Incipient Nucleophilic Attack on a Carbonyl Group Adjacent to a Stereogenic Centre in Peri Naphthalene Derivatives

The crystal structures of four peri-naphthalene derivatives model the Felkin–Anh approach of a nucleophilic centre (OH or NMe₂) to a carbonyl group attached to a stereogenic centre bearing a large (phenyl), medium (methyl) and a small (hydrogen) group. Thus, the conformation about the (O=)C−C* bond directs the phenyl group approximately perpendicular to the carbonyl group and away from the nucleophile, whose line of approach lies close to the hydrogen atom attached to the stereogenic centre. The nucleophile approaches the carbonyl group at 102.99(11)-112.34(9)° (for NMe₂) and at 118.56(14)° (for OH). The small pyramidalization of the carbonyl carbon towards the nucleophile increases as the nucleophilic centre approaches closer.     

The Ireland-Claisen rearrangement as a probe for the diastereoselectivity of nucleophilic attack on a double bond adjacent to a stereogenic centre carrying a silyl group

The E- and Z-silyl enol ethers 4 derived from allyl 3-R-3-dimethyl(phenyl)silylpropanoate (R = Me, Pr(i) and Ph) and the Z-silyl enol ethers 7 derived from 4-R-4-dimethyl(phenyl)silylbut-2-enyl acetate (R = Me and Pr(i)) undergo Ireland-Claisen rearrangements largely in the same stereochemical sense, with C-C bond formation taking place anti to the silyl group in the conformations 22, 23 and 24 in which the hydrogen atom on the stereogenic centre is inside, more or less eclipsing the double bond. The E-silyl enol ether E-7a derived from 4-methyl-4-dimethyl(phenyl)silylbut-2-enyl acetate shows low diastereoselectivity in the alternative sense, probably because C-C bond formation takes place anti to the silyl group in the conformation 26 with the methyl group inside, but the silyl enol ether E-7b derived from 4-isopropyl-4-dimethyl(phenyl)silylbut-2-enyl acetate shows low diastereoselectivity in the normal sense. The E- and Z-silyl enol ethers 33 derived from cis-crotyl 3-phenyl-3-dimethyl(phenyl)silylpropanoate and the E-silyl enol ether 39 derived from trans-crotyl 3-phenyl-3-dimethyl(phenyl)silylpropanoate undergo Ireland-Claisen rearrangements largely in the same stereochemical sense as their allyl counterparts, but with moderately high levels of diastereocontrol in setting up the third stereogenic centre following from chair-like transition structures.     

Isomerization reaction of olefin using RuClH(CO)(PPh(3))(3)

When methyl 5-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy-2-pentenoate was refluxed in toluene in the presence of RuClH(CO)(PPh(3))(3) (5 mol %), double-bond migration took place to afford methyl 5-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy-4-pentenoate in high yield. This means that the double bond conjugated with the ester moiety migrates to a deconjugated position by a ruthenium catalyst. We planned to prepare an enol ether from alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds having an ether moiety in a tether using ruthenium-catalyzed isomerization of the double bond. As a result, silyl or benzyl enol ether was obtained from the alpha,beta-unsaturated ester having alcohol protected by the silyl or benzyl group in a tether in high yield. In this reaction, double bond migration of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone and alpha,beta-unsaturated amide took place to produce deconjugated compounds. Moreover, the double bond of alpha, beta-unsaturated ester having a triple or double bond in a molecule migrated to produce conjugated enyne and diene. On the other hand, treatment of a bis-metalated compound having an alpha, beta-unsaturated ester moiety or the double bond in a tether with RuClH(CO)(PPh(3))(3) gave allyl bis-metalated compound in good yield. These compounds are useful units in synthetic organic chemistry.     

Stereospecific and stereoselective alkyl and silylcyclopropanation of alpha,beta-unsaturated amides

A novel chromium-promoted alkyl- and silyl cyclopropanation of (E)- or (Z)-alpha,beta-unsaturated amides in which the C-C double bond is di-, or trisubstituted is described. This process takes place with total stereospecificity, and the new stereogenic center is generated with high or total stereoselectivity. A mechanism is proposed to explain the cyclopropanation reaction.     

Chirality transfer in the aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement

The aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangements of substrates derived from enantiomerically pure alanine, valine and serine with phenyl and ester anion stabilising groups were investigated for their efficiency in chirality transfer. It was found that a methyl substituent at the stereogenic centre of the rearrangement precursors was inadequate to control the alkene stereoselectivity and enantioselectivity of the rearrangement. Ester stabilised anions of valine and serine derivatives were the most successful with up to 66% yield, 14 : 1 alkene (E)-stereoselection and 88% chirality transfer. A limitation to the steric bulk of the stereogenic centre was noted in that the substituent has to be bulky enough to dictate alkene stereoselection, but not too large to compromise the directing effect of the activating phenyldimethyl silyl substituent on the anion stabilising group. Experimental evidence suggested a possible complimentary coordinating effect of an O-MOM serine substituent, which may assist alkene stereoselectivity and enantioselectivity.     

Diastereoselective alkylation and reduction of β-alkoxyacylsilanes: stereoselective construction of three contiguous stereogenic centers

The nucleophilic addition reaction to acylsilanes, having stereogenic centers at the α and β positions, derived from the aldol reaction of dimethyl acetals and acylsilane silyl enol ethers gives the corresponding α-silylalcohols in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivity. The protiodesilylation of α-silylalcohols proceeds with complete retention of the configuration. In addition, the reduction of acylsilanes having stereogenic centers at the α and β positions affords the corresponding α-silylalcohols in good yields with high diastereoselectivity similarly to the nucleophilic addition. And the treatment of acylsilanes having a phenyl group on silicon atom with fluoride ion results in the formation of phenyl carbinol derivatives via migration of the phenyl group with high diastereoselectivity.     

A chemical trick: how to make a digermene from a disilene,formation of 3delta-1,2,3,4-disiladigermetene

The unexpected reaction of tetrakis[di-tert-butyl(methyl)silyl]disilagermirenes (1a and 1b) with GeCl2.dioxane results in the quantitative formation of trans-1,2-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrakis[di-tert-butyl(methyl)silyl]-3Delta-1,2,3,4-disiladigermetene, 2, representing the first cyclotetrametallene containing two different heavier group 14 elements and the first digermene incorporated in a four-membered ring. trans-1,2-Dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrakis[di-tert-butyl(methyl)silyl]-3Delta-1,2,3,4-disilagermastannetene (8), with a Ge=Sn double bond, was also prepared by the reaction of 1 with SnCl2.dioxane. The crystal structure of 2 was established by X-ray crystallography, which showed a folded four-membered ring skeleton with a long Ge=Ge double bond (2.2911(4) A). The structural peculiarities of 2, as well as the possible mechanism of its formation, are also discussed.     

A synthesis of the prelog-djerassi lactone using open-chain stereocontrol based on allylsilane chemistry

A stereocontrolled synthesis of the Prelog-Djerassi lactone (28) is described; all the stereocontrol stems from the high diastereoselectivity of electrophilic attack on a double bond adjacent to a chiral centre carrying a silyl group.     

Silicon migration from oxygen to carbon and decarbonylation in methoxytriphenylsiloxycarbene

[reaction: see text] Thermolysis of 2-methoxy-2-triphenylsiloxy-5,5-dimethyl-Delta(3)-1,3, 4-oxadiazoline affords methyl triphenylsilylformate and methyl triphenylsilyl ether via methoxytriphenylsiloxycarbene. Kinetics show that the carbene undergoes reversible 1,2-triphenylsilyl migration (Brook rearrangement) as well as irreversible decarbonylation. Computed transition states and activation energies (B3LYP/6-31+G) suggest that the migration of the silyl group from oxygen to carbon occurs through an "in plane" transition state with the carbene lone pair forming a new bond to silicon. Decarbonylation involves a four-membered ring, achieved by nucleophilic attack of the oxygen atom of the methoxy group at silicon.     

Catalytic (2 + 2)-cycloaddition reactions of silyl enol ethers. A convenient and stereoselective method for cyclobutane ring formation

An efficient catalytic (2 + 2)-cycloaddition reaction leading to the formation of cyclobutane rings has been devised. The process transforms silyl enol ethers and alpha,beta-unsaturated esters into polysubstituted cyclobutanes with a high degree of trans-stereoselectivity. Both the rate and stereoselectivity of the process can be controlled by the choice of the ester group and silyl substituents. The results of stereochemical studies show that the cycloaddition step in this reaction proceeds in a nonstereospecific manner and, thus, by a pathway involving sequential nucleophilic additions via a short-lived zwitterionic intermediate.     

Electron ionization mass spectral fragmentation of C19 isoprenoid aldehydes and carboxylic acid methyl and trimethylsilyl esters

The electron ionization (EI) mass spectra of saturated and alpha,beta-unsaturated C(19) isoprenoid aldehydes and carboxylic acid methyl and trimethylsilyl esters are reported. Different pathways are proposed in order to explain the main fragmentations observed. The conjugated double bond migrates more or less readily before gamma-hydrogen rearrangement according to the structure of the considered compound. Configurations of the double bond of alpha,beta-unsaturated C(19) isoprenoid aldehydes and fatty acid methyl and trimethylsilyl esters can be easily determined thanks to the peaks at m/z 97, 127 and 185, respectively, which are much more abundant in the mass spectra of the Z isomers owing to the formation of a cyclic ion. In the case of trimethylsilyl esters, subsequent fragmentation of the cyclic ion at m/z 185 affords two other diagnostic ions at m/z 95 and 169.     

2,4-Disila-1-germatricyclo[2.1.0.0(2,5)]pentane: a new type of cage compound of group 14 elements with an extremely long Ge-C bridge bond and an "Umbrella"-type configuration of a Ge atom

The thermolysis of 1,1,2,3-tetrakis[di-tert-butyl(methyl)silyl]-4-phenyl-1,2-disila-3-germacyclopenta-2,4-diene 1 at 175 degrees C results in the quantitative formation of 1,2,3,4-tetrakis[di-tert-butyl(methyl)silyl]-5-phenyl-2,4-disila-1-germatricyclo[2.1.0. 02,5]pentane 2, representing a new type of cage compound of group 14 elements. The crystal structure of 2 was established by X-ray crystallography, which showed an extremely long Ge-C bridge bond of 2.242(3) A and an "umbrella"-type configuration of the Ge atom. The compound 2 readily reacted with benzaldehyde to produce 1,4,5,7-tetrakis[di-tert-butyl(methyl)silyl]-3,6-diphenyl-2-oxa-1,4-disila-5-germabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene 3 with an endocyclic Ge=C double bond.     

Efficient pyrrole synthesis using double nucleophilic addition to alpha,beta-unsaturated imines with plural nucleophiles

[reaction: see text] 2,3,5-Trisubstituted pyrroles were prepared in a regioselective manner using the double nucleophilic addition of alpha,alpha-dialkoxy ketene silyl acetals and ketene sily thioacetals or trimethylsilyl cyanide to alpha,beta-unsaturated imines followed by acid-promoted cyclization and oxidation with DDQ. Using this methodology an imidazole glycerol phosphate dehydratase inhibitor (IGPDI) possessing a monopyrrole aldehyde moiety was synthesized.     

Assessing the issue of instability due to Michael adduct formation in novel chemical entities possessing a carbon-carbon double bond during early drug development--applicability of common laboratory analytical protocols

The discovery of small-molecule novel chemical entities (NCEs) is often a complex play between appropriate structural requirements and optimization of the desired efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetic properties. One of the typical structural variants such as having an active carbon-carbon double bond (alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl group) in xenobiotics may lead to stability issues. Such functionalities are extremely reactive, paving way to nucleophilic attack by endogenously occurring and ubiquitous nucleophiles like thiols. While it is easy to make a unilateral decision to not pursue the development of xenobiotics with such functionalities, we question the wisdom of such a decision. In this report, we present in vitro methodologies with appropriate examples to illustrate the ease of assessing the reactivity of the xenobiotics containing double bonds with a known nucleophile. The protocols involve simple reaction procedures followed by measurements using standard laboratory equipments (UV spectrophotometer, HPLC and LC-MS). Our data suggests that not all xenobiotics with carbon-carbon double bonds readily form a Michael's adduct product with glutathione. Hence, the criterion for dropping discovery compounds because of alpha,beta-unsaturated double bonds needs to be reconsidered. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trends in structure-toxicity relationships for carbonyl-containing alpha,beta-unsaturated compounds

Using toxicity data for 30 aliphatic polarized alpha,beta-unsaturated derivatives of esters, aldehydes, and ketones, a series of six structure-toxicity relationships were evaluated. The structure feature of all assessed compounds, an acetylenic or olefinic moiety conjugated to a carbonyl group, is inherently electrophilic and conveys the capacity to exhibit enhanced toxicity. However, the toxic potency of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds is dependent on the specific molecular structure with several trends being observed. Specific observations include: (1) between homologues, the acetylenic-substituted derivative was more toxic than the corresponding olefinic-substituted one, respectively; (2) between olefinic-homologues, terminal vinyl-substituted derivative was more toxic than the internal vinylene-substituted one; (3) within alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, methyl substitution on the vinyl carbon atoms reduces toxicity with methyl-substitution on the carbon atom farthest from the carbonyl group exhibiting the greater inhibition; (4) between alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with the carbon-carbon double bond on the end of the molecule (vinyl ketones) and those with carbon-oxygen double bonds on the end of the molecule (aldehydes), the ketones are more toxic than the aldehydes; (5) between homologues of alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, those with additional unsaturated moieties (allyl, propargyl, or vinyl groups) were more toxic than homologues having relevant unsaturated moieties (propyl or ethyl groups); (6) between alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with different shaped alkyl-groups (i.e. different degrees of branching), homologues with straight-chain hydrocarbon moieties were more toxic than those with branched groups.     

Stereodivergent approaches to the synthesis of isoxazolidine analogues of alpha-amino acid nucleosides. Total synthesis of isoxazolidinyl deoxypolyoxin C and uracil polyoxin C

The synthesis of new nucleoside analogues is currently of high interest. We report here full details of a study leading to the synthesis of novel isoxazolidinyl analogues of alpha-amino acid nucleosides. Three different synthetic approaches starting from L-serine have been evaluated for the construction of the isoxazolidine ring. These approaches consisted of Michael addition of N-benzylhydroxylamine to alpha,beta-unsaturated esters, nucleophilic addition of silyl ketene acetals to nitrones and 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrones with vinyl acetate. Both Michael addition and nucleophilic addition of enolates could be carried out with stereocontrol at the newly formed stereogenic carbon. The stereocontrol observed in these reactions arises from the protecting group arrangement in the L-serine-derived substrates. Thus, whereas compounds having a diprotected nitrogen led to syn adducts, compounds having a monoprotected nitrogen gave rise to anti adducts. On the other hand, substrates having either a diprotected or monoprotected nitrogen atom led to anti adducts through the cycloaddition route. So, by choosing the appropriate route, isoxazolidinyl analogues having either syn or anti configuration with respect to the glycine unit can be prepared in enantiomerically pure form. The stereoselective synthesis of isoxazolidinyl analogues of deoxypolyoxin C and uracil polyoxin C in both D and L enantiomeric forms using these techniques has been achieved in good yields.     

Stéréochimie de la substitution d'un éther allylique par un organomagnésien en présence de sel cuivreux

The nucleophilic substitution of allyl ethers by an organomagnesium reagent in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(I) salt occurs by antarafacial attack, either with or without allylic rearrangement. It can be compared to the substitution of allyl esters by lithium organocuprates. The leaving group must be quasi orthogonal to the plane of the double bond. A mechanism is postulated.     

Highly diastereoselective aziridination of imines with trimethylsilyldiazomethane. Subsequent silyl substitution with electrophiles, ring opening, and metalation of C-silylaziridines--a cornucopia of highly selective transformations

Treatment of a range of N-sulfonyl (Ts and SES) imines derived from aromatic, heteroaromatic, aliphatic, and unsaturated aldehydes with trimethylsilydiazomethane gave C-silylaziridines in good yield (32-83%) and with high diastereoselectivity in favor of the cis product (80:20-100:0). In contrast, an alpha-imino ester gave predominantly the trans-aziridine (89:11) in high yield (91%). The synthetic potential of C-silylaziridines was investigated. Treatment with F(-) (tetrabutylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate was used) in the presence of aldehydes gave the alpha-hydroxyaziridines in high yield and high diastereoselectivity (86:14-98:2) for the newly created stereogenic center. Complete retention of configuration was observed in the substitution of the silyl group with electrophiles in all cases. Trapping with deuterium (using CDCl(3) as electrophile) was also successful, but trapping with phosphate [using ClP(O)(OPh)(2)] and acetate (using Ac(2)O) was unsuccessful. In these latter cases ring opening by chloride and acetate, respectively, was observed. Further ring-opening reactions were effected using azide and thiolate nucleophiles and in all cases complete regioselectivity in favor of attack at the silyl-bearing carbon occurred. Complete regioselectivity was also observed in the carbonylative ring expansion using Co(2)(CO)(8) to give a beta-lactam. Treatment of cis-1-tosyl-2-phenyl/butyl-3-trimethylsilylaziridines with n-BuLi and subsequent quenching with MeI followed completely different pathways, depending on the 2-substituent. In the case of the 2-phenylaziridine, metalation was initiated alpha to the phenyl group and led finally to a fused tricyclic adduct with four stereogenic centers as a single diastereoisomer. In the case of the 2-butylaziridine, metalation occurred alpha to the silyl group and led to a trisubstituted silylaziridine, probably via an azirine intermediate.     

Eisenpentacarbonyl-induzierte Reaktionen von Norbornadien und substituierten Olefinen

Iron Pentacarbonyl Induced Reactions of Norbornadiene and Substituted Olefins The photochemical reaction of norbornadiene and α, β-unsaturated nitriles, esters and amides in the presence of Fe(CO)₅ was studied. Nitriles furnished the dinorbornenyl ketones 2a-c (Scheme 1). Esters led to an addition of a norbornene moiety to the double bond giving the substituted α, β-unsaturated esters 10a and 10b (Scheme 5). Methacrylamide and methyl β-aminocrotonate gave the cyclopentanone derivatives 14 and 17 , respectively (Schemes 7 and 8). The reaction was in all cases highly stereoselective with general exo-substitution on the norbornadiene. The attack on the unsymmetric olefins occurred regiospecifically at that point of the double bond which was furthest away from the functional group. A plausible mechanism for these reactions is suggested in Schemes 10 and 11 .     

Asymmetric synthesis of oxindoles containing a quaternary stereogenic centre by catalytic O/C-carboxyl rearrangement

A catalysed O/C-carboxyl rearrangement generates the all-carbon stereogenic centre in phenyl 1,3-dimethyl-5-methoxy-2-oxoindoline-3-carboxylate (up to 57% ee). Crystallisation and removal of racemic crystals enhance the ee to 95%. The X-ray crystal structure of the cobalt metallocene-pyrrolidinopyridine nucleophilic catalyst employed is reported.