Alcohols synthesis, sodium borohydride

Industrial Synthetic Improvements. One significant modification of the Stembach process is the result of work by Sumitomo chemists in 1975, in which the optical resolution—reduction sequence is replaced with a more efficient asymmetric conversion of the meso-cyc. 02Lcid (13) to the optically pure i7-lactone (17) (Fig. 3) (25). The cycloacid is reacted with the optically active dihydroxyamine [2964-48-9] (23) to quantitatively yield the chiral imide [85317-83-5] (24). Diastereoselective reduction of the pro-R-carbonyl using sodium borohydride affords the optically pure hydroxyamide [85317-84-6] (25) after recrystaUization. Acid hydrolysis of the amide then yields the desired i7-lactone (17). A similar approach uses chiral alcohols to form diastereomic half-esters stereoselectivity. These are reduced and direedy converted to i7-lactone (26). In both approaches, the desired diastereomeric half-amide or half-ester is formed in excess, thus avoiding the cosdy resolution step required in the Stembach synthesis. 

The synthesis of key intermediate 12, in optically active form, commences with the resolution of racemic trans-2,3-epoxybutyric acid (27), a substance readily obtained by epoxidation of crotonic acid (26) (see Scheme 5). Treatment of racemic 27 with enantio-merically pure (S)-(-)-1 -a-napthylethylamine affords a 1 1 mixture of diastereomeric ammonium salts which can be resolved by recrystallization from absolute ethanol. Acidification of the resolved diastereomeric ammonium salts with methanesulfonic acid and extraction furnishes both epoxy acid enantiomers in eantiomerically pure form. Because the optical rotation and absolute configuration of one of the antipodes was known, the identity of enantiomerically pure epoxy acid, (+)-27, with the absolute configuration required for a synthesis of erythronolide B, could be confirmed. Sequential treatment of (+)-27 with ethyl chloroformate, excess sodium boro-hydride, and 2-methoxypropene with a trace of phosphorous oxychloride affords protected intermediate 28 in an overall yield of 76%. The action of ethyl chloroformate on carboxylic acid (+)-27 affords a mixed carbonic anhydride which is subsequently reduced by sodium borohydride to a primary alcohol. Protection of the primary hydroxyl group in the form of a mixed ketal is achieved easily with 2-methoxypropene and a catalytic amount of phosphorous oxychloride. 

The Mitsunobu reaction was also applied to the synthesis of [ 1,2,4]triaz-ino[4,5-n]indoles (84AG517). Thus, reaction of the 2-acylindoles 127 with sodium borohydride in methanol or with lithium aluminium hydride in tetrahydrofuran gave the corresponding alcohols 128. Their cyclization with diethyl azodicarboxylate in the presence of triphenyl-phosphine gave the triazinoindoles 129. Acid treatment of the latter afforded 130 (Scheme 30). 

We needed a solvent to separate sodium borohydride from sodium methoxide, concurrently produced in the synthesis. This led to a search for solvents for sodium borohydride. Among the solvents tested was acetone. A vigorous reaction ensued upon addition of the sodium borohydride, the active hydride disappeared, and analysis revealed the presence of 4 moles of isopropyl alcohol per mole of sodium borohydride introduced. 

Chemo- and stereoselective reduction of (56) to (55) is achieved In highest yield by sodium borohydride in ethanol. The isolated ketone is reduced more rapidly than the enone and (55) is the equatorial alcohol. Protection moves the double bond out of conjugation and even the distant OH group in (54) successfully controls the stereochemistry of the Simmons-Smith reaction. No cyclopropanation occurred unless the OH group was there. Synthesis ... 

Regioselective reduction of 2-nitrocycloalkanones with sodium borohydride affords co-nitro alcohols. This reaction is applied to the synthesis of spiroketals as shown in Eq. 5.17, in which spiro[4,5]- and spiro[4,6]ketal systems are obtained in good yields.32... 

The reduction of a-hydroxynitriles to yield vicinal amino alcohols is conveniently accomplished with complex metal hydrides for example, lithium aluminum hydride or sodium borohydride [69]. However, it is still worth noting that a two-step chemo-enzymatic synthesis of (R)-2-amino-l-(2-furyl)ethanol for laboratory production was developed followed by successful up-scaling to kilogram scale using NaBH4/CF3COOH as reductant [70],... 

Synthesis ofLysergic Acid, By reacting N-benzoyl-3-(B-carboxyethyl)-dihydroindole (see JCS, 3158 (1931) for the preparation of this compound) with thionyl chloride, followed by aluminum chloride gives l-benzoyl-5-keto-l,2,2a,3,4,5-hexahydrobenzindole. This is then brominated to give the 4-bromo-derivative, which is converted to the ketol-ketone by reacting with methylamine acetone ethylene ketol. This is then hydrolized by acid to yield the diketone and treated with sodium methoxide to convert it to the tetracyclic ketone. Acetylate and reduce this ketone with sodium borohydride to get the alcohol, which is converted to the hydrochloride form, as usual. 

Reduction of the keto group in naphtho derivative 115 with sodium borohydride results in 69% of the alcohol 116 (Scheme 23, Section 2.1.3.3 (1999PHA645)). Further triethylsilane reduction gives 117 in 67% yield. Synthesis of a series of pyrrolo-benzazepine and pyrrolo-benzothiazepine acetic acids (Scheme 77, Section 5.1.1 (1994MI385)) includes reduction of ketoesters 380 into corresponding hydroxyl esters, subsequent deoxygenation with iodine/PPhs and hydrolysis. 

Two years later, the same group reported a formal synthesis of ellipticine (228) using 6-benzyl-6H-pyrido[4,3-f>]carbazole-5,ll-quinone (6-benzylellipticine quinone) (1241) as intermediate (716). The optimized conditions, reaction of 1.2 equivalents of 3-bromo-4-lithiopyridine (1238) with M-benzylindole-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride (852) at —96°C, led regioselectively to the 2-acylindole-3-carboxylic acid 1233 in 42% yield. Compound 1233 was converted to the corresponding amide 1239 by treatment with oxalyl chloride, followed by diethylamine. The ketone 1239 was reduced to the corresponding alcohol 1240 by reaction with sodium borohydride. Reaction of the alcohol 1240 with f-butyllithium led to the desired 6-benzylellipticine quinone (1241), along with a debrominated alcohol 1242, in 40% and 19% yield, respectively. 6-Benzylellipticine quinone (1241) was transformed to 6-benzylellipticine (1243) in 38% yield by treatment with methyllithium, then hydroiodic acid, followed... 

The full paper on the synthesis of onikulactone and mitsugashiwalactone (Vol. 7, p. 24) has been published.Whitesell reports two further useful sequences (cf. Vol. 7, p. 26) from accessible bicyclo[3,3,0]octanes which may lead to iridoids (123 X=H2, Y = H) may be converted into (124) via (123 X = H2, Y = C02Me), the product of ester enolate Claisen rearrangement of the derived allylic alcohol and oxidative decarboxylation/ whereas (123 X = 0, Y = H) readily leads to (125), a known derivative of antirride (126) via an alkylation-dehydration-epoxi-dation-rearrangement sequence. Aucubigenin (121 X = OH, R = H), which is stable at —20°C and readily obtained by enzymic hydrolysis of aucubin (121 X = OH, R = j8-Glu), is converted by mild acid into (127) ° with no dialdehyde detected sodium borohydride reduction of aucubigenin yields the non-naturally occurring isoeucommiol (128 X=H,OH) probably via the aldehyde (128 X = O). ... 

In 1998, Evans published an improved synthesis of bu-box 3 starting from the same amino acid. The updated synthesis began with sodium borohydride-iodine reduction to afford amino alcohol 23 followed again by treatment with dimethyl-malonyl dichloride 24 to afford 25 in 88% yield (from 23). Cyclization was achieved by treatment of 25 with toluenesulfonyl chloride and triethylamine in the presence of a catalytic amount of dimethylaminopyridine to afford bu-box 3 in 82% yield (Fig. 9.6). 

Numerous methods for the synthesis of salicyl alcohol exist. These involve the reduction of salicylaldehyde or of salicylic acid and its derivatives. The alcohol can be prepared in almost theoretical yield by the reduction of salicylaldehyde with sodium amalgam, sodium borohydride, or lithium aluminum hydride by catalytic hydrogenation over platinum black or Raney nickel or by hydrogenation over platinum and ferrous chloride in alcohol. The electrolytic reduction of salicylaldehyde in sodium bicarbonate solution at a mercury cathode with carbon dioxide passed into the mixture also yields saligenin. It is formed by the electrolytic reduction at lead electrodes of salicylic acids in aqueous alcoholic solution or sodium salicylate in the presence of boric acid and sodium sulfate. Salicylamide in aqueous alcohol solution acidified with acetic acid is reduced to salicyl alcohol by sodium amalgam in 63% yield. Salicyl alcohol forms along with -hydroxybenzyl alcohol by the action of formaldehyde on phenol in the presence of sodium hydroxide or calcium oxide. High yields of salicyl alcohol from phenol and formaldehyde in the presence of a molar equivalent of ether additives have been reported (60). Phenyl metaborate prepared from phenol and boric acid yields salicyl alcohol after treatment with formaldehyde and hydrolysis (61). 

Synthesis (Marshall (Eli Lilly Co.), 1971) Sodium borohydride reduction of 3-phenoxyacetophenone followed by bromination of the resulting alcohol with PBr3... 

A very short and elegant synthesis of the 16-rtiembered dilactone ( )-pyrenophorin (515) has been accomplished by the dipolar cycloaddition reaction of a trialkylsilyl nitronate (81TL735). Nitromethane was added to 3-buten-2-one and the carbonyl group of the product reduced with sodium borohydride. The nitro alcohol (511) was converted to the acrylate (512) which was then subjected to a dimerization-cyclization reaction by treatment with chlorotrimethylsilane and triethylamine in dry benzene. Hydrogenation of the mixture of isoxazoline products (513) over palladium on charcoal followed by double dehydration of the intermediate bis-/3-hydroxyketone (514) led to ( )- and meso-pyrenophorin (Scheme... 

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