Stereoselective synthesis of syn-α-methyl-β-hydroxy esters

Boron enolates of an ethyl ketone structurally related to erythrulose react with achiral aldehydes in a highly stereoselective fashion to yield 1,2-syn/1,3-syn stereoisomers. Oxidative cleavage of the aldol adducts yields enantiopure O-formylated syn-α-methyl-β-hydroxy esters, easily cleaved to the corresponding hydroxyl-free compounds. The aforementioned ketone behaves therefore as a chiral propionate enolate equivalent.     

Synthesis of α-fluoro-β-hydroxy esters by an enantioselective Reformatsky-type reaction

The first enantioselective Reformatsky-type reaction of ethyl iodofluoroacetate has been accomplished with alkyl aryl ketones. High diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities for the major diastereomer (93-95% ee) were achieved with large alkyl groups. For smaller alkyl groups the diastereoselectivities were moderate, but excellent enantioselectivities were obtained for both diastereomers (79-94% ee).     

Diastereoselective synthesis of aliphatic α,α-difluoro-β3-amino esters via a sonocatalyzed Reformatsky reaction

(R)-2-Phenylglycine ethyl ester was found to be a cheap and effective auxiliary for the preparation of aliphatic α,α-difluoro-β(3)-amino esters via a Reformatsky reaction performed under sonication conditions. The products were obtained in good to high yield and ≥96:4 dr, thus providing a new stereoselective route to this under-represented class of compounds. A facile one-pot removal of the phenylglycine moiety and concomitant Boc protection subsequently afforded the corresponding Boc-protected β(3)-amino esters in excellent yield.     

Selective synthesis of α-fluoro-β-keto- and α-fluoro-β-aminophosphonates via electrophilic fluorination by selectfluor

A series of α-mono- and α,α-difluoro-β-ketophosphonates were synthesized in moderate to good yields with excellent selectivities via electrophilic fluorination by Selectfluor. Subsequently, synthetic potential of the obtained α-monofluoro-β-ketophosphonates was demonstrated by their application in synthesis of α-monofluoro-β-aminophosphonates, useful building blocks in the preparation of phosphapeptides.     

Highly enantioselective synthesis of α-fluoro-α-nitro esters via organocatalyzed asymmetric Michael addition

Primary amines catalyzed the asymmetric Michael addition of ethyl 2-fluoro-2-nitroacetate to enones to provide chiral α-fluoro-α-nitro ester ketones with two contiguous stereogenic centers, one of which is a fluorinated quaternary chiral center, with excellent enantioselectivities and in moderate to good yields.     

Enantioselective synthesis of α-fluoro-β(3)-amino esters: synthesis of enantiopure, orthogonally protected α-fluoro-β(3)-lysine

The scope of a tandem conjugate addition-fluorination sequence performed on α,β-unsaturated esters using the enantiopure lithium amide derived from (S)-N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amine, and the electrophilic fluorinating agent N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide has been investigated. Using this method, α-fluoro-β(3)-amino esters can be obtained in up to quantitative yield and 80:20 to >99:1 dr. This simple methodology does not rely on the use of α-amino acids from the chiral pool and thus provides the potential for the preparation of enantiopure α-fluoro-β(3)-amino acids with a wide variety of side chains. Its utility was demonstrated through the synthesis of orthogonally protected (2S,3S)-α-fluoro-β(3)-lysine.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of diazo-β-ketoanilides for the synthesis of 3-alkylideneoxindoles

With [Ru(p-cymene)Cl(2)](2) as catalyst, diazo-β-ketoanilides would undergo intramolecular carbenoid arene C-H bond functionalization to afford 3-alkylideneoxindoles in up to 92% yields. The reaction occurs under mild conditions and exhibits excellent chemoselectivity. The lack of primary KIE (k(H)/k(D) ~ 1) suggests that the reaction should not proceed by rate-limiting C-H bond cleavage; a mechanism involving cyclopropanation of the arene is proposed.     

An expedient synthesis of α,α-difluoro-β-hydroxy ketones via decarboxylative aldol reaction of α,α-difluoro-β-keto acids with aldehydes

A novel decarboxylative aldol reaction of α,α-difluoro-β-keto acids with aldehydes in the absence of any base and metal catalysts has been developed. This reaction provides a highly convenient and efficient method for the synthesis of structurally diverse α,α-difluoro-β-hydroxy ketones in good to excellent yields.     

Asymmetric synthesis of cis-7-methoxycalamenene via the intramolecular Buchner reaction of an α-diazoketone

The asymmetric synthesis of cis-7-methoxycalamenene 1 has been accomplished using the intramolecular Buchner reaction of α-diazoketone 7 as the key step in the synthetic route. Upon reduction of the equilibrating azulenone structure 8, the resulting azulenol 9 rearranges to dihydronaphthalene 10 containing the 6,6-membered bicyclic ring system characteristic of 1, by means of an acid-catalyzed aromatization process. Transformation of 10 to 1 is accomplished through a three-step reaction sequence.     

Stereoselective allylation of α-hydroxy aldimines and its application to the formal synthesis of (−)-β-conhydrine

Stereoselective allylation of N-p-methoxyphenyl (PMP)-substituted α-hydroxy aldimines is described. Several Lewis acids (BF₃·OEt₂, SnCl₄, TiCl₄, ZnCl₂, and MgBr₂·OEt₂) were employed to mediate the allylation reactions. The addition of the allyl group generates a new stereocenter and affords the syn vicinal amino alcohol. Formal synthesis of (?)-β-conhydrine (1) was accomplished via syn-selective allyl addition to N-PMP-substituted α-hydroxy aldimine.     

Expedient synthesis of α,α-dimethyl-β-hydroxy carbonyl scaffolds via Evans' aldol reaction with a tertiary enolate

An efficient synthetic methodology for 3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyloctynoic acid (DHOYA) and several variants, which are increasingly common fragments encountered in bioactive marine cyanobacterial metabolites, was developed. These fragments were obtained in three steps via a tertiary aldol reaction utilizing an Evans’ chiral auxiliary to afford the desired stereochemistry at the β-hydroxy carbon. Thus far, this methodology has been successfully applied in determination of the absolute stereochemistry of eight cyanobacterial natural products, including the VGSC activator palymramide A.     

Enantioselective synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyran derivatives via organocatalytic Michael reaction of α,β-unsaturated enones

A simple chiral diamine catalyst (1a) was successfully applied in the asymmetric Michael reaction between cyclic dimedone and α,β-unsaturated ketones. Both acyclic enones with aryl or alkyl β-substituents and cyclic enones were tolerated well in the reaction. The desired adducts were obtained in high yields (up to 98%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). The additives were found to increase the reactivity dramatically. The biologically active 2,4-disubstituted polyhydroquinoline scaffold was conveniently prepared through an ammoniation from the generated 3,4-dihydropyran product.     

Rhodium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of arylboronates and diazoesters and tandem alkylation reaction for the synthesis of quaternary α,α-heterodiaryl carboxylic esters

A rhodium-catalyzed one-pot three-component coupling reaction was developed for the synthesis of quaternary α,α-heterodiaryl carboxylic esters. This reaction involves cross-coupling of the arylrhodium(I) complexes with α-aryldiazoacetates to form oxa-π-allylrhodium complexes. With KOtBu and alkyl halides, tandem alkylation of the allyl complex occurs to form a quaternary stereocenter at the carbenic carbon.     

Organocatalytic synthesis of α-hydroxy and α-aminophosphonates

A new and highly flexible procedure is described for the synthesis of α-amino- and α-hydroxy phosphonates. In the presence of a catalytic amount of oxalic acid (10 mol %), trimethyl phosphite reacts with aldehydes or imines (generated in situ from an aldehyde and an amine) to yield the corresponding coupled products in good yield.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyrans: Brønsted acid-catalyzed intramolecular oxa-conjugate cyclization of α,β-unsaturated ester surrogates

Intramolecular oxa-conjugate cyclization (IOCC) of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds, triggered by deprotonation with a base, represents a straightforward method for the synthesis of tetrahydropyrans. However, it has been known that stereochemical outcome of IOCC depends on the local structure of substrates and sometimes requires harsh reaction conditions and/or prolonged reaction times for selective formation of 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyrans. These shortcomings limit the feasibility of IOCC in the context of complex natural product synthesis. In this paper, we describe Br?nsted acid-catalyzed IOCC of α,β-unsaturated ester surrogates (e.g., α,β-unsaturated thioesters, oxazolidinone imides, and pyrrole amides) under mild reaction conditions, which affords a series of synthetically versatile 2,6-cis-substituted tetrahydropyran derivatives with good to excellent stereoselectivity (dr from 7:1 to >20:1). These α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds were found to be more reactive than the corresponding oxoesters that are generally unreactive toward Br?nsted acid-catalyzed intramolecular oxa-conjugate additions. The product tetrahydropyrans could be transformed into various derivatives in an efficient manner, highlighting the usefulness of our methodology.     

A facile method for the synthesis of enantiopure α-unsubstituted β-hydroxy esters

One-pot deacylation–debromination reactions involving the transesterification of the initial chiral α-bromo-β-hydroxy thioimide aldol adducts and subsequent Al–Hg mediated reductive cleavage of the C–Br bond allow for a facile synthesis of enantiopure β-hydroxy esters.     

Highly enantioselective synthesis of anti aryl β-hydroxy α-amino esters via DKR transfer hydrogenation

An efficient preparation of highly enantiomerically enriched aryl β-hydroxy α-amino esters via dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR), asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of α-amino β-keto esters is described. The anti β-hydroxyl α-amino esters were obtained both in high yields and high diasteroselectivity. The observed high anti selectivity is inconsistent with the previous results in literature. The absolute stereochemistry of the aryl β-hydroxy α-amino esters was unambiguously confirmed via chemical derivatization as well as Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD) techniques.     

Stereoselective allylation reactions of acyclic and chiral α-amino-β-hydroxy aldehydes

Stereoselective allylation reactions of acyclic and chiral α-amino-β-hydroxy aldehydes affording chiral β-amino-α,γ-diols are described. Several Lewis acids (BF₃·OEt₂, SnCl₄, TiCl₄, ZnCl₂, and MgBr₂·OEt₂) were employed to mediate the allylation reactions. The reactions of anti-α-NHCbz-β-OTBS substrates mediated by SnCl₄ afforded syn-selective products. The same reaction conditions also gave satisfactory results for the reactions of syn-α-NHCbz-β-OTBS substrates. The mechanism involves α-chelation between the amido group and aldehyde oxygen.