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An effective strategy has been developed for the efficient site-selective epoxidation of poylolefinic isoprenoid alcohols, based on the use of an internal control element for intramolecular reaction. The approach is illustrated by application to a series of polyisoprenoid alcohols (polyprenols) at substrate concentration of 0.5 mM. With polyprenol substrates having the hydroxyl function at one terminus, the internal epoxidation can be directed at the double bond of the polyprenol, which is either four or five away from the terminal hydroxyprenyl subunit.

Highly enantioselective catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid imidazolides and simple amides was developed. In the presence of 5–10 mol% of lanthanide–BINOL complexes, the reaction proceeded smoothly with high substrate generality. In particular, in the cases of α,β-unsaturated amides, there was nearly perfect enantioselectivity (>99% ee). The corresponding epoxides were successfully transformed into many types of useful chiral compounds such as α,β-epoxy esters, α,β-epoxy amides, α,β-epoxy aldehydes, α,β-epoxy β-keto ester, and α- and β-hydroxy carbonyl compounds. B3LYP density functional studies were performed to predict substrate reactivity.

An analysis is presented to explain the faster rate of ring formation 5 --> 7 as compared to 6 --> 8.

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).

Full details of the kinetic resolution of tertiary nitroaldols derived from simple ketones are described. Mixed BINOL/biphenol La–Li heterobimetallic complexes gave the best selectivity in retro-nitroaldol reactions of racemic tertiary nitroaldols. Using a 2:1 mixture of La–Li3-(binaphthoxide 1a)3 complex (LLB) and La–Li3-(biphenoxide 1e)3 complex, chiral tertiary nitroaldols were obtained in 80–97% ee and 30–47% recovery yield. Transformations of products were also investigated.

syn-Selective catalytic asymmetric nitro-Mannich reactions using a heterobimetallic Cu/Sm/Schiff base complex are described. The present method is complementary to the previously reported methods, and products were obtained in high syn-selectivity (>20:1), yield (99−62%), and enantioselectivity (98−83% ee). Both Cu and Sm metals, aligned suitably in a dinucleating Schiff base ligand, were essential to realize high syn-selectivity.

[reaction: see text] A novel catalytic system has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of beta-lactones from ketene and aldehydes.

Full details of the kinetic resolution of tertiary nitroaldols derived from simple ketones are described. Mixed BINOL/biphenol La–Li heterobimetallic complexes gave the best selectivity in retro-nitroaldol reactions of racemic tertiary nitroaldols. Using a 2:1 mixture of La–Li3-(binaphthoxide 1a)3 complex (LLB) and La–Li3-(biphenoxide 1e)3 complex, chiral tertiary nitroaldols were obtained in 80–97% ee and 30–47% recovery yield. Transformations of products were also investigated.

We developed a versatile synthetic process for aeruginosin 298-A as well as several attractive analogues, in which all stereocenters were controlled by a catalytic asymmetric phase-transfer reaction and epoxidation. Furthermore, drastic counteranion effects in phase-transfer catalysis were observed for the first time, making it possible to three-dimensionally fine-tune the catalyst (ketal part, aromatic part, and counteranion).

The development of a direct catalytic asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction and the nature of its catalyst are described. An aldol-Tishchenko reaction of various propiophenone derivatives with aromatic aldehydes was promoted by [LaLi 3 (binol) 3 ] (LLB), and reactivity and enantioselectivity were dramatically enhanced by the addition of lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiOTf). First, we observed a dynamic structural change of LLB by the addition of LiOTf using 1 3 C NMR spectroscopy, electronspray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and cold-spray ionization mass spectrometry (CSI-MS). X-ray crystallography revealed that the structure of the newly generated self-assembled complex was a binuclear [La 2 Li 4 (binaphthoxide) 5 ] complex 6. A reverse structural change of complex 6 to LLB by the addition of one equivalent of Li 2 (binol) was also confirmed by ESI-MS and experimental results. The drastic concentration effects on the direct catalytic asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction suggested that the addition of LiOTf to LLB generated an active oligomeric catalyst species.

A direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of propionate equivalent was achieved via the aldol-Tishchenko reaction. Coupling an irreversible Tishchenko reaction to a reversible aldol reaction overcame the retro-aldol reaction problem and thereby afforded the products in high enantio and diastereoselectivity using 10 mol % of the asymmetric catalyst. A variety of ketones and aldehydes, including propyl and butyl ketones, were coupled efficiently, yielding the corresponding aldol-Tishchenko products in up to 96% yield and 95% ee. Diastereoselectivity was generally below the detection limit of 1H NMR (>98:2). Preliminary studies performed to clarify the mechanism revealed that the aldol products were racemic with no diastereoselectivity. On the other hand, the Tishchenko products were obtained in a highly enantiocontrolled manner.

Aeruginosin 298-A was isolated from the freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (NIES-298) and is an equipotent thrombin and trypsin inhibitor. A variety of analogs were synthesized to gain insight into the structure–activity relations. We developed a versatile synthetic process for aeruginosin 298-A as well as several attractive analogs, in which all stereocenters were controlled by catalytic asymmetric phase-transfer reaction promoted by two-center asymmetric catalysts and catalytic asymmetric epoxidation promoted by a lanthanide–BINOL complex. Furthermore, serine protease inhibitory activities of aeruginosin 298-A and its analogs were examined.

The catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides using Sm-BINOL-Ph3As=O complex was succeeded. Using 5-10 mol % of the asymmetric catalyst, a variety of amides were epoxidized efficiently, yielding the corresponding alpha,beta-epoxy amides in up to 99% yield and in more than 99% ee. Moreover, the novel one-pot tandem process, one-pot tandem catalytic asymmetric epoxidation-Pd-catalyzed epoxide opening process, was developed. This method was successfully utilized for the efficient synthesis of beta-aryl alpha-hydroxy amides, including beta-aryllactyl-leucine methyl esters. Interestingly, it was found that beneficial modifications on the Pd catalyst were achieved by the constituents of the first epoxidation, producing a more suitable catalyst for the Pd-catalyzed epoxide opening reaction in terms of chemoselectivity.