Electrochemically driven stereoselective approach to syn-1,2-diol derivatives from vinylarenes and DMF

We have developed an electrochemically driven strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of protected syn-1,2-diols from vinylarenes with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The newly developed system obviates the need for transition metal catalysts or external oxidizing agents, thus providing an operationally simple and efficient route to an array of protected syn-1,2-diols in a single step. This reaction proceeds via an electrooxidation of olefin, followed by a nucleophilic attack of DMF. Subsequent oxidation and nucleophilic capture of the generated carbocation with a trifluoroacetate ion is proposed, which gives rise predominantly to a syn-diastereoselectivity upon the second nucleophilic attack of DMF.

An electrochemical method that provides an operationally simple synthesis of masked syn-1,2-diols from styrenes and DMF has reported. The TFA ion is engaged in the formation of a key intermediate, which gives rise predominantly to syn-selectivity.     

Kinetic resolution of vic-diols by Bacillus stearothermophilus diacetyl reductase

The kinetic resolution of several racemic syn- and anti-1,2-diols by enzymatic oxidation with Bacillus stearothermophilus diacetyl reductase is described. The enantiomerically pure (R,R)- and (R,S)-diols are recovered in almost quantitative yield.     

Stereoselective reduction of β hydroxyketones to 1,3-diols highly selective 1,3-asymmetric induction via boron chelates

Highly selective asymmetric induction can be achieved in the reduction of acyclic β-hydroxyketones via boron chelates. Treatment of β-hydroxyketones (1) with tributyl or tri-isobutylborane and successively with sodium borohydride afforded syn-1,3-diols (3) in highly stereo-selective manner, Syn -α-substituted-β -hydroxyketones (8) were also reduced to give syn, syn-1,3-diols (9) exclusively. The reaction was further applied to the convenient preparation of 3-deoxy-hexoses.     

Serendipitous synthesis of 3-hydroxy tetrahydrofurans from tin catalyzed sulfonylation of acyclic 1,2,4-triols

The reaction of syn-1,2,4-triols under sulfonylation conditions catalyzed by Bu₂SnO (5 mol %) results in cyclization and the formation of 3-hydroxy tetrahydrofurans (56-85%) while the anti-1,2,4-triols react to give C1-O-sulfonyl derivatives in good yields (66-83%) and the cyclization product in poor yield (5-12%). A mechanism that justifies these observations is proposed to occur via the tosylation of the primary hydroxyl followed by an intramolecular tin acetal rearrangement to a 1,3-stannylene which then undergoes a 5-exo-tet-cyclization. The difference in rates of cyclization reactivity is due to the energetically more stable tin acetals of syn-1,3-diols compared to those of anti-1,3-diols.     

A two-step synthesis of allylic syn 1,3-diols via an intramolecular oxa-Michael reaction followed by a modified Julia olefination

A two-step process for the synthesis of allylic syn 1,3-diols is developed. An intramolecular oxa-Michael reaction onto vinyl heteroaromatic sulfones allows the diastereoselective formation of 1-sulfonyl 2,4-diols protected as benzylidene acetals. These sulfones are then engaged in a modified Julia olefination to furnish the olefins contiguous to the benzylidene acetal ring with good E/Z selectivity.     

Asymmetric oxidation of 1,2-diols using N-bromosuccinimide in the presence of chiral copper catalyst

Asymmetric oxidation of 1,2-diols using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in the presence of copper(II) triflate and (R,R)-Ph-BOX has been exploited. This oxidation was applicable to asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-hydrobenzoin and kinetic resolution of dl-hydrobenzoin and racemic-cycloalkane-cis-1,2-diols to afford optically active α-ketoalcohols with good to high enantiomeric excess.     

Directed,nickel-catalyzed 1,2-alkylsulfenylation of alkenyl carbonyl compounds

We report a regioselective, nickel-catalyzed syn-1,2-carbosulfenylation of non-conjugated alkenyl carbonyl compounds with alkyl/arylzinc nucleophiles and tailored N–S electrophiles. This method allows the simultaneous installation of a variety of C(sp³) and S(Ar) (or Se(Ar)) groups onto unactivated alkenes, which complements previously developed 1,2-carbosulfenylation methodology in which only C(sp²) nucleophiles are compatible. A bidentate directing auxiliary controls regioselectivity, promotes high syn-stereoselectivity with a variety of E- and Z-internal alkenes, and enables the use of an array of electrophilic sulfenyl (and seleno) electrophiles. Among compatible electrophiles, those with N-alkyl-benzamide leaving groups were found to be especially effective, as determined through comprehensive structure–reactivity mapping.

Electrophilic sulfenylating agents enable the three-component nickel-catalyzed 1,2-alkylsulfenylation of alkenyl carbonyl compounds with high regio- and diastereoselectivity.     

Chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as organocatalyst for enantioselective aldol reaction

A simple and commercially available chiral 1,2-diaminocyclohexane as catalyst, hexanedioic acid as co-catalyst could efficiently catalyze the asymmetric aldol reaction in MeOH-H₂O. Cyclic ketones as aldol substrates gave the anti-β-hydroxyketone products with moderate to good yields, diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity (up to 78% yield, >20:1 anti/syn, 94% ee). Hydroxyacetone as aldol substrate afforded the syn-α, β-dihydroxyketones as major products in up to 85% yield with good enantioselectivity (up to >20:1 syn/anti, 93% ee).     

Asymmetric electrochemical oxidation of 1,2-diols, aminoalcohols, and aminoaldehydes in the presence of chiral copper catalyst

Asymmetric oxidation of 1,2-diols, aminoalcohols, and aminoaldehydes in the presence of copper(II) triflate and (R,R)-Ph-BOX was accomplished by electrochemical method using Br⁻ as a mediator. This oxidation was applicable to kinetic resolution of racemic cis-cycloalkane-1,2-diols, aminoalcohols, and aminoaldehydes to afford optically active compounds with good to high enantioselectivity.     

Development of a Double Allylboration Reagent Targeting 1,5-syn-(E)-Diols: Application to the Synthesis of the C(23)-C(40) Fragment of Tetrafibricin

Interest in the synthesis of the C(23)-C(40) fragment 2 of tetrafibricin prompted us to develop a new method for the synthesis of 1,5-syn-(E)-diols. Toward this end, the kinetically controlled hydroboration of allenes 6, 33, ent-39, 42, and 45 with the Soderquist borane 25R were studied. Tetrabutylammonium allenyltrifluoroborate 45 gave superior results and was utilized in a double allylboration sequence with two different aldehydes to provide the targeted 1,5-syn-(E)-diols in generally high yields (72-98%), and with high enantioselectivity (>95% ee), diastereoselectivity (dr >20:1), and (E)/(Z) selectivity (>20:1). This new method was applied to the synthesis of the C(23)-C(40) fragment 2 of tetrafibricin.     

Chemoenzymatic access to all four enantiopure stereoisomers of 1-ferrocenyl-1,3-butanediol

The kinetic resolution of ferrocenyl aldol 2 was achieved by a lipase-catalyzed esterification in organic solvent. Lipase from Candida antarctica was also found effective in promoting the enantioselective alcoholysis of acetate (±)-3 with n-BuOH. Both enantiomers of 2 were obtained in enantiopure form and subjected to chemical reduction to afford the corresponding syn- and anti-diols. These diols serve as starting materials for the preparation of new ferrocenyl amino alcohols bearing two stereocenters in the side chain.     

Assignment of the relative and absolute configurations of acyclic secondary 1,2-diols

The NMR profiles (¹³C-δ, ¹H-δ, ¹H(OH)-δ, and ³J_H,H) of syn- and anti-diols—3a,b in achiral solvents were found to be very similar to each other. Contrarily, their Δδ (Δδ=δ_(R,R)-2−δ_(S,S)-2) behaviors in chiral bidentate NMR solvent (R,R)- and (S,S)-BMBA-p-Me (2) were found to be significantly different. On the basis of this NMR characteristic, a method has been developed to predict both the relative and absolute configurations of acyclic secondary 1,2-diols.     

Organocatalyzed direct aldol condensation using l-proline and BINAM-prolinamides: regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselective controlled synthesis of 1,2-diols

Recoverable BINAM-prolinamide derivatives, as well as l-proline, give results complementary to antibodies when used as organocatalysts for aldol reactions between aldehydes and α-alkoxyacetones driving regioselectively to anti/syn-1,2-diols. The formation of the iso-regioisomer is suppressed using α-hydroxyacetone in DMSO at rt, achieving the corresponding anti-1,2-diol with ee’s up to 85%. For α-alkoxyacetones (methoxy, benzyloxy, and tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy), the highest regio- and diastereoselectivity is achieved using α-methoxyacetone in DMF at 0 °C; the enantiomeric excess for the anti-1,2-isomer being up to 98%.     

Synthesis of 1,2-phenylenedimethanols by base-promoted reduction of isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones with silane

An efficient method for preparation of substituted 1,2-phenylenedimethanols and aliphatic 1,4-diols that are valuable intermediates in organic synthesis, has been developed by the base-promoted reduction of isobenzofuran-1(3H)-ones and γ-lactones with silane under mild conditions. Compared with traditional procedures using stoichiometric amounts of metal hydrides and alkyl reductants, the present method avoids the use of sensitive reagents and is operationally simple, and a broad variety of functional groups are tolerated.     

Regio- and stereoselective ring opening of epoxy alcohols with organoaluminium compounds leading to 1,2-diols

Introduction of alkyl, alkynyl group, or hydride occurs regioselectively at the 3 position of the epoxy alcohols with inversion of the configuration upon treatment with organoaluminium reagents to produce vic-diols.     

Nucleophilic difluoromethylenation of aldehydes and ketones using diethyl difluoro(trimethylsilyl)methylphosphonate

A new nucleophilic difluoromethylenation of aldehydes and ketones using diethyl difluoro(trimethylsilyl)methylphosphonate (1) has been achieved. The reactive carbanion species were generated under mild reaction conditions with a catalytic amount of initiator. This methodology was compatible with non-enolizable and in some cases with enolizable aldehydes and ketones and provided a straightforward access to phosphates of syn and anti 2,2-difluoro-1,3-diols.     

Enantioselective microbial hydrolysis of dissymmetrical cyclic carbonates with disubstitution

Enantioselective microbial hydrolysis of C₁ and C₂ dissymmetrical cyclic carbonates with disubstitution (methyl and another groups) has been developed. Pseudomonas diminuta (FU0090), a bacterium, efficiently catalyzes the hydrolysis of five-membered cyclic carbonates. While the trans-substrates are hydrolyzed with low enantioselectivities and/or reactivities, the microbe hydrolyzes the cis-substrates with very high enantioselectivities to afford the corresponding almost optically pure anti-(2R,3S)-diols. On the other hand, six-membered trans-cyclic carbonates are enantioselectively hydrolyzed to afford the corresponding optically active syn-(2R,4R)-diols, although the hydrolysis of the cis-substrates gives racemic compounds. In all cases, the enzyme prefers the (R)-enantiomer for the carbon atom bearing a methyl group.     

A simple entry into 1,3-diols from (R)-2,3-cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde: synthesis of (−)-galantinic acid

Aldehydes 5, 7, and 9 derived from easily accessible (R)-2,3-cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde 1 were used as novel substrates to obtain both syn- and anti-1,3-diols in several individual reactions by subjecting each of them to some practically viable metal-mediated Barbier-type allylations under moist conditions. In this regard, a detailed investigation was made regarding the compatibility and stereoselectivity associated with four such metal-mediated allylations of these aldehydes 5–7. Good yields with moderate selectivity in several successful reactions with easy chromatographic separation of diastereoisomers of the products have been elegantly exploited to isolate two pairs of enantiomerically pure syn-1,3 and anti-1,3-diols (6a and 6b; 10a and 10b) in substantial amounts. Finally, 10b has been exploited to synthesize (?)-galantinic acid A.     

Synthesis of chiral 1-ferrocenylaldols and 1-ferrocenyl-1,3-diols via asymmetric reductions

The asymmetric transfer hydrogenation promoted by the (R,R)-(Ts-DPEN)–Ru complex of some 1-ferrocenyl-1,3-diketones was investigated and in all the cases only the carbonyl group distant to the metallocene moiety was reduced with variable selectivity depending on the C-3 substituent. The CBS-catalyzed reduction of 1-ferrocenyl-β-hydroxy-1-ketones, previously protected as acetates, was also found effective, giving both the corresponding syn- and anti-1,3-diols in satisfactory enantiomeric purity.     

A selective resin for trans-diequatorial-1,2-diols

A selective resin for linking trans-diequatorial-1,2-diols to solid support is described. This linking was carried out under mild and aprotic conditions involving the use of trimethylsilyl methyl ether in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate. Cleavage from the resin was also carried out under mild conditions by treatment with dichloromethane/trifluoroacetic acid/water (21:20:1). The usefulness of the described cyclohexane-1,2-diketone resin 7 in quinic acid chemistry was also studied.