Diazo compounds catalytic asymmetric reactions

As with any modern review of the chemical Hterature, the subject discussed in this chapter touches upon topics that are the focus of related books and articles. For example, there is a well recognized tome on the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction that is an excellent introduction to the many varieties of this transformation [1]. More specific reviews involving the use of rhodium(II) in carbonyl ylide cycloadditions [2] and intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions have also appeared [3, 4]. The use of rhodium for the creation and reaction of carbenes as electrophilic species [5, 6], their use in intramolecular carbenoid reactions [7], and the formation of ylides via the reaction with heteroatoms have also been described [8]. Reviews of rhodium(II) ligand-based chemoselectivity [9], rhodium(11)-mediated macrocyclizations [10], and asymmetric rho-dium(II)-carbene transformations [11, 12] detail the multiple aspects of control and applications that make this such a powerful chemical transformation. In addition to these reviews, several books have appeared since around 1998 describing the catalytic reactions of diazo compounds [13], cycloaddition reactions in organic synthesis [14], and synthetic applications of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition [15]. 

Intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions of alkenyl diazo carbonyl compounds are among the most useful catalytic metal carbene transformations, and the diversity of their applications for organic syntheses is substantial [7,10,24,84]. Their catalytic asymmetric reactions, however, have only recently been reported. An early application of the Aratani catalyst 2 (A = PhCH2) to... 

Certain transition metal complexes catalyze the decomposition of diazo compounds. The metal-bonded carbene intermediates behave differently from the free species generated via photolysis or thermolysis of the corresponding carbene precursor. The first catalytic asymmetric cyclopropanation reaction was reported in 1966 when Nozaki et al.93 showed that the cyclopropane compound trans- 182 was obtained as the major product from the cyclopropanation of styrene with diazoacetate with an ee value of 6% (Scheme 5-56). This reaction was effected by a copper(II) complex 181 that bears a salicyladimine ligand. 

An important competing process with significant practical consequences is the catalytic dimerization of diazoacetate to form maleate and fumarate esters. Most catalysts suffer from this side reaction, leading to the use of the alkene as solvent in order to accelerate the productive pathway and the slow addition of diazo compound in order to minimize dimerization. Since this problem is generally shared across most catalyst architectures, it will be mentioned in discussions of individual asymmetric catalyst systems only in those instances where these precautions prove to be unnecessary. 

The required chiral sulfur ylide of type 59 is formed in a reaction with a diazo compound in the presence of an achiral metal catalyst. Subsequently, asymmetric reaction of the chiral ylide 59 with the C=N double bond of the imine proceeds diastereoselectively and enantioselectively, giving the optically active aziridine 57. The chiral sulfide catalyst released is then used for the next catalytic cycle. The cat-alytically active species in the asymmetric process is the sulfide, so this concept can also be regarded as an organocatalytic reaction. 

Catalytic [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of the carbonyl and azomethine ylides 129 with olefins gives the five-membered heterocycles 130 (Scheme 45). Longmire et al. reported that the catalytic asymmetric [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of the azomethine ylides 131 with dimethyl maleate in the presence of AgOAc and a bis-ferrocenyl amide ligand 133 gave the pyrrolidine triesters 132 in excellent yields with very high enantiomeric excesses (Scheme 46).122 As described in section 8, the [3 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction of diazo compounds with olefins proceeds similarly through the formation of carbonyl ylides. 

Development of chiral transition-metal catalysts enables one to perform the catalytic C—H insertion to metal carbenoids, generated from diazo compounds, in an enantioselective manner. Davies et al. reported that the asymmetric intramolecular reaction of the aryldiazoacetates 684 in the presence of Rh2-(S-DOSP)4 gave the C-H insertion products 685 (Scheme 212). 288b The enantioselectivity is strongly dependent on the site of the C-H activation the highest enantioselectivity was obtained for insertion into the methyne C—H bond. 

This article provides an overview of cataljrtic cyclopropanation. To have a more focused discussion, we concentrate on catalytic reactions that combine two fragments of two- and one-carbon units to give a final three-membered carbocycle. Decomposition of diazo compounds by different metal catalysts, which is the most common source of a one-carbon unit, is discussed first which is followed by the use of organometallic carbenoid reagents and other carbene sources. Asymmetric cyclopropanation and intramolecular propanation are then discussed in detail. Important syntheses other than combining two fragments of two- and one-carbon... 

A complex of a chiral, nonracemic bis(oxazoline) with CuOTf is a highly effective catalyst for as)mmetric cyclopropanation of alkenes. Copper(II) triflate complexes do not catalyze the reaction unless they are first converted to Cu by reduction with a diazo compound or with phenylhydrazine. CuOTf coirqjlexes are uniquely effective. Thus the observed enantioselectivity and catalytic activity, if any, are much lower with other Cu or Cu salts including halide, cyanide, acetate, and even perchlorate. Both enantiomers of the bis(oxazoline) ligand are readily available. Spectacularly high levels of asymmetric induction are achieved with both mono- (eq 8) and 1,1-disubstituted alkenes (eq 9). 

The chemistry of copper carbenoids involved in the catalytic decomposition of diazo compounds and related tosylhydrazones has been reviewed. Many aspects of these catalytic transformations are covered including not only the classical cyclopropanation and X-H insertion processes but also a range of formal cycloaddition reactions, the reactions involving ylide formation, and the various coupling reactions of diazo derivatives. An account more focused on asymmetric metal-catalysed X-H insertion has been published. Through this review, the dependence on the nature of the metal and its i ligands can be evaluated for these 0-H, N-H, S-H, and Si-H insertions of carbenoids. 

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