Catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanations

In another reaction dendritic pyridine derivatives such as 82 or 83 were tested as co-catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanation of styrene with ethyl diazoacetate [102]. Using catalyst 82, enantiomer ratios of up to 55 45 were obtained. However, with catalyst 83 bearing larger branches yields and selectivities did not increase. The relatively low selectivities were rationalized by the presence of a large number of different conformations that this non-rigid system may adopt. 

K. A. Woerpel, Ph.D. Thesis, Bis(oxazoline)-Copper Complexes as Catalysts for Enantioselective Cyclopropanation of Olefins, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1992. 

Dinuclear Rh(II) compounds are another class of effective catalysts (227). Electrophilic carbenes formed from diazo ketones and dimeric Rh(II) carboxylates undergo olefin cyclopropanation. Chiral Rh(II) carboxamides also serve as catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanation (Scheme 95) (228). The catalysts have four bridging amide ligands, and... 

Besides Cu and Rh, various other metals are known to catalyze the decomposition of diazo compounds [6,7,8,9,10]. Palladium complexes, e.g., are efficient catalysts for the cyclopropanation of electron-deficient C-C double bonds with diazoalkanes [19,20, 21], in contrast to Cu and Rh catalysts which are better suited for reactions with electron-rich olefins. Unfortunately, attempts to develop chiral Pd catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanation have not been successful so far [22]. More promising results have been obtained with cobalt and ruthenium complexes. These and other chiral metal catalysts, that have been studied besides Cu and Rh complexes, are discussed in chap. 16.3. The same chapter also covers a new direction of research that has recently been taken with the development of catalytic enantioselective Simmons-Smith reactions. 

Inspired by the work of Nozaki and coworkers (Scheme 2) [14], a number of research groups initiated a search for more efficient catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanation. The most spectacular advances were made by Aratani and coworkers whose aim was to develop a catalyst for the industrial production of pyrethroids [15,16,17,18,49]. After extensive evaluation of many different sal-icylaldimine ligands, they eventually found a practically useful catalyst which gave moderate to high enantioselectivities in the cyclopropanation of various olefins with alkyl diazoacetates (Scheme 5 and Table 1). 

Asymmetric cyclopropanation. The ability to effect ligand exchange between rhodium(II) acetate and various amides has lead to a search for novel, chiral rhodium(II) catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanation with diazo carbonyl compounds. The most promising to date are prepared from methyl (S)- or (R)-pyroglutamate (1), [dirhodium(ll) tetrakis(methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate)]. Thus these complexes, Rh2[(S)- or (R)-l]4, effect intramolecular cyclopropanation of allylic diazoacetates (2) to give the cyclo-propanated y-lactones 3 in 65 S 94% ee (equation 1). In general, the enantioselectivity is higher in cyclopropanation of (Z)-alkenes. 

Sun and coworkers reported that a BOX ligand 220 that broke C2 symmetry served as an effective catalyst for enantioselective cyclopropanation of 1,2-disubstituted alkenes (Scheme 1.101) [154]. Good diastereoselectivity was observed for the cycloaddition reaction. 

These two compounds with S configuration on their oxazohne rings were tested as copper(I) catalysts for the cyclopropanation of styrene, the hgand 9 with S axial chirality being much more enantioselective than 10 with the R configuration. Thus, the catalytic system CuOTf-(S,S)-bis(oxazolyl)-binaphthyl (9, R = Bu) led to excellent enantioselectivities, particularly for the cyclopropanation of styrene with (-menthyldiazoacetate 95% ee for the trans-cyclopropane and 97% ee for the cis, with trans/cis = 68/32. 

Complex (85), an excellent catalyst for intermolecular cyclopropanation (vide supra), is also a good catalyst for the cyclization of allyl vinyldiazoacetates, though the enantioselectivity of the cyclization varies with the substrates used (Scheme 79).290... 

Some diazoalkanes cyclopropanate olefins in the absence of any catalyst [658-660]. Thus, for instance, upon generation from A -cyclopropyl-A -nitrosourea at 0 °C diazocyclopropane spontaneously cyclopropanates methylenecyclopropanes [658]. Thermal, uncatalyzed cyclopropanations of unactivated olefines with aryldiazome-thanes can already occur at only slightly elevated temperatures (e.g. at 80 °C with 1-naphthyldiazomethane [661]). Henee, for enantioselective cyclopropanations with a chiral catalyst, low reaction temperatures should be chosen to minimize product formation via the uncatalyzed pathway. 

Pfaltz has also examined enantiocontrol in the intramolecular cyclopropanation of diazo ketones (Eq. 5.15), and found relatively high enantioselectivity with the use of his semicorrin Cu(I) catalyst [38]. This catalyst is obviously superior to the salicylaldimine catalysts for intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions and, furthermore, enantiocontrol increases with an increase in the ring size from five to six. 

Once again, cis-disubstituted olefins lead to higher enantioselectivities than do trans-disubstituted olefins, but here the differences are not as great as they were with allyl diazoacetates. Both allylic and homoallylic diazoacetamides also undergo highly enantioselective intramolecular cyclopropanation (40-43) [93,94], However, with allylic a-diazopropionates enantiocontrol i s lower by 10-30% ee [95], The composite data suggest that chi ral dirhodium(II) carboxamide catalysts are superior to chiral Cu or Ru catalysts for intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions of allylic and homoallylic diazoacetates. 

The capabilities of 5-8 for enantioselective cyclopropanation were determined (34) from reactions at room temperature of d- and/or /-menthyl diazoacetate (MDA) with styrene (Table 1), which allows direct comparison with results from both the Aratani (A-Cu) and Pfaltz (P-Cu) catalysts (19, 24). Cyclopropane product yields ranged from 50 to 75%, which were comparable to those obtained with chiral copper catalysts, but enantiomeric excesses were considerably less than those reported from use of either P-Cu or A-Cu. Furthermore, these reactions were subject to exceptional double diastereoselectivity not previously seen to the same degree with the chiral copper catalysts. Although chiral oxazolidinone ligands proved to be promising, the data in Table 1 suggested that steric interactions alone would not sufficiently enhance enantioselectivities to advance RI12L4 as an alternative to A-Cu or P-Cu. 

Here, I focus on application of ruthenium complexes as catalysts for the cyclopropanation of olefins with diazoesters to describe their catalytic activity, stereoselectivity, and enantioselectivity together with structural analysis of intermediary carbene complexes, especially with nitrogen-based ligands including porphyrin derivatives [4,5]. 

Dirhodium(ll) tetrakis[methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5(R)-oarboxylate], Rh2(5R-MEPV)4, and its enantiomer, Rh2(5S-MEPY)4, which is prepared by the same procedure, are highly enantioselective catalysts for intramolecular cyclopropanation of allylic diazoacetates (65->94% ee) and homoallylic diazoacetates (71-90% ee),7 8 intermolecular carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions of 2-alkoxyethyl diazoacetates (57-91% ee)9 and N-alkyl-N-(tert-butyl)diazoacetamides (58-73% ee),10 Intermolecular cyclopropenation ot alkynes with ethyl diazoacetate (54-69% ee) or menthyl diazoacetates (77-98% diastereomeric excess, de),11 and intermolecular cyclopropanation of alkenes with menthyl diazoacetate (60-91% de for the cis isomer, 47-65% de for the trans isomer).12 Their use in <1.0 mol % in dichloromethane solvent effects complete reaction of the diazo ester and provides the carbenoid product in 43-88% yield. The same general method used for the preparation of Rh2(5R-MEPY)4 was employed for the synthesis of their isopropyl7 and neopentyl9 ester analogs. 

Semicorrinato)copper catalysts have also been used for intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions of alkenyl diazo ketones (eq 9 and eq 10). In this case the (semicorrinato)copper catalyst derived from complex (5) proved to be superior to related methylene-bis(oxazoline)copper complexes. Interestingly, analogous allyl diazoacetates react with markedly lower enantioselectivity under these conditions, in contrast to the results obtained with chiral Rh complexes which are excellent catalysts for intramolecular cyclopropanations of allyl diazoacetates but give poor enantioselectivities with alkenyl diazo ketones (see Dirhodium(II) Tetrakis(methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5(S -carboxylate ) Moderate enantioselectivities in the reactions... 

Enantioselective Cyclopropanation of Alkenes. Cationic Cu complexes of methylenebis(oxazolines) such as (1), which have been developed by Evans and co-workers, are remarkably efficient catalysts for the cyclopropanation of terminal alkenes with diazoacetates. The reaction of styrene with ethyl diazoacetate in the presence of 1 mol % of catalyst, generated in situ from Copper(I) Trifluoromethanesulfonate and ligand (1), affords the (rans -2-phenylcyclopropanecarboxylate in good yield and with 99% ee (eq 3). As with other catalysts, only moderate transicis selectivity is observed. Higher transicis selectivities can be obtained with more bulky esters such as 2,6-di-r-butyl-4-methylphenyl or dicyclohexylmethyl diazoacetate (94 6 and 95 5, respectively). The efficiency of this catalyst system is illustrated by the cyclopropanation of isobutene, which has been carried out on a 0.3 molar scale using 0.1 mol % of catalyst derived firom the (R,R)-enantiomer of ligand (1) (eq 4). The remarkable selectivity of >99% ee exceeds that of Aratani s catalyst which is used in this reaction on an industrial scale. 

Chiral catalysts with structures related to rhodium(II) acetate should principally afford optically pure enantiomeric > -lactones from diazoacetates of type 21. As a matter of fact, Doyle et al. have obtained alkoxy-substituted y-lactones 22 in 85-90% ee (eq. (10)) upon using a Rh2X4-catalyst derived from chiral 2-pyrroli-dinones [18], Related results suggest that the catalyst has a rigid stereochemistry throughout the catalytic cycle [19], which conclusion had already been drawn for enantioselective cyclopropanation [20] (cf. Section 3.1.7). 

The comparison shows that the catalyst system 12a/Cu(I) is not suitable for enantioselective cyclopropanation of styrene. However, it produces cyclopropanes with ee-values in excess of 80% from 1,2-disubstituted or trisubstituted alkenes and bulky diazoacetates [e.g. /-menthyl chrysanthemate from 2,5-dimethylhexa-2,4-diene 72% yield ratio (trans/cis) 11.5, 92% ee (trans), 84% ee (cis)] and is, therefore, complementary to the other catalyst systems. 

Another type of polymer-supported chiral catalyst for asymmetric cyclopropanation was obtained by electropolymerization of the tetraspirobifluorenylporphyrin ruthenium complex [143]. The cyclopropanation of styrene with diazoacetate, catalyzed by the polymeric catalyst 227, proceeded efficiently at room temperature with good yields (80-90%) and moderate enantioselectivities (up to 53% at -40 °C) (Scheme 3.75). PS-supported versions of the chiral ruthenium-porphyrin complexes 231 (Scheme 3.76) were also prepared and used for the same reaction [144]. The cyclopropanation of styrene by ethyl diazoacetate proceeded well in the presence of the polymeric catalyst to give the product in good yields (60-88%) with high stereoselectivities (71-90% ee). The highest ee-value (90%) was obtained for the cyclopropanation of p-bromostyrene. 

A spiroketal bisphosphine (R R,R)-38a derived chiral Au complex was found to be an efficient catalyst for asymmetric cyclopropanation of diazooxindoles with a broad range of aUcenes, providing a highly diastereo- and enantioselective approach for spiro cyclopropyloxindoles (Scheme 41) [47]. These results further demonstrate the special advantage of rigid spiro ligands in Au-catalyzed reactions. 

The first examples of the enantioselective Simmons-Smith cyclopropanations mediated by a chiral catalyst are very recent. Scheme 6.33 shows three catalysts for the cyclopropanation of rrans-cinnamyl alcohol. The most selective appears to be Charette s dioxaborolane (Scheme 6.33c, [120-122], which also affords the highest yield of product, although this procedure is only suitable for small scale.With other olefins, such as cis and trans disubstituted alkenes and P,P-trisubstituted alkenes, the yields are nearly as good and the enantioselectivities are 96-97%. An important finding in this study [120] was that, in addition to the Lewis acid (boron) that binds the alcohol, a second atom to chelate the zinc is also necessary. In the... 

Enantioselective cyclopropanation (16, 38-39). The bis(oxazoline) I, prepared from t-leucinol and 2,2-dimethylpropanc-l,3-dioy chloride), forms a white, crystalline complex (2) with CuOTf which is an effective catalyst for asymmetric cyclopropanation with ethyl diazoacetate. 

An easy deprotection of the isopropyhdene residue in 1 and glycolic cleavage of the diol 2 to the aldehyde 3, or glycolic cleavage followed by the oxidation to the carboxylic function and formation of the ester 4, provide particularly attractive synthons (Scheme 2). Dirhodium complexes derived from difluoro-azetidinones, obtained in this way, were used as chiral catalysts for enantioselective decomposition of diazocompounds and cyclopropanation, to show, however, a moderate selectivity (Scheme 3) [26]. 

Tridentate bis(oxazolinyl)pyridinyl rhodium and ruthenium pincer complexes are useful as catalysts for hydrosilylations and cyclopropanations. These NNN-type inorganic pincer complexes are not as stable, however, as phosphine or salen-type pincer complexes. On the other hand, an organometallic tridentate bis(oxazolinyl) phenyl NCN-type complex is stable. These optically active NCN-type pincer complexes act as efficient catalysts for enantioselective hetero Diels-Alder reactions of Danishefsky s diene with glyoxylates [26]. 

Cobalt(III)-SALEN complexes (see Fig. 20) were found to be efficient catalysts for asymmetric cyclopropanation (184). Co(acac)2 in the presence of chiral amino alcohols (derived from camphor) has been employed as a catalyst for the enan-tioselective addition of diethylzinc to chalcone (185). Axially chiral SALEN-type ligands possessing biphenyl-core as an element of chirality are efficient ligands for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. The formation of bimetallic species forming a chiral pocket was shown (186). 

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