Enantioselective intramolecular michael addition of nitronates onto conjugated esters: access to cyclic gamma-amino acids with up to three stereocenters.

A highly stereoselective synthesis of conformationally constrained cyclic gamma-amino acids has been devised. The key step involves an intramolecular cyclization of a nitronate onto a conjugated ester, promoted by a bifunctional thiourea catalyst. This methodology has been successfully applied to generate a variety of gamma-amino acids, including some containing three contiguous stereocenters, with very high diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity.

Sterically variable dizinc complexes bearing bis(iminopyridyl)phenolate ligands: synthesis, structures and reactivity studies.

A series of chiral dizinc complexes of the type [(2,6-{ArN=C(Me)C5H3N}2C6H3O)Zn2(micro-Cl)Cl2] [Ar=2,6-i-Pr2C6H3 (), 2,6-Me2C6H3 (), 2,4,6-Me3-C6H2 (), 2,4-Me2C6H3 ()] can be conveniently prepared in good yield by the template reaction of 2,6-{O=C(Me)C5H3N}2C6H3OH with an excess of the corresponding aniline and two equivalents of zinc dichloride in n-BuOH at elevated temperature. Alternatively, the pro-ligands, 2,6-{(ArN=C(Me)C5H3N}2C6H3OH [Ar=2,6-i-Pr2C6H3 (L1-H), 2,6-Me2C6H3 (L2-H), 2,4,6-Me3C6H2 (L3-H), 2,4-Me2C6H3 (L4-H)], can be isolated and then treated with two equivalents of zinc dichloride to afford . Interaction of with two equivalents of NaOAc in the presence of TlBF4 gives the diacetate-bridged salt [(L1)Zn2(micro-OAc)2](BF4) () while with Nadbm (dbm=dibenzoylmethanato) the bis(dbm)-chelated salt [(L1)Zn2(dbm)2](BF4) () is obtained.

Spacially confined M2 centers (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Zn) on a sterically bulky binucleating support: synthesis, structures and ethylene oligomerization studies.

Two new bulky aryl-bridged pyridyl-imine compartmental (pro)ligands, 2,6-{(2,6-i-Pr(2)C6H3)N=C(Me)C5H3N}2C6H3Y (Y = H L1, OH L2-H), have been prepared in moderate to good overall yields via a Stille-type cross-coupling approach. The molecular structure of L2-H reveals a transoid configuration within the pyridyl-imine units with a hydrogen-bonding interaction maintaining the phenol coplanar with one of the adjacent pyridine rings. The interaction of 2 equiv of MX2 with L1 in n-BuOH at 110 degrees C gives the binuclear complexes, [(L1)M2X4] (M = Fe, X = Cl (1a); M = Co, X = Cl (1b); M = Ni, X = Br (1c); M = Zn, X = Cl (1d)), in which the metal centers adopt distorted tetrahedral geometries and occupy the two pyridyl-imine cavities in L1.