Switch of Five Contiguous Chiral Centers in the Synthesis of Both Enantiomers of Hajos–Parrish Ketone Analogs via Diphenylprolinol Silyl Ether‐Mediated Domino Reaction

Both enantiomers of functionalized Hajos-Parrish ketone (HPK) analogs were prepared with excellent diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities using the same chiral catalyst under two slightly different conditions. In condition A, dioxane was used as the solvent with 3 equivalents of water. In condition B, acetonitrile was used as the solvent with 30 equivalents of water, followed by epimerization with a base in a one-pot. The reaction consisted of a domino reaction including a diphenylprolinol silyl ether-mediated asymmetric Michael reaction and an intramolecular Henry reaction. In the Michael reaction, depending on the solvent and water amounts, syn- and anti-isomers were selectively synthesized with excellent enantioselectivity, in which the absolute configuration at C5 (indanone numbering) was opposite. The subsequent Henry reaction was diastereoselective, in which the C5 substituent controlled the three chiral centers in a highly diastereoselective manner. The final base treatment in condition B caused epimerization, changing the configuration at C6. Switching more than two chiral centers with high enantioselectivity is extremely difficult using the same chiral catalyst; the present reaction is a very rare enantiodivergent reaction that switches five continuous chiral centers with high enantioselectivity.