K. B. Sharpless

Bio: K. B. Sharpless is an academic researcher from Scripps Research Institute. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dihydroxylation & Allylic rearrangement. The author has an hindex of 32, co-authored 142 publications receiving 10091 citations. Previous affiliations of K. B. Sharpless include Texas A&M University & Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

First practical method for asymmetric epoxidation

Abstract: OF THE DISCLOSURE Methods and compositions are provided for asymecrically donating an oxygen atom to a pair of electrons to produce an asymmetric product. Specifically, a metal alkoxide is used as a catalyst, where the metal has a coordination number of at least four, and at least one, usually two, of the alkoxide groups bonded to the metal are bonded to asymmetric carbon atoms. The metal catalyst is employed in conjunction with a hydroperoxide and an alkanol having a functionality with a pair of electrons capable of accepting an oxygen atom. The resulting product is enriched in one enantiomer due to the enantioselective introduction of an asymmetric center or an enhanced rate of reaction of one of the enantiomers of a chiral alkanol. Greatly enhanced yields of enantiomers are achieved as compared to prior enantioselective introduction of oxygen. This invention was made at least in part in the course of a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (GM24551).

Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation and kinetic resolution: modified procedures including in situ derivatization

Abstract: The use of 3A or 4A molecular sieves (zeolites) substantially increases the scope of the titanium(IV)-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of primary allylic alcohols. Whereas without molecular sieves epoxidations employing only 5 to 10 mol % Ti(O-i-Pr)/sub 4/ generally lead to low conversion or low enantioselectivity, in the presence of molecular sieves such reactions generally lead to high conversion (>95%) and high enantioselectivity (90-95% ee). The epoxidations of 20 primary allylic alcohols are described. Especially noteworthy are the epoxidations of cinnamyl alcohol, 2-tetradecyl-2-propen-1-ol, allyl alcohol, and crotyl alcohol - compounds which heretofore had been considered difficult substrates for asymmetric epoxidation. In the case of allyl alcohol, the use of cumene hydroperoxide substantially increases both the reaction rate and the conversion, even in the absence of molecular sieves. In general, enantioselectivities are slightly depressed (by 1-5% ee) relative employing 50-100 mol % Ti(O-i-Pr)/sub 4/. The epoxidation of low molecular weight allylic alcohols is especially facilitated and, in conjunction with in situ derivatization, provides for the synthesis of many epoxy alcohol synthons which were previously difficult to obtain. The kinetic resolution of four secondary allylic alcohols with 10 mol % Ti(O-i-Pr)/sub 4/ is also described. The role of molecular sieves in the reaction andmore » the effects of variation in reaction stoichiometry, oxidant, and tartrate are discussed.« less

A greatly improved procedure for ruthenium tetroxide catalyzed oxidations of organic compounds

Abstract: Addition of acetonitrile to the traditional CCl4/H2O solvent system for ruthenium tetraoxide catalyzed oxidations leads to a greatly improved system; some applications to olefins, alcohols, aromatic rings, and ethers are described. © 1981, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Preparation of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles from nitriles in water.

Abstract: The addition of sodium azide to nitriles to give 1H-tetrazoles is shown to proceed readily in water with zinc salts as catalysts. The scope of the reaction is quite broad; a variety of aromatic nitriles, activated and unactivated alkyl nitriles, substituted vinyl nitriles, thiocyanates, and cyanamides have all been shown to be viable substrates for this reaction.

Asymmetric dihydroxylation via ligand-accelerated catalysis

Abstract: Dihydroxylation asymetrique de composes ethyleniques du type styrene, vinylcyclohexane, hexene-3 en les glycols correspondants

Chemical Routes for the Transformation of Biomass into Chemicals

Abstract: 3.2.3. Hydroformylation 2467 3.2.4. Dimerization 2468 3.2.5. Oxidative Cleavage and Ozonolysis 2469 3.2.6. Metathesis 2470 4. Terpenes 2472 4.1. Pinene 2472 4.1.1. Isomerization: R-Pinene 2472 4.1.2. Epoxidation of R-Pinene 2475 4.1.3. Isomerization of R-Pinene Oxide 2477 4.1.4. Hydration of R-Pinene: R-Terpineol 2478 4.1.5. Dehydroisomerization 2479 4.2. Limonene 2480 4.2.1. Isomerization 2480 4.2.2. Epoxidation: Limonene Oxide 2480 4.2.3. Isomerization of Limonene Oxide 2481 4.2.4. Dehydroisomerization of Limonene and Terpenes To Produce Cymene 2481

Weak coordination as a powerful means for developing broadly useful C-H functionalization reactions.

Abstract: Reactions that convert carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds into carbon–carbon (C–C) or carbon–heteroatom (C–Y) bonds are attractive tools for organic chemists, potentially expediting the synthesis of target molecules through new disconnections in retrosynthetic analysis. Despite extensive inorganic and organometallic study of the insertion of homogeneous metal species into unactivated C–H bonds, practical applications of this technology in organic chemistry are still rare. Only in the past decade have metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization reactions become more widely utilized in organic synthesis.Research in the area of homogeneous transition metal–catalyzed C–H functionalization can be broadly grouped into two subfields. They reflect different approaches and goals and thus have different challenges and opportunities. One approach involves reactions of completely unfunctionalized aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, which we refer to as “first functionalization”. Here the substrates are nonpolar and hydrophobic a...

Organic Azides: An Exploding Diversity of a Unique Class of Compounds

Abstract: Since the discovery of organic azides by Peter Griess more than 140 years ago, numerous syntheses of these energy-rich molecules have been developed. In more recent times in particular, completely new perspectives have been developed for their use in peptide chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, and heterocyclic synthesis. Organic azides have assumed an important position at the interface between chemistry, biology, medicine, and materials science. In this Review, the fundamental characteristics of azide chemistry and current developments are presented. The focus will be placed on cycloadditions (Huisgen reaction), aza ylide chemistry, and the synthesis of heterocycles. Further reactions such as the aza-Wittig reaction, the Sundberg rearrangement, the Staudinger ligation, the Boyer and Boyer-Aube rearrangements, the Curtius rearrangement, the Schmidt rearrangement, and the Hemetsberger rearrangement bear witness to the versatility of modern azide chemistry.

Dual Catalysis Strategies in Photochemical Synthesis

Abstract: The interaction between an electronically excited photocatalyst and an organic molecule can result in the genertion of a diverse array of reactive intermediates that can be manipulated in a variety of ways to result in synthetically useful bond constructions. This Review summarizes dual-catalyst strategies that have been applied to synthetic photochemistry. Mechanistically distinct modes of photocatalysis are discussed, including photoinduced electron transfer, hydrogen atom transfer, and energy transfer. We focus upon the cooperative interactions of photocatalysts with redox mediators, Lewis and Bronsted acids, organocatalysts, enzymes, and transition metal complexes.

Asymmetric Catalysis by Architectural and Functional Molecular Engineering: Practical Chemo‐ and Stereoselective Hydrogenation of Ketones

Abstract: Hydrogenation is a core technology in chemical synthesis. High rates and selectivities are attainable only by the coordination of structurally well-designed catalysts and suitable reaction conditions. The newly devised [RuCl(2)(phosphane)(2)(1,2-diamine)] complexes are excellent precatalysts for homogeneous hydrogenation of simple ketones which lack any functionality capable of interacting with the metal center. This catalyst system allows for the preferential reduction of a C=O function over a coexisting C=C linkage in a 2-propanol solution containing an alkaline base. The hydrogenation tolerates many substituents including F, Cl, Br, I, CF(3), OCH(3), OCH(2)C(6)H(5), COOCH(CH(3))(2), NO(2), NH(2), and NRCOR as well as various electron-rich and -deficient heterocycles. Furthermore, stereoselectivity is easily controlled by the electronic and steric properties (bulkiness and chirality) of the ligands as well as the reaction conditions. Diastereoselectivities observed in the catalytic hydrogenation of cyclic and acyclic ketones with the standard triphenylphosphane/ethylenediamine combination compare well with the best conventional hydride reductions. The use of appropriate chiral diphosphanes, particularly BINAP compounds, and chiral diamines results in rapid and productive asymmetric hydrogenation of a range of aromatic and heteroaromatic ketones and gives a consistently high enantioselectivity. Certain amino and alkoxy ketones can be used as substrates. Cyclic and acyclic alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones can be converted into chiral allyl alcohols of high enantiomeric purity. Hydrogenation of configurationally labile ketones allows for the dynamic kinetic discrimination of diastereomers, epimers, and enantiomers. This new method shows promise in the practical synthesis of a wide variety of chiral alcohols from achiral and chiral ketone substrates. Its versatility is manifested by the asymmetric synthesis of some biologically significant chiral compounds. The high rate and carbonyl selectivity are based on nonclassical metal-ligand bifunctional catalysis involving an 18-electron amino ruthenium hydride complex and a 16-electron amido ruthenium species.