Highly Stereoselective and Scalable anti-Aldol Reactions using N-(p-dodecylphenylsulfonyl)-2-Pyrrolidinecarboxamide: Scope and Origins of Stereoselectivities

摘要

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective anti-aldol process (up to >99% ee, >99:1 dr) catalyzed by a proline mimetic – N-(p-dodecylphenylsulfonyl)-2-pyrrolidinecarboxamide – has been developed. Catalyst loading as low as 2 mol% can be employed. Use of industry-friendly solvents for this transformation as well as neat reaction conditions have been demonstrated. The scope of this transformation on a range of aldehydes and ketones is explored. Density Functional Theory computations reveal that the origins of enhanced diastereoselectivity is due to the presence of non-classical hydrogen bonds between the sulfonamide, the electrophile and the catalyst enamine that favor the major Anti-Re aldol TS in the Houk-List model.