A chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed selenofunctionalization of tryptamine derivatives provides access to 3a-(phenylselenyl)-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole derivatives in high yields and with synthetically useful levels of enantioselectivity (up to 89% ee).

The first organocatalytic enantioselective direct vinylogous Michael reaction of α,β-unsaturated γ-butyrolactam to nitroolefins is developed using cinchona alkaloids as the catalysts. Both product enantiomers are accessible with moderate to good enantioselectivity.

Enantiopure sulfoxides are valuable asymmetric starting materials and are important chiral auxiliaries in organic synthesis. Toluene monooxygenases (TMOs) have been shown previously to catalyze regioselective hydroxylation of substituted benzenes and phenols. Here we show that TMOs are also capable of performing enantioselective oxidation reactions of aromatic sulfides. Mutagenesis of position ...

A series of R and S enantiomers of 2-aminopurine methylenecyclopropane analogues of nucleosides was synthesized. Two diastereoisomeric lipophilic phosphate prodrugs derived from R and S enantiomers of 2,6-diaminopurine analogue were also prepared. Enantioselectivity (diastereoselectivity in case of prodrugs) of in vitro antiviral effects was investigated with human and murine cytomegalovirus (H...

Proteins are useful chiral selectors. In order to understand the recognition mechanism and discrimination, binding of (R)- (S)-enantiomers a series designed amino alcohol inhibitors based on propranolol cellobiohydrolase Cel7A (Trichoderma reesei) has been studied more closely. X-ray crystal structures were determined protein complex with strongest analogue. The combination structural data, the...

Michael addition is an important reaction because it can be used to synthesize a wide range of natural products or complex compounds that exhibit biological activities. In this study, mirror image aldehyde and α,β-unsaturated nitroalkene were reacted in the presence (R,R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine (DPEN). Herein, thiourea was introduced as organic catalyst, selective carried out. The primary ...

Modular fenchyl phosphinites (FENOPs) containing different aryl units-phenyl (1), 2-anisyl (2), or 2-pyridyl (3)-are efficiently accessible from (-)-fenchone. For comparison of the influence of the different aryl units on enantioselectivities and reactivities, these FENOPs were employed in Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylations. The strongly chelating character of P,N-bidentate 3 is apparent from X-r...