Diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate addition reactions utilizing α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams

The conjugate addition reaction has been a useful tool in the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. The utility of this reaction has been demonstrated in the synthesis of many natural products, materials, and pharmacological agents. In the last three decades, there has been a significant increase in the development of asymmetric variants of this reaction. Unfortunately, conjugate addition reactions using α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams remain underdeveloped due to their inherently low reactivity. This review highlights the work that has been done on both diastereoselective and enantioselective conjugate addition reactions utilizing α,β-unsaturated amides and lactams.

Chiral Silanes via Asymmetric Hydrosilylation with Catalytic CuH

[reaction: see text] CuH-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate reduction of beta-silyl-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters has been developed. Using PMHS as a stoichiometric source of hydride and in situ generated CuH ligated by Solvias' JOSIPHOS analogue PPF-P(t-Bu)(2) leads to highly enantioselective 1,4-reductions.

Reactions of phenyldimethylsilyllithium with β-N,N-dimethylaminoenones: A convenient synthesis of β-dimethyl(phenyl)silylacrylic acid and its derivatives

Phenyldimethylsilyllithium reacted with 5,5-dimethyl-3-(N,N-dimethylamino)cyclohex-2-enone (7), 3-(E)-N,N-dimethylaminopropenal (11), and 4-N,N-dimethylaminobut-3-en-2-one (13) to give the corresponding β-silyl-α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 8, 12, and 14, in which the dimethylamino group has been displaced by the phenyldimethylsilyl group. Phenyldimethylsilyllithium reacted with ethyl β-N,N-dimethylaminopropenoate (15) by conjugate addition, but, in contrast to the ketones 7 and 13 and the aldehyde 11, the intermediate enolate 16 was C-protonated in the aqueous work-up to give ethyl 3-N,N-dimethylamino-3-dimethyl(phenyl)silylpropanoate (17). When the enolate 16 was instead given a mysteriously brief treatment with methyl iodide before work-up, the product was ethyl 3-(E)-dimethy(phenyl)silylpropenoate (18). Phenyllithium and methyllithium also added conjugatively to ethyl β-N,N-dimethylaminoacrylate (15) but, in contrast to the silyl case, the intermediate enolate 22 reacted unexceptionally with methyl iodide to give the products 25 and 26 of stereoselective C-methylation. This synthesis of the ester 18 was used to synthesize the Oppolzer sultam derivative 30.Key words: conjugate addition, elimination, substitution, silyllithium, silylenone.

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of vinylcyclopropane derivatives with (-)-8-phenylmenthol as chiral auxiliary

The silylated telluronium allylide 4, generated in situ from the corresponding telluronium salt in the presence of LiTMP, reacted with (-)-8-phenylmenthyl alpha,beta-unsaturated esters to afford trans-2-silylvinyl-trans-3-substituted cyclopropyl esters with high diastereoselectivity in high yields. The absolute configuration was determined by chemical transformation. A mechanistic rationale is proposed.

Article

Alkylation of the hippurate esters of trans 2-(p-substituted phenyl)cyclohexanol with benzyl bromide affords phenylalanine derivatives in high chemical yield. The reaction stereoselectivity varies from 20 to >98% depending on the aromatic group in the cyclohexyl auxiliary. A model that correctly predicts the sense of the induction is proposed.Key words: enolate conformation, pi-stacking, 2-phenylcyclohexanol, chiral auxiliary.