Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of flavanones and chromanones

1. A method of using a chiral thiourea catalyst for enantioselective synthesis of a chromanone compound, said method comprising:

providing an alkylidene compound of a formula

wherein R 1 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkylalkenyl, aryl, and aralkyl moieties; R 2 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted branched chain about C 3 to about C 6 alkyl and about C 3 to about C 9 cycloalkyl moieties; R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from H, OR 7 , substituted a unsubstituted alkyl and cycloalkyl moieties, and moieties where one of R 6 and R 5 together, R 5 and R 4 together, or R 4 and R 3 together form a substituted or unsubstituted C 3 to about C 5 alkylene or alkenylene moieties; and R 7 is selected from H and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl moieties; and

contacting said compound with a chiral thiourea catalyst compound in an amount at least partially sufficient for intramolecular conjugate addition of said alkylidene compound, to provide a chromanone compound of a formula

2. The method of claim 1 comprising decarboxylation of said chromanone compound.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein R 1 is aryl and R 5 is selected from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl and substituted cycloalkyl moieties.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said catalyst is selected from compounds I, II and III.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a said decarboxylated chromanone compound has an (R) stereochemical configuration at the C2 position thereof.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said conjugate addition and said decarboxylation are without reaction vessel transfer.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said catalyst is compound III.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein R 1 is selected from

moieties, and R 5 is an allyl-protected hydroxy moiety.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said catalyst is selected from compounds IV and V.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising said decarboxylation and hydroxy deprotection without reaction vessel transfer.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said catalyst is compound IV.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein a said decarboxylated chromanone compound has an (R) stereochemical configuration at the C2 position thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said catalyst is compound V.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a said decarboxylated chromanone compound has an (S) stereochemical configuration at the C2 position thereof.

15. A method of preparing a C2-(R)-chromanone compound, said method comprising:

providing a reaction medium comprising a mixture of a β-ketoester of a formula

wherein R 2 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted branched chain about C 3 to about C 6 alkyl and about C 3 to about C 9 cycloalkyl moieties; R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from H, OR 7 , substituted a unsubstituted alkyl and cycloalkyl moieties, and moieties where one of R 6 and R 5 together, R 5 and R 4 together, or R 4 and R 3 together form a substituted or unsubstituted C 3 to about C 5 alkylene or alkenylene moieties; and R 7 is selected from H and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl moieties; an aldehyde of a formula R 1 CHO, where R 1 is selected from substituted and unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkylalkenyl, aryl and aralkyl moieties; an organoamine base; and a thiourea catalyst compound, said catalyst selected from compounds I, II and III, to provide a C3-carboxy substituted chromanone compound; and

contacting said reaction medium with a C 1 to about C 10 organic acid, to decarboxylate said chromanone compound, said preparation without reaction vessel transfer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said thiourea catalyst is compound I.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein R 1 is a phenyl-substituted ethyl moiety.