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The first stereoselective, near-equimolar, and metal-free oxidative bioconjugation of amino acids and oligopeptides to aldehydes is presented. Based on a newly developed organocatalytic oxidative concept, the C-terminal and side-chain carboxylic acid functionalities of amino acids and oligopeptides are shown to couple in a stereoselective manner to α-branched aldehydes catalyzed by a chiral primary amine and a quinone as oxidizing agent. The oxidative coupling generally proceeds in high yield. For aspartic acid, selective coupling of the side-chain, or the C-terminal carboxylic acid, is demonstrated depending on the protection strategy. The stereoselective, oxidative bioconjugation concept is extended to a series of oligopeptides where coupling to carboxylic acid functionalities is presented. Bioorthogonal linker molecules for further functionalization are obtained by merging the oxidative coupling strategy with the click concept. It is demonstrated that the configuration of the new stereocenter is determined exclusively by the organocatalyst., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A new reactivity in organocatalysis is proposed to account for the coupling of carboxylic acids to α-branched aldehydes by combining primary amine catalysis and an oxidant. The developed methodology is an enantioselective α-coupling of aromatic and aliphatic carboxylic acids to α-branched aldehydes and proceeds in high yields (up to 97%) and for most examples good enantioselectivities (up to 92% ee). On the basis of experimental and mechanistic observations, the role of the primary amine catalyst is discussed.

A novel strategy for the direct enantioselective oxidative homocoupling of α-branched aldehydes is presented. The methodology employs open-shell intermediates for the construction of chiral 1,4-dialdehydes by forming a carbon-carbon bond connecting two quaternary stereogenic centers in good yields and excellent stereoselectivities for electron-rich aromatic aldehydes. The 1,4-dialdehydes were transformed into synthetically valuable chiral pyrrolidines. Experimental mechanistic investigations based on competition experiments combined with computational studies indicate that the reaction proceeds through a radical cation intermediate and that reactivity and stereoselectivity follow different trends., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A novel concept for catalytic asymmetric coupling reactions is presented. Merging organocatalysis with single-electron oxidation by using a catalytic amount of a copper(II) salt and air as the terminal oxidant, we have developed a highly stereoselective carbon-carbon oxidative coupling reaction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The concept relies on the generation of a dienamine intermediate, which is oxidized to an open-shell activated species that undergoes highly selective γ-homo- and γ-heterocoupling reactions. In the majority of examples presented, only a single stereoisomer was formed., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A new indium(III)-catalyzed reaction for the synthesis of a series of indolizine scaffolds has been developed. This methodology was highly efficient, allowing a low catalyst loading of 2 mol % (down to 0.5 mol %) and rendering the products in high yields through a 5-exo-dig aza-Conia-ene reaction. Furthermore, the possibility of incorporating an electrophile into the generated pyrrolidone ring in a one-pot synergistic fashion was demonstrated. Finally, based on experimental observations, a mechanism proposal was outlined., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

A novel reaction based on synergistic catalysis, combining palladium- and organocatalysis has been developed. The palladium catalyst activates vinyl benzoxazinanones via a decarboxylation to undergo a [4+2] cycloaddition with iminium-ion activated α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. The reaction is demonstrated to proceed for a number of combinations of vinyl benzoxazinanones reacting with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, providing highly substituted vinyl tetrahydroquinolines in good to high yields, and excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivities (>98 % ee and >20:1 d.r.). The palladium catalyst used in the synergistic catalysis can be re-used in a one-pot sequential coupling reaction with an aromatic boronic acid forming the coupling product in 95 % yield, >20:1 d.r. and 99 % ee., (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Oxadendralenes are integrated in a novel manner into a one-pot cascade utilizing synergistic catalysis for the construction of valuable and complex bicyclic heterocyclic scaffolds. The construction is based on the organocatalytic activation of the oxadendralenes generating a vinylogous iminium-ion intermediate which is set-up for a 1,6-addition with an enamine formed from an aldehyde and the same organocatalyst. This reaction generates a cyclic oxadendralenic intermediate, which acts as an electron-deficient heterodiene reacting in a Lewis-acid catalyzed hetero-Diels-Alder reaction with vinyl ethers to form tetrahydroisochromenes with five continuous stereocenters in high yields, >20 : 1 dr and 99% ee. This synergistic organo- and Lewis-acid catalysed system also displays high tolerance for variation in oxadendralenes and aldehydes, which provides tetrahydroisochromenes with high diversity in the substituent pattern and the same excellent stereoselectivities. Mechanistic studies have been performed to account for the activation modes and stereochemical outcome of the reaction. The reaction concept has been extended to also include a sequential organocatalytic reaction of oxadendralenes with aldehydes, in which the enamine formed from the aldehyde and the organocatalyst act both in the first catalytic cycle forming the cyclic oxadendralenic intermediate and in a second catalytic cycle leading to tetrahydroisochromenes in good yields and excellent stereoselectivities. Mechanistic studies reveal that the stereochemistry of the organocatalyst has an influence on the diastereoselectivity of the reaction sequence. Some transformations of the tetrahydroisochromenes are also presented. The chiral tetrahydroisochromenes formed might be applied in the diversified synthesis of important drugs.

Attractive carbocyclic structures are accessed via a highly regio- and enantioselective aminocatalytic γ-addition of cyclic enals to vinyl phosphonates followed by a one-pot intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction. It is also demonstrated that nitro olefins can act as electrophiles in a similar reaction concept, providing carbocycles in equally high stereoselectivity.