Kinetic resolution of acyclic secondary allylic silyl ethers catalyzed by chiral ketones

Kinetic resolution of acyclic secondary allylic silyl ethers by chiral dioxiranes generated in situ from chiral ketones (R)-1 and (R)-2 and Oxone was investigated. An efficient and catalytic method has been developed for kinetic resolution of those substrates with a CCl(3), tert-butyl, or CF(3) group at the alpha-position. In particular, high selectivities (S up to 100) were observed for kinetic resolutions of racemic alpha-trichloromethyl allylic silyl ethers 7 and 9-15 catalyzed by ketones (R)-2. Both the recovered substrates and the resulting epoxides were obtained in high enantiomeric excess. On the basis of steric and electrostatic interactions between the chiral dioxiranes and the racemic substrates, a model was proposed to rationalize the enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities in the chiral ketone-catalyzed kinetic resolution process.

Highly beta-selective epoxidation of delta5-unsaturated steroids catalyzed by ketones

A general catalytic and environmentally friendly method for beta-epoxidation of delta5-unsaturated steroids has been developed, which uses ketones as the catalysts and Oxone as the terminal oxidant. A whole range of delta5-unsaturated steroids, which bear different functional groups such as hydroxyl, carbonyl, acetyl, or ketal, as well as different side chains, were conveniently converted to the corresponding synthetically and biologically interesting 5beta,5beta-epoxides with excellent beta-selectivities and high yields.