Forrest E. Michael

Computational design of an enzyme catalyst for a stereoselective bimolecular Diels-Alder reaction.

Biocatalytic Boost Enzymes tend to direct reactions toward specific products much more selectively than synthetic catalysts. Unfortunately, this selectivity has evolved for cellular purposes and may not promote the sorts of reactions chemists are seeking to enhance (see the Perspective by Lutz). Siegel et al. (p. 309) now describe the design of enzymes that catalyze the bimolecular Diels-Alder reaction, a carbon-carbon bond formation reaction that is central to organic synthesis but unknown in natural metabolism. The enzymes display high stereoselectivity and substrate specificity, and an x-ray structure of the most active enzyme confirms that the structure matches the design. Savile et al. (p. 305, published online 17 June) applied a directed evolution approach to modify an existing transaminase enzyme so that it recognized a complex ketone in place of its smaller native substrate, and could tolerate the high temperature and organic cosolvent necessary to dissolve this ketone. This biocatalytic reaction improved the production efficiency of a drug that treats diabetes. Synthetic enzymes catalyze a carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction with high stereoselectivity and substrate specificity. The Diels-Alder reaction is a cornerstone in organic synthesis, forming two carbon-carbon bonds and up to four new stereogenic centers in one step. No naturally occurring enzymes have been shown to catalyze bimolecular Diels-Alder reactions. We describe the de novo computational design and experimental characterization of enzymes catalyzing a bimolecular Diels-Alder reaction with high stereoselectivity and substrate specificity. X-ray crystallography confirms that the structure matches the design for the most active of the enzymes, and binding site substitutions reprogram the substrate specificity. Designed stereoselective catalysts for carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions should be broadly useful in synthetic chemistry.

Palladium-catalyzed carboamination of alkenes promoted by N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide via C-H activation of arenes.

This report describes a unique Pd-catalyzed oxidative carboamination of protected aminoalkenes in which inexpensive unactivated nucleophilic arenes are incorporated to give carboamination products in good yields. A variety of protected amide and carbamate groups are tolerated, and various five-, six-, and seven-membered rings are formed in good yields. Under these conditions, halobenzenes are activated at the C-H bond rather than the C-X bond, and very high regioselectivity for the para substitution product is observed in all cases. We propose that this carboamination takes place via electrophilic aromatic substitution of a Pd(IV) alkyl intermediate.

Palladium-Catalyzed Diamination of Unactivated Alkenes Using N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide as Source of Electrophilic Nitrogen

A remarkable Pd-catalyzed diamination of unactivated alkenes using N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFBS) as an aminating reagent is described. The reaction occurs in an intra/intermolecular fashion, incorporating one nitrogen donor from the substrate and the other from the NFBS, thereby generating cyclic diamine derivatives in a single step. The products are differentially protected at both nitrogens, allowing for maximal synthetic flexibility. The intermediacy of the Pd(IV) species is proposed to be responsible for the unusual reactivity of NFBS.

Mechanistic Studies of a Palladium-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroamination of Unactivated Alkenes: Protonolysis of a Stable Palladium Alkyl Complex Is the Turnover-Limiting Step

Mechanistic studies of the intramolecular hydroamination of unactivated aminoalkenes catalyzed by a dicationic [bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)pyridine]palladium complex highlight the important role that protonolysis plays in this reaction. Coordination of the aminoalkene substrate to this complex activates the alkene toward intramolecular nucleophilic attack to form a dicationic palladium alkyl complex (6). A stable monocationic palladium alkyl complex (7) was isolated by in situ deprotonation of 6 with mild base, and its structure was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Complex 7 reacted rapidly with a variety of strong acids to undergo protonolysis, resulting in formation of hydroamination product 3 and regenerating the active catalyst. Evidence that formation of the palladium alkyl complex is reversible under the catalytic conditions was obtained from observation of the protonolysis at low temperature. During the course of all catalytic reactions, the resting state of the catalyst was palladium alkyl complex 7, indicating that protonolysis of the Pd-C bond was the turnover-limiting step. Kinetic studies reveal an unusual inverse dependence of the reaction rate on the concentration of the aminoalkene substrate. This effect can be accurately explained by a model in which the carbamate protecting group of the aminoalkene acts as a Brønsted base to remove free protons from the catalytic cycle and thereby inhibits the turnover-limiting protonolysis step. Formation of a 2:1 complex (12) between the carbamate and the proton is most consistent with the kinetic data.

Metal-Free Highly Regioselective Aminotrifluoroacetoxylation of Alkenes

We report a highly regioselective metal-free oxidative cyclization of sulfonamides onto tethered, unactivated alkenes using hypervalent iodine and Brønsted acids. Under these conditions the acid counterion is incorporated into the cyclized products providing an overall aminotrifluoroacetoxylation of the alkene. An unusual preference for endo ring closure is exhibited in contrast to existing exo selective methods. Multiple ring sizes can be formed to access functionalized pyrrolidines, piperidines, and azepanes with a general preference for endo cyclization. A variety of substrate substitution patterns were tolerated to provide nitrogen-containing heterocycles with high regioselectivities and good to excellent diastereoselectivities.

Enantioselective Palladium-Catalyzed Diamination of Alkenes Using N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide

An enantioselective Pd-catalyzed vicinal diamination of unactivated alkenes using N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide as both an oxidant and a source of nitrogen is reported. The use of Ph-pybox and Ph-quinox ligands afforded differentially protected vicinal diamines in good yields with high enantioselectivities. Mechanistic experiments revealed that the high enantioselectivity arises from selective formation of only one of four possible diastereomeric aminopalladation products of the chiral Pd complex. The aminopalladation complex was characterized by X-ray crystallography.

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular chloroamination of alkenes.

A mild and facile Pd-catalyzed intramolecular chloroamination of unactivated alkenes has been described. This reaction takes place at room temperature and is tolerant of synthetically useful acid-sensitive functional groups. Generally high exo-selectivities are observed in the formation of a variety of 5- and 6-membered rings. This system is unique in its ability to tolerate multidentate ligands on palladium, which opens up the possibility of controlling the absolute sense of induction using a chiral ligand.

Metal-Free Oxidative Cyclization of Urea-Tethered Alkenes with Hypervalent Iodine

A metal-free oxidative cyclization of ureas onto unactivated alkenes using iodosylbenzene and an acid promoter is described. The products isolated are predominantly bicyclic isoureas resulting from an intramolecular oxyamination reaction. The acid type and urea substitution have a strong effect on the product formed. A variety of substrates form the isourea with high diastereoselectivity via syn addition including di- and trisubstituted alkenes. Hydrolysis of the isourea gives access to new diastereomerically pure prolinol derivatives.

Thiophene based hyperbranched polymers with tunable branching using direct arylation methods

An efficient one-pot synthesis of branched poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (b-P3ATs) is achieved via a dehydrohalogenative polycondensation reaction. The structures of the b-P3ATs are assigned based on 1H NMR spectra by comparing them to a model dendritic polymer and oligo(3-hexylthiophene-2,4-diyl). The palladium-catalyzed dehydrohalogenative polycondensation of 2-bromo-3-alkylthiophenes was found to provide P3AT with tunable degree of branching (DB = 0–0.42) and high molecular weights. Viscosity measurements of the different b-P3ATs indicate that they display a more globular morphology compared to regiorandom P3AT and regioregular P3AT in solution, thereby confirming the branched structure.

Palladium-Catalyzed Alkoxyamination of Alkenes with Use of N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide as Oxidant

A Pd-catalyzed alkoxyamination of protected aminoalkenes promoted by N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide is described. This mild transformation allows the direct formation of ethers from carbon-carbon double bonds. An unusual switch from exo to endo selectivity in polar solvents was discovered, allowing the selective formation of either regioisomer by careful choice of reaction conditions.