Stereoselective aldol coupling of α,β-acetylenic ketones promoted by MgI2

A highly stereoselective synthesis of (Z)-β-iodovinyl ketone has been achieved with the tandem formation of CC and CI bonds in a three-component reaction. This new catalysis utilizes MgI₂ as a Lewis acid as well as an iodine source for a Michael-type addition. α,β-Acetylenic ketone is initially converted to an active β-iodo allenolate intermediate and then can be attacked by a variety of aldehydes to afford Z-selective Baylis-Hillman adducts in excellent yields.     

The Mukaiyama-Michael addition of a β,β-dimethyl substituted silyl ketene acetal to α,β-unsaturated ketones using tetra-n-butylammonium bibenzoate as a nucleophilic catalyst

The Michael addition of a β,β-dimethyl substituted silyl ketene acetal [Me₂CC(OMe)OSiMe₃] to α,β-unsaturated ketones, namely, 2-cyclopentenone, 2-cyclohexenone, 3-methyl-2-cyclohexenone, isophorone, methyl vinyl ketone and mesityl oxide occurs smoothly in the presence of the nucleophilic catalyst, tetra-n-butyl ammonium bibenzoate (TBABB) in THF giving the corresponding 1,4-adducts in excellent yields.     

Transfer hydrogenation between alcohols and α,β unsaturated ketones with RhH(PPh3)4 as catalyst. Evidence for regiospecificity and an unusual rate-limiting step

In the hydrogen transfer between an alcohol and an α,β-unsaturated ketone with RhH(PPh₃)₄ as catalyst under mild conditions the breaking of the OH bond is, unusually, the rate-determining step, and the hydroxylic hydrogen is selectively transferred to the α-carbon of the ketone.     

Construction of dihydropyrimidine skeleton using 1,2,4-trisubstituted-1,3-diaza-1,3-butadienes

Construction of a dihydropyrimidine ring was developed that involved the cyclization of 1,3-diaza-1,3-butadienes having an N-protecting group (N-Cbz, N-Boc, N-alkyl, or N-benzyl) with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds such as ethyl acrylate and p-chlorophenyl vinyl ketone. Consequently, 4-dimethylamino-2-phenyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidines were synthesized in good yields. Subsequently, the β-elimination of the dimethylamino group was carried out with MeI or SiO₂ to afford various N-protecting-2,5-disubstituted-1,6-dihydropyrimidines in good yields. Remarkably, the use of 4-chlorophenyl vinyl ketone directly provided the dihydropyrimidine without the tetrahydropyrimidine intermediate in excellent yield.     

The polymerization of acrylates using a combination of a carbonyl compound and an amine as a photo-initiator system

Photo-initiator systems for the polymerization of acrylates, based on a mixture of an aryl ketone and an α,ω-diaminoalkane, have been investigated. Rate constants for the photoreduction of fluorenone by α,ω-diaminoalkanes have been evaluated: it was found that CH₃N groups are more relative than CH₃CH₂N groups. The relative rates of photo-oxidation of α,ω-diaminalkanes sensitised by benzophenone have been determined. Surprisingly, little correlation exists between the susceptibility of an amine towards oxidation and its ability to reduce excited carbonyl groups. Several mixtures composed of an aryl ketone and an α,ω-diaminoalkane were found to initiate the polymerization of methyl methacrylate. The efficiency of initiation appears to be related to the efficiency of reaction of the triplet carbonyl compound with the amine. The efficiency of a particular combination of an aryl ketone and an amine to cure films of acrylate oligomers is also governed to some extent by the efficiency of reaction of the triplet carbonyl compound with the amine. However, the structure of the amino alkyl radical produced in the initiation reaction appears to be of greater importance in determining the efficiency of polymerization. Radicals of the type R₂N?HCH₂OR were found to be highly efficient.     

Stereoselective titanium-mediated syn-aldol reaction from a lactate-derived chiral ethyl ketone

Stereoselectivity of the titanium-mediated aldol process based on (S)-2-benzyloxy-3-pentanone, 1, is dramatically modified by the presence of a Lewis acid. Among the Lewis acids surveyed, TiCl₄ has given access to the corresponding 2,4-anti-4,5-syn aldol adducts with the highest diastereomeric ratios. The excellent stereocontrol exerted by the aforementioned ketone has been demonstrated in double asymmetric reactions involving chiral α-methyl-β-OTBDPS aldehydes.     

Synthesis of chiral chromenes from levoglucosenone

Levoglucosenone, an optically active α,β-unsaturated ketone available from cellulose, undergoes a stereoselective oxa-Michael-aldol domino reaction with 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes with the formation of optically active oxepino[4,5-b]chromen-1-ones. These compounds attacked by nucleophiles undergo recyclization to 4-substituted oxepino[3,4-b]chromen-11a-ols, while their oximes treated with SOCl₂ are converted to 3-cyano-2H-chromenes through the Beckmann fragmentation.     

Easy α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols through a hydrogen autotransfer process catalyzed by RuCl2(DMSO)4

The electrophilic α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols is accomplished by a hydrogen autotransfer process catalyzed by RuCl₂(DMSO)₄. The reaction can produce either simple alkylated ketones or α,β-unsaturated ketones just by choosing the appropriate starting ketones (methyl ketones or bicyclic methylenic ketones, respectively), as well as quinolines (by using 2-aminobenzyl alcohol derivatives) or the corresponding alcohol derivatives by the addition of an extra equivalent of the initial alcohol. In the last case, after the above alkylation process reduction of the carbonyl compound takes place. A mechanistic study seems to indicate that the process goes through the oxidation of the alcohols with ruthenium (after a previous deprotonation) to yield the corresponding aldehyde and a ruthenium hydride intermediate. In turn, the aldehyde suffers a classical aldol reaction with the starting ketone to form the corresponding α,β-unsaturated ketone, which finally is reduced through a Michael-type addition by the aforementioned ruthenium hydride intermediate.     

Synthesis and stereochemistry of (−)-rosiridol and (−)-rosiridin

The plant-derived monoterpenoids (−)-rosiridol and (−)-rosiridin can be assembled in an enantioselective manner via DIP-Cl reduction of a ketone precursor obtained by BCl₃-mediated C-C coupling of prenyl stannane and an α,β-unsaturated C₅ aldehyde. On the basis of Mosher analyses, the absolute stereochemistry 4S was assigned to (−)-rosiridol; this was confirmed by X-ray structure analysis of pentaacetylrosiridin. Glucosylation of (4S)-4-acetoxygeraniol proceeds under Koenigs-Knorr conditions in diethyl ether. (−)-Rosiridin was synthesized for the first time.     

Arynic condensation of ketone enolates—XIV: Condensation of aromatic α,β-unsaturated ketone enolates on arynes

Benzyne and 1-naphthyne (generated from the corresponding halogeno derivatives and the Complex Base NaNH₂-Bu^tONa) condense with α,β-unsaturated ketone enolates β-substituted by an aromatic ring and only enolisable in the α'-position, to lead to α-tetralones and/or indanones. The reaction path depends upon the nature of the ketone enolate and, less strongly, on the solvent. The reaction mechanism is discussed. These reactions constitute new simple and efficient syntheses of numerous α-tetralones and indanones.     

Stereoselective synthesis of either (E)- or (Z)-silyl enol ether from the same acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketone using cationic rhodium complex-catalyzed 1,4-hydrosilylation

The stereoselective synthesis of either (E)- or (Z)-silyl enol ether from the same acyclic α,β-unsaturated ketone is reported. Highly (Z)-selective conditions were the use of [Rh(cod)₂]BF₄/DPPE at room temperature with no solvent, whereas (E)-selective conditions were the use of [Rh(cod)₂]BF₄/P(1-Nap)₃ (1-Nap = 1-naphthyl) under refluxing dichloromethane.     

Gold-mediated synthesis of α-ionone

A simple and convenient synthesis of α-ionone, an important component of flowers and fragrances, is reported. The key step in the formation of the α,β-unsaturated ketone moiety involves an NHC-Au^I catalyzed Meyer-Schuster-like rearrangement of readily prepared propargylic esters. The complex [{Au(IPr)}₂(μ-OH)][BF₄] proved to be the most efficient catalyst leading to α-ionone in 70% yield from a propargylic benzoate. This optimized procedure represents a valuable and attractive alternative to classical methods leading to α,β-unsaturated ketones, such as the Wittig or aldol reactions.     

Generation of ketone dilithio α,β-dianions and their reactions with electrophiles

Ketone dilithio α,β- and α,β′-dianions can be generated by a tin-lithium exchange reaction of the lithium enolate of β-tributyltin substituted ketones. A chelation-aided approach, which employs β-dichlorobutyltin substituted ketones and n-BuLi, is also useful for the generation of ketone α,β-dianions having the Z-geometry at the alkene. The generated dianions can be transformed into substituted ketones by reaction with various carbon electrophiles.     

ARYLBORONIC ACID-FACILITATED SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF ALDEHYDES BY TRIBUTYLTIN HYDRIDE

Aldehydes were selectively reduced in the presence of a ketone with tributyltin hydride (n-Bu₃SnH) and arylboronic acids. The double bond of an α,β-unsaturated system was not affected under the reaction conditions.     

Reaction of [HO(CH2)3]3P with α,β-Unsaturated Ketones Containing a Phenylpropanoid Backbone

Abstract

Interaction of 3,4-(MeO)₂-benzylideneacetone with [HO(CH₂)₃]₃P (THPP) was studied in CD₃OD by NMR to compare reactivity of a phenylpropanoid α,β-unsaturated ketone with a corresponding α,β-unsaturated aldehyde. In the presence of HCl, both the ketone and a related cinnamaldehyde first establish an equilibrium with the product formed by nucleophilic attack of the THPP at the C?O bond, [ArCH?CHCX(OD)PR₃]⁺Cl^?(X?H or CH₃, Ar?Ph or 3,4-(MeO)₂C₆H₃). The ketone salt then slowly transforms into [R₃PCH(Ar)CH(D)C(O)CD₃]⁺Cl^?, the phosphonium product of nucleophilic attack of THPP at the C?C bond, whereas the final product from the aldehyde is the (α-ether)phosphonium chloride [ArCH?CHCH(OCD₃)PR₃]⁺Cl^?. In aqueous media, in the absence of HCl, 4-HO-benzylideneacetone, which is similar to a lignin-type, α,β-unsaturated aldehyde model compound, interacts with THPP to afford a stable phosphonium zwitterion, in contrast to the previously studied aldehyde model, which forms dimeric, bisphosphonium products.     

Et3N-Promoted reaction of acetylenic ketones with N-(diphenylmethylene)glycinates: an efficient synthesis of α,β-dehydroamino acid derivatives

An efficient procedure for preparation of α,β-dehydroamino acids from the reaction of acetylenic ketones with N-(diphenylmethylene)glycinates 2 is described. The reaction of terminal acetylenic ketones with 2 promoted by Et₃N at −10 °C gave the dehydroamino acids containing ketone group in good yields.     

Stereoselective synthesis of malyngic acid and fulgidic acid

A new stereoselective total synthesis of malyngic acid has been achieved from a known oxazolidinone derivative via eight steps involving the Evans asymmetric alkylation as the chirality-inducing step and chelation-controlled Zn(BH₄)₂ reduction of an α-hydroxy ketone intermediate for the installation of the 12,13-anti stereochemistry. Fulgidic acid, the C12-epimer of malyngic acid, has also been synthesized in eight steps from the same starting material by using syn-selective K-Selectride reduction of an α-alkoxy ketone intermediate.     

1,4-Conjugate addition of 2-hydroxynaphthazarins to acyclic and cyclic α,β-unsaturated ketones. Prototropic ring-chain tautomerism of the adducts

TsOH-Catalyzed reactions of 6,7-disubstituted 2-hydroxynaphthazarins and acyclic or cyclic α,β-enones afforded the corresponding Michael-type adducts, viz., 3-substituted naphthazarins in 17–78% yields. ¹H and ¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopy showed that the adducts with cyclohexenone and methyl vinyl ketone exist in CDCl₃ solutions as mixtures of open-chain and cyclic tautomers, whereas the adducts with cyclopentenones exist only as the open-chain forms.     

Stereoregularity of poly(alkyl α-chloroacrylates) and mechanism of isotactic polymerization

The catalytic activity of the complexes prepared by the reaction of Grignard reagents with ketones, esters, and an epoxide as polymerization catalysts of methyl and ethyl α-chloroacrylates was investigated. The modifiers which gave isotactic polymers were α,β-unsaturated ketones such as benzalacetophenone, benzalacetone, dibenzalacetone, mesityl oxide, and methyl vinyl ketone, and α,β-unsaturated esters such as ethyl cinnamate, ethyl crotonate, and methyl acrylate. Catalysts with butyl ethyl ketone, propiophenone, and propylene oxide as modifiers produced atactic polymers but no isotactic polymers. It was revealed that the complex catalysts having a structure ? C?C? O? MgX (X is halogen) gave isotactic polymers. The mechanism of isotactic polymerization was discussed. In addition, for radical polymerization of ethyl α-chloroacrylate, enthalpy and entropy differences between isotactic and syndiotactic additions were calculated to give ΔH_i^* ? ΔH_s^* = 910 cal/mole and ΔS_i^* ? ΔS_s^* = 0.82 eu.     

Iodine/DMSO promoted oxidation of benzylic Csp3–H bonds to diketones – A mechanistic investigation

This article describes a mechanistic investigation into the I₂/DMSO mediated benzylic C_sp³–H oxidation of an α-methylene ketone. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum centred at g = 2.0011 supports the involvement of iodine and benzylic radicals, as the α-iodinated compound 2-iodo-1,2-diphenylethanone was isolated as a key reactive intermediate. The oxidation reaction relies, primarily, on DMSO as a source of oxygen in benzil, proven by the reaction of benzyl phenyl ketone with diphenyl sulfoxide (DPSO).