Primary amine thioureas in asymmetric organocatalysis

Identifier:  TDX:2396

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX2396

Authors:  Günler, Zeynep Inci

Abstract:
This thesis focuses on primary amine thiourea organocatalysis. The Michael addition reaction of acetone to nitrostyrene catalyzed by primary amine thioureas (PAT) was studied in detail. The synergistic effects of multiple additives (water and acetic acid) in this reaction were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis. Our mechanistic studies showed that acetic acid facilitates hydrolysis of the imine intermediates, thus leading to catalysis, and minimizes the formation of the double addition side product. Water on the other hand, slows down the reaction but minimizes catalyst deactivation by nitrostyrene leading to higher yields. Moreover, we explored the concentration effects on the same reaction: upon reaction dilution, product enantioselectivity increases significantly whereas isolated yield can be kept high. We attribute this behavior to the minimization of catalyst deactivation upon dilution. In this way, the stereoselectivity of several PAT organocatalysts could be easily improved. Finally, the immobilization of chiral PAT organocatalysts has been performed on polystyrene-based resins for the first time through a “click” strategy that renders the thiourea group and the linkage simultaneously. The as-synthesized catalytic polymers have been applied to the asymmetric Michael addition and Mannich reaction of ketones. High enantioselectivities were recorded for the Mannich reaction, whereas moderate ee’s were obtained for the Michael addition reaction.