Synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines by sequential radical cyclization and N-acyliminium ion reactions

Readily available N-acyl-2-pyrrolines are converted into functionalized -alkoxy-β-iodopyrrolidines by N-iodosuccinimide promoted alcohol addition to the enamine group. These compounds are readily cyclized using a sodium cyanoborohydride-catalytic tributylstannane system affording functionalized pyrrolidines in good yields. The cyclized products undergo N-acyliminium ion reactions, such as BF₃·OEt₂ mediated addition of allyltrimethylsilane.     

A new synthesis of pyrrolidines by way of an enantioselective Mannich/diastereoselective hydroamination reaction sequence

A new two-step synthesis of highly substituted pyrrolidines has been developed. Chiral silane Lewis acid promoted enantioselective Mannich reactions of silyl ketene imines with acylhydrazones may be used to access bishomoallylic benzoic hydrazides that in turn may be cyclized to pyrrolidines by way of the thermal hydroamination reaction reported recently by Beauchemin. Importantly, excellent diastereoselectivity may be realized in the hydroamination reactions.     

N-Alkoxyl Templates for Diastereoselective Pyrrolidine Synthesis

Intramolecular cyclization of N-alkoxyl amines are studied for the stereoselective preparation of 2, 4-disubstituted pyrrolidine derivatives. Reduction of oximes under acidic conditions by NaBH3CN afforded the corresponding nucleophilic hydroxylamine derivatives,which subsequently cyclized via SN2‘ mechanism to give the desired N-alkoxyl pyrrolidines.     

Divergent chemical synthesis of prolines bearing fluorinated one-carbon units at the 4-position via nucleophilic 5-endo-trig cyclizations

N-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)homoallyl]sulfonamides, prepared via ring opening of (S)-glycidyl ethers or 2-aryloxiranes with 1-(trifluoromethyl)vinyllithium, underwent intramolecular addition or S(N)2'-type reaction in the normally disfavored 5-endo-trig fashion, leading to 2-substituted 4-(trifluoromethyl)- or 4-(difluoromethylene)pyrrolidines. Both alpha- and beta-face-selective hydrogenation of the 4-difluoromethylene group afforded syn- and anti-4-(difluoromethyl)pyrrolidines, respectively. These sequences, followed by the oxidation of a 2-hydroxymethyl or 2-aryl group, successfully provided prolines with a trifluoromethyl, difluoromethylene, or difluoromethyl group at the 4-position, including optically active prolines.     

Asymmetric halo-Mannich-type reaction provides access to pyrrolidines and beta-proline derivatives

[reaction: see text] A new halo-Mannich-type reaction is reported using cyclopropyl carbonyl-derived enolates and sulfonyl-protected imines. Chiral oxazolidinones auxiliaries were found to be effective for completely controlling the stereochemistry of the products. Variations in the oxazolidinone, protecting group, and imine components show this to be a quite general reaction. The initial iodo-Mannich products were found to be readily cyclized in the presence of triethylamine to afford the resulting protected pyrrolidines, which could be readily deprotected under standard conditions.     

Applications of the Ugi reaction with ketones

A convenient synthesis of highly functionalized, α,α-disubstituted amino acid amide derivatives has been accomplished by using cyclic and acyclic ketones as the carbonyl inputs in the Ugi multicomponent reaction. An application of this extension of the Ugi reaction to the synthesis of α,α-divinyl amino acids that may be cyclized via ring-closing metathesis to provide highly substituted pyrrolidines is described.     

2-Trimethylsilylethanesulfonyl (SES) versus tosyl (Ts) protecting group in the preparation of nitrogen-containing five-membered rings. A novel route for the synthesis of substituted pyrrolines and pyrrolidines

The 2-trimethylsilylethanesulfonyl (or SES) protecting group was compared to the tosyl (Ts) group in the preparation of a nitrogen-containing five-membered ring obtained by the aza-Baylis-Hillman/alkylation/RCM route. While deprotection of Ts-protected pyrrolines gave only pyrroles, deprotection of the same SES-protected compounds gave either pyrroles or free amine pyrrolines depending on the deprotection conditions. The SES-protected pyrrolines were hydrogenated to yield pyrrolidines with an excellent diastereoselectivity. Free amine pyrrolidines were obtained by HF-mediated deprotection of the SES group.     

Enantiopure alkaloid analogues and iminosugars from proline derivatives: stereocontrol in sequential processes

An alternative to the use of expensive auxiliaries or catalysts in the synthesis of chiral 2-substituted pyrrolidines is described. Thus, commercial, cheap 4-(S)-hydroxyproline was readily transformed into optically pure pyrrolidines, using a one-pot decarboxylation-alkylation reaction as the key step. In this reaction, an acyliminium intermediate was generated, which was trapped by carbon nucleophiles. As postulated by Woerpel, the addition of the nucleophiles to the five-membered ring iminium ions took place stereoselectively, affording 2,4-cis-disubstituted pyrrolidines in high de. The hydroxy group at C-4 can then be removed, or alternatively, it can be used to create new functionalities in the molecule. In this way, optically pure alkaloid analogues and iminosugars were prepared.     

Selenium promoted synthesis of enantiopure pyrrolidines starting from chiral aminoalcohols

Starting from commercially available enantiomerically pure aminoalcohols and using simple conversions promoted by organoselenium reagents, several enantiomerically pure substituted pyrrolidines were prepared. After double protections (R)- or (S)-2-phenylglycinols were converted into the β-amino selenides by displacing the tosyl group with phenyl selenolate anions. The phenylseleno group was then substituted by an allyl group by treatment with allyltributyltin and AIBN. The reaction of these allylic derivatives with electrophilic phenylselenium reagents afforded selenium containing pyrrolidines as the result of a 5-exo-trig cyclization. The pyrrolidine derivatives thus obtained were reductively deselenylated with triphenyltin hydride and AIBN. Moreover, the selenides were converted into the selenones, which easily gave substitution with different nucleophiles. Enantiopure 2,5-pyrrolidines containing azido, methylthio, cyano and iodo groups were thus obtained.     

Synthesis and structure of new 2-aryl-substituted pyrrolidines containing phosphine oxide group

2-Aryl-substituted pyrrolidines containing phosphine oxide group have been obtained by the reaction of P-(4,4-diethoxybutylaminomethyl)- P,P-di-p-tolylphosphine oxide with polyatomic phenols.     

Brønsted acid catalyzed regioselective aza-Ferrier reaction: a novel synthetic method for alpha-(N-Boc-2-pyrrolidinyl) aldehydes

The 1,4-elimination reaction of (Z)-N-Boc-2-(4-methoxy-2-alkenyloxy)pyrrolidines is shown to proceed with high (1E,3E)-stereoselectivity to afford N-Boc-2-(1,3-dienyloxy)pyrrolidines; the Br?nsted acid catalyzed aza-Ferrier reaction of the N-Boc-2-(1,3-dienyloxy)pyrrolidines (3) provides alpha-(N-Boc-2-pyrrolidinyl) aldehydes in excellent yields with high alpha-regioselectivities.     

Preparation of (R)- and (S)-N-protected 3-hydroxypyrrolidines by hydroxylation with Sphingomonas sp. HXN-200, a highly active, regio- and stereoselective, and easy to handle biocatalyst.

Hydroxylation of N-benzylpyrrolidine 8 with resting cells of Sphingomonas sp. HXN-200 gave N-benzyl-3-hydroxypyrrolidine 15 in 53% ee (S) with an activity of 5.8 U/g CDW. By changing the "docking/protecting group" in pyrrolidines, hydroxylation activity and enantioselectivity were further improved and the enantiocomplementary formation of 3-hydroxypyrrolidines was achieved: hydroxylation of N-benzoyl-, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-, N-phenoxycarbonyl-, and N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-pyrrolidines 9-12 gave the corresponding 3-hydroxypyrrolidines 16-19 in ee of 52% (R), 75% (R), 39% (S), and 23% (R), respectively, with an activity of 2.2, 16, 14, and 24 U/g CDW, respectively. Simple crystallizations increased the ee of 16-18 to 95% (R), 98% (R), and 96% (S), respectively. Hydroxylation of pyrrolidines 8-12 with soluble cell-free extracts of Sphingomonas sp. HXN-200 and equimolar NADH gave 3-hydroxypyrrolidines 15-19 in nearly the same ee as the products generated by whole cell transformation, suggesting that this strain possesses a novel soluble alkane monooxygenase. Cells of Sphingomonas sp. HXN-200 were produced in large amounts and could be stored at -80 degrees C for 2 years without significant loss of activity. The frozen cells can be thawed and resuspended for biohydroxylation, providing a highly active and easy to handle biocatalyst for the regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of nonactivated carbon atoms. These cells were used to prepare 1.0-3.2 g (66.4-93.5% yield) of 3-hydroxypyrrolidines 16-19 by hydroxylation of pyrrolidines 9-12 on 0.9-2 L scale. Preparative hydroxylation was also achieved with growing cells as biocatalysts; hydroxylation of pyrrolidine 11 on 1 L scale gave 1.970 g (79.7% yield) of 3-hydroxypyrrolidine 18.     

Reduction of 5-(bromomethyl)-1-pyrrolinium bromides to 2-(bromomethyl)pyrrolidines and their transformation into piperidin-3-ones through an unprecedented ring expansion-oxidation protocol

3,3-Dialkyl-5-(bromomethyl)-1-pyrrolinium bromides, prepared via bromocyclization of N-(2,2-dialkyl-4-pentenylidene)amines by means of bromine in dichloromethane, were reduced to 4,4-dialkyl-2-(bromomethyl)pyrrolidines for the first time using borane dimethyl sulfide in dichloromethane. Furthermore, the latter 2-(bromomethyl)pyrrolidines were transformed into the corresponding piperidin-3-ones through an unprecedented ring expansion-oxidation protocol in dimethylsulfoxide in the presence of potassium carbonate. Reduction of 5,5-dialkylpiperidin-3-ones by means of sodium borohydride in methanol afforded 5,5-dialkyl-3-hydroxypiperidines in good yields.     

A rapid and general method for the asymmetric synthesis of 2-substituted pyrrolidines using tert-butanesulfinamide

A new method for the asymmetric synthesis of 2-substituted pyrrolidines in three steps from commercially available starting materials is described. Addition of the Grignard reagent prepared from 2-(2-bromoethyl)-1,3-dioxane to N-tert-butanesulfinyl aldimines proceeds in high yields and with good diastereoselectivities. The sulfinamide products are then cleanly converted into pyrrolidines in one step.     

Indium(III) chloride-promoted intramolecular addition of allylstannanes to alkynes

In the presence of an equimolar amount of InCl(3), 8-tributylstannyl-6-octen-1-ynes (allylstannanes bearing an alkynyl group) were efficiently cyclized to 2-allyl-1-methylenecyclopentanes. In contrast, catalytic use of InCl(3) gave 2-allyl-1-(tributylstannylmethylene)cyclopentanes mainly by intramolecular allylstannylation. These cyclizations could proceed via intramolecular addition of an allylindium intermediate.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically pure 4-substituted pyrrolidin-3-ols via asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of chiral azomethine ylides to 3-benzyloxy-substituted alkenoylcamphorsultams are described. trans-3,4-Disubstituted pyrrolidines containing a protected hydroxyl group at C(4) of the pyrrolidine ring are obtained in high diastereomeric ratios. Such compounds can serve as chiral building blocks for the syntheses of enantiopure bioactive pyrrolidines. This is exemplified by a short synthetic route to a known glycosidase inhibitor, (3R,4R)-4-(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidin-3-ol and its enantiomer.     

Diastereoselective Zwitterionic Aza-Claisen Rearrangement: The Synthesis of Bicyclic Tetrahydrofurans and a Total Synthesis of (+)-Dihydrocanadensolide

The zwitterionic Claisen rearrangement of optically-active N-allyl pyrrolidines and various acid chlorides proceeds with high simple diastereoselection (internal asymmetric induction) and high 1,2-asymmetric induction, generating a new C-C bond adjacent to a chiral C-O function. The resulting gamma,delta-unsaturated amides were cyclized to the corresponding optically active gamma-butyrolactones, which are useful intermediates in natural product synthesis. On one hand, a diastereoselective iodocyclization of several lactones led to tetrahydrofurans with a substitution pattern representing a key intermediate of an oxa-prostaglandin synthesis. On the other, a one-pot procedure of a Swern oxidation and consecutive Grignard reaction of one gamma-lactone allowed a diastereoselective chain elongation. The final oxidation/cyclization sequence completed a highly efficient synthesis of the (+)-dihydrocanadensolide or its C-3 epimer, respectively.     

Asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formations in conjugate additions of lithiated N-Boc allylic and benzylic amines to nitroalkenes: enantioselective synthesis of substituted piperidines,pyrrolidines, and pyrimidinones

(-)-Sparteine mediated lithiations of N-Boc-allylic and benzylic amines provide configurationally stable intermediates which on conjugate additions to nitroalkenes provide highly enantioenriched enecarbamate products in good yields, and with high diastereoselectivities. Straightforward transformations of these adducts offer general routes to substituted 3,4-substituted piperidines, 3,4-substituted pyrrolidines, and 4,5-substituted pyrimidinones. Diastereoselective substitutions of intermediate lactams followed by reduction provide 3,4,5-substituted piperidines and 3,4-trisubstituted pyrrolidines. Lithiation adjacent to nitrogen of 3,4-substituted piperidines and pyrrolidines followed by diastereoselective substitution opens a route to 2,4,5- and 2,4,5,6-substituted piperidines as well as 2,3,4- and 2,3,4,5-substituted pyrrolidines. The enantiomers of the enecarbamate and 3,4-substituted piperidine products may be accessed by stannylation/transmetalation sequences as well as by further manipulation of 4-substituted piperidones. The methodology is used to synthesize both enantiomers of an aspartic peptidase inhibitor intermediate, 3-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidine, as well as the antidepressant (+)-femoxetine.     

Site of protonation of nicotine and nornicotine in the gas phase: pyridine or pyrrolidine nitrogen?

The gas-phase basicities (GBs) of nornicotine, nicotine, and model pyrrolidines have been measured by FT-ICR. These experimental GBs are compared with those calculated (for the two sites of protonation in the case of nicotine and nornicotine) at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level, or those estimated from substituent effects on the GBs of 2-substituted pyrrolidines, 2-substituted N-methylpyrrolidines, and 3-substituted pyridines. It is found that, in contrast to the Nsp(3) protonation in water, in the gas phase nornicotine is protonated on the pyridine nitrogen, because the effects of an intramolecular CH.Nsp(3) hydrogen bond and of the polarizability of the 3-(pyrrolidin-2-yl) substituent add up on the Nsp(2) basicity, while the polarizability effect of the 2-(3-pyridyl) substituent on the Nsp(3) basicity is canceled by its field/inductive electron-withdrawing effect. The same structural effects operate on the Nsp(3) and Nsp(2) basicities of nicotine, but here, the polarizability effect of the methyl group puts the pyrrolidine nitrogen basicity very close to that of pyridine. Consequently, protonated nicotine is a mixture of the Nsp(3) and Nsp(2) protonated forms.     

Sulfonamides as novel terminators of cationic cyclisations

Trifluoromethanesulfonic (triflic) acid is an excellent catalyst for inducing overall 5-endo cyclisation of homoallylic sulfonamides [e.g. 4] to give pyrrolidines [e.g. 5]. In competitive experiments, pyrrolidines or homopiperidines are formed in preference to piperidines, even when the latter would be obtained by trapping a tertiary carbocation. Cationic cascades terminated by a sulfonamide group are viable for the efficient formation of polycyclic systems.