Imines enantioselective alkynylation

Copper complexes of chiral Pybox (pyridine-2,6-bis(oxazoline))-type ligands have been found to catalyze the enantioselective alkynylation of imines [26]. Moreover, the resultant optically active propargylamines are important intermediates for the synthesis of a variety of nitrogen compounds [27], as well as being a common structural feature of many biologically active compounds and natural products. Portnoy prepared PS-supported chiral Pybox-copper complex 35 via a five-step solid-phase synthetic sequence [28]. Cu(l) complexes of the polymeric Pybox ligands were then used as catalysts for the asymmetric addition of phenylacetylene to imine 36, as shown in Scheme 3.11. tBu-Pybox gave the best enantioselectivity of 83% ee in the synthesis of 37. 

Addition of organometallic reagents to imines is not limited to allylmetal derivatives. Hoveyda and Snapper have demonstrated that dialkylzinc reagents can add to imines in a one-pot procedure. Using a zirconium complex as metal catalyst and a chiral peptide, diverse enantioenriched aryl, aliphatic and alkynyl amines 142 have been obtained with high levels of enantioselectivity (Scheme 8.60) [136],... 

Notable were highly enantioselective additions of N-phosphonyl imines with dialkyl zinc or hydroxyketones and a one-pot reaction of alkynylzirconocenes with alkynyl phosphazenes and zinc carbenoids to give single isomer cyclopropylphosphonamides. The importance of enantioselective and dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformations is illustrated in many publications. Other interesting reports cover the use of phosphoramidates for the synthesis of allylic amines as well as the first example of C-P cleavage of a-aminophosphono acids using periodate. 

Soon after these initial reports, the groups of Antilla [92] and You [93] indepen dently applied the chiral phosphoric acid catalysis to the enantioselective hydro genation of a imino esters. The method provides an alternative route to the enantioselective synthesis of a amino esters. Antilla and coworkers employed a new type of axially chiral phosphoric acid (9) derived from VAPOL originally developed by his research group (Scheme 3.42), whereas lg was used in You s case. In both cases, excellent enantioselectivities were achieved. You and coworkers further applied the method to the enantioselective reduction of a imino esters having an alkynyl substituent at the a position (Scheme 3.43) [94]. Both alkyne and imine moieties were reduced under transfer hydrogenation conditions with an excess amount of... 

Josephsohn, N. S., Carswell, E. L., Snapper, M. L. and Hoveyda, A. H. 2005. Practical and highly enantioselective synthesis of 3-alkynyl-P-amino esters through Ag-catalyzed asymmetric Mannich reactions of silyUcetene acetals and alkynyl imines. Org. Lett. 7 2711-2713. 

Copper-bis oxazolidinone complex catalyzed the addition of alkyl and aromatic alkynes to the imine formed by the reaction of ethyl glyoxylate and p-anisidine, providing an easy access to chiral p,Y-alkynyl a-amino acids in good yields (61-80%) and enantioselectivities (66-74%) [38]. The presence of the two phenyl groups in the ligand was found to be crucial in the enantioselectivity enhancement and reduction of the reaction time, with aryl alkynes providing better results than alkyl acetylene derivatives [39]. Another type of Cu(II)-pybox complex led to excellent results in terms of enantioselectivities (28-93% yield, 81-98% ee) in the reaction of aliphatic alkynes with aldehydes and amines [40]. 

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