Alkylation facially selective

Asymmetric versions of the cyclopropanation reaction of electron-deficient olefins using chirally modified Fischer carbene complexes, prepared by exchange of CO ligands with chiral bisphosphites [21a] or phosphines [21b], have been tested. However, the asymmetric inductions are rather modest [21a] or not quantified (only the observation that the cyclopropane is optically active is reported) [21b]. Much better facial selectivities are reached in the cyclopropanation of enantiopure alkenyl oxazolines with aryl- or alkyl-substituted alkoxy-carbene complexes of chromium [22] (Scheme 5). 

The values of X = NH, OH, F, Cl, and CH3 are smaller than that of X = H, in accordance with the observed selectivity. Excellent correlation was found for all other cyclopentadienes described above. Syn rr-facial selectivity in the reactions between 4-phenyl-l,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione and cyclopentadiene having simple alkyl group at 5 positions are reported by Burnell and coworkers [46] (Scheme 37). 

The facial selectivity of a number of more specialized enolates has also been explored, sometimes with surprising results. Schultz and co-workers compared the cyclic enolate H with I." Enolate H presents a fairly straightforward picture. Groups such as methyl, allyl, and benzyl all give selective (3-alkylation, and this is attributed to steric factors. Enolate I can give either a- or (3-alkylation, depending on the conditions. The presence of NH3 or use of LDA favors a-alkylation, whereas the use... 

The compact bicyclic lactams 15 and 16 are examples of chiral systems that show high facial selectivity. Interestingly, 15 is alkylated from the convex face. When two successive alkylations are done, both groups are added from the endo face, so the configuration of the newly formed quaternary center can be controlled. The closely related 16 shows exo stereoselectivity. 100... 

The development of facial selective addition reactions of cyclohexa-1,4-dienes 7 and 14 has greatly extended the value of the asymmetric Birch reduction-alkylation. For example, amide directed hydrogenation of 15 with the Crabtree catalyst system occurs with outstanding facial selectivity iyw to the amide carbonyl group to give 16 (Scheme 5)."... 

Birch reduction-alkylation of 5 with 2-bromoethyl acetate was carried out with complete facial selectivity to give 57. This tetrafunctional intermediate was converted to the bicyclic iodolactone 58 ( > 99% ee) from which the radical cyclization substrate 59 was prepared. The key radical cyclization occurred with complete regio- and facial-selectivity and subsequent stereoselective reduction of the resulting tertiary radical gave 60 with the required trans BC ring fusion.The allylic alcohol rmit of (+)-lycorine was obtained by a photochemical radical decarboxylation, 62 63. 

This chapter is divided into four major sections. The first (Section 2.1) will deal with the structure of both alkoxy and silyl nitronates. Specifically, this section will include physical, structural, and spectroscopic properties of nitronates. The next section (Section 2.2) describes the mechanistic aspects of the dipolar cycloaddition including both experimental and theoretical investigations. Also discussed in this section are the regio- and stereochemical features of the process. Finally, the remaining sections will cover the preparation, reaction, and subsequent functionalization of silyl nitronates (Section 2.3) and alkyl nitronates (Section 2.4), respectively. This will include discussion of facial selectivity in the case of chiral nitronates and the application of this process to combinatorial and natural product synthesis. 

The number of investigations on the enantioselective dipolar cycloaddition of nitronates is still rather limited. In the case of simple alkyl nitronates, the facial selectivity is controlled solely by the steric environment about the two faces of the chiral unit. For example, the reaction of steroid dipolarophile 270 proceeds with the nitronate approaching the Re face of the alkene (Eq. 2.23) (234). The facial selectivity is controlled by the C(19) methyl group, which blocks the Si face of the dipolarophile. Similarly, exposure of 279 to ethyl acrylate at 40 °C for 24 h, provides a single nitroso acetal (Scheme 2.21) (242). The facial selectivity is presumed to arise from steric shielding by the menthol group, however the full stereostructure has not been established. 

One of the factors directing the alkylation of an enolate is the Jt-facial selectivity. The differences in reactivity of the two diastereotopic faces of the enolate, due to steric and electronic features, contribute to the steric control of the alkylation (for extensive reviews, see refs 1, 4, and 30). Likewise, stereoelectronic features are important control elements for C- versus O-alkylation, as illustrated by the cyclization of enolates 1 and 3 via intramolecular nucleophilic substitution 39. 

In the same manner as for l-(2-alkylbenzoyl)-2-(methoxymethyl)pyrrolidines 8 (vide supra), Birch reduction-alkylation of pyrrolobenzoxazepinones, e.g., 1. gives mainly the a-alkylation products (see Table 6)26,2R u. The chemical yields and diastereoselectivities are usually excellent, except for alkylation with iodomethane when the diastereoselectivity is moderate26. The facial selectivity is opposite to that observed upon direct Birch reduction-alkylation of the ortho-methoxy derivatives, i.e., 2-alkoxymethyl-l-(2-methoxybenzoyl)pyrrolidines (vide supra). 

The idea that the stereochemical outcome of an intramolecular enolate alkylation is determined by chelation in the transition state was recently demonstrated by Denmark and Henke, who observed a marked preference for a "closed transition state (coordination of the cationic counterion to an enolate and the developing alcohol) resulting in a syn product. For example, the highest syn anti ratio (89 11) was obtained in toluene and the lowest syn.anti ratio (2 98) was obtained with a crown ether. These observations parallel the facial selectivities described herein and in ref 11 on the intramolecular SN2 reaction see (a) Denmark, S. A. Henke, B. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1991, 113, 2177. (b) Denmark, S. A. Henke, B. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1989, 111, 8022. 

The N—Li bond of azaenolate D lies outside the plane of the enolate. The structure created via chelation is a rigid polycyclic species. In this structure, the 4 and 5 carbons of the pyrollidine ring block one side of the azaenolate, resulting in facial selectivity during alkylation. The alkylation product E is formed preferentially with the -configuration shown. Only traces of the 3 -configured product are formed. 

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