Thiol conjugate addition

Quite a number of asymmetric thiol conjugate addition reactions are known [84], but previous examples of enantioselective thiol conjugate additions were based on the activation of thiol nucleophiles by use of chiral base catalysts such as amino alcohols [85], the lithium thiolate complex of amino bisether [86], and a lanthanide tris(binaphthoxide) [87]. No examples have been reported for the enantioselective thiol conjugate additions through the activation of acceptors by the aid of chiral Lewis acid catalysts. We therefore focussed on the potential of J ,J -DBFOX/ Ph aqua complex catalysts as highly tolerant chiral Lewis acid catalyst in thiol conjugate addition reactions. 

Enantioselectivities were found to change sharply depending upon the reaction conditions including catalyst structure, reaction temperature, solvent, and additives. Some representative examples of such selectivity dependence are listed in Scheme 7.42. The thiol adduct was formed with 79% ee (81% yield) when the reaction was catalyzed by the J ,J -DBFOX/Ph aqua nickel(II) complex at room temperature in dichloromethane. Reactions using either the anhydrous complex or the aqua complex with MS 4 A gave a racemic adduct, however, indicating that the aqua complex should be more favored than the anhydrous complex in thiol conjugate additions. Slow addition of thiophenol to the dichloromethane solution of 3-crotonoyl-2-oxazolidinone was ineffective for enantioselectivity. Enantioselectivity was dramatically lowered and reversed to -17% ee in the reaction at -78 °C. A similar tendency was observed in the reactions in diethyl ether and THF. For example, a satisfactory enantioselectivity (80% ee) was observed in the reaction in THF at room temperature, while the selectivity almost disappeared (7% ee) at 0°C. 

With the success in Lewis acid-catalyzed thiol conjugate addition reactions mentioned above, we further tried to apply the J ,J -DBFOX/Ph-nickel(II) aqua complex catalyst to the catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition reactions of hydroxyl-amines [88, 89]. However, after some preliminary examinations, we found that... 

Scheme 2.10 Thiol conjugate addition DCL templated by SJGST. (a) Blank DCL, (b) DCL after 10 minutes in the presence of SJGST, (c) DCL after equilibration and subsequent addition of the target, after 2 days, and (d) same system after 6 days. Adapted with permission from Reference 47. Copyright (2006) American Chemical Society.

Scheme 2.11 Thiol conjugate addition DCL templated by SJGST. Trace a) shows the blank DCL assembled in the absence of enzyme. Trace b) shows the templated DCL. Adapted with etc.

Thiols primarily add to electron-deficient alkenes by free radical and nucleophilic mechanisms. In the presence or absence of radical initiators, the free radical addition of thiols to alkenes can lead to conjugate addition products. More conveniently, thiol conjugate addition reactions can be cata-... 

Potential precursors to stereoselective INOC and ISOC reactions (e.g., 195 and 196, respectively) have been prepared via stereoselective conjugate additions of several allylic alcohols (e.g., 194,X = 0) and an allylic thiol (e.g., 194,X = S) to a chiral (E)-nitro alkene (e. g., 193) that was derived from (P)-2,3-isopropylidene... 

Thiolates, generated in situ by the action of ammonium tetra-thiomolybdate on alkyl halides, thiocyanates, and disulfides, undergo conjugate addition to a, (1-unsaturatcd esters, nitriles, and ketones in water under neutral conditions (Eq. 10. II).29 Conjugate addition of thiols was also carried out in a hydrophobic ionic liquid [bmim]PF6/water-solvent system (2 1) in the absence of any acid catalyst to afford the corresponding Michael adducts in high to quantitative yields with excellent 1,4-selectivity under mild and neutral conditions (Eq. 10.12). The use of ionic liquids helps to avoid the use of either acid or base catalysts... 

Diastereoselective conjugate addition of oxygen and nitrogen- centered nucleophiles to nitroalke-nes derived from (+)-camphoisulfonic acid and ozonolysis give a-hydroxy and a-amino thiol acid derivatives (Eq. 4.39). In all cases, the (/ )-diasteromer is formed as the major component.49... 

Shibasaki s lanthanide-alkaline metal-BINOL system, discussed in Chapters 2 and 3, can also effect the asymmetric conjugate addition reaction. As shown in Scheme 8-35, enantioselective conjugate addition of thiols to a,/ -unsaturated carbonyl compounds proceeds smoothly, leading to the corresponding products with high yield and high ee.76... 

Scheme 8-35. LSB-promoted catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of thiols to enones. Reprinted with permission by Am. Chem. Soc., Ref. 76.

The Ras proteins were then allowed to react with the MIC-modified peptides in stoichiometric amounts. The maleimido group1261 reacts specifically with mercapto groups of proteins by conjugate addition of the thiol to the a, 3-unsaturated carbonyl compound. The Ras mutants reacted smoothly with the MIC modified peptides and in... 

Scheme 13. Conjugate addition of cysteine thiol group to the maleiimido functionality for the synthesis of protein-peptide constructs...

Conjugate additions of thiols to a 2,3-allenoate proceed easily [236b, 249, 250],... 

Conjugate addition of thiols to a,p-unsaturated carbonyl compounds... 

Greaney and coworkers have introduced the conjugate addition of thiols to Michael acceptors as an effective adaptive DCL strategy [46,47]. The reaction is well suited for biological DCL synthesis, taking place in water with no requirement for external reagents. As with disulfide bond formation, the reaction is subject to simple and effective pH control. Under mildly basic conditions, the thiolate anion adds rapidly to Michael acceptors under equilibrium conditions. Acidification effectively switches the reaction... 

Schistosoma japonica glutathione-S -transferase [24] Conjugate addition of thiols to enones -300 HPLC... 

The conjugate addition of a thiol, methanethiol, to the a,(5-unsaturated aldehyde acrolein may be used in the synthesis of the amino acid methionine. Under basic conditions, the nucleophile will be the thiolate anion, and 1,4-addition leads to the thia-aldehyde. Methionine may then be obtained via... 

The Michael reaction involves conjugate addition of a nucleophile onto an a,P-unsaturated carbonyl compound, or similar system. Such reactions take place in nature as well, and some can be potentially dangerous to us. For example, the a,P-unsaturated ester ethyl acrylate is a cancer suspect agent. This electrophile can react with biological nucleophiles and, in so doing, bind irreversibly to the nucleophile, rendering it unable to carry out its normal functions. A particularly important enzyme that can act as a nucleophile is DNA polymerase, which is responsible for the synthesis of strands of DNA, especially as part of a DNA repair mechanism (see Section 14.2.2). The nucleophilic centre is a thiol grouping, and this may react with ethyl acrylate as shown. 

The conjugate additions of thiols to a,p-unsaturated electrophiles was extended by Wang [96]. Catalyst 166 promoted the addition of thioacetic acid to a variety of enones, including aliphatic, aromatic and heteroaromatic substituents (Scheme 42). Wang expanded the scope of the reaction to include asymmetric additions of thioacetic acid to nitro-olefms (Scheme 43) [97]. Thiourea catalyst 166 promoted the addition reactions in high yields and high enantiomeric ratios for a variety of P-substituted nitro-olefms. 

The asymmetric conjugate additions with thiol nucleophiles was further expanded to 2-mercaptobenzaldehydes [98]. Wang had previously developed a domino Michael-aldol reaction promoted by Cinchona alkaloids, and now illustrated the utihty of cyclohexane-diamine bifunctionalized catalysts for the domino... 

Tetraalkylammonium bromide was found to be a good catalyst for the conjugate addition of thiols to a,p-unsaturated nitriles, carboxylic esters, ketones, aldehydes, and nitro alkenes. The reactions proceeded rapidly and gave high yields of products (typically, 90%) (160). 

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