Catalytic methods enantioselective

Due to many impressive advances in metal-catalyzed transformations, both asymmetric and non-asymmetric, several efforts have been directed towards designing total synthesis routes that very heavily depend on various catalytic methods. These total syntheses benefit from the economic efficiency and environmental consciousness that are two of the inherent attributes of catalytic reactions. The total synthesis of wodeshiol 133 by Corey, discussed above (Scheme 19) is one such example. Two additional catalysis-based enantioselective total syntheses are briefly discussed below. In both efforts, all centers of asymmetiy are attained by a catalytic enantioselective method, and the synthesis is completed through the use of several other catalytic reactions. 

A further catalytic method for asymmetric sulfoxidation of aryl alkyl sulfides was reported by Adam s group, who utilized secondary hydroperoxides 16a, 161 and 191b as oxidants and asymmetric inductors (Scheme 114) . This titanium-catalyzed oxidation reaction by (S)-l-phenylethyl hydroperoxide 16a at —20°C in CCI4 afforded good to high enantiomeric excesses for methyl phenyl and p-tolyl alkyl sulfides ee up to 80%). Detailed mechanistic studies showed that the enantioselectivity of the sulfide oxidation results from a combination of a rather low asymmetric induction in the sulfoxidation ee <20%) followed by a kinetic resolution of the sulfoxide by further oxidation to the sulfone... 

The use of epoxides has expanded dramatically with the advent of practical asymmetric catalytic methods for their synthesis. Besides the enantioselective epoxida-tion of prochiral olefins, approaches for the use of epoxides in the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched compounds include the resolution of racemic epoxides. 

Reactions using catecholborane proceed smoothly in toluene (Scheme 16) (40). The utility of catalytic hydroboration of ketones has been demonstrated by the efficient enantioselective synthesis of a series of biologically active compounds (41). Scheme 17 shows some compounds prepared by using this method. Enantioselective reduction of trichloro-methyl ketones is a general route to a-amino acids and a-hydroxy esters it also allows ready synthesis of a precursor to the carbonic anhy-drase inhibitor MK-0417 (42). 

Some of the most impressive advances in the area of catalytic, enantioselective aldol addition reactions have taken place in the development of catalytic methods for enantioselective acetate aldol additions, a reaction type that has long been recalcitrant. Thus, although prior to 1992 a number of chiral-auxiliary based and catalytic methods were available for diastereo- and enantiocontrol in propionate aldol addition reactions, there was a paucity of analogous methods for effective stereocontrol in the addition of the simpler acetate-derived enol silanes. However, recent developments in this area have led to the availability of several useful catalytic processes. Thus, in contrast to the state of the art in 1992, it is possible to prepare acetate-derived aldol fragments utilizing asymmetric catalysis with a variety of transition-metal based complexes of Ti(IV), Cu(II), Sn(II), and Ag(I). 

The move toward catalytic reactions is reflected in the increase in the number of chapters in this book on the topic compared to the first edition. The trend has been observed by noted chemists in the previous decade. Professor Seebach, for example, in 1990 stated the primary center of attention for all synthetic methods will continue to shift toward catalytic and enantioselective variants indeed, it will not be long before such modifications will be available for every standard reaction. 6 Professor Trost in 1995 was a little more specific with catalysis by transition metal complexes has a major role to play in addressing the issue of atom economy—both from the point of view of improving existing processes, and, most importantly, from discovering new ones. 7 However, the concept can be extended to biological and organic catalysts and to those based on transition metals. 

The catalytic enantioselective addition of aromatic C - H bonds to alkenes would provide a simple and attractive method for the formation of optically active aryl substituted compounds from easily available starting materials. The first catalytic, highly enantioselective Michael addition of indoles was reported by Jorgensen and coworkers. The reactions used a,fl-unsaturated a-ketoesters and alkylidene malonates as Michael acceptors catalyzed by the chiral bisoxazoline (BOX)-metal(II) complexes as described in Scheme 27 [98,99]. 

Enantioselective catalysis exemplifies how a complex synthetic route to a chiral molecule can be simplified by catalytic methods, reducing the overall amount of waste and increasing yields. Only a few of the metal-catalyzed reactions have yet been applied industrially, mostly for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, vitamins, agrochemicals, flavours and fragrances. They include, asymmetric oxidation, hydrogenation, isomerization, hydroformylation, and cyclopropanation (Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 Sections 2.7, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.6.7, 5.6). 

Enantioselective oxidation of olefins is a very elegant way of introducing oxygen and in some cases also nitrogen functions into molecules. The catalytic methods with the highest industrial potential are epoxidation and dihydroxylation, and the kinetic resolution of racemic terminal epoxides (Table 3). 

Because most olefins are prochiral starting materials, the dihydroxylation reaction creates one or two new stereogenic centers in the products. Since the discovery of the first stoichiometric asymmetric dihydroxylations [7], catalytic versions with considerable improvements in both scope and enantioselectivity have been developed [8]. From the standpoint of general applicability, scope, and limitations, the osmium-catalyzed asymmetric dihydroxylation (AD) of alkenes has reached a level of effectiveness which is unique among asymmetric catalytic methods. As there are recent reviews in this field [9], this section is primarily oriented toward a summary of aspects of fundamental understanding and interesting practical application of catalytic dihydroxylations. 

From the standpoint of general applicability, and scope the osmium-catalyzed asymmetric dihydroxylation of alkenes (Sharpless dihydroxylation) has reached a level of effectiveness which is unique among asymmetric catalytic methods . In the presence of an optimized catalyst ligand system nearly every class of olefin can be dihydroxylated with high enantioselectivities. 

The vast majority of strategies aimed at effecting enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions rely on complexation of an unsaturated carbonyl compound to a chiral Lewis acid, but this is not the only catalytic method for achieving enantiofacial bias. A unique approach outlined in Scheme 52 takes advantage of a diene (or precursor) possessing an acidic proton [138] treatment with a catalytic amount of a chiral base results in transient formation of an oxidodiene which undergoes oxyanion-accelerated cycloaddition with a maleimide [139]. 

A number of other chiral auxiliaries have been tested. Although the methods illustrated below are quite effective, in practical terms it seems unlikely that they will be favored over some of the enantioselective catalytic methods discussed elsewhere in this volume. 

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