Lewis base catalysts mediation

As a Carbon Nucleophile in Lewis Base-catalyzed Reactions. Allylation of alkyl iodides with allyltrimethylsilane proceeds in the presence of phosphazenium fluoride. Tetra-butylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate (TBAT) is useful for allylation of aldehydes, ketones, imines, and alkyl halides with allyltrimethylsilane (eq 63). 55 Similarly, TBAHF2 is an effective catalyst for allylation of aldehydes. The homoallylamines are synthesized from allyltrimethylsilane and imines with a catalytic amount of TBAF (eq 64). The reactions of thioketones as well as sulfines with allyltrimethylsilane can be mediated by TBAF to give allylic sulfides and allyl sulfoxides, respectively. Besides fluoride ion, 2,8,9-triisopropyl-2,5,8,9-tetra-aza-1-phosphabi-cyclo[3.3.3]undecane promotes the allylation of aldehydes with allyltrimethylsilane as a Lewis base catalyst (eq 65). ... 

Further work by the Ye group has shown that NHCs derived from pre-catalyst 215 can also promote the asymmetric dimerisation of alkylarylketenes 193 to generate alkylidene P-lactones 216 in good diastereo- and enantio-selectivity [83], The asymmetric [4+2] addition of enones and alkylarylketenes to generate 8-lactones 218 in high ee has also been accomplished [84], as has the asymmetric esterification of alkylarylketenes to give esters 217 using benzhydrol, which is assumed to proceed via a Lewis-base mediated mechanism (Scheme 12.46) [85]. 

Aldol reactions using a carbocation as an organocatalyst An organocatalytic aldol reaction based on a different concept was developed by the Chen group. The chiral triarylcarbenium ion 34 was used as a novel non-metallic Lewis acid catalyst in a Mukaiyama-type aldol reaction which led to enantiomerically enriched aldol products (Scheme 6.17) [67]. Although non-chiral trityl salt-mediated catalytic aldol reactions had previously been reported by Mukaiyama and co-workers [68], the construction of a suitable chiral carbenium ion remained a challenge. Optically active salts of type 34 were synthesized as Lewis acids based on a reactive carbe-... 

Considerable effort has been devoted to the development of enantiocatalytic MBH reactions, either with purely organic catalysts, or with metal complexes. Paradoxically, metal complex-mediated reactions were usually found to be more efficient in terms of enantioselectivity, reaction rates and scope of the substrates, than their organocatalytic counterparts [36, 56]. However, this picture is actually changing, and during the past few years the considerable advances made in organocatalytic MBH reactions have allowed the use of viable alternatives to the metal complex-mediated reactions. Today, most of the organocatalysts developed are bifunctional catalysts in which the chiral N- and P-based Lewis base is tethered with a Bronsted acid, such as (thio)urea and phenol derivatives. Alternatively, these acid co-catalysts can be used as additives with the nucleophile base. 

A BINOL-dimethylaminopyridine hybrid was seen to be efficient in mediating the MBH reaction (Table 5.14) [96], with optimal reaction conditions being found as —15 °C with a mixed solvent system consisting of toluene and cyclopentyl methyl ether (CPME) in a 1 9 ratio. The reaction was sensitive to the structure of the catalyst 112, the position of the Lewis base attached to BINOL, the substitution pattern of the amino group, and the length of the spacer. It should be noted that the bulky i-Pr substituent on the amino group showed the best selectivity and kinetic profile (Table 5.14, entry 5) [98]. (For experimental details see Chapter 14.10.4). 

Asymmetric organocatalytic Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions offer synthetically viable alternatives to metal-complex-mediated reactions. The reaction is best mediated with a combination of nucleophilic tertiary amine/phosphine catalysts, and mild Bronsted acid co-catalysts usually, bifunctional chiral catalysts having both nucleophilic Lewis base and Bronsted acid site were seen to be the most efficient. Although many important factors governing the reactions were identified, our present understanding of the basic factors, and the control of reactivity and selectivity remains incomplete. Whilst substrate dependency is still considered to be an important issue, an increasing number of transformations are reaching the standards of current asymmetric reactions. 

A related reaction is the addition of isonitriles 75 to aldehydes 1 (the Passerini reaction). Denmark has demonstrated that SiCU, upon activation by a chiral Lewis base, which increased the Lewis acidity of the silicon (vide supra Scheme 7.14), can mediate this reaction to produce a-hydroxy amides 77 after aqueous work-up (Scheme 7.16). Phosphoramide 60 was employed as the chiral Lewis-basic catalyst [74]. Modification of the procedure for hydrolysis of 76 gives rise to the corresponding methyl ester (rather than the amide 77) [74]. (For experimental details see Chapter 14.5.5). 

Silver can mediate oxidation reactions and has shown unique reactivity. In a few cases, namely, nitrene-, carbene-, and silylene-transfer reactions, novel reactivity was found with homogeneous silver catalysts. Some of these reactions are uniquely facilitated by silver, never having been reported with other metals. While ligand-supported silver catalysts were extensively utilized in enantioselective syntheses as Lewis acids, disappointingly few cases were reported with oxidation reactions. Silver-catalyzed oxidation reactions are still underrepresented. Silver-based catalysts are cheaper and less toxic versus other precious metal catalysts. With the input of additional effort, this field will undoubtedly give more promising results. 

Recent developments in the field have also identified novel mechanistic pathways for the development of catalytic, asymmetric aldol processes. Thus in addition to Lewis acid catalysts that mediate the Mukaiyama aldol addition by electrophilic activation of the aldehyde reactant, metal complexes that lead to enolate activation by the formation of a metalloenolate have been documented. Additionally, a new class of Lewis-base-catalyzed addition reactions is now available for the asymmetric aldol addition reaction. 

Tan et al. [44] succeeded in developing a new urea-sulfmimide catalyst that promotes the indium mediated allylation of acyUiydrazones (Scheme 9.9). Incorporation of Lewis base functionality in proximity to the urea moiety is designed to promote the addition of organometallic reagents to the C=N bond of acylhydrazones through dual activation. 

All of the above DMAP catalyst architectures rely upon the use of a chiral Lewis-base-mediated transformation to generate a reactive chiral acyl transfer species in situ. 

Notably, catalysts with redox properties, such as molybdenum-, chromium-, and vanadia-based catalysts, show high activity in various oxidative dehydrogenation reactions of hydrocarbons [45 8]. Factors influencing the reaction also include acid-base bifunctionality, which plays an important role in CO2-mediated dehydrogenation reactions [49]. Both basic sites and Lewis-acid vacant sites are important for hydrocarbons activation [50]. In fact, an enhanced basicity results in an improved performance because of the rapid desorption of the electron-rich alkenes, whereas Lewis acid sites enhance the dehydrogenation process [51]. In addition, in the presence of CO2 as feed, surface basicity favors the adsorption and reactivity of the acid CO2 molecules [52] (see also previous chapters). 

Less traditional Lewis acid catalysts have also been employed to mediate additions of silyl ketene thioacetals to imines and hy-drazones, including scandium(III) triflate and bismuth(III) triflate. In a significant recent advance, Mukaiyama and coworkers reported Lewis base catalyzed additions of the trimethylsilyl congener of the title reagent to iV-sulfonyl aldimines (eq 18). The reaction is tolerant of water and competent Lewis base activators include readily obtained salts such as lithium acetate and lithium benzamide. 

One unique feature of this catalyst system is the observation that pyridine -oxide also serves as an effective catalyst. Although chiral u-oxides are not effective asymmetric catalysts for this reaction, the discovery of another strong Lewis base aside from a phosphoramide serving as an effective promoter for a reaction mediated by SiCL is gratifying [76-79]. 

In 2005, we developed a new type of LLA catalyst system with a valine-derived oxazaborolidine and tin(IV) chloride for enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction (Fig. 5) [43]. Remarkably, SnCU can be used in excessive catalyst loading without compromising enantioselectivity, which means that the achiral Lewis acid mediated racemic pathway should be significantly slower than the LLA catalyzed enantioselective pathway. When excessive SnCU were used, it can neutralize incidental Lewis base impurities (e.g., moisture introduced during reaction set-up). In fact, the reaction can even proceed smoothly when various Lewis bases, such as water and amines, were added in, making this reaction system highly robust. The robustness of this catalyst system has set an example and high bar for future development of acid catalysis. 

In the catalytic cycle, a simplified version of which is shown in Scheme 5.72 for the acetate aldol addition of 246, the highly electrophilic silyl cation 251 plays a key role, as assumed by the authors. It forms from the reaction of tetrachlorosilane with the corresponding phosphoramide ((Me2N)3PO symbolizing the catalyst 235). When loaded with benzaldehyde, silicon enlarges its coordination sphere and adopts an octahedral geometry in 252. After the carbon-carbon bond has been established, cation 253 forms. It then decomposes to liberate phosphoramide 235, chlorotrialkylsilane, and the aldolate 254. By NMR studies, it was shown that the intermediate of this procedure is the tric/i/orosilyl-protected aldolate 254. This makes a substantial mechanistic difference to conventional Lewis acid-catalyzed Mukaiyama aldol protocols that deliver tri /Ay/silyl-protected aldolates. In accordance with the catalytic cycle shown in Scheme 5.72, tetrachlorosilane is consumed and therefore required to be used in stoichiometric amounts. Thus, the reaction is catalyzed by phosphoramides and mediated by tetrachlorosilane or, more generally, by Lewis base-activated Lewis acids [126]. 

There has been unremitting interest in the development of various reaction systems initiated by Al(III) complexes based on sterically encumbered dianionic ligands bearing various Lewis base moieties at properly designed positions. In this area, a series of optically active Al(III) triamine complexes, such as complex 88 (Fig. 29), have been reported as Lewis acid catalysts for the mediation of various asymmetric transformations, including ketene-aldehyde cycloaddition reactions (Eq. 16 for more detail on these transformations, see Chapter 6 Reactions triggered by Lewis acidic organoaluminum species ) [225, 226]. 

Chiral amine catalysts have also been used in cascade reactions mediated by SOMO catalysis [143] and Lewis base catalysis [144]. MacMillan s group developed a powerful cascade reaction moderated by SOMO catalysis. The radical cation, generated from an enamine in condensation of imidazolidinone catalyst 208 with aldehyde 207 and subsequent oxidation by Cu oxidant, was expected to engage in a series of 6-endo-trig radical cyclizations terminated by a suitable arene to give a cyclohexadi-enyl radical. After a second oxidation, rearomatization, and liberation of the catalyst, the requisite 209 would be generated (Scheme 1.90). 

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