Conformational study of α-arylethylamides of (−)-camphanic acid

The absolute conformation and configuration of diastereomeric amides (4A,B–6A,B) of (1S,3R)-camphanic acid (lactone of 1-hydroxy-2,2,3-trimethylcyclopentan-1,3-dicarboxylic acid, (−)-camphanic acid 9) with α-arylethylamines 1–3 are deduced from ¹H NMR data and MM2 calculations. The α-arylethyl group in diastereomers A and B adopt nearly opposite absolute conformations, stabilized by hydrogen bonding in the syn-oriented O–C(1)–C(6)–N–H unit, and repulsive interaction between the 1′C–Me group and the amide CO group. The absolute configuration (1′S) is assigned to the 4A–6A diastereomers, and the (1′R)-configuration to the 4B–6B diastereomers; this assignment is confirmed by the preparation of 4A and 5A from enantiomerically pure (1′S)-α-arylethylamines 1 and 2, respectively. These results also enabled the assignment of pro-R (H_R) and pro-S (H_S) protons in the benzyl derivative 7.     

Synthesis and resolution of 2,2′-bis[di(p-tolyl)stibano]-1,1′-binaphthyl (BINASb); the first example of an optically active organoantimony ligand for asymmetric synthesis

Racemic 2,2′-bis[di(p-tolyl)stibano]-1,1′-binaphthyl (BINASb) (±)-2 has been prepared from 2,2′-dibromo-1,1′-binaphthyl 1 via 2,2′-dilithio-1,1′-binaphthyl intermediate, and has been resolved via the separation of a mixture of the diastereomeric Pd complexes 4A and 4B, derived from the reaction of (±)-2 with di-μ-chlorobis{(S)-2-[1-(dimethylamino)ethyl]phenyl-C,N}dipalladium(II) 3. The optically active BINASbs (S)-(+)-2 and (R)-(−)-2 have been shown to be effective chiral ligands for the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones.     

Synthesis of enantiopure C1 symmetric diphosphines and phosphino-phosphonites with ortho-phenylene backbones

Reaction of 2-(diphenylphosphino)phenylphosphonous acid tetramethyldiamide 1 with (+)-menthol, (1S,2S,3S,5R)-isopinocampheol and (1R,2R)-trans-cyclohexanediol affords enantiopure phosphino-phosphonite ligands 3–5. The X-ray structures of 1 (space group P2₁/n) and 3 (space group P2₁) have been determined. The reaction of 1 with (1R,2R,3S,5R)-(−)-pinanediol proceeds diastereoselectively to afford a novel type of enantiopure phosphino-phosphonite ligand 6 with an asymmetric substituted P atom. On reaction of (+)-cedryl alcohol with 1 the adduct 7 of the phosphonous acid 2-Ph₂PC₆H₄P(O)(H)OH 9 and its dimethylammonium salt is formed through elimination of water and subsequent hydrolysis. The structure of 7 (space group P1̄) was elucidated by X-ray structural analysis. Reduction of the chlorophosphine 8 with LiAlH₄ yields the novel primary–tertiary phosphine 10, which is a valuable starting material for the synthesis of the enantiopure C₁ symmetric bidentate phospholane ligands 11 and 12.     

A novel enantiopure tricyclic β-lactam via stereoselective intramolecular nitrilimine cycloaddition

Starting from the Staudinger [2+2] cycloaddition between the 1-azadiene 1 and acetoxyacetylketene, generated in situ from acetoxyacetyl chloride, we developed a seven-step synthesis of the novel azeto[3′,4′:2,3]pyrano[4,5-c]pyrazole skeleton 9 in both racemic and enantiopure forms. Silver carbonate treatment of the functionalised hydrazonoyl chloride 7 promoted in situ generation of the corresponding nitrilimine 8, which underwent a clean, stereoselective cycloaddition to the target tricyclic β-lactam 9. The key step of the synthetic pathway leading to enantiopure 9 was the production of the enantiopure azetidinone (3R,4S)-3 by enzymatic resolution with Amano Lypase PS of the racemic precursor (3S1,4R1)-2.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-amino acids. Part 10: Preparation of novel α,α- and β,β-disubstituted β-amino acids from (S)-asparagine

Perhydropyrimidinone (S)-1 is alkylated with very high diastereoselectivity to give trans products (2S,5R)-3, (2S,5R)–4 and (2S,5R)-5. Dialkylation of (S)-1 also proceeds with complete stereoselectivity to afford adducts (2S,5R)-6, (2S,5S)-6, (2S,5R)-7 and (2S,5S)-7. Hydrolysis (6N HCl, 100°C) of monoalkylated derivative (2S,5R)-3 gives enantiopure α-substituted β-amino acid (R)-8. Hydrolysis of dialkylated adducts 6 and 7 affords enantiopure α,α-disubstituted β-amino acids (R)- or (S)-9 and (R)- or (S)-10. Related iminoester (2S,6S)-2 is alkylated with complete diastereoselectivity to give products (2S,6S)-11–13 whose hydrolysis under relatively mild conditions (2N CF₃CO₂H, CH₃OH, 100°C) affords enantiopure N-benzoylated β,β-disubstituted β-amino acid esters (S)-14–16, with intact double bonds in the olefinic substituents.     

Efficient oxidative resolution of a P-stereogenic triarylphosphine and asymmetric synthesis of a P-stereogenic atropoisomeric biphenyl diphosphine dioxide

Racemic 3-methoxyphenyl(1-naphthyl)phenylphosphine 1 was effectively resolved via an oxidative resolution procedure utilizing l-menthyl bromoacetate as the resolving agent to give enantiopure 3-methoxyphenyl(1-naphthyl)phenylphosphine oxide (R)-2 in 41% yield. Reduction of the resolved (R)-4 with HSiCl₃/NEt₃ provided the corresponding phosphine (R)-1 in >97% ee. Ortho-iodination of the enantiopure (R)-4 followed by Ullmann coupling of the resulting iodoarylphosphine oxide gave a P-stereogenic and atropoisomeric biphenyl diphosphine dioxide as a single diastereoisomer. The latter transformation constitutes the first example of an effective transfer of a P-centered chirality to an axial chirality of the atropoisomeric biaryl system. The absolute configurations of the resolved phosphine and the atropoisomeric biaryl system have also been established.     

New methodology for the synthesis of enantiopure (3R,2aR)-(−)-3-phenyl-hexahydro-oxazolo[3,2-a]-pyridin-5-one: a synthesis of (S)-(+)-coniine

A new and efficient methodology for the enantiopure synthesis of (3R,2aR)-(−)-3-phenyl-hexahydro-oxazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-5-one 3 starting from (1′R)-(−)-1-(2′-hydroxy-1′-phenyl-ethyl)-(1H)-pyridin-2-one 1 is described. In addition, the enantiospecific synthesis of (S)-(+)-coniine hydrochloride 6 in good yield from 3 is reported.     

Polyhydroxylated pyrrolizidines. Part 4: Total asymmetric synthesis of unnatural hyacinthacines from a protected derivative of DGDP

(1R,2R,3S,5R,7aR)-1,2-Dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine [(+)-3-epi-hyacinthacine A₃] 1 and (1R,2R,3S,7aR)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethylpyrrolizidine [(+)-3-epi-hyacinthacine A₂] 2 have been synthesized by Wittig's methodology using aldehyde 6, prepared from (2R,3R,4R,5S)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-2′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl) pyrrolidine 3 (a partially protected DGDP), and the appropriated ylides, followed by cyclization through an internal reductive amination process of the resulting α,β-unsaturated ketone 7 and aldehyde 8, respectively, and total deprotection.     

Practical and highly stereoselective method for the preparation of several chiral arylsulfinamides and arylsulfinates based on the spontaneous crystallization of diastereomerically pure N-benzyl-N-(1-phenylethyl)-arylsulfinamides

A novel and simple process for the preparation of enantiomerically pure (S_S)-benzenesulfinamide (S_S)-3a, (S_S)-p-toluenesulfinamide (S_S)-3b, (S_S)-p-chloro-benzenesulfinamide (S_S)-3c and (S_S)-p-fluorobenzenesulfinamide (S_S)-3d has been developed. The treatment of arylsulfinyl chlorides with (R)-N-benzyl-1-phenylethanamine in the presence of excess triethylamine gave diastereomeric mixtures of N-benzyl-N-(1-phenylethyl)-arylsulfinamides 1, which underwent spontaneous crystallization to furnish diastereomerically pure (R,S_S)-N-benzyl-N-(1-phenylethyl)-arylsulfinamides (R,S_S)-1a-1d in 28%, 29%, 27% and 31% yields, respectively. The diastereomerically pure compounds (R,S_S)-1 were then converted into four enantiopure (R_S)-methyl arylsulfinates (R_S)-2, and finally into four enantiopure (S_S)-arylsulfinamides (S_S)-3 in good yields.     

P-stereogenic wide bite angle diphosphine ligands

Two modular synthetic approaches for the preparation of novel wide bite angle diphosphine ligands containing stereogenic P-atoms have been developed, leading to compounds (S,S)-2,2′-bis(methylphenylphosphino)diphenyl ether (L1) and (S,S)-2,2′-bis(ferrocenylphenylphosphino)diphenyl ether (L2) in very good diastereomeric ratios. Both protocols involve diphenyl ether as backbone and (2R_P,4S_C,5R_C)-(+)-3,4-dimethyl-2,5-diphenyl-1,3,2-oxazaphospholidine borane (R_P)-5 as initial auxiliary to induce chirality at phosphorus. The absolute configuration of intermediates (S,S)-9-(BH₃)₂ and (R,R)-10-(BH₃)₂ as well as the ligands (S,S)-L1-BH3 and (S,S)-L2 was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

Total synthesis of the 5-epimers of naturally occurring (−)-hyacinthacine A5 and unnatural (+)-hyacinthacine A4

(1R,2S,3R,5S,7aR)-1,2-Dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine 10 [(+)-5-epihyacinthacine A₅] and (1R,2S,3R,5S,7aS)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine 17 [ent-5-epihyacinthacine A₄] have been synthesized by either Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) or Wittig methodology using aldehydes 6 and 13, prepared from (2R,3S,4R,5R)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-2′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine 5 (partially protected DALDP) and (2R,3S,4R,5S)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2′-O-pivaloylpyrrolidine 12 (partially protected DGADP), respectively, and the appropriated ylide, followed by cyclization through an internal reductive amination process of the corresponding intermediate pyrrolidinic ketones 7 and 14 and subsequent deprotection.     

Total synthesis of (+)-piericidin A1 and (−)-piericidin B1

The convergent syntheses of (+)-piericidin A₁ 1 and (?)-piericidin B₁ 2 have been achieved based on classical Julia-Lythgoe olefination between 4-hydroxy-5,6-dimethoxy-3-methyl-2-[5-oxo-3-methyl-pent-(2E)-enyl]-pyridine 3 corresponding to the left half of the final molecule, and chiral phenyl sulfones, (4R,5R)-2,4,6-trimethyl-5-methoxy-1-phenylsulfonyl-octa-(2E,6E)-diene 20 and (4R,5R)-5-tert-butyldimethylsiloxy-2,4,6-trimethyl-1-phenylsulfonyl-octa-(2E,6E)-diene 33, corresponding to the right halves. The construction of the two stereogenic centers in the right half of piericidins was achieved based on lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of methyl (2,3)-anti-3-acetoxy-2,4-dimethyl-hex-(4E)-enoate (±)-22.     

Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic application of a new chiral P,N-indene ligand derived from (R)-BINOL

Lithiation of 2-dimethylaminoindene followed by quenching with [(R)-(1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diyl)]chlorophosphite and treatment with triethylamine afforded the crystallographically characterized enantiopure P,N-indene 3 in 71% isolated yield. In the course of rhodium coordination chemistry studies involving 3, the formation of the isolable complex [(κ²-P,N-3)(κ¹-P,N-3)RhCl] (7) (81%) was observed, thereby confirming the propensity of this new ligand to form L_nRh(3)₂ complexes. Such coordination chemistry behavior may contribute in part to the generally poor catalytic performance exhibited by mixtures of 3 and rhodium precursor complexes in the asymmetric hydrogenation and hydrosilylation studies described herein.     

Polyhydroxylated pyrrolizidines. Part I: Short and highly stereocontrolled syntheses of hyacinthacines

Two short and highly stereocontrolled syntheses for 7a-epi-hyacinthacine A₂ (7-deoxyalexine) 3 and 5,7a-diepi-hyacinthacine A₃ 4 are, respectively, reported herein. An appropriately protected polyhydroxypyrrolidine, (2R,3R,4R,5S)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-2′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine 5, readily available from d-fructose, was chosen as the chiral starting material.     

Optically active tetraazamacrocycles analogous to cyclam

The syntheses of enantiopure tetraazamacrocycles analogous to cyclam, (S,S)-3, (R,R)-3 and (S,S,S,S)-4, have been carried out. NMR and semiempirical studies of 3 have revealed that this compound presents a rigid conformation with C₂ symmetry, which is stabilized by intramolecular bifurcated hydrogen bonds. Structural studies for macrocycle 4 have shown that the presence of two cyclohexane rings of (S,S) configuration leads to the loss of the D₂ symmetry in solution, which is in agreement with the AM1 calculated structure.     

Synthesis and preliminary studies on novel enantiopure crown ethers containing an alkyl diarylphosphinate or a proton-ionizable diarylphosphinic acid unit

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopic studies of a new type of crown ethers and their achiral analogues containing a tetrahedral phosphorous centre. The synthetic routes to the two chiral phosphinate derivatives [(R,R)-10 and (R,R)-11] were similar, starting from the earlier reported ethyl bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)phosphinate and the unreported methyl bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)phosphinate, respectively. The enantiopure crown ether containing phosphinic acid unit (R,R)-14 was obtained by hydrolysis of the phosphinates (R,R)-10 and (R,R)-11, respectively. ECD spectroscopy was used for investigation of the chiroptical properties as well as complex formation ability of the novel enantiopure ligands. Owing to the presence of the aryl substituents the ECD spectra are rich in bands in the ¹B_b, ¹L_a and ¹L_b regions (190-250 nm and 260-330 nm, respectively). In the case of (R,R)-14, a solvent dependent conformational behaviour was observed due to the strong dimer or aggregate forming ability of the POOH groups. This finding was supported by theoretical calculation of the monomer and the dimer forms. Phosphinates (R,R)-10 and (R,R)-11 form complexes with α-phenylethylammonium perchlorate (PEA) and α-(1-naphthyl)ethyl ammonium perchlorate (NEA) but do not discriminate between their enantiomers. All three chiral crown ethers bind strongly cations of ionic radii <∼1 Å.     

Preparation of enantiopure 1,4-amino alcohols derived from [3]ferrocenophanes: use in the asymmetric addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde

A series of enantiopure 1,4-amino alcohols with a [3]ferrocenophane backbone have been synthesized. Candida rugosa lipases were used in a key step allowing the resolution of amino alcohol (1S,R_p)-1. Two other amino alcohols (1S,2S,R_p)-2 and (1S,2S,R_p)-3 were prepared starting from (1S,R_p)-1. The new ligands have been used in the asymmetric ethylation of benzaldehyde by diethylzinc and gave good catalytic properties. One of these ligands was particularly efficient, while the yield of the catalytic test reaction was near to 100% and the enantiomeric excess was about 80%. All the ligands directed the catalytic process towards the same (1R)-1-phenylpropanol.     

An enantiomerically pure bilirubin. Absolute configuration of (αR,α′R)-dimethylmesobilirubin-XIIIα

Enantiomerically pure (+)-(αR,α′R)-dimethylmesobilirubin-XIIIα 1 and its (αS,α′S) enantiomer ent-1 were synthesized in ten steps from simple precursors. Resolution was achieved at an early stage in the synthesis, with a racemic monopyrrole precursor rac-6 being converted to its amides 8 with (1S)-camphor-2,10-sultam. Resolution of 8 to 99% d.e. was accomplished in three crystallizations, and the absolute configuration of the acid 6 was deduced by X-ray crystallography of the more crystalline, diastereomerically pure amide 7. Circular dichroism spectroscopy of 1 showed intense bisignate Cotton effects: Δε^max₄₃₅=+344, Δε^max₃₉₁=−193 (CHCl₃), as expected for a molecular exciton, and consistent with a P-helical intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded ridge-tile conformation. The Cotton effect magnitudes of 1 match almost exactly those found for (−)-(βS,β′S)-dimethylmesobilirubin-XIIIα 11 and (+)-(αR,β′R)-dimethylmesobilirubin-XIIIα. However, the Cotton effect of the pseudo-meso diastereomer (αR,β′S)-dimethylmesobilirubin-XIIIα 12 is not zero. Its large positive exciton couplet and ¹H NMR NOE analysis confirm that an α-CH₃ exerts a greater steric demand than a β-CH₃—by a factor of ∼3.     

Enantioselective synthesis of β-amino acids. Part 9: Preparation of enantiopure α,α-disubstituted β-amino acids from 1-benzoyl-2(S)-tert-butyl-3-methylperhydropyrimidin-4-one,

Double alkylation of enantiopure N,N-acetal pyrimidinone (S)-1, a masked chiral derivative of β-alanine prepared from (S)-asparagine, proceeds with high stereoselectivity to give C(5) disubstituted adducts (2S,5R)-6, (2S,5S)-6, (2S,5R)-7, and (2S,5S)-7. Acid hydrolysis of these derivatives affords enantiopure α,α-dialkylated β-amino acids (R)-8, (S)-8, (R)-9, and (S)-9 in very good yields.     

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.