Highly regio- and chemoselective ring opening of oxa-bridged piperidinones toward functionalized furanones and piperidines

Lewis acid mediated competitive ring-opening reactions of N-tosyl-substituted oxa-bridged piperidinone ring systems are demonstrated. A majority of the Lewis acids furnished the regio- and chemoselective reductive ring opening at the C(1)-N bond, whereas TiCl(4) furnished at the C(1)-O bond in the presence of triethylsilane, affording functionalized furanones and dihydroxypiperidines, respectively. [reaction: see text]     

Cross-coupling of vinyldisilacyclobutane with olefins catalyzed by [RuH(Cl)(CO)(PCy3)2]

Cross-coupling of vinyldisilacyclobutane with a variety of olefins in the presence of [RuH(Cl)(CO)(PCy₃)₂] leads to stereoselective formation of functionalized vinyldisilacyclobutanes. Analogous homo-coupling of vinyldisilacyclobutane leads to the formation of E- and gem-bis(silyl)ethenes. The reaction offers a new route for synthesis of attractive monomers for ring opening polymerization (ROP).     

Preparation of proximal β-hydroxy silyl enol ethers from α,β-epoxyketones using silyllithium reagents

A new method for the stereoselective preparation of proximal β-hydroxy silyl enol ethers from α,β-epoxyketones using silyllithium reagents has been developed. The reaction is believed to proceed via Brook rearrangement assisted by opening of the adjacent epoxide. A number of α,β-epoxyketones were reacted with methyldiphenylsilyllithium to form the corresponding proximal β-hydroxy silyl enol ethers in good to excellent yield and excellent stereoselectivity.     

Facile ring opening of siloxy cyclopropanes by photoinduced electron transfer. A new way to β-keto radicals

Siloxy cyclopropanes undergo ring opening and fragmentation of formal silyl cations under formation of β-keto radicals. These reactive intermediates can be used in inter- and intramolecular addition reactions leading to complex ring systems if more than one unsaturated side chain is present in the starting material. Beside some synthetic examples mainly the mechanism will be discussed focusing on the structure of the primarily formed radical cations, the regioselectivity of cyclopropane cleavage (endo vs exo ring opening), leaving of the silyl group, and termination by H-transfer.     

Transition‐Metal‐Free Ring‐Opening Silylation of Indoles and Benzofurans with (Diphenyl‐tert‐butylsilyl)lithium

A practical method is presented for ring opening various indoles and benzofurans with concomitant stereoselective silylation using readily generated (diphenyl‐tert ‐butylsilyl)lithium to afford ortho ‐β‐silylvinylanilines or ‐phenols. Dearomatization of the heteroarene core proceeds in the absence of any transition‐metal catalyst through addition of a silyl anion and a subsequent stereoselective β‐elimination. DFT calculations provide insight into the mechanism. Functionalizing C−X bond cleavage of heteroarenes is rare and generally requires transition‐metal catalysts.     

A regio- and stereoselective approach to quaternary centers from chiral trisubstituted aziridines

A thorough investigation of a regio- and stereospecific aziridine ring opening reaction presents new synthetic technology for the construction of a variety of quaternary beta-substituted-alpha-amino functional groups. Mild, metal-free reaction conditions allow for application in highly functionalized systems. This reaction has been applied to the challenging stereoselective formation of tertiary alkyl-aryl ethers. The strategy for the formation of these hindered ethers has been investigated using a variety of functionalized aziridines and phenols to determine the scope of the reaction. Other nucleophiles, such as thiolate, azide, and chloride, have also been examined to encompass the synthesis of a broader range of functionalities. This aziridine ring opening reaction manifold has demonstrated utility in assembling: beta-substituted-alpha-amino carboxamides, beta-substituted-alpha-amino esters, beta-substituted-alpha-amino silyl ethers, beta-thio-alpha-amino carboxamides, beta-azido-alpha-amino carboxamides, and beta-halo-alpha-amino carboxamides. Studies to probe the effect of the aziridine substitution patterns show that alkyl aziridines display similar reactivity to alkynyl aziridines, giving insight into mechanistic possibilities.     

Electrooxidative coupling of furans and silyl enol ethers: application to the synthesis of annulated furans

The preparation of annulated furan systems as key synthetic intermediates through the application of a two-step annulation involving an electrochemical ring closure between a furan and a silyl enol ether has been studied. The reaction was shown to be quite general for the formation of six-membered rings in good yields and was tolerant of a variety of different functional groups. The ring closure was highly stereoselective, leading to the formation of cis-fused systems. Cyclic voltammetry and probe molecules were used to gain mechanistic insight into the reaction. These studies suggested that the key ring closure involved an initial oxidation of the silyl enol ether to a radical cation followed by a furan-terminated cyclization.     

Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed smooth tandem [3+2] cycloaddition/ring opening of donor-acceptor cyclopropane 1,1-diesters with enol silyl ethers

Catalyzed by Lewis acids, donor-acceptor cyclopropane 1,1-diesters reacted with enol silyl ethers to afford 1,6-dicarbonyl compounds in moderate to excellent yields. This supplied a mild carbon-carbon bond-forming method from the ring opening of cyclopropanes. A smooth tandem [3+2] cycloaddition/ring opening process has been clearly proved by an independent experiment.     

Stereoselective diversity-oriented syntheses of functionalized saccharides from bicyclic carbohydrate 1,2-lactones

Bicyclic carbohydrate 1,2-lactones have been synthesized in only two steps and high yields by saponification and subsequent cyclization from known malonate addition products to glycals. The gluco-configured lactone serves as an important precursor for diversity-oriented syntheses. Thus, stereoselective opening of the lactone ring was realized with various nucleophiles in the presence of Sc(OTf)₃. This enabled the introduction of different substituents at the anomeric position, to afford a broad variety of 1-functionalized carbohydrates. On the other hand, stereoselective α-substitution of the gluco-configured lactone with different electrophiles and subsequent ring opening gives a collection of 2-functionalized saccharides. More than 30 products have been isolated in analytically pure form, and their configurations were unequivocally established by various NMR methods. Thus, carbohydrate 1,2-lactones are attractive precursors for the stereoselective synthesis of diverse saccharides.     

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of vicinal fluorohydrins

Vicinal fluorohydrins are useful building blocks as well as important targets for synthesis of bioactive compounds or new materials. This review gives an overview on regio- and stereoselective, particularly enantioselective, syntheses of such compounds by building block methods, reduction of α-fluoro carbonyl compounds and ring opening of epoxides with hydrofluorinating reagents. Resolution of racemic vicinal fluorohydrins using enzyme-catalyzed reactions will also be discussed in detail.     

Copper-catalyzed anti-stereocontrolled ring opening of oxabicyclic alkenes with grignard reagents

[reaction: see text] A general copper-catalyzed procedure for the stereoselective ring opening of [2.2.1]-oxabicyclic alkenes with Grignard reagents is described. In the presence of catalytic amounts of CuCl/PPh(3) the reaction occurs with very high or complete anti selectivity in all cases.     

An unexpected migration of O-silyl group under Mitsunobu reaction conditions

A 1,4 O→O silyl migration followed by nucleophilic substitution with phthalimide was observed under Mitsunobu reaction conditions. This one step secondary alcohol protection and primary alcohol substitution with N-nucleophiles was extended to a variety of 2-hydroxyethyl trialkylsilylether derivatives. A possible mechanism has been postulated based on the pK_a values of the alcohol and nucleophile. The present one-pot silyl migration and substitution reaction might find application in the stereoselective synthesis of novel iminosugar derived anti diabetic agents.     

Synthesis of the C1‐C10 Fragment of Muamvatin

This report delineates our efforts towards the synthesis of a stereochemically well‐defined ketone, the C₁?C₁₀ fragment of muamvatin, the first example of a 2, 4, 6‐trioxaadamantane ring skeletal polypropionate marine natural product, using two non‐aldol variants. i) The Shimizu reaction, a Pd(0) mediated stereoselective epoxy‐ring opening of alkenyl oxiranes, was employed for the stereoselective installation of methyl groups in syn‐fashion and ii) Bode's protocol, a NHC‐mediated reaction on β‐epoxy aldehydes, was utilized for stereoselective construction of methyl and hydroxyl groups in anti‐fashion.     

Regio- and stereoselective ring opening of vinyl epoxides with MgBr2

The regio- and stereoselective ring opening of vinyl epoxides has been achieved by the use of Lewis acid, MgBr₂, affording bromohydrins in excellent yield, which are readily transformed to azidoalcohol, a key intermediate of several classes of pyrrolizidine and indolizidine alkaloids. The scope and limitations of the reaction are discussed.     

PPh3/halogenating agent-mediated highly efficient ring opening of activated and non-activated aziridines

We report here the use of PPh₃/halogenating agents as highly efficient reagents for the ring opening of aziridines with halides. The method works effectively for both activated and non-activated aziridines, and furnishes the products in excellent yields within a short period of time.     

An efficient route to regioselective opening of N-tosylaziridines with zinc(II) halides

An efficient route for the regio- and stereoselective ring opening of N-tosylaziridines with zinc dihalides (ZnX₂, X = Cl, Br, I) is described. Depending on the solvent and Zn(II) halide, β-halo amines or imidazolines are obtained selectively in good to excellent yields.     

Synthetic studies on cytotoxic macrolides cruentarens A and B: stereoselective synthesis of the C8–C19 segment of cruentarens A and B

A stereoselective synthesis of the C₈–C₁₉ segment of cruentarens A and B, cytotoxic natural products, has been accomplished. The key steps involve a stereoselective radical cyclization, stereospecific methylation of a γ, δ-epoxy acrylate, nucleophilic epoxide ring opening and a cis-Wittig olefination.     

A stereoselective approach to 6-alkylated piperidinone & 2-piperidine via three-component vinylogous Mannich reactions (VMR) and a concise synthesis of (S)-anabasine

A three-component diastereoselective vinylogous Mannich-type reaction (VMR) with the silyl ketene acetal (1) was developed. Adducts from the reactions provided valuable intermediates for construction of a variety of chiral 6-alkylated piperidinone and 2-piperidine compounds. The strategy was applied in a concise synthesis (S)-anabasine.     

Synthesis and PET oxidative cyclization of silyl enol ethers: build-up of quasi-steroidal carbocycles

PET oxidative cyclization of silyl enol ethers carrying suitable side chains with olefinic double bonds results in the stereoselective formation of carbocycles. Two model compounds for investigating the influence of silyl enol ether ring size are synthesized. Furthermore the synthesis of a quasi-steroidal carbocycle with an unnatural configuration is presented.     

Stereochemistry of reactions in the 1,2-dimethylsilacyclopentane ring system. II. Stereoselective transformation

A number of stereoselective reactions of 1-substituted-1,2-dimethylsilacyclopentanes are described. Reactions of the silyl chloride (II) with ZnF₂ and with alcohols catalyzed by amines are stereoselective as a result of rapid isomerization of II. Alcoholysis of silicon hydride (I) catalyzed by transition metals is apparently an inversion reaction regardless of the nature of the catalyst, but can appear to be stereoselective because of isomerization of alkoxysilane product. Reduction of silyl fluoride (IV) by lithium aluminum hydride is nonstereoselective, a result which is proposed to arise through rapid isomerization of intermediates with expanded coordination.