Concise formal synthesis of (-)-peduncularine via ring-closing metathesis

[reaction: see text] A synthesis of the 6-aza[3.2.1]bicyclooctene (-)-2 has been completed by a short sequence of reactions that required only six operations from (S)-malic acid and featured a novel ring-closing metathesis to form the bridged bicyclic ring. Because 2 was previously converted into (-)-peduncularine (1), its preparation constitutes a formal enantioselective synthesis of 1.     

Total synthesis of (-)-aspidospermine via diastereoselective ring-closing olefin metathesis

An enantiocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-aspidospermine has been achieved. The key element of the strategy is the diastereoselective construction of the quaternary stereogenic center employing 1,4-asymmetric induction during the ring-closing olefin metathesis.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of tricarbonyl 1-azahexa-1,3,5-triene iron(0) complexes

Transition Metal Chemistry -     

Activated pyridinium-tagged ruthenium complexes as efficient catalysts for ring-closing metathesis

New pyridinium-tagged ruthenium catalysts have been synthesised to perform olefin metathesis in several media including both organic and aqueous solvents and room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). High activity was obtained in the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of a variety of di- or tri-substituted and/or oxygen-containing dienes. However, only fair levels of recycling combined with low to moderate residual ruthenium levels (25–173 ppm) have been observed showing clearly the difficulty of associating high activity and recyclability.     

Synthesis of trans-(3S)-amino-(4R)-alkyl- and -(4S)-aryl-piperidines via ring-closing metathesis reaction

[reaction: see text] trans-(3S)-Amino piperidines bearing various alkyl and aryl substituents at the C-4 position were synthesized via a ring-closing metathesis reaction. The absolute stereochemistry was controlled using a protected D-serine as a starting material. Stereoselective hydrogenation of allylamines provided trans-(3S)-amino-(4R)-alkyl- and -(4S)-aryl-piperidines. This procedure presents the first method for the asymmetric synthesis of 4-substituted 3-amino piperidines.     

New tricarbonyl(amido-substituted-1,3-diene)iron complexes

X-substituded benzamides (X = H; 2-OH; 4-MeO; 3-MeO; 3,5-(MeO)₂; 4-Cl and 2,4-Cl₂) have been shown to add reversibly to the dienyl rings of the organometallic compounds [(dienyl)Fe(CO)₃]BF₄ (dienyl = C₆H₇, 2-MeOC₆H₆ or C₇H₉) to give the corresponding cationic tricarbonyl(substituted-diene)iron complexes.     

Synthesis of C-19-functionalized 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D(2) analogues via ring-closing metathesis

A heteroatom-tethered regioselective ring-closing metathesis reaction was used for the C-19 functionalization of 1alpha-hydroxy-5,6-trans-vitamin D(2) analogues. Applications of the reaction to form a range of analogues by manipulation of the tether using both organolithium reagents and Diels-Alder cycloadditions are described.     

Structural isomers of aryl-substituted eta(3)-propargyl complexes: eta(2)-1-Metalla(methylene)cyclopropene and eta(3)-benzyl complexes

Hydride abstraction from C(5)Me(5)(CO)(2)Re(eta(2)-PhC triple bond CCH(2)Ph) (1) gave a 3:1 mixture of eta(3)-propargyl complex [C(5)Me(5)(CO)(2)Re(eta(3)-PhCH-C triple bond CPh)][BF(4)] (5) and eta(2)-1-metalla(methylene)cyclopropene complex [C(5)Me(5)(CO)(2)Re(eta(2)-PhC-C=CHPh)][BF(4)] (6). Observation of the eta(2)-isomer requires 1,3-diaryl substitution and is favored by electron-donating substituents on the C(3)-aryl ring. Interconversion of eta(3)-propargyl and eta(2)-1-metalla(methylene)cyclopropene complexes is very rapid and results in coalescence of Cp (1)H NMR resonances at about -50 degrees C. Protonation of the alkynyl carbene complex C(5)Me(5)(CO)(2)Re=C(Ph)C triple bond CPh (22) gave a third isomer, the eta(3)-benzyl complex [C(5)Me(5)(CO)(2)Re[eta(3)(alpha,1,2)-endo,syn-C(6)H(5)CH(C triple bond CC(6)H(5))]][BF(4)] (23) along with small amounts of the isomeric complexes 5 and 6. While 5 and 6 are in rapid equilibrium, there is no equilibration of the eta(3)-benzyl isomer 23 with 5 and 6.     

Formal synthesis of (-)-perhydrohistrionicotoxin via cyclic amino acid ester-enolate Claisen rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis

[reaction: see text] We have successfully synthesized an advanced synthetic intermediate, hydroxy lactam 3, which has previously been converted to perhydrohistrionicotoxin. An important feature of this synthesis is the creation of stereogenic centers by using the cyclic amino acid ester-enolate Claisen rearrangement together with a ring-closing metathesis for azaspirocyclic skeleton construction.     

Reaction of tricarbonyl(dienal)iron complexes with B-allyldiisopinocampheylborane

Addition of allyldiisopinocampheylborane to racemic (dienal)iron complexes, followed by oxidation, affords diastereomeric (1,4,6-trien-3-ol)iron complexes with moderate to low enantioselectivity. The high enantioselectivity typically observed for this allylborane reagent is attenuated by steric interaction between the Fe(CO)₃ group and the chiral isopinocampheyl groups. Further diminution of the enantioselectivity is observed for dienal complexes in which one rotomer predominates.     

The synthesis of 4 - Substituted Indoles via arenetricarbonylchromium(0) complexes

Lithiation of tricarbonyl-η⁶-(1-tri-isopropyisilylindote)chromium(0) and η⁶-(1 -tri-isopropylsilyl-3-methoxymethylindole)tricarbonylchromium(0) followed by an electrophilic quench produced a series of 4-substituted indole complexes. For the 4-acyl, -allyl and -alkenyl analogues, transmetallation of the lithio- species to the corresponding cupro- complexes and reaction with the appropriate halides (in the alkenyl case with palladium catalysis) gave in total, a wide range of 4-substitutents. The complexes were decomplexed and desilylated to produce the 4-substituted indoles in moderate to good overall yield.     

Fluorinated (hetero)cycles via ring-closing metathesis of fluoride- and trifluoromethyl-functionalized olefins

Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) has been shown to be a viable tool to incorporate fluoride and trifluoromethyl substituents in (hetero)cyclic ring systems. 2-Fluoroacrylamides were cyclized to the corresponding lactams, and trifluoromethyl-substituted olefins were cyclized to yield trifluoromethylated cyclopentenes, pyrrolines and a dihydrofuran derivative.     

Mass spectrometric study of tricarbonyl (eta(6)-phenyl methanols) of chromium(0)

A mass spectrometric study of several tricarbonyl (eta(6)-phenyl methanols) of chromium(0) was performed. Electron ionization (EI), chemical ionization (CI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectra were acquired for each molecule, and compared in order to establish a general fragmentation pattern. The suggested pathways were investigated and confirmed by means of constant b/e linked scans and high resolution data. In addition a Hammett-McLafferty correlation for some peaks derived from the molecular ions was accomplished.     

Tris(eta4-naphthalene)- and tris(1-4-eta4-anthracene)tantalate(1-): first homoleptic arene complexes of anionic tantalum

Reduction of tantalum pentachloride by 6 equiv of sodium naphthalene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane provided, after recrystallization from tetrahydrofuran, 50-55% yields of yellow, pyrophoric [Na(THF)][Ta(C10H8)3]. The product was shown by 1H and 13C NMR spectra and an X-ray study (on the corresponding [Na(crypt 2.2.2)]salt) to be tris(eta4-naphthalene)tantalate(1-), 1, the first homoleptic naphthalene complex of a third row (5d) transition metal. Salts of 1 react under mild conditions with excess CO (1 atm pressure, -60 degrees to +20 degrees C) and 3 equiv of anthracene, C14H10 (20 degrees C), to give 99 and 52% yields of yellow [Ta(CO)6]- and orange [Ta(C14H10)3]-, (2), respectively. The latter is the first homoleptic anthracene complex of a group 5 element and only the third one known, the others being Cr(eta6-C14H10)2 and [Co(eta4-C14H10)2]-. NMR spectra and X-ray structural characterization, as the [Na(crypt 2.2.2)] salt, established 2 to be [Ta(1-4-eta4-C14H10)3]- and is very similar to 1 in solution and in the solid state. Salts of 2 also undergo facile ligand substitution reactions. For example, it reacts with 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene, COT, at 20 degrees in THF to give high yields of the previously known [Ta(COT)3]-, which was structurally characterized as the Na(crypt 2.2.2)salt. One particularly important feature concerning 1 and 2 is that they are the first available synthons for "naked" atomic Ta- and promise to be useful reagents for the general exploration of low-valent tantalum chemistry. Also, 1 and 2 represent the first homoleptic arene tantalum complexes to have been prepared by conventional syntheses. The only previously known substance of this class is the neutral bis(benzene)tantalum(0), which was accessed by the co-condensation of atomic tantalum and benzene vapor in a sophisticated (electron-gun furnace equipped) metal atom reactor.     

New palladium(II)-(eta(3/5)- or eta1-indenyl) and dipalladium(I)-(mu,eta3-indenyl) complexes

Reaction of the dimeric species [(eta3-Ind)Pd(mu-Cl)]2 (1) (Ind = indenyl) with NEt3 gives the complex (eta(3-5)-Ind)Pd(NEt3)Cl (3), whereas the analogous reactions with BnNH2 (Bn = PhCH2) or pyridine (py) afford the complexes trans-L2Pd(eta1-Ind)Cl (L = BnNH2 (4), py (5)). Similarly, the one-pot reaction of 1 with a mixture of BnNH2 and the phosphine ligands PR3 gives the mixed-ligand, amino and phosphine species (PR3)(BnNH2)Pd(eta1-Ind)Cl (R = Cy (6a), Ph (6b)); the latter complexes can also be prepared by addition of BnNH2 to (eta(3-5)-Ind)Pd(PR3)Cl (R = Cy (2a), Ph (2b)). Complexes 6 undergo a gradual decomposition in solution to generate the dinuclear Pd(I) compounds (mu,eta3-Ind)(mu-Cl)Pd2(PR3)2 (R = Cy (7a), Ph (7b)) and the Pd(II) compounds (BnNH2)(PR3)PdCl2 (R = Cy (8a), Ph (8b)), along with 1,1'-biindene. The formation of 7 is proposed to proceed by a comproportionation reaction between in situ-generated Pd(II) and Pd0 intermediates. Interestingly, the reverse of this reaction, disproportionation, also occurs spontaneously to give 2. All new compounds have been characterized by NMR spectroscopy and, in the case of 3, 4, 5, 6a, 7a, 7b, and 8a, by X-ray crystallography.     

Synthetic studies with iron carbonyl complexes. Versatile synthesis of olefinic side-chains to a tricarbonyl(cyclohexadiene)iron(0) ring

Tricarbonyl(cyclohexadiene)iron(0) complexes bearing olefinic side-chains at the 2- or the 5-position have been prepared by a versatile route. Terminal olefins are isomerised to internal isomers. The presence of a methoxy substituent at the 2-position prevents isomerisation of the coordinated diene into conjugation with the olefin, so locking the side-chain at the 5-exo-position.     

New iron complexes from nucleophile addition/carbonylation of η4-(1,3-diene)tricarbonyliron(0) complexes

A series of novel organoiron complexes has been isolated and studied by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Addition of LiC(CH₃)₂CN to (1,3-cyclohexadiene)tricarbonyliron produces an intermediate which is only stable at low temperature and which is assigned the homoallyl—Fe(CO)₃ anion structure. The intermediate rearranges on warming into a stable complex, for which full spectral data support the structure as an allyl—Fe(CO)₃ anionic species. Interception of the first formed intermediate with CO gives an acylferrate complex with an olefin unit still bound to iron, and methylation then occurs at oxygen to produce an unusual internally-bound (alkene)(methoxyalkylidene)tricarbonyliron species.