Recent advances in asymmetric reactions catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids

This review summarizes the very recent advances in asymmetric reactions catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acids（CPAs）, a family of versatile catalysts that catalyze a broad range of reactions to afford diverse chiral molecules. In the past years, different kinds of chiral phosphoric acids have been designed and developed into a privileged class of catalysts in asymmetric synthesis. A number of remarkable achievements have been made by many groups around the world. Due to length limitation, this review only summarizes those works published from January 2016 to November 2017. Meanwhile, catalytic systems which combine metal catalysts and chiral phosphoric acids will not be discussed in this review.

Synthesis of Chiral Amino Cyclic Phosphoric Acids

Chiral amino cyclic phosphoric acids, 5-amino-2-hydroxy-4-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane 2-oxide and 2-hydroxy-4-(4-methylsulfonylphenyl)-5-phthalimido-1,3,2-dioxaphos phorinane 2-oxide are synthesized in good over yields (64.2%and 72.8%respectively) from 2-amino-1-aryl-1,3-propanediols. The different reaction conditions are necessary in hydrolysis reactions of amino cyclic phosphonyl chlorides.

Atroposelective Synthesis of 2-Arylindoles via Chiral Phosphoric Acid-Catalyzed Direct Amination of Indoles

Indole-based atropisomers are a very important class of axially chiral compounds.However,the atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral 2-arylindole remains largely unexplored.In this study,we report the successful synthesis of atropisomeric 2-arylindoles using direct amination of indoles with p-quinonediimines in the presence of chiral phosphoric acid as a catalyst.Quinonediimine acts as an aminating reagent through formal polarity inversion of imine.The malonate group on the 2-aryl of 2-indoles was found to be essen-tial for high enantioselectivity of the products.This could be due to the additional interaction between the ester group and the cata-lyst,as well as the intramolecular hydrogen bonding.Our findings provide a new strategy for the asymmetric construction of 2-arylindole atropisomers.

Asymmetric alkenylation reaction of benzoxazinones with diarylethylenes catalyzed by B(C_(6)F_(5))_(3)/chiral phosphoric acid

Catalytic enantioselective alkenylation is an efficient method to construct chiral alkene molecules,but the asymmetric alkenylation of simple alkenes catalyzed by metal-free catalysts remains an elusive challenge.Herein,we reported an asymmetric alkenylation of benzoxazinones with diarylethylenes by utilizing a B(C_(6)F_(5))_(3)/chiral phosphoric acid catalyst.A broad of benzoxazinones and diarylethylenes with electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups were tolerated(up to 95%yield and 97.5:2.5 e.r.)in the methodology under mild reaction conditions.Moreover,the synthetic utility was confirmed by the scaled-up reaction and transformations of the products.The mechanism was preliminarily explored by control reactions,nonlinear effect experiment and DFT calculations.

Chiral Spirocyclic Phosphoric Acids and Their Growing Applications

Chiral spirocyclic phosphoric acids(SPAs)are introduced in 2010 and have been versatile catalysts capable of promoting a wide range of asymmetric organocatalytic reactions,such as multi-component reactions,Friedel–Crafts reactions,Pictet–Spengler reactions,Fischer indolizations,cycloaddition reactions,desymmetrization reactions,dearomatization reactions,conjugate addition reactions and rearrangement reactions,etc.Moreover,a diverse range of applications in metal-organic cooperative catalysis,organic photoredox catalysis,total synthesis,materials science and molecular recognition are beautifully illustrated.This account summarizes the past decade's advances in this field and highlights the selected but not comprehensive significant achievements.

Quinoxaline-specific enantioselective sulfa-michael reaction catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acid

Highly enantioselective sulfa-Michael additions(SMA)between 2-alkenyl quinoxalines and aromatic thiols are accomplished using a low loading of chiral phosphoric acid catalyst(1 mol%).It was confirmed by an investigation of a lot of azaarenes that the two C-N units of quinoxalines are indispensable for controlling the reaction enantioselectivities.A series of non-terminal 2-alkenes substituted with aryls or alkyls,even other electro-withdrawing groups such as ketones,esters,or amides,selectively reacted and afforded the desired SMA products(48 examples)in good regioselectivities with high yields(up to 99%)and good ee values(up to 97%).

Catalytic Asymmetric Diastereodivergent Synthesis of 2-Alkenylindoles Bearing both Axial and Central Chirality

The catalytic asymmetric diastereodivergent synthesis of axially chiral 2-alkenylindoles was established via chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed addition reactions of C3-unsubstituted 2-alkenylindoles with o-hydroxybenzyl alcohols under different reaction conditions.Using this strategy,two series of 2-alkenylindoles bearing both axial and central chirality were synthesized in a diastereodivergent fashion with moderate to high yields and good stereoselectivities(up to 99%yield,95:5 er,>95:5 dr).Moreover,theoretical calculations were performed on the key transition states leading to different stereoisomers,which provided an in-depth understanding of the origin of the observed stereoselectivity and diastereodivergence of the products under different reaction conditions.More importantly,these 2-alkenylindoles were utilized in asymmetric catalysis as chiral organocatalysts and in medicinal chemistry for evaluation of their cytotoxicity,which demonstrated their potential applications.This study has not only established the catalytic atroposelective synthesis of axially chiral 2-alkenylindoles,but also provided an efficient strategy for catalytic asymmetric diastereodivergent construction of indole-based scaffolds bearing both axial and central chirality.

Chiral Phosphoric Acid Catalyzed Asymmetric Synthesis of Axially Chiral Compounds

The well-defined conformational properties of axially chiral compounds bring extraordinary values to an assortment of bioactive molecules,advanced materials,organocatalysts as well as chiral ligands in asymmetric transformations.The demonstrated usefulness and untapped potential of axially chiral structural motifs stimulate increasing efforts to develop novel and efficient approaches for their preparation.In this regard,the chiral phosphoric acids broadly used in asymmetric Brønsted acid catalysis have shown high relevance for atroposelective synthesis as well.Our strong interest in reaction chemistry of atropisomers has established a rewarding research programme in our group.The course of studies will be recounted in this account,with discussion focused on the use of chiral phosphoric acids to catalyze construction of several key axially chiral structures such as BINAM,BINOL,NOBIN,arylquinones,SPINOL,arylpyrrole analogues and axially chiral alkenes.

Enantioselective three-component Ugi reaction catalyzed by chiral phosphoric acid

A catalytic enantioselective three-component Ugi reaction was developed.SPINOL-derived phosphoric acid with bulky 2,4,6-tricyclohexylphenyl groups at the 6,6′positions was found to be the best catalyst to affordα-amino amide derivatives in good to excellent yields(62%to 99%)and enantiocontrol(81%to>99%enantiomeric excess).This asymmetric reaction was applicable well to an array of aliphatic aldehydes.The gram-scale synthesis,modification of dapsone,and enantioselective synthesis of(R)-Lacosamide underline the general utility of this methodology.Influence of dihedral angles and substituents of the chiral phosphoric acids on the enantioselectivity was also discussed in this article.

Enantioselective synthesis of quaternary α-aminophosphonates by organocatalytic Friedel–Crafts reactions of indoles with cyclicα-ketiminophosphonates

An efficient asymmetric Friedel-Crafts reaction has been developed for the synthesis of optically active quaternaryα‐aminophosphonates with up to98%ee.The synthesis involves the reaction of cyclicα‐ketiminophosphonates with indoles using an H8‐BINOL‐derived chiral phosphoric acid(CPA)catalyst that bears electron‐withdrawing3,5‐ditrifluoromethylphenyl substituents on its3‐and3′‐positions.This Friedel-Crafts reaction of cyclicα‐ketiminophosphonates was also successful with pyrrole.

Synthesis of C—N Axial Chirality N-Arylindoles via Pd(II)-Catalyzed Free Amine-Directed Atroposelective C—H Olefination

Axially chiral N-arylindoles bearing a stereogenic C—N axis are unique important scaffolds in natural products,advance materials,pharmaceuticals and privileged chiral ligands or catalysts.Herein,we report the direct synthesis of C—N axially chiral N-arylindoles through a Pd-catalyzed free amine-directed atroposelective C—H olefination enabled by a spiro phosphoric acid(SPA)ligand.A wide range of enantioenriched N-aromatic amine indoles were obtained in high yields with good enantioselectivities(35 examples,up to 91%yield and up to 96%ee).The chiral products with free amine group offer an effective functional handle for down-stream diversity-oriented synthesis.

Inherently Chiral 6,7-Diphenyldibenzo [e,g][1,4]diazocine: Enantioselective Synthesis and Application as a Ligand Platform

Inherently chiral 6,7-diphenyldibenzo[e,g][1,4]diazocine(DDD)has been synthesized enantioselectively for the first time via chiral phosphoric acid(CPA)-catalyzed cyclocondensation of readily available[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,2′-diamine(1a)and benzil(2a)in 82%yield,with 98%ee under mild reaction conditions.The strategy could also be applied to racemic biaryl diamines through kinetic resolution.The unexpectedly high interconversion energy barriers between the enantiomers(ΔG=39.5 kcal/mol)and the chemical stability rendered DDD an ideal platform for developing new chiral ligands and catalysts.Unique inherently chiralDDD-based phosphoramidites,phosphoric acid,mono-and diphosphine ligands were prepared from optically pure diphenol derivative DDDOL as a common precursor.Preliminary asymmetric reactions catalyzed by Pd or Rh in the presence of newly developed ligands exhibited comparable or even better enantioselectivities than the corresponding BINOLor SPINOL-derived ligands.Density functional theory calculation revealed the origin of the enantioselectivity during the process.

Catalytic asymmetric(3+3)cycloaddition between different 2-indolylmethanols

The catalytic asymmetric(3+3)cycloaddition between different 2-indolylmethanols has been established,in which a series of chiral indole-fused six-membered heterocycles were constructed in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.This work not only has established the first catalytic asymmetric cycloaddition between different 2-indolylmethanols but also provided a powerful strategy for constructing enantioenriched indole-fused six-membered rings.Additionally,biological evaluation discovered some products with promising antitumor activities.Notably,theoretical calculations performed on the reaction pathway and activation mode provide an in-depth understanding of this catalytic asymmetric(3+3)cycloaddition among different 2-indolylmethanols,which will advance the understanding of the chemistry of indolylmethanols.

Catalytic asymmetric dearomative azo-Diels–Alder reaction of 2-vinlyindoles

Due to the high electrophilic nature of azo-dienophiles, azo-Diels–Alder proceeds rapidly even without the need of a catalyst and is therefore regarded as the “click reaction”. This spontaneity causes strong background reaction and poses a daunting challenge to chemists for developing the catalytic asymmetric version. Reported herein is the first catalytic asymmetric dearomative azo-Diels–Alder reaction between2-vinylindoles and triazoledione. This protocol makes use of the high energy barrier of dearomatization to avert the strong background reaction of azo-Diels–Alder reaction, allowing the implementation of the projected reaction at ambient temperature. Density functional theory calculations have been performed to gain insights into the reaction mechanism and the origins of the enantioselectivity. By using this method,a variety of tetracyclic indole derivatives have been readily prepared in good to excellent yields and with excellent diastereo-and enantio–selectivities(33 examples, up to 97% yield and >99% ee, >20:1 dr).

Atroposelective Synthesis of 3-Aryl-Indoles Through a One-Pot 2,3-Difunctionalization of Simple Indoles

Indole and its derivatives represent the most important heterocycles that are widely present in bioactive molecules,natural products and advanced materials,and thus functionalization of simple indoles to construct complex indole derivatives is a research area of great current interest.2,3-Difunctionalization of indoles has been extensively studied,but the reported examples are limited to the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indole derivatives or dearomatized products containing central chirality.Until now,atroposelective 2,3-difunctionalization of simple indoles for the synthesis of axially chiral molecules is unknown.In this article,we report a straightforward and general strategy for atroposelective 2,3-difunctionalization of simple indoles,forming indole-containing axially chiral products in good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.The strategy we introduce herein may lead to the discovery of new approaches for multifunctionalization of indoles and other heterocyclic scaffolds,thus accessing novel axially chiral heteroarene-containing scaffolds that may find applications in medicinal chemistry and asymmetric catalysis.

Access to chiral homoallylic vicinal diols from carbonyl allylation of aldehydes with allyl ethers via palladium-catalyzed allylic C-H borylation

Chiral homoallylic vicinal diols are found in many bioactive compounds and are among the most versatile functional groups in organic chemistry. Here, we describe an asymmetric carbonyl allylation of aldehydes with allyl ethers proceeding via allylic C-H borylation enabled by palladium and chiral phosphoric acid sequential catalysis, providing facile access to homoallylic vicinal anti-diols in high yields and with excellent stereoselectivity. This protocol enables the total synthesis of aigialomycin D to be finished within 7 steps.

Enantioselective trapping of oxonium ylide intermediates by N-benzhydryl-α-imino ester：Synthesis of β-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids

A synergistic rhodium（Ⅱ）/phosphoric acid catalyzed three component reaction of 3-diazooxindoles,alcohols and N-benzhydryl-α-imino ester is developed for the efficient construction of chiral β-alkoxy C-β-tetrasubstituted α-amino acid derivatives in good yields and with excellent diastereoselectivities and high enantioselectivities.The synthetic application of the resulting products was illustrated by reducing with Pd/C under H_2 atmosphere followed reacting with CSCl_2 at room temperature to rapid afford 3-spirocyclic oxindole in a good yield with a chirality retainment.The three-component reaction is proposed to proceed through an electrophilic trapping of the oxonium ylides by N-benzhydryl-α-imino ester.

Asymmetric Aminations and Kinetic Resolution of Acyclic α-Branched Ynones

An efficient method for asymmetric synthesis of acyclic α-tertiary amine derivatives has been achieved through enantioselective aminations of α-branched ynones with azodicarboxylates enabled by chiral phosphoric acid catalysis.Moreover,kinetic resolution of racemic starting material was realized under these conditions,which gave access to valuable enantioenriched α-substituted ketones.

Kinetic Resolution of 1,2-Diamines via Organocatalyzed Asymmetric Electrophilic Aminations of Anilines

An efficient kinetic resolution(KR)protocol for 1,2-diamines has been developed through asymmetric electrophilic aminations of anilines enabled by chiral phosphoric acid catalysis.A wide array of substituted 1,2-diamines were compatible with this method,generating both the recovered staring materials and the amination products with high enantioselectivities(with s-factor up to 218).Notably,this method is amenable to the kinetic resolution of 1,2-diamines bearingα-tertiary amine moieties,which represents the first KR of this type of 1,2-diamines.Facile removal of the introduced hydrazine group and oxidative cleavage of the N-aryl group to release the free primary amine demonstrate the value of this method.

Atropoenantioselective synthesis of heterobiaryl N-oxides via dynamic kinetic resolution

A highly efficient enantioselective construction of heterobiaryl N-oxides was developed.A series of axially chiral heterobiaryl N-oxides were generated via the cascade reaction of aminobenzamides with heterobiaryl aldehydes in the presence of chiral phosphoric acids.A number of atropisomers were afforded in moderate to good yields with excellent enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities.Preliminary results demonstrate that the heterobiaryl N-oxides can be utilized as efficient chiral ligands in asymmetric catalysis.