Direct Catalytic Asymmetric Aldol Reaction

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Abstract

The direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction using aldehydes and unmodified ketones is described for the first time herein. This reaction was first found to be promoted by 20 mol % of anhydrous (R)-LLB (L = lanthanum, L = lithium, B = (R)-binaphthol moiety) at −20 °C, giving a variety of aldol products in ee's ranging from 44 to 94%. This asymmetric reaction has been greatly improved by developing a new heteropolymetallic asymmetric catalyst [(R)-LLB, KOH, and H2O]. Using 3−8 mol % of this catalyst, a variety of direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reactions were again found to proceed smoothly, affording aldol products in ee's ranging from 30 to 93% and in good to excellent yields. Interestingly, the use of this new heteropolymetallic asymmetric catalyst has realized a diastereoselective and enantioselective aldol reaction using cyclopentanone for the first time. It is also noteworthy that a variety of aldehydes, including hexanal, can be utilized for the current direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction. Chiral aldehydes containing α-hydrogen including (S)-hydrocinnamaldehyde-α-d have been found to produce the corresponding aldol products with negligible racemization (0−4%) at the α-position. One of the aldol products has been successfully converted to the key synthetic intermediates of epothilone A and bryostatin 7. The possible structure of the heteropolymetallic catalyst is also discussed. Finally, mechanistic studies have revealed a characteristic reaction pathway, namely that the reaction is kinetically controlled and the rate-determining step is the deprotonation of the ketone. This is consistent with the fact that the reaction rate is independent of the concentration of the aldehyde.

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