employing mixed phosphine phosphonates and phosphine phosphinates as anionic chelating [P,O] ligands

A route to various substituted phosphine phosphonic acid compounds of the general form Ar(2)PC(6)H(4)PO(OH)(2) (Ar = Ph, o-MeC(6)H(4), o-MeOC(6)H(4)) has been investigated. These compounds were employed as bidentate anionic [P,O] ligands in neutral palladium complexes. The [P,O] chelating coordination was determined by X-ray crystallography of a representative palladium complex. Furthermore, the bifunctional ligand Ph(2)PC(6)H(4)PO(OH)Ph represents the first example of a chelating anionic [P,O] ligand resulting from the combination of a phosphine and a phosphinate moiety.

Objectives of This Ph.D. Work

The vast majority of organic compounds contain oxygenated functionalities. One of the main pathways for the introduction of oxygen into organic molecules is via the epoxidation of carbon–carbon double bonds. Thus, olefin epoxidation constitutes a central transformation in organic chemistry and one of the main routes to access epoxides on both a laboratory and an industrial scale.