Chiral Counteranion-Directed Catalytic Asymmetric Methylene Migration Reaction of Ene-Aldimines

J Org Chem. 2022 Jul 15;87(14):9399-9407. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c00742. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Abstract

A catalytic asymmetric methylene migration reaction of ene-aldimines directed by chiral counteranions is developed, with the optimal catalyst identified as phenanthryl-substituted (R)-BINOL phosphate. Control experiments and density functional theory computations reveal the importance of the 2-hydroxy group of the ene-aldimine and attractive (e.g., OH···O, CH···O, CH···π, and π···π) interactions for high enantioselectivity (up to 74% ee). The results contribute to the design of asymmetric catalysis for the rearrangement of highly reactive iminium intermediates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis*