N-Enoxyphthalimides undergo a Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation initiated cyclopropanation of electron deficient alkenes. The reaction is proposed to proceed via a directed activation of the olefinic C-H bond followed by two migratory insertions, first across the electron-deficient alkene and then by cyclization back onto the enol moiety. A newly designed isopropylcyclopentadienyl ligand drastic...

Isoxazoline analogues of artemisinin were obtained in low yield and low diastereoselectivity from the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides. Alternatively, starting from the aldehyde 7, a number of transformations--Wittig reaction and reduction, Henry reaction and cyanohydrin formation--were achieved in significantly higher yields. In the cases where a new stereocenter was introduced this...

A direct vinylogous Michael reaction of γ-substituted deconjugated butenolides with nitroolefins has been developed with the help of a newly identified quinine-derived bifunctional catalyst, allowing the synthesis of densely functionalized products with contiguous quaternary and tertiary stereocenters in excellent yield with perfect diastereoselectivity (>20:1 dr) and high enantioselectivity (u...

A total synthesis of paroxetine is reported, with a diastereoselective and diastereoconvergent cobalt-catalysed sp3-sp2 coupling reaction involving a 3-substituted 4-bromo-N-Boc-piperidine (Boc = tert-butoxycarbonyl) substrate as a key step. A 9:1 diastereoselectivity was obtained, while a control experiment involving a conformationally locked 3-substituted 4-bromo-tert-butyl cyclohexane ring p...

Herein, we describe the first catalytic asymmetric intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition of in situ generated ortho-quinone methides. In the presence of a confined chiral imidodiphosphoric acid catalyst, various salicylaldehydes react with dienyl alcohols to give transient ortho-quinone methide intermediates, which undergo an intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition to provide highly functionalized fura...

A dipeptide-based urea-amide tertiary amine (DP-UAA) was shown to be an effective Brønsted base catalyst for the first asymmetric annulation reaction between 5H-thiazol-4-ones and N-itaconimides. High levels of enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) and diastereoselectivity (>19:1 dr) were obtained for a series of spirocyclic 1,4-sulfur-bridged piperidinone-based succinimides.

Organic base-catalyzed reaction of (S)-N-tert-butanesulfinyl (3,3,3)-trifluoroacetaldimine with dialkyl malonates was found to be effective for synthesis of both (S,S(S)) and (R,S(S)) β-aminomalonates in high yield with good to excellent diastereoselectivity (76-98% de). The products of this Mannich reaction provide direct access to β-trifluoromethyl-β-alanine of either (R) or (S) absolute conf...

Phosphorodiselenoic acid esters with a binaphthyl group were reacted with alkenes in the presence of Bu3SnH and AIBN to give phosphonoselenoic acid esters in moderate to good yields. The addition of a phosphoroselenoyl group to alkenes proceeded in an anti-Markovnikov fashion. The diastereoselectivity was improved by the introduction of substituents to 3,3'-positions of a binaphthyl group.

A variety of heterocyclic alcohols and acetates were coupled with silyl ketene acetals and other π-nucleophiles in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate to provide an array of substituted β-heteroaryl propionates, including those with contiguous quaternary centers, as well as vinylogs thereof. This reaction also proceeds with high diastereoselectivity when the π-nucleophile b...