Dependence of the Reactivities of Titanium Enolates on How They Are Generated: Diastereoselective Coupling of Phenylacetic Acid Esters Using Titanium Tetrachloride

Oxidative coupling of phenylacetic acid esters was easily achieved by treating the esters with TiCl(4) and then adding Et(3)N to the resulting solution. The products consisted of dl- and meso-2,3-diphenylsuccinic acid esters with the Claisen condensation product, and the ratio of these products depended on the reaction conditions. Reaction conditions suitable for high dl selectivity were determined, and a dimer of titanium enolate was postulated as an intermediate responsible for the high dl selectivity. The selectivities were compared with those in known oxidative couplings in which titanium enolate intermediates are prepared through lithium enolates and silyl enol ethers. The results suggest that the reactivities of titanium enolates intermediates depend on how they are generated.     

Radical trifluoromethylation of titanium ate enolate

The radical trifluoromethylation of ketone titanium ate enolates gave alpha-CF3 ketones in good yields. The use of excess amount of LDA and Ti(OiPr)4 in the preparation of titanium ate enolates is the key to the efficient radical trifluoromethylation. [reaction: see text]     

Addition of titanium ester enolates to aldimines containing a chiral α-methylbenzylamine moiety: synthesis of chiral syn-β-amino esters

Addition of titanium ester enolates to N-arylidene derivatives containing a (R)-α-methylbenzylamine moiety afforded (2S,3S,αR)-β-amino esters in 73–93% yields with 86:14 to 96:4 diastereomeric ratios.     

Titanium(IV) chloride-mediated ring cleavage and Michael addition of 3,3-dialkylcyclobutanones and 3-[(trimethylsilyl)methyl]-cyclobutanones

β'-Chloro and β',γ'-unsaturated trichlorotitanium enolates, which were formed in situ by titanium(IV) chloride-mediated ring cleavage of 3,3-dialkylcyclobutanones and 3-[(trimethylsilyl)methyl]cyclobutanones, reacted with enones to give Michael adducts with keeping a labile β'-chloro or β',γ'-unsaturated group.     

Titanium(IV)-mediated synthesis of 2,3-diisothiocyanato-succinic acid diesters and 3,6-dithioxo-piperazine derivatives

Oxidative homocoupling of titanium(IV) enolates of 2-isothiocyanato-carboxylic esters resulted in the synthesis of 2,3-diisothiocyanato-succinic acid diesters. The reactions were carried out using DIPEA/TiCl₄ oxidizing system and led to chiral dimers (instead of meso) as main products. Titanium(IV) enolates derived from hindered 2-isothiocyanato-carboxylates did not undergo the oxidative homocoupling but gave 3,6-dithioxo-piperazines.     

Stereoselective Aminoxylation of Biradical Titanium Enolates with TEMPO

A highly efficient and straightforward aminoxylation of titanium(IV) enolates from (S)‐N‐acyl‐4‐benzyl‐5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐ones with TEMPO has been developed. A wide array of functional groups on the acyl moiety, including alkyl and aryl substituents, olefins, esters, or α‐cyclopropyl, as well as α‐trifluoromethyl groups, are well tolerated. This transformation can therefore produce the α‐aminoxylated adducts in excellent yields with high diastereomeric ratios (d.r.). In turn, parallel additions to the α,β‐unsaturated N‐acyl counterparts give the corresponding γ‐adducts with complete regioselectivity in moderate to good yields. Removal of the piperidinyl moiety or the chiral auxiliary converts the resultant adducts into enantiomerically pure α‐hydroxy carboxyl derivatives, alcohols, or esters in high yields under mild conditions. Finally, a new mechanistic model based on the biradical character of the titanium(IV) enolates has been proposed.     

An efficient and mild bismuth triflate-catalysed three-component Mannich-type reaction

In the presence of a catalytic amount of Bi(OTf)(3).4H(2)O, aldehydes together with amines react with silyl enolates to afford the corresponding Mannich-type adducts smoothly. A wide variety of silyl enolates derived from ketones, as well as esters and thioesters, react rapidly to afford the beta-amino ketones or the beta-amino esters in high yields (up to 94%).     

Aldol addition of lithium and boron enolates of 1,3-dioxan-5-ones to aldehydes. A new entry into monosaccharide derivatives

Methods allowing control of stereoselectivity in aldol reactions of enolates derived from 1,3-dioxan-5-ones (4) are described. Boron enolates, generated in situ, react with benzaldehyde to give the corresponding anti aldol selectively (the anti:syn ratio of up to 96:4) and in high yield. Lithium enolates give high anti selectivity only with aldehydes branched at the alpha-position. Enantioselective deprotonation of C(S) symmetrical dioxanones (e.g., 4b) can be accomplished efficiently, with enantiomeric excess of up to 90%, with chiral lithium amide bases of general structure PhCH(Me)N(Li)R (9, 10) if the R group is sufficiently bulky (e.g, R = adamantyl) or is fluorinated (e.g., R = CH2CF3). Dioxanone boron and lithium enolates react readily with glyceraldehyde derivatives (19), yielding protected ketohexoses (20 and 21).     

Palladium-catalyzed intermolecular alpha-arylation of zinc amide enolates under mild conditions

The intermolecular alpha-arylation and vinylation of amides by palladium-catalyzed coupling of aryl bromides and vinyl bromides with zinc enolates of amides is reported. Reactions of three different types of zinc enolates have been developed. The reactions of aryl halides occur in high yields with isolated Reformatsky reagents generated from alpha-bromo amides, with Reformatsky reagents generated in situ from alpha-bromo amides, and with zinc enolates generated by quenching lithium enolates of amides with zinc chloride. This use of zinc enolates, instead of alkali metal enolates, greatly expands the scope of amide arylation. The reactions occur at room temperature or 70 degrees C with bromoarenes containing cyano, nitro, ester, keto, fluoro, hydroxyl, or amino functionality and with bromopyridines. Moreover, the reaction has been developed with morpholine amides, the products of which are precursors to ketones and aldehydes. The arylation of zinc enolates of amides was conducted with catalysts bearing the hindered pentaphenylferrocenyl di-tert-butylphosphine (Q-phos) or the highly reactive, dimeric, Pd(I) complex [[P(t-Bu)3]PdBr]2.     

Ti-catalyzed reformatsky-type coupling between alpha-halo ketones and aldehydes

We describe the first Ti-catalyzed Reformatsky-type coupling between alpha-halo ketones and aldehydes. The reaction affords beta-hydroxy ketones under mild, neutral conditions compatible with ketones and other electrophiles. The catalytic cycle possibly proceeds via bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium enolates.     

Lithium hexamethyldisilazide-mediated enolizations: influence of triethylamine on E/Z selectivities and enolate reactivities

Lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) in triethylamine (Et 3N)/toluene is shown to enolize acyclic ketones and esters rapidly and with high E/ Z selectivity. Mechanistic studies reveal a dimer-based mechanism consistent with previous studies of LiHMDS/Et 3N. E/ Z equilibration occurs when <2.0 equiv of LiHMDS are used. Studies of the aldol condensation and Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of the resulting Et 3N-solvated enolates show higher and often complementary diastereoselectivities when compared with analogous reactions in THF. The Et 3N-solvated enolates also display a marked (20-fold) acceleration of the Ireland-Claisen rearrangement with evidence of autocatalysis. A possible importance of amine-solvated enolates is discussed.     

Asymmetric synthesis of pyrrolidinoindolines. Application for the practical total synthesis of (-)-phenserine

A versatile route to enantiopure 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles and 3a-substituted pyrrolidinoindolines is described in which diastereoselective dialkylation of enantiopure ditriflate 10 with oxindole enolates is the central step. These reactions are rare examples of alkylations of prostereogenic enolates with chiral sp(3) electrophiles that proceed with high facial selectivity (10-20:1). The scope of this method is explored, and a model to rationalize the sense of stereoselection is advanced. This dialkylation chemistry was used to synthesize (-)-phenserine on a multigram scale in six steps and 43% overall yield from 5-methoxy-1,3-dimethyloxindole (27) and to complete a short formal total synthesis of (-)-physostigmine (2).     

Synthesis of tetrahydrocannabinols based on an indirect 1,4-addition strategy

The synthetic procedure presented for the preparation of the title compounds requires 1,4-addition of bulky cuprates to cyclohexenones and subsequent reaction with electrophiles. However, the enolates generated by BF(3).OEt(2)-assistance suffer from lack of nucleophilicity. To circumvent this problem, we developed an indirect method consisting of the following three steps: (1) iodination of the cyclohexenones at the alpha position; (2) BF(3).OEt(2)-assisted 1,4-addition of cuprates (Ar(2)Cu(CN)Li(2), Ar = aryl) followed by quenching the enolates with water; (3) reaction of the alpha-iodo-beta-aryl-cylohexanones thus formed with EtMgBr to generate magnesium enolates. The enolates thus generated in this way showed a high reactivity toward ClP(O)(OEt)(2) to furnish enol phosphates. The aforementioned procedure was also applied to a synthesis of optically active Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. In addition, a naphthalene analogue of the latter compound was also synthesized in a similar way.     

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of trans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans

trans-2,5-Disubstituted tetrahydrofurans were obtained as major diastereomers (trans/cis ratio 90:10-100:0) when acetylated gamma-lactols derived from (S)-glutamic acid were treated with titanium enolates of N-acetyl (R)-oxazolidin-2-thiones. A simple transesterification allowed us to obtain the corresponding methyl esters and recover the chiral auxiliary.     

Stereoselective synthesis of functionalized trans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans

[reaction: see text] The addition of the titanium enolates of N-acetyl, N-propionyl, and N-bromoacetyl (R)-oxazolidin-2-ones to gamma-lactol 2, derived from (S)-glutamic acid, afforded trans- and cis-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans (trans/cis ratio: R = H, 2:1; R = Me, 8:1; R = Br, 10:1) after desilylation with aqueous HF/CH3CN. Chromatographic separation and LiBH4 reduction allowed the efficient preparation of the corresponding trans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran diols and the recovery of the chiral auxiliary.     

Cross-coupling reaction of alpha-chloroketones and organotin enolates catalyzed by zinc halides for synthesis of gamma-diketones

The reaction of tin enolates 1 with alpha-chloro- or bromoketones 2 gave gamma-diketones (1,4-diketones) 3 catalyzed by zinc halides. In contrast to the exclusive formation of 1,4-diketones 3 under catalytic conditions, uncatalyzed reaction of 1 with 2 gave aldol-type products 4 through carbonyl attack. NMR study indicates that the catalyzed reaction includes precondensation between tin enolates and alpha-haloketones providing an aldol-type species and their rearrangement of the oxoalkyl group with leaving halogen to produce 1,4-diketones. The catalyst, zinc halides, plays an important role in each step. The carbonyl attack for precondensation is accelerated by the catalyst as Lewis acid and the intermediate zincate promotes the rearrangement by releasing oxygen and bonding with halogen. Various types of tin enolates and alpha-chloro- and bromoketones were applied to the zinc-catalyzed cross-coupling. On the other hand, the allylic halides, which have no carbonyl moiety, were inert to the zinc-catalyzed coupling with tin enolates. The copper halides showed high catalytic activity for the coupling between tin enolates 1 and organic halides 7 to give gamma,delta-unsaturated ketones 8 and/or 9. The reaction with even chlorides proceeded effectively by the catalytic system.     

Metal enolates of alpha-CF3 ketones: theoretical guideline, direct generation, and synthetic use

The difficulty as well as the significance of the direct generation of metal enolates of alpha-CF(3) ketones cannot be easily understood by chemists unfamiliar with F. In sharp contrast to the sunny side of non-F, hydrocarbon chemistry, F chemistry has long been overshadowed. Metal enolates of carbonyl compounds are synthetically important in C-C bond-forming reactions. However, the metal enolates of fluorinated carbonyl compounds have been severely limited to alpha-F metal enolates. Alpha-CF(3) metal enolates have generally been recognized as unstable and difficult to prepare because of the facile beta-M-F elimination. However, we have developed a direct generation and synthetic application of alpha-CF(3) metal enolates. Therefore, the present results regarding the direct generation and synthetic use of metal enolates of alpha-CF(3) ketones might be recognized as a real breakthrough for the general use of metal enolates in F chemistry.     

Asymmetric aldol additions: use of titanium tetrachloride and (-)-sparteine for the soft enolization of N-acyl oxazolidinones, oxazolidinethiones, and thiazolidinethiones.

Asymmetric aldol additions using chlorotitanium enolates of N-acyloxazolidinone, oxazolidinethione, and thiazolidinethione propionates proceed with high diastereoselectivity for the Evans or non-Evans syn product depending on the nature and amount of the base used. With 1 equiv of titanium tetrachloride and 2 equiv of (-)-sparteine as the base or 1 equiv of (-)-sparteine and 1 equiv of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, selectivities of 97:3 to > 99:1 were obtained for the Evans syn aldol products using N-propionyl oxazolidinones, oxazolidinethiones, and thiazolidinethiones. The non-Evans syn aldol adducts are available with the oxazolidinethione and thiazolidinethiones by altering the Lewis acid/amine base ratios. The change in facial selectivity in the aldol additions is proposed to be a result of switching of mechanistic pathways between chelated and nonchelated transition states. The auxiliaries can be reductively removed or cleaved by nucleophilic acyl substitution. Iterative aldol sequences with high diastereoselectivity can also be accomplished.     

Mechanism of the double aldol reaction: the first spectroscopic characterization of a carbon-bound boron enolate derived from carboxylic esters

The novel doubly borylated enolate is identified as an intermediate of the double aldol reaction of acetate esters. As a precursor to the formation of the doubly borylated enolate, carbon-bound boron enolates of carboxylic esters are spectroscopically characterized for the first time. When 2,6-diisopropylphenyl acetate (10d) is treated with c-Hex(2)BOTf (1.3 equiv) and triethylamine (1.5 equiv) in CDCl(3), the corresponding mono-enolate is formed as a mixture of oxygen- (11d) and carbon-bound (12d) forms in 71% and 20% yields, respectively. The structures of these enolates have been unambiguously determined by NMR spectroscopy. Investigation of the enolization of a series of substituted aryl acetates shows that the steric factor of the acetate affects the degree of the mono-enolate (as a mixture of oxygen- and carbon-bound enolates) and the doubly borylated enolate formation. Studies also revealed that oxygen- and carbon-bound boron enolates exist as equilibrium mixtures and that a proton transfer process occurs between oxygen- and carbon-bound enolates. The doubly borylated enolate formation is general for a variety of carbonyl compounds. Besides acetate esters, carbonyl containing compounds, such as acetic acid, dimethylacetamide, methoxyacetone, and 3-acetyl-2-oxazolidinone, also produce the doubly borylated enolates when treated with c-Hex(2)BOTf (2.5 equiv) and triethylamine (3.0 equiv). A plausible pathway of the double aldol reaction involving a carbon-bound boron enolate as a key intermediate is proposed.     

Palladium-catalyzed alpha-arylation of esters and amides under more neutral conditions

Two procedures for the alpha-arylation of carbonyl compounds under conditions that are more neutral than those of reactions of aryl halides with alkali metal enolates are reported. The first procedure rests upon the development of catalysts bearing the hindered pentaphenylferrocenyl di-tert-butylphosphine (Q-phos) and the highly reactive dimeric Pd(I) complex {P(t-Bu)3]PdBr}2. By this procedure, zinc enolates prepared from alpha-bromo esters and amides react with aryl halides to form alpha-aryl esters and amides in high yields under mild conditions with 1-2 mol % catalyst and with remarkable functional group tolerance. By the second procedure, silyl ketene and silyl ketimine acetals react with aryl bromides in the presence of substoichiometric zinc fluoride, 1 mol % Pd(dba)2, and 2 mol % P(t-Bu)3 in DMF solvent at 80 degrees C. Reactions of zinc tert-butyl acetate and propionate enolates and trimethylsilyl ketene acetals of tert-butyl propionate and methyl isobutyrate with aryl bromides bearing electron-donating and potentially reactive, base-sensitive electron-withdrawing groups and with pyridyl bromides are reported. In addition, the diastereoselective coupling of phenyl bromide with an imide enolate bearing the Evans auxiliary is reported, and this study shows that racemization of base-sensitive stereocenters does not occur during the coupling process under these more neutral conditions.