Enantioselective Bifunctional Ammonium Salt-Catalyzed Syntheses of 3-CF3S-, 3-RS-, and 3-F-Substituted Isoindolinones

Adv Synth Catal. 2021 Mar 29;363(7):1955-1962. doi: 10.1002/adsc.202100029. Epub 2021 Feb 17.

Abstract

We herein report the ammonium salt-catalyzed synthesis of chiral 3,3-disubstituted isoindolinones bearing a heteroatom functionality in the 3-position. A broad variety of differently substituted CF3S- and RS-derivatives were obtained with often high enantioselectivities when using Maruoka's bifunctional chiral ammonium salt catalyst. In addition, a first proof-of-concept for the racemic synthesis of the analogous F-containing products was obtained as well, giving access to one of the rare examples of a fairly stable α-F-α-amino acid derivative.

Keywords: Asymmetric phase-transfer catalysis; Bifunctional catalysis; Heterofunctionalization; Organocatalysis; Organofluorine chemistry.