An Asymmetric Synthesis of L-694,458, a Human Leukocyte Elastase Inhibitor, via Novel Enzyme Resolution of beta-Lactam Esters

A convergent synthesis of [S-(R,S)]-2-[4-[(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)carbonyl]phenoxy]-3,3-diethyl-N-[1-[3,4-(methylenedioxy)phenyl]butyl]-4-oxo-1-azetidinecarboxamide (L-694,458, 1), a potent human leukocyte elastase inhibitor, was achieved via chiral synthesis of key intermediates: (S)-3,3-diethyl-4-[4'-[(N-methylpiperazin-1-yl)carbonylphenoxy]-2-azetidinone (2) and (R)-alpha-propylpiperonyl isocyanate (3). Synthesis of beta-lactam 2 was achieved by a novel enantioselective lipase hydrolysis of ester 5 to produce (S)-3,3-diethyl-4-(4'-carboxyphenoxy)-2-azetidinone (6) (60% yield, three cycles, 93% ee) with isolation, epimerization, and recycling of the undesired (R)-ester 5. Isocyanate 3 was prepared by chiral addition of Zn(n-Pr)(2) to piperonal (98% yield, 99.2% ee), azide displacement and reduction to (R)-alpha-propylpiperonylamine (11) (58% yield, 85% ee), crystallization as the D-pyroglutamic acid salt (92% yield, 98.2% ee), and isocyanate formation (98% yield) with phosgene.     

N-propargylamides via the asymmetric michael addition of B-alkynyl-10-TMS-9- borabicyclo[3.3.2]decanes to N-acylimines

[Structure: see text] The asymmetric synthesis of N-propargylamides through Michael addition of the alkynylborane 1 to N-acylimines is reported. The N-acetylimines provide the best substrates for the process exhibiting high selectivity (56-95% ee) with predictable stereochemistry. In several cases, 5 crystallizes in essentially pure form (97-99% ee) and a single-crystal X-ray structure was also obtained for 5g (R1=R2=Me, R3=o-Cl-C6C4). The process regenerates 4 for its direct conversion back to 1 and facilitates the efficient recovery of the pseudoephedrine.     

Asymmetric allylation of unsymmetrical 1,3-diketones using a BINAP-palladium catalyst

[reaction: see text] The chiral palladium complex generated in situ from [Pd(eta(3)-allyl)Cl](2) and (R)-BINAP is a good catalyst for the catalytic asymmetric allylation of 1,3-diketones. The reaction provided chiral 2,2-dialkyl-1,3-diketones with 64-89% ee in high yields (13 examples). Enantiomeric excesses are strongly affected by the gamma-substituent of the allylic substrates. A variety of unsymmetrical 1,3-diketones were alkylated with cinnamyl acetate in good enantioselectivities via use of the BINAP-palladium catalyst (77-89% ee).     

Synthesis of Optically Active endo,endo Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-diol, Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione, and Related Compounds

Optically active C(2)-symmetric (1S,2S,4S,5S)-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-diol ((+)-12; 98% ee) and several selectively protected optically active intermediates useful for synthetic transformations were synthesized via a 1,2-carbonyl transposition route starting from the easily available optically active (1R,4S,6S)-6-hydroxybicyclo[2.2.2]octan-2-one ((-)-2). The synthetic route also allowed the preparation of optically active (1S,4S)-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,5-dione ((+)-14; 98% ee).     

Asymmetric synthesis of (4R,5R)-cytoxazone and (4R,5S)-epi-cytoxazone

(4R,5R)-Cytoxazone has been prepared in four steps and in 61% overall yield and >98% ee. Conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-benzyl-N-[small alpha]-methylbenzylamide to tert-butyl (E)-3-(p-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate and subsequent in situ diastereoselective enolate oxidation with (+)-(camphorsulfonyl)oxaziridine gave tert-butyl (2R,3R,[small alpha]R)-2-hydroxy-3-(p-methoxyphenyl)-3-(N-benzyl-N-[small alpha]-methylbenzylamino)propanoate in >98% de. Subsequent N-benzyl deprotection to the primary [small beta]-amino ester via hydrogenolysis, oxazolidinone formation with C(2)-retention by treatment with diphosgene and chemoselective ester reduction furnishes (4R,5R)-cytoxazone. The synthesis of the C(5)-epimer, (4R,5S)-epi-cytoxazone in 44% overall yield, has also been completed via a protocol involving N-Boc protection of the primary [small beta]-amino ester, utilization of the N-Boc group to facilitate simultaneous C(2)-inversion and oxazolidinone formation, and subsequent reduction.     

Preparation of chiral alpha-oxy-[2H1]methyllithiums of 99% ee and determination of their configurational stability

(Tributylstannyl)methyl 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-carboxylate was metalated with t-BuLi/TMEDA at -78 degrees C and borylated with the mixed borate derived from (R,R)-1,2-dicyclohexylethane-1,2-diol and t-butanol to give diastereomeric boronates 31/32 in equal amounts. Boronates 31 and 32 were reduced with LiBEt3D and then oxidized with basic H2O2 to give (S)- and (R)-tributylstannyl-[1-2H1]methanol of 99% ee, respectively. Treatment of their respective phosphates with n-BuLi at -78 and 0 degrees C gave microscopically configurationally stable phosphinyloxy-substituted [2H1]methyllithiums, which rearranged to hydroxy-[1-2H1]methylphosphonates of ee > 98% (phosphate-phosphonate rearrangement). The N,N-diisopropylcarbamates of the enantiomeric tributylstannyl-[1-2H1]methanols were transmetalated to give carbamoyloxy-substituted chiral [2H1]methyllithiums, which were macroscopically configurationally stable for prolonged periods of time (up to 3 h, ee still 99%) at -78 degrees C, deduced from trapping experiments with benzaldehyde. The chemical stability of these methyllithiums ended at -50 degrees C. The stereochemistry of the monoprotected and monodeuterated 1-phenylethane-1,2-diols obtained was secured by spectroscopic comparison of their Mosher esters with that of all four stereoisomeric 1-phenyl-[1-2H1]ethane-1,2-diols synthesized independently. Furthermore, the configurations of the boronates and the chiral methyllithiums derived from them were deduced from a single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of a carbamate in which the tributylstannyl group had been replaced by the [(1R)-menthyl]dimethylstannyl group.     

Ring-opening reactions of oxabicyclic alkene compounds: enantioselective hydride and ethyl additions catalyzed by group 4 metals

Titanium and zirconium catalysts selectively catalyze either the ethyl or hydride addition to [2.2.1] 4, 5-bis(methoxymethyl)-7-oxabicycloheptene (6); the ring-opened products formed depend on catalyst, temperature, alkylaluminum reagent, and the concentration of alkylaluminum. Bis(neoisomenthylindenyl)zirconium dichloride catalyzes the ethyl addition ring-opening of 6 to produce (1R,2S,3S,6R)-2, 3-bis(methoxymethyl)-6-ethylcyclohex-4-enol (7) in 96% ee. Zirconium catalysts catalyze the ring-opening of [3.2.1] 2, 4-dimethyl-3-(benzyloxy)-8-oxabicyclo-6-octene (7) when ethylmagnesium bromide is used as a reagent. Both hydride and ethyl addition products are obtained at all conditions studied. Bis(neoisomenthylindenyl)zirconium dichloride catalyzes the ethyl addition ring-opening of 7 to produce (1S,2R,3S,4S,7S)-2, 4-dimethyl-3-(benzyloxy)-7-ethyl-5-cyclohexen-1-ol (8) in 48% ee.     

Concise entry to both enantiomers of 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-one based on novel oxidative etherification: formal synthesis of (+)-sundiversifolide

Both enantiomers of 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-one (6) have been synthesized from 4-hydroxycyclohept-2-enone (3) on the basis of a novel oxidative cyclo-etherification using PhI(OH)OTs (Koser's reagent). (-)-(1S,5R)-8-Oxabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-en-2-one [(-)-6, 95% ee] was expeditiously transformed to (+)-sundiversifolide (1).     

Endo entry to the nortricyclyl-norbornenyl cation system: stereochemistry in the fragmentation of endo-5-norbornenyl-2-oxychlorocarbene

Fragmentation of (S)-endo-5-norbornenyl-2-oxychlorocarbene [(S)-8] in cyclohexane-d12 gives approximately 20% (S)-endo-2-chloro-5-norbornene [(S)-7] with approximately 50% ee, 65-70% (R)-exo-2-chloro-5-norbornene [(R)-4] with >95% ee, and approximately 12% (R)-3-nortricyclyl chloride [(R)-5] with approximately 22% ee. (Analogous stereochemical results were also obtained starting with the enantiomeric carbene (R)-8.) The (S)-8 to (S)-7 and (S)-8 to (R)-4 conversions are ascribed mainly to retention and inversion S(N)i transition states, respectively. These have been located by computational methods and are nearly isoenergetic. In more polar solvents (CDCl3 and CD3CN), the fragmentation of (S)-8 increasingly occurs via competitive ion pair pathways in which steroselectivity is diminished, and escape to the norbornenyl-nortricyclyl cation directs the products away from endo-2-chloro-5-norbornene toward exo-chloride 4 and nortricyclyl chloride 5.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (2-pyridyl)alanines via catalytic hydrogenation and application to the synthesis of L-azatyrosine

[reaction: see text] A novel method for the synthesis of (2-pyridyl)alanines 2a-b was developed by converting (2-pyridyl)dehydroamino acid derivatives 1a-b to the corresponding N-oxides 3a-b followed by asymmetric hydrogenation using (R,R)-[Rh(Et-DUPHOS)(COD)]BF(4) [(R,R)-6] catalyst and subsequent N-oxide reduction in 80-83% ee. This methodology was applied to the total synthesis of L-azatyrosine [(+)-12], an antitumor antibiotic, starting from (5-benzyloxy)-2-pyridylmethanol (7), in >96% enantiomeric purity.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric diene cyclization/hydrosilylation employing functionalized silanes and disiloxanes.

Pentasubstituted disiloxanes and silanes of the form HSiMe(2)CH(x)Ph(3-x)(x = 1 or 2) reacted with dimethyl diallylmalonate (1) and other functionalized 1,6-dienes in the presence of a catalytic 1:1 mixture of (N-N)Pd(Me)Cl [N-N = (R)-(+)-4-isopropyl-2-(2-pyridinyl)-2-oxazoline] [(R)-2] and NaBAr(4) [Ar = 3,5-C(6)H(3)(CF(3))(2)] to form the corresponding silylated cyclopentanes in good yield with high diastereoselectivity. The enantioselectivity of cyclization/hydrosilylation of 1 with disiloxanes and functionalized silanes at -20 degrees C increased in the following order: HSiMe(2)OSiMe(3) (75% ee) < HSiMe(2)OSiMe(2)-t-Bu (80% ee) < HSi(i-Pr)(2)OSiMe(3) (86% ee) = HSiMe(2)Bn (86% ee) < HSiMe(2)OSi(i-Pr)(3) (89% ee) < HSiMe(2)OSiPh(2)-t-Bu (91% ee) < HSiMe(2)CHPh(2) (93% ee). Silylated cyclopentanes derived from HSiMe(2)OSiMe(3) were oxidized with excess KF and peracetic acid at room temperature for 48 h to form the corresponding hydroxymethylcyclopentanes in good yield (82-95%). Silylated cyclopentanes derived from HSiMe(2)OSiPh(2)t-Bu were oxidized with a mixture of tetrabutylammonium fluoride and either H(2)O(2) or peracetic acid to form the corresponding alcohols in 48-76% yield. Silylated carbocycles generated from benzhydryldimethylsilane were oxidized with a mixture of TBAF/KHCO(3)/H(2)O(2) in 71-98% yield. Asymmetric cyclization/hydrosilylation/oxidation employing benzhydryldimethylsilane tolerated allylic and terminal olefinic substitution and a range of functional groups.     

Catalytic and highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of aromatic ethers with trifluoropyruvate under solvent-free conditions

[Structure: see text] Highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of simple and aromatic ethers (4a-l) with 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate (3) was accomplished by using chiral (4R,5S)-DiPh-BOX(1b)-Cu(OTf)2 complex (1 mol %) as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions. Excellent yields and enantioselectivities (90-93% ee, after recrystallization up to 99% ee) of the Friedel-Crafts alkylation products were obtained.     

Enantioselective synthesis of chiral 4H-pyran derivatives through [3+3] tandem reaction over a squaramide catalyst

An efficient [3+3] tandem reaction between 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolones and 2-(1-alkynyl)-2-alken-1-ones over a tertiary amine–squaramide catalyst is described. The pyran fused pyrazolone derivatives were successfully obtained in 53–88% yields and with 62–84% ee by this synthetic methodology. This methodology involves easily accessible starting material, mild condition, satisfied yields and ee values. Additionally, when enynes were used as the substrates for the [3+3] cascade reaction, isomerized target products could be obtained directly.     

Structural requirements in chiral diphosphine-rhodium complexes—XIII: Steric and electronic factors in the asymmetric homogeneous hydrogenation of Z-α-acylaminocinnamic acids and esters catalyzed by rhodium(I) complexes

Z-α-acylaminocinnamic acids and esters were hydrogenated with rhodium(I) complexes containing (4R,5R) - trans - 4,5 - bis(diphenylphosphinomethyl) - 2,2 - dimethyl - 1,3 - dioxolan (DIOP). Increasing the steric bulk of the acyl function (NHCOR, where R is an alkyl moiety) resulted in a lowered reduction of the si-re prochiral face to yield a decreasing excess of the (R)-amino acid derivatives. In the series of N-acylphenylalanine free acids (resulting from hydrogenation of Z-α-acylaminocinnamic acids) the optical purity decreased from 82% ee-(R) [Me]; 57% ee-(R) [i-Pr]; 52% ee-(R) [t-Bu]; to 46% ee-(R) [1-adamantyl]. Theα-benzamido, α-formamido and α-trifluoroacetamido substrates gave hydrogenation products having 68% ee-(R) [Ph]; 60% ee-(R) [H]; and 16% ee-(R)[CF₃]. In the corresponding methyl esters, increasing the steric bulk of the acyl function (NHCOR) resulted in a markedly greater decrease in enantioface differentiation. In the series of N-acylphenylalanine methyl ester products (resulting from hydrogenation of Z-methyl α-acylaminocinnamates) the optical purity decreased from 69% ee-(R)[Me]; 15% ee-(R) [i-Pr]; to 0% ee[t-Bu and 1-adamantyl]. The α-benzamido, α-formamido, and α-trifluoroacetamido substrates gave hydrogenation products having 36% ee-(R) [Ph]; 58% ee-(R) [H]; and 22% ee-(S) [CF₃]In the series of N-acetylphenylalanine alkyl ester products (resulting from hydrogenation of Z-alkyl α-acetamidocinnamate esters) trifluoro substitution in the alkyl alcohol moiety resulted in a decrease in optical purity to 52% ee-(R) [CH₂CF₃] compared to 72, 76 and 77% ee-(R) [Et, i-Pr and t-Bu, respectively].     

Stereoselective hydrocoupling of [(1R)-exo]-3-exo-(diphenylmethyl)bornyl cinnamates by electroreduction

[reaction: see text]. The chiral auxiliary [(1R)-exo]-3-exo-(diphenylmethyl)borneol, synthesized from (1R)-(+)-camphor in three steps, was highly effective for the stereoselective hydrocoupling of its cinnamates by electroreduction. From the resulting hydrodimers, (3R,4R)-3,4-diaryladipic acid esters and (3R,4R)-3,4-diarylhexane-1,6-diols were synthesized in 87-95% ee.     

Highly efficient asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes with a D(4)-symmetric chiral dichlororuthenium(IV) porphyrin catalyst.

A dichlororuthenium(IV) complex of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[(1S,4R,5R,8S)-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-1,2:5,8-dimethanoanthrance-9-yl]porphyrin, [Ru(IV)(D(4)-Por)Cl(2)] (1), was prepared by heating [Ru(II)(D(4)-Por)(CO)(MeOH)] (2) in refluxing CCl(4). Complex 1 is characterized by (1)H NMR (paramagnetically shifted pyrrolic protons at delta(H) = -52.3 ppm), FAB-mass spectroscopies, and magnetic susceptibility measurement (mu(eff) = 3.1 mu(B)). The ruthenium complex exhibits remarkable catalytic activity toward enantioselective alkene epoxidation using 2,6-dichloropyridine N-oxide (Cl(2)pyNO) as terminal oxidant. The Ru(IV)-catalyzed styrene epoxidation is achieved within 2 h (versus 48 h for the 2-catalyzed reaction), and optically active styrene oxide was obtained in 69% ee and 84% yield (875 turnovers). Likewise, substituted styrenes and some conjugated cis-disubstituted alkenes (e.g., cis-beta-methylstyrene, cis-1-phenyl-3-penten-1-yne, 1,2-dihydronaphthalene, and 2,2-dimethylchromenes) are converted effectively to their organic epoxides in 50-80% ee under the Ru(IV)-catalyzed conditions, and more than 850 turnovers of epoxides have been attained. When subjecting 1 to four repetitive uses by recharging the reaction mixture with Cl(2)pyNO and styrene, styrene oxide was obtained in a total of 2190 turnovers and 69% ee. UV-vis and ESI-mass spectral analysis of the final reaction mixture revealed that a ruthenium-carbonyl species could have been formed during the catalytic reaction, leading to the apparent catalyst deactivation. We prepared a heterogeneous chiral ruthenium porphyrin catalyst by immobilizing 1 into sol-gel matrix. The heterogeneous catalyst is highly active toward asymmetric styrene epoxidation producing styrene oxide in 69% ee with up to 10,800 turnovers being achieved. The loss of activity of the Ru/sol-gel catalyst is ascribed to catalyst leaching and/or deactivation. On the basis of Hammett correlation (rho(+) = -1.62, R = 0.99) and product analysis, a dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrin intermediate is not favored.     

Chiral phosphane alkenes (PALs): simple synthesis, applications in catalysis, and functional hemilability

A simple synthesis of a chiral phosphane alkene (PAL) involves: 1) palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling of 10-bromo-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ol (1) with phenylboronic acid to give quantitatively 10-phenyl-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ol (2); 2) reaction of 2 with Ph(2)PCl under acidic conditions to give a racemic mixture of the phosphane oxide (10-phenyl-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-yl)diphenylphosphane oxide ((Ph)troppo(Ph), 3), which is separated into enantiomers by using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a chiral column; 3) reduction with trichlorosilane to give the enantiomerically pure phosphanes (R)- and (S)-(10-phenyl-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-yl)diphenylphosphane ((Ph)tropp(Ph), 4). This highly rigid, concave-shaped ligand serves as a bidentate ligand in Rh(I) and Ir(I) complexes. Catalysts prepared from [Rh(2)(mu(2)-Cl)(2)(C(2)H(4))(4)] and (S)-4 have allowed the efficient enantioselective 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyls (Hayashi-Miyaura reaction) (5-0.1 mol % catalyst, up to 95% ee). The iridium complex (S,S)-[Ir((Ph)tropp(Ph))(2)]OTf ((S,S)-6; OTf=SO(3)CF(3)) has been used as a catalyst in the hydrogenation of various nonfunctionalized and functionalized olefins (turnover frequencies (TOFs) of up to 4000 h(-1)) and moderate enantiomeric excesses have been achieved (up to 67% ee). [Ir((Ph)tropp(Ph))(2)]OTf reversibly takes up three equivalents of H(2). The highly reactive octahedral [Ir(H)(2)(OTf)(CH(2)Cl(2))(H(2)-(Ph)tropp(Ph))(2)] could be isolated and contains two hydrogenated monodentate H(2)-(Ph)tropp(Ph) phosphanes, one CH(2)Cl(2) molecule, one triflate anion, and two hydrides. Based on this structure and extensive NMR spectroscopic studies, a mechanism for the hydrogenation reactions is proposed.     

Optically active cyclohexene derivative as a new antisepsis agent: an efficient synthesis of ethyl (6R)-6-[N-(2-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)sulfamoyl]cyclohex-1-ene-1-carboxylate (TAK-242)

Two new synthetic methods were established for the efficient synthesis of optically active cyclohexene antisepsis agent, ethyl (6R)-6-[N-(2-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)sulfamoyl]cyclohex-1-ene-1-carboxylate [(R)-1: TAK-242)]. The first method involved recrystallization from methanol of the diastereomeric mixture (6RS,1'R)-7, obtained by esterification of carboxylic acid 3 with (S)-1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanol [(S)-5)] to give the desired isomer (6R,1'R)-7 with 99% de in 32% yield. Subsequent catalytic hydrogenolysis and esterification gave (R)-1 with >99% ee. The second method employed enantioselective hydrolysis of acetoxymethyl ester 9a (prepared by alkylation of 3 with bromomethyl acetate) with Lipase PS-D to give the eutomeric enantiomer (R)-9a with excellent enantioselectivity (>99% ee) and high yield (48%). The desired (R)-1 was then obtained by transesterification with ethanol in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid without loss of ee. Of these, the procedure employing enzymatic kinetic resolution using Lipase PS-D is the more efficient and practical preparation of (R)-1.     

C2-symmetric bicyclo[3.3.1]nonadiene as a chiral ligand for rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric arylation of N-(4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)arylimines

[Reaction: see text] Asymmetric synthesis of diarylmethylamines with high enantioselectivity (95-99% ee) was realized by use of a new C2-symmetric diene ligand, (1R,5R)-2,6-diphenylbicyclo[3.3.1]nona-2,6-diene (Ph-bnd), for the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric arylation of N-(4-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)arylimines with arylboroxines.     

New hybrid ligands with a trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane backbone: competing chelation modes in palladium-catalyzed enantioselective allylic alkylation

Three new hybrid ligands with trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane backbone have been synthesized from (1R,2R)-2-aminocyclohexylcarbamic acid tert-butyl ester (4), which is prepared through an indirect monoprotection of the diamine. The ligands are (1R, 2R)-N-2-[2-(dimethylamino)benzoyl]aminocyclohexyl-2-(diphenylphosph anyl)benzamide and its di-n-butylamino- and diphenylamino-derivatives (3a-c), which belong to formal P,N-type chelates with possible wide bite angles in the metal chelation. To evaluate the new hybrid ligands against well-known P,N- and P, P-chelates (1 and 2), they were employed in the palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylations between two standard racemic allylic acetates, 2-acetoxy-1,3-diphenyl-2-propene (14a) and 2-acetoxy-1, 3-dimethyl-2-propene (14b), and dimethyl malonate under different reaction conditions. The catalytic system with the new ligands showed good reactivity toward both the substrates with moderate enantioselectivities (up to 78% ee toward 14a and 80% ee toward 14b). Of particular note, dramatic changes in the sense and in the degree of the enantioselectivity were observed depending on the ligands and reaction conditions, which suggested a different chelation mode was competing with the supposed P,N-chelation mode. An X-ray crystal structure of a chelated palladium complex [Pd(3c)(eta(3)-PhCHCHCHPh)]PF(6) was obtained, which showed a P, O-chelation mode in which a carboxamide oxygen acted as the O-ligand. This is the first example of the enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation in which a P,O-chelated complex of a carboxamide group participated as the ligand group.