Chiral pyridines asymmetric reactions catalysis

In contrast to the large number of chiral pyridine derivatives used as ligands of metal complexes in asymmetric catalysis, only a few examples of chiral sulfur-containing pyridine ligands have so far been reported, such as pyridine thioethers derived from ( + )-camphor depicted in Scheme 1.33, which were assessed in the test reaction providing enantioselectivities of up to 76% ee. The related 2,2 -bipyridine thioethers were also prepared but showed a lower stereodilferentiating capability in the test reaction. 

The key structural feature of POST-1 - the presence of dangling pyridine groups in the channels - affords a unique opportunity to perform asymmetric heterogeneous catalysis. Thus, potentially, any base catalyzed reactions (e.g., esterification or hydrolysis) can be performed with POST-1. Moreover, chiral pores should induce a degree of enantioselectivity in the final product mixture. The catalytic activity of POST-1 in the transesterification reaction was examined. Although the reaction of 16 and ethanol in the presence of POST-1 in carbon tetrachloride produced ethyl acetate in 11% yield, little or no transesterification occured without POST-1 or with the iV-methylated POST-1 (Sect. 2.2). The post chemical modification of the pyridine groups in POST-1 proves the role of free pyridine moiety in transesterification reaction. Transesterification of ester 16 with bulkier alcohols such as isobutanol, neopentanol, and 3,3,3-triphenyl-l-propanol occurs at a much slower rate under otherwise identical reaction conditions. Such size selectivity suggests that catalysis mainly occurs in the channels. 

Oxazolines are nowadays essential ligands in asymmetric catalysis and also important synthons for stereoselective synthesis [8]. The success of the Cj-symmetric bis(oxazolines) ( BOX ) and pyridine-bis(oxazolines) ( Pybox ) discovered in the early 1990s has established them as a privileged class of ligands [9]. In contrast, the development and application of trisoxazolines lagged behind for a long time. Katsuki and collaborators [10] reported the first example of a chiral trisoxazoline in 1995 and their use in the allylic oxidation of alkenes (Kharasch-Sosnovsky reaction), as well as the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. 

The first use of chiral helical polymers bearing no chiral side chains for chiral reaction induction was realized by Reggelin et at. in 2002 [69]. Two poly(methyl methacrylate)-based chiral polymers (40) was prepared by hehx-sense selective anionic polymerization of sterically congested methacrylates with a chiral base mixture as initiator. The pyridine moieties in helical polymers allowed various metal coordinations [70] or formation of ionic pairs [71]. Their complexes with palladium precursor were found to be active catalysts for the allyHc substitution reaction of l,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl acetate (Figure 4.36). Although the ee values were only moderate (<33%), this research opened up a new area for asymmetric catalysis with unnatural helical chiral polymers. 

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