Efficient synthesis of α,β-unsaturated γ-lactones linked to sugars

A series of structurally diverse unsaturated sugar-derived lactones has been prepared. α,β-Butenolides were introduced to the sugar moiety starting from epoxides, while α-methylene-γ-lactones were constructed from a carbonyl precursor, either an aldehyde, a ketone or a lactone. In the last case, an unprecedented Reformatsky-type reaction has been developed.     

Desilylation of α-trimethylsilylmethylene-δ-lactones. A new route to α-methylene-δ-lactones

Addition of phenylthiol to α-trimethylsilylmethylene-δ-lactones affords α-phenylthi(trimethylsilyl)methyl-δ-lactones which, on treatment with tetrabutyl-ammonium fluoride and methyl acrylate give the corresponding α-methylene-δ-lactones through a one-pot double deblocking process.     

β-Olefination of 2-alkynoates leading to trisubstituted 1,3-dienes

A phosphine-mediated olefination of 2-alkynoates with aldehydes forming 1,3-dienes with high E-selectivity and up to 88% yield is described. Reaction conditions are optimized and reactions are demonstrated for various aryl, alkyl, and alkenyl aldehydes and for ethyl 2-alkynoates with different substituents in the δ-position. Proof of concept is shown for the generation of a β,γ-unsaturated lactone by intramolecular olefination, and furthermore the use of the generated 1,3-dienes in the Diels-Alder reaction has been demonstrated.     

Catalytic diastereoselective reduction of α,β-epoxy and α,β-aziridinyl ynones

The Noyori transfer hydrogenation of α,β-epoxy and α,β-aziridinyl ynones leads to the corresponding α,β-epoxy or α,β-aziridinyl propargylic alcohols with high reagent-controlled diastereoselectivity.     

Squaramide-catalysed enantio- and diastereoselective sulfa-Michael addition of thioacetic acid to α,β-disubstituted nitroalkenes

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective sulfa-Michael addition of thioacetic acid to α,β-disubstituted nitroalkenes catalysed by a chiral squaramide organocatalyst has been described. This organocatalytic reaction at an extremely low catalyst loading (0.2 mol%) furnished synthetically useful β-nitro sulfides in excellent yields with good diastereoselectivities and high enantioselectivities (up to 94?:?6 dr, 95% ee). In addition, the catalytic reaction can be performed on a 10 gram scale, and facile transformation into taurine derivative is also presented.     

A new approach to δ-lactones,related to the Prelog-Djerassi lactone.

The reductive rearrangement of 2-ethoxy-5-(2-alkenyl)-2H-tetrahydropyrane systems, in the presence of AlBu¹₃, was used as the key-step in the synthesis of Prelog-Djerassi related lactones.     

A practical method to access enantiopure β-perfluoroalkyl-β-amino acids: diastereoselective reduction of cyclic enamino-esters

A highly practical method to access enantiopure β-perfluoroalkyl-β-amino acids was developed, which could be conducted without any expensive reagent, special apparatus/technique, nor tedious chromatographic separation. The condensation of methyl 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxobutanoate with (S)-2-amino-2-phenylethanol, followed by an intramoleculer transesterification, gave an enamino-ester with a seven-membered ring structure. The hydride reduction of the cyclic enamino-ester proceeded with excellent diastereoselectivity (dr = 95:5-97:3) to give the corresponding cyclic amino-ester. The major isomer of the cyclic amino-ester was readily separated from the minor one and successfully converted into (S)-3-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid (five steps, 38% overall yield, >99% ee). Concerning the key step of this synthesis, the same strategy was applicable to another substrate; the asymmetric hydride reduction of a cyclic enamino-ester with a pentafluoroethyl group also proceeded in excellent diastereoselectivity (dr = 96:4).     

Tandem reactions of 1,2-allenic ketones leading to substituted benzenes and α,β-unsaturated nitriles

One-pot double Michael addition/intramolecular aldol reaction/decarboxylation of 1,2-allenic ketones with cyanoacetate offers an efficient and convenient approach to highly functionalized benzenes. With 2-substituted cyanoacetates, the reaction proceeds via a different tandem process to afford α,β-unsaturated nitriles effectively.     

Synthesis of substituted α,β-unsaturated δ-lactones from vinyl tellurides

A new approach for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated δ-lactones, a unit present in many natural products with interesting biological activities is described. The approach was based on the use of a vinyl telluride, and it is complementary to the methods using ring-closing metathesis. The sequence was performed in good overall yield with retention of the Z-double bond geometry.     

A new application of Baylis–Hillman alcohols to a diastereoselective synthesis of 3-nitrothietanes

Three key reactions, the generation of a nucleophile, an thia-Michael addition and an intramolecular cyclisation, were used to achieve an efficient one-pot diastereoseletive synthesis of 3-nitrothietanes. Thus, Baylis–Hillman alcohols and their aldehydes were reacted with either O,O-diethyl hydrogen phosphorodithioate or O,O-diethyl hydrogen phosphorodithioate in combination with a task-specific ionic liquid [bmim]X–Y to afford the corresponding 2,3-di- or 2,3,4-trisubstituted thietanes, respectively. The reaction is high yielding and proceeds with complete diastereoselectivity in favour of the trans isomers.     

Anionic versus photochemical diastereoselective deconjugation of diacetone d-glucose α,β-unsaturated esters

Deconjugation of diacetone d-glucose α,β-unsaturated esters has been conducted by deprotonation using NaHMDS with HMPA as co-solvent followed by stereoselective protonation at low temperature. High selectivities (>95%) were obtained with α-methyl linear compounds.     

Simple, chemoselective, and diastereoselective Reformatsky-type synthesis of α-bromo-α-fluoro-β-lactams

The chemoselective and diastereoselective synthesis of syn-α-bromo-α-fluoro-β-lactams was achieved using the diethylzinc-mediated Reformatsky-type reaction of ethyl dibromofluoroacetate with imines. The reaction led to diastereomerically pure β-lactams in good to moderate yields (up to 78% yield) with only small amounts of aziridine derivatives. Noncyclized 3-amino-2-bromo-2-fluoro carboxylic esters, usual Reformatsky adducts, were not formed. In contrast, reactions carried out under typical Reformatsky conditions using zinc metal were poorly chemoselective, leading to mixtures of β-lactams and aziridine derivatives.     

Highly diastereoselective addition of allyltitanocenes to α-chiral ketones

The addition of allyltitanium reagents, generated by the desulfurizative titanation of allylic sulfides with the titanocene(II) reagent Cp₂Ti−1-butene, to α-chiral ketones produced tertiary homoallylic alcohols bearing three adjacent chiral centers with high diastereoselectivity.     

Iodine as a mild and efficient catalyst for the diastereoselective synthesis of δ-silyloxy-γ-lactones

Aldehydes undergo smooth nucleophilic addition with 2-trimethylsilyloxyfuran in the presence of 10 mol % of iodine under mild and neutral conditions to produce the corresponding δ-silyloxy-α,β-unsaturated-γ-lactones in high yields and with moderate diastereoselectivity. ortho-Substituted benzaldehydes afford the syn-isomer predominantly. The use of iodine makes this procedure quite simple, more convenient and cost-effective.     

Towards the catalytic formation of α,β-vinylesters and alkoxy substituted γ-lactones

A facile, one pot, high yield synthesis of α,β-vinylester (1-14) and alkoxy substituted γ-lactones (15-28) has been achieved by the photochemical reaction of terminal acetylene (ferrocenyl phenyl trimethylsillyl, hexyl and cyclohexyl) with alcohol (methanol, ethanol and isopropanol) and carbon monoxide in presence of iron pentacarbonyl as a catalyst. The selectivity of the compounds depends on the time of photolysis of the reaction as well as the solvent used. A stable reaction intermediate ferrole was isolated, and further photolysis with alcohols, resulted in the formation of α,β-vinylester. All the compounds were fully characterised by spectroscopic methods and the molecular structures of compounds 1, 16, 17 and 20 were established crystallographically.