Allyl-substrate-controlled stereoselective reactions

In 1978, Larcheveque and coworkers reported modest yields and diastereoselectivities in alkylations of enolates of (-)-ephedrine amides. However, two years later, Evans and Takacs and Sonnet and Heath reported simultaneously that amides derived from (S)-prolinol were much more suitable substrates for such reactions. Deprotonations of these amides with LDA in the THF gave (Z)-enolates (due to allylic strain that would be associated with ( )-enolate formation) and the stereochemical outcome of the alkylation step was rationalized by assuming that the reagent approached preferentially from the less-hindered Jt-face of a chelated species such as (133 Scheme 62). When the hydroxy group of the starting prolinol amide was protected by conversion into various ether derivatives, alkylations of the corresponding lithium enolates were re-face selective. Apparently, in these cases steric factors rather than chelation effects controlled the stereoselectivity of the alkylation. It is of interest to note that enolates such as (133) are attached primarily from the 5/-face by terminal epoxides. ... 

Even though Ni(CO)4 is called liquid death, this nickel catalyst has been applied in carbonylation reactions [52]. The group of Ricart reported a nickel-catalyzed carbonylative cycloaddition of alkynes and aUyl hahdes to cyclopentanes. The desired products were obtained in high yields and with controlled stereoselectivity. Iron was used as a reductant. An extension of the reaction to new substrates led to the conclusion that, although the steric and electronic effects of the alkyne substituents are generally irrelevant in relation to the adducts and their yields, those of the allylic counterpart may have a significant influence on the outcome of the reaction. However, the presence of the amine moiety in the alkyne completely inhibited the reaction. The feasibility of a multicentered reaction was verified with a triacetylene, in which up to 12 bonds were created simultaneously and in good yield (Scheme 1.30). 

Chelation effects in general override the usual preferences in the formation of lithium ester enolates, and the (Z)-configured enolates are obtained nearly exclusively. Therefore the stereochemical outcome of the rearrangement should only be controlled by the olefin geometry in the allyl moiety and by the transition state (chair vs. boat). If substituted allyUc esters of glycolic add or related a-hydroxy-acids are subjected to rearrangement, synthetically valuable unsaturated a-hydroxyadds are obtained, albeit the yield and stereoselectivity strongly depends on the substrate and the reaction conditions used. 

An interesting way to control the stereoselectivity of metathesis-reactions is by intramolecular H-bonding between the chlorine ligands at the Ru-centre and an OH-moiety in the substrate [167]. With this concept and enantiomerically enriched allylic alcohols as substrates, the use of an achiral Ru-NHC complex can result in high diastereoselectivities like in the ROCM of 111-112 (Scheme 3.18). If non-H-bonding substrates are used, the selectivity not only decreases but proceeds in the opposite sense (product 113 and 114). 

Allylation reactions can be designed to effect high stereoselectivity in the case of chiral /3-alkoxy aldehydes, in which the ether oxygen provides for effective coordination with a Lewis acid. Multi-valent, oxophilic Lewis acids serve to pre-organize the aldehyde substrate in a six-membered chelation complex. As in the examples of a-chelation control, an open transition state is deployed with synchnal or antiperiplanar orientations based upon the consideration of steric interactions with placement of the small (hydrogen) vinyl substituent of the allylic stannane over the preformed metallocycle. Several examples are illustrated in Scheme 5.2.20. i... 

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