α,β-Unsaturated carbonyl compounds are versatile intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and biologically active compounds. Here, we report the discovery and application of Pd(DMSO)(2)(TFA)(2) as a catalyst for direct dehydrogenation of cyclohexanones and other cyclic ketones to the corresponding enones, using O(2) as the oxidant. The substrate scope includes heterocyclic ketones and ...

A series of stable C(1)-symmetric chiral diamines (2a–2l) were conveniently synthesized by condensing exo-(-)-bornylamine or (+)-(1S,2S,5R)-menthylamine with various commercially available Cbz-protected amino acids. Among them, 2a can efficiently promote the Michael addition of nitroalkanes to a broad scope of enones with high yields (up to 96%) and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98%) un...

Large asymmetric amplification originating from solubility differences between the enantiopure and the racemic catalyst is observed in the addition of Grignard reagents to enones. This behaviour is not reaction or catalyst specific and is observed for metal complexes of a variety of chiral diphosphine ligands, extensively used in asymmetric catalysis.

A highly diastereoselective cyclopropanation of cyclic enones with sulfur ylides was developed under catalyst-free conditions, producing multifunctional spirocyclopropanes in generally excellent yields (up to 99% yield and >99:1 d.r.). The asymmetric version of this method was realized by using an easily available chiral sulfur ylide, affording products with moderate to good stereoselectivity.

Thiazolium carbene-catalyzed reaction of aromatic 1,2-diketones with enones in aprotic solvents gave double acylation products in good yields, whereas hydroacylation products formed by Stetter reaction were not detected at all. These results suggested the generation of aroyloxyenamine species from the 1,2-diketones instead of hydroxyenamines (Breslow intermediates).

The synthesis and characterisation of two novel tetranuclear and thermally-stable lithium arylcuprates, [Cu(2)Li(2)Mes(4)] and [Cu(3)LiMes(4)], are reported and [Cu(3)LiMes(4)] is shown to be a highly active promoter for the 1,4-addition of organolithiums to enones.

To All(oc) involved: A palladium-catalyzed formal 5-endo-trig heteroannulation of enones generated in situ from amino acid derived β-keto nitriles has been realized (see scheme; Alloc=allyl carbamate). The reaction proceeds with allyl-group transfer from the carbamate protecting group to generate two new contiguous stereocenters, including one quaternary center, with high selectivity.

An efficient, catalytic, diastereo- and enantioselective conjugate addition of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester to β-aryl substituted enones was realized in the presence of 1 mol% of newly desired dinuclear N-spiro-ammonium salts, affording functionalized α-amino acid derivatives in 57-98% yields with high diastereoselectivity (up to 99:1 dr) and enantioselectivity (up to 96.5:3.5 ...

The nanoporous AuPd (AuPdNPore) alloy catalyst showed superior chemoselectivity and high catalytic activity for the direct 1,4-hydrosilylation of the conjugated cyclic enones with hydrosilane in comparison with the monometallic nanoporous Au and Pd catalysts. The enhanced catalytic properties of AuPdNPore arise mainly from the nanoporous structure and the synergistic effect of the AuPd alloy.

Rapid digestion by proteases limits the application of peptides as therapeutics. One strategy to increase the proteolytic stability of peptides is the modification with fluorinated amino acids. This study presents a systematic investigation of the effects of fluorinated leucine and isoleucine derivatives on the proteolytic stability of a peptide that was designed to comprise substrate specifici...