Remote asymmetric trifluoromethylation induced by chiral sulfinyl group: synthesis of enantiomerically pure 1-(2-naphthyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol

The reaction of 1-[(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)sulfinyl]-2-naphthaldehyde with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane using tetramethylammonium fluoride gave trifluoromethylated compounds in high yield with high diastereoselectivity. Desilylation and subsequent recrystallization yielded the enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure trifluoroethanol, which afforded chiral 1-(2-naphthyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol after removal of the sulfinyl group.     

Exo-selective Diels-Alder reactions of vinylazepines. Origin of divergent stereoselectivity in Diels-Alder reactions of vinylazepines, vinylpiperideines, and vinylcycloalkenes

Diels-Alder reactions of vinylazepines with N-phenylmaleimide afforded exclusively the exo cycloadduct, while high endo stereoselectivity was observed, as previously reported, in analogous reactions of vinylpiperideines. This curious contrast was confirmed by X-ray analysis of cycloadducts not susceptible to epimerization. The stereoselectivity of Diels-Alder reactions of vinylazepines, vinylpiperideines, and vinylcycloalkenes exhibits surprising divergence depending on the detailed diene structure, and DFT calculations (Becke3LYP) were undertaken to shed light on these observations. The model calculations correctly predict the major stereoisomers in these reactions, though they tend to significantly underestimate the stereoselectivity. The results suggest some general considerations in predicting or controlling the stereochemistry of this class of Diels-Alder reactions.     

Enantioselective inclusion of methyl phenyl sulfoxides and benzyl methyl sulfoxides by (R)-phenylglycyl-(R)-phenylglycine and the crystal structures of the inclusion cavities

Crystalline (R)-phenylglycyl-(R)-phenylglycine [(R,R)-1] includes methyl phenyl sulfoxides (2 and 3) and benzyl methyl sulfoxides (4) with high enantioselectivity. The dipeptide exhibited different stereoselectivity depending on four structural isomers of methyl tolyl sulfoxide (C(8)H(10)OS): R for methyl 2-tolyl sulfoxide, S for methyl 3-tolyl sulfoxide, and racemic for methyl 4-tolyl sulfoxide. A structural isomer, benzyl methyl sulfoxide, was included in racemic form. Chlorophenyl methyl sulfoxides 3 (C(7)H(7)ClOS) with a similar volume showed the same enantioselectivity for their recognition. By single-crystal X-ray analyses of these inclusion compounds, it was elucidated that (R,R)-1 molecules self-assembled to form layer structures and included the sulfoxides between these layers and that the origin of the enantioselectivity based on chiral cavities was induced by conformation of the C-terminal phenyl group of the dipeptide. The relative position between the ammonio proton and the C-terminal phenyl group in one molecule of the dipeptide determined the stereochemistry of the methyl sulfinyl groups to be recognized. Various positional isomers of methyl xylyl sulfoxide having the formula of C(9)H(12)OS were subjected to the enantioselective inclusion by (R,R)-1 crystals and these results are also discussed.     

Chemistry of o-Benzoquinones and Masked o Benzoquinones VII.: Regioselective and Stereoselective Cycloadditions of 6, 7-Dipropyl- and 8, 9-Eipropyl-1, 4-Dioxaspiro[4.5] deca-6, 8-Di-En-2, 10-Dione with Monosubstituted Ethylenes

The cycloadditions of the titled two masked o-benzoquinones, 2 and 3 , with monosubstituted ethylenes including ethyl acrylate, styrene, ethyl vinyl ether and 1-hexene were studied. The reactions proceeded with high stereoselectivity and regioselectivity to give endo head-to-head adducts when ethyl acrylate, styrene and ethyl vinyl ether were used as addenda. In the case of 1-hexene, the reaction with 2 took place with high regioselectivity but low stereoselectivity to afford endo as well as exo head-to-head adducts while the reaction with 3 occurred with less regioselectivity to produce presumably all the eight possible isomers. The regiochemistry of the adducts were determined by the ¹H nmr analysis of their hydrolysis products, bicyclo[2,2,2]oct-5-en-2,3-diones 6 , and the subsequent photolysis products, 1,3-cyclohexadienes 7 . The stereochemistry was established by the study of the lanthanide induced shifts of compounds 6a-6f with Fu(fod)₃. The regioselectivity and stereoselectivity of these cycloaddition reactions were explained in terms of frontier molecular orbital theory and steric effect. The present study provides also a facile method to prepare regioselectively bicyclo[2, 2, 2]oct-5-en-2,3-diones (stereo-selectively also) and 1,3-cyclohexadienes from unsymmetric catechols via masked o-benzoquinones.     

Extremely Efficient Chiral Induction in Conjugate Additions of p-Tolyl alpha-Lithio-beta-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl Sulfoxide and Subsequent Electrophilic Trapping Reactions

Reaction of p-tolyl alpha-lithio-beta-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl sulfoxide with alpha,beta-unsaturated esters gave the conjugate addition products as a single diastereomer. The intermediate enolates were subsequently trapped with various alkyl halides or aldehydes to give the products with extremely high stereoselectivity. The reaction with alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones also proceeded with high diastereoselectivity. Protolysis of the enolates derived from the alpha-methyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters gave the products with high stereoselectivity. The stereo- and regioselective elimination of the sulfinyl group gave chiral homoallylic carboxylates.     

Synthetic studies in the alkaloid field—IV: The sodium dithionite reduction of 1-[2-(3-indolyl)-ethyl]-3-methoxycarbonyl pyridinium bromides

The preparation of racemic indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine derivatives by sodium dithionite reduction of appropriate pyridinium bromides has been studied, A method has been found of influencing with high degree of stereoselectivity the C(12b)-C(2) stereochemical relationship in the products formed. The determination of the stereochemistry of the products by comparative examination of their ¹³C NMR spectra is described. The convenience of the sodium dithionite reduction method for the preparation of vallesiachotamine 1 models is discussed.     

Highly stereoselective additions of sulfur stabilized carbanions to [(S)R]-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)cyclohexanones

We describe the addition reactions of α-thiocarbanions derived from sulfoxides, thioethers, and sulfones to 2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)cyclohexanones. The high stereoselectivity observed in the formation of the chiral hydroxylic carbon is controlled by the configuration of the sulfinyl group at the substrate, but it is modulated by the nature of the sulfur function at the reagent (SOTol>SO₂Ph>SPh). The highly stereoselective formation of the second stereogenic center generated in these reactions from prochiral anions is only achieved with sulfinylcarbanions, the configuration of which controls that of such a center.     

Sulfur-directed enantioselective synthesis of functionalized dihydropyrans

The highly selective base-promoted cyclization of enantiopure sulfinyl dienols affords allylic sulfinyl dihydropyrans. The scope of this methodology, including the preparation of seven-membered rings, has been studied in depth. The reactivity of our sulfinyl dihydropyrans toward oxidation, imination, and dihydroxylation has been explored, and thus several routes to densely functionalized pyran derivatives have been outlined. The reactivity of allylic dihydropyranyl sulfones and sulfoximines in S(N)2' processes with organocuprates has been examined. The displacement products were obtained with good regio- and stereoselectivity and fair to good yields. The reactivity of these products to dihydroxylation opens new possibilities to access enantiopure polyhydroxylated tetrahydropyrans that could be of interest for the synthesis of natural products.     

Novel [4 + 2]-cycloaddition of 1-phenyl-1-benzothiophenium salts with dienes. Experimental evidence for a lack of aromaticity in the thiophene ring

The [4 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction of 1-phenyl-1-benzothiophenium triflates has been conducted for the first time. [4 + 2]-Cycloaddition with dienes such as cyclopentadiene and 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran occurs successfully to give cycloadducts. This result indicates that the C=C bond of the thiophene ring acts as a 2pi electron component in the cycloaddition reaction. Cycloadducts were formed in high yields with high stereoselectivity. However, the cycloaddition with other less reactive dienes such as 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene did not take place. The structure and stereochemistry of cycloadduct 2a were analyzed by NMR techniques. Furthermore, reaction of the cycloadducts with sodium methoxide in methanol gave the ring-opened products in high yields.     

A protodesilylation route for 2-Aza-1,3-diene synthesis

A new methodology for 2-aza-1,3-diene synthesis involving protodesilylation reactions of N-1-triethylsilylallyl-imines and their propargyl analogs is described. Synthetic sequences for the preparation of these allyl and propargyl imines starting with propargyl amine are presented. The silylallyl and silylpropargyl imines are transformed to 2-azadiene products by use of CsF induced desilylation via a pathway involving generation and regioselective γ-protonation of intermediate 1-imino-allyl and propargyl anions. Alkylative-desilylation of the silylallyl and propargyl imines leads to generation of N-1-alkylallyl-imines and propargyl analogs via α-alkylation of intermediate anions. Finally, the stereochemistry of azadiene formation has been probed by use of the conversion of N-(1-triethylsilylpropen-1-yl) benzaldimine to 1-phenyl-2-aza-1,3-pentadiene. Solvent, water concentration and a metal cation complexing agent all appear to influence the stereoselectivity of this process.     

Selectivity of biohydroxylation with Beauveria bassiana of trans-2-fluorocycloalkyl N-phenylcarbamates

Biohydroxylation with Beauveria bassiana of racemates and the pure enantiomers of trans-2-fluorocyclohexyl- 3 and trans-2-fluorocycloheptyl N-phenylcarbamates 6 were investigated and compared with results found for the corresponding nonfluorinated parent compounds. In all cases, mixtures of diastereomeric products hydroxylated in the 4-position were isolated, besides products of p-hydroxylation of the aromatic ring and succeeding compounds derived from these primary reaction products. The regioselectivity of hydroxylation by this fungus is not changed by a single fluorine substituent attached closely to the electron-rich anchoring group in the trans-2-position. There is a different influence on the diastereoselectivity of hydroxylation depending on the absolute configuration of the fluorinated substrates. While the transformation of the (S,S)-2-fluorocycloalkyl N-phenylcarbamates is not diastereoselective giving almost 1:1 mixtures of cis- and trans-4-hydroxyl compounds, the corresponding reactions of the (R,R)-isomers led preferentially to the products trans-hydroxylated in the 4-position. The transformation of the racemic fluorinated six-membered N-phenylcarbamate 3 led to products having a very small enantiomeric excess. The fluorine substituent slightly increased the enantioselectivity of transformation of the racemic seven-membered substrate 6 compared to the C(s)()-symmetric nonfluorinated carbamate. Thus, the fluorine substituent in the trans-2-position in these examples did not change the regioselectivity but rather influenced the stereochemistry of biotransformation, depending on the absolute configuration of the substrate and ring size.     

The first example of γ-chloromagnesio γ-lactones: their generation from γ-tolylsulfinyl γ-lactones with isopropylmagnesium chloride, stability, and reaction with electrophiles

The treatment of γ-lactones having a sulfinyl group at the γ-position, which were synthesized from 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides with lithium enolate of carboxylic esters, with isopropyl magnesium chloride in THF at −78 °C gave γ-chloromagnesio γ-lactones by the sulfoxide-magnesium exchange reaction in high yields. The generated γ-chloromagnesio γ-lactones were found to be stable at below −50 °C for at least 2 h. The reaction of these γ-chloromagnesio γ-lactones with electrophiles and the stereochemistry of the reactions were investigated.     

Regio- and stereoselectivity of the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to (E)-3-(2-oxo-2-(pyren-1-yl)ethylidene)indolin-2-ones: A combined experimental and theoretical study

Functionalized oxindoles and pyrrolizidines form the central structural framework for numerous natural products with extensive biological and pharmacological applications. The requirement for high regio- and stereoselectivity is the main obstacle in the synthesis of such five-membered heterocycles. Multicomponent cycloaddition reactions often provide an efficient and straightforward approach for the preparation of specific regio- and stereoisomers. In this article, the regio- and stereochemistry of the polar [3 + 2]-cycloaddition (32CA) reaction of azomethine ylides prepared by the reaction of isatin derivatives and L-proline with a series of (E)-3-(2-oxo-2-(pyren-1-yl)ethylidene)indolin-2-ones was investigated by experimental and theoretical methods. Among the isatin and (E)-3-(2-oxo-2-(pyren-1-yl)ethylidene)indolin-2-one derivatives, a remarkable inversion of regioselectivity was observed in the 32CA reaction of azomethine ylide generated by the reaction of L-proline and 5-chloroisatin or N-methyl-5-chloroisatin with (E)-5-chloro-3-(2-oxo-2-(pyren-1-yl)ethylidene)indolin-2-one. The regio- and stereochemical assignment of the structures of the cycloaddition products was determined by one- and two-dimensional (1D&2D) homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The molecular mechanism as well as the regio- and stereoselectivity of the cycloaddition were investigated by means of global and local reactivity indices and a density functional theory (DFT) and explained in detail on the basis of the transition state stabilities of the reactants.     

On the mechanism and stereochemistry of chiral lithium-carbenoid-promoted cyclopropanation reactions

An investigation into the mechanism and stereochemistry of chiral lithium-carbenoid-promoted cyclopropanation reactions by using density functional theory (DFT) methods is reported. Previous work suggested that this type of cyclopropanation reaction may proceed by competition between a methylene-transfer mechanism and a carbometalation mechanism. In this paper, it is demonstrated that the intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions promoted by chiral carbenoids 1 and 2 proceed by the methylene-transfer mechanism. The carbometalation mechanism was found to have a much higher reaction barrier and does not appear to compete with the methylene-transfer mechanism. The Lewis base group does not enhance the carbometalation pathway enough to compete with the methylene-transfer pathway. The present computational results are consistent with experimental observations for these cyclopropanation reactions. The factors governing the stereochemistry of the intramolecular cyclopropanation reaction by the methylene-transfer mechanism were examined to help elucidate the origin of the stereoselectivity observed in experiments. Both the directing group and the configuration at the C(1) centre were found to play a key role in the stereochemistry. Carbenoid 1 has a chiral C(1) centre of R configuration. The Lewis base group directs the cyclization of carbenoid 1 to form a single product. In contrast, the Lewis base group cannot direct the cyclization of carbenoid 2 to furnish a stereoselective product due to the S configuration of the chiral C(1) centre in carbenoid 2. This relationship of the stereochemistry to the chiral character of the carbenoid has implications for the design of new efficient carbenoid reagents for stereoselective cyclopropanation.     

Stereochemistry of [2,3]Sigmatropic Rearrangements

Stereoselective synthesis is attracting more and more attention. Successful stereoselective syntheses require the availability of reactions of known stereochemistry which give maximum yields of the desired products. This is particularly so with reactions proceeding via cyclic transition states. Of these, the stereochemistry of [3,3]sigmatropic processes has long been known. This article now summarizes the factors determining the stereoselectivity of [2,3]sigmatropic rearrangememts.     

Studies on the synthesis of bafilomycin A(1): stereochemical aspects of the fragment assembly aldol reaction for construction of the C(13)-C25) segment

Highly stereoselective syntheses of aldols 8a-c corresponding to the C(13)-C(25) segment of bafilomycin A(1) were developed by routes involving fragment assembly aldol reactions of chiral aldehyde 6a and the chiral methyl ketones 7. A remote chelation effect plays a critical role in determining the stereoselectivity of the key aldol coupling of 6a and the lithium enolate of 7b. The protecting group for C(23)-OH of the chiral aldehyde fragment also influences the selectivity of the lithium enolate aldol reaction. In contrast, the aldol reaction of 6a and the chlorotitanium enolates of 7a,c were much less sensitive to the nature of the C(15)-hydroxyl protecting group. Studies of the reactions of chiral aldehydes with Takai's (gamma-methoxyallyl)chromium reagent 40 are also described. The stereoselectivity of these reactions is also highly dependent on the protecting groups and stereochemistry of the chiral aldehyde substrates.     

Tandem cyclization-cycloaddition behavior of rhodium carbenoids with carbonyl compounds: stereoselective studies on the construction of novel epoxy-bridged tetrahydropyranone frameworks

Investigations and stereoselective studies on the tandem reactions of carbonyl ylides generated from alpha-diazo ketones in the presence of carbonyl compounds are presented in this paper. Intramolecular cyclization of rhodium carbenoids generated the transient five- or six-membered-ring carbonyl ylide dipoles, which efficiently underwent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with various dipolarophiles such as aromatic aldehydes 15, alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes 18/24, alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones 27/28/31, and dienone 34. The transient carbonyl ylides underwent cycloadditions with various aromatic aldehydes to furnish diverse epoxy-bridged tetrahydropyranone ring systems in a diastereoselective manner. The cycloaddition of carbonyl ylides with alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes 18/24 or dienone 34 afforded C=O addition products in a chemoselective manner despite the presence of C=C bonds in the above dipolarophiles. Alternatively, the cycloaddition of carbonyl ylides with alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones 27/28 provided both the C=O and C=C cycloaddition products. The cycloaddition of carbonyl ylides with carbonyl compounds occurred in good yields and was found to be highly regio- and stereoselective. Single-crystal X-ray analyses were performed to unambiguously establish the structure and stereochemistry of the novel epoxy-bridged tetrahydropyranone ring systems 35a/38. Compound 35a exhibited both intermolecular C-H...O and intramolecular C-H...pi interaction motifs in the solid-state architecture. The regio-, chemo-, and stereoselectivity observed in these reactions have been investigated by semiempirical AM1 MO calculations. FMO analyses and transition state calculations have been performed for the cycloaddition of carbonyl ylides with alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds such as tetracyclone (34) and cyclopentenone (27a). Both FMO and transition state calculations correctly predicted the regio- and stereochemistry of the cycloadducts. The calculations further revealed that a severe steric interaction caused by the phenyl rings present in dipolarophile 34 with dipole 14a increases the activation barrier of the transition state during the cycloaddition process.     

Use of allyl, 2-tetrahydrofuryl, and 2-tetrahydropyranyl ethers as useful C3-, C4-, and C5-carbon sources: palladium-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes

Palladium-diethylzinc or palladium-triethylborane catalytically promotes self-allylation of 2-(allyloxy)tetrahydrofurans, 2-(allyloxy)tetrahydropyrans, and their hydroxy derivatives on the rings (ribose, glucose, mannose, deoxyribose, deoxyglucose). All the reactions proceed at room temperature and provide polyhydroxyl products, sharing a structural motif of a homoallyl alcohol, in good to excellent yields with high levels of stereoselectivity. Useful C3-unit elongation, which makes the best use of an allyl ether as a protecting group and a nucleophilic allylation agent, is demonstrated. Mechanisms for the umpolung reaction (of an allyl ether into an allylic anion) and stereoselectivity associated with allylation of aldehydes are discussed.     

Conjugate additions of cyclic oxygen-bound nickel enolates to alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones

The reaction of nickel enolates displaying a metallacyclic structure with the alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) or methyl propenyl ketone (MPK) takes place in two stages, affording initially bicyclic adducts, which subsequently isomerize to the corresponding open-chain products. The former are generated with high stereoselectivity and can be considered as the products of the [2+4] cycloaddition of the enolate to the enone. The ring opening process involves a prototropic rearrangement that can be catalyzed by water. In the case of the reaction of the parent nickel enolate complex 1 (which displays an unsubstituted Ni-O=C(R)CH2 arrangement) with MVK, a double-addition process has been observed, consisting of two successive cycloaddition/isomerization reactions. The carbonylation of the different cyclic and noncyclic products affords the corresponding lactones that retain the stereochemistry of the organometallic precursors. This methodology allowed trapping the primary product of the reaction of 1 with MPK as the corresponding organic lactone, demonstrating that the cycloaddition process takes place with exo selectivity. DFT modeling of the latter reaction provides further support for a quasi-concerted cycloaddition mechanism, displaying a nonsymmetric transition state in which the C-C and the C-O bond are formed in an asynchronous manner.     

Asymmetric synthesis of benzylic quaternary difunctionalized carbons mediated by a remote sulfinyl group

Enantiomerically enriched α-aryl α-cyanoacetates and α-aryl α-acylacetonitriles bearing a benzylic quaternary stereocenter have been readily synthesized by stereoselective reaction of 2-alkyl-2-[2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)phenyl]acetonitriles with different acylating and alkoxycarbonylating reagents under basic conditions. The stereoselectivity of the reactions proved closely dependent on the nature of the intermediate carbanionic species, the evolution of which was effectively controlled by a sulfinyl group as a remote chiral auxiliary.