Asymmetric aldol reactions. See

A key step in the synthesis of the spiroketal subunit is the convergent union of intermediates 8 and 9 through an Evans asymmetric aldol reaction (see Scheme 2). Coupling of aldehyde 9 with the boron enolate derived from imide 8 through an asymmetric aldol condensation is followed by transamination with an excess of aluminum amide reagent to afford intermediate 38 in an overall yield of 85 % (see Scheme 7). During the course of the asymmetric aldol condensation... 

The C2-symmetric bis(oxazoline)-Cu(II) complexes have proved to be very effective in asymmetric aldol reactions (see Section 3.4.3), as well as Diels-Alder reactions (see Section 5.4.6). These compounds are also powerful catalysts in hetero Diels-Alder reactions. Figure 5-8 shows some of the bis(oxazoline) ligands applied in asymmetric hetero Diels-Alder reactions. 

It is well recognized that chiral tridentate ligands generally form a deeper chiral cavity around the metal center than a bidentate ligand. For example, as mentioned in previous chapters, the chiral tridentate ligand Pybox 120 has been used in asymmetric aldol reactions (see Section 3.4.3) and asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions (see Section 5.7). The two substituents on the oxazoline rings of 120 form a highly enantioselective chiral environment that can effectively differentiate the prochiral faces of many substrates. 

The as)rmmetric proline-catalyzed intramolecular aldol cyclization, known as the Hajos-Par-rish-Eder-Sauer-Wiechert reaction [106,107], was discovered in the 1970s [108,109,110,111]. This reaction, together with the discovery of nonproteinogenic metal complex-catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reactions (see also Sect 5.5.1) [112,113,114], led to the development by List and co-workers [115,116] of the first proline-catalyzed intermolecular aldol reaction. Under these conditions, the reaction between a ketone and an aldehyde is possible if a large excess of the ketone donor is used. For example, acetone reacts with several aldehydes in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) to give the corresponding aldol in good yields and enantiomeric excesses (ee) (O Scheme 17) [117]. 

An alternate approach to the direct asymmetric Mannich reaction uses enan-tiomericaUy pure organocatalysts. L-Proline and derivatives, applied with much success to the catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction (see Section 7.1), also function as effective catalysts in the Mannich reaction. The mechanism of this process is similar to the L-proline-catalysed aldol reaction involving conversion of the donor into an enamine and proceeds via a closed six-membered transition state similar to that depicted in Figure 7.4. However, in contrast to the L-proline-catalysed aldol reaction, the sy -Mannich adduct is the major diastereomer formed and the si rather than the re-face of the acceptor undergoes attack, as depicted in Figure 7.5. 

Shibasaki s heterobimetallic complexes, active in the asymmetric aldol reaction (see Section 7.1) provide the opportunity to activate both the nucleophile and Michael acceptor. Whilst the aluminium lithium bis-BlNOL complex (ALB) (11.28) does not catalyse conjugate addition of a-phosphonate ester (11.29) with cyclopentenone (11.30) by itself, addition of sodium terf-butoxide allows a highly enantioselective reaction to take place. A postulated model for enantioinduction in this process involves simultaneous binding of the metallated nucleophile and acceptor to the catalyst by interaction with a BINAP oxygen and the aluminium centre respectively. Heterobimetallic complexes have also been used to catalyse the addition of a-nitroesters and malonatesto Michael acceptors. 

The asymmetric Michael addition of nonstabilised ketone enolates has proved difficult, with most success achieved using 1,3-dicarbonyls as donors. However, Shibasaki and coworkers have achieved high ees in the addition of a-hydroxyketones with both aromatic Michael acceptors such as (11.32) and also cyclic enones and alkyl vinyl ketones, using bifiinctional zinc catalysts prepared from linked BINOL (11.33). These catalysts are also effective in the asymmetric aldol reaction (see Section 7.1) and incorporate two zinc atoms, one of which activates the acceptor carbonyl group and the other forms a zinc enolate with the donor. In addition, catalysts of this type have been used to good effect in the addition of P-ketoesters to cyclic enones. 

Pioneering works on the proline-catalysed direct asymmetric aldol reactions, see (a) U. Eder, G. Sauer and R. Wiechert, Angew. Chem., Int. Ed.,... 

For reviews of catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction, see (a) Palomo,... 

We now tum our attention to the C21-C28 fragment 158. Our retrosynthetic analysis of 158 (see Scheme 42) identifies an expedient synthetic pathway that features the union of two chiral pool derived building blocks (161+162) through an Evans asymmetric aldol reaction. Aldehyde 162, the projected electrophile for the aldol reaction, can be crafted in enantiomerically pure form from commercially available 1,3,4,6-di-O-benzylidene-D-mannitol (183) (see Scheme 45). As anticipated, the two free hydroxyls in the latter substance are methylated smoothly upon exposure to several equivalents each of sodium hydride and methyl iodide. Tetraol 184 can then be revealed after hydrogenolysis of both benzylidene acetals. With four free hydroxyl groups, compound 184 could conceivably present differentiation problems nevertheless, it is possible to selectively protect the two primary hydroxyl groups in 184 in... 

Heterobimetallic asymmetric complexes contain both Bronsted basic and Lewis acidic functionalities. These complexes have been developed by Shibasaki and coworkers and have proved to be highly efficient catalysts for many types of asymmetric reactions, including catalytic asymmetric nitro-aldol reaction (see Section 3.3) and Michael reaction. They have reported that the multifunctional catalyst (f )-LPB [LaK3tris(f )-binaphthoxide] controls the Michael addition of nitromethane to chalcones with >95% ee (Eq. 4.140).205... 

As with the above pyrrolidine, proline-type chiral auxiliaries also show different behaviors toward zirconium or lithium enolate mediated aldol reactions. Evans found that lithium enolates derived from prolinol amides exhibit excellent diastereofacial selectivities in alkylation reactions (see Section 2.2.32), while the lithium enolates of proline amides are unsuccessful in aldol condensations. Effective chiral reagents were zirconium enolates, which can be obtained from the corresponding lithium enolates via metal exchange with Cp2ZrCl2. For example, excellent levels of asymmetric induction in the aldol process with synj anti selectivity of 96-98% and diastereofacial selectivity of 50-200 116a can be achieved in the Zr-enolate-mediated aldol reaction (see Scheme 3-10). 

For the first example of direct catal3ftic asymmetric aldol reaction of ethyl ketones, see Mahrwald, R. Ziemer, B. Tetrahedron Lett. 2002, 43, 4459-4461. 

See the procedure describing the anti-selective asymmetric aldol reaction of carboxylic esters, p. 116. 

The mechanism A very detailed mechanistic study of this phosphoramide-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reaction was conducted by the Denmark group (see also Section 6.2.1.2) [59, 60], Mechanistically, the chiral phosphoramide base seems to coordinate temporarily with the silicon atom of the trichlorosilyl enolates, in contrast with previously used chiral Lewis acids, e.g. oxazaborolidines, which interact with the aldehyde. It has been suggested that the hexacoordinate silicate species of type I is involved in stereoselection (Scheme 6.15). Thus, this cationic, diphosphoramide silyl enolate complex reacts through a chair-like transition structure. 

For a review about the asymmetric catalytic aldol reaction, see a) H. Groger, E. M. Vogl, M. Shibasaki, Chem. Eur. J. 1998,... 

In the total synthesis of (+)-trienomycins A and F, Smith et al. used an Evans aldol reaction technology to construct a 1,3-diol functional group8 (Scheme 2.1i). Asymmetric aldol reaction of the boron enolate of 14 with methacrolein afforded exclusively the desired xyn-diastereomer (17) in high yield. Silylation, hydrolysis using the lithium hydroperoxide protocol, preparation of Weinreb amide mediated by carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), and DIBAL-H reduction cleanly gave the aldehyde 18. Allylboration via the Brown protocol9 (see Chapter 3) then yielded a 12.5 1 mixture of diastereomers, which was purified to provide the alcohol desired (19) in 88% yield. Desilylation and acetonide formation furnished the diene 20, which contained a C9-C14 subunit of the TBS ether of (+)-trienomycinol. 

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