Polymer Supported Proline-Based Organocatalysts in Asymmetric Aldol Reactions: A Review

The use of proline-based organocatalysts has acquired significant importance in organic synthesis, especially in enantioselective synthesis. Proline and its derivatives are proven to be quite effective chiral organocatalysts for a variety of transformations including the aldol reaction, which is considered as one of the important C-C bond forming reactions in organic synthesis. The use of chiral organocatalysts has several advantages over its metal-mediated analogues. Subsequently, a large number of highly efficient proline-based organocatalysts including polymer-supported chiral analogues have been identified for aldol reaction. The use of polymer-supported organocatalysts exhibited remarkable stability under the reaction conditions and offered the best results particularly in terms of its recyclability and reusability. These potential benefits along with its economic and green chemistry advantages have led to the search for many polymer-supported proline catalysts. In this review, recent developments in exploring various polymer immobilized proline-based chiral organocatalysts for asymmetric aldol reactions are described.

Organo-catalysis as emerging tools in organic synthesis: aldol and Michael reactions

Organocatalysis has occupied sustainable position in organic synthesis as a powerful tool for the synthesis of enantiomeric-rich compounds with multiple stereogenic centers. Among the various organic molecules for organocatalysis, the formation of carbon–carbon is viewed as a challenging issue in organic synthesis. The asymmetric aldol and Michael addition reactions are the most significant methods for C–C bond forming reactions. These protocols deliver a valuable path to access chiral molecules, which are useful synthetic hybrids in biologically potent candidates and desirable versatile pharmaceutical intermediates. This work highlighted the impact of organocatalytic aldol and Michael addition reactions in abundant solvent media. It focused on the crucial methods to construct valuable molecules with high enantio- and diastereo-selectivity.

Chiral Ionic Liquids Based on L-Cysteine Derivatives for Asymmetric Aldol Reaction

Structure, and consequently properties, of ionic liquids can be easily tailored by changing cation/anion combinations and/or attaching functional groups. By grafting enantiopure moieties to the framework of ionic liquid it is possible to prepare bioinspired chiral molecules that can serve as a reaction medium, additive or even asymmetric catalyst. In this context, new chiral ionic liquids (CILs), based on biomolecules, such as aminoacids (L-cysteine derivatives), have been synthesised and tested in asymmetric aldol condensation of aldehydes and ketones. The best results were obtained for CILs composed of S-methyl-L-cysteine cation and bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide anion, in the reaction of 2- or 4-nitrobenzaldehyde with acetone or cyclohexanone, giving the aldol product in moderate yields 70–76% and high ee values (up to 96%).

Investigation of microflow reactor diameter on condensation reactions in L-proline-immobilized polymer monoliths

The effect of monolith structure and monolith reactor inner diameter on residence time distribution (RTD), and the relationship between RTD and the catalytic efficiency of the asymmetric aldol addition reaction...

NMR relaxation time measurements of solvent effects in an organocatalysed asymmetric aldol reaction over silica SBA-15 supported proline

Immobilisation of organocatalysts onto solid supports represents a very promising solution to tackle their low productivity by enabling their reuse. Herein, the use of NMR relaxation measurements, coupled with reaction...

New Mechanistic Approach in the Enamine-Based Asymmetric Organocatalysis

During the course of my research in asymmetric organocatalysis the inversion of enantioselectivity was observed in the asymmetric aldol reactions of acetone with different aldehydes catalyzed by amphiphilic proline derivatives in aqueous media varying only achiral components. It was not possible to explain the explored dual stereocontrol with the existing models, therefore I proposed a new mechanism for asymmetric aldol reactions catalyzed by l-amino acid derivatives in aqueous media and explained the explored phenomenon of inversion of enantioselectivity with different structures of micelle-stabilized transition state described as a metal-free version of the Zimmermann-Traxler model with explicit participation of a water molecule. Contrary to the existing models, according to the proposed mechanism the formation of new bonds proceeds directly in the transition state stabilized by a water molecule without the additional step of product iminium ion hydrolysis. The proposed mechanism has universal character, it is consistent with experimental results and general theoretical conceptions and it is applicable to all enamine-based asymmetric organocatalytic reactions carried out not only in aqueous, but in organic media as well, because the initial step of catalytic cycle, which involves the formation of an enamine from the carbonyl compound and proline (derivative), liberates one water molecule.

Towards a Total Synthesis of Peloruside A and the Preparation of Selected Inositol Derivatives

<p>This thesis covers two broad areas of work under the general theme of the synthesis of bioactive and/or synthetically useful compounds based on natural products or deriving from the chiral pool. Chapters one, two and three focus on the marine secondary metabolite peloruside A (1), which has been shown to stabilise microtubules during mitosis and hence cause apoptosis (cell death) in a similar manner to the very successful anticancer drug Taxol. A synthetic program with the aim of devising a total synthesis was initiated at Victoria University of Wellington after peloruside A's discovery in 1999. Four synthetic disconnects were identified in the retrosynthetic analysis of peloruside A: to give the C-l to C-2 fragment; the C-3 to C-7 fragment; the C-8 to C-11 fragments; and the C-12 to C-24 fragment. The C-7 to C-8 bond was to be formed via an asymmetric aldol reaction to give the pyranose ring fragment (highlighted in blue). In this thesis, the synthesis of the C-3 to C-7 fragment is described. A1do1 reactions with the C-8 to C- 11 ketone have been investigated, and subsequent progress towards the assembly of the pyranose ring fragment is presented. Chapters four, five, six and seven describe the preparation of selected synthetically and biologically useful derivatives of the commercially available inositols, quebrachitol (L-chiro-inositol-2-methyl ether) and myo-inositol. The butane di-acetal (BDA) derivatives 293, 300, and 301 (as well as acetylated and methylated derivatives thereof) were prepared during work directed towards the synthesis of the inositol core of a phosphatidylinositol manno-oligosaccharide (PIM-6) isolated from Mycobacterium bovis and M. smegmatis. Quebrachitol derivatives 305, 306 and 307 were prepared and subsequently tested against myoinositol (the optimal competitor) in biological uptake assays of the microorganisms, Candida albicans and Leishmania donovani. For both microorganisms, the mono- and di-O-methylated L-chiro-inositol derivatives 307 and 305, as well as quebrachitol, gave significant inhibition results, with P values from P < 0.001 to P < 0.05 for paired-sample t-test analyses, i.e.99.9% to 95% confidence for significant inhibition, respectively. The benzoylated derivative 306 did not induce any inhibition of myo-inositol uptake. Myo-inositol is the most abundant of the inositols in nature and is readily available. However, as it is a meso compound, one of the key challenges in the use of myoinositol as a synthetic precursor is an efficient resolution method. The formation of myo-inositol camphanylidene acetal 269a is one successful solution, and work done in an attempt to better understand the selectivity of the reaction is reported here. Also, process development work was done to adapt the preparation so that it was suitable for scale-up, and a subsequent large scale synthesis of the acetal was undertaken. Previously unpublished X-ray crystal structures were obtained for 269a and, for two of the diastereomeric impurities of the reaction.</p>

Towards a Total Synthesis of Peloruside A and the Preparation of Selected Inositol Derivatives

<p>This thesis covers two broad areas of work under the general theme of the synthesis of bioactive and/or synthetically useful compounds based on natural products or deriving from the chiral pool. Chapters one, two and three focus on the marine secondary metabolite peloruside A (1), which has been shown to stabilise microtubules during mitosis and hence cause apoptosis (cell death) in a similar manner to the very successful anticancer drug Taxol. A synthetic program with the aim of devising a total synthesis was initiated at Victoria University of Wellington after peloruside A's discovery in 1999. Four synthetic disconnects were identified in the retrosynthetic analysis of peloruside A: to give the C-l to C-2 fragment; the C-3 to C-7 fragment; the C-8 to C-11 fragments; and the C-12 to C-24 fragment. The C-7 to C-8 bond was to be formed via an asymmetric aldol reaction to give the pyranose ring fragment (highlighted in blue). In this thesis, the synthesis of the C-3 to C-7 fragment is described. A1do1 reactions with the C-8 to C- 11 ketone have been investigated, and subsequent progress towards the assembly of the pyranose ring fragment is presented. Chapters four, five, six and seven describe the preparation of selected synthetically and biologically useful derivatives of the commercially available inositols, quebrachitol (L-chiro-inositol-2-methyl ether) and myo-inositol. The butane di-acetal (BDA) derivatives 293, 300, and 301 (as well as acetylated and methylated derivatives thereof) were prepared during work directed towards the synthesis of the inositol core of a phosphatidylinositol manno-oligosaccharide (PIM-6) isolated from Mycobacterium bovis and M. smegmatis. Quebrachitol derivatives 305, 306 and 307 were prepared and subsequently tested against myoinositol (the optimal competitor) in biological uptake assays of the microorganisms, Candida albicans and Leishmania donovani. For both microorganisms, the mono- and di-O-methylated L-chiro-inositol derivatives 307 and 305, as well as quebrachitol, gave significant inhibition results, with P values from P < 0.001 to P < 0.05 for paired-sample t-test analyses, i.e.99.9% to 95% confidence for significant inhibition, respectively. The benzoylated derivative 306 did not induce any inhibition of myo-inositol uptake. Myo-inositol is the most abundant of the inositols in nature and is readily available. However, as it is a meso compound, one of the key challenges in the use of myoinositol as a synthetic precursor is an efficient resolution method. The formation of myo-inositol camphanylidene acetal 269a is one successful solution, and work done in an attempt to better understand the selectivity of the reaction is reported here. Also, process development work was done to adapt the preparation so that it was suitable for scale-up, and a subsequent large scale synthesis of the acetal was undertaken. Previously unpublished X-ray crystal structures were obtained for 269a and, for two of the diastereomeric impurities of the reaction.</p>

Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of Alkenyl Esters with α-Ketoesters Catalyzed by Chiral Tin Alkoxides

A catalytic enantioselective aldol reaction of alkenyl esters with α-ketoesters was achieved using an (R)-BINOL-derived chiral tin dibromide possessing a 4-t-butylphenyl group at 3- and 3’-positions as the chiral precatalyst in the presence of sodium methoxide and methanol. Optically active aldol products possessing a chiral tertiary carbon with up to 92% ee were diastereoselectively obtained in moderate to high yields not only from cyclic alkenyl esters but also from acyclic ones under the influence of the in situ generated chiral tin methoxide.