Aldol product stereochemistry, assignment

In connection with the synthesis of podophyllum lignans, ester (62) was deprotonated and the resulting enolate condensed with 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde to give a 1 1 mixture of diastereomeric aldols (equation 68). The structure of (63) was established by X-ray analysis the other diastereomer was assigned the 2,3-anti relative stereochemistry (64) on circumstantial evidence. It was suggested that the 1 1 mixture of isomeric products results from a 1 1 mixture of the ( )- and (Z)-enolate, each of which shows complete simple and diastereofacial selectivity in its reactions with 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde. For this to be true, it is also necessary that the ( )-enolate reacts through a non-Zimmerman , boat-like transition state, whereas the (Z)-enolate reacts through the normal chair-like transition state. 

Alkylation of the enolate of (138) with methallyliodide gave the product (149) whose stereochemistry was assigned on the basis of equilibration experiment. It was converted to the dione (150) by oxidation with osmium tetrooxide and sodiumperiodate. The aldol cyclization of (150) effected with sodium hydride and trace of t-amyl alcohol in refluxing benzene afforded the enone (151) in 88% yield. Normal protic conditions (sodium hydroxide, ethanol) were not effective in this transformation. All attempts for its conversion to aphidicolin (148) by intermolecular additions proved fruitless and therefore were turned to intramolecular methods. Molecular models show clearly that the top face of the carbonyl group is less hindered to nucleophilic attack than is the bottom face. Thus the reduction of (151) with lithium aluminium hydride afforded the alcohol (152) whose vinyl ether (153) was subjected to pyrolysis for 2 hr at 360 C in toluene solution containing a small amount of sodium t-pentoxide to obtain the aldehyde (154) in 69% yield. Reduction and then tosylation afforded the alcohol (155) and tosylate (156) respectively. Treatment of this tosylate with Collman s reagent [67] (a reaction that failed in the model system) afforded the already reported ketoacetonide (145) whose conversion to aphidicolin (148) has been described in "Fig (12)". 

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