Nitroalkenes indoles

Nitroalkenes prepared from aromatic aldehydes are especially useful for natural product synthesis. For example, the products are directly converted into ketones via the Nef reaction (Section 6.1) or indoles (Section 10.2) via the reduction to phenylethylamines (Section 6.3.2). The application of these transformations are discussed later here, some examples are presented to emphasize their utility. Schemes 3.3 and 3.4 present a synthesis of 5,6-dihydroxyindole66 and asperidophytine indole alkaloid,67 respectively. 

In recent years, the importance of aliphatic nitro compounds has greatly increased, due to the discovery of new selective transformations. These topics are discussed in the following chapters Stereoselective Henry reaction (chapter 3.3), Asymmetric Micheal additions (chapter 4.4), use of nitroalkenes as heterodienes in tandem [4+2]/[3+2] cycloadditions (chapter 8) and radical denitration (chapter 7.2). These reactions discovered in recent years constitute important tools in organic synthesis. They are discussed in more detail than the conventional reactions such as the Nef reaction, reduction to amines, synthesis of nitro sugars, alkylation and acylation (chapter 5). Concerning aromatic nitro chemistry, the preparation of substituted aromatic compounds via the SNAr reaction and nucleophilic aromatic substitution of hydrogen (VNS) are discussed (chapter 9). Preparation of heterocycles such as indoles, are covered (chapter 10). 

The C2-symmetric bifunctional tridentate bis(thiazoline) 222 has been shown to promote the zinc(II)-catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition of nitroalkanes to nitroalkenes in high enantioselectivity <06JA7418>. The corresponding bis(oxazoline) ligand provides comparable enantioselectivity but higher product yield. The same bis(thiazoline) ligand has also been evaluated in the enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles, but the enantioselectivity is moderate <06OL2115>. 

Akiyama and coworkers extended the scope of electrophiles applicable to asymmetric Brpnsted acid catalysis with chiral phosphoric acids to nitroalkenes (Scheme 57). The Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles 29 with aromatic and aliphatic nitroalkenes 142 in the presence of BINOL phosphate (7 )-3r (10 mol%, R = SiPhj) and 3-A molecular sieves provided Friedel-Crafts adducts 143 in high yields and enantioselectivities (57 to >99%, 88-94% ee) [81]. The use of molecular sieves turned out to be critical and significantly improved both the yields and enantioselectivities. 

Scheme 57 Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with nitroalkenes...

Figure 6.50 (R)-bis-N-tosyl-BINAM-derivative 151 and axially chiral bis(thio)ureas 152-165 screened for catalytic efficiency in the asymmetric addition of indole and N-methylindole to nitroalkenes.

Novel axially chiral bis-arylthioureas [e.g. (35)] catalyse the asymmetric substitution of indole and A-methylindole by nitroalkenes.41 2-Nitroethenylcyclohexane is ... 

Nitroalkenes react enantioselectively (ee usually 40%) with indoles using chiral hydrogen-bonding bis-sulfonamides as catalysts [e.g. to form (41)].44 An enantioselective reaction (usually ee 83-95%) has been shown to occur between indoles and ethyl ... 

A general and mild InBr3-catalyzed protocol for the conjugate addition of indoles to nitroalkenes to give 2-indolyl-l-nitroalkanes was described by Bandini, Umani-Ronchi and et al. [45]. The process performed in aqueous media provides the functionalized indoles in excellent yields (99-65%) and allows catalyst to be reused several times without loss of effectiveness (Scheme 9). 

A series of chiral C2-symmetric tridentate bis(oxazoline) 110, 112 and bis(thiazoline) 111, in which a diphenylamine unit links the two chiral ox-azolines, was used for a more practical and efficient catalytic asymmetric alkylation of indoles with nitroalkenes (Scheme 31) [104], The alkylation of indole with frarzs-P-nitrostyrene in toluene at room temperature has been accomplished with 110d-Zn(OTf)2 or 113-Zn(OTf)2 as the catalyst. The obtained results show that the NH group in ligands 110-112 is crucial. Indole... 

The simply obtainable thiourea compounds 142-145 were the first organo-catalysts for the catalytic conjugate addition of indoles with nitroalkenes to yield optically active 2-indolyl-l-nitro derivative as 2.R-50 in fairly good yields and enantioselectivity. The simple thiourea-based organo catalyst 145 could be easily accessed in both enantiomeric forms from the commercially available materials. At the same time, the extremely simple methodology has proved the new approach useful for the synthesis of optically active target... 

Lin JH, Zhang CP, Zhu ZQ et al (2009) A novel pyrrohdinium ionic liquid with 1,1,2,2-tetra-fluoro-2-(l,l,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy)ethanesulfonate anion as a recyclable reaction medium and efficient catalyst for Friedel-Crafts alkylations of indoles with nitroalkenes. J Fluorine Chem 130 394-398... 

Fig. 31 Pd-catalyzed indole synthesis with nitroalkene substrates...

Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indole with nitroalkenes was also effected by chiral phosphoric acid 21i (Equation 10.42) [88]. 

Owing to its Lewis acidity, zinc complex 106 lends itself to schemes for alkylation of electron-rich arenes and heteroarenes such as pyrroles by way of conjugate addition. An even more valuable method is the 3-component condensation that unites indole with a nitroalkene and an aldehyde. Three contiguous stereocenters are established in a controlled manner and in an absolute sense by conducting the reaction in the presence of CuOTf, 126, and hexafluoroisopropanol. ... 

Aza-Henry reaction is rendered asymmetric by quaternary salts of Cinchona alkaloids. Addition reactions. Changing the 9-hydroxy group of Cinchona alkaloids to a 9-epiamino group not only is synthetically expedient, such products often show excellent catalytic activities in many asymmetric reactions. Those derived from dihydrocinchona alkaloids mediate Michael reactions to good results, including addition of indole to enones, and carbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes. Salt 4 has also been successfully employed in the alkenylation of t-butyl a-aryl-a-cyanoacetate. ... 

Compounds 32a, 32b and 32c were each obtained as mixtures of three diastereomers in 74, 59 and 53 % yield respectively. The major diastereomer in each product mixture arose from a completely endo-selective [4 -f 2] cycloaddition and an exo,anti-selective [3 + 2] cycloaddition anti with respect to the aryl-group). The electron-releasing 3 -indole and 2 -pyrrole substituents on the nitroethene (31b and 31c) clearly had a decelerating effect on the reaction rate. Conversion of the enol ether (14) in the formation of 32b and 32c was only 80 %, imder the above-mentioned reaction conditions, while complete conversion of the enol ether (14) was observed in the case where the nitroalkene was substituted with a phenyl or an electron-withdrawing 3 -pyridine substituent. 

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