Cyclopropanation of enantiopure metal alkenyl carbenes with 2-methoxyfuran: a practical route to carboxycyclopropylglycine precursors

We have examined the reactivity of enantiopure alkenyl Fischer carbene complexes 1, readily available from the chiral pool, with 2-methoxyfuran 4. In this reaction, polyfunctionalised cyclopropylcarbenes 5 are obtained under very mild conditions and with high selectivity, the major stereoisomer being isolated in an enantiopure form. The reaction involves the conjugate nucleophilic addition of 2-methoxyfuran 4 to the carbene complexes 1 followed by ring closure of the resulting zwitterionic intermediate species. The oxidation of the carbene 5 a results in the formation of the enantiopure cyclopropane diester 6. Further elaboration of the cyclopropane 6 allows for an efficient enantioselective access to alcohols or diols 7-9 as well as to cyclopropanecarbaldehydes 10-12. The protocol described herein provides a very simple entry to interesting enantiopure precursors of carboxycyclopropylglycine derivatives from readily available starting materials. In order to test this potential as carboxycyclopropylglycine precursors, the aminocyanation of the cyclopropanecarbaldehyde 10 was undertaken and the alpha-aminocyano derivative 13 was isolated as a single diastereosiomer.     

Stereodivergent Quaternization of 2‐Alkyl‐2‐p‐tolylsulfinylacetonitriles: NMR Spectroscopic Evidence of Planar and Pyramidal Benzylic Carbanions

Enantiomerically enriched α,α‐disubstituted phenylacetonitriles have been readily prepared by stereoselective quaternization of 2‐alkyl‐2‐[2‐(p‐tolylsulfinyl)phenyl]acetonitriles with different alkylating electrophiles in the presence of bases. The use of potassium hexamethyldisilazane (KHMDS)/[18]crown‐6 ether and NHMDS with alkyl halides afforded S,S_S and R,S_S diastereoisomers, respectively, in high enantiomeric purities, thus providing stereodivergent processes for synthesizing both isomers. The dependence of the stereochemical course of the reactions on the experimental conditions (mainly on the counterion) has been rationalized by assuming a planar or pyramidal structure for the benzylic carbanions. This hypothesis has been supported by NMR spectroscopic studies, which permit one to assign a chelated pyramidal structure to the sodium benzylic carbanions and an almost planar naked carbanionic structure to the potassium benzylic carbanions generated in the presence of [18]crown‐6 ether.     

Neighboring lithium-assisted [1,2]-Wittig rearrangement: practical access to diarylmethanol-based 1,4-diols and optically active BINOL derivatives with axial and sp3-central chirality

A facile and practical methodology for the synthesis of synthetically useful diarylmethanol‐based 1,4‐diols and enantiomerically pure BINOL‐derived diols with axial and sp³‐central chirality has been developed through neighboring lithium‐promoted [1,2]‐Wittig rearrangement. The chirality transfer process shows a broad substrate scope in terms of the aromatic ether substituent, which allows access to a broad of range of chiral 1,1′‐binaphthalene‐2‐α‐arylmethanol‐2′‐ols with excellent enantioselectivities (>99 % enantiomeric excess) and yields (84–96 %). This should be considered as an available and attractive chiral source to design and prepare privileged ligands or catalysts.     

A simple and efficient approach to 1,3-polyols: application to the synthesis of cryptocarya diacetate

A highly enantio- and stereoselective synthetic strategy for both syn- and anti-1,3-polyols has been developed. The sequence involves iterative Jacobsen's hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR), diastereoselective iodine-induced electrophilic cyclization, and ring-closing metathesis (RCM). This protocol has subsequently been utilized for the synthesis of cryptocarya diacetate, a natural product with broad range of biological activity.     

Influence of HMPA on the stereochemical outcome of the addition of a racemic allenylzinc onto enantiopure N-tert-butanesulfinimines: stereoselective access to enantiopure cis-ethynylaziridines

In the presence of 60 equivalents of HMPA, the condensation of the racemic allenylzinc derived from 1-chloro-3-trimethylsilylpropyne onto enantiopure non-alpha-branched N-tert-butanesulfinimines was proven to give access to the corresponding cis-ethynylaziridines as the major products. The good cis selectivity observed presumably resulted from a high kinetic resolution with the allenylzinc being partially configurationally labile with respect to the time scale defined by the rate of the reaction. Both single crystal X-ray analysis and semiempirical calculations conducted at the MM2 and AM1 levels of theory proved that the reaction certainly occurred through a preferred synclinal transition state in a supra- or antarafacial S(E)2' process. In all cases, chromatographic purification over silica gel allowed the cis-ethynyl-N-tert-butanesulfinylaziridines to be obtained as diastereo- and enantiomerically pure compounds (dr >98:2 and ee >99%).     

A simple and practical access to enantiopure 2,3-diamino acid derivatives

Enantiomerically pure (4R,5R)- and (4S,5S)-2-imidazolines 5 were conveniently obtained on a gram scale. These can be converted into enantiopure (2R,3R)-2,3-diamino ester 6 or 2,3-diamino alcohol 7 by hydrolysis or reduction.     

Recent developments in the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha- and beta-amino acids

The stereoselective synthesis of amino acids is of great importance for the construction of optically active natural products and pharmaceuticals. Apart from enzymes, a broad repertoire of chiral reagents, auxiliaries, and catalysts can be used for the formation of amino acids. Asymmetric reactions using catalytic amounts of chiral molecules provide efficient methods for the generation of optically active proteinogenic and nonproteinogenic amino acids. This minireview collects recent work on catalytic asymmetric synthesis of alpha- and beta-amino acids.     

A simple and easy access to 3-N-alkyl-5-vinyloxazolidinones mediated by palladium-phosphine catalysts

A new entry for the synthesis of 3-alkyl substituted 5-vinyloxazolidin-2-one derivatives 2 from cis-2-butenylene-1,4-dicarbonate 1 and primary amines mediated by palladium-phosphine catalysts is described. The scope and limitation, a plausible mechanism, and an asymmetric version of the reaction are also discussed.     

Diastereoselective conjugate addition to chiral alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl systems in aqueous media: an enantioselective entry to alpha- and gamma-hydroxy acids and alpha-amino acids

The stereoselectivity of the ultrasonically induced zinc--copper conjugate addition of iodides to chiral alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl systems under aqueous conditions was studied. Alkyl iodides add diastereoselectively to methylenedioxolanone 1 and methyleneoxazolidinone 2 to afford the 1,4-addition products in good yields (38-95 %) and with high diastereomeric excess (44-90 % de). The 1,4-addition to chiral gamma,delta-dioxolanyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters 3-5 also proceeds with good yields (51-99 %). The diastereoselectivity is dependent on the geometry of the olefin: the Z isomer 3 gives high diastereoselectivity, while the reactions with the E isomer 4 are nonstereoselective. The reaction proceeds with excellent chemoselectivity and allows the use of iodides bearing ester, hydroxy, and amino groups. Since the 1,4-addition products can be readily hydrolyzed, this methodology constitutes a novel entry for the enantioselective synthesis of alpha- and gamma-hydroxy acids and alpha-amino acids in aqueous media. The results obtained support the radical mechanism proposed by Luche, and represent one of the few examples of a radical stereoselective conjugate addition in aqueous medium.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of three-, five-, six-, and seven-membered rings from Fischer carbene complexes and 4-unsubstituted 1-amino-1,3-dienes

Fischer carbene complexes react with 4-unsubstituted 1-amino-1,3-dienes to give different carbocyclization products depending on the nature of the carbene complex and on the substitution pattern of the aminodiene. Thus, the reaction of arylcarbene chromium complexes and 1-aminodienes diastereoselectively affords cyclopropane derivatives by means of a formal [2+1] carbocyclization reaction. In particular, pentacarbonyl[(2-furyl)(methoxy)methylene]chromium complex furnishes formal [4+1] carbocyclization products. Starting from beta-substituted alkenylcarbene complexes, formal [4+1] reactions occur and cyclopentenamine derivatives are diastereoselectively formed. However, when the alpha,beta-disubstituted alkenylcarbene complex pentacarbonyl[(5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)(methoxy)methylene]tungsten is used, the outcome of the reaction depends on the substitution on the carbon atom at the 3-position of the aminodiene, generating the [3+2] or [4+3]-cyclization products if the substituent is or is not a hydrogen atom, respectively. Finally, when the reaction is performed with alkynylcarbene complexes, benzaldehyde derivatives are obtained if the triple-bond substituent is a phenyl group or indene derivatives if the group is an alkenyl moiety.