Triflates Diels-Alder reactions

A combination of the promoting effects of Lewis acids and water is a logical next step. However, to say the least, water has not been a very popular medium for Lewis-acid catalysed Diels-Alder reactions, which is not surprising since water molecules interact strongly with Lewis-acidic and the Lewis-basic atoms of the reacting system. In 1994, when the research described in this thesis was initiated, only one example of Lewis-acid catalysis of a Diels-Alder reaction in water was published Lubineau and co-workers employed lanthanide triflates as a catalyst for the Diels-Alder reaction of glyoxylate to a relatively unreactive diene . No comparison was made between the process in water and in organic solvents. 

As anticipated from the complexation experiments, reaction of 4.42 with cyclopentadiene in the presence of copper(II)nitrate or ytterbium triflate was extremely slow and comparable to the rate of the reaction in the absence of Lewis-acid catalyst. Apparently, Lewis-acid catalysis of Diels-Alder reactions of p-amino ketone dienophiles is not practicable. 

It turned out that the dodecylsulfate surfactants Co(DS)i Ni(DS)2, Cu(DS)2 and Zn(DS)2 containing catalytically active counterions are extremely potent catalysts for the Diels-Alder reaction between 5.1 and 5.2 (see Scheme 5.1). The physical properties of these micelles have been described in the literature and a small number of catalytic studies have been reported. The influence of Cu(DS)2 micelles on the kinetics of quenching of a photoexcited species has been investigated. Interestingly, Kobayashi recently employed surfactants in scandium triflate catalysed aldol reactions". Robinson et al. have demonshuted that the interaction between metal ions and ligand at the surface of dodecylsulfate micelles can be extremely efficient. ... 

Collins and coworkers applied the bis(tetrahydroindenyl)zirconium triflate 32, which is used as a polymerization catalyst, to the asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction [50] (Scheme 1.61). A remarkable solvent effect was observed - although only a low optical yield was obtained in CH2CI2, high optical purity (91% ee) was realized in 2-nitropropane by use of only 1 mol% of the catalyst. The catalyst is also effective for crotonoyloxazolidinone, giving the cycloadduct in 90% ee. 

Kobayashi et al. have reported the use of a chiral lanthanide(III) catalyst for the Diels-Alder reaction [51] (Scheme 1.63, Table 1.26). Catalyst 33 was prepared from bi-naphthol, lanthanide triflate, and ds-l,2,6-trimethylpiperidine (Scheme 1.62). When the chiral catalyst prepared from ytterbium triflate (Yb(OTf)3) and the lithium or sodium salt of binaphthol was used, less than 10% ee was obtained, so the amine exerts a great effect on the enantioselectivity. After extensive screening of amines, ds-1,2,6-... 

To achieve catalytic enantioselective aza Diels-Alder reactions, choice of metal is very important. It has been shown that lanthanide triflates are excellent catalysts for achiral aza Diels-Alder reactions [5]. Although stoichiometric amounts of Lewis acids are often required, a small amount of the triflate effectively catalyzes the reactions. On the basis of these findings chiral lanthanides were used in catalytic asymmetric aza Diels-Alder reactions. The chiral lanthanide Lewis acids were first developed to realize highly enantioselective Diels-Alder reactions of 2-oxazolidin-l-one with dienes [6]. 

A polymer-supported silyl triflate and subsequent functionalization synthesis and solid-phase Diels-Alder reactions of silyloxydienes [25]... 

The aqueous aza-Diels-Alder reaction of an aldehyde and an amine hydrochloride with a diene is catalyzed by lanthanide(III) trifluoromethane sulfonates (Ln(OTf)3, triflates [24]). Some examples are reported in Schemes 6.12 and 6.13. With respect to uncatalyzed reactions, the lanthanide catalyst allows milder reaction conditions, increases the reaction yield and does not affect the diaster-eoselectivity of the reaction, but influences the regiochemistry as in the cycloaddition of 25 with 1,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene (Schemes 6.10 and 6.12). These results have been applied [24b-d] to the synthesis of azasugars (Scheme 6.14). 

Lanthanide triflates catalyze the Diels-Alder reaction of imines, generated from anilines and aldehydes, with both dienes and alkenes [26]. Thus N-benzyl-ideneaniline in the presence of Yb(OTf)3 (Scheme 6.16) reacts in organic solvent with open-chain dienes, such as Danishefsky s diene, to give tetrahy-dropyridine derivatives, while with cyclopentadiene and vinylethers and vinylthioethers it works like azadiene in both organic solvent and aqueous medium, affording tetrahydroquinoline derivatives. 

The reaction of triflates 6 (available via Diels-Alder reaction of 5 with furan or cyclopentadiene) with alkynylstannanes proceeds smoothty and with selectivity to afford good yields ofbicychc ene-diynes <96JOC6162>. 

Ghosh et al. [70] reviewed a few years ago the utihty of C2-symmetric chiral bis(oxazoline)-metal complexes for catalytic asymmetric synthesis, and they reserved an important place for Diels-Alder and related transformations. Bis(oxazoline) copper(II)triflate derivatives have been indeed described by Evans et al. as effective catalysts for the asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction [71]. The bis(oxazoline) Ugand 54 allowed the Diels-Alder transformation of two-point binding N-acylimide dienophiles with good yields, good diastereos-electivities (in favor of the endo diastereoisomer) and excellent ee values (up to 99%) [72]. These substrates represent the standard test for new catalysts development. To widen the use of Lewis acidic chiral Cu(ll) complexes, Evans et al. prepared and tested bis(oxazoHnyl)pyridine (PyBOx, structure 55, Scheme 26) as ligand [73]. 

Fukuzawa et al. [99] found analogous scandium(III)triflate/ Pr-PyBOx complex as efficient catalyst for the asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene or acyclic dienes and acyl-l,3-oxazohdin-2-ones with up to 90% ee. They latter described the same reaction in super critical CO2 in the presence of MSdA [ 100] that proceeded more rapidly than in CH2CI2 leading to the expected product with analogous selectivity. 

Evans and Wu have prepared complexes derived from PyBOx ligands and samarium or gadolinium triflates that were efficient for the Diels-Alder reaction between various quinones and dienes [102] (see Scheme 38 for an example). 

Kobayashi has found that scandium triflate, Sc(OTf)3,36 and lanthanide triflate, Ln(OTf)3, are stable and can be used as Lewis catalysts under aqueous conditions. Many other Lewis acids have also been reported to catalyze Diels-Alder reactions in aqueous media. For example, Engberts reported37 that the cyclization reaction in Eq. 12.7 in an aqueous solution containing 0.010 M Cu(N03)2 is 250,000 times faster than that in acetonitrile and about 1,000 times faster than that in water alone. Other salts, such as Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+, also catalyze the reaction, but not as effectively as Cu2+. However, water has no effect on the endo-exo selectivity for the Lewis-acid catalyzed reaction. 

As in the case of Diels-Alder reactions, aqueous aza-Diels-Alder reactions are also catalyzed by various Lewis acids such as lanthanide triflates.113 Lanthanide triflate-catalyzed imino Diels-Alder reactions of imines with dienes or alkenes were developed. Three-component aza-Diels-Alder reactions, starting from aldehyde, aniline, and Danishefsky s diene, took place smoothly under the influence of HBL4 in aqueous media to afford dihydro-4-pyridone derivatives in high yields (Eq. 12.46).114... 

Similar aza-Diels-Alder reactions of Danishefsky s diene with imines or aldehydes and amines in water took place smoothly under neutral conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of an alkaline salt such as sodium triflate or sodium tetraphenylborate to afford dihydro-4-pyridones in high yields (Eq. 12.49).117 Antibodies have also been found to catalyze hetero-Diels-Alder reactions.118... 

Aqueous aza-Diels-Alder reactions of chiral aldehydes, prepared from carbohydrates and with benzylamine hydrochloride and cyclopentadiene, were promoted by lanthanide triflates (Eq. 12.65).137 The nitrogen-containing heterocyclic products were further transformed into aza sugars, which are potential inhibitors against glycoprocessing enzymes. 

Rare-earth-metal triflates are efficient catalysts in Diels-Alder reactions, and Sc(OTf)3 is clearly more effective than Ln(OTf)3 as a catalyst.45,53-55 In the presence of 10mol.% Y(OTf)3 or Yb(OTf)3, only a trace amount of the adduct was obtained in the Diels-Alder reaction of methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) with isoprene. In contrast, the reaction proceeded smoothly to give the adduct in 91% yield in the presence of 10mol.% Sc(OTf)3 (Scheme 13).45 Sc(OTf)3 has also proved to be an efficient catalyst for the Diels-Alder reaction of imines (aza Diels-Alder reactions).56,57... 

Trimethylsilyl triflate itself can not promote allylation reactions of aldehydes with allyltri-methylsilane. By using the more highly reactive system Me3SiB(OTf)4, the reactions proceed smoothly.326 A very small amount (0.2-1 mol.%) of Me3SiB(OTf)4 is enough for the reactions (Scheme 75). Allylation of acetals can be promoted by trimethylsilyl bis(trifluoromethanesulfo-nyl)imide (Me3SiNTf2),327 which is also a reactive catalyst for Diels Alder reactions.328... 

Selective cyclization of an alkenyl imine is catalyzed by trimethylsilyl triflate (Scheme 76).329 /-Butyldimethylsilyl triflate ( BuN SiOTf) catalyzes imino Diels-Alder reactions of TV-phenyl-aromatic aldimines to afford exo adducts preferentially.330 When A1C13 is used instead of Bufv SiOTf, endo adducts are obtained predominantly. 

Indium trichloride349-351 is a mild Lewis acid that is effective for various kinds of Lewis-acid-catalyzed reactions such as Diels-Alder reactions (Scheme 85), aldol reactions, and Friedel Crafts reactions. Since indium trichloride is stable in water, several aqueous reactions have been investigated (Scheme 85) indium(III) triflate is also used as a Lewis acid. 

To avoid the retro-Diels-Alder reaction, 56 was dihydroxylated prior to the introduction of the bromine atom (57). Removal of the acetonide group followed by cleavage of the diol afforded a bis-hemiacetal. Selective reduction of the less-hindered hemiacetal group gave 58. The remaining hemiacetal was protected, and the ketone was converted to an enol triflate, thus concluding the synthesis of the electrophilic coupling component 51. 

A challenge of a different kind was encountered in the internal vinylation of various vinyl triflates and bromides as depicted in Eq. (11.13) [27]. The electron-rich structures obtained from the reactions were of interest for further use in Diels-Alder reactions, but the risk of degrading the products in the hot reaction medium posed a problem and a prudent choice of energy input was imperative. It turned out that single-mode microwave heating for 5 min at the very low power of 5 W was sufficient to yield 64% of the product with excellent regioselectivity. Measurements with a fluor-optic probe revealed an unexpectedly high temperature of 76 °C [27]. 

In the presence of a catalytic amount of chiral lanthanide triflate 63, the reaction of 3-acyl-l,3-oxazolidin-2-ones with cyclopentadiene produces Diels-Alder adducts in high yields and high ee. The chiral lanthanide triflate 63 can be prepared from ytterbium triflate, (R)-( I )-binaphthol, and a tertiary amine. Both enantiomers of the cycloaddition product can be prepared via this chiral lanthanide (III) complex-catalyzed reaction using the same chiral source [(R)-(+)-binaphthol] and an appropriately selected achiral ligand. This achiral ligand serves as an additive to stabilize the catalyst in the sense of preventing the catalyst from aging. Asymmetric catalytic aza Diels-Alder reactions can also be carried out successfully under these conditions (Scheme 5-21).19... 

The hetero Diels-Alder reactions discussed thus far use 2-10 mol% of catalyst. Jorgensen s group44b found that the reaction could be carried out even at very low catalyst loading. The catalyst can conveniently be prepared in situ by mixing the chiral ligand 83 and copper triflate in the reaction system. Scheme 5-35 shows that product 112 can be obtained with good yield and high enan-... 

The complex [Cp2Zr(OTf)2(thf)] is a catalyst for the Diels—Alder reactions of 105 compared to the corresponding thermal reactions [82,83] (Scheme 8.45). The isomer ratio of the reaction products (endo/exo or regioisomers) is higher in catalyzed than in thermal reactions. However, because the zir-conocenium triflate is also a catalyst for the polymerization of 1,3-dienes, the Diels—Alder reaction is sometimes completely suppressed in the case of less reactive dienophile-diene combinations. 

Diels-Alder reactions. In the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate, this orthoester is converted into a 1,1-diethoxyallyl cation, CH2=CHC+(OC2H5)2, which reacts with 1,3-dienes at -78° — 0° to give the corresponding adducts of ethyl acrylate. In the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate, ethyl acrylate can undergo Diels-Alder reactions, but higher temperatures are required and yields are lower. 

The hydrated complexes 266c and 265c offer the distinct advantage of stability and ease of use. Their effectiveness as catalyst precursors in the Diels-Alder reaction has been addressed (200). A comparison of the behavior of these catalysts in the presence and absence of sieves in the reaction of acryloylimide and piperylene has revealed that the hydrated catalysts are effective precursors for this reaction. The triflate-derived catalyst 266c is ineffective unless the reaction is conducted in the presence of molecular sieves, Table IV. On the other hand, hydration does not adversely impact the performance of the hexafluoroantimonate catalyst 265c. The presence of sieves has a deleterious effect on this catalyst, leading to greatly reduced reactivity for reasons that are unclear. 

Helmchen and co-worker investigated the use of phosphinooxazolines as ligands for copper(II) catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions (Scheme 19) (214). Optimal selectivities are found for a-naphthyl-substituted phosphinooxazoline (299). These catalysts require 2.5 h to induce complete conversion to cycloadduct, compared to 18 h using the triflate complex 269c under identical conditions. Helmchen invokes a square-planar metal geometry to explain the stereochemistry of the adducts, similar to the model proposed by Evans. He suggests that the bulky phosphine substituents are required to orient binding of the dienophile in such a way as to place the olefin directly below the terf-butyl substituent on the oxazoline. 

The advantages of using ionic liquids as solvents for Diels-Alder reactions are exemplified by the scandium triflate catalysed reactions [14] in [bmim][PFg], [bmim][SbF6] and [bmim][OTf] for the reaction shown in Scheme 7.6. Whilst the nature of the anion seems to have little effect, all these solvents give rate enhancements for a range of Diels-Alder reactions compared to when the reactions are carried out in dichloromethane (DCM). Also, the selectivity towards the endo product is higher than in conventional solvents. As well as the enhanced rates and selectivities, the products can also be removed by extraction with diethyl ether and the ionic liquid and catalyst can immediately be reused. Experiments... 

Although the above demonstrated that product control could be achieved in scC02, the difference in selectivity was relatively small. However, later work using a Lewis acid catalyst, scandium triflate, on the Diels-Alder reaction of n-butyl acrylate and cyclopentadiene (Scheme 7.7) showed that the endo exo ratio was again found to rise to a maximum and then decrease again as the pressure, and hence density, was increased (Figure 7.3) [19]. 

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