Highly Acidic Electron-Rich Brønsted Acids Accelerate Asymmetric Pictet–Spengler Reactions by Virtue of Stabilizing Cation–π Interactions

Electron-rich heteroaromatic imidodiphosphorimidates (IDPis) catalyze the asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction of <i>N</i>-carbamoyl-β-arylethylamines with high stereochemical precision. This particular class of catalysts furthermore provides a vital rate enhancement compared to related Brønsted acids. Here we present experimental studies on the underlying reaction kinetics that shed light on the specific origins of rate acceleration. Analysis of Hammett plots, kinetic isotope effects, reaction orders, Eyring plots, and isotopic scrambling experiments, allowed us to gather insights into the molecular interactions between the chiral Brønsted acid and catalytically formed intermediates. Based on rigorously determined p<i>K</i>_a values as well as the experimental evidence, we propose that attractive intermolecular forces offered by electron-rich π-surfaces of the chiral counteranion enthalpically stabilize cationic intermediates and transition states by way of cation-π interactions. This view is furthermore supported by in-depth density functional theory calculations. Our deepened understanding of the reaction mechanism allowed us to develop a method for accessing 1-aryltetrahydroisoquinolines from aromatic dimethyl acetals, a substrate class that was thus far inaccessible via catalytic asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reactions.