Search

In 1989, the asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction mediated by a Lewis acid consisting of a chiral diamine and Sn(II) triflate was reported. The asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction is now widely used as a versatile tool for the construction of highly advanced, multifunctionalized molecules. In this Personal Account, the history of the development of this powerful methodology and the application of the asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction in the synthesis of natural products are reviewed.

Pyridine-3-carboxylic anhydride (3-PCA) was found to function as an efficient coupling reagent for the preparation of carboxylic esters from various carboxylic acids with alcohols under mild conditions by a simple experimental procedure. This novel condensation reagent 3-PCA was applicable not only for the synthesis of achiral carboxylic esters catalyzed by 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) but also for the production of chiral carboxylic esters by the combination of chiral nucleophilic catalyst, such as tetramisole (=2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b][1,3]thiazole) derivatives. An efficient kinetic resolution of racemic benzylic alcohols with achiral carboxylic acids was achieved by using 3-PCA in the presence of (R)-benzotetramisole ((R)-BTM), and a variety of optically active carboxylic esters were produced with high enantiomeric excesses by this new chiral induction system without using a tertiary amine.

A variety of optically active 2-hydroxyalkanoates and the corresponding 2-acyloxyalkanoates are produced by the kinetic resolution of racemic 2-hydroxyalkanoates by using achiral 2,2-diarylacetic acid with hindered carboxylic anhydrides as the coupling reagents. The combined use of diphenylacetic acid, pivalic anhydride, and (+)-(R)-benzotetramisole ((R)-BTM) effectively produces (S)-2-hydroxyalkanoates and (R)-2-acyloxyalkanoates from the racemic 2-hydroxyalkanoates (s-values=47-202). This protocol directly provides the desired chiral 2-hydroxyalkanoate derivatives from achiral diarylacetic acid and racemic secondary alcohols that do not include the sec-phenethyl alcohol moiety by using the transacylation process to generate the mixed anhydrides from the acid components with bulky carboxylic anhydrides under the influence of the chiral acyl-transfer catalyst. The transition state that provides the desired (R)-2-acyloxyalkanoate from (R)-2-hydroxyalkanoate included in the racemic mixture is disclosed by DFT calculations, and the structural features of the transition form are also discussed.

A new method for the total asymmetric synthesis of antitumor agent Taxol is described. Baccatin III, a complex carbon framework, is synthesized by way of B to BC to ABC ring construction. Further, a method of forming Taxol from baccatin III and a β-amino acid is also demonstrated.

syn-α,β-Dihydroxy thioesters are prepared in good yields with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities by the asymmetric aldol reaction of 1-trimethylsiloxy-1-ethylthio-2-t-butyldimethylsiloxyethene with aldehydes using a chiral promoter consisting of tin(II) triflate, a chiral diamine and dibutyltin diacetate.

The α-hydroxy-α-methyl-β-hydroxy units are enantioselectively prepared by way of asymmetric aldol reactions between both achiral β,β- disubstituted silyl enolates and aldehydes. (-)-2-C-Methyl-D-threono-1,4-lactone is conveniently synthesized by using this reaction

Highly diastereo- and enantioselective aldol-type reactions of a silyl enol ether with aldehydes including aromatic, aliphatic, and α,β-unsaturated ones are performed in propionitrile (solvent) by the use of a catalytic amount of chiral tin(II) Lewis acid consisting of tin(II) triflate and a chiral diamine. The asymmetric environments created by the chiral catalysts in the enantioselective aldol reaction are discussed by employing five kinds of chiral diamines.

syn- and anti-1,2-Diol units were prepared by using asymmetric aldol reactions of the silyl enol ethers derived from α-alkoxythioacetic S-esters with aldehydes. In the presence of tin(II) triflate, a chiral diamine, and dibutyltin diacetate, (Z)-2-benzyloxy-1-ethylthino-1-(trimethylsiloxy)ethene reacted with aldehydes to afford the corresponding anti-aldol adducts in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities, while syn-adducts were obtained from (Z)-2-(t-butyldimethylsiloxy)-1-ethylthio-1-(trimethylsiloxy)ethene and aldehydes under the same reaction conditions. Thus, both diastereomers can be synthesized in excellent enantiomeric excesses by simply choosing the protective groups of the alkoxyl parts of the silyl enol ethers.

Optically active 7-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-4,8-dibenzyloxy-6,6-dimethyl-5-p-methoxybenzyloxy-2-cycloocten-1-one (1) was synthesized from 3,7-dibenzyloxy-4,8-di-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-5,5-dimethyl-6-p-methoxybenzyloxy-2-octanone (2) by way of intramolecular Reformatsky-type reaction using SmI2.

Optically active 9-t-butyldiphenylsiloxy-11,11-dimethyl-5-methoxymethoxy-1,2,6-tribenzyloxybicyclo[5.3.1]undec-3,7-diene (12) was synthesized from diketone 9 via an intramolecular aldol reaction. The diketone 9 was synthesized from 7-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-4,8-dibenzyloxy-6,6-dimethyl-5-p-methoxy-benzyloxy-2-cycloocten-1-one (1) by way of a two-step sequence using diastereoselective allylation with allylmagnesium bromide followed by Wacker oxidation.

Optically active novel taxoids were efficiently synthesized from 8-membered ring compound 3 by successive constructions of BC and ABC ring systems via each intramolecular aldol and intramolecular pinacol coupling reactions.

Total asymmetric synthesis of Taxol was completed by dehydration condensation between a protected N-benzoylphenylisoserine 4 or 9 and 7-TES baccatin III which was prepared from 8-membered ring enone. Taxol side chains 4, 7, 9 and 11, optically active protected N-benzoylphenylisoserines, were successfully synthesized by enantioselective aldol reaction from two achiral starting materials, benzaldehyde and an enol silyl ether derived from S-ethyl benzyloxyethanethioate.

An efficient method for the synthesis of (−)-cephalosporolide D was established via successive enantioselective aldol reaction and effective construction of 8-membered ring lactone moiety.

A new method for the synthesis of optically active anti-vic-hydroxymethyl units that correspond to anti-aldol derivatives is developed by way of successive enantioselective aldol and diastereoselective desulfurization reactions.

Various optically active secondary alcohols are obtained by asymmetric alkylation of aldehydes with diethylzinc by way of a new catalyst system, ((R)-thiolan-2-yl)diphenylmethanol and several metal alkoxides. The transition states are also discussed in terms of experimental results and theoretical calculation.

A variety of optically active 2-hydroxyalkanoates and the corresponding 2-acyloxyalkanoates are produced by the kinetic resolution of racemic 2-hydroxyalkanoates by using achiral 2,2-diarylacetic acid with hindered carboxylic anhydrides as the coupling reagents. The combined use of diphenylacetic acid, pivalic anhydride, and (+)-(R)-benzotetramisole ((R)-BTM) effectively produces (S)-2-hydroxyalkanoates and (R)-2-acyloxyalkanoates from the racemic 2-hydroxyalkanoates (s-values=47-202). This protocol directly provides the desired chiral 2-hydroxyalkanoate derivatives from achiral diarylacetic acid and racemic secondary alcohols that do not include the sec-phenethyl alcohol moiety by using the transacylation process to generate the mixed anhydrides from the acid components with bulky carboxylic anhydrides under the influence of the chiral acyl-transfer catalyst. The transition state that provides the desired (R)-2-acyloxyalkanoate from (R)-2-hydroxyalkanoate included in the racemic mixture is disclosed by DFT calculations, and the structural features of the transition form are also discussed.

The asymmetric aldol reaction of heteroatom-substituted ketene silyl acetals with achiral aldehydes has been developed by the promotion of tin(II) triflate coordinated with a chiral diamine to afford the corresponding aldols having chiral tertiary alcohols at the α-positions. This reaction has been successfully applied to the construction of the basic skeletons of buergerinins F and G starting from achiral materials. (+)-Buergerinin G, a potentially antiphlogistic and febrifuge agent having a unique trioxatricyclo[5.3.1.0 1,5 ]undecane skeleton, is stereoselectively prepared by means of the enantioselective aldol reactions via ten linear steps from crotonaldehyde in 18% overall yield including an effective intramolecular Wacker-type ketalization of the dihydroxy-γ-lactone as a key step. In addition to the former establishment for the synthesis of (+)-buergerinin F, effective divergent methods for the preparation of buergerinins F and G were developed through a unified optically active aldol-type intermediate, which was generated from the tetrasubstituted ketene silyl acetal with crotonaldehyde by the asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reaction.

An efficient method for the synthesis of (+)-buergerinin F is established via the enantioselective aldol reaction of a tetra-substituted ketene silyl acetal with crotonaldehyde, followed by intramolecular Wacker-type ketalization.

Optically active α-alkoxy-α-methyl-β-hydroxy ester derivatives are prepared starting from racemic α-alkoxy propionic acid ester derivatives by way of asymmetric aldol reaction of the corresponding achiral intermediates. (−)-2-C-Methyl-D-threono-1,4-lactone is conveniently synthesized by using this methodology.

Highly enantioselective aldol reaction of silyl enol ethers with aldehydes is performed by the use of a catalytic amount of chiral diamine coordinated tin(II) triflate according to a slow addition procedure.