Asymmetric Organocatalysis Combined with Palladium Catalysis: Synergistic Effect on Enantioselective Mannich/α-Allylation Sequential Reactions of Pyrazolones in Constructing Vicinal Quaternary Stereocenters

Abstract

In this letter, an efficient one-pot asymmetric sequential reaction is achieved by organo/transition metal relay catalysis in constructing two consecutive C-C bonds, which involves enantioselective amino squaramide catalytic Mannich-type addition of pyrazolones to isatin-derived ketimines and a subsequent palladium catalyzed diastereoselective allylic alkylation of pyrazolones with allylic acetates. An array of novel pyrazolone-aminooxindole-propylene structural motifs are obtained in a high level of yield and with excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivity (up to 95% yield, >20:1 dr, >99% ee). This methodology features the formation of vicinal quarternary carbon-stereocenters, and the second all-carbon tetrasubstituted stereogenic center is induced by joint action of the achiral palladium catalysis and the chiral environment generated from the Mannich step. Moreover, the usefulness of this methodology is highlighted by converting the allylic product into the carbonyl compound.