Phase transfer catalysis natural products

After having optimized the practical asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis using TaDiAS with broad substrate generality, the synthetic applications of the procedure to create complex natural products was examined, based on the easy accessibility to a variety of optically active natural and unnatural a-amino acids. 

Whilst simple alkylations of enolates and Michael additions have been successfully catalyzed by phase-transfer catalysts, aldol-type processes have proved more problematic. This difficulty is due largely o the reversible nature of the aldol reaction, resulting in the formation of a thermodynamically more stable aldol product rather than the kinetically favored product. However, by trapping the initial aldol product as soon as it is formed, asymmetric aldol-type reactions can be carried out under phase-transfer catalysis. This is the basis of the Darzens condensation (Scheme 8.2), in which the phase-transfer catalyst first induces the deprotonation of an a-halo... 

The wide range covered by nearly forty contributions ensures a concise overview of the latest developments in the field, w hethcr they be new methods of C-C bond formation or race-mization, asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis or stereoselective metathesis reactions, solid phase reactions or particularly elegant syntheses of challenging natural products. 

Since the Reimer-Tiemann reaction always yields a mixture of ortho- and para-substituted phenols whenever the two positions are unsubstituted (and sometimes even when the positions are substituted, see carboxy-substituted phenols), it is not surprising that attempts have been made to increase the regioselectivity. Earlier attempts (for details, see reviews) emphasized the nature of the cation, the solvent, or used phase-transfer catalysis. Recent studies have concentrated on the use of cyclodextrins as base-stable host compounds, permitting exclusive para substitution. Attaching the cyclodextrins to a solid support has also been attempted, a natural step in view of the high cost of the cyclodextrins and the need for cheap product i.e. p-hydroxybenzaldehyde). p-Hydroxybenzaldehyde has been prepared in 59-65% yield using P-cyclodextrin that has been immobilized with epichlorohydrin. TTie catalyst is easily recovered and can be reused without appreciable loss of activity. 

Asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis is a method that has for almost three decades proven its high utility. Although its typical application is for (non-natural) amino acid synthesis, over the years other types of applications have been reported. The unique capability of quaternary ammonium salts to form chiral ion pairs with anionic intermediates gives access to stereoselective transformations that are otherwise very difficult to conduct using metal catalysts or other organocatalysts. Thus, this catalytic principle has created its own very powerful niche within the field of asymmetric catalysis. As can be seen in Table 5 below, the privileged catalyst structures are mostly Cinchona alkaloid-based, whereas the highly potent Maruoka-type catalysts have so far not been applied routinely to complex natural product total synthesis. 

Bolmgren I, Norin T 1981 Direct methylation of salts of acids in hydrolysis mixtures of natural products by phase transfer catalysis. An investigation of the suberin fraction of birch bark (Betula verrucosa Erh.). Acta Chem Scand 20B 742... 

The versatile nature of cinchona alkaloid ammonium salts for phase-transfer catalysis can be illustrated by recent reports on conjugate additions [118] and a nitro-Mannich reachon [119]. Dimeric catalysts derived from quinine and quini-dine were applied in the conjugate addition of cyclic (l-ketoesters to a, 3-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The reaction proceeded in the presence of a tertiary amine as base and afforded the products in moderate to high yield and enantioselectivity (Scheme 6.56). 

Enantioselective oxidation is one of the most important and yet useful transformations in organic synthesis, and the asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis has made notable contributions to this field. The stereoselective epoxidation of electron-deficient olefins with peroxides is a representative example, and Taylor demonstrated the synthetic utility of this system by accomplishing the total syntheses of three natural products of manumycin family, (-l-)-MT 35214 131, (-l-)-manumycin A 132, " and (—)-alisamycin 133 (Scheme 4.31). The syntheses were undertaken by the... 

Gururaja and Waser describe the use of asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis for the synthesis of biologically active complex natural products in Chapter 14. In Chapter 15, ViUaverde et al. present an overview of the new trends in residue analysis, and the definition of biopesticide with reference to the European Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009. 

Asymmetric Phase-Transfer Catalysis as a Powerful Tool in the Synthesis of Biologically Active Chiral Complex Natural Products... 

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