Diastereoselective synthesis of substituted prolines via 5-endo-trig cyclisations of aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement products

The major diastereoisomers of aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement products from α-amino acid derivatives are susceptible to a rare nucleophilic 5-endo-trig cyclisations of an amine onto a non-conjugated vinylsilane in high yield and complete diastereocontrol. Five examples are presented, with cyclisation yields between 35 and 87%. A rationale for the stereoselectivity of the cyclisation is forwarded based upon the steric control factors that have been documented for the aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement. A discussion of the mechanism in the context of the reaction conditions is also presented. Oxidation of the silyl group to a hydroxyl group and complete removal were demonstrated for synthetic utility.     

Asymmetric aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangements: chiral auxiliary control and formal asymmetric synthesis of (2S, 3R, 4R)-4-hydroxy-3-methylproline and (-)-kainic acid

A survey of 16 different chiral auxiliaries and a variety of strategies found that an (-)-8-phenylmenthol ester of a glycine derived migrating group can control the absolute stereochemistry of aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangements with diastereoselectivities of ca. 3 : 1 with respect to the auxiliary. In two specific examples, ca. 50% yields of enantiomerically pure products were obtained after chromatographic purification. These were synthetically manipulated with no erosion of stereochemistry into intermediates that completed formal asymmetric syntheses of (+)-HyMePro and (-)-kainic acid.     

The aza-

The inclusion of a C-2 trialkylsilyl substituent into allylic amine precursors allows the base-induced aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement to proceed in excellent yield and diastereoselectivity. The rearrangement precursors require a carbonyl-based nitrogen protecting group that must be stable to the excess of strong base required for the reaction. The N-Boc and N-benzoyl group are very good at stabilizing the product anion and initiating deprotonation. The migrating groups (G) need to stabilize the intial anion by resonance and require G-CH(3)() pK(a) > 22 in order for the initial anion to be reactive enough for rearrangement. Products 7, 20b-d,f,g, and 23 are formed with high (10-20:1) anti diastereoselectivity. Product 23 containing the morpholine amide group is useful for preparing other carbonyl derivatives.     

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Petrosterol

Petrosterol (1), a cyclopropane-containing C₂₉ marine sterol, has been synthesized in a stereocontrolled manner which involves [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of the propargyl ether (3) yielding the acetylene alcohol (4) with the required C-24, 25 stereochemistry.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-candelalide A, a novel blocker of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 for an immunosuppressive agent

A convergent route to (-)-candelalide A involved the union of a trans-decalin portion (AB ring) and a gamma-pyrone moiety through the C16-C3' bond to assemble the whole carbon framework and subsequent formation of the dihydropyran ring (C ring) as the crucial steps. A strategic [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement was employed for establishing the stereogenic center at C9 and an exo-methylene function at C8 present in the decalin portion. [reaction: see text]     

Total synthesis of (-)-anisatin

A novel synthetic route to (-)-anisatin has been developed. Our synthesis features a rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of an arylboronic acid, an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of an ortho-quinone monoketal, a stereoselective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement, and construction of the oxabicyclo [3.3.1] skeleton via cleavage of an epoxide by a primary amide.     

Chirality transfer in the aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement

The aza-[2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangements of substrates derived from enantiomerically pure alanine, valine and serine with phenyl and ester anion stabilising groups were investigated for their efficiency in chirality transfer. It was found that a methyl substituent at the stereogenic centre of the rearrangement precursors was inadequate to control the alkene stereoselectivity and enantioselectivity of the rearrangement. Ester stabilised anions of valine and serine derivatives were the most successful with up to 66% yield, 14 : 1 alkene (E)-stereoselection and 88% chirality transfer. A limitation to the steric bulk of the stereogenic centre was noted in that the substituent has to be bulky enough to dictate alkene stereoselection, but not too large to compromise the directing effect of the activating phenyldimethyl silyl substituent on the anion stabilising group. Experimental evidence suggested a possible complimentary coordinating effect of an O-MOM serine substituent, which may assist alkene stereoselectivity and enantioselectivity.     

Synthesis of the EF-ring of ciguatoxin 3C based on the [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement and ring-closing olefin metathesis

The EF-ring segment of ciguatoxin 3C, a causative toxin of ciguatera fish poisoning, was synthesized in three major steps: 1,4-addition for the C20O-C27 bond connection, chirality transferring anti selective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement for the construction of the anti-2-hydroxyalkyl ether part, and ring-closing olefin metathesis for the F-ring formation.     

Ester dienolate [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement in natural product synthesis: diastereoselective total synthesis of the triester of viridiofungin A, A2, and A4

[structure: see text] An ester dienolate [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement was utilized to access the alkylated citric acid skeleton 6 that is characteristic for the viridiofungins and other members of the alkyl citrate family of secondary natural products. The [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of (Z,Z)-15 provided the rearrangement product (+/-)-syn-16 in moderate yield and with very good diastereoselectivity. A Julia-Kocienski olefination efficiently served to connect the polar head (+/-)-syn-26 with the lipophilic tail (32a-c) of the viridiofungins. Amide formation between the racemic viridiofungin precursors 35a-c and the enantiomerically pure amino acid L-tyrosine methyl ester followed by preparative reversed-phase HPLC provided the isopropyl dimethyl ester of viridiofungin A ((+)-39a), A2 ((+)-39b), and A4 ((+)-39c) as well as the nonnatural diastereomers (-)-38a-c.     

Bidirectional synthesis of the central amino acid of chloptosin

[reaction: see text] An efficient total synthesis of (2S,2'S,3aR,3'aR,8aR,8'aR)-6,6'-dichloro-3a,3'a-dihydroxy-1,1',2,2',3,3a,3',3'a,8,8a,8',8'a-dodecahydro-5,5'-bipyrrolo[2,3-b]indole-2,2'-dicarboxylic acid, the central amino acid component of chloptosin (1), is described. Starting from m-chloronitrobenzene, this C(2)-symmetrical amino acid was synthesized by using a 14-step route, in which a Zinin benzidine rearrangement, intramolecular Heck reaction, and selenocyclization and oxidative deselenation served as key steps. The absolute stereochemistry of the target was confirmed by X-ray single-crystal studies on a key intermediate (17).     

Synthesis and Aza-[2,3]-Wittig Rearrangements of Vinylaziridines: Scope and Limitations

cis- and trans-2,3-Trisubstituted vinylaziridines have been prepared from cis- and trans-epoxy alcohols, respectively, and used as substrates in the aza-[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement. Five different anion-stabilizing groups have been investigated for their efficiency to promote the rearrangement, and it was found that N-tert-butyl acetyl vinylaziridines were superior in this reaction, affording the corresponding cis-2,6-tetrahydropyridines (>90%) as single isomers when treated with LDA. Similarly, the corresponding (Z)-propenylaziridines gave trans,trans-2,3,6-trisubstituted tetrahydropyridines as the sole products while the (E)-propenylaziridines afforded the cis,cis-2,3,6-derivatives with equally high selectivity. The scope and limitations of the process have been investigated by varying the structure of the substrate, and the mechanism of the rearrangement has been probed to some extent; the mechanistic picture is more complex than assumed previously.     

[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement by a chlorine-lithium exchange

The reaction of different allylic chloromethyl ethers 1 with an excess of lithium powder (1:7 molar ratio) and a catalytic amount of DTBB (2.5 mol %) in THF at 0 °C for 1 h gives, after hydrolysis with water, the expected alcohols 2 resulting from a [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement, in an exclusive manner. The same process can also be applied to the corresponding [1,2]-Wittig rearrangement, as it is exemplified for benzyl chloromethyl ether.     

New sigmatropic sequences based on the [2,3]-wittig rearrangement of the bis-allylic ether system : A general approach to regiocontrolled c—c bond formation of allylic moieties leading to unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Four new sigmatropic sequences triggered by the regiocontrolled [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of unsymmetrical bis-allylic ethers (1) to the l,5-dien-3-ols (2) arc described, which provide unique, regiocontrolled methods for the synthesis of a wide variety of unsaturated carbonyl compounds possessing interesting molecular frameworks. The newly developed sequences include the [2,3]-Wittig-Claisen, the tandem [2,3]-Wittig-oxy-Cope, the tandem oxy-Cope-Claisen, and the tandem oxy-Cope-Cope sequences.     

Asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement induced by a chiral carbanion whose chirality was transferred from an epoxide

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of 1-allyloxy-1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-4-siloxy-2,4-pentadienyl anion, derived from optically enriched 4,5-epoxy-1-(naphthalen-2-yl)-5-silyl-2-pentenyl allyl ether via a base-induced ring opening of the epoxide followed by Brook rearrangement, has been studied. The chirality of the epoxide was transferred to the alcohols in up to 97% ee, depending on the solvent used. The best result was obtained in 1,4-dioxane at a temperature above room temperature.     

[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of methyl β-pyrrolidinyl-γ-allyloxy-(E)-2-butenoate. Expeditious synthesis of 5-alkenyl-4-pyrrolidin-1-yl-5H-furan-2-ones

Dienolates of various γ-allyloxy substituted methyl β-pyrrolidinyl (E)-2-butenoate undergo a [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement to generate various 5-alkenyl-4-pyrrolidin-1-yl-5H-furan-2-one type compounds.     

1,5]-Anion relay/[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of 3,3-bis(silyl) allyl enol ethers: synthesis of useful vinyl bis(silane) species

The [1,5]-anion relay/[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of 3,3-bis(silyl) enol allyl ethers has been developed. This reaction provides an efficient method to synthesize versatile vinyl bissilanes, which can be transformed into trisubstituted vinylsilanes through a [1,4]-Brook rearrangement/alkylation protocol using a wide range of electrophiles.     

[2,3]-Wittig Sigmatropic Rearrangement of Steroidal 16β-Propargyl Ethers for the Synthesis of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Side Chain Analogues

An efficient [2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement of the pregnadiene derivative 2b allowed the one-step introduction of a side chain with the natural (20R) chirality and the 25-hydroxy group of the principal metabolites of vitamin D.     

Total synthesis of (3S,4S,2′S)- and (3R,4R,2′S)-viridiofungin A triester

The total synthesis of an alkylcitrate secondary metabolite from the fungi Trichoderma viride is described. An ester dienolate [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement and a S. Julia-Kocienski olefination served as key C/C-connecting transformations. The highly convergent synthesis consists of a longest linear sequence of 17 steps.     

Asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of the dienolates of chiral secondary alcohol-substituted β-pyrrolidinyl-γ-allyloxyl-α,β-unsaturated esters: total synthesis of (+)-eldanolide

The asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of the dienolates of various chiral β-pyrrolidinyl-γ-allyloxyl-α,β-unsaturated esters was investigated using different chiral secondary alcohol substitutions. When (1S,2R,4R)-2-hydroxy-7,7-dimethylbicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-1-carboxylic acid diisopropylamide was used as chiral auxiliary, it provided the best enantioselectivity in the rearrangement. When various γ-allyloxy substitutions underwent temperature and additive studies, 1,1-dimethylpropenoxy substitution was found to give the best enantioselectivity. The methodology was applied to the total synthesis of (+)-eldanolide.     

Stereoselective synthesis and immunogenic activity of the C-analogue of sulfatide

[Structure: see text] The C-sulfatide 1b was synthesized through a [2,3]-Wittig sigmatropic rearrangement and a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination as the key steps. The C-analogue 1b is less immunogenic than natural sulfatide 1a, but induces a preferential secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine IFN-gamma.