H. Ishitani et al., Enantioselective mannich-type reactions using a novel chiral zirconium catalyst for the synthesis of optically active beta-amino acid derivatives, J AM CHEM S, 122(34), 2000, pp. 8180-8186
Catalytic enantioselective Mannich-type reactions of silyl enol ethers with
aldimines have been successfully performed using a novel chiral zirconium
catalyst prepared from zirconium(IV) tert-butoxide (Zr((OBu)-Bu-t)(4)), 2 e
quiv of (R)-6,6'-dibromo-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol ((R)-6,6'-Br2BINOL), and N-meth
ylimidazole. The use of aldimines having N-substituted hydroxyphenyl moieti
es is essential for obtaining high selectivities, and the N-substituted gro
ups were converted to free amines using oxidative cleavage. Aldimines deriv
ed from aromatic aldehydes as well as heterocyclic and aliphatic aldehydes
reacted with silyl enol ethers smoothly to afford the corresponding beta-am
ino acid derivatives in high yields and high enantioselectivities. Several
NMR experiments have been conducted to clarify the structure of the chiral
Zr catalyst and also the catalytic cycle of this asymmetric reaction. Final
ly, a new BINOL derivative. (R)-6,6'-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,1'-bi-2-naphtho
l ((R)-6,6'-(CF3)(2)BINOL), has been prepared. It was shown that the turnov
er of the catalyst using this novel ligand was improved, and high levels of
yields and selectivities were obtained in the presence of a small amount o
f the zirconium catalyst.