Alcohol dehydrogenation and condensation reactions are involved in chain growth pathways on Cu/MgCeOx promoted with potassium. These pathways lead to the formation of isobutanol with high selectivity via reactions of higher alcohols with methanol-derived C1 species in reaction steps also relevant to higher alcohol synthesis from CO/H2 mixtures at higher pressures on K–Cu/MgCeOx catalysts. Ethan...

The total synthesis of lycopalhine A has been accomplished. The synthesis features construction of the tricyclic system via cleavage of a cyclopropane ring and an ensuing intramolecular Michael addition, stereoselective introduction of a 2-aminoethyl moiety via a reaction of allyltrimethylsilane to a sulfonyliminium ion, and a stereoselective intramolecular aldol reaction.

A new heterogeneous catalyst, hydrophobic TiO4-deposited mesoporous silica, has been designed for the efficient Mukaiyama-aldol condensation, a water-participating Lewis acid-catalyzed reaction between a hydrophobic carbonyl compound and silyl enol ether. The prepared catalyst suspended in water exhibited high catalytic performance as a reusable catalyst for the reaction without a surfactant.

The conversion of a substituted dioxinone to a pyrone was used in an improved synthesis of the AB spiroketal subunit of the spongistatins. This transformation occurred via a hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of an acyl ketene with butyl vinyl ether. A double diastereoselective Mukaiyama aldol reaction is used to provide the hetero-Diels-Alder precursor.

The first example of an asymmetric organocatalyzed decarboxylative aldol reaction of β-ketoacids (aroylacetic acids) with α-ketophosphonates that produces a quaternary chiral centre has been developed. A quinidine based bifunctional urea derivative was identified as the preferred catalyst affording γ-aroyl tertiary α-hydroxyphosphonates in good yield and enantioselectivity. The 31P NMR spectros...

Novel binaphthyl-based chiral bifunctional organocatalysts were designed, synthesized and successfully applied to the asymmetric List-Lerner-Barbas aldol reaction in the presence of water. These organocatalysts were found to be effective catalysts for the reactions of symmetrical, unsymmetrical and cyclic ketones with different aldehydes to give the corresponding aldol products with higher yiel...

The asymmetric reaction of a lithium enolate generated from a BHA (2, 6-di-tert-buty-4-methoxyphenyl) propanoate was allowed to react with benzaldehyde in the presence of a diether-type chiral ligand affording the corresponding anti-aldol product in a moderate enantioselectivity. A tetradentate ligand induced better enantioselectivity albeit relative loss of anti-selectivity. A variation of lit...

Bovine and human serum albumins catalyze the aldol reaction of aromatic aldehyedes and acetone, with saturation kinetics and moderate and opposite enantioselectivity. The reaction occurs at the binding site in domain IIa, and is inhibited by warfarin. Kinetic data are consistent with an enamine mechanism. The activity is conserved in a 103 aminoacid peptide derived from the albumin sequence.

Treatment of the diol 6 with KH and 18-C-6 at room temperature gives the cyclopentenone 7 in good yields. Mechanistic analysis reveals that this is the first case of an anionic oxy retro-ene reaction followed by a tandem intramolecular aldol condensation. Reaction: see text.