Dehydrative alkylation of alcohols with triethyl methanetricarboxylate under Mitsunobu conditions

The Mitsunobu reaction in the 21st century

Recent advancements in the condensation of alcohols with pronucleophiles by the Mitsunobu reaction are described.

Substitution of Benzylic Hydroxyl Groups with Vinyl Moieties Using Vinylboron Dihalides

[reaction: see text] Substitution of benzylic hydroxyl groups with vinyl moieties using vinylboron dihalides has been achieved. The reaction provides a novel method for preparing stereodefined alkenyl halides.

Stereoselective Carbon−Carbon Bond Formation via the Mitsunobu Displacement of Chiral Secondary Benzylic Alcohols

[reaction: see text] The stereoselective displacement of a variety of chiral benzylic alcohols with triethylmethanetricarboxylate (TEMT) under Mitsunobu conditions (DEAD, PMe(3)) has been demonstrated to proceed in good yield (70-94%) and with a high degree of inversion. Subsequent saponification and decarboxylation of the products thus obtained provide chiral 3-aryl-3-substituted propanoic acids without racemization.

Carbon nucleophiles in the Mitsunobu reaction. Mono- and dialkylation of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) malonates

[formula: see text] Simple dialkyl malonate esters, for example diethyl malonate, exhibit relatively limited scope as carbon nucleophiles in the Mitsunobu dehydrative alkylation reaction. In contrast, bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) malonate readily undergoes dehydrative alkylation with primary alcohols, and using only a slight excess of malonate gives monoalkylated product in good yield. Some secondary alcohols can also be employed, and bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) malonates can be used in a second dehydrative alkylation to give dialkylated products in good to excellent yield.

Polyene substrates with unusual methylation patterns to probe the active sites of three catalytic antibodies

The synthesis of two tetraenes that differ in their methylation pattern from the natural substrate in lanosterol biosynthesis, 2,3-oxidosqualene, and their examination with three catalytic antibodies is described. The design of these novel, linear terpenoid structures was governed by initial results obtained from the characterization of the three catalytic antibodies. These were generated by immunization with a steroidal hapten that mimics multicyclization without the necessity for anti-Markovnikov additions or ring expansions. Such a reaction cascade would represent a more 'primitive' version compared to the oxidosqualene cyclization observed in lanosterol, cycloartenol and beta-amyrin biosynthesis and would not require a tail-to-tail connection of the third and fourth isoprene unit as seen in squalene. The first tetraene design (A) only contains trisubstituted double bonds and hence its synthesis starts from farnesol and tris-norgeraniol. The second tetraene design (B) is considered the more precise match to the inducing hapten that generated the antibody collections by exhibiting one disubstituted double bond and its synthesis utilizes a tris-norgeraniol derivative and a symmetrical bis-allylic alcohol as key building blocks. Chromatographic comparison studies lead to the conclusion that the currently studied antibodies also produce monocyclic products from the two substrates as has been formerly observed with a squalene-derived substrate. In contrast, 2,3-oxidosqualene is not accepted by these catalysts supporting the notion that the current substrates are fully bound by recognition of both terminal functional groups.