[2,3]1-Thia-Wittig Rearrangements Proceeding with Complete Inversion or with Partial Loss of Configuration at the Carbanionic Center

On the preparation and determination of configurational stability of chiral thio- and bromo[D1]methyllithiums

Thio- and bromo[D₁]methyllithiums (ee 99%) were generated from the respective stannanes by tin–lithium exchange at temperatures ranging from 0 to −95 °C. Thio[D₁]methyllithiums 6 were found to be microscopically configurationally labile on the time scale of the thiophosphate-α-mercaptophosphonate rearrangement even at −95 °C. Thio[D₁]methyllithiums 13a and 13b underwent a thia-[2,3]-Wittig rearrangement down to −95 °C and 13b only down to −50 °C. The former were microscopically configurationally stable below −95 °C, and the latter racemized completely at −50 °C. Chiral bromo[D₁]methyllithiums are chemically unstable at −78 °C but microscopically configurationally stable at the time scale of their addition to benzaldehyde and acetophenone.

Highly enantioselective reactions of configurationally labile epimeric diamine complexes of lithiated S-benzyl thiocarbamates

Substitution reactions that employ primary-carbamoyl-protected arylmethanethiols are described. The enantiodetermining step was found to occur in the post-deprotonation step as a dynamic thermodynamic resolution with a chiral bis(oxazoline) ligand. The configurationally labile lithium complexes were trapped with various electrophiles to yield different substitution products in good to excellent yields and enantiomeric excesses. The absolute configurations of the substitution products were determined, and the stereochemical pathway of the substitution reaction was elucidated for different classes of electrophiles. The temperature-dependent epimerization process was monitored by 1H and 6Li NMR spectroscopy.

Highly diastereoselective lithiation and substitution of an (S)-prolinyl thiocarbamate via sterically homogeneous lithio(thiocarbamate): synthesis of enantiomerically pure prolinethiols

Highly diastereoselective lithiation-substitution reactions of an (S)-proline derived S-alkyl thiocarbamate was accomplished. The configuration of the predominant alkyllithium species and the stereochemical course of the electrophilic substitution reactions are deduced by a combination of X-ray crystal structure analysis, NMR spectroscopic studies, deuteration/dedeuteration experiments, and quantum chemical calculations. The lithium intermediate (S,S)-9 was found to be kinetically and thermodynamically favoured, whereas (S,R)-9 rapidly epimerizes.

Novel [1,2]- and [2,3]-Wittig rearrangements of alpha-benzyloxy beta-CF(3)-beta-lactam enolates

[reaction: see text] alpha-Benzyloxy alpha-CF(3)-beta-lactams are shown to offer the first examples of the enolate [1,2]- and enolate ortho-[2,3]-Wittig rearrangements which provide a unique entry to the alpha-benzyl-alpha-hydroxy lactams and the alpha-aryl-alpha-hydroxy lactams, respectively. Both products are potential precursors of new trifluoromethyl isoserines, and the latter is not accessible via the usual alkylation methodology.