Influnce des interactions de torsion dans la reduction des cetones par les hydrures interpretation generale du deroulement sterique de la reduction des cetones acycliques et de l'addition des organomagnesiens sur les aldehydes acycliques

Reduction of ketones L-CHMe-CO-R [L=Ph and Cy(Cy = cyclohexyl) and R=Me, Et, iPr and tBu] affords pairs of diastereoisomeric alcohols L-CHMe-CHOH-R. The predominant diastereoisomer is always that predicted by Cram's rule, and the stereoselectivity of the reaction generally increases as R is made more bulky. Thus, with LiAlH₄ in ether at 35°, the diastereoisomer ratios are respectively 2.8:1, 3.2:1, 5.0:1, and 49:1 when L=Ph and 1.6:1, 2.0:1, 4.1:1, and 1.6:1 when L=Cy. With NaBH₄ in isopropanol at 50°, these ratios are respectively 1.6:1, 2.0:1, 2.7:1, and 7.3:1 when L=Ph, and 1.2:1, 1.6:1, 3.2:1, and 3.5:1 when L=Cy. It is suggested that an important factor determining the steric course of the reduction of both open-chain ketones and cyclohexanones is torsional strain in the transition state, and that torsional strain involving partial bonds can represent a substantial fraction of the strain between fully-formed bonds, even when the degree of bonding is quite low. This postulate has been made the basis of an internally consistent interpretation of the steric course of the reaction between carbonyl compounds and nucleophilic reagents such as hydrides and Grignard reagents.