Benzylic fluorides are attractive target molecules for medicinal chemistry, agrochemicals and materials chemistry. The enantioselective synthesis of benzylic fluorides is challenging and few general methods exist. This thesis describes several approaches to the synthesis of benzylic fluoride targets, including enantioselective processes. Chapter 1: Reviews the properties, uses and synthetic approaches to fluorinated molecules, with a particular focus on benzylic fluorides and enantioselective syntheses. Chapter 2: Describes the fluorination cyclisation of prochiral indole precursors. The use of catalytic amounts of a bis-cinchona alkaloid gave good enantioselectivities for the cyclisation. Alcohol, tosylamine, amide and carbamate pendant nucleophiles all cyclised successfully to give quaternary benzylic fluorides in moderate yields and with enantioselectivities up to 92%. The substrate scope of the reaction is described, as well as methodology for deprotection of cyclised nitrogen nucleophiles. Chapter 3: Details an investigation of the Pd catalysed substitution of polycyclic benzylic fluorides by a range of nucleophiles and their relative reactivity in comparison to oxygen leaving groups. Modification of the methodology to enable reaction of monocyclic substrate substitution was enabled by the use of a protic solvent. Chemoselective reaction conditions were identified for selective reaction of Bn-F or Ar-Cl bonds and comparative reactivity studies were undertaken. The feasibility of Pd(0)/(II) catalysed nucleophilic C-F bond formation was examined. Chapter 4: The development of the defluorination methodology from Chapter 3 for secondary substrates is described. The stereochemical course of defluorination was probed, showing that displacement of fluoride is mechanistically similar to that of oxygen leaving groups. A kinetic resolution with a low selectivity was developed for access to enantioenriched benzylic fluorides.

Les chimistes organiciens disposent à l'heure actuelle des outils de la biocatalyse afin d'accéder aux produits de la chimie fine et en particulier à des synthons et des molécules optiquement enrichies. Dans ce cadre, le travail de thèse présenté dans ce mémoire a été conduit afin d'enrichir notre connaissance sur une époxyde hydrolase (EH) découverte après analyse métagénomique d'un bio-filtre. Afin de pouvoir mener une étude de mutagénèse dirigée de sorte à améliorer certaines propriétés de cette enzyme appelée Kau2-EH, un modèle de l'enzyme a été élaboré sur la base de la structure tridimensionnelle de l'EH de souris. Le choix de cette matrice fait suite à des études d'inhibition comparées visant à déterminer laquelle des trois EHs, dont la structure tridimensionnelle était connue (pomme de terre, souris, homme) et dont la séquence était proche de celle de Kau2-EH, présentait l’inhibition la plus proche de celle observée pour Kau2-EH. Il avait été montré précédemment que Kau2-EH présentait un intérêt en biocatalyse permettant une résolution cinétique quasi-parfaite de l'oxyde de trans-méthyl-styrène et une transformation énantioconvergente, elle aussi quasi-parfaite, de l'oxyde de cis-méthyl-styrène. Ainsi des études de bioconversion dédiées à l'évaluation de la diversité des substrats de Kau2-EH ont été réalisées. Cette enzyme se révéla être particulièrement performante lors de l'utilisation d'époxydes cis- et trans-1,2-disubstitués portant sur un des atomes de carbone de la fonction époxyde un groupement phényle ou p-méthoxy-phényle et sur l'autre un groupement variable (méthyl- ou éthyl-ester, cyano, bromo- ou chloro-méthyle, phényle). Pour neuf des dix substrats testés des énantiosélectivités très élevées ont été trouvées permettant des résolutions cinétiques quasi-parfaites de huit d'entre eux et la désymétrisation quasi-parfaite du neuvième. Seul le cis-méthyl-glycidate ne fut pas un substrat de Kau2-EH. Dans les neufs cas précédents une réaction préparative à l'échelle du gramme a pu être conduite à très haute concentration en substrat (de 25 à 75 g/L) et sur une courte période de temps (de 1 à 4h) sauf pour l'oxyde de cis-stilbène (24 h). Finalement et afin d'accéder aux constantes cinétiques fondamentale, une étude préliminaire de « stopped-flow » du comportement de Kau2-EH a été réalisée en utilisant l'oxyde de trans-stilbène comme substrat. / Biocatalysis is nowadays an important tool available to organist chemist to get access to fine chemicals and especially enantiomerically enriched synthons and molecules. Within this framework, the PhD work described in this dissertation was conducted in order to get insights about a newly discovered epoxide hydrolase (EH) from a metagenomic analysis of a biofilter. In order to conduct directed mutagenesis on the so-called Kau2-EH, a model of the enzyme was constructed based on the 3D structure of murine EH. The choice of this template was dictated by comparative inhibition studies aimed at differentiating three otherwise closely Kau2-sequence-related EHs with known crystal structure (potato-, murine- and human-EHs) and showing inhibition behavior the closest to the one found for Kau2. The enzyme was previously shown to display interesting biocatalytic properties such a nearly perfect kinetic resolution of trans-methyl-styrene-oxide and a nearly perfect enantioconvergent transformation of cis-methyl-styrene-oxide. Thus, bioconversion studies dedicated to the evaluation Kau2-EH substrate chemical space were undertaken. The enzyme proved to be particularly useful when using 1,2-disubstituted cis- or trans-aromatic epoxides bearing an aromatic ring (phenyl, p-methoxy-phenyl) on one of the epoxide-bearing carbon atom and various chemical groups (methyl- or ethyl-esters, cyano, chloro- or bromo-methyl or phenyl) on the second carbon atom. For nine of the ten tested substrates very high enantioselectivities were observed allowing nearly perfect kinetic resolutions of eight of them and a nearly perfect desymmetrization of the ninth. Only cis-methyl-glycidate proved to be not a substrate of Kau2-EH. In the all other nine cases a preparative scale reaction could be conducted on the 1g scale, at high to very high substrate concentration (25 to 75 g/L) and in short periods of time (1 to 4h) except for cis-stilbene-oxide (24 h). Finally and in order to get access to fundamental kinetic constants, a preliminary stopped-flow analysis of Kau2-EH behavior was undertaken using trans-stilbene-oxide as substrate.

This  thesis  is  divided  into  four  parts,  all  centered  around  Constitutional Dynamic  Chemistry  (CDC)  and  Dynamic  Kinetic  Resolution  (DKR)  using biocatalysts for selective transformations, and their applications in screening of bioactive compounds, organic synthesis, and enzyme classification.    In  part  one,  an  introduction  to  CDC  and  DKR  is  presented,  illustrating  the basic  concepts,  practical  considerations  and  potential  applications  of  such dynamic systems, thus providing the background information for the studies in the following chapters.   In part two, Dynamic Systemic Resolution (DSR), a concept based on CDC is exemplified.  With  enzyme-catalyzed  transformations  as  external  selection pressure,  optimal  structures  can  be  selected  and  amplified  from  the  system. This  concept  is  expanded  to  various  types  of  dynamic  systems  containing single, double cascade/parallel, and multiple reversible reactions. In addition, the  substrate  selectivity  and  catalytic  promiscuity  of  target  enzymes  are  also investigated.   In   part   three,   DKR   protocols   using   reversible   reactions   for   substrate racemizations  are  illustrated.  Biocatalysts  are  here  employed  for  asymmetric transformations,  resulting  in  efficient  synthetic  pathways  for  enantioenriched organic compounds.   Part  four  demonstrates  two  unique  applications  of  CDC:  one  resulting  in enzyme  classification  by  use  of  pattern  recognition  methodology;  the  other involving  enzyme  self-inhibition  through  in  situ  transformation  of  stealth inhibitors employing the catalytic activity of the target enzyme. / <p>QC 20130614</p>

The thiopyran route to polypropionates is an attractive strategy that involves a stepwise iterative aldol homologation of tetrahydro-4H-thiopyran-4-one (I) with thiopyran aldehyde (II) followed by desulfurization to rapidly assemble stereochemically complex polypropionate synthons. <p>In chapter 1, the thesis is summarized in the context of relevant background research including; a) the basic principle of the thiopyran route; b) dynamic kinetic resolution of -substituted aldehydes; c) previous syntheses of serricornin; iv) previous syntheses of membrenones.<p>In chapter 2, proline-catalyzed enantioselective direct intermolecular aldol reactions of tetrahydro-4H-thiopyran-4-one with various achiral aldehydes were studied. The results provided insights on the behaviour and stereoselectivity profile of thiopyranone (a crucial starting block in the thiopyran design) in the proline-catalyzed aldol reaction.<p>In chapter 3, inspired by the results of the aldol reaction of ketone (I) with achiral aldehydes, we next investigated the proline-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reactions of (I) with racemic thiopyran aldehyde (II) as a strategy to rapidly prepare enantiomerically pure tetrapropionate synthons without any requirement of enantioenriched aldehyde. The reaction occurred with high enantiotopic group selectivity and dynamic kinetic resolution.<p>In chapter 4, a detailed study to ascertain the scope and limitations of the design strategy described in chapter 3 was extended towards other catalysts, aldehydes and ketones. <p>Finally, applications of the above mentioned strategy towards the synthesis of serricornin and membrenones A and B are elaborated in chapters 5 and 6 respectively.

The thiopyran route to polypropionates is an attractive strategy that involves a stepwise iterative aldol homologation of tetrahydro-4H-thiopyran-4-one (I) with thiopyran aldehyde (II) followed by desulfurization to rapidly assemble stereochemically complex polypropionate synthons. <p>In chapter 1, the thesis is summarized in the context of relevant background research including; a) the basic principle of the thiopyran route; b) dynamic kinetic resolution of -substituted aldehydes; c) previous syntheses of serricornin; iv) previous syntheses of membrenones.<p>In chapter 2, proline-catalyzed enantioselective direct intermolecular aldol reactions of tetrahydro-4H-thiopyran-4-one with various achiral aldehydes were studied. The results provided insights on the behaviour and stereoselectivity profile of thiopyranone (a crucial starting block in the thiopyran design) in the proline-catalyzed aldol reaction.<p>In chapter 3, inspired by the results of the aldol reaction of ketone (I) with achiral aldehydes, we next investigated the proline-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reactions of (I) with racemic thiopyran aldehyde (II) as a strategy to rapidly prepare enantiomerically pure tetrapropionate synthons without any requirement of enantioenriched aldehyde. The reaction occurred with high enantiotopic group selectivity and dynamic kinetic resolution.<p>In chapter 4, a detailed study to ascertain the scope and limitations of the design strategy described in chapter 3 was extended towards other catalysts, aldehydes and ketones. <p>Finally, applications of the above mentioned strategy towards the synthesis of serricornin and membrenones A and B are elaborated in chapters 5 and 6 respectively.

The objective of this presented study was to synthesize optically active compounds considered to be key intermediates in the synthesis of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) by performing chemical and biotechnological methods. Thereof, the carboethoxy cyclohexenone skeleton first was synthesized utilizing easily available substances. The synthesis of alpha-hydroxy ketones in enantiomerically pure form offers a great importance in the synthesis of biologically active compounds. Toward this fact, the enantioselective synthesis of alpha-hydroxy carboethoxy cyclohexenone scaffold has been accomplished by following the routes which were manganese(III) acetate-mediated chemical oxidation followed by enzyme-mediated hydrolysis and additionally microbial direct biooxidation by whole cells of fungi expressly A. oryzae and A. flavus. A very satisfying results have been obtained by both of the methods.

Chiral cyclic polyoxo-ketones are important structural units in many natural products, biologically active compouds, such as prostaglandins, didemnenones, sarkomycin, punaglandin, clavulone, etc. In this work, a chemoenzymatic synthesis of both enantiomers of the &amp / #945 / &rsquo / -acetoxy-&amp / #945 / -methyl and &amp / #947 / -hydroxy-&amp / #945 / -methyl cyclic enones starting from &amp / #945 / -methyl-&amp / #946 / -methoxy cyclic enone is described. Manganese (III) acetate-mediated acetoxylation followed by the enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of &amp / #945 / &rsquo / -acetoxy enone provides acetoxy enones. The reduction of the hydroxy enone, obtained from hydrolysis, furnished both enantiomers of 4-hydroxy enone or &amp / #947 / -hydroxy enone by using LiAlH4. This study is a model for the synthesis of these type compounds

Small molecule hydrogen bond donors have emerged as versatile catalysts in asymmetric synthesis. Within this class, chiral BINOL phosphoric acid is regarded as one of the pioneer catalysts used in several asymmetric transformations. The ability of the catalyst to activate the substrates could be controlled in two different ways. (1) Dual activation/bifunctional activation of substrate by hydrogen bond interactions or ion pairing with phosphoric acid or (2) By forming chiral BINOL phosphate metal complex that could significantly alter the interactions in chiral space. In particular, chiral alkaline earth metal phosphate complexes have unique advantages as catalysts owing to the ubiquitous availability of alkaline earth metals, strong Brønsted basicity of their counterions, mild but significant Lewis acidity of the metal and their ability to coordinate at multiple reactive sites due to large ionic radius. Chapter 1 summarizes the recent development of alkaline earth metal complexes in asymmetric catalysis. My thesis dissertation is focused on the application of chiral alkaline earth metal phosphate complexes in novel asymmetric reactions. In Chapter 2, we disclosed an efficient asymmetric one-pot synthesis of chiral 1,3-oxazolidines and chiral 1,3-oxazinanes. Chiral oxazolidines and oxazinanes are widely used as auxiliaries in asymmetric transition metal catalysis and also key structural motifs in natural products with biological activities. We developed a new synthetic method for chiral 1,3-oxazolidines which follows the enantioselective addition of alcohols to imines catalyzed by chiral 3,3’-(triisopropylphenyl)-derived BINOL magnesium phosphate to form hemiaminal intermediate, which then undergoes mild base mediated intramolecular nucleophilic substitution to afford highly enantioselective 1,3-oxazolidines and 1,3-oxazinanes in good yields. In Chapter 3, we developed the first catalytic enantioselective desymmetrization process for the synthesis of novel axially chiral cyclohexylidene oxime ethers. Even though these molecules were found to be optically active in 1910, methods to synthesize these molecules are scarce. We have developed an efficient desymmetrization process of 4-phenyl cyclohexanones with phenoxyamines catalyzed by chiral BINOL strontium phosphate complex to afford highly enantioselective products. We then extended this methodology to the dynamic kinetic resolution of 2-substituted cyclohexanones to form chiral 2-substituted cyclohexyl oximes in good enantioselectivities, as demonstrated in Chapter 4. We further demonstrated the utility of these compounds by converting them to chiral 2-aryl cyclohexylamines which are important synthetic intermediates.

Neste trabalho foram estudadas reações de substituição nucleofílica alifática de seis substratos halogenados, na presença de sais quaternários de amônio quirais (catalisadores por transferência de fase), derivados de alcalóides naturais. O sistema usado durante os trabalhos foi o sólido-líquido, sendo utilizado o tolueno como solvente do substrato halogenado. Os eletrófilos escolhidos para este trabalho foram, em sua grande maioria, compostos halogenados na posição alfa à carbonila e o nucleófilo foi o fenilmercapteto de sódio. A estrutura do substratos, as condições de reação e o tipo de catalisador foram variados visando-se avaliar qual a melhor condição de interação entre o catalisador e o substrato, usando-se como parâmetro comparativo o excesso enantiomérico obtido em cada caso. Os substratos foram também colocados para reagir na ausência de catalisador (\"branco de reação\") para avaliar a possibilidade de haver reações não catalisadas competindo com a reação enantiosseletiva. Tais reações diminuiriam a enantiosseletividade do processo, o que tomou imprescindível determinar sua extensão. Métodos de análise do excesso enantiomérico dos produtos de reação obtidos, por CLAE utilizando fase estacionária quiral e/ou RMN de 1H na presença de reagentes de deslocamento quirais, foram desenvolvidos para cada caso. Os resultados experimentais permitiram propor e discutir um modelo de associação catalisador/tiolato/eletrófilo, baseado em interações do tipo &#960;-&#960; e ligação de hidrogênio. / The main focus of the present work was the investigation of some aliphatic nucleofilic substitution reactions of halogenated compounds in the presence of chiral phase transfer catalyst, in a solid-liquid two phase system, using toluene as solvent. Most electrophiles were carbonylic or carboxylic derivatives bearing a halogen atom in the a-position to the carbonyl group. As for the nucleophile, sodium thiophenolate was employed in all reactions. Factors such as molecular structure of the electrophile, reaction conditions and catalyst were varied in order to optimize product enantiomeric excesses, and to gain an insight into the mode of action of the chiral catalyst in the kinetic resolution. In all cases blank experiments in the absence of the catalyst were performed, considering the possibility of a competitive uncatalyzed reaction as being responsible for lower enantiomeric excesses. Methods for determining the enantiomeric excess, based on HPLC and/or 1H-NMR, were developed for each specific product. The mechanistic and geometrical factors responsible for the kinetic resolution are analyzed in each case. The structure of the catalyst/thiolate/electrofile is discussed in terms of hydrogen bonding and &#960;-&#960; interactions.

Esta dissertação apresenta um estudo de diferentes metodologias de imobilização (fisissorção, quimissorção com carboxibenzaldeído e quimissorção com glutaraldeído) da lipase de Burkholderia cepacia em nanopartículas magnéticas e sua aplicação na resolução cinética de alcoóis secundários racêmicos. O método de imobilização por fisissorção resultou na imobilização de 0,21 mg de proteína em 20 mg de nanopartículas magnéticas. Para a mesma quantidade de nanopartículas magnéticas, o método de quimissorção com carboxibenzaldeído imobilizou 0,26 mg de proteína contra 0,28 mg de proteína pelo método de quimissorção com glutaraldeído, a melhor relação encontrada neste trabalho. A atividade enzimática foi avaliada na resolução cinética de alcoóis secundários racêmicos [(RS)-2-bromo-1-(fenil)etanol, (RS)-2-bromo-1-(4-nitrofenil)etanol, (RS)-1-(4-nitrofenil)etanol e (RS)-1-(fenil)-1,2-etanodiol] via reação de transesterificação enantiosseletiva. O efeito de diferentes parâmetros reacionais para a resolução cinética foi estudado, como agente acilante, quantidade de substrato, solvente, quantidade de nanopartículas magnéticas (suporte), velocidade de agitação, tempo e temperatura reacionais. Os melhores parâmetros encontrados foram acetato de vinila como agente acilante, tolueno como solvente e sob agitação de 800 rpm. Observou-se que após 30 dias de estocagem da lipase imobilizada por fisissorção sua atividade foi mantida. Além disso, estudou-se a reciclagem da enzima imobilizada, durante a resolução cinética. A melhor temperatura e tempo reacional foram determinados para cada método de imobilização. A quimissorção com glutaraldeído foi o melhor método de imobilização para a reciclagem da enzima, pois durante 8 ciclos de resolução cinética a conversão (50 %) e a enantiosseletividade (>99 %) foram mantidas. Com base nesses resultados, pode-se concluir que o processo de imobilização permite um aumento da estabilidade da enzima quando comparada com a enzima livre, permitindo sua reutilização por vários ciclos reacionais. / This dissertation describes studies about different immobilization methodologies (physisorption, chemisorption with carboxibenzaldehyde and chemisorption with glutaraldehyde) of the Burkholderia cepacia lipase on magnetic nanoparticles and its application in the enzymatic kinetic resolution of chiral secondary alcohols. The physisorption method immobilized 0.21 mg of protein per 20 mg of magnetic nanoparticles. Using the same amount of magnetic nanoparticles, the chemisorption method with carboxibenzaldehyde immobilized 0.26 mg of protein against 0.28 mg for the chemisorption with glutaraldehyde, the best result found in this work. The enzymatic activity was determined in the enzymatic kinetic resolution of chiral secondary alcohols [(RS)-2-bromo-1-(phenyl)ethanol, (RS)-2-bromo-1- (4-nitrophenyl)ethanol, (RS)-1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanol and (RS</I<)-1-(phenyl)- 1,2-ethanodiol] via enantioselective transesterification reaction. The effect of several reaction parameters for the kinetic resolution was studied, such as acetyl donor, substrate concentration, solvent, amount of magnetic nanoparticles (support), agitation speed, reaction time and temperature. The best results were obtained using vinyl acetate as acetyl donor, toluene as solvent, and 800 rpm as agitation speed. Regarding the physisorption method, after 30 days as storing time the enzymatic activity remained the same. Besides, the reusability of immobilized lipase was evaluated. The best temperature and reaction time in the kinetic resolution were determined for each immobilization method. The chemisorption with glutaraldehyde was the best immobilization method for the enzyme reusability, because even after 8 cycles of the kinetic reaction, the conversion (50 %) and enantioselectivity (>99 %) remained the same. Based on these results, it is possible to conclude that the immobilization process increased the enzyme stability when compared to the free enzyme, allowing its reusability for many reaction cycles.