Asymmetric aldol reactions using optically active imines

II. Asymmetric Aldol Reaction by the Use of Optically Active Imines... 

On the basis of encouraging work in the development of L-proline-DMSO and L-proline-ionic liquid systems for practical asymmetric aldol reactions, an aldolase antibody 38C2 was evaluated in the ionic liquid [BMIM]PF6 as a reusable aldolase-ionic liquid catalytic system for the aldol synthesis of oc-chloro- 3-hydroxy compounds (288). The biocatalytic process was followed by chemical catalysis using Et3N in the ionic liquid [BMIM]TfO at room temperature, which transformed the oc-chloro-(3-hydroxy compounds to the optically active (70% ee) oc, (3-epoxy carbonyl compounds. The aldolase antibody 38C2-ionic liquid system was also shown to be reusable for Michael additions and the reaction of fluoromethylated imines. 

Largely stimulated by the synthesis of 3-lactam antibiotics, there have been widespread investigations into the stereochemical aspects of imine condensations, mainly involving reactions of enolates of carboxylic acid derivatives or silyl ketene acetals. In analogy to the aldol condensation, stereoselectivity of imine condensations will be discussed in terms of two types in this chapter (i) simple dia-stereoselectivity or syn-anti selectivity, when the two reactants are each prochiral (equation 12) and (ii) diastereofacial selectivity, when a new chiral center is formed in the presence of a pre-existing chiral center in one of the reactants (e.g. equation 13). The term asymmetric induction may be used synonymously with diastereofacial selectivity when one of the chiral reactants is optically active. For a more explicit explanation of these terms, see Heathcock s review on the aldol condensation. ... 

In conclusion, chiral heterobimetallic lanthanoid compexes LnMB, which were recently developed by Shibasaki et al., are highly efficient catalysts in stereoselective synthesis. This new and innovative type of chiral catalyst contains a Lewis acid as well as a Bronsted base moiety and shows a similar mechanistic effect as observed in enzyme chemistry. A broad variety of asymmetric transformations were carried out using this catalysts, including asymmetric C-C bond formations like the nitroaldol reaction, direct aldol reaction, Michael addition and Diels-Alder reaction, as well as C-0 bond formations (epoxidation of enones). Thereupon, asymmetric C-P bond formation can also be realized as has been successfully shown in case of the asymmetric hydrophosphonylation of aldehydes and imines. It is noteworthy that all above-mentioned reactions proceed with high stereoselectivity, resulting in the formation of the desired optically active products in high to excellent optical purity. 

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