Phosphoramidites allylic substitution

The moderate ees obtained with the copper arenethiolate ligands discussed above prompted a search for new chiral ligands for use in asymmetric allylic substitution reactions. The binaphthol-derived phosphoramidite ligand 32, used successfully by Feringa et al. in copper-catalyzed 1,4-addition reactions [37], was accordingly tested in the reaction between 21 and n-BuMgl. 

Keywords Allylic substitution Asymmetric catalysis Heterocycles Iridium Phosphoramidite... 

A wide range of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen nucleophiles react with allylic esters in the presence of iridium catalysts to form branched allylic substitution products. The bulk of the recent literature on iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution has focused on catalysts derived from [Ir(COD)Cl]2 and phosphoramidite ligands. These complexes catalyze the formation of enantiomerically enriched allylic amines, allylic ethers, and (3-branched y-8 unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The latest generation and most commonly used of these catalysts (Scheme 1) consists of a cyclometalated iridium-phosphoramidite core chelated by 1,5-cyclooctadiene. A fifth coordination site is occupied in catalyst precursors by an additional -phosphoramidite or ethylene. The phosphoramidite that is used to generate the metalacyclic core typically contains one BlNOLate and one bis-arylethylamino group on phosphorus. 

Scheme 1 Asymmetric allylic substitution catalyzed by metaiacyciic iridium-phosphoramidite complexes...

Although Helmchen et al. showed that asymmetric iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution could be achieved, the scope of the reactions catalyzed by iridium complexes of the PHOX ligands was limited. Thus, they evaluated reactions catalyzed by complexes generated from [lr(COD)Cl]2 and the dimethylamine-derived phosphoramidite monophos (Scheme 8) [45,51]. Although selectivity for the branched isomer from addition of malonate nucleophiles to allylic acetates was excellent, the highest enantiomeric excess obtained was 86%. This enantiomeric excess was obtained from a reaction of racemic branched allylic acetate. The enantiomeric excess was lower when linear allylic acetates were used. This system catalyzed addition of the hthium salts of A-benzyl sulfonamides to aUylic acetates, but the product of the reaction between this reagent and an alkyl-substituted linear aUylic acetate was formed with an enantiomeric excess of 13%. 

C-bound K -phosphoramidite in addition to a K -phosphoramidite (Scheme 11). This cyclometalated complex was identified by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography [70]. A cyclometalated species had been proposed to form in reactions catalyzed by [lr(COD)Cl]2 and P(OPh)3. However, no complexes were isolated from this mixture or shown to be competent to catalyze allylic substitution [45]. 

Concurrent with studies on cyclometalation, studies on the effects of the structure of phosphoramidite ligand had been conducted. Several groups studied the effect of the stmcmre of ligand on the rate and selectivity of these iridium-catalyzed allylic substitutions. LI contains three separate chiral components - the two phenethyl moieties on the amine as well as the axially chiral BINOL backbone. These portions of the catalyst structure can control reaction rates by affecting the rate of cyclometalation, by inhibiting catalyst decomposition, or by forming a complex that reacts faster in the mmover-limiting step(s) of the catalytic cycle. 

Additional studies were conducted to determine how further modifications to the amine portion of the phosphoramidite ligand affect iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution. One arylethyl moiety is necessary for the formation of metalacyclic active catalyst, but it was unclear how changes to the structure of the second substituent on nitrogen would affect reactivity and selectivity. A stereocenter on this second... 

The configuration of the chiral BlNOLate backbone of the phosphoramidite ligand affects the rates and enantioselectivities of allylic substitution reactions. Hartwig and coworkers found that allylic substitution conducted with a catalyst derived from the simplified ligand (5a,/ )-L4 occurred more slowly than that conducted with a catalyst derived from (/ a,/ )-L4 [74]. Complexes of the mismatched (5a,/ )-L4 undergo cyclometalation slowly. The products formed from reactions catalyzed by complexes of (5a,/ )-L4 and (/ a,/ )-L4 have the opposite absolute configuration. 

Scope of Allylic Substitution Catalyzed by Metalacyclic Iridium-Phosphoramidite Complexes... 

As previously discussed, activation of the iridium-phosphoramidite catalyst before addition of the reagents allows less basic nitrogen nucleophiles to be used in iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions [70, 88]. Arylamines, which do not react with allylic carbonates in the presence of the combination of LI and [Ir(COD)Cl]2 as catalyst, form allylic amination products in excellent yields and selectivities when catalyzed by complex la generated in sim (Scheme 15). The scope of the reactions of aromatic amines is broad. Electron-rich and electron-neutral aromatic amines react with allylic carbonates to form allylic amines in high yields and excellent regio- and enantioselectivities as do hindered orlAo-substituted aromatic amines. Electron-poor aromatic amines require higher catalyst loadings, and the products from reactions of these substrates are formed with lower yields and selectivities. 

Several types of intramolecular allylic substitution reactions of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen nucleophiles catalyzed by metalacyclic iridium phosphoramidite complexes have been reported. Intramolecular allylic substitution is much faster than the competing intermolecular process when conducted in the presence of iridium catalysts. Thus, conditions involving high dilution are not required. Intramolecular... 

In contrast, reactions catalyzed by la were typically conducted with added [Ir (C0D)C1]2 to trap the K -phosphoramidite ligand after dissociation, and thereby, to leave the unsaturated active catalyst. Under these conductions, as much as half of the iridium in the system is present in an inactive acyclic species. In contrast, when ethylene adduct lb is used as the catalyst, all of the iridium belongs to the active metalacyclic species. Hartwig and coworkers have recently taken advantage of the increased availability of the active catalyst generated from lb to develop new allylic substitution reactions. These new processes include the reactions of carbamates, nitrogen heterocycles, and ammonia. 

The scope of reactions catalyzed by metalacychc iridium-phosphoramidite complexes is remarkably broad, but reactions with some substrates, such as allylic alcohols, prochiral nucleophiles, branched allylic esters, and highly substituted allylic esters, that would form synthetically valuable products or would lead to simpler symthesis of reactants occur with low yields and selectivities. In addition, iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions are sensitive to air and water and must be conducted with dry solvents under an inert atmosphere. Several advances have helped to overcome some, but not aU of these challenges. 

Allylic substitution reactions catalyzed by metalacyclic iridium-phosphoramidite complexes form branched products from linear allylic esters with high regioselec-tivity. However, reactions with racemic, branched allylic esters would be particularly valuable because they are readily accessible from a wide array of aldehydes and vinylmagnesium halides. However, iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions of branched allylic esters have so far occurred with low enantioselectivities [45, 75]. 

Except for one recent example, all iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions have been performed under an inert atmosphere with dry solvent and reagents. The iridium metalacycle is sensitive to protonation, which opens the metalacycle and results in the formation of a less-active complex containing a K -phosphoramidite ligand. A paper by Helmchen et al. addressed this issue [107]. Nearly all iridium catalysts used for allylic substitution consist of an iridium fragment chelated by COD. In the presence of a catalyst containing dibenzo[a,c]cyclooctatetraene (dbcot) in place of COD, allylic substimtion reactions occur in air with results that are comparable to those of reactions performed under an inert atmosphere (Scheme 35). 

Phosphoramidites as Ligands for the ir-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution 9.2.4.1 Survey... 

OR tHF Scheme 9.8 Steric course of all known allylic substitutions catalyzed by Ir complexes prepared from phosphoramidites L1-L5. 

Figure 9.2 The chiral phosphoramidites most often employed for Ir-catalyzed allylic substitutions.

Scheme 9.10 Catalytic cycle of the allylic substitution catalyzed by (phosphoramidite)It complexes.

Figu re 9.4 Chiral ligands other than phosphoramidites that have been used in Ir-catalyzed allylic substitutions. 

Generally, alkoxides are problematic nucleophiles because of their basic character. In metal-catalyzed allylic substitutions, superior results were obtained with Zn-alkoxides (achiral Ir-catalysts) [66] and Cu-alkoxides (achiral Rh-catalyst with chiral substrates) [67]. Shu and Hartwig developed aUyUc substitutions with alkoxides using Ir/phosphoramidite catalysts [68] these authors used catalysts obtained from [Ir(COD)Cl]2 and LI or L3 without explicit base activation [procedure (a) in Section 9.2.4.2) (Scheme 9.34). 

TABLE 9. Asymmetric allylic substitution using a Cu/phosphoramidite ligand... 

A new phosphoramidite ligand (1 Y = OMe), gives high enantioselectivities (92-99% ee) and regioselectivities (99% S 2 ) in iridium-catalysed allylic substitution reactions of carbonates and acetates with carbanion or primary amine nucleophiles.6 The new ligand also leads to a faster rate of reaction than other phosphoramidite ligands. 

Scheme 6.81 Ir-catalyzed allylic substitution reactions and chiral phosphoramidite ligands.

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