Dimerization effects, Sharpless asymmetric

Figure 4.4 Dimerization effects in Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation.

The highest enantioselectivity (up to >99%) yet achieved in the addition of S-nucleophiles to enones was reported in 2002 by Deng et al. [59]. By systematic screening of monomeric and dimeric cinchona alkaloid derivatives they identified the dihydroquinidine-pyrimidine conjugate (DHQD PYR (72, Scheme 4.35) as the most effective catalyst. This material is frequently used in the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and is commercially available. Screening of several aromatic thiols resulted in the identification of 2-thionaphthol as the nucleophile giving best yields and enantioselectivity. Examples for the (DHQD PYR-catalyzed addition of 2-thionaphthol to enones are summarized in Scheme 4.35. 

Jew and Park have also utilized the dimerization effect, as observed in the development of Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, where ligands with two independent cinchona alkaloid units attached to heterocyclic spacers led to a considerable increase in both the enantioselectivity and scope of the substrates, to design dimeric and trimeric cinchona alkaloid-derived phase-transfer catalysts 12 [12] and 13 [13]. These authors investigated the ideal aromatic spacer for optimal dimeric catalysts, and found that the catalyst 14 with a 2,7-bis(bromomethyl) naphthalene spacer and two cinchona alkaloid units exhibited remarkable catalytic and chiral efficiency (Scheme 11.3) [14]. 

Inspired by the positive effect of dimeric cinchona alkaloid ligands in the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation [55], Jew, Park, and coworkers developed a new family of dimeric cinchona-derived catalysts. The authors first prepared a series of dimeric cinchonidinium salts 24, 25a, and 26 using a phenyl spacer (Figure 12.7)... 

Although dimeric Sharpless ligands as catalysts showed impressive results in related organocatalytic transformations, they provided only limited success in asymmetric MBH reactions (Scheme 5.12) [70]. These compounds are bifunctional catalysts in the presence of acid additives one of the two amine function of the dimers forms a salt and serves as an effective Bronsted acid, while another tertiary amine of the catalyst acts as a nucleophile. Whereas salts derived from (DHQD)2PYR, or (DHQD)2PHAL afforded trace amounts of products in the addition of methyl acrylate 8a and electron-deficient aromatic aldehydes such as 27, (DHQD)2AQN, 56, mediated the same transformation in ee up to 77%, albeit in low yield. It should be noted that, without acid, the reaction afforded the opposite enantiomer in a slow conversion. 

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