ZnO/ZnS heterostructures for hydrogen production by photoelectrochemical water splitting

This work studies the photoelectrochemical behavior of novel ZnO/ZnS heterostructures obtained by means of anodization in water and glycerol/water/NH4F electrolytes with different Na2S additions under controlled hydrodynamic conditions. For this purpose different techniques such as Field Emission Scanning Electronic Microscopy (FE-SEM) with EDX, Raman spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical water splitting tests under standard AM 1.5 conditions have been carried out. The obtained results showed that the hydrodynamic conditions promoted an ordered nanotubular morphology which facilitates electron-hole separation and consequently, the photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting is enhance…

ChemInform Abstract: Highly Enantioselective Copper(I)-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of 1,3-Diynes to α,β-Unsaturated Trifluoromethyl Ketones.

The conjugate diynylation of α,β-saturated trifluoromethyl ketones is carried out at low catalytic loading (2.5 mol% for aryl substituents) of a copper(I)—MeO-BIPHEP complex, triethylamine and a terminal 1,3-diyne.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Functionalized Diazaspirocycles from 4‐Benzylideneisoxazol‐5(4H)‐one Derivatives and Isocyanoacetate Esters

Enantioenriched spirocyclic compounds bearing three contiguous stereocenters and high functionalization were obtained through a formal [3+2] cycloaddition reaction catalyzed by a cooperative system. The spiro compounds were synthesized from 4-arylideneisoxazol-5-ones and isocyanoacetate esters using a bifunctional squaramide/Brønsted base organocatalyst derived from a Cinchona alkaloid and silver oxide as Lewis acid. This method afforded two out of the four possible diastereomers with good yields and high enantiomeric excess for both diastereomers.

Enantioselective zinc-mediated conjugate alkynylation of saccharin-derived 1-aza-butadienes

The enantioselective 1,4-alkynylation of conjugated imines derived from saccharin with aryl- and alkyl-substituted terminal alkynes has been achieved. The reaction mediated by diethylzinc in the presence of a catalytic amount of a bis(hydroxy)malonamide chiral ligand provides the corresponding imines bearing a propargylic stereocenter with moderate yields and fair to excellent enantioselectivities.

Enantioselective copper-aminopyridine-catalyzed aza-Henry reaction with chelating N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl imines

This article describes a copper-catalyzed aza-Henry reaction. Copper complexes of camphor-derived aminopyridines catalyze the addition of nitromethane to N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl aldimines to give the corresponding β-nitrosulfonamides with good yields and variable enantiomeric excesses (up to 83%). An example of transformation of these compounds into N-(2-pyridyl)sulfonyl-α-amino acids and deprotection of the sulfonamide with Mg–MeOH is provided. Chirality 24:441–450, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ChemInform Abstract: Catalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Terminal Alkynes to β-Trifluoromethyl α,β-Enones.

The first enantioselective conjugate alkynylation of β-trifluoromethyl α,β-enones (II) using terminal alkynes (I) and a taniaphos-Cu(I) complex as catalyst is described.

ChemInform Abstract: Enantioselective Zinc-Mediated Conjugate Addition of Terminal Alkynes to Enones.

Zinc for conjugate alkynylation: The enantioselective conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to 2-arylidene-1,3-diketones in the presence of diethylzinc and a catalytic amount of (R)-VANOL has been developed. The reaction can be applied to different aromatic and heteroaromatic alkynes and enones, giving the expected products in good yield and with enantiomeric excesses up to 91%. The products can be enantiomerically enriched up to 99% ee by crystallization (see scheme).

Organocatalytic enantioselective Mannich reaction of isoxazol-5(4H)-ones to isatin-derived ketimines

An efficient organocatalytic asymmetric Mannich reaction between isoxazol-5(4H)-ones and isatin-derived ketimines has been developed. A bifunctional squaramide/Brønsted base organocatalyst catalyzed the enantioselective Mannich addition to afford chiral 3-aminooxindoles bearing a tetrasubstituted stereocenter at C3 decorated with an isoxazole moiety in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities. Additionally, several synthetic transformations were described showing the versatility of the prepared compounds.

Highly enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to 1,1-difluoro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-en-2-ones: new ester/amide surrogates in asymmetric catalysis.

A highly enantioselective copper-catalyzed conjugate alkynylation of monoactivated enones, namely 1,1-difluoro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-en-2-ones, is described. The reaction products are obtained with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities (from 92 to 99% ee). The β-alkynylated difluoro(phenylsulfonyl) ketones can be converted into the corresponding β-alkynylated difluoro- and trifluoromethyl ketones, esters and amides. This is the first example on the use of 1,1-difluoro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-en-2-ones as substrates in an enantioselective reaction, which have been shown to be new ester/amide surrogates.

Enantioselective Synthesis of 5-Trifluoromethyl-2-oxazolines under Dual Silver/Organocatalysis.

[EN] The first enantioselective formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition between ¿-isocyanoesters and trifluoromethylketones to give 5-trifluoromethyl-2-oxazolines bearing two contiguous stereogenic centers, one of them being a quaternary stereocenter substituted with a CF3 group, has been developed. The reaction is based upon a multicatalytic approach that combines a bifunctional Brønsted base-squaramide organocatalyst and Ag+ as Lewis acid. The reaction could be achieved with a range of aryl and heteroaryl trifluoromethyl ketones, and the resulting oxazolines were obtained with good to excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivity.

Catalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to β-trifluoromethyl α,β-enones.

The first enantioselective conjugate alkynylation of β-trifluoromethyl α,β-enones using terminal alkynes and a taniaphos–Cu(I) complex as catalyst is described. Ketones bearing a trifluoromethylated propargylic chiral centre in the β-position were obtained with good yields and high enantiomeric excesses (up to 99%).

Enantioselective zinc-mediated conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to enones.

Zinc for conjugate alkynylation: The enantioselective conjugate addition of terminal alkynes to 2-arylidene-1,3-diketones in the presence of diethylzinc and a catalytic amount of (R)-VANOL has been developed. The reaction can be applied to different aromatic and heteroaromatic alkynes and enones, giving the expected products in good yield and with enantiomeric excesses up to 91%. The products can be enantiomerically enriched up to 99% ee by crystallization (see scheme).

Asymmetric Organocatalytic Synthesis of aza-Spirocyclic Compounds from Isothiocyanates and Isocyanides

The spirocyclic motif is present in natural products, chiral ligands, and compounds of pharmacological interest. Isothiocyanates as well as isocyanides bearing electron-withdrawing groups in the α-position can be deprotonated and react as formal dipoles on account of the presence of a nucleophilic carbanion and an electrophilic atom in the isothiocyanate or isocyanide functional groups. In the last years a number of procedures involving the formal [3+2] cycloaddition reaction of isothiocyanates or isocyanides with cyclic compounds bearing electrophilic exocyclic double bonds have been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of aza-spirocyclic compounds. Among them, organocatalysis has …

Metal-Free Diastereo- and Enantioselective Dearomative Formal [3 + 2] Cycloaddition of 2-Nitrobenzofurans and Isocyanoacetate Esters

The diastereo- and enantioselective dearomative formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 2-nitrobenzofurans and α-aryl-α-isocyanoacetate esters provides tricyclic compounds bearing the 3a,8b-dihydro-1H-benzofuro[2,3-c]pyrrole framework with three consecutive stereogenic centers. The reaction was enabled by a cupreine-ether organocatalyst. The reaction products were obtained with almost full diastereoselectivity and with excellent enantiomeric excesses for a number of substituted 2-nitrobenzofurans and isocyanoacetates.

Enantioselective Synthesis of 4-Substituted Dihydrocoumarins through a Zinc Bis(hydroxyamide)-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Terminal Alkynes

A new enantioselective catalyst for the conjugate addition of terminal alkynes has been developed. Terminal alkynes react with 3-alkoxycarbonylcoumarins in the presence of diethylzinc and bis(hydroxyamide) ligands to give chiral non-racemic dihydrocoumarins substituted with an alkynyl group on the C-4 position with good yields and enantiomeric excesses up to 95%.

ChemInform Abstract: Catalytic Enantioselective Conjugate Alkynylation of β-Aryl-β-trifluoromethyl Enones Constructing Propargylic All-Carbon Quaternary Stereogenic Centers.

The enantioselective conjugate alkynylation of β-aryl-β-trifluoromethyl enones has been carried out using terminal alkynes and diethylzinc in the presence of 3,3′-bis(perfluorophenyl)BINOL as the chiral ligand to give the corresponding ketones bearing a trifluoromethylated propargylic quaternary stereocenter with fair to good enantioselectivities. Enones bearing a bulky 2-naphthyl attached to the carbonyl group provided the best enantioselectivities. The synthetic applicability of the resulting products has been demonstrated with their iodocyclization to form 4H-pyrans.

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral oxazolines from unactivated ketones and isocyanoacetate esters by synergistic silver/organocatalysis

[EN] A multicatalytic approach that combines a bifunctional Brønsted base¿squaramide organocatalyst and Ag+ as Lewis acid has been applied in the reaction of unactivated ketones with tert-butyl isocyanoacetate to give chiral oxazolines bearing a quaternary stereocenter. The formal [3+2] cycloaddition provided high yields of the corresponding cis-oxazolines with good diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity, being applied to aryl¿alkyl and alkyl¿alkyl ketones.

ChemInform Abstract: Enantioselective Synthesis of 4-Substituted Dihydrocoumarins Through a Zinc Bis(hydroxyamide)-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Terminal Alkynes.

Terminal alkynes (II) react with coumarins (I) in the presence of diethylzinc and chiral bis(hydroxyamide) ligands to give enantiopure dihydrocoumarins (III) substituted with an alkynyl group in C(4) position in good enantioselectivities.

A Cu-BOX catalysed enantioselective Mukaiyama-aldol reaction with difluorinated silyl enol ethers and acylpyridine

A Cu(II)/BOX complex catalyses the enantioselective addition of difluorinated silyl enol ethers to acylpyridine N-oxides. The reaction provides difluorinated chiral tertiary alcohols of great interest in medicinal chemistry. These compounds are obtained in moderate to excellent yields and with high enantioselectivities. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction has been explained by DFT calculations.

Three-Component Synthesis of α-Aminoperoxides Using Primary and Secondary Dialkylzinc Reagents with O2 and α-Amido Sulfones

A straightforward strategy for the synthesis of unprecedented α-aminoperoxides bearing primary and secondary alkylperoxide substituents is described. Commercially available dialkylzinc reagents are oxidized with molecular oxygen and the consequent peroxide species react with stable (hetero)­aromatic and aliphatic α-amido sulfones in excellent yields (>90%). The now available α-aminoperoxides are of potential interest in medicinal chemistry, specifically for the synthesis of antimalarial compounds. Moreover, modification of the reaction conditions selectively leads to N,O-acetals in good yields.

Catalytic Enantioselective Conjugate Alkynylation of α,β-Unsaturated 1,1,1-Trifluoromethyl Ketones with Terminal Alkynes.

The first catalytic enantioselective conjugate alkynylation of α,β-unsaturated 1,1,1-trifluoromethyl ketones has been carried out. Terminal alkynes and 1,3-diynes were treated with trifluoromethyl ketones in the presence of a low catalytic load of a CuI-MeOBIPHEP complex (2.5 mol %) and triethylamine (10 mol %) to give the corresponding trifluoromethyl ketones bearing a propargylic stereogenic center at the β position with good yields and excellent enantiomeric excesses in most of the cases. No 1,2-addition products were formed under the reaction conditions. The procedure showed broad substrate scope for alkyne, diyne, and enone. A rationale for the observed stereochemistry has been provide…

Conjugate Alkynylation of Electrophilic Double Bonds. From Regioselectivity to Enantioselectivity

This review surveys the historical efforts addressed toward the development of the conjugate alkynylation reaction. The regio- and enantioselective conjugate alkynylation of electron-deficient double bonds, most commonly unsaturated carbonyl compounds, has been an elusive reaction for a long time. Intensive research during the last decades has resulted in the identification of a number of effective reagents and catalysts to perform this reaction. Non-stereoselective conjugate alkynylation of unsaturated carbonyl compounds was first achieved by using preformed alkynyl organometallics and later with terminal alkynes under catalytic conditions. These methods paved the way for the development o…

Catalytic Enantioselective Conjugate Alkynylation of β-Aryl-β-trifluoromethyl Enones Constructing Propargylic All-Carbon Quaternary Stereogenic Centers

The enantioselective conjugate alkynylation of β-aryl-β-trifluoromethyl enones has been carried out using terminal alkynes and diethylzinc in the presence of 3,3'-bis(perfluorophenyl)BINOL as the chiral ligand to give the corresponding ketones bearing a trifluoromethylated propargylic quaternary stereocenter with fair to good enantioselectivities. Enones bearing a bulky 2-naphthyl attached to the carbonyl group provided the best enantioselectivities. The synthetic applicability of the resulting products has been demonstrated with their iodocyclization to form 4H-pyrans.

Highly enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed conjugate addition of 1,3-diynes to a,b-unsaturated trifluoromethyl ketones

[EN] The conjugate diynylation of a,b-unsaturated trifluoromethyl ketones is carried out in the presence of a low catalytic load (2.5 mol%) of a copper(I)–MeOBIPHEP complex, triethylamine and a terminal 1,3-diyne. Pre-metalation of the terminal 1,3-diyne with stoichiometric or higher amounts of dialkylzinc reagent is not required. The corresponding internal diynes bearing a propargylic stereogenic center are obtained with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities.

Asymmetric Addition and Cycloaddition Reactions with Ylidene‐Five‐Membered Heterocycles

Five-membered heterocycles bearing an exocyclic double bond have been successfully used as substrates in asymmetric addition and cycloaddition reactions. Ylidene-heterocycles are attractive substrates due to their high functionalization and the presence of an electrophilic conjugated exocyclic double bound that can participate in nucleophilic addition reactions as well as cycloaddition reactions, which may be triggered by the formation of aromatic intermediates or products in many cases. During the last decades, catalytic methodologies have been developed using ylidene-heterocycles as substrates in order to synthesize useful optically active heterocyclic derivatives. 4-Ylidene-pyrazol-5-one…

Catalytic Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of 2-Imidazolinones.

Chiral cyclic ureas (2-imidazolinones) were prepared by the reaction of nitrones and isocyanoacetate esters using a multicatalytic system that combines a bifunctional Brønsted base-squaramide organocatalyst and Ag+ as a Lewis acid. The reaction could be achieved with a range of nitrones derived from aryl- and cycloalkylaldehydes with moderate diastereo- and good enantioselectivity. A plausible mechanism involving an initial formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition of the nitrone and isocyanoacetate ester, followed by rearrangement to an aminoisocyanate and cyclization to the imidazolinone, is proposed.

ChemInform Abstract: Catalytic Enantioselective Conjugate Alkynylation of α,β-Unsaturated 1,1,1-Trifluoromethyl Ketones with Terminal Alkynes.

Financial support (Grant CTQ2013-47494-P) from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO-Gobierno de Espana). A.S.M. thanks the MINECO for a predoctoral grant (FPI program). Access to NMR and MS facilities from the Servei Central de Suport a la Investigacio Experimental (SCSIE)-UV is also acknowledged.

Mg/BOX complexes as efficient catalysts for the enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to β-trifluoromethyl-α,β-unsaturated ketones and their N-tosyl imines

Abstract Magnesium (II)-BOX complexes catalyze the enantioselective Michael addition of malonates to β-trifluoromethyl enones and their N-sulfonyl imines to give ketones or (E)-enamines bearing a trifluoromethylated stereogenic center, respectively, with good yields and high enantiomeric excesses. Magnesium complexes proved to be more active and stereoselective than zinc and copper analogues in these reactions.

Organocatalytic Enantioselective 1,6-aza -Michael Addition of Isoxazolin-5-ones to p -Quinone Methides

Enantioselective addition of sodium bisulfite to nitroalkenes. A convenient approach to chiral sulfonic acids

An enantioselective organocatalytic addition of sodium bisulfite to (E)-nitroalkenes has been developed by using a chiral bifunctional organocatalyst. The present methodology provides a variety of chiral β-nitroethanesulfonic acid compounds (17 examples) with excellent results: up to 99% yield and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee). The reaction tolerates (hetero)aryl and alkyl substituents on the β-nitroalkenes, and β,β-disubstituted nitroalkenes.

ChemInform Abstract: Highly Enantioselective Copper(I)-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Terminal Alkynes to 1,1-Difluoro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-en-2-ones: New Ester/Amide Surrogates in Asymmetric Catalysis.

A highly enantioselective copper-catalyzed conjugate alkynylation of monoactivated enones, namely 1,1-difluoro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-en-2-ones, is described. The reaction products are obtained with good yields and excellent enantioselectivities (from 92 to 99% ee). The β-alkynylated difluoro(phenylsulfonyl) ketones can be converted into the corresponding β-alkynylated difluoro- and trifluoromethyl ketones, esters and amides. This is the first example on the use of 1,1-difluoro-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-3-en-2-ones as substrates in an enantioselective reaction, which have been shown to be new ester/amide surrogates.

CCDC 1464259: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 1818227: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 1961393: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 2149627: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 1844052: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 1844051: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 916051: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 1992564: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 1046444: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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CCDC 2190657: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

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