Pyridine N-oxides were converted to 2-aminopyridines in a one-pot fashion using Ts2O-t-BuNH2 followed by in situ deprotection with TFA. The amination proceeded in high yields, excellent 2-/4-selectivity, and with good functional group compatibility. 2-Amino (iso)quinolines were also obtained in the same manner. Combined with the simple oxidation of pyridines to pyridine N-oxides, this method provides a general and efficient way for amination of 2-unsubstituted pyridines.

The development of a concise asymmetric synthesis of the antiviral development candidate letermovir is reported, proceeding in >60% yield over a total of seven steps from commercially available materials. Key to the effectiveness of this process is a novel cinchonidine-based PTC-catalyzed aza-Michael reaction to configure the single stereocenter.

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We report the discovery of novel N,N'-disubstituted cinchona alkaloids as efficient phase-transfer catalysts for the assembly of stereogenic quaternary centers. In comparison to traditional cinchona-alkaloid-based phase-transfer catalysts, these new catalysts afford substantial improvements in enantioselectivity and reaction rate for intramolecular spirocyclization reactions with catalyst loadings as low as 0.3 mol% under mild conditions.

A concise asymmetric synthesis of (1R,2S)-1-amino-2-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid ethyl ester, a key intermediate in the preparation of many hepatitis C virus inhibitors, is described. Stereoselective cyclopropanation of (E)-N-phenylmethyleneglycine ethyl ester was effected by treatment with trans-1,4-dibromo-2-butene in the presence of a catalytic amount of a chiral phasetransfer catalyst. Microscale high-throughput experimentation techniques were successfully used to identify a cinchonidinederived catalyst that provided (1R,2S)-1-(E)-N-phenylmethyleneamino-2-vinylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid ethyl ester in up to 84% ee. This was translated to a lab scale process to attain 78% yield and 77.4% ee. Chiral purity upgrade and isolation of the ester was accomplished via preparatory supercritical fluid chromatography followed by crystallization of the ester as its tosylate salt. The improved synthesis described herein represents a potentially more economical preparation of this valuable intermediate.