Search

The development of multikilogram scale green and economical synthetic route of enantiomerically pure cis-4-amino-3-fluoro-1-methylpiperidine 1 is described. The synthesis features a highly regio-, ...

Copper catalyzed regioselective and stereospecific coupling between aziridines and

High-performance composite films based on ionic liquids (ILs) and two-dimensional MoS2 have attracted considerable attention because of their unique structure and properties, especially in the field of lubrication. Ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets obtained via a liquid exfoliation process exhibited good dispersion in the organic solution of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4) without the addition of any other additives. A series of uniform composite films with different amounts of MoS2 were spin-coated onto the hydroxylated Si/SiO2 wafers, and the tribological performance of the composite films was studied. The load-carrying capacity and anti-wear properties of the IL films were greatly improved with the addition of MoS2 nanosheets, and the enhanced tribological properties of the composite films were attributed to the synergistic effect of the IL and MoS2. The low-friction composite films may provide a kind of reference and be useful for the design of ultralow friction films for practical lubrication applications.

The direct arylation of pyridine substrates using non-precious catalysts is underdeveloped but highly desirable due to its efficiency to access important motifs while being extremely cost-effective. The first nickel-catalyzed C-3 direct arylation of pyridine derivatives to provide a new approach to valuable 1-azafluorene pharmacophore frameworks was developed. This transformation is accomplished using air-stable nickel catalyst precursors combined with phenanthroline ligands and tolerates a variety of substituents. Computational studies suggest facile oxidative addition via the pyridinium form, deprotonation, and a subsequent carbo-nickelation cyclization. Nickel homolysis/recombination permits isomerization to the stereochemical array needed for the final elimination.

An enantioselective copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of Me2Zn to (Z)-nitroalkenes led to the formation of all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers with high stereoselectivity. The key features of the new method are the unprecedented use of [(MeCN)4Cu]PF6 in conjunction with the Hoveyda ligand L1 and the use of (Z)-nitroalkene substrates so that undesired nitroalkene isomerization is minimized and enantioselectivity is enhanced dramatically. We also describe a novel, practical, and highly (Z)-selective nitroalkene synthesis.

A series of efficient ruthenium catalysts has been developed for the asymmetric hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of ketones with high reactivities and selectivities. The new chiral bisdihydrobenzooxaphosphole (BIBOP)/diamine-ruthenium complexes catalyzed the enantioselective hydrogenation of substrates such as aryl and heteroaryl cyclic and alkyl ketones with substrate/catalyst (S/C) ratios of up to 100,000. The opposite sense of enantioselectivity can be obtained by proper selection of a diamine with a given chirality of the phosphine. The usefulness of the new system has been demonstrated in the asymmetric hydrogenation of a complex synthetic intermediate towards cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors at S/C 20,000 on large-scale operation.

A concise asymmetric synthesis of an 11β-HSD-1 inhibitor has been achieved using inexpensive starting materials with excellent step-economy at low catalyst loadings. The catalytic enantioselective total synthesis of 1 was accomplished in 7 steps and 38% overall yield aided by the development of an innovative, sequential strategy involving Pd-catalyzed pyridinium C–H arylation and Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of the resulting fused tricyclic indenopyridinium salt highlighted by the use of a unique P,N-ligand (MeO-BoQPhos) with 1000 ppm of [Ir(COD)Cl]2.

A potent reversible inhibitor of the cysteine protease cathepsin-S was prepared on large scale using a convergent synthetic route, free of chromatography and cryogenics. Late-stage peptide coupling of a chiral urea acid fragment with a functionalized aminonitrile was employed to prepare the target, using 2-hydroxypyridine as a robust, nonexplosive replacement for HOBT. The two key intermediates were prepared using a modified Strecker reaction for the aminonitrile and a phosphonation-olefination-rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation sequence for the urea. A palladium-catalyzed vinyl transfer coupled with a Claisen reaction was used to produce the aldehyde required for the side chain. Key scale up issues, safety calorimetry, and optimization of all steps for multikilogram production are discussed.

We describe the Ru-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction of a densely functionalized diene leading to the 15-membered ring of HCV protease inhibitor BILN 2061. The evaluation of several catalysts led us to the discovery of a new epimerization reaction which plagued our initial attempts to scale-up the reaction. A mechanistic study of this side reaction is described. Factors that may contribute to render our RCM sub-optimal were identified in the low initiation rate of the best catalyst (first-generation Hoveyda), to yield what seems to be a highly stabilized and perhaps catalytically inactive intermediate. Preliminary efforts to affect the initiation site by substrate modification are also discussed.

The ring-closing metathesis (RCM) step, a key reaction in our process to BILN 2061, was dramatically improved from the first-generation process by the selection of a more appropriate substrate as well as the use of a more effective catalyst. The two RCM reactions are compared in detail using criteria that are of high significance to the process chemist.

A novel ruthenium carbene-catalyzed epimerization of vinylcyclopropanes is reported. The reaction rate strongly depends on the presence of ruthenium ligands in solution. When the first-generation Grubbs catalyst is employed, a 5.3:1 equilibrium ratio of epimers is established quickly, but when a first-generation Hoveyda catalyst is employed, epimerization is observed only if an additional phosphine or nitrogen ligand is added. NMR and kinetic studies suggest that the isomerization reaction occurs through the intermediacy of a ruthenacyclopentene. The observation suggests that cyclopropylmethylidene ruthenium carbenes of synthetic utility may be accessible via ruthenacyclopentenes obtained via other routes.

trans-Selective (≥98%) monoalkynylation of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes and 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenes catalyzed by Cl2Pd(DPEphos) followed by stereospecific methylation with Me2Zn or MeZnX (X= Cl or Br) catalyzed by Pd(tBu3P)2 provides an efficient and stereoselective (≥98%) route to 5, convertible to a wide variety of enynes and conjugated dienes. In the cases of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes, the Sonogashira alkynylation may also be satisfactory, but it is distinctly less satisfactory than the alkynylzinc reaction in cases where 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenes are used.

The new method for the title reaction features the unprecedented use of [Cu(MeCN)]PF6/LIG and (Z)-nitroalkenes.

A practical sequence involving a noncryogenic stereospecific boronate rearrangement followed by a robust formylation with an in situ generated DCM anion has been developed for the asymmetric construction of an all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center of a FLAP inhibitor. The key boronate rearrangement was rendered noncryogenic and robust by using LDA as the base and instituting an in situ trapping of the unstable lithiated benzylic carbamate with the boronic ester. A similar strategy was implemented for the DCM formylation reaction. It was found that the 1,2-boronate rearrangement for the formylation reaction could be temperature-controlled, thus preventing overaddition of the DCM anion and rendering the process reproducible. The robust stereospecific boronate rearrangement and formylation were utilized for the practical asymmetric synthesis of a chiral quaternary FLAP inhibitor.

An enantioselective copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of Me2Zn to (Z)-nitroalkenes led to the formation of all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers with high stereoselectivity. The key features of the new method are the unprecedented use of [(MeCN)4Cu]PF6 in conjunction with the Hoveyda ligand L1 and the use of (Z)-nitroalkene substrates so that undesired nitroalkene isomerization is minimized and enantioselectivity is enhanced dramatically. We also describe a novel, practical, and highly (Z)-selective nitroalkene synthesis.

A highly convergent large scale synthesis of a 15-membered macrocyclic hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor BI 201302 was achieved, in which the key features are the practical macrocyclization by Ru-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis (0.1 mol % Grela catalyst, 0.1–0.2 M concentration) and the efficient sulfone-mediated SNAr reaction.

The Pd-catalyzed trans-selective monoalkynylation of 1,1-dihalo-1-alkenes with XZnC CSiMe3, where X is Br or Cl, can proceed generally in excellent yields in the presence of Pd(DPEphos)Cl2 or Pd(dppf)Cl2, and subsequent alkylation with methyl- and ethylzincs can proceed in excellent yields with ≥98% retention of configuration in the presence of Pd(tBu3P)2 as a catalyst.

[structure: see text] 6,7-Dehydrostipiamide has been synthesized in 23% yield in 15 steps in the longest linear sequence through the application of the Zr-catalyzed asymmetric carboalumination and the Pd-catalyzed organozinc cross-coupling in addition to the Brown crotylboration, the Corey-Peterson olefination, and the Corey-Fuchs reaction for carbon-carbon bond formation.

The Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 2-bromo-1,3-dienes derived from alkyl aldehydes, especially with Cl2Pd(DPEphos) as a catalyst, proceeds with clean stereoinversion of the Br-bearing C=C bond to produce in high yields and in high stereoselectivity (/=97-98%) conjugated Z,E dienes of potentially high utility in the synthesis of complex natural products. The observed stereoinversion cannot be readily accommodated by the widely accepted pi-sigma-pi rearrangement mechanism for isomerization of ordinary allylpalladium derivatives.

[reaction: see text] trans-Selective (or=98%) monoalkynylation of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes and 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenes catalyzed by Cl(2)Pd(DPEphos) followed by stereospecific methylation with Me(2)Zn or MeZnX (X= Cl or Br) catalyzed by Pd((t)()Bu(3)P)(2) provides an efficient and stereoselective (or=98%) route to 5, convertible to a wide variety of enynes and conjugated dienes. In the cases of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes, the Sonogashira alkynylation may also be satisfactory, but it is distinctly less satisfactory than the alkynylzinc reaction in cases where 1,1-dichloro-1-alkenes are used.