Antithetic transform

The retrosynthetic analysis of a complex molecule to key intermediates will involve antithetic transforms or bond disconnections. That is, the retrosynthetic analysis consists of the reverse of the synthetic process. These steps must be made in light of the availability of synthetic methods to carry out the desired transformation in the forward synthetic direction. Thus antithetic transforms must consider the functional groups which must be present to permit individual bond formations to take place. 

In antithetical analyses of carbon skeletons the synthon approach described in chapter I is used in the reverse order, e.g. 1,3-difunctional target molecules are "transformed" by imaginary retro-aldol type reactions, cyclohexene derivatives by imaginary relro-Diels-Alder reactions. 

Antithetic conversion of a TGT by molecular rearrangement into a symmetrical precursor with the possibility for disconnection into two identical molecules. This case can be illustrated by the application of the Wittig rearrangement transform which converts 139 to 140 or the pinacol rearrangement transform which changes spiro ketone 141 into diol 142. 

Enantioselective processes involving chiral catalysts or reagents can provide sufficient spatial bias and transition state organization to obviate the need for control by substrate stereochemistry. Since such reactions do not require substrate spatial control, the corresponding transforms are easier to apply antithetically. The stereochemical information in the retron is used to determine which of the enantiomeric catalysts or reagents are appropriate and the transform is finally evaluated for chemical feasibility. Of course, such transforms are powerful because of their predictability and effectiveness in removing stereocenters from a target. 

Antithetic Analysis. (Synonymous with Retrosynthetic Analysis) A problem-solving technique for transforming the structure of a synthetic target molecule to a sequence of progressively simpler structures along a pathway which ultimately leads to simple or commercially available starting materials for a chemical synthesis. 

In the preceding example we did not consider cycloaddition reactions since these would not offer any suitable alternative synthetic pathway. The bicyclic isoquinuclidine derivative given below (G. Biichi, 1963, 1966A) contains only unstrained six-membered rings, and the refro-Diels-Alder transform is obviously the furthest-reaching simplification and the fastest antithetical route to commercial starting materials. Both bridgehead atoms can be introduced in one step. 

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