Stereodivergent Allylic Substitutions with Aryl Acetic Acid Esters by Synergistic Iridium and Lewis Base Catalysis

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Jan 11;139(1):87-90. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b11692. Epub 2016 Dec 22.

Abstract

The preparation of all possible stereoisomers of a given chiral molecule bearing multiple stereocenters by a simple and unified method is a significant challenge in asymmetric catalysis. We report stereodivergent allylic substitutions with aryl acetic acid esters catalyzed synergistically by a metallacyclic iridium complex and benzotetramisole. Through permutations of the enantiomers of the two chiral catalysts, all four stereoisomers of the products bearing two adjacent stereocenters are accessible with high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity. The resulting chiral activated ester products can be converted readily to enantioenriched amides, unactivated esters, and carboxylic acids in a one-pot manner.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / chemistry*
  • Allyl Compounds / chemistry*
  • Amides / chemical synthesis
  • Amides / chemistry
  • Carboxylic Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Carboxylic Acids / chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Esters / chemical synthesis
  • Esters / chemistry*
  • Iridium / chemistry*
  • Lewis Bases / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Organometallic Compounds / chemistry*
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Allyl Compounds
  • Amides
  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Esters
  • Lewis Bases
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Iridium