Iminium-Activated Hetero- Reactions

SCHEME 1.84 Catalytic asymmetric formal aza-[3+3] cycloaddition reaction 

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Iminium-activated hetero-[3+3] reactions Other iminium-activated cascade reactions... 

Miscellaneous Iminium Catalyzed Transformations The enantioselective construction of three-membered hetero- or carbocyclic ring systems is an important objective for practitioners of chemical synthesis in academic and industrial settings. To date, important advances have been made in the iminium activation realm, which enable asymmetric entry to a-formyl cyclopropanes and epoxides. In terms of cyclopropane synthesis, a new class of iminium catalyst has been introduced, providing the enantioselective stepwise [2 + 1] union of sulfonium ylides and ot,p-unsaturated aldehydes.As shown in Scheme 11.6a, the zwitterionic hydro-indoline-derived catalyst (19) enables both iminium geometry control and directed electrostatic activation of sulfonium ylides in proximity to the incipient iminium reaction partner. This combination of geometric and stereoelectronic effects has been proposed as being essential for enantio- and diastereocontrol in forming two of the three cyclopropyl bonds. 

The phospha-Michael reaction has been the last hetero-Michael reaction to be developed under iminium activation. In addition to the selectivity issues that have to be addressed, the identification of a suitable phosphorous nucleophile has been the most difficult task to overcome when developing the reaction because of the high tendency of phosphines toward oxidation in the presence of air. The first example was developed independently by Melchiorre and... 

Catalysts (25) are the Lewis acid-Lewis base bifunctional catalysts in which Lewis acid-Al(III) moiety activates acyl iminium ion and the Lewis base (oxygen of phosphine oxide) does TMSCN, simultaneously (Scheme 5.7). Halogen atoms at the 6-position enhanced both yields and enantioselectivity in Reissert-type cyanation of the imino part of 26. However, the order for the activation is not parallel to the electronegativity of the halogen atoms and, moreover, the strong electron-withdrawing trifluoromethyl group provided unexpectedly the worst result for the activation [13]. It is not simple to explain this phenomenon only in terms of the increased Lewis acidity of the metal center. Trifluoromethylated BINOL-zirconium catalysts (28) for asymmetric hetero Diels-Alder reaction (Scheme 5.8) [14], trifluoromethylated arylphosphine-palladium catalyst (32) for asymmetric hydrosilylation (Scheme 5.9) [15], and fluorinated BINOL-zinc catalyst (35) for asymmetric phenylation (Scheme 5.10) [16] are known. 

A number of recent reviews exist about intermolecular and intramolecular reactions of the iV-acyl-iminium intermediate. Moreover, detailed accounts of the application in alkaloid synthesis have recently appeared. This chapter deals with reactions of species (1) with nucleophilic alkenes (and alkynes). Other synthetically useful nucleophiles like aromatic rings, active methylene compounds and organome-tallics will not be discussed here. In (1) R, and R are hydrogen or carbon substituents, and R may also be a hetero substituent, such as alkylamino or alkoxy. This chapter differs from previous reviews, as the material is ordered here on the basis of the structural features of the A -acyliminium intermediate. Major emphasis is placed on recent developments and stereochemical details. 

Recently, Jacobsen described a novel strategy for inducing enantioselectivity in reactions of protio-iminium ions, wherein a chiral catalyst interacts with the highly active intermediate through a network of non-covalent interactions (as shown in transition state Q) [69]. Accordingly, a highly efficient and enantioselective aza-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction between N-aryl imines 152 and enamide 153 or ene-carbamate 154 has been achieved with the use of the combination of the bifunctional sulfinamido urea derivative 155 and ortho-nitrobenzensulfonic acid (156) (Scheme 38.46). The 2 1 ratio of 155 and 156 was essential to ensure the complete suppression of the racemic pathway catalyzed by 156 [69]. 

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