The enantioselective addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to a variety of aldehydes proceeded by the aid of a catalyst prepared in situ from titanium tetraisopropoxide [Ti(O-i-Pr)4] and chiral Schiff bases and gave the corresponding cyanohydrins in high optical yield (up to 96% e.e.). A remarkable rate enhancement was brought about by the addition of the Schiffbase to the titanium alkoxide mediated
A Facile Synthesis of Optically Active γ-Cyanoallylic Alcohols Using Asymmetric Hydrocyanation of α,β-Alkenyl Aldehydes Followed by Stereospecific [3.3]Sigmatropic Chirality Transfer of the Cyanohydrin Acetates
Optically active γ-cyanoallylic alcohols were synthesized by using asymmetric hydrocyanation of α,β-alkenyl aldehydes catalyzed by peptide-titanium complex to give α-cyanoallylic alcohols (cyanohydrins) with high optical yields followed by palladium complex catalyzed [3.3]sigmatropic chirality transfer of the corresponding acetates.
A group of tridentate Schiff bases derived from (+)-alpha-pinene were synthesized. The steric effects in the transition state, the importance of pi-pi stacking interactions as well as the electronic effects of aryl aldehydes according to Hammett constant values in the enantioselective addition of Et2Zn to aldehydes with the use of Schiff bases as chiral ligands are described. Also, a variety of aldehydes were cyanated using a catalyst prepared in situ from titanium tetraisopropoxide and chiral Schiff bases. The influence of a conjugated double-bond in the cyanation substrates on enantioselectivity was observed. The chemical structures of the chiral Schiff base-titanium alkoxide complexes are discussed based on their H-1 and C-13 NMR spectra. 3D models of the Zn-2-complex catalyst and Ti-complex catalyst containing alpha-pinane-type Schiff bases based on X-ray diffraction experiments are postulated. The models presented were consistent with the reported chirality of the addition product and observed ee. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Enantioselective trimethylsilylcyanation of some aldehydes catalyzed by chiral Schiff base-titanium alkoxide complexes
A variety of aldehydes (aromatic, heteroaromatic, alpha,beta-unsaturated, and nonconjugate aliphatic aldehydes) has been trimethylsilylcyanated in highly enantiomeric excess (ee) with a catalyst prepared in situ from titanium tetraisopropoxide [Ti(O-i-Pr)4] and chiral Schiff bases. A remarkable rate enhancement was brought about by the addition of the Schiff base into the titanium alkoxide mediated silylcyanation of aldehydes. The chemical structure of chiral Schiff base-titanium alkoxide complexes is discussed based on their C-13 NMR spectra, field desorption (FD) mass spectra, and molecular weights.