Nucleophilic additions to N-glycosylnitrones part IV Asymmetric synthesis of N-hydroxy-α-aminophosphonic and α-aminophosphonic acids

The addition of phosphite anions and of tris(trimethylsilyl) phosphite (P(OSiMe₃)₃) to N-glycosyl-C-arylnitrones was examined. While these nitrones proved inert towards the phosphite anions, they reacted with P(OSiMe₃)₃ under catalysis by Lewis acids. Thus, P(OSiMe₃)₃ reacted with the crystalline (Z)-N-glycosylnitrones 2 and 8 to give the optically active N-hydroxy-α-aminophosphonic acids 4 and 10 , respectively, and hence the α-aminophosphonic acids 5 and 11 in yields up to 92% and with an enantiomeric excess (e.e.) up to 97% (Scheme 1). The absolute configuration of the phosphonates depend upon the nature and – in one case – upon the quantity of the catalyst (Figure). Upon catalysis by HCIO₄ or Zn(OTF)₂, p(OSiMe₃)₃ added to 2 to give, in both cases, the (+)-(R)-phenylphosphaglycine 5 (optical purity 79–84 and 90–93%, resp.). The optical purity (o.p.) was hardly influenced by the amount of these catalysts (0.02-;1 equiv.). However, catalysis by ZnCl₂ gave, with trace quantities of the catalyst, (–)-(S)- 5 (o.p. 79%), while an equimolar amount of ZnCl₂ yielded (+)-(R)- 5 (o.p. 82%). The HClO₄-catalyzed addition of P(OSiMe₃)₃ to the nitrone 14 (Scheme 2) led to (+)-(R)-N-hydroxyphosphavaline 15 (78%) and hence to (–)-(R)-phosphavaline 16 (71% from 14 e.e. 95%). Under conditions leading from the nitrones 2 , 8 , 14 , and 20 (Schemes 1 and 2) predominantly to (R)-α-aminophosphonic acids, the addition of P(OSiMe₃)₃ to nitrone 18 , possessing a benzyloxy substituent as an additional potential ligand for the catalyst, gave (S)-phosphaserine 19 . The addition of P(OSiMe₃)₃ to the nitrone 20 , catalyzed by Zn(OTf)₂, led to (+)-(R)-N-hydroxyphosphamehionine 21 (71%, e.e. 77%) and hence to (–)-(R)-phosphamethionine 22 (77% from 20 , e.e. 79%). Catalysis by trace quantities of ZnCl₂ gave (+)-(S)- 22 (85%, e.e. 61%). The enantiomerically pure aminophosphonic acids 5 , 11 , and 16 were obtained by recrystalliztion. The e.e. of the N-hydroxyaminosphosphonic acids 10 , 15 , and 21 and the aminophosphonic acids 5 , 11 , 16 , and 22 were determined by the HPLC analysis of the dimethyl N-naphthoyl-α-aminophosphonats 7 , 13 , 17 , and 23 , on a chiral stationary phase.