Acyl iminium ions addition reactions

The stereoselective addition of the titanium enolate of A-acetyl-4-phenyl-l,3-thiazolidine-2-thione 153 to the cyclic A-acyl iminium ion 154 is utilized in the synthesis of (-)-stemoamide, a tricyclic alkaloid <06JOC3287>. The iminium ion addition product 155 undergoes magnesium bromide-catalyzed awtz-aldol reaction with cinnamaldehyde 156 to give adduct 157, which possesses the required stereochemistry of all chiral centers for the synthesis of (-)-stemoamide. 

Complex multi-ring heterocyclic molecules like 136 have been prepared in one pot and under mild conditions by combining a base-catalyzed intermolecular Michael addition reaction of an a,p-unsaturated carbonyl compound and a suitable p-ketoamide pronucleophile with an acid-catalyzed intramolecular N-acyl iminium ion cyclization of the resulting adduct (Scheme 3.40). 

Jacobsen has also developed an organocatalysed asymmetric addition of nucleophiles with iV-acyl-iminium ions (Pictet-Spengler) and oxocarbe-nium ions, potentially useful reactions in medicinal chemistry (Scheme 14.97). The mechanism involves the formation of an anionic catalyst-chloride complex which acts as a chiral counter ion directing the approach of nucleophiles to one face of the cationic species. 

Acid-catalyzed iminium ion 57 fonnation is followed by isocyanide 54 addition and capture of the remaining nitrilium ion 58 by the carboxylate of 56 to generate compound 59. A rapid O N acyl transfer takes then place in order to obtain dipeptide 60 as a mixture of epimers at C4. Although the control of the stereochanistry of the newly formed stereocenter still remains a problan of the Ugi reaction, it nicely demonstrates the force of the Ugi MCR, as all of the carbon atoms needed are successively assanbled in a single step [22], Mannich-type 4CR are often used for the synthesis of natural products. One example is the synthesis of the alkaloid ( )-roelactamine 65 (Scheme 6.6). The reaction of piperonal 61 with methylamine, Grignard reagent 62, and acid chloride 63 results in the formation of amide 64, which... 

---