A short and efficient synthesis of 4-hydroxy-5-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-γ-butyrolactones

The cycloaddition of α,β-epoxyaldehydes or ketones ($\text{2}$) with the ketene acetal MeHC=C(OMe)₂ ($\text{1}$) gives epoxyoxetanes ($\text{3}$) in high yields. Without isolation they can be transformed into 4-hydroxy-5-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-γ-butyrolactones ($\text{6}$) via the epoxy esters $\text{4}$ and trihydroxy esters ($\text{5}$). The lactones $\text{6}$ appear to be valuable precursors for the synthesis of 5-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-3-methyl-2-5H-furanones ($\text{7}$) and 3-methyl-5-ylidene-2-5H-furanones ($\text{8}$)     

New tetrahydropyrans from a marine sponge

Two new tetrahydropyrans have been isolated from the sponge Haliclona sp. From chemical and spectroscopic evidence they are shown to be (1′$\text{R}$, 2$\text{S}$, 2″$\text{E}$, 5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{R}$)-2-(1′-bromethyl)-2,5-dimethyl-6-(penta-2″,4″-dienyl)-tetrahydropyran and (1′$\text{R}$, 2$\text{S}$, 5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{R}$)-2-(1′-bromoethyl)-2,5-dimethyl-6-(pent-4″-enyl)-tetrahydropyran.     

Stereochemical consequence in the elimination of β-hydroxyalkylsilanes: Stereoselective formation of (Z)- and (E)-alkylidene-γ-butyrolactones

Titanium(IV) chloride-mediated reaction of 4,5-dihydro-2-(trimethylsiloxy)-3-(trimethylsilyl)furan (1a) with acetaldehyde gave $\text{diastereomerically pure}$ (3S^*, 1′R^*)-4,5-dihydro-3-(1′hydroxyethyl)-3-(trimethylsilyl)-2(3$\text{H}$)furanone (2a), which afforded selectively either (Z)- or (E)-α-ethylidene-γ-butyrolactone (3a) under proper conditions. Facile isomerization of 2a into $\text{diastereomerically pure}$ (3S^*, 1′R^*)-4,5-dihydro-3-&{1′-(trimethylsiloxy)ethyl}-2(3$\text{H}$)furanone (4) suggests an intriguing stereochemical outcome from 2a to (E)-3a via an enolate of 4.     

Chiral synthesis of (2s,3s,7s)-3,7-dimethylpentadecan-2-yl acetate and propionate,potential sex pheromone components of the pine saw-fly neodiprion sertifer (geoff.)

A synthesis of (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-dimethylpentadecan-2-yl acetate ($\text{2}$) and propionate ($\text{3}$) is described. (2S)-2-Methyldecan-1-yl lithium ($\text{5}$) was reacted with (3S,4S)-3,4-dimethyl-γ-butyrolactone ($\text{6}$) to yield the ketoalcohol $\text{19}$ which upon Huang-Minlon reduction furnished (2S,3S,7S)-3,7-dimethylpentadecan-2-ol ($\text{1}$). Acylations gave the esters $\text{2}$ and $\text{3}$. The (2S)-2-methyldecan-1-yl lithium was obtained via asymmetric synthesis. The chiral lactone $\text{6}$ was obtained from (2S,3S)-trans-2,3-epoxybutane and dimethyl malonate.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric cyclization of methyl (E)-oxo-9-phenoxy-7-nonenoate and its analogs

Asymmetric cyclizations of methyl (E)-3-oxo-9-phenoxy-7-nonenoate ($\text{1}$) or methyl (E)-3-oxo-9-(methoxycarbonyl)oxy-7-nonenoate ($\text{4}$) without added base were carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of palladium(II) acetate and chiral diphosphine as ligands. Allylic carbonate $\text{4}$ reacted by use of Pd(OAC)₂-(S)-(R)-BPPFA at room temperature to give (R)-3-vinylcyclohexanone ($\text{3}$), after decarboxylation, in up to 48% e. e.     

Fluorine-containing seven-membered benzoheterocycles derived from hexafluoropropene oligomers

4-Fluoro-2-($\text{F}$-ethyl)-3-($\text{F}$-methyl)-1, 5-benzoxazepine was prepared by reaction of $\text{F}$-2-methyl-2-pentene with 2-aminophenol in the presence of triethylamine in diethyl ether. The reaction of $\text{F}$-2,4-dimethyl-3-heptene with 2-aminophenol in dimethylformamide gave 7-($\text{F}$-1-methylethyl)-8- ($\text{F}$-ethyl)-9,14-benzoxazepino[4,3-b]1,6-benzoxazepine. Several ortho-bifunctional benzenes reacted similarly with $\text{F}$-2-methyl-2-pentene and $\text{F}$-2,4-dimethyl-3-heptene to give the corresponding seven-membered benzoheterocycles.     

3-methylthio-1,2-dithiolylium salts : Reaction with 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one and 4-hydroxycoumarin

The reaction of 4- and 5-aryl-3-methylthio-1,2-dithiolylium iodides with 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2$\text{H}$-pyran-2-one and 4-hydroxycoumarin has been studied. 4-Substituted salts yielded 3-aryl-7-methyl-2-thioxo-2$\text{H}$,5$\text{H}$-pyrano [3,2-c]pyran-5-ones and 3-aryl-2-thioxo-2H,5H-pyrano[3,2-c]benzo[e]pyran-5-ones, respectively, whereas 5-substituted salts gave rise to 3-(5′-aryl-1′,2′-dithiol-3′-ylidene)-6-methyl-2$\text{H}$-pyran-2,4-diones and 3-(5′-aryl-1′,2′-dithiol-3′-ylidene)-2$\text{H}$-benzo [b]-pyran-2,4-diones.     

A reinvestigation of asymmetric induction in diels-alder reactions to chiral acrylates.

The chiral induction in the Diels-Alder addition $\text{1}$ → $\text{2}$, assessed reliably by ¹⁹F-NMR-spectroscopy of the endo-esters $\text{4}$, varied between 47 - 93% in favor of the 2-(R)-adducts $\text{2}$ depending on the auxiliary chiral group and the Lewis-acid catalyst.     

New synthesis of benzo [a]quinolizidin-2-ones via protected 2-aryl-4-piperidones

A new synthesis of 9,10-dimethoxy-1,3,4,6,7,11b-hexahydro-2H-benzo aquinolizin-2-one ($\text{1a}$ and its 3-ethyl derivative $\text{1b}$ via the corresponding 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-piperidone ethylene acetals $\text{7}$ is reported. Alkylation of 2-arylpipendires $\text{7}$ with 2-bromoethanol followed by oxidation of the resulting amino alcohols $\text{9}$ with oxalyl chloride and dimethyl sulfoxide afforded the aldehydes $\text{10}$, which were cyclized with hydrochloric acid to give 7-hydroxybenzo[α]quinolizidines $\text{11}$. The reduction of $\text{1}$ with trinethylsilane and subsequent acid hydrolysis led to benzo aquinolizidin-2-ones $\text{1}$.     

Flash vacuum thermolysis of spirocyclohexadienones

In an attempt to prepare short-bridged hydroxymetacyclophanes $\text{1b-d}$, the spirocyclohexadienones $\text{2b-d}$ were pyrolyzed by flash vacuum thermolysis (FVT). Instead of $\text{1b-d}$, variable amounts of 4-(5-hexenyl)phenol ($\text{4b}$), β-hydroxybenzocycloalkenes ($\text{5b-d}$) and 4-(trans-1-alkenyl) phenols ($\text{6c-d}$) were obtained. The formation of these products is explained by invoking cleavage of a spiro bond in $\text{2}$ under formation of the intermediate diradical $\text{3}$ which, depending on the length of the aliphatic chain and on the temperature, has several pathways open for isomerization to spin-paired products.     

Studies on organophosphorus compounds—XXXVI: Simple new routes to phosphorins from 2-hydroxy-, 2-mercapto-, and 2-aminobenzoic acids and their derivatives

2-Hydroxybenzoic acid heated with 2,4 - bis(4 - methoxyphenyl) - 1,3,2,4 - dithiadiphosphetane - 2,4 -disulfide, 1, gave 2 - (p - methoxyphenyl) - 4$\text{H}$ - 1,3,2 - benzoxathiaphosphorin - 4 - one 2 - sulfide, 3, and its thio-analogue, 4, while its ethyl or phenyl esters gave 4 as the sole product. 2 - Mercaptobenzoic acid and its ethyl ester when heated with 1 produced 3$\text{H}$ - 1,2 - benzodithiole - 3 - one, 8, 3$\text{H}$ -1,2 - benzodithiole - 3 - thione, 9, and 2- (p - methoxyphenyl) - 4$\text{H}$ - 1,3,2 - benzodithia - phosphorin - 4 - one 2 - sulfide, 10. The reaction of 2 -aminobenzoic acid with 1 gave 1,2 - dihydro - 2 - (p - methoxyphenyl) - 4$\text{H}$ - 3,1,2 - benzoxaphosphorin - 4 - one 2 - sulfide, 12. Reactions of 1 with methyl 2 - aminobenzoate and 2 - aminobenzamides are described. Mechanistic considerations for the formation of the heterocyclic phosphorus compounds are presented.     

Sigmatropic 1.5-hydrogen shift and concomitant cyclopropane bond cleavage on thermolysis of trans-1-isopropenyl-4-methylene spiro[2.x]alkanes into 1-methylene-(3′-methylbut-2′-enyl)-cycloalk-2-enes

Thermolysis of several trans-1-isopropenyl-4-methylene-spiro[2.x]- alkanes (x = 4,5) in xylene solution at 130° causes quantitative rearrangement to 1-methylene-2-(3′-methylbut-2′-enyl)cycloalkanes ($\text{3}$ – $\text{4}$).     

Action of tert-butyl azidoformate on the conjugate bases of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9H-carbazole and other indole derivatives

tert-Butyl azidoformate ($\text{2}$) reacts with the conjugate bases of $\text{3a}$, $\text{7a}$, $\text{9}$ (R¹ = R² = CH₃), and $\text{9}$ (R¹ = CH₃, R² = H) to give products [$\text{4}$, $\text{8}$, $\text{12}$, and $\text{14}$, respectively] in addition to the expected N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)indole derivatives.     

Generation of an active acyl species from stable 1-methyl-2-acyl-1h-imidazoles

1-Methyl-2-(1′-cyano-1′-trimethylsilyloxy)alkyl-1H-imidazoles ($\text{2}$) were easily prepared from the corresponding stable carbonyl compounds, 1-methyl-2-acyl- ¹H-imidazoles ($\text{1}$). When the quarternary salts of $\text{2}$ were treated with various nucleophiles, reactive acyl species, which was presumed to be acylcyanide ($\text{12}$), was generated in situ under CC bond fission to result in producing the corresponding acylated compounds ($\text{5}$–$\text{10}$) in good yields.     

An unusual example of a rapid spin-equilibrium iron complex

Bis(N-(1-benzoyl-2-propylidene)-2-pyridylmethylaminato)iron(III) hexafluorophosphate (Fe(bzpa)₂PF₆ is shown to be a spin-equilibrium compound between low- (S = $\text{1}\text{2}$) and high- (S = $\text{5}\text{2}$) spin states depending on temperature, and to have the unusual property that the relaxation time of the spin change is shorter than the Mössbauer lifetime (1 × 10^?7s) of iron- 57 (l = $\text{3}\text{2}$) in the solid state.     

Regiospecific introduction of a branched-chain to kanamycin B and stereospecific transformation of the 2,6-diamino-2,6-dideoxy-D-glucopyranosyl moiety into 2,6-diamino-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-3-C-methyl-l-arabino or lyxo-hexopyranosyl,or 2-amino-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-5-C-methyl-L-threo-hexopyranosyl

4-O-(2,6-diamino-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-3-C-methyl-β-L-arabino and lyxo-hexopyranosyl) and 4-O-(2-amino2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-5-c-methyl-L-threo-hexopyranosyl-6-O-(3-amino-3-decxy-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-2-deoxystreptamine ($\text{6}$, $\text{7}$ and $\text{12}$) were synthesized from a kanamycin B derivative ($\text{1}$) by regiospecific methylation and stereospecific hydrogenation followed by removal of masking groups, converting a D-sugar moiety (4-O-glycoside portion) into L-sugar. The usual conformation of $\text{6}$ and $\text{7}$ were determined as boat and skew by 250 MHz PMR spectra respectively.     

Cross-conjugated biradicals: Kinetics and kinetic isotope effects in the thermal isomerizations of cis- and trans-2,3-dimethylemethylnecyclopropane,cis- and trans-3,4-dimethyl-1,2-dimethylenecyclobutane,and of 1,2,8,9-decatetraene

cis- and trans - 2,3 - Dimethylenemethylenecyclopropane ($\text{C}$ and $\text{T}$) interconvert at 160.0° with a small normal kinetic isotope effect (KIE) when the exo-methylene is deuterated, but the 1,3-shift products, 2-methylethylidenecyclopropane, show a large normal KIE, 1.35 and 1.31, when formed from $\text{C}$ and $\text{T}$, respectively. This data can be interpreted in terms of either parallel reactions or a common trimethylenemethane diradical intermediate formed with a normal KIE of 1.11 and closing to 1,3-shift product with a normal KIE of 1.29 due to the effect of deuterium in the required 90° rotation of the exo-methylene carbon.The kinetics of the thermal 1,3- and 3,3-shifts of cis- and rans-3,4-dimethyl-1,2-dimethylenecyclobutane ($\text{CB}$ and $\text{TB}$) were determined in a flow reactor. The first order rate constants are log k_CB (sec^?1) = 13.7 ? 42,200/2.3 RT and log k_TB (sec^?1) = 13.6 ? 41,900/2.3 RT (E_a in kcal/m) which compare favorably to that from the parent hydrocarbon. 1,2-dimethylenecyclobutane, after reasonable correction for dimethyl substitution.Rearrangement of $\text{TB}$ and its bis(dideuteriomethylene) derivative at 230.0° revealed a normal KIE of 1.08. This KIE could be interpreted in terms of either a methylene rotational isotope effect in a concerted reaction or formation of a bisallyl diradical with the expected normal rotational IE on closure to the 1,3-shift product of 1.12 with no IE in the ring opening when the result is corrected for return of the biradical to starting material.The kinetics of intramolecular 2 + 2 cycloaddition of 1,2,8,9-decatetraene were determined in a flow reactor. The first order rate constant is log k(sec^?1) = 9.4 ? 30,800/2.3 RT (E_a in kcal/m). These energetics are compared with those of other 2 + 2 cycloadditions. The major product is 3,4-dimethylenecyclooctene ($\text{DC}$) which is also found from the minor product, cis-7,8-dimethylenebicvyclo[4.2.0]octane ($\text{CO}$), at higher temperatures. The trans isomer, $\text{TO}$, also gives $\text{DC}$ at about the same rate as $\text{CO}$.     

The octant rule. XVI1. COnformation and circular dichroism of syn and anti 2-methylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-ones,thujone and isothujone

(lS,5S)-exo-2(R)-Methylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-one ($\text{1}$) and (lS,5S)-endo-2(S)-methylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-one (2) were synthesized and their circular dichroism (CD) spectra run. Conformational analysis based on molecular mechanics calculations and Karplus equation analyses of vicinal H¦H NMR coupling constants indicate boat-like sofa conformations for both $\text{1}$ and $\text{2}$, with very little ring distortion from the symmetry of the parent bicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-3-one. The lone dissymmetric ψ-axial and ψ-equatorial methyl groups of $\text{1}$ and $\text{2}$, respectively, are both octant consignate. The natural product analogs of $\text{1}$ and $\text{2}$, (?)-3-isothujone ($\text{3}$) and (+)-3-thujone ($\text{4}$) were prepared and examined similarly. Their α-methyl perturbers dominate the CD n-π^★ Cotton effects.     

Thermal rearrangements of some indole alkaloid derivatives

Under both static and flow thermolysis conditions, several compounds with an “aspidosperma” framework rearranged to “vinca” derivatives. Thus (-)1,2-dehydroaspidospermidine ($\text{4}$) rearranged to (-) gave vincane $\text{14}$. Compound $\text{6}$ rearranged to vincamine ($\text{13a}$) and 16-epi vincamine ($\text{13b}$) under either condition ; increasing the temperature resulted in formation of apovincamine ($\text{19}$) (pyrolysis) or vincamone thermolysis).     

Anomalies in the asymmetric hydroboration of olefins with the 11 adduct of (+)-α-pinene and BH3 · THF

The hydroboration of cis-2-butene and cis-3-hexene with pure diisopinocampheylborane (IPC₂BH) and monoisopinocampheylborane (IPCBH₂), both prepared from (+)-α-pinene, were studied. In contrast to IPC₂BH, which yielded R-(?)-2-butanol and R-(?)-3-hexanol in 98.4 and 94.5% optical purities, IPCBH₂ yielded S-(+)-2-butanol and S-(+)-3-hexanol in 23.6 and 19.7% optical purifies respectively. PMR examination of the methanolyzed products were utilized to establish the species present in the freshly prepared and aged $\text{1}\text{1}$ adduct from (+)-α-pinene and BH₃ · THF. The results confirm the interpretation previously advanced for the major differences realized in asymmetric hydroboration with the fresh and aged $\text{1}\text{1}$ adducts.