Deracemization, that is, the transformation of a racemate into a single product enantiomer with theoretically 100 % conversion and 100 % ee, is an appealing but also challenging option for asymmetric synthesis. Herein a novel chemo-enzymatic deracemization concept by a cascade is described: the pathway involves two enantioselective oxidation steps and one non-stereoselective reduction step, enabling stereoinversion and a simultaneous kinetic resolution. The concept was exemplified for the transformation of rac-benzylisoquinolines to optically pure (S)-berbines. The racemic substrates were transformed to optically pure products (ee>97 %) with up to 98 % conversion and up to 88 % yield of isolated product.

1-Azadienes are versatile building blocks for the efficient construction of various N-heterocycles. Depending on the substitution pattern and reaction partner, they may participate in a range of different reactions. An overview of recent methods for the generation of 1-azadienes is presented, as well as their application in cycloaddition, electrocyclization, and multicomponent reactions. Considering the broad range of reactivities and resulting heterocyclic scaffold structures, 1-azadienes are very useful reactive intermediates for the development of modular reaction sequences in diversity-oriented synthesis.

An efficient, one-pot synthetic protocol toward triazinane diones, a rather unexplored class of heterocyclic scaffolds combining phosphonates, nitriles, aldehydes, and isocyanates is described. The optimization of the reaction, synthesis of a small library of different triazinane diones, as well as alternative routes toward the triazinane dione scaffold are discussed.

No abstract

Deracemisation of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids was performed employing a recently developed variant of monoamine oxidase from Aspergillus niger (MAO-N variant D11).

Triazinane diones, readily generated by a recently reported multicomponent reaction, can be easily alkylated with various alkyl halides, allowing a wide variety of complexity-generating secondary reactions. Because of the high variability of the initial multicomponent reactions and the multiple possibilities for participation of substituents in the secondary reactions, a highly diverse set of complex products was obtained in short and efficient reaction sequences.

Deracemisierung, also die Umwandlung eines Racemats in ein enantiomerenreines Produkt mit theoretisch 100 % Ausbeute und 100 % ee, stellt eine attraktive, aber auch anspruchsvolle Option für die asymmetrische Synthese dar. Hier beschreiben wir ein neuartiges Konzept einer chemo-enzymatischen Deracemisierung mittels einer Kaskadenreaktion. Die Reaktionsfolge beinhaltet zwei enantioselektive Oxidationsschritte und einen nicht stereoselektiven Reduktionsschritt, durch welche zur gleichen Zeit eine Stereoinversion und eine kinetische Racematspaltung realisiert werden. Dieses Konzept wird anhand der Umwandlung von rac-Benzylisochinolinen in optisch reine (S)-Berbine vorgestellt. Die racemischen Substrate wurden in enantiomerenreine Produkte (ee > 97 %) umgewandelt, wobei Umsätze von bis zu 98 % und Ausbeuten von bis zu 88 % erreicht wurden.

Acetogenins isolated from the Annonaceae family of tropical trees have drawn considerable attention owing to their broad spectrum of biological activities. They are structurally characterized by the presence of one to three tetrahydrofuran rings in the center of a long (partly hydroxylated) hydrocarbon chain that ends in a (functionalized) butenolide moiety. Here we describe some of our results toward the first asymmetric total synthesis of cis-gigantrionenin, a principal acetogenin. In this approach, an enzyme-catalyzed epoxide hydrolysis and an enzyme-triggered double cyclization are crucial and give stereoselective access to essential chiral building blocks.