Asymmetric organocatalysts phenols

Alcohols, Phenols and Carboxylic Acids as Asymmetric Organocatalysts... 

M. Shi and Y.-L. Shi reported the synthesis and application of new bifunctional axially chiral (thio) urea-phosphine organocatalysts in the asymmetric aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction [176, 177] of N-sulfonated imines with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), phenyl vinyl ketone (PVK), ethyl vinyl ketone (EVK) or acrolein [316]. The design of the catalyst structure is based on axially chiral BINOL-derived phosphines [317, 318] that have already been successfully utilized as bifunctional catalysts in asymmetric aza-MBH reactions. The formal replacement of the hydrogen-bonding phenol group with a (thio)urea functionality led to catalysts 166-168 (Figure 6.51). 

High yields of 2-substituted chromans are readily attained from the asymmetric intramolecular oxa-Michael addition reaction of phenols bearing an (f -a,P-unsaturated ketone or thioester moiety mediated by a cinchona-alkaloid-urea-based bifunctional organocatalyst (140BC119). Molecular iodine-catalyzed reaction of phenols with a,P-unsaturated alcohols affords a wide range of 2,2-disubstituted chromans (14T5221). Chiral derivatives result from the intramolecular allylic alkylation of phenols bearing an... 

The use of chiral Bronsted acids (organocatalyst class) in asymmetric F-C reactions has been extensively reviewed. They can be used instead of oxophilic chiral Lewis acids for the asymmetric coupling of indoles to less reactive ketone substrates such as trihalopyruvates. The use by Mikami (2000) of a chiral phenol cocatalyst in boosting enantioselectivity ( 10%) perhaps provided the first clue to such a possibility. 

The Petasis reaction is a multicomponent condensation occurring between boronic acids, amines and aldehydes. The asymmetric version of this reaction is very attractive for the synthesis of chiral a-amino acids.In this context, Schaus and Lou reported the use of chiral biphenols as organocatalysts for the asymmetric Petasis reaction of ( )-diethyl styrylboronate with secondary amines and ethyl glyoxylate. The corresponding a-amino esters were obtained in high yields and enantioselectivities of up to 97% ee by using a vaulted biaryl phenol such as (5)-VAPOL as the organocatalyst in the presence of 3-A molecular sieves (Scheme 2.59). 

Organocatalysis Continuing efforts to harness the cooperative activity of bifunctional organocatalysts have led to the examinations of chiral calix[4]arenes containing amino phenol stractures and chiral per-6-amino-P-cyclodextrin in the asymmetric sulfa-Michael reactions to cyclic and acylic enones.The preliminary results indicated that further structural modification would be required to allow more efficient asymmetric catalyst systems. 

---