Efficient Synthesis of Ephedra Alkaloid Analogues Using an Enantiomerically Pure N-[(R)-(+)-alpha-Methylbenzyl]aziridine-2-carboxaldehyde

Efficient preparation of enantiomerically pure (2S)-aziridine-2-carboxaldehyde 9 and its 2(R) isomer and highly diastereoselective addition of organolithium reagents to the aldehyde 9 are described. The diastereoselectivity in additions of the lithium reagents seems to come from "chelation-controlled" carbon-carbon bond formation and is influenced by the source of the organometallic compound, solvent, and the presence of a Li salt. The C(3)-N bond of the aziridine ring of the addition products was regioselectively reduced by catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of Pearlman's catalyst to provide enantiomerically pure 1,2-amino alcohols. The absolute stereochemistries of the amino alcohol 13a were assigned as (1S,2S) when the C-1 substituent was phenyl by comparison with those of commercially available norpseudoephedrine.     

Regio- and stereoselectivity in the reactions of organometallic reagents with an electron-deficient and an electron-rich vinyloxirane: applications for sequential bis-allylic substitution reactions in the generation of vicinal stereogenic centers

Vinyloxiranes provide opportunities for bis-allylic substitution reactions and the generation of new vicinal stereogenic centers if regio- and stereocontrol can be achieved. Ethyl (E)-4,5-epoxy-2-hexenoate affords excellent S(N)2':S(N)2 regioselectivity and anti:syn product diastereoselectivity with dialkyzinc reagents in the presence of CuCN, and conversion of the resultant allylic alcohol to the acetate affords good syn:anti product diastereoselectivity in S(N)2'-selective allylic substitutions with alkylcyanocuprates in THF. (E)-1-(tert-Butyldimethylsilyloxy)-2,3-epoxy-4-hexenonate gives excellent S(N)2':S(N)2 regioselectivity and anti:syn product diastereoselectivity with dialkyzinc reagents in THF or DMF or Grignard reagents in Et(2)O/THF (10/1) in the presence of CuCN. Conversion of the product allylic alcohol into the allylic phosphate affords excellent S(N)2' regioselectivity and syn:anti product diastereoselectivity with lithium alkylcyanocuprates for primary and secondary alkyl transferable ligands, while S(N)2 regioselectivity is observed for the tert-butyl ligand. Reaction conditions have been developed for regio- and stereocontrolled bis-allylic substitution reactions on both electron-rich and electron-deficient alkenyloxiranes, providing a methodology for the generation of vicinal alkane stereogenic centers.     

Stereoselective synthesis of α-substituted serines from protected erythrulose oximes

The additions of organolithium reagents to the CN bond of several chiral oxime ethers derived from erythrulose afforded protected amino polyols with high diastereoselectivity. Four of the latter compounds have been converted into the α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids (R)-2-(−)-methylserine, (S)-2-(+)-methylserine, (R)-(+)-2-phenylserine and (R)-(−)-2-n-butylserine.     

Synthesis of a C1-C21 subunit of the protein phosphatase inhibitor tautomycin: a formal total synthesis

The synthesis of a C1-C21 subunit of tautomycin is described. The convergent route employs enantioenriched allenylstannane and zinc reagents derived from (S)-3-butyn-2-ol methanesulfonate. These reagents react with appropriate aldehyde segments to yield syn and anti adducts with high diastereoselectivity. The derived lithioalkynes are joined stepwise to a CO equivalent, (MeONMe)2C=O, to afford an intermediate ketone which is converted to the core spiroketal moiety of tautomycin upon acid treatment. Chain elongation by another addition of the aforementioned allenylzinc reagent to a spiroketal aldehyde proceeds with high diastereoselectivity to install the remaining stereocenters. The resulting homopropargylic alcohol adduct is converted to a methyl ketone through intramolecular hydrosilylation of the alkyne and Tamao oxidation of the derived five-membered siloxane. This ketone proved identical to an intermediate employed by Chamberlin in a prior total synthesis of tautomycin.     

Diels–Alder reactions and transformations of 2-cyclopenten-1-one with a chiral anthracene template

Excellent regio- and diastereoselectivity were achieved in the microwave assisted Diels–Alder reaction between (S)-9-(1-methoxyethyl) anthracene and 2-cyclopenten-1-one. The addition of Grignard reagents to the ketone cycloadduct gave poor levels of diastereoselectivity, however, the reduction was significantly more stereoselective. Flash vacuum pyrolysis of the reduced material furnished the corresponding allylic alcohol in good yield and ee.     

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of quaternary α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acids by addition of benzylzinc reagents to chiral imines of trifluoropyruvate

An effective and facile method for highly diastereoselective synthesis of quaternary α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acids was developed in good yields with high diastereoselectivity (dr >20:1) via MgCl₂-accelerated addition of benzylzinc reagents (Knochel type organozinc reagents) to (R)-phenylglycinol methyl ether based imines of trifluoropyruvate.     

Diastereoselective addition of organolithiums to 1,3-oxazolidines complexed with aluminum tris(2,6-diphenylphenoxide) (ATPH)

1,3-Oxazolidines were easily obtained by condensation of N-substituted (R)-phenylglycinol with aldehydes. Addition of organolithium reagents to 1,3-oxazolidines by complexation with the bulky Lewis acid aluminum tris(2,6-diphenylphenoxide) (ATPH) readily produced the corresponding chiral amines with good yield and high diastereoselectivity. The configuration of the new stereogenic center was shown to be opposite to that of adducts obtained for the same 1,3-oxazolidines using Grignard reagents. The best diastereoselectivity was achieved using N-isopropyl-1,3-oxazolidines. The mechanism of addition was deduced by determining the stereochemistry of the iminium-aluminum complex by NOE experiments.     

Radical-polar crossover domino reactions involving organozinc reagents and β-(allyloxy)-enoates

Organozinc reagents (organozinc halides, diorganozincs and mixed copper-zinc reagents) react with β-(allyloxy)-enoates via a radical-polar crossover process to afford substituted furans in one single synthetic step following a domino reaction involving Michael addition and carbocyclisation. Reversal of diastereoselectivity can be obtained varying the organometallic and/or the reaction conditions.     

Additions of enantioenriched allenylzinc and indium reagents to lactic aldehyde ethers

Allenylzinc and indium reagents were generated in situ through Pd(0)-catalyzed metalation of (R)- and (S)-3-butyn-2-ol methanesulfonate with Et(2)Zn and InI. These reagents add to the benzyl and TBS ethers of (S)-lactic aldehyde to afford diastereomeric stereotriads in moderate to high yield. The (S)/(S) combination afforded the anti,anti adducts with 94:6-100:0 diastereoselectivity. The (R)/(S) combination was mismatched, affording a mixture of anti,syn and syn,anti adducts in diastereomeric ratios of ca. 80:20-85:15. Addition of the racemic allenylmetal reagents to the (S)-lactic aldehyde ethers afforded the products of matched and mismatched pairings in equal amount.     

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.     

Control of diastereoselectivity by solvent effects in the addition of Grignard reagents to enantiopure t-butylsulfinimine: syntheses of the stereoisomers of the hydroxyl derivatives of sibutramine

[reaction: see text] An efficient method has been developed to prepare all four isomers of the hydroxyl derivatives of sibutramine by addition of Grignard reagents (R)- or (S)-5 to a single enantiomer of sulfinyl imine (R)-1 simply by tuning the reaction solvent. The phenomenon of the reversed diastereoselectivity in CH(2)Cl(2) and THF implied that the reaction may proceed through a chelated cyclic transition state in CH(2)Cl(2) and nonchelated acyclic transition state in THF.     

Reactivity of chiral alpha-amidoalkylphenyl sulfones with stabilized carbanions. stereoselective synthesis of optically active 1-aminopyrrolizidine

Metal enolates and functionalized allylzinc reagents react with optically active alpha-amidoalkylphenyl sulfones to give N-carbamoylamino derivatives with variable levels of anti diastereoselectivity. Zinc enolates provide comparable results with respect to lithium enolates in terms of diastereoselectivity but afford beta-amino ester derivatives in lower yield. The synthetic utility of the obtained chiral N-carbamoylamino esters is demonstrated by the first enantioselective synthesis of (-)-1-aminopyrrolizidine a central intermediate for the preparation of various biologically active substances.     

Carbohydrates as chiral templates: asymmetric ugi-synthesis of alpha-amino acids using galactosylamines as the chiral matrices

In the presence of Lewis acid catalysts O-acetyl- (1) and O-pivaloyl- (2) protected β-D-galactopyranosylamines react with aldehydes, isocyanides and carboxylic acids in Ugi-four-component-condensations to give the corresponding N-galactosyl-amino acid amide derivatives 3,5 in almost quantitative yields. Zinc chloride is the most effective Lewis acid catalyst. At 0°C or even at room temperature the (2R,β-D)-diastereomers of the amino acid derivatives 3,5 are formed with high diastereoselectivity. If the sterically more demanding O-pivaloyl galactosylamine 2 is used at -78°C to -25°C the stereoselectivity often exeeds 20:1 favouring the (2R,β-D) diastereomers 5. After one recrystallisation pure (R)-amino acid derivatives 5 are obtained in yields of 80–95%. In addition to the high yields and stereoselectivity the amino acid synthesis discribed here has the further advantage that it neither requires organometallic reagents and intermediates nor exclusion of oxygen and moisture. Two step acid hydrolysis of the N-galactosylamino acid amide derivatives 5 delivers the enantiomerically pure (R)-amino-acids 8 in high yields.     

Chelation or Non-Chelation Control in Addition Reactions of Chiral α- and β- Alkoxy Carbonyl Compounds [New Synthetic Methods (44)]

The addition of C-nucleophiles such as Grignard reagents or enolates to chiral α- or β-alkoxy aldehydes or ketones creates a new center of chirality and is therefore diastereogenic. In order to control stereoselectivity, two strategies have been developed: (1) Use of Lewisacidic reagents which form intermediate chelates, these being attacked stereoselectively from the less hindered side (chelation control); (2) use of reagents incapable of chelation, stereoselective attack being governed by electronic and/or steric factors (non-chelation control). Generally, the two methods lead to the opposite sense of diastereoselectivity. It is possible to predict the outcome by careful choice of organometallic reagents containing elements such as Li, Mg, B, Si, Sn, Cu, Zn, or Ti. For corrigendum see DOI: 10.1002/anie.198407461     

Stereoselective synthesis of di- and monofluoromethylated vicinal ethylenediamines with di- and monofluoromethyl sulfones

The diastereoselective nucleophilic (phenylsulfonyl)difluoromethylation and (phenylsulfonyl)monofluoromethylation of alpha-amino N-tert-butanesulfinimines (3) by using PhSO2CF2H and PhSO2CH2F reagents gave products 4 or 5 in high yields (73-99%) and with excellent diastereoselectivity (dr up to >99:1). After subsequent reductive desulfonylation and acid-catalyzed alcoholysis, compounds 4 and 5 could be readily transformed to chiral alpha-difluoromethylated or alpha-monofluoromethylated ethylenediamines in good yields.     

Regio- and diastereoselective conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to aryl substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds derived from Oppolzer's sultam

Asymmetric conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to aryl substituted α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (1) has been achieved with great regioselectivity (>20:1) and good to excellent diastereoselectivity (de up to 98%). The nucleophilicity and stereospecific blockade of the Grignard reagents play a key role in controlling the regioselectivities and diastereoselectivities of the conjugate addition reaction.     

Enantioselective synthesis of alkylidene cyclohexanes by an asymmetric olefination/cross-coupling sequence

A general method for the preparation of dissymmetric olefins has been developed. The anion derived from an enantiomerically enriched P-(phenylthiomethyl)phosphonamidate(1,3,2-oxazaphosphorinane2-oxide) was added to 4-tert-butylcyclohexanone with excellent diastereoselectivity. The β-hydroxyphos-phonamidate was converted into a (phenylthio)-methylidene with excellent stereospecificity using a novel electrophile-promoted olefination that employed trityl triflate and 2,6-lutidine in warm acetonitrile. The vinyl sulfide underwent nickel-catalyzed coupling with Grignard and dialkylzinc reagents to produce (S)-4-(tert-butyl)alkylidenecyclohexanes with moderate to high stereospecificity.     

Correlations between conformational isomerism and chromatographic diastereoselectivity of bis amino amide s-triazine derivatives

NMR spectroscopy was used to probe the conformational behavior of diastereomeric s-triazine derivatives containing two chiral amino amide substituents, in order to shed light onto the mechanism of chromatographic diastereoselectivity. Utilizing the amino hydrogen signals in the proton NMR spectrum, the population of the conformations caused by rotation about the bond between the amino nitrogen and aromatic carbon atoms could be observed. The population distribution between the three possible conformations was similar but not identical between the two diastereomers, with similar trends being observed for both bis alanine amide and bis valine amide derivatives. Based on a simple model in which it is assumed that adsorption to the hydrophobic RP-LC stationary phase occurs only for the conformations having both amino amide R-groups on the same side of the triazine ring plane, the different conformation populations between the two diastereomers obtained by NMR was consistent with the observed RP-LC elution order (L-L diastereomer followed by L-D). The predicted diastereoselectivity values from NMR data were compared to RP-LC diastereoselectivity values obtained using both C18 and polymeric columns, with both acetonitrile/water and DMSO/water mobile phases. Values obtained with the polymeric column were in better agreement with calculated values than those obtained with the C18 column, suggesting that the simple adsorption model used to calculate the diastereoselectivity is more relevant towards a simple hydrophobic polymeric surface rather than a more complex C18 stationary phase. This study indicates that proton NMR is a useful tool for studying the diastereoselective mechanism of these derivatives, due to the relatively slow C-N bond rotation caused by the significant sp(2) character of the amino nitrogen atoms.     

Synthesis of enantiopure homoallylic ethers by reagent controlled facial selective allylation of chiral ketones

The stereoselective allylation of chiral methyl ketones to give tertiary homoallylic ethers, which can easily be transformed into homoallylic alcohols, is described. Reaction of the enantiopure ketones 8a-d and the racemic ketones 26a-d with the norpseudoephedrine derivative 2 or ent-2 and allylsilane in the presence of a catalytic amount of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, led to a series of homoallylic ethers with good to excellent diastereoselectivity (85:15 to > 97:3). The allylation is reagent controlled and nearly independent from the stereogenic centers in the substrates. A partial kinetic resolution was observed using the racemic ketones 26a-d. In the reaction of the chiral ketones 8a-d with the achiral reagents ethoxytrimethylsilane and allylsilane only a low diastereoselectivity was observed.     

Simple diastereoselectivity on addition of alpha-haloalkyl Grignard reagents to benzaldehyde

The addition of alpha-haloalkyl Grignard reagents to benzaldehyde occurs with simple diastereoselectivity substantially higher than that of the corresponding lithium reagents. Reaction in the presence of dimethyl-aluminum chloride suppresses subsequent Oppenauer oxidation of the resulting Mg-alkoxides by excess benzaldehyde.