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Conjugate (or 1,4-) additions of carbanionic species to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are vital to research in organic and medicinal chemistry, and there are several chiral catalysts that facilitate the catalytic enantioselective additions of nucleophiles to enoates. Nonetheless, catalytic enantioselective 1,6-conjugate additions are uncommon, and ones that incorporate readily functionalizable moieties, such as propargyl or allyl groups, into acyclic α,β,γ,δ-doubly unsaturated acceptors are unknown. Chemical transformations that could generate a new bond at the C6 position of a dienoate are particularly desirable because the resulting products could then be subjected to further modifications. However, such reactions, especially when dienoates contain two equally substituted olefins, are scarce and are confined to reactions promoted by a phosphine-copper catalyst (with an alkyl Grignard reagent, dialkylzinc or trialkylaluminium compounds), a diene-iridium catalyst (with arylboroxines), or a bisphosphine-cobalt catalyst (with monosilyl-acetylenes). 1,6-Conjugate additions are otherwise limited to substrates where there is full substitution at the C4 position. It is unclear why certain catalysts favour bond formation at C6, and-although there are a small number of catalytic enantioselective conjugate allyl additions-related 1,6-additions and processes involving a propargyl unit are non-existent. Here we show that an easily accessible organocopper catalyst can promote 1,6-conjugate additions of propargyl and 2-boryl-substituted allyl groups to acyclic dienoates with high selectivity. A commercially available allenyl-boron compound or a monosubstituted allene may be used. Products can be obtained in up to 83 per cent yield, >98:2 diastereomeric ratio (for allyl additions) and 99:1 enantiomeric ratio. We elucidate the mechanistic details, including the origins of high site selectivity (1,6- versus 1,4-) and enantioselectivity as a function of the catalyst structure and reaction type, by means of density functional theory calculations. The utility of the approach is highlighted by an application towards enantioselective synthesis of the anti-HIV agent (-)-equisetin.

Multicomponent catalytic enantioselective transformations that entail the combination of butadiene or isoprene (common feedstock), an enoate (prepared in one step) and B2 (pin)2 (commercially available) are presented. These processes constitute an uncommon instance of conjugate addition of an allyl moiety and afford the desired products in up to 83 % yield and 98:2 enantiomeric ratio. Based on DFT calculations stereochemical models and rationale for the observed profiles in selectivity are provided.

Multicomponent catalytic enantioselective transformations that entail the combination of butadiene or isoprene (common feedstock), an enoate (prepared in one step) and B2 (pin)2 (commercially available) are presented. These processes constitute an uncommon instance of conjugate addition of an allyl moiety and afford the desired products in up to 83 % yield and 98:2 enantiomeric ratio. Based on DFT calculations stereochemical models and rationale for the observed profiles in selectivity are provided.

A diversity-oriented approach for the synthesis of structurally diverse catechins was achieved in good yields via thiourea/AuCl(3)/AgOTf-catalyzed annulations of aryl epoxides under mild conditions. This new protocol provides a highly efficient entry to a library of catechins-derived natural products, notably anti-HIV agent 8-C-ascorbyl-(-)-epigallocatechin.

This method also works with substituted imidazole-borane adducts as well as 1,2,4-triazole-derived borane adducts.

Diverging chemoselective reactions of a pair of amide rotamers have been observed by separating the rotamers and then reacting them individually. Reduction of (Z)-N-allyl-2-(phenylselanyl)-N-(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl)acetamide with tributyltin hydride at room temperature provides only the product of 5-exo cyclization, 4-methyl-1-(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl)pyrrolidin-2-one. In contrast, reduction of the corresponding (E) amide rotational isomer under identical conditions provides only the reduced product, (E)-N-allyl-N-(2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenyl)acetamide. Such diverging reactions of rotamers may be common in transformations involving reactive intermediates (carbenes, radicals, organometallic intermediates) that have low barriers to onward reactions relative to amide rotation.

A diversity-oriented approach for the synthesis of structurally diverse catechins was achieved in good yields via thiourea/AuCl(3)/AgOTf-catalyzed annulations of aryl epoxides under mild conditions. This new protocol provides a highly efficient entry to a library of catechins-derived natural products, notably anti-HIV agent 8-C-ascorbyl-(-)-epigallocatechin.