Chiral phosphoric acids are efficient organocatalysts for the asymmetric three-component reaction of amines, aldehydes, and pyruvate derivatives. Simultaneous condensation of amines with both carbonylic compounds followed by a hydrogen bonding activated nucleophilic addition of enamines to imines affords densely functionalized enantioenriched 1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-ones. These substrates can be used in subsequent diastereoselective transformations to afford enantiopure γ-lactam derivatives.

Chiral phosphoric acids efficiently catalyze the asymmetric Friedel–Crafts reaction of several indoles with α-imino­phosphonates to afford enantioenriched hybrid α-amino­phosphonate functionalized indole derivatives.

A Brönsted acid multicomponent reaction between pyruvate derivatives, amines, and aldehydes for the preparation of phosphorus and fluorine substituted γ-lactam derivatives is presented. Depending on the substitution in the resulting 1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-one substrates, the reaction provides enol- or enamine-derived γ-lactams. Some enantioselective examples of this reaction are also reported using chiral phosphoric acids as organocatalysts. Moreover, several synthetic applications of γ-lactam derivatives are presented including some examples of highly diastereoselective transformations.

An efficient synthetic methodology for the preparation of 3-amino 1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-ones through a multicomponent reaction of amines, aldehydes, and pyruvate derivatives is reported. In addition, the densely substituted lactam substrates show in vitro cytotoxicity, inhibiting the growth of carcinoma human tumor cell lines HEK293 (human embryonic kidney), MCF7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), HTB81 (human prostate carcinoma), HeLa (human epithelioid cervix carcinoma), RKO (human colon epithelial carcinoma), SKOV3 (human ovarian carcinoma), and A549 (carcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cell). Given the possibilities in the diversity of the substituents that offer the multicomponent synthetic methodology, an extensive structure-activity profile is presented. In addition, both enantiomers of phosphonate-derived γ-lactam have been synthesized and isolated and a study of the cytotoxic activity of the racemic substrate vs. its two enantiomers is also presented. Cell morphology analysis and flow cytometry assays indicate that the main pathway by which our compounds induce cytotoxicity is based on the activation of the intracellular apoptotic mechanism.

Herein we report the first alkynylation of quinolones with terminal alkynes under mild reaction conditions. The reaction is catalyzed by Cu(I) salts in the presence of a Lewis acid, which is essential for the reactivity of the system. The enantioselective version of this transformation has also been explored, and the methodology has been applied in the synthesis of the enantioenriched tetrahydroquinoline alkaloid cuspareine.