Zhuo Zheng

Highly Diastereo- and Enantioselective Cu-Catalyzed [3+3] Cycloaddition of Propargyl Esters with Cyclic Enamines toward Chiral Bicyclo[n.3.1] Frameworks

A new Cu-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 3] cycloaddition of propargyl esters with cyclic enamines is reported. With a combination of Cu(OAc)(2)·H(2)O and a chiral tridentate ferrocenyl-P,N,N ligand as the catalyst, perfect endo selectivities (endo/exo > 98/2) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) for endo cycloadducts were achieved under mild conditions. This method provides a simple and efficient approach for the synthesis of optically active bicyclo[n.3.1] frameworks.

Enantioselective epoxidation of olefins catalyzed by two novel chiral poly-salen-Mn(III) complexes

Two novel chiral poly-salen–Mn(III) complexes 1 and 2, derived from (R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and the disalicylaldehydes 5 and 6 were synthesized and employed in the enantioselective epoxidation of olefins. A range of 30–92% ee and 75–97% yield was achieved in NaClO/4-PPNO and m-CPBA/NMO oxidant systems when substituted styrenes and substituted 2,2-dimethylchromenes were used as substrates. Furthermore, the poly-salen–Mn(III) complexes could be recovered easily and recycled efficiently several times by a simple catalysis/separation method. After five reactions, an 82% ee and 78% yield of epoxide were obtained using 2,2-dimethylchromene as substrate.

New chiral ferrocenyl P,S-ligands for highly diastereo-/enantioselective catalytic [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with cyclic and acyclic enones.

A new family of chiral ferrocenyl P,S-ligands has been developed and successfully applied in a highly endo-selective catalytic asymmetric cycloaddition of azomethine ylides with various enones, including cyclic and acyclic α-enones. For cyclic α-enones, a [Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)]ClO(4)/(R(c),S(Fc))-2f complex catalyzed the cycloaddition to give the sole endo-cycloadducts in perfect enantioselectivities (normally 99% ee), while an AgOAc/(R(c),S(Fc))-2f catalytic system exhibited good endo/exo selectivities (endo/exo = 91/9 to 96/4) and high enantiocontrol (up to 98% ee) for acyclic α-enones.

Enantioselective Synthesis of β2-Amino Acids via Rh-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation with BoPhoz-Type Ligands: Important Influence of an N−H Proton in the Ligand on the Enantioselectivity

A series of BoPhoz-type ligands were successfully applied in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of a number of beta-substituted or unsubstituted alpha-(phthalimidomethyl)acrylates, affording good to excellent enantioselectivities. The results suggested that the presence of an N-H proton in the BoPhoz backbone could significantly improve the enantioselectivity, and ligand (Sc,Rp)-1d, bearing two CF3-groups in the 3,5-position of the phenyl ring of aminophosphino moiety, showed the highest enantioselectivity.

Readily available chiral phosphine-aminophosphine ligands for highly efficient Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of alpha-enol ester phosphonates and alpha-enamido phosphonates.

A new class of unsymmetrical hybrid phosphine--aminophosphine ligands has been prepared from commercially available, inexpensive (S)-1-phenylethylamine through a concise synthetic procedure. These ligands are not very sensitive to air and moisture, and displayed good enantioselectivities in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of various dimethyl alpha-benzoyloxyethenephosphonates bearing beta-aryl, beta-alkyl, and beta-alkoxy substituents and N-benzyloxycarbonyl alpha-enamido phosphonates, in which up to 97% ee was obtained. A side-by-side comparison study disclosed that these new phosphine--aminophosphine ligands showed better enantioselectivity than BoPhoz ligands.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Chiral α-Aryl or α-Alkyl Substituted Ethylphosphonates via Rh-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation with a P-Stereogenic BoPhoz-Type Ligand

An enantioselective synthesis of optically active 1-aryl or 1-alkyl substituted ethylphosphonates, based on the first Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of corresponding alpha,beta-unsaturated precursors with a P-stereogenic BoPhoz-type ligand under the mild condition, was developed, in which a wide range of 1-aryl or 1-alkyl substituted ethylphosphonates were achieved in up to 98% ee.

Highly Enantioselective Rh-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of β,γ-Unsaturated Phosphonates with Chiral Ferrocene-Based Monophosphoramidite Ligands

An enantioselective synthesis of chiral alkylphosphonates bearing a beta-stereogenic center, based on the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of corresponding beta-substituted beta,gamma-unsaturated phosphonates with a ferrocene-based monophosphoramidite ligand under the mild hydrogenation conditions, was developed, in which an ee value of up to 98% was obtained.

Enantioselective Synthesis of β-Aryl-γ-amino Acid Derivatives via Cu-Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,4-Reductions of γ-Phthalimido-Substituted α,β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acid Esters

A series of chiral beta-aryl-substituted gamma-amino butyric acid derivatives were synthesized in good enantioselectivities via the Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate reduction of gamma-phthalimido-alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid esters using Cu(OAc)2 x H2O as a catalyst precursor, (S)-BINAP as a ligand, PMHS as a hydride source, and t-BuOH as an additive. The methodology has been applied successfully to the enantioselective synthesis of a chiral pharmaceutical, (R)-baclofen.

Enantioselective Rh-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of 3-Aryl-4-phosphonobutenoates with a P-Stereogenic BoPhoz-Type Ligand

A series of chiral 3-aryl-4-phosphonobutyric acid esters were synthesized in high enantioselectivities (93-98% ee) via the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of the corresponding 3-aryl-4-phosphonobutenoates using a P-stereogenic BoPhoz-type phosphine-aminophosphine ligand. The methodology has been successfully applied to the asymmetric synthesis of a potential GABA(B) antagonist, (R)-phaclofen, in high enantioselectivity.

Readily available, recoverable and soluble polymer-monophosphite ligands for highly enantioselective Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation

A new family of readily available, recoverable and soluble polymer-monophosphite ligands were prepared and successfully used in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of enamides and beta-dehydroamino acid esters, in which up to 99 and 99.9% ee were obtained, respectively.