Wei-Ping Deng

Catalytic Asymmetric Construction of Quaternary α‐Amino Acid Containing Pyrrolidines through 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloaddition of Azomethine Ylides to α‐Aminoacrylates

The first catalytic enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to α-aminoacrylate catalyzed by a AgOAc/ferrocenyl oxazolinylphosphine (FOXAP) system was developed, which exhibits excellent exo- and enantioselectivity (92-99 % ee). This process provides efficient access to useful 4-aminopyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (APDC)-like compounds containing a unique quaternary α-amino acid unit.

Iron-catalysed tandem cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of terminal allylic C(sp3) to C(sp2) of styrene and benzoannulation in the synthesis of polysubstituted naphthalenes

A novel iron-catalysed tandem cross-dehydrogenative coupling and benzoannulation process was developed for the synthesis of biologically and synthetically important polysubstituted naphthalene derivatives from simple 1,2-aryl-propenes and styrenes in moderate to good yields.

Asymmetric Construction of Spirocyclic Pyrrolidine-thia(oxa)zolidinediones via N,O-Ligand/Cu(I) Catalyzed 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Azomethine Ylides with 5-Alkylidene Thia(oxa)zolidine-2,4-diones

A highly efficient asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to 5-alkylidene thia(oxa)zolidine-2,4-diones catalyzed by a chiral N,O-ligand/Cu(CH3CN)4BF4 system is reported, affording structurally novel spirocyclic pyrrolidine-thia(oxa)zolidinediones with a spiro-heteroquaternary stereogenic center in good to excellent yields (up to 99%), with excellent levels of diastereo- and enantioselectivity (dr up to 99:1; ee up to 98%).

A ferrocenyl-DHIPOH/Cu(OAc)2 complex for diastereo- and enantioselective catalysis of the 1,4-addition of glycine derivatives to alkylidene malonates.

A planar chiral ferrocene derivative Fc-DHIPOH served as an excellent N,O- chiral ligand for asymmetric copper catalyzed 1,4-addition of glycine derivatives to alkylidene malonates. The corresponding 1,4-adducts were obtained in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities up to 95% ee.

Synthesis of azetidines and pyrrolidines via iodocyclisation of homoallyl amines and exploration of activity in a zebrafish embryo assay

Room temperature iodocyclisation of homoallylamines stereoselectively delivers functionalised 2-(iodomethyl)azetidine derivatives in high yield. Increasing reaction temperature from 20 °C to 50 °C switches the reaction outcome to realise the stereoselective formation of functionalised 3-iodopyrrolidine derivatives. It was shown that these pyrrolidines are formed via thermal isomerisation of the aforementioned azetidines. Primary and secondary amines could be reacted with iodomethyl azetidine derivatives to deliver stable methylamino azetidine derivatives. With subtle changes to the reaction sequences homoallyl amines could be stereoselectively converted to either cis- or trans-substituted 3-amino pyrrolidine derivatives at will. The stereochemical divergent synthesis of cis and trans substituted pyrrolidines supports an ion part, aziridinium, isomerisation pathway for azetidine to pyrrolidine isomerisation. Six azetidine derivatives were probed in a zebrafish embryo developmental assay to detect potential biological effects through the analysis of morphology and motility behaviour phenotypes. The range of effects across the probed molecules demonstrates the suitability of this assay for screening azetidine derivatives. One of the probed molecules, rac-(((cis)-1-benzyl-4-phenylazetidin-2-yl)methyl)piperidine, exhibited particularly interesting effects in the developmental assay presenting with hypopigmentation and reduced circulation amongst others. This shows that the zebrafish embryo provides a fast, sensitive and effective way to screen new compounds and in the future in combination with existing in vivo and in vitro assays it will become an integral part in drug discovery and development.

Regioselective Metal-Free One-Pot Synthesis of Functionalized 2-Aminothiophene Derivatives

A facile metal-free synthesis of 2-aminothiophene derivatives by the reaction of 2-ynals with thioamides in alcohols has been developed. This transformation allows the assembly of 2-aminothienyl ether derivatives via a well-designed aldol condensation/regioselective intramolecular cyclization/conjugate addition cascade reaction and provides a straightforward synthetic protocol for constructing 2,3,5-trisubstituted 2-aminothiophenes.

Chiral N,O-Ligand/[Cu(OAc)2]-Catalyzed Asymmetric Construction of 4-Aminopyrrolidine Derivatives by 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Azomethine Ylides with α-Phthalimidoacrylates

A protocol to access useful 4-aminopyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate derivatives has been developed. A variety of chiral N,O-ligands derived from 2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine motifs have been evaluated in the asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to α-phthalimidoacrylates. Reactions catalyzed by copper in combination with ligand 7-Cl-DHIPOH provided the highest level of stereoselectivity for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. The reaction tolerates both β-substituted and β-unsubstituted α-phthalimidoacrylate as dipolarophiles, affording the corresponding quaternary 4-aminopyrrolidine cycloadducts with excellent diastereo- (>98:2 d.r.) and enantioselectivities (up to 97 % ee). Removal of the phthalimido protecting group can be accomplished by a simple NaBH4 reduction. Theoretical calculations employing DFT methods show this cycloaddition reaction is likely to proceed through a stepwise mechanism and the stereochemistry was also theoretically rationalized.

Optically pure bulky (hetero)arylalkyl carbinols via kinetic resolution.

Planar chiral nucleophilic catalyst Fc-PIP was employed in the kinetic resolution of bulky (hetero)arylalkyl carbinols delivering unreacted alcohols with extremely high enantiomeric excess (>99.0% ees) in ideal conversions ranging from 50.4-56.7%.

Novel N , O -Cu(OAc) 2 complex catalysed diastereo- and enantioselective 1,4-addition of glycine derivatives to alkylidene malonates

Newly developed chiral N,O-Cu(OAc)2 complexes were found to catalyse the diastereo- and enantioselective 1,4-addition of glycine derivatives to alkylidene malonates to afford 3-aryl glutamic acids derivatives in good yields (82–98%) and high stereoselectivities (up to 83% for anti and 90% for syn adducts, respectively). High optical purity anti adducts (up to 99% ee) can be obtained after simple recrystallisation, and their conversion to free 3-aryl glutamic acids was demonstrated by a representative example, chlorpheg, via a one pot process in 72% yield.

Highly Enantioselective Rhodium-Catalyzed Addition of Arylboroxines to Simple Aryl Ketones: Efficient Synthesis of Escitalopram.

Highly enantioselective additions of arylboroxines to simple aryl ketones have been achieved for the first time with a Rh/(R,R,R,R)-WingPhos catalyst, thus providing a range of chiral diaryl alkyl carbinols with excellent ee values and yields. (R,R,R,R)-WingPhos has been proven to be crucial for the high reactivity and enantioselectivity. The method has enabled a new, concise, and enantioselective synthesis of the antidepressant drug escitalopram.