Oxiranyl anion-mediated synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched styrene oxide derivatives

Lithiated three-membered heterocycles as chiral nucleophiles in the enantioselective synthesis of 1-oxaspiro[2,3]hexanes

The reaction between configurably stable α-lithiated oxiranes and 3-substituted cyclobutanones allows obtaining enantiomerically enriched cyclobutanols (er > 98 : 2). These adducts, subjected to base-mediated Payne rearrangement, lead to the synthesis of a new class of oxaspirohexanes, useful precursors of 2,4-disubstituted cyclopentanones.

Organoboron synthesis via ring opening coupling reactions

One of the most atom economical synthesis reactions of organoboron compounds can be achieved by addition reactions of boron reagents to unsaturated substrates. However, when the addition reaction takes place via carbanions promoting ring opening coupling reactions, the selective cleavage of the inherent bonds and the generation of new C-C bonds warrant the selective synthesis of organoboron systems with total efficiency. Here we describe new trends towards the selective synthesis of organoboron compounds where boron reagents and cyclic substrates participate in the generation of carbanions, in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of main-group metals or catalytic amounts of transition metal complexes, via ring opening coupling transformations. The generality and limitations of these new protocols are discussed.

Formation of Olefins by Eliminative Dimerization and Eliminative Cross-Coupling of Carbenoids: A Stereochemical Exercise

Two carbenoids combine to generate an olefin by a mechanism involving formation of an ate complex, 1,2-metalate rearrangement, and β-elimination. As each stage of this eliminative coupling is stereospecific, the overall stereochemical outcome can be understood and, in principle fully controlled, providing that the absolute stereochemical configurations of the reacting carbenoid species are defined. In contrast to traditional alkene syntheses, the eliminative cross-coupling of carbenoids offers a connective approach to olefins capable of precisely targeting a given isomer regardless of the nature of the features distinguishing the isomers. The formation of olefins by the eliminative dimerization and eliminative cross-coupling of carbenoids is reviewed with a range of illustrative examples, including the reactions of α-lithiated haloalkanes, epoxides, and carbamates. An emphasis is placed on stereochemical analysis and methods to generate sp³ -hybridized carbenoids in stereodefined form are surveyed.

Flash chemistry: flow chemistry that cannot be done in batch

Flash chemistry based on high-resolution reaction time control using flow microreactors enables chemical reactions that cannot be done in batch and serves as a powerful tool for laboratory synthesis of organic compounds and for production in chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

2-Lithiated-2-phenyloxetane: a new attractive synthon for the preparation of oxetane derivatives

A valuable and direct method to access 2-substituted-2-phenyloxetanes by electrophilic quenching of the corresponding 2-lithiated derivative has, for the first time, been described. 2-Lithiated-2-phenyloxetane was found to be configurationally unstable. Evidence is presented to show that electron-transfer processes are also operative in the coupling reactions with electrophiles.

A diacetate ketone-catalyzed asymmetric epoxidation of olefins

A fructose-derived diacetate ketone has been shown to be an effective catalyst for asymmetric epoxidation. High ee values have been obtained for a variety of trans and trisubstituted olefins including electron-deficient alpha,beta-unsaturated esters as well as certain cis olefins.

Synthesis of optically active arylaziridines by regio- and stereospecific lithiation of N-bus-phenylaziridine

Alpha,alpha-disubstituted aziridines can be produced in good yields by selective lithiation of N-tert-butylsulfonyl-2-phenylaziridine (n-BuLi/TMEDA, Et(2)O) at the benzylic position and subsequent trapping with a range of electrophiles. Repetition of the lithiation/electrophilic trapping sequence provides a stereocontrolled route to trisubstituted aziridines. Using (R)-N-tert-butylsulfonyl-2-phenylaziridine, the alpha,alpha-disubstituted aziridines can be produced as single enantiomers (er >98:2), indicating that the intermediate organolithium is configurationally stable. Efficient aziridine ring-opening reactions leading to 1,2-diamines and 1,4-diamines are also reported.

Asymmetric epoxidation of 1,1-disubstituted terminal olefins by chiral dioxirane via a planar-like transition state

Various 1,1-disubstituted terminal olefins have been investigated for asymmetric epoxidation using chiral ketone catalysts. Up to 88% ee has been achieved with a lactam ketone, and a planar transition state is likely to be a major reaction pathway.

What Can Be Done with the Acetyl Group of Aryl-1-Ethanones?

Literature data on utilization of acetyl group of aryl-1-ethanones (acetophenones) for the synthesis of organic compounds is generalized. Different approaches of preparation of aromatic compounds by chemical transformations of methyl as well as keto- group of titled compounds are systematized. Examples of the synthesis of organic compounds based on products of primary transformations of aryl-1-ethanones are considered.

2-Ene-1,4-diols by Dimerization of Terminal Epoxides using Hindered Lithium Amides

[reaction: see text] Reaction of hindered lithium amides with readily available (enantiopure) terminal epoxides gives 2-ene-1,4-diols via carbenoid dimerization of the corresponding alpha-lithiated epoxides. D-Mannitol and D-iditol were synthesized using this method in three steps from (S)-tritylglycidyl ether.

Synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide through stereospecific C-H insertion reaction of dichlorocarbene with optically active secondary alcohol derivatives

Stereospecific alpha C-H insertion reaction of protected chiral 1,2-glycols, (S)-1,2-isopropylidenedioxytridecane (3) and ethyl (S)-4,5-isopropylidenedioxy-pentanoate (4), prepared from (R)-glyceraldehyde acetonide (2), with dichlorocarbene generated from CHCl(3)/50% NaOH/cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (as ptc.) took place with complete retention of configuration to provide (S)-4-dichloromethyl-2,2-dimethyl-4-undecyl-1,3-dioxolane (5) and ethyl (S)-3-(4-dichloromethyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)-propanoate (8), respectively. The ester (8) was transformed to 5 by elongation of the side chain. The glycol derivative (5) was converted into O-TBDPS-protected (S)-2-hydroxymethyl-2-undecyloxirane (16). Reaction of 16 with a cuprate reagent containing homoallylic carbon chain followed by oxidative manipulation of the terminal olefin afforded (R)-(+)-tanikolide (1).

Lithiation and Reactions of Stilbene Oxides: Synthetic Utility

The lithiation of trans- and cis-stilbene oxides (+/-)-1 and 8 has been investigated. While with 8, lithiation occurred exclusively at the benzylic position, with the trans isomer (+/-)-1, ortho-lithiation competed with alpha-lithiation depending upon the experimental conditions. The configurational stability of the alpha-lithiated cis- and trans-stilbene oxides (+/-)-2 and (+/-)-9, respectively, was proved as well as that of scalemic stilbene oxide (R,R)-2.

Lithiation of 1-chloromethylbenzotriazole: generation and elaboration of benzotriazolyloxiranes

1-Benzotriazolylchloromethyllithium generated from 1-chloromethylbenzotriazole (1) and LDA reacts with enolizable and nonenolizable ketones to give benzotriazolyloxiranes 2a-g in good yields. The oxiranyllithiums 4a-d generated from 2a-d and n-BuLi at -78 degrees C were trapped by a variety of electrophiles to give oxiranyl derivatives 5a-j in good to excellent yields. Lewis-acid-promoted nucleophilic ring opening of benzotriazolyloxiranes 2a,f,g with allyltrimethylsilane gave the corresponding 1,7-octadien-4-ols 6a-c in 68-75% yield. Hydrolysis of alpha-acylbenzotriazolyloxiranes 5g,h provided 3-hydroxy-1,2-diones 7a and 7b in 73 and 86% yield, respectively.