Helical peptide foldamer catalyzed Michael addition reactions of nitroalkane or dialkyl malonate to α,β-unsaturated ketones are reported along with the mechanistic considerations of the enantio-induction. A wide variety of α,β-unsaturated ketones, including β-aryl, β-alkyl enones, and cyclic enones, were found to be catalyzed by the helical peptide to give Michael adducts with high enantioselectivities
Phosphoranes 2 are identified as a class of effective Lewis bases to activate chiral (salen)AlCl complex 1 to enhance its electrophilicity. Accordingly, a three-component catalyst system consisting of complex 1, phosphorane 2e, and Ph3PO is developed as a powerful tool for asymmetric ketone cyanosilylation. In particular, an unprecedented highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of linear aliphatic
developing enantioselectivesynthesis of THP ring motifs. We recently reported an enantioselectivesynthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted THP 5, which involves: (1) helical peptide 1-catalyzed enantioselectiveMichaeladdition reaction of dimethyl malonate to enone 2 with 94% ee; (2) ketal protection of 3 with neopentyl glycol and subsequent reduction of ester moiety to give diol 4; (3) Kishi’s reductive cyclization
Here is the first visible light catalytic intermolecular cross [2 + 2] cycloaddition of enynes with alkenes to alkynyl cyclobutanes established with good functional group tolerance and high reaction efficiency and selectivity. Detailed studies reveal that enynes, including nonaromatic ones, can be sensitized by fac-Ir(ppy)3 via an energy transfer pathway. Addition of the Lewis acid PPh3AuNTf2 enables