(R)- and (S)-3-Hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrrolidinone as chiral auxiliaries in Diels–Alder reactions

A study of the Diels–Alder reactions of the esters derived from acrylic, methacrylic, trans-crotonic and trans-cinnamic acid and the chiral auxiliaries (R)- and/or (S)-3-hydroxy-4,4-dimethyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrrolidinone (4, 17, 25 and 26, respectively) with different dienes [cyclopentadiene 5, isoprene 8, 11,12-dimethylene-9,10-dihydro-9,10-ethanoanthracene 9 and anthracene 10], catalyzed by titanium tetrachloride, is described. Cyclopentadiene gave adducts with esters (R)- or (S)-4 and (R)-25 with high endo- and facial-diastereoselectivities. Diene 5 reacted with (±)-17 without endo-diastereoselectivity and failed to give a cycloadduct with (±)-26. Isoprene reacted only with ester (S)-4 with high facial-diastereoselectivity. The reaction of 9 with (R)-4 failed, because the diene was not stable under the acid reaction conditions. Adducts derived from 10 and esters (S)-4 and (R)-17 could be obtained with high facial-diastereoselectivity. LiOH-hydrolysis of the adducts derived from esters (R)- or (S)-4 and (R)-25 gave the corresponding enantiopure acids, the chiral auxiliaries being completely recovered unchanged. However, hydrolysis of the adduct derived from 10 and (R)-17, required more drastic basic conditions which partially epimerized the chiral auxiliary. X-Ray diffraction analysis of the adducts derived from 10 and esters (S)-4 and (R)-17, let us establish their relative configurations and, taking into account the absolute configuration of the starting chiral auxiliary, their absolute configurations.     

Synthesis and application of C2-symmetric diamino FERRIPHOS as ligands for enantioselective Rh-catalyzed preparation of chiral α-amino acids

C₂-Symmetrical ferrocenyl diamino diphosphines (diamino FERRIPHOS ligands) proved to be excellent ligands for the rhodium-catalyzed enantioselective reduction of methyl α-acetamidoacrylates. The straightforward synthesis, their air stability and the easy modification of their structure makes these ligands especially interesting for transition metal-catalyzed hydrogenations. α-Amino acids with enantioselectivities greater than 95% (and up to 99.3% ee) were obtained with no need of further recrystallization.     

Camphor-based oxazaphospholanes as chiral templates for the enantioselective synthesis of α-chlorophosphonic acids

Constrained camphor-derived oxazaphospholanes have provided an efficient entry for the preparation of enantiomerically enriched α-chlorophosphonic acids.     

Halo-substituted (S)-N-(2-benzoylphenyl)-1-benzylpyrolidine-2-carboxamides as new chiral auxiliaries for the asymmetric synthesis of (S)-α-amino acids

The synthesis of new chiral auxiliaries (S)-N-(2-benzoylphenyl)-1-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-pyrrolidine-2-carboxamide (1a), (S)-N-(2-benzoylphenyl)-1-(pentafluorobenzyl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxamide (1b), and (S)-N-(2-benzoylphenyl)-1-(4-isopropoxytetrafluorobenzyl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxamide (1c) and their application in the asymmetric synthesis of amino acids using Ni^II complexes of their Schiff"s bases with alanine and glycine are described. Compound 1a is particularly appropriate for highly stereoselective synthesis of -methyl--amino acids with high enatiomeric purity (ee >95%).     

Enantioselective preparation of (2R,3R)-(+)- and (2S,3S)-(−)-2,3-epoxy-2-methylbutanoic acids and some derivatives

(2R,3R)-(+)- and (2S,3S)-(−)-2,3-epoxy-2-methylbutanoic acids (epoxyangelic acids) were prepared from (Z)-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid using the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation method in combination with the use of (−)- and (+)-menthol as chiral auxiliaries. Both substances, obtained in high enantiomeric excess, were characterized by spectroscopic and optical activity data. Their absolute configuration was determined by correlation with (R)-(+)-2-methyl-1,2-butanediol.     

Stereoselective alkylation of C2-symmetric chiral N-phthaloylglycinamides in the preparation of enantiopure α-amino acids

The novel, chiral glycinamides (S,S)-3 and (S,S)-4 were prepared in good yields from C₂-symmetric chiral amines (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2, respectively. Enolate formation and addition to methyl iodide and benzyl bromide proceeded in good yield and high diastereoselectivity, especially in the presence of LiCl or DMPU. Removal of the phthaloyl protecting group with hydrazine, followed by hydrolysis with 6N HCl, converted the benzylated product (S,S,S)-7 to enantiopure (S)-phenylalanine.     

Structurally simple chiral thioureas as chiral solvating agents in the enantiodiscrimination of α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids

C₂-Symmetrical chiral thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 were prepared in good yield by the reaction of 2 equiv of inexpensive (S)-1-phenylethylamine, or the corresponding naphthyl analog, with 1 equiv of thiophosgene in the presence of excess triethylamine. The presence of asymmetric elements in (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2, and their capacity to act as receptors for anionic species via hydrogen bonding were exploited in the development of ¹H NMR spectroscopic enantiodiscrimination of chiral carboxylic acids. In particular, the diastereomeric complexes derived from thioureas (S,S)-1 and (S,S)-2 with ammonium salts of the chiral acids gave rise to well separated signals of the α-hydrogens and simple integration provides the corresponding enantiomeric ratios. Furthermore, it was observed that C_α-H in the (R) enantiomers of the chiral α-hydroxy and α-amino carboxylic acids studied in this work consistently appears downfield relative to the same signals in the (S) enantiomers.     

First synthesis of (−)-(1R,4R)- and (+)-(1S,4S)-(7,7-dimethyl-2-methylene-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-1-yl)-methanol: new fenchone-derived chiral auxiliaries

The treatment of (+)- or (−)-fenchones epoxides with 1:2 85% H₃PO₄:DMSO for 30 min at 20°C induced an enantiospecific Wagner–Meerwein rearrangement affording new C(10)-O-substituted camphor derivatives which could prove useful as chiral auxiliaries.     

2,5,6,7,8-Pentasubstituted (S)- and (R)-[2-chroman-2-yl]ethanols as intermediates for the synthesis of α-tocopherol and its chiral analogs

In the presence of lipase from the yeast Candida cylindracea, partial acetylation of (±)-2-[6-benzyloxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-yl]ethanol with vinyl acetate gives S-(+)-acetate whose alkaline hydrolysis affords (S)-(–)-alcohol. Repeated enzymatic acetylation of the residual alcohol up to 39% conversion afforded the R-enantiomer. The enantiomeric alcohols were oxidized to (S)- or (R)-aldehydes having the same sign of []_D as the original alcohols. These alcohols were converted into S-(+)- and R-(–)-enantiomers of the antioxidant MDL-73404, a hydrophilic analog of -tocopherol.     

Diphenylparabanic acid as a synthon for the synthesis of α-diketones and α-ketocarboxylic acids

Diphenylparabanic acid was found to react with >2 equiv of organolithiums at -78 °C to effectively give the corresponding symmetrical α-diketones. However, upon treatment with 1 equiv of organolithium, the parabanic acid gave mainly 5-substituted 5-hydroxyimidazolidine-2,4-diones. On the other hand, Grignard reagents were less reactive toward the parabanic acid at low temperature, and selectively gave the corresponding 5-hydroxyimidazolidine-2,4-diones even if more than 1 equiv of the reagents was used. A tandem process in which the parabanic acid was first reacted with a Grignard reagent and then reacted in one-pot with an organolithium effectively gave the unsymmetrical α-diketone. 5-Substituted 5-hydroxyimidazolidine-2,4-diones were useful as versatile precursors for preparing α-ketocarboxylic acids as well as unsymmetrical α-diketones.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of Fmoc-protected (2S,3S)-2-hydroxy-3-amino acids and their application in the synthesis of an α-hydroxylated β-hexapeptide

A chemoenzymatic and stereoselective synthesis of Fmoc-protected (2S,3S)-2-hydroxy-3-amino acids from 2-furaldehyde is described as well as their application, without prior hydroxyl protection, in the solid-phase synthesis of a novel completely α-hydroxylated β-hexapeptide.     

Deracemisation of α-amino acids—(R)- and (S)-phenylalanine from the same enantiomer of a homochiral auxiliary

Chiral auxiliary (3S)-N,N′-bis-(p-methoxybenzyl)-3-isopropylpiperazine-2,5-dione 1 was employed for the synthesis of both enantiomers of phenylalanine using a regioselective deprotonation/stereoselective reprotonation strategy. Modification of this approach enables the efficient deracemisation of (±)-phenylalanine.     

The preparation and alkylation of a butanedione-derived chiral glycine equivalent and its use for the synthesis of α-amino acids and α,α-disubstituted amino acids

A benzyloxycarbonyl protected glycine equivalent 2 has been prepared in enantiopure form and has been used in the synthesis of both α-substituted amino acids and α,α-disubstituted amino acids. The process involved deprotonation to form the corresponding enolates which underwent stereoselective alkylation with various electrophiles and upon hydrolysis gave the corresponding amino acid derivatives as enantiomerically pure products.     

Dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic N-phthalyl amino acids using (S)-α-methylpantolactone as the chiral auxiliary

A dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic N-phthalyl amino acids by stereoselective esterification was examined using (S)-α-methylpantolactone as the chiral auxiliary. The reaction of various racemic N-phthalyl amino acids with this chiral alcohol in the presence of both DCC and DMAP afforded predominantly the (S,S)-esters in nearly quantitative yield.     

Diastereoselective nucleophilic addition to chiral open-chain α-ketoacetals: Synthesis of (R)- and (S)-mevalolactone

Highly stereoselective addition of Grignard reagents to chiral open-chain α,-ketoacetals ($\text{3a}$,$\text{3b}$) has been attained. Application of the reaction to syntheses of the key intermediates ($\text{6}$,$\text{8}$) for (R)- and (S)-mevalolactone is also described.     

Asymmetric azo-ene reactions using the chiral azo-enophile di-(−)-(1R,2S)-2-phenyl-1-cyclohexyl diazenedicarboxylate

The preparation of di-(−)-(1R,2S)-2-phenyl-1-cyclohexyl diazenedicarboxylate 4 is described. Reaction of (1R,2S)-2-phenyl-1-cyclohexanol 1 with excess phosgene in the presence of quinoline afforded chloroformate 2 which was treated directly with hydrazine monohydrate (0.5 equiv.) to afford di-(−)-(1R,2S)-2-phenyl-1-cyclohexyl diazanedicarboxylate 3. Oxidization of 3 to the azo-enophile 4 was then readily effected in high yield using N-bromosuccinimide and pyridine. The azo-ene reactions of 4 with the alkenes cyclohexene 5, cyclopentene 6, trans-3-hexene 7 and trans-4-octene 8 were carried out using the Lewis acid tin(IV) chloride. Use of cyclohexene 5 afforded the ene adduct 9 in 80% yield with a diastereomeric excess of >97:3 whilst the use of cyclopentene 6, trans-3-hexene 7 and trans-4-octene 8 afforded the ene adducts 10 (77%), 11 (71%) and 12 (92%) with a diastereomeric excess of 86:14 in each case. Use of the conjugated aromatic acyclic alkene 13 afforded the product of an ionic addition, namely, chloride 14 in 57% yield. Cleavage of the N–N bond of the ene adduct 9 was effected using lithium in liquid ammonia affording the carbamate 16 in moderate yield.