Aldol reaction boron azaenolate

Chiral imines derived from 1-phenylethanone and (I. Sj-exo-l, 7,7-trimethyIbicyclo-[2.2.1]heptan-2-amine [(S)-isobornylamine], (.S>1-phenylethanamine or (R)-l-(1-naphthyl) ethanamine are transformed into the corresponding (vinylamino)dichloroboranes (e.g., 3) by treatment with trichloroborane and triethylamine in dichloromethane. Reaction of the chiral boron azaenolates with aromatic aldehydes at 25 "C, and subsequent acidic hydrolysis, furnishes aldol adducts with enantiomeric excesses in the range of 2.5 to 47.7%. Significantly lower asymmetric inductions are obtained from additions of the corresponding lithium and magnesium azaenolates. Best results arc achieved using (.S )-isobornylamine as the chiral auxiliary 3. 

Boron triflates 45a and 45b are very useful chiral auxiliaries. Boron azaenolate derived from achiral35 and chiral36 oxazolines gives good stereoselectivity in the synthesis of acyclic aldol products, particularly for the rarely reached threo-isomers. By changing the chiral auxiliary, the stereochemistry of the reaction can be altered.37... 

Tandem processes mediated by triethylborane involving conjugate addition to enones followed by aldol reaction are reported (Scheme 52, Eq. 52a). More recently, a tandem process involving addition of an isopropyl radical to an o ,/3-unsaturated oxime ether afforded an azaenolate intermediate that reacts with benzaldehyde in the presence of trimethylaluminum. The aldol product cyclizes to afford an isopropyl substituted y-bulyroloaclonc in 61% overall yield (Scheme 52) [116]. In these reactions, triethylborane is acting as a chain transfer reagent that delivers a boron enolate or azaenolate necessary for the aldolization process. 

Other reports deal with a pyrrolidine-catalysed homo-aldol condensation of aliphatic aldehydes (further accelerated by benzoic acid), a diastereoselective aldol-type addition of chiral boron azaenolates to ketones,the use of TMS chloride as a catalyst for TiCU-mediated aldol and Claisen condensations, a boron-mediated double aldol reaction of carboxylic esters, gas-phase condensation of acetone and formaldehyde to give methyl vinyl ketone, and ab initio calculations on the borane-catalysed reaction between formaldehyde and silyl ketene acetal [H2C=C(OH)OSiH3]. ... 

Enantioselective aldol reactions with high threo- or erythro-scleciivity are obtained with boron azaenolates derived from chiral and achiral oxazolines, respectively. Moving the chirality from the boron in (50), to the heterocyclic in (51), causes the reaction to switch from threo- to eryt/iro-products with high... 

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