Ready access to enantiopure 5-substituted-3-pyrrolin-2-ones from N-benzyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde nitrone (BIGN)

Synthesis and Transformations of Nitrones for Organic Synthesis

Nitrones are important compounds and are highly useful in many aspects. The first part describes the methods for synthesis of nitrones, which are useful and environmentally friendly. Catalytic oxidations, condensations, and other useful reactions are described. The nitrones thus obtained are key intermediates for the synthesis of biologically important nitrogen compounds. The second part describes the fundamental transformations of nitrones, which will provide the strategies and means for the construction of nitrogen compounds. The reactions with nucleophiles or radicals, C-H functionalization, and various addition reactions are described. The last reactions are particularly important for highly selective carbon-carbon bond formations. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions are excluded because the size of the review is limited and excellent reviews have been published in Chemical Reviews.

Diastereoselective synthesis of propargylic N-hydroxylamines via NHC–copper(i) halide-catalyzed reaction of terminal alkynes with chiral nitrones on water

The first NHC–copper(i) halide catalyzed addition of terminal alkynes to enantiomerically pure nitrones on water affording propargylic N-hydroxylamines in a highly diastereoselective fashion is reported.

Enantioselective synthesis of the R-enantiomer of the feeding deterrent (S)-ypaoamide

The enantioselective synthesis of the R-enantiomer of the marine natural product (S)-ypaoamide (5) is reported. The synthesis features both a flexible racemization-free approach to the 5-substituted 3-pyrrolin-2-one segment, and a lipase (CCL)-promoted deacetylation reaction to reach the orthogonal deprotection. Through this work the absolute configuration of the natural ypaoamide was determined as S.

Synthesis of Functionalized Pyrrolidin-2-ones and (S)-Vigabatrin from Pyrrole

Starting from pyrrole, the novel 3,4-didehydropyrohomoglutamate 8 or (ent)-8 can be efficiently synthesized in up to 91% ee, which can be utilized as a versatile building block toward functionalized pyrrolidin-2-ones. Moreover, (ent)-8 can be readily converted to (S)-Vigabatrin, being an irreversible inhibitor for GABA-T, which is used as adjunctive therapy in patients that suffer from epilepsy.

Enantioselective synthesis of antiinfluenza compound A-315675

Drug discovery efforts at Abbott Laboratories have led to the identification of influenza neuraminidase inhibitor A-315675 (1) as a candidate for development as an antiinfluenza drug. A convergent, stereoselective synthesis of this highly functionalized pyrrolidine is reported that utilizes pyrrolinone 2 as the key intermediate. The C5, C6 stereochemistry was established through a diastereoselective condensation of chiral imine compound 3 with silyloxypyrrole 4 to give pyrrolinone 2. The stereochemical outcome of this reaction depended critically on the choice of the imine functional group (FG), with tritylsulfenyl and (R)-toluenesulfinyl providing the desired products in good yields as crystalline intermediates. Conversion of pyrrolinone 2 into 1 was accomplished in seven subsequent steps, including Michael addition of cis-1-propenylcuprate at C4 and introduction of a cyano group as a carboxylic acid equivalent at C2.