Synthesis of angularly fused cyclopentanoids and analogous tricycles via photoinduced ketyl radical/radical anion fragmentation-cyclization reactions

Angular fused tricycles were synthesized through intramolecular tandem fragmentation-cyclization reactions by photochemically induced electron transfer (PET) of tricyclic α-cyclopropyl ketones with an unsaturated side chain at the position γ to the carbonyl group. The reactions resulted in regioselective cleavage of a β-cyclopropyl bond with formation of angular fused tricyclic ring systems via ketyl radical/radical anions as reactive intermediates. In general, triethylamine (TEA) was used as a strong reducing reagent in acetonitrile. The preferred regioselectivity of the cyclization step (exo vs endo) depending on the substitution pattern at the quaternary carbon center (Cβ′) of the tricyclic α-cyclopropyl ketones was investigated. In addition, we also checked a two-step pathway for the synthesis of angular dioxa-triquinanes including photolysis of an allyloxy-substituted cyclopenta[c]furanone derivative and subsequent β-cleavage of the resulted dioxa-[4.5.5.5]fenestrane under reductive PET conditions.     

Ethyl-2-(2-chloroethyl)acrylate: a new very versatile α-cyclopropylester cation synthon. Efficient synthesis of cyclopropane ester derivatives by Michael addition-induced cyclization reaction

We report here the use of the readily accessible ethyl-2-(2-chloroethyl)acrylate as a new very versatile α-cyclopropylester cation synthon, which reacts efficiently and selectively with carbon-, nitrogen-, sulfur- or phosphorus-centered nucleophiles through Michael addition followed by intramolecular capture of the incipient ester enolate to afford funtionalized cyclopropane esters in high yields.     

Spectroscopie RMN du Carbone-13 de Thiocétones Aliphatiques: Propanethione et Dérivés,Thiocétones Bicycliques et α Cyclopropaniques

Carbon-13 NMR spectra of various aliphatic ketones and thioketones were determined and interpreted. As shown by the relation between ¹³C chemical shifts in C=A groups, the C=S is more sensitive to the substituents than the C=O group. Conjugative effects are more pronounced in α-cyclopropyl thioketones than in α-cyclopropyl ketones.     

Vicinal dianions of diethyl α-aroylsuccinates: a general synthetic route to α-aroyl- and α-arylidene-γ-butyrolactones

Vicinal dianions derived from diethyl α-aroylsuccinates were found to react with carbonyl compounds β-regioselectively to afford α-aroyl-γ-butyrolactones, which were converted into α-arylidene-γ-butyrolactones by reduction with H₂/Pd-C followed by elimination employing methanesulfonyl chloride in pyridine. The method provides a general and convenient route to α-aroyl- and α-arylidene-γ-butyrolactones.     

A synthesis of optically active α-quaternary α-amino acids and esters by assembling three components, ketones, (R)-chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, and sodium azide, via sulfinyloxiranes

Treatment of lithium α-sulfinyl carbanion of chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxides with ketones at low temperature afforded adducts in almost quantitative yields, which were exposed to t-BuOK to give sulfinyloxiranes in high yields. The sulfinyloxirane was reacted with benzylamine to give α-amino aldehyde, which was oxidized with iodine in methanol to afford α-amino carboxylic ester in moderate yield. The sulfinyloxiranes were treated with sodium azide to afford α-azido aldehydes in good yields. Oxidation with NaClO₂ followed by catalytic hydrogenation of the azido group of the α-azido aldehydes gave α-quaternary α-amino acids in good overall yields. The oxidation of the azido aldehydes with iodine in methanol in the presence of KOH followed by the catalytic hydrogenation resulted in α-quaternary α-amino acid methyl esters in good yields. When these reactions were carried out starting from unsymmetrical ketones and optically pure (R)-chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, a new method for a synthesis of optically active α-quaternary α-amino acids and esters in good overall yields was realized.     

Synthesis of α-iodo β-ketosulfones and α-iodo methylsulfones using iodine monochloride

The synthesis of α-iodo β-ketosulfones and α-iodo methylsulfones is described. Reaction of β-ketosulfones with iodine monochloride in acetic acid at room temperature gave the corresponding α-iodo β-ketosulfones, which, on treatment with aqueous alkali, underwent base-induced cleavage to afford α-iodo methylsulfones.     

Dibromomethane as one-carbon source in organic synthesis: a versatile methodology to prepare the cyclic and acyclic α-methylene or α-keto acid derivatives from the corresponding terminal alkenes

Ozonolysis of mono-substituted alkenes A-1 followed by reacting with a preheated mixture of CH₂Br₂-Et₂NH affords α-substituted acroleins A-2 in good yields. Under very mild reaction conditions, these α-substituted acroleins A-2 can be easily converted to α-methylene esters A-4, which could be further converted to the corresponding α-keto esters A-5. This methodology can be also applied to the preparation of α-methylene lactones B-4, α-methylene lactams, and α-keto lactones B-5 with various ring sizes.     

Synthesis and Diels-Alder reactions of α-fluoro- and α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles

A novel synthetic method for the preparation of α-fluoro- and the still unknown α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles is elaborated. The reaction of α-fluorovinylbromides and α-trifluoromethylvinylbromides with CuCN leads to the title compounds in good to high yields. While the α-fluoroacrylonitriles were isolated as mixture of Z/E-isomers, the α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles were obtained as pure Z-isomers. The α-trifluoromethylacrylonitriles are shown to be excellent dienophiles for Diels-Alder reactions.     

Synthetic applications of the amine-base treatment in the ozonolysis of substituted-allyl silyl ethers or -allyl esters via a novel ene-diol type rearrangement

The ozonolysis of substituted-allyl silyl ethers or -allyl esters followed by treatment with bases gave the corresponding α-silyloxy ketones or α-acyloxy ketones in good yields. The reaction is proposed to proceed via a novel ene-diol rearrangement of the corresponding α-silyloxy aldehydes or α-acyloxy aldehydes intermediates.     

Chemoselective mono halogenation of β-keto-sulfones using potassium halide and hydrogen peroxide; synthesis of halomethyl sulfones and dihalomethyl sulfones

The synthesis of α-halo β-keto-sulfones using potassium halide and hydrogen peroxide as a chemoselective mono halogenation reagent and the synthesis of α,α-symmetrical and asymmetrical dihalo β-keto-sulfones and α-halo, α-alkyl and β-keto-sulfones is described. Base induced cleavage of α-halo β-keto-sulfones, α,α-dihalo β-keto-sulfones, and α-halo, α-alkyl β-keto-sulfones afforded the corresponding halomethyl sulfones, dihalomethyl sulfones and haloalkyl sulfones.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of α-furyl amines and α-furyl carbinols

A novel stereocontrolled synthesis of optically active α-furyl amines and α-furyl carbinols from α,β-aziridine and α,β-epoxy aldehydes using a one-pot aldol reaction-intramolecular enolcyclization is described.     

Efficient three-step sequence for the deamination of α-aminoesters. Application to the synthesis of CysLT1 antagonists

A practical and efficient three-step sequence for the deamination of α-aminoesters is reported. This method is based on the NaBH₄-mediated selective reduction of α-diazoesters to α-hydrazonoesters and has been successfully applied to the deamination of several representative α-aminoesters including some l-cysteine ethyl ester derivatives, key intermediates in the synthesis of a series of CysLT1 antagonists.     

Tishchenko reactions and Oppenauer oxidation reactions of aldehydes promoted by diisobutylaluminum hydride

The aliphatic aldehydes react with catalytic amount of Dibal-H in n-pentane to give the corresponding Tishchenko products in good to excellent yields. Contrary, α-silyloxyaldehydes give α-silyloxyketones via Oppenauer oxidation under similar condition.     

A novel synthesis, including asymmetric synthesis, of α-quaternary α-amino acid methyl esters from ketones via sulfinyloxiranes

Sulfinyloxiranes were synthesized from ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide in two steps in almost quantitative yields. The sulfinyloxiranes were treated with NaN₃ in the presence of NH₄Cl to afford α-azido aldehydes, which were oxidized with iodine in the presence of KOH in methanol to give α-azido methyl esters in good overall yields. Catalytic hydrogenation of the α-azido esters afforded α-quaternary α-amino acid methyl esters in quantitative yields. Starting from β-tetralone and optically pure (R)-chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, an asymmetric synthesis of optically pure (R)-(+)-methyl 2-aminotetraline-2-carboxylate was realized in good overall yields.     

An unusual 1,2-N→C acyl migration in urea derivatives of α-aminoorganolithiums

Transmetalation of urea derivatives of α-aminoorganostannanes with alkyllithiums provides α-aminoorganolithiums which undergo rapid N to C acyl migration to afford α-aminocarboxamides. The stereochemical course of the transmetalation/migration process depends on the substituents on the urea and varies from complete retention of configuration to complete racemization.     

Aromatic organozinc reagents as nucleophiles in the α-arylation of piperidine and tetrahydropyran

The arylation at the α-position of piperidine derivatives is achieved in good yield using aromatic organozinc reagents and either 2-methoxylated or α-cyanated piperidine. Oxygen-containing heterocycles such as 2-methoxy-tetrahydropyran reacts in a same manner to yield efficiently 2-arylated tetrahydropyran.     

Synthesis and chemistry of α-iodoperfluoroacid esters

The title compounds have been synthesized by irradiation of acetonitrile solutions of perfluoroacid esters and diesters containing tetrabutylammonium iodide. They are versatile synthetic intermediates from which ketenes, Reformatsky adducts, α,β-unsaturated esters and α-hydroesters can be prepared.     

A novel synthesis of cyclic α-amino aldehydes, amino alcohols, and α-amino acid methyl esters from cyclic ketones through sulfinylaziridines

Treatment of 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, which were synthesized from cyclic ketones and chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide in three steps in good yields, with N-lithio arylamines gave sulfinylaziridines in high yields. On treatment with N-lithio aniline or N-lithio p-chloroaniline, the sulfinylaziridines gave α-amino aldehydes in high yields. The α-amino aldehydes were converted to amino alcohols and α-amino acid methyl esters in moderate to good yields. This procedure offers an efficient method for synthesis of cyclic α-quaternary α-amino aldehydes, amino alcohols, and α-amino acid derivatives from cyclic ketones.     

Synthesis of α-diazo-β-hydroxyesters through a one-pot protocol by phase-transfer catalysis: application to enantioselective aldol-type reaction and diastereoselective synthesis of α-amino-β-hydroxyester derivatives

The one-pot synthesis of α-diazo-β-hydroxyesters from sodium azide under phase-transfer-catalyzed conditions has been achieved. This protocol includes three different chemical transformations promoted by a single catalyst in each step to give products in good to excellent yields. The reaction was applied to a catalytic asymmetric aldol-type reaction using α-diazoesters with aldehydes in the presence of a chiral quaternary ammonium salt and gave products with up to 81% ee. The diastereoselective transformation of the products to chiral α-amino-β-hydroxyester derivatives is also described.     

A highly efficient method for the α,β-dehydrogenation of α-amino esters and α-amino-β-diesters

N-monochlorination of N-unprotected α-amino esters and α-amino-β-diesters was efficiently and very simply effected by using inexpensive effervescent sodium dichloroisocyanurate tablets for water disinfection in a biphasic organic solvent-water system. Subsequent dehydrochlorination provided α,β-didehydroaminoacid esters, whose hydrogenation would allow the starting compounds to be easily racemized.