Takahiro Horibe

Chiral Lithium(I) Binaphtholate Salts for the Enantioselective Direct Mannich-Type Reaction with a Change of Syn/Anti and Absolute Stereochemistry

A highly diastereo- and enantioselective direct Mannich-type reaction of aldimines with 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds using Li(I) BINOLate salts as effective Lewis acid-Brønsted base catalysts has been developed. Li(I) BINOLate salts offered high catalytic activity toward 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds such as diketone, ketoester, ketothioester, ketoamide, and ketolactone. The reactions proceeded at -78 degrees C within 1-2 h in the presence of 1-10 mol % catalyst, which showed a catalytic activity (turnover frequency = 284 h(-1)) quite unlike those of other previous catalysts. Anti products were selectively obtained from acyclic ketoesters without epimerization at an alpha-tertiary-carbon center, and these are valuable since previous catalysts often gave syn/anti mixtures or the stereochemistry has not yet been determined.

Magnesium(II)-Binaphtholate as a Practical Chiral Catalyst for the Enantioselective Direct Mannich-Type Reaction with Malonates

A highly enantioselective direct Mannich-type reaction of aldimines with dialkyl malonates was developed with the use of a Mg(II)-BINOLate salt, which was designed as a cooperative acid-base catalyst that can activate both aldimines and malonates. Optically active beta-aminoesters and alpha-halo-beta-aminoesters could be synthesized in high yields and with high enantioselectivities. This inexpensive and practical Mg(II)-BINOLate salt could be used in gram-scale catalysis.

Chiral magnesium(II) binaphtholates as cooperative Brønsted/Lewis acid-base catalysts for the highly enantioselective addition of phosphorus nucleophiles to α,β-unsaturated esters and ketones.

A little cooperation goes a long way: The cooperative Brønsted/Lewis acid-base supramolecular catalysts formed in situ from simple chiral magnesium(II) binaphtholate aqua complexes promoted the highly enantioselective 1,4-hydrophosphinylation of α,β-unsaturated esters with diaryl phosphine oxides and 1,2-hydrophosphonylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones with dialkyl phosphites (see scheme).

Enantioselective Cyanosilylation of Ketones with Lithium(I) Dicyanotrimethylsilicate(IV) Catalyzed by a Chiral Lithium(I) Phosphoryl Phenoxide

A highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones was developed by using a chiral lithium(I) phosphoryl phenoxide aqua complex as an acid/base cooperative catalyst. The pentacoordinate silicate generated in situ from Me3SiCN/LiCN acts as an extremely reactive cyano reagent. Described is a 30 gram scale reaction and the synthesis of the key precursor to (+)-13-hydroxyisocyclocelabenzine.

Selenium–Iodine Cooperative Catalyst for Chlorocyclization of Tryptamine Derivatives

Chlorocyclization of tryptamine derivatives has been developed with the use of a diphenyl diselenide-iodine cooperative catalyst. Various tryptamine derivatives can be smoothly converted to the corresponding C3a-chlorohexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indoles. Additionally, we demonstrate the formal total syntheses of (-)-psychotriasine and (-)-acetylardeemin by introducing nucleophiles to the C3a position of the products.