Asymmetric -mediated

In this thiamine pyrophosphate-mediated process, ben2aldehyde (29), added to fermenting yeast, reacts with acetaldehyde (qv) (30), generated from glucose by the biocatalyst, to yield (R)-l-phen5l-l-hydroxy-2-propanone (31). The en2ymatically induced chiral center of (31) helps in the asymmetric reductive (chemical) condensation with methylamine to yield (lR,23)-ephedrine [299-42-3] (32). Substituted ben2aldehyde derivatives react in the same manner (80). 

The asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-steganone (67) was achieved through the asymmetric Mg-mediated coupling of bromide 64 and oxazoline 65, which provided a... 

Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation and aziridination mediated by sulfur ylides 98SL329. 

This review outlines developments in zinc-mediated cyclopropanation from the initial reports in the 1950s through to the current state of the art methods. The presentation will rely heavily on how the evolution of mechanistic understanding aided in the rationalization and optimization of each new advance in the asymmetric process. 

Comparison witli tlie Hajos-Parrisb asymmetric version of tlie Robinson annulation [81] iSdieme 7.25iaj) shows tlie following distinct differences between tlie two metliods. Firstly, tlie cydoalkenone in tlie CuiOTf)2/ligand 18-catalyzed procedure is tlie Midiael acceptor, whereas tlie cydoalkanone is tlie Midiad donor in tlie proline-mediated annulation. Secondly, tlie asymmetric induction occurs in tlie 1,4-addition step in tlie new metliod, in contrast to tlie asymmetric aldol-cydization in tlie Hajos-Parrisb procedure. 

The biomimetic approach to total synthesis draws inspiration from the enzyme-catalyzed conversion of squalene oxide (2) to lanosterol (3) (through polyolefinic cyclization and subsequent rearrangement), a biosynthetic precursor of cholesterol, and the related conversion of squalene oxide (2) to the plant triterpenoid dammaradienol (4) (see Scheme la).3 The dramatic productivity of these enzyme-mediated transformations is obvious in one impressive step, squalene oxide (2), a molecule harboring only a single asymmetric carbon atom, is converted into a stereochemically complex polycyclic framework in a manner that is stereospecific. In both cases, four carbocyclic rings are created at the expense of a single oxirane ring. 

A valuable feature of the Nin/Crn-mediated Nozaki-Takai-Hiyama-Kishi coupling of vinyl iodides and aldehydes is that the stereochemistry of the vinyl iodide partner is reflected in the allylic alcohol coupling product, at least when disubstituted or trans tri-substituted vinyl iodides are employed.68 It is, therefore, imperative that the trans vinyl iodide stereochemistry in 159 be rigorously defined. Of the various ways in which this objective could be achieved, a regioselective syn addition of the Zr-H bond of Schwartz s reagent (Cp2ZrHCl) to the alkyne function in 165, followed by exposure of the resulting vinylzirconium species to iodine, seemed to constitute a distinctly direct solution to this important problem. Alkyne 165 could conceivably be derived in short order from compound 166, the projected product of an asymmetric crotylboration of achiral aldehyde 168. 

There have been two general approaches to the direct asymmetric epoxidation of carbonyl-containing compounds (Scheme 1.2) ylide-mediated epoxidation for the construction of aryl and vinyl epoxides, and a-halo enolate epoxidation (Darzens reaction) for the construction of epoxy esters, acids, amides, and sulfones. 

Until this work, the reactions between the benzyl sulfonium ylide and ketones to give trisubstituted epoxides had not previously been used in asymmetric sulfur ylide-mediated epoxidation. It was found that good selectivities were obtained with cyclic ketones (Entry 6), but lower diastereo- and enantioselectivities resulted with acyclic ketones (Entries 7 and 8), which still remain challenging substrates for sulfur ylide-mediated epoxidation. In addition they showed that aryl-vinyl epoxides could also be synthesized with the aid of a,P-unsaturated sulfonium salts lOa-b (Scheme 1.4). 

In general sulfur ylide-mediated epoxidation cannot be used to form an epoxide with an adjacent anion-stabilizing group such as an ester, as the requisite ylide is too stable and does not react with aldehydes [23], With the less strongly electron-withdrawing amide group, however, the sulfur ylide possesses sufficient reactivity for epoxidation. The first example of an asymmetric version of this reaction was by... 

Aryl, Vinyl, and Alkyl Aziridines Stoichiometric Asymmetric Ylide-mediated Aziridination... 

Of course, the key limitation of the ylide-mediated methods discussed so far is the use of stoichiometric amounts of the chiral reagent. Building on their success with catalytic asymmetric ylide-mediated epoxidation (see Section 1.2.1.2), Aggarwal and co-workers have reported an aza version that provides a highly efficient catalytic asymmetric synthesis of trans-aziridines from imines and diazo compounds or the corresponding tosylhydrazone salts (Scheme 1.43) [68-70]. 

Table 1.17 Catalytic asymmetric ylide-mediated aziridination.

Asymmetric aziridination of a,P-unsaturated esters by use of N-nitrenes was studied in great detail by Atkinson and co-workers [34, 35]. Here, lead tetraacetate-mediated oxidative addition of N-aminoquinazolone 30 (Scheme 3.10) to a-methy-lene-y-butyrolactone 32 was reported to proceed with complete asymmetric indue-... 

Lewis acid-mediated asymmetric Diels-Alder reactions between 2H-azirines 59, bearing chiral auxiliaries, with enophiles such as 60 afforded mixtures of bicyclic aziridine-2-carboxylates 61 (Scheme 3.20) [68]. 8-Phenylmenthol appeared to be the auxiliary of choice in this reaction in terms of yield and diastereoselectivity. 

Probably the most widely applicable asymmetric imine aziridination reaction reported to date is that of Wulff et al. These workers approached the reaction from a different perspective, utilizing the so-called vaulted , axially chiral boron Lewis acids VANOL and VAPOL [35] to mediate reactions between ethyl diazoacetate and N-benzhydrylimines (Scheme 4.29) [36]. The reactions proceed with impressive enantiocontrol, but there is a requirement that the benzhydryl substituent be present since this group is not an aziridine activator there is, therefore, a need for deprotection and attachment of a suitable activating group. Nonetheless, this method is a powerful one, with great potential for synthesis, as shown by the rapid synthesis of chloroamphenicol by the methodology [37]. 

Other reactions adapted from asymmetric aldol reactions suffer in comparison from the fact that (probably due to the strength of the boron-nitrogen bond) boron-mediated processes generally yield the intermediate 2-halo-3-aminoester products rather than aziridine products directly [51]. 

The sulfur ylide-mediated epoxidation of aldehydes has been thoroughly investigated [70, 71]. The chiral sulfur ylides reported by Aggarwal have been most broadly applicable, and a catalytic, asymmetric process yielding aromatic transepoxides has been developed [72]. In this process, the sulfur ylides are produced in situ from diazo compounds, generated in turn from tosylhydrazone salts (Scheme 9.15) [73],... 

The stereoselective addition of 5-(3-ethylpent-3-yl) thiopropanoate can be mediated in a similar way using the C2-asymmetric (/ ,/J)-l-chloro-2,5-diphenylborolane of 92 93% enantiomeric purity70,71, Once again, the ( )-0-enolate forms, and its addition to achiral aldehydes delivers essentially diastereomerically pure products (antijsyn >155 1). The corrected ee values range from 94 to 100%70. 

More recently, the Lewis acid promoted asymmetric 1,4-addition of trimethyl(2-propenyl)silane to chiral a,/ -unsaturated /V-acylamides has been published33. Lewis acid mediated reactions of trimethyl(2-propenyl)silanes with a,/I-unsatu rated AT-acyloxazolidinones or iV-enoylsultams show high chemical yield with good diastereomeric excess. The absolute configuration of the new asymmetric center is controlled by the nature of the Lewis acid used. 

Abstract Since its discovery the chromium-mediated benzannulation reaction has been developed into a unique and useful tool in organic synthesis. In this review, topical aspects of this reaction concerning its mechanism and the chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity are summerised and discussed in detail. Special attention is paid to the asymmetric benzannulation reaction and, finally, the importance of this reaction as a key step in the total synthesis of natural products is outlined. 

The oxidation of heteroatoms and, in particular, the conversion of sulfides to asymmetric sulfoxides has continued to be a highly active field in biocatalysis. In particular, the diverse biotransformations at sulfur have received the majority of attention in the area of enzyme-mediated heteroatom oxidation. This is particularly due to the versatile applicability of sulfoxides as chiral auxiliaries in a variety of transformations coupled with facile protocols for the ultimate removal [187]. 

A successful case study for asymmetric nitrogen oxidation was reported for a series of (hetero)aromatic tertiary amines. High diastereoselectivity was observed for the enzyme-mediated oxidation of S-(—)-nicotine by isolated CHMOAdneto to give the corresponding ds-N-oxide [215]. The stereoselectivity of this biooxidation was complementary to the product obtained by flavin M O (FM O) from human li ver (trows-selective [216]) as well as unspecific oxidations by FMOs from porcine and guinea pig liver. 

Metabolic pathways containing dioxygenases in wild-type strains are usually related to detoxification processes upon conversion of aromatic xenobiotics to phenols and catechols, which are more readily excreted. Within such pathways, the intermediate chiral cis-diol is rearomatized by a dihydrodiol-dehydrogenase. While this mild route to catechols is also exploited synthetically [221], the chirality is lost. In the context of asymmetric synthesis, such further biotransformations have to be prevented, which was initially realized by using mutant strains deficient in enzymes responsible for the rearomatization. Today, several dioxygenases with complementary substrate profiles are available, as outlined in Table 9.6. Considering the delicate architecture of these enzyme complexes, recombinant whole-cell-mediated biotransformations are the only option for such conversions. E. coli is preferably used as host and fermentation protocols have been optimized [222,223]. 

Azirines can be prepared in optically enriched form by the asymmetric Neber reaction mediated by Cinchona alkaloids. Thus, ketoxime tosylates 173, derived from 3-oxocarhoxylic esters, are converted to the azirine carboxylic esters 174 in the presence of a large excess of potassium carbonate and a catalytic amount of quinidine. The asymmetric bias is believed to be conferred on the substrate by strong hydrogen bonding via the catalyst hydroxyl group <96JA8491>. 

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