This thesis describes an extensive investigation of the O- to C-carboxyl transfer of oxazolyl carbonates using isothioureas as Lewis base catalysts. The structural requirements of simple bicyclic amidines and isothioureas to promote this transformation have been investigated, showing that the catalytic efficiency and product distribution of these reactions are markedly affected by the catalyst structure. The optimal isothiourea catalyst was efficiently applied to the rearrangement of a wide range of oxazolyl, benzofuranyl and indolyl carbonates. The structural motif of tetrahydropyrimidine-based isothioureas has then been evaluated in order to develop an asymmetric variant of the O- to C-carboxyl transfer of oxazolyl carbonates. A number of chiral isothioureas bearing stereodirecting groups in C(2) and/or C(3) have been synthesised and used in this rearrangement, showing that a C(2)-stereodirecting unit is essential for high enantioselectivity, with an additional C(3)-substituent increasing the reactivity. The optimal chiral C(2)-substituted isothioureas identified are general and efficient asymmetric catalysts for O- to C-carboxyl transfer of oxazolyl carbonates, generating a quaternary stereocentre with high enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee). The origin of the enantioselectivity of this process has been probed mechanistically and rationalised computationally. Having gained an insight into the structural motifs of isothioureas required to impart good catalytic activity and asymmetric induction in the O- to C-carboxyl transfer of oxazolyl carbonates, the mechanism of this reaction was probed using kinetic and mechanistic experiments. ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopic analysis allowed the evolution of product, by-product and intermediate throughout the reaction to be monitored while a number of crossover and stability experiments gave additional information about the catalytic cycle. Extension to a related system has been demonstrated with the O- to C-carboxyl transfer of furanyl carbonates, producing a mixture of α- and γ-butenolides depending on the nature of the Lewis base employed. DMAP gives a mixture of both regioisomers with a preference for the α-regioisomer, while NHCs lead predominantly to the γ-regioisomer. Chiral isothioureas have been used to promote this rearrangement, giving the major α-regioisomer with good enantioselectivity (up to 83% ee). To quantify the different reactivities observed with these isothioureas, their nucleophilicities and Lewis basicities using the stopped-flow technique have been determined. Finally, model studies toward the synthesis of the natural product calcaridine A, using the methodology developed herein, have been investigated.

This thesis describes investigations into the ability of isothioureas to act as organocatalysts in formal [4+2] cycloadditions between carboxylic acids and various Michael acceptors via C1-ammonium enolate intermediates. Initial research focused upon establishing optimal reaction conditions to affect the asymmetric intermolecular formal [4+2] cycloaddition between a range of arylacetic acids and α-keto-β,γ-unsaturated esters, giving anti-dihydropyranones in high yield (49-87%) and with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivity (up to 98:2 dr, up to 99% ee). This represented the first time that carboxylic acid derived ammonium enolates have been successfully applied towards an intermolecular reaction process. Subsequent studies utilised trifluoromethyl enones as Michael acceptors, forming a range of C(6)-trifluoromethyl anti-dihydropyranones with good diastereoselectivity (up to 95:5 dr) and enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee). Detailed mechanistic studies were carried out, revealing that the process was stereospecific, with the diastereoisomer of product formed dependent upon the configuration of trifluoromethyl enone used. A variety of product derivatisations were demonstrated including those which introduce additional trifluoromethyl-bearing stereogenic centres with high diastereoselectivity. Kinetic studies indicated that this Michael addition-lactonisation process is first order with respect to both in situ formed anhydride and catalyst concentration, with a primary kinetic isotope effect observed using α,α-di-deuterio 4-fluorophenylacetic acid. DFT computational studies support a rate-determining formation of a reactive ammonium enolate prior to a stereochemistry-determining enone conjugate-addition step. The isothiourea-catalysed α-amination of carboxylic acids with low catalyst loadings (as low as 0.25 mol%) using N-aryl-N-aroyl Michael acceptors was demonstrated, forming a range of 1,3,4-oxadiazin-6(5H)-ones or hydrazide products with excellent enantiocontrol (typically >99% ee). Notably, the scope of this methodology was expanded to allow the direct functionalisation of carboxylic acids bearing α-heteroatom and alkyl substitution for the first time. The synthetic utility of the hydrazide products was demonstrated through their derivatisation into a range of bespoke functionalised N-aryl-α-arylglycine derivatives in high enantiopurity (up to 99% ee). Isothiourea-mediated functionalisation of 3-alkenoic acids was shown to occur regioselectively, giving products derived from α-functionalisation of an intermediate C1-ammonium dienolate in a range of formal [2+2] and [4+2] cycloadditions. Formal [4+2] cycloadditions with either trifluoromethyl enones of N-aryl-N-aroyl diazenes allow access to products in high diastereo- and enantiocontrol (up to 95:5 dr, up to 99% ee). The simple, two-step elaboration of stereodefined hydrazides into aza-sugar analogues without erosion of enantiopurity has also been demonstrated. 2-Arylacetic anhydrides were also demonstrated as useful precursors for the formation of C1-ammonium enolates in isothiourea-mediated Michael addition-lactonisation processes. Trifluoromethylenones,α-keto-β,γ-unsaturated esters and N-aryl-N-aroyldiazenes are reactive Michael accceptors in this process, with HBTM-2.1 (5 mol%) readily promoting heterocycle formation with high diastereo- and enantiocontrol (up to 95:5 dr, up to >99% ee). This protocol offered a useful and practical alternative to the in situ carboxylic acid activation method, in which by-product formation and the amount of sacrificial base used is minimised. DHPB was shown to promote the one-pot synthesis of 2,4,6-subsituted pyridines bearing a readily derivatised 2-sulfonate functionality from (phenylthio)acetic acid and a range of α,β-unsaturated ketimines in moderate yields (40-66%). Functionalisation of the 2-sulfonate group via various methodologies allowed the rapid assembly of both novel and biologically relevant pyridines.

This work describes the application of a variety of Lewis bases, encompassing predominantly N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), but also the use of imidazoles, aminopyridines, amidines and isothioureas, as effective catalysts in the dearomatisation of heterocyclic carbonates, predominantly the rearrangement of oxazolyl carbonates to their C-carboxyazlactone isomers by means of the Steglich rearrangement. This rearrangement reaction has been investigated extensively, with the development of simplified reaction procedures and the invention of domino cascade protocols incorporating this transformation. In an attempt to understand the mechanism of this O- to C-carboxylation process, a number of interesting observations have been made. Firstly, the class of NHC has an important factor in promoting the rearrangement, with triazolinylidenes being the most effective. Secondly, an interesting chemoselectivity has been delineated using triazolium-derived NHCs, prepared using weak bases (typically Et₃N) or strong metallated bases; both alkyl and aryl oxazolyl carbonates undergo smooth rearrangement with triazolinylidenes derived from strong metallated bases such as KHMDS, while only aryl oxazolyl carbonates undergo rearrangement using Et₃N. Extensive effort has focused towards the development of asymmetric variants of these protocols, primarily towards the design, synthesis and evaluation of chiral NHC precatalysts. To this end, a number of chiral azolium salts have been prepared, encompassing a number of different NHC classes, including C₁- and C₂-imidazolinium salts, C₂-imidazolium salts and a range of triazolium salts. Efforts towards the asymmetric catalysis of the Steglich rearrangement of oxazolyl carbonate substrates have given an optimal 66% ee. Similar rearrangements have been demonstrated with the related furanyl heterocyclic substrate class, producing a mixture of α- and γ-carboxybutenolides. In contrast to the analogous oxazolyl carbonates, the regioselectivity of this rearrangement is dependent upon the nature of the Lewis base employed. Amidines and aminopyridines give a mixture of the α- and γ- regioisomers with generally the α-regioisomer being preferred, while a triazolium-derived NHC gives rise to predominantly the thermodynamically more stable γ-carboxybutenolide. Using amidines or aminopyridines, this rearrangement has been shown to proceed via an irreversible C-C bond-forming process, but in contrast, the rearrangement using the NHC proceeds via an equilibrium process with an optimised regioselectivity of >98:2 for the γ-carboxybutenolide regioisomer over the α-regioisomer. Whilst the asymmetric variant using chiral NHCs has proven unfruitful, rearrangements using a chiral isothiourea have given high levels of regioselectivity towards the α- regioisomer and with excellent levels of enantiodiscrimination (77–95% ee).