Enantioselective Preparation of γ-Amino Acids and γ-Lactams from Nitro Olefins and Carboxylic Acids,with the Valine-Derived 4-Isopropyl-5,5-diphenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one as an Auxiliary

Titanium enolates of acyl-oxazolidinones 1 , derived from acetic, propanoic, 3-methylbutanoic, and 4-methylpentanoic acids and 4-isopropyl-5,5-diphenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one, are added to aliphatic and aromatic nitro olefins in the presence of TiCl₄ (Schemes 2 – 4). The products, 4-nitro carboxylic-acid derivatives 2 , are formed in high diastereoselectivities (ds 80 to >99%) and in good yields (50 – 75% of purified samples of ds >98%). Hydrogenation over Raney-Ni of the NO₂ group in the adducts leads directly to the corresponding γ-lactams ( 3 and 8 ; 80 – 92%), with recovery of the insoluble auxiliary (ca. 95%). Ring opening is achieved through the N-Boc-lactams ( 4 ), which are converted to N-Boc-protected γ-amino acids 5 or to their benzyl and methyl esters ( 6 and 7 ; Scheme 5). The configuration of the products (containing up to three new stereogenic centers; Scheme 1) is assigned by comparison with literature data, by X-ray crystal-structure analysis (for 2c , g , f , 8 , Fig.), and by analogy. Thus, the (S)-auxiliary gives rise to combination of the trigonal centers of enolate and nitro olefin with Si/Si topicity (relative topicity all-lk; cf. A ).