Inside Cover: Organocatalytic Enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman Reaction of Maleimides with Isatins (Asian J. Org. Chem. 7/2013)

Enantioselective, organocatalytic Morita-Baylis-Hillman and Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions: stereochemical issues.

Conscious of the importance that stereochemical issues may have on the design of efficient organocatalyts for both Morita-Baylis-Hillman and aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction we have analyzed them in this minireview. The so-called standard reactions involve "naked" enolates which therefore should lead to the syn adducts as the major products, irrespective of the E, Z stereochemistry of the eno...

Application of 7-azaisatins in enantioselective Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction

7-Azaisatin and 7-azaoxindole skeletons are valuable building blocks in diverse biologically active substances. Here 7-azaisatins turned out to be more efficient electrophiles than the analogous isatins in the enantioselective Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reactions with maleimides using a bifunctional tertiary amine, β-isocupreidine (β-ICD), as the catalyst. This route allows a convenient approa...

Recent advances in organocatalytic asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman/aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions.

Organocatalytic asymmetric allylic amination of Morita–Baylis–Hillman carbonates of isatins

The investigation of a Lewis base catalyzed asymmetric allylic amination of Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates derived from isatins afforded an electrophilic pathway to access multifunctional oxindoles bearing a C3-quaternary stereocenter, provided with good to excellent enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee) and in high yields (up to 97%).

Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction of acrylamide with isatin derivatives

The Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction of acrylamide, as an activated alkene, has seen little development due to its low reactivity. We have developed the reaction using isatin derivatives with acrylamide, DABCO as a promoter and phenol as an additive in acetonitrile. The corresponding aza version with acrylate and acrylonitrile has also been developed resulting in high product yields.