Asymmetric a-alkylation aldehydes and ketones

Some chiral 1,3,2-dioxastannolanes were used as catalysts in asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions of cyclopentadiene with methyl acrylate <90JCR(S)278>. A-Alkenyl- and -cycloalkenyl 1,3,2-oxaza-stannolanes, generated in situ from chiral amino alcohols, gave optically active 2-substituted aldehydes and ketones in modest to high chemical and optical yields after alkylation with methyl acrylate or acrylonitrile (which is usual for enamines) and subsequent hydrolysis <85CC504,85JOC3863>. 

Excellent enantioselectivities up to complete asymmetric induction are achieved in the preparation of a-alkylated aldehydes, acyclic and cyclic ketones via (-)-(S)- and (+ )-(7 )-1 -amino-2-methoxymethylpyrrolidine (SAMP/RAMP-hydrazones) (see Section 1.1.1.4.2.). Due to the unique mechanism of metalation and alkylation, the absolute configuration of the final products can be predicted. Since both antipodes of the auxiliary are available, either enantiomer of the desired alkylated carbonyl compound can be prepared... 

In late 1975, Enders et al.156) started a research project directed towards the development of a new synthetic method for asymmetric carbon-carbon bond formation. A new chiral auxiliary, namely the (S)-proline derivative SAMP (137), was allowed to react with aldehydes and ketones to give the hydrazones (138), which can be alkylated in the a-position in an diastereoselective manner 157,158). Lithiation 159) of the SAMP hydrazones (138), which are formed in excellent yields, leads to chelate complexes of known configuration 160). Upon treatment of the chelate complexes with alkyl halogenides the new hydrazones (139) are formed. Cleavage of the product hydrazones (139) leads to 2-alkylated carbonyl compounds (140). 

Over the last five years, we have designed, synthesized, and applied new ligands for asymmetric 1,2- and 1,4-addition reactions. Suitable ligands were found for the addition of alkyl-, aryl-, and alkenylzinc reagents to a,(3-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones, a-branched and unbranched aliphatic aldehydes, and imines. Although some substrates such as ketones and other carbonyl compounds have remained a challenge, we believe that this system provides an excellent entry into various classes of chiral intermediates. Application of these synthesized complex molecules is the current pursuit in our laboratories. 

Reviews on stoichiometric asymmetric syntheses M. M. Midland, Reductions with Chiral Boron Reagents, in J. D. Morrison, ed., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 2, Chap. 2, Academic Press, New York, 1983 E. R. Grandbois, S. I. Howard, and J. D. Morrison, Reductions with Chiral Modifications of Lithium Aluminum Hydride, in J. D. Morrison, ed.. Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 2, Chap. 3, Academic Press, New York, 1983 Y. Inouye, J. Oda, and N. Baba, Reductions with Chiral Dihydropyridine Reagents, in J. D. Morrison, ed., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 2, Chap. 4, Academic Press, New York, 1983 T. Oishi and T. Nakata, Acc. Chem. Res., 17, 338 (1984) G. Solladie, Addition of Chiral Nucleophiles to Aldehydes and Ketones, in J. D. Morrison, ed., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 2, Chap. 6, Academic Press, New York, 1983 D. A. Evans, Stereoselective Alkylation Reactions of Chiral Metal Enolates, in J. D. Morrison, ed., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 3, Chap. 1, Academic Press, New York, 1984. C. H. Heathcock, The Aldol Addition Reaction, in J. D. Morrison, ed., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 3, Chap. 2, Academic Press, New York, 1984 K. A. Lutomski and A. I. Meyers, Asymmetric Synthesis via Chiral Oxazolines, in J. D. Morrison, ed., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 3, Chap. 

Early investigations have demonstrated that aldehydes and ketones can be enantioselectiveiy a-alkyl-ated via Michael reactions of the corresponding enamines, prepared from proline-derived secondary amines.149-156 However, optical purities of the products were generally low and never exceeded 59% ee.iS1 This kind of asymmetric a-alkylation could later be improved, allowing for example the preparation of compound (141) with high ee (Scheme 51).156-160... 

Asymmetric alkylation andaldol condensations.2 The enolate (2) of 1 reacts with primary iodides to give essentially a single product (3), in which the alkyl group is syn to the cyclopentadieny ring. Aldol condensation with acetone leads to only one observable product (4). Only two isomeric products are obtained on aldol condensation with prochiral aldehydes and ketones as expected for a rranx-enolate, the i/ww-aldol predominates or is the exclusive product (5) as in the case of pivaldehyde. 

In summary, this organocatalytic alkylation of aldehydes and ketones is a promising route for preparation of optically active secondary and tertiary alcohols and is of general interest. Certainly, improvement of the asymmetric induction as well as applications of other nucleophiles will be the next major challenge in this field to make this synthetic concept competitive with alternative routes. 

On the other hand, unsaturated aldehydes and ketones were obtained using allylic alcohols as alkene components [68]. Similarly, allyl f-butyldimethylsilyl ether and N-allylamides gave silyl enol ethers [69] and enamides [70], respectively. The ruthenium-catalyzed alkene-alkyne coupling was successfully combined with the palladium-catalyzed intramolecular asymmetric allylic alkylation [71] to provide a novel one-pot heterocyclization method [72]. 

Alkylation of lithiated hydrazones forms the basis of an efficient method for the asymmetric alkylation of aldehydes and ketones, using the optically active hydrazines (5)-l-amino-2-(methoxymethyl)pyrroUdine (SAMP) 59 and its enantiomer (RAMP) as chiral auxiliaries. Deprotonation of the optically active hydra-zones, alkylation and removal of the chiral auxiliary under mild conditions (ozonol-ysis or acid hydrolysis of the A-methyl salt) gives the alkylated aldehyde or ketone with, generally, greater than 95% optical purity. This procedure has been exploited in the asymmetric synthesis of several natural products. Thus, (S)-4-methyl-3-heptanone, the principal alarm pheromone of the leaf-cutting ant Am texana, was prepared from 3-pentanone in very high optical purity as shown in Scheme 1.74. 

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