Shinya Handa

Heterobimetallic Transition Metal/Rare Earth Metal Bifunctional Catalysis: A Cu/Sm/Schiff Base Complex for Syn-Selective Catalytic Asymmetric Nitro-Mannich Reaction

The full details of a catalytic asymmetric syn-selective nitro-Mannich reaction promoted by heterobimetallic Cu/Sm/dinucleating Schiff base complexes are described, demonstrating the effectiveness of the heterobimetallic transition metal/rare earth metal bifunctional catalysis. The first-generation system prepared from Cu(OAc)(2)/Sm(O-iPr)(3)/Schiff base 1a = 1:1:1 with an achiral phenol additive was partially successful for achieving the syn-selective catalytic asymmetric nitro-Mannich reaction. The substrate scope and limitations of the first-generation system remained problematic. After mechanistic studies on the catalyst prepared from Sm(O-iPr)(3), we reoptimized the catalyst preparation method, and a catalyst derived from Sm(5)O(O-iPr)(13) showed broader substrate generality as well as higher reactivity and stereoselectivity compared to Sm(O-iPr)(3). The optimal system with Sm(5)O(O-iPr)(13) was applicable to various aromatic, heteroaromatic, and isomerizable aliphatic N-Boc imines, giving products in 66-99% ee and syn/anti = >20:1-13:1. Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of nemonapride is also demonstrated using the catalyst derived from Sm(5)O(O-iPr)(13).

Stereodivergent Catalytic Doubly Diastereoselective Nitroaldol Reactions Using Heterobimetallic Complexes

Stereodivergent construction of three contiguous stereocenters in catalytic doubly diastereoselective nitroaldol reactions of alpha-chiral aldehydes with nitroacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal using two types of heterobimetallic catalysts is described. A La-Li-BINOL (LLB) catalyst afforded anti,syn-nitroaldol products in >20:1-14:1 selectivity, and a Pd/La/Schiff base catalyst afforded complimentary syn,syn-nitroaldol products in 10:1-5:1 selectivity.