Novel organocatalytic systems based on the recently developed (S)-proline derivative (2S)-[5-(benzylthio)-4-phenyl-(1,2,4-triazol)-3-yl]-pyrrolidine supported on mesoporous silica were prepared and their efficiency was assessed in the asymmetric aldol reaction. These materials were fully characterized by FT-IR, MS, XRD, and SEM microscopy, gathering relevant information regarding composition, morphology, and organocatalyst distribution in the doped silica. Careful optimization of the reaction conditions required for their application as catalysts in asymmetric aldol reactions between ketones and aldehydes afforded the anticipated aldol products with excellent yields and moderate diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The recommended experimental protocol is simple, fast, and efficient providing the enantioenriched aldol product, usually without the need of a special work-up or purification protocol. This approach constitutes a remarkable improvement in the field of heterogeneous (S)-proline-based organocatalysis; in particular, the solid-phase silica-bonded catalytic systems described herein allow for a substantial reduction in solvent usage. Furthermore, the supported system described here can be recovered, reactivated, and reused several times with limited loss in catalytic efficiency relative to freshly synthesized organocatalysts.

We report the synthesis of several enantiopure pyrrolidine derivatives containing a β-amino acid moiety. These novel chiral compounds were prepared through stereospecific chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI) addition to the readily available, natural terpene (+)-α-pinene. Coupling of N-Boc-protected β-amino acid derivatives with various bulky amines and amino acids using the mixed anhydride activation method, followed by N-deprotection, afforded the corresponding chiral amino amides in good yields. Despite the severe steric hindrance anticipated in α-pinene-based heterocycles, efficient coupling of the amino amides and an amino ester with the acyl chloride of N-Cbz-protected (S)-proline provided the corresponding pyrrolidinic pinene derivatives in good yields. Moreover, a convenient synthesis of N-Cbz- and N-Boc-monoprotected (S)-prolinamine is reported.

The synthesis of phenyl-γ-hydroxyketones through Heck coupling and subsequent opening of the tetrahydrofuran ring by the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule catalyzed by PdCl₂·Gly₂under microwave irradiation.