Aryl-imines, enantioselective reactions

Table 34.2 Selected results for the enantioselective hydrogenation of N-aryl imines 1 and 2 (for structures, see Fig. 34.4) Catalytic system, reaction conditions, enantioselectivity, productivity and activity.

F. Spindler, B. Pugin, H.-P. Jalett, H.-P. Buser, U. Pittelkow, H.-U Blaser, A Technically Useful Catalyst for the Homogeneous Enantioselective Hydrogenation of N-Aryl Imines A Case Study, in Catalysis of Organic Reactions (Ed. R. E. Maltz), Dekker, New York, 1996, pp. 153-168. 

Later in 2007, Gong utilized If and saturated derivative 2 in a direct Mannich reaction between in situ generated N-aryl imines and cyclic ketones as well aromatic ketones (Scheme 5.3) [10], It was found that electron poor anilines as coupling partners gave the highest enantioselectivities. The authors postulate that acid promoted enolization of the ketone forms the reactive enol which adds to the protonated aldimine. 

Dixon reported that saturated BINOL 45 sufficiently activates various N-Boc aryl imines toward Mannich reaction with acetophenone-derived enamines to yield P-amrno aryl ketones in good yields and enantioselectivities (Scheme 5.62) [116]. The same group applied a BINOL-derived tetraol catalyst to the addition of meth-yleneaminopyrroHdine to N-Boc aryl imines. Interestingly, appendage of two extra diarymethanol groups to the BINOL scaffold resulted in a marked increase in enantiomeric excess [117]. 

Some bifunctional 6 -OH Cinchona alkaloid derivatives catalyse the enantioselective hydroxyalkylation of indoles by aldehydes and a-keto esters.44 Indole, for example, can react with ethyl glyoxylate to give mainly (39) in 93% ee. The enan- tioselective reaction of indoles with iV-sulfonyl aldimines [e.g. (40)] is catalysed by the Cu(OTf)2 complex of (S)-benzylbisoxazoline (37b) to form 3-indolylmethanamine derivatives, in up to 96% ee [e.g. (41a)] 45 Some 9-thiourea Cinchona alkaloids have been found to catalyse the formation of 3-indolylmethanamines [e.g. (41b)] from indoles and /V-PhS02-phenyli mines in 90% ee.46 Aryl- and alkyl-imines also give enantioselective reactions. 

Ir-f-binaphane complexes show good to excellent enantioselectivities but modest TONs and low TOFs for the hydrogenation of A -aryl imines with the general structure 27 (Table 15.3).14 The reaction has to be performed in poorly coordinating solvents such as dichloromethane and at a relatively high hydrogen pressure. As with the Ir-Josiphos catalysts, the best ee s are obtained with 2,6-disubstituted /V-aryl imines (Entries 1 and 2), whereas alkyl ketimines give low enantioselectivities (Entry 3). In some cases, the addition of I2 has a beneficial effect on enantioselectivity (Entries 4 and 5). 

Significant levels of syn diastereoselectivities (5 1 to 16 1) were observed for all substrates, with the exception of an ortho-chloro-substituted aryl imine, which provided only 2 1 syn selectivity. The catalyst was viable for a variety of nitroalkanes, and afforded adducts in uniformly high enantioselectivities (92-95% ee). The sense of enantiofacial selectivity in this reaction is identical to that reported for the thiourea-catalyzed Strecker (see Scheme 6.8) and Mannich (see Tables 6.18 and 6.22) reactions, suggesting a commonality in the mode of substrate activation. The asymmetric catalysis is likely to involve hydrogen bonding between the catalyst and the imine or the nitronate, or even dual activation of both substrates. The specific role of the 4 A MS powder in providing more reproducible results remains unclear, as the use of either 3 A or 5 A MS powder was reported to have a detrimental effect on both enantioselectivities and rates of reaction. 

In 2005, Schaus and coworkers found that the natural cinchona alkaloids such as cinchonine (CN) or cinchonidine (CD) themselves can serve as highly enantioselective catalysts (10mol%) for the Mannich reaction of P-keto esters 57 with the various carbamate-protected aryl imines 58 [25]. Using either CN or CD, both enantiomers of the resulting secondary amine products 59 were obtained in excellent yields (up to 99%) and ee values (up to 96% ee) (Scheme 8.19). The extension of this protocol to encompass the use of the 2-substituted-l,3-dicarbonyl nucleophiles 60... 

N Alky] and N aryl imines have received the most attention in the literature, but significant research has also been performed in the area of "activated imines, that is, imines with electron withdrawing substituents at N. In addition to having different reactivity from N alkyl and N aryl imines, these compounds are intrinsically open to further functionalization after hydrogenation. The first of these compounds to be reduced enantioselectively were the N tosyl amines. In contrast to the related reaction with N alkyl and N aryl amines, the asymmetric hydrogenations of N tosyl amines are most often catalyzed by complexes of palladium. 

Rhodium-catalyzed chelation-assisted C—H bond functionalization reactions (enantioselective annulation of aryl imines, dihydropyridine synthesis from imines and ahcynes, one-pot synthesis of pyridines from imines and alkynes, 2-arylpyridine alkylation with imines) 12ACR814. Synthesis of pyridine and dihydropyridine derivatives by regjo- and stereoselective addition to N-activated pyridines 12CRV2642. 

Chiral phosphoric acids, such as 182, were also found to be suitable catalysts for this transformation [143], although with 182 the substrate scope was limited to N-tosyl and N-brosyl-substituted aryl imines 188. In contrast, catalysis by 183 considerably reduced the reaction time (<2 h to reach completion). Antilla reported the use of chiral phosphoric acid 184 in the enantioselective addition of indoles to... 

Ricci, and coworkers successfully demonstrated the enantioselective Povarov reaction of N-aryl imines 33 with 2-vinylindole (34) and 3-vinylindole (36) (Scheme 11.9). Phosphoric acid catalyst la acted as an efficient catalyst for the reaction of 34 with various imines, affording the corresponding indole-substituted tet-rahydroquinoUne derivatives 35 in good yields with high stereoselectivities (92-99% ee). 

Recently, Jacobsen described a novel strategy for inducing enantioselectivity in reactions of protio-iminium ions, wherein a chiral catalyst interacts with the highly active intermediate through a network of non-covalent interactions (as shown in transition state Q) [69]. Accordingly, a highly efficient and enantioselective aza-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between N-aryl imines 152 and enamide 153 or ene-carbamate 154 has been achieved with the use of the combination of the bifunctional sulfinamido urea derivative 155 and ortho-nitrobenzensulfonic acid (156) (Scheme 38.46). The 2 1 ratio of 155 and 156 was essential to ensure the complete suppression of the racemic pathway catalyzed by 156 [69]. 

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