Gem-difluorinated homoallyl alcohols, beta-hydroxy ketones, and syn- and anti-1,3-diols via gamma,gamma-difluoroallylboronates

Gamma,gamma-difluoroallylboronates have been prepared from trifluoroethanol and utilized for the allylboration of a variety of aldehydes to provide gem-difluorinated homoallylic alcohols. Alpha-chiral aldehydes were allylborated in 4:1-13:1 diastereoselectivity favoring the anti-isomer. A representative series of difluorinated hydroxyl enol ethers were converted to the corresponding alpha,alpha-difluoro-beta-hydroxy ketones. Diastereoselective reduction of one of these to either syn- and anti-1,3-diol was also studied.     

Asymmetric synthesis of syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols

The first application of metalloenamines derived from N-sulfinyl imines is reported for the highly diastereoselective addition to aldehydes. Reduction of the beta-hydroxy-N-sulfinyl imine products with catecholborane and LiBHEt3 provides syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohol derivatives, respectively, with very high diastereomeric ratios.     

De novo synthesis of 2-substituted syn-1,3-diols via an iterative asymmetric hydration strategy

The enantioselective syntheses of several protected 4-substituted syn-3,5-dihydroxy carboxylic esters have been achieved from the corresponding achiral (E,E)- or (E,Z)-1,3-dienoates. The route relies upon an enantio- and regioselective Sharpless dihydroxylation and a palladium-catalyzed reduction to form gamma-substituted delta-hydroxy-1-enoates. The resulting delta-hydroxy-1-enoates are subsequently converted into benzylidene-protected 4-substituted syn-3,5-dihydroxy carboxylic esters in one step. The benzylidene-protected 3,5-dihydroxy carboxylic esters are produced in good overall yields (20-54%) and high enantiomeric excess (73-97% ee).     

Diastereomer-differentiating hydrolysis of 1,3-diol-acetonides: a simplified procedure for the separation of syn- and anti-1,3-diols

[reaction: see text] A new method to facilitate the separation of diastereomeric syn- and anti-1,3-diols is described. The method relies on the different hydrolysis rates of the corresponding diastereomeric acetonides. Treatment of a dichloromethane solution of syn- and anti-1,3-diol-acetonide with a catalytic amount of diluted aqueous hydrochloric acid leads to the selective cleavage of the anti diastereomer. The resulting anti-1,3-diol can be easily separated from the unchanged syn-1,3-diol-acetonide.     

Tandem conjugate addition-elimination for the diastereoselective synthesis of 4E-alkenyl syn-1,3-diols

We have developed a tandem conjugate addition-elimination sequence for the diastereoselective synthesis of protected allylic syn-1,3-diols, starting from vinyl sulfones. The sulfonyl group was then reduced with sodium amalgam to furnish the E-olefin as the major isomer. This method was applied to the synthesis of a trisubstituted alkene modeling the C21-C25 fragment of Dolabelide C.     

Chiral ytterbium complex-catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction: synthesis of anti-1,3-diols

The asymmetric aldol-Tishchenko reaction of aromatic aldehydes with aliphatic and aromatic ketones has been developed as an efficient strategy for the synthesis of anti-1,3-diols in good yield with high diastereocontrol and good levels of enantioselectivity. This domino-type reaction is catalyzed by a chiral ytterbium complex that promotes both the aldol reaction through enolization of the carbonyl compound and the Evans-Tishchenko reduction of the aldol intermediate. The stereochemistry of the resulting diols is also investigated and finally proved by using CD techniques.     

Chelation-controlled reduction: stereoselective formation of syn-1,3-diols and synthesis of compactin and mevinolin lactone

Chelation-controlled reduction of chiral beta-alkoxy ketones containing a competing beta'-oxygen functionality has been investigated. Various syn-1,3-diols were prepared conveniently by reduction of beta-alkoxy ketones with LiI/LiAlH(4) (syn:anti selectivity up to >99:1). The corresponding beta-alkoxy ketones were derived from nitro-aldol reactions of chiral alkoxy aldehydes with a series of nitro compounds. This methodology is utilized in a short and efficient synthesis of the delta-lactone moiety of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors compactin and mevinolin.     

Iterative asymmetric allylic substitutions: syn- and anti-1,2-diols through catalyst control

A copper-catalyzed asymmetric allylic boronation (AAB) gives access to syn- and anti-1,2-diols. The method facilitates an iterative strategy for the preparation of polyols, such as the fully differentiated L-ribo-tetrol and protected D-arabino-tetrol. P=protecting group.     

Direct synthesis of anti-1,3-diols through nonclassical reaction of aryl Grignard reagents with isopropenyl acetate

A series of symmetrical aromatic 1,3-diols were efficiently synthesized from substituted aryl Grignard reagents and isopropenyl acetate in a one-step reaction that formed anti products as the major species. Both experimental and theoretical studies suggested that the reaction involves the formation of a relatively stable intermediate E containing a six-membered ring from intermediate A. The stereoselectivity of the reactions and the molecular structure of the products were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and gas chromatography.     

Highly selective reduction of acyclic beta-alkoxy ketones to protected syn-1,3-diols

[reaction: see text] The conversion of 1-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl-protected beta-hydroxy ketones to syn-1,3-ethylidene acetals is effected by Et(3)SiH and SnCl(4). This reaction is proposed to proceed via a cyclic oxocarbenium ion intermediate and provides the products in yields that range from 69 to 94% and with diastereoselectivities that are >200:1.     

Development and application of a new general method for the asymmetric synthesis of syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols

A general method is described for asymmetric synthesis of both syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols. The first application of metalloenamines derived from N-sulfinyl imines is reported for the highly diastereoselective addition to aldehydes. The reduction of the product beta-hydroxy N-sulfinyl imines 2 with catecholborane and LiBHEt(3) provides syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols with very high diastereomeric ratios. This method was found to be effective for a variety of substrates incorporating either aromatic or various aliphatic substituents. The convergent and efficient asymmetric syntheses of the two natural products, (-)-8-epihalosaline and (-)-halosaline, were also accomplished.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of both syn- and anti-3,5-dihydroxy esters: application to 1,3-polyol/alpha-pyrone natural product synthesis

[reaction: see text] We describe a catalytic asymmetric synthesis of both syn- and anti-3,5-dihydroxy esters. The method relies upon catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of alpha,beta-unsaturated imidazolides and amides, using lanthanide-BINOL complexes, and diastereoselective reduction of ketones. The method was applied to the enantioselective syntheses of 1,3-polyol/alpha-pyrone natural products 9a, 9b, and strictifolione (10). The absolute stereochemistry of 9a and 9b was also determined.     

An approach to the stereoselective synthesis of syn- and anti-1,3-diol derivatives. Retention of configuration in the Mitsunobu reaction

The Mitsunobu reaction typically proceeds with inversion of configuration at the hydroxyl center. However, with a series of hindered alcohols, the intramolecular version of the Mitsunobu reaction afforded exclusively the product of retention of configuration. A mechanistic rationale for this observation is discussed, wherein this atypical stereochemical outcome is attributed to steric congestion at the reaction center.     

Enantioselective synthesis of imperanene via enzymatic asymmetrization of an intermediary 1,3-diol

[reaction: see text] Using a chemoenzymatic synthetic strategy, (S)-imperanene and its (R)-enantiomer has been synthesized from vanillin in nine steps. The key step in the synthesis involves the use of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PS-30) to induce asymmetrization of the intermediary prochiral 1,3-diol in >97% ee.     

Stereoselective synthesis of optically active alpha-hydroxy ketones and anti-1,2-diols via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of unsymmetrically substituted 1,2-diketones

[reaction: see text] A well-defined chiral Ru catalyst RuCl(N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-1, 2-diphenylethylenediamine)(eta(6)-arene) effectively promotes asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 1-aryl-1,2-propanedione with HCOOH/N(C(2)H(5))(3), leading preferentially to optically active 1-aryl-2-hydroxy-1-propanone with up to 99% ee and 89% yield at 10 degrees C. The reaction at 40 degrees C gives anti-1-aryl-1, 2-propanediol with up to 95% ee and 78% yield. This is a highly efficient procedure for the synthesis of optically active anti-diols.