Allenes optically active

In certain crystals, e.g. in quartz, there is chirality in the crystal structure. Molecular chirality is possible in compounds which have no chiral carbon atoms and yet possess non-superimposable mirror image structures. Restricted rotation about the C=C = C bonds in an allene abC = C = Cba causes chirality and the existence of two optically active forms (i)... 

Application in organic synthesis of optically active isoxazolidones obtained by asymmetric cycloaddition of nitrones with allenes 97T403. 

These cases are completely different from the cis-trans isomerism of compounds with one double bond (p. 157). In the latter cases, the four groups are all in one plane, the isomers are not enantiomers, and neither isomer is chiral, while in allenes, the groups are in two perpendicular planes and the isomers are a pair of optically active enantiomers. 

When three, five, or any odd number of cumulative double bonds exist, orbital overlap causes the four groups to occupy one plane and cis-trans isomerism is observed. When four, six, or any even number of cumulative double bonds exist, the situation is analogous to that in the allenes and optical activity is possible. Compound 20 has been resolved. ... 

Asymmetric hydrosilylation can be extended to 1,3-diynes for the synthesis of optically active allenes, which are of great importance in organic synthesis, and few synthetic methods are known for their asymmetric synthesis with chiral catalysts. Catalytic asymmetric hydrosilylation of butadiynes provides a possible way to optically allenes, though the selectivity and scope of this reaction are relatively low. A chiral rhodium complex coordinated with (2S,4S)-PPM turned out to be the best catalyst for the asymmetric hydrosilylation of butadiyne to give an allene of 22% ee (Scheme 3-20) [59]. 

Chiral 2,5-dihydrofuran can be prepared through the HC1 gas promoted cyclization of the corresponding optically active allenic hydroxy-ester 83 with almost complete axis chirality (87% ee) to center chirality (85% ee) transfer <00TL9613>. 

INAS reactions of carbonates of 3,5-dienyl alcohols (i. e., involving a conjugated diene moiety) [72] and 3,4-dienyl alcohols (i. e., having an allene moiety) [73] also proceed smoothly to furnish the corresponding (3,y-unsaturated esters. The reaction of 4-silyl- or 4-stannyl-3,4-dienyl carbonate having axial chirality proceeds with excellent chirality transfer, as exemplified in Eq. 9.39, thereby affording a novel access to optically active a-substituted p.y-unsaturated esters [73],... 

The intramolecular cyclization of l,2-dien-7-ynes and l,2-dien-6-ynes regiospecifically affords the corresponding titanacycles, which react with protons, carbon monoxide, aldehydes, or imines to give single products, as shown in Eqs. 9.56 and 9.57 [102], As the formation of titanacycles and their subsequent reaction with externally added reagents such as carbon monoxide (Eq. 9.56) or an aldehyde (or imine) (Eq. 9.57) proceeds with excellent chirality transfer, this represents a new method for synthesizing optically active cyclopentane derivatives from optically active allenes [102]. 

If the alkenes and acetylenes that are subjected to the reaction mediated by 1 have a leaving group at an appropriate position, as already described in Eq. 9.16, the resulting titanacycles undergo an elimination (path A) as shown in Eq. 9.58 [36], As the resulting vinyltitaniums can be trapped by electrophiles such as aldehydes, this reaction can be viewed as an alternative to stoichiometric metallo-ene reactions via allylic lithium, magnesium, or zinc complexes (path B). Preparations of optically active N-heterocycles [103], which enabled the synthesis of (—)-a-kainic acid (Eq. 9.59) [104,105], of cross-conjugated trienes useful for the diene-transmissive Diels—Alder reaction [106], and of exocyclic bis(allene)s and cyclobutene derivatives [107] have all been reported based on this method. 

The axially chiral (allenylmethyl) silanes 110 were also prepared in optically active form using chiral Pd catalysts [98]. For the asymmetric synthesis of 110, a Pd/(R)-segphos system was much better in terms of enantioselectivity than the Pd/(R)-binap catalyst. Under the optimized conditions, 110m and llOt were obtained in 79% ee (57% yield) and 87% ee (63% yield), respectively (Scheme 3.56). The enantio-merically enriched (allenylmethyl) silanes 110 served for Lewis acid-promoted SE reaction with tBuCH(OMe)2 to give conjugated dienes 111 with a newly formed chiral carbon center (Scheme 3.56). During the SE reaction, the allenic axial chirality was transferred to the carbon central chirality with up to 88% transfer efficiency. 

This chapter has discussed the transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of allenes. Because allenes have attracted considerable attention as useful synthons for synthetic organic chemistry, effective synthetic methods for their preparation are desirable. Some recent reports have demonstrated the potential usefulness of optically active axially chiral allenes as chiral synthons however, methods for supplying the enantiomerically enriched allenes are still limited. Apparently, transition metal-catalyzed reactions can provide solutions to these problems. From the economics point of view, the enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral allenes from achiral precursors using catalytic amounts of chiral transition metal catalysts is especially attractive. Considering these facts, further novel metal-catalyzed reactions for the preparation of allenes will certainly be developed in the future. 

A variety of optically active 4,4-disubstituted allenecarboxylates 245 were provided by HWE reaction of intermediate disubstituted ketene acetates 244 with homochiral HWE reagents 246 developed by Tanaka and co-workers (Scheme 4.63) [99]. a,a-Di-substituted phenyl or 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenyl (BHT) acetates 243 were used for the formation of 245 [100]. Addition of ZnCl2 to a solution of the lithiated phos-phonate may cause binding of the rigidly chelated phosphonate anion by Zn2+, where the axially chiral binaphthyl group dictates the orientation of the approach to the electrophile from the less hindered si phase of the reagent. Similarly, the aryl phosphorus methylphosphonium salt 248 was converted to a titanium ylide, which was condensed with aromatic aldehydes to provide allenes 249 with poor ee (Scheme 4.64) [101]. 

The asymmetric synthesis of allenes by stereoselective manipulations of enantio-merically pure or enriched substrates relies on the availability of such optically active substrates. In contrast, a direct synthesis of allenes by the reaction of prochiral substrates in the presence of an external asymmetric catalyst is an almost ideal process [102]. Most of the catalytic asymmetric syntheses in organic chemistry involve the creation of chiral tetrahedral carbon centers [103], whereas the asymmetric synthesis of allenes requires the construction of an axis of chirality. 

Tillack and co-workers developed a rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of butadiyne 258 to afford allenylsilane 260 (Scheme 4.67) [106]. Among more than 30 chiral phosphine ligands investigated, the highest enantioselectivity was observed when the catalyst was prepared from [Rh(COD)Cl]2 (1 mol%) and (S,S)-PPM 259 (2 mol%) to afford the optically active allene 260 with 27% ee. Other metals such as Ir, Pd, Pt or Ni were less effective for example, a nickel catalyst prepared from NiCl2 and (R,R)-DIOP 251 or (S,S)-PPM 259 gave the allene 260 with 7-11% ee. 

Chiral Lewis acids are also applicable in the deracemization of racemic allene dicarboxylates 289. Treatment of dimethylallene-l,3-dicarboxylate 289 with a chiral organoeuropium reagent, (+)-Eu(hfc)3, gave the corresponding optically active allene in 79% ee (Scheme 4.76) [118]. Unfortunately the chiral allene could not be isolated from the reaction mixture without loss of its optical purity. 

Int. Ed. 2000, 39, 4355—4356 they also reported the organocopper-mediated 1,3-sub-stitution of a chiral propargyl mesylate, prepared by Baker s yeast reduction, to afford an optically active allene with 89% ... 

For syntheses of optically active allenes by the reaction of haloallenes in the presence of a palladium catalyst, see (a) C. J. Elsevier,... 

DPIBF, the resulting 119 was optically active. This suggests that the progenitor of 119 has the allene structure 117 rather than other conceivable constitutions [80, 81]. Even early quantum-chemical calculations on 117 showed a strongly bent, chiral structure, although the enantiomerization barrier was not correctly estimated [19]. 

Not least for the syntheses of natural products, alkoxycarbonylations with formation of allenic esters, often starting from mesylates or carbonates of type 89, are of great importance [35, 137]. In the case of carbonates, the formation of the products 96 occurs by decarboxylation of 94 to give the intermediates 95 (Scheme 7.14). The mesylates 97 are preferred to the analogous carbonates for the alkoxycarbonylation of optically active propargylic compounds in order to decrease the loss of optical purity in the products 98 [15]. In addition to the simple propargylic compounds of type 89, cyclic carbonates or epoxides such as 99 can also be used [138]. The obtained products 100 contain an additional hydroxy function. 

Based on nucleophilic addition, racemic allenyl sulfones were partially resolved by reaction with a deficiency of optically active primary or secondary amines [243]. The reversible nucleophilic addition of tertiary amines or phosphanes to acceptor-substituted allenes can lead to the inversion of the configuration of chiral allenes. For example, an optically active diester 177 with achiral groups R can undergo a racemization (Scheme 7.29). A 4 5 mixture of (M)- and (P)-177 with R = (-)-l-menthyl, obtained through synthesis of the allene from dimenthyl 1,3-acetonedicar-boxylate (cf. Scheme 7.18) [159], furnishes (M)-177 in high diastereomeric purity in 90% yield after repeated crystallization from pentane in the presence of catalytic amounts of triethylamine [158], Another example of a highly elegant epimerization of an optically active allene based on reversible nucleophilic addition was published by Marshall and Liao, who were successful in the transformation 179 — 180 [35], Recently, Lu et al. published a very informative review on the reactions of electron-deficient allenes under phosphane catalysis [244]. 

The reaction of 1,2-allenylphenylsulfone with dibenzylamine afforded (E)-2 (dibenzylamino)-l-propenylphenyl sulfone 212 [112], Based on this reaction, racemic allenic sulfones can be partially resolved with optically active amines [113],... 

The a-selectivity for carbon radical addition to propadiene (la) is retained on substituting chlorine or fluorine for hydrogen in radicals of the type CX3 (X=F, Cl), no matter whether the reaction is conducted in the liquid or in the gas phase (Table 11.4) [14, 49-51]. /3-Selective addition to allenes becomes progressively more important for the CC13 radical with an increase in number of methyl substituents [14, 47]. For example, treatment of optically active (P)-(+)-2,4-dimethylpenta-2,3-diene [(P)-(lc)] with BrCCl3 affords a 59 41 mixture of a- and /3-monoadducts [47]. The a-addition product consists of a 20 80 mixture of E- and Z-stereoisomers, whereas the product of /3-addition exclusively exhibits the Z-configuration. The fraction of 2,4-dimethylpenta-2,3-diene (P)-(lc) that was recovered from this reaction mixture had completely retained its optical activity. These results indicate that the a-and the /3-CCl3 addition proceed under kinetic control. If one of the addition steps were reversible, at least partial racemization would inevitably have taken place. 

Evans, Landor, and Regan found that lithium bismenthoxyaluminum hydride (13) reduced alk-2-en-4-yn-l-ols (14) to optically active allenic alcohols (52,53). 

The same authors also studied the alkylation of alkynyl epoxides for formation of optically active a-allenic alcohols under kinetic resolution conditions (Scheme 8.29) [54]. 

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