Asymmetric Michael additions with oxygen-based

An asymmetric synthesis of estrone begins with an asymmetric Michael addition of lithium enolate (178) to the scalemic sulfoxide (179). Direct treatment of the cmde Michael adduct with y /i7-chloroperbenzoic acid to oxidize the sulfoxide to a sulfone, followed by reductive removal of the bromine affords (180, X = a and PH R = H) in over 90% yield. Similarly to the conversion of (175) to (176), base-catalyzed epimerization of (180) produces an 85% isolated yield of (181, X = /5H R = H). C8 and C14 of (181) have the same relative and absolute stereochemistry as that of the naturally occurring steroids. Methylation of (181) provides (182). A (CH2)2CuLi-induced reductive cleavage of sulfone (182) followed by stereoselective alkylation of the resultant enolate with an allyl bromide yields (183). Ozonolysis of (183) produces (184) (wherein the aldehydric oxygen is by isopropyUdene) in 68% yield. Compound (184) is the optically active form of Ziegler s intermediate (176), and is converted to (+)-estrone in 6.3% overall yield and >95% enantiomeric excess (200). 

Aziridine-2-phosphonates spiro-fused with 2-oxindole (790) have been prepared by a straightforward Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of ethyl 7V- [(4-nitrophenyl)sulfonyl]oxy -carbamate (791) and 3-(phosphoryl-methylene)oxindoles (792) in the presence of calcium oxide. Oxindoles (792) were also transformed into novel oxirane-2-phosphonates (793), as oxygen analogues of (790), by reaction with H202/Na0H (Scheme 201). " Cinchonine-based thiourea (797) catalysed asymmetric Michael addition of simple p-oxo-alkyl phosphonates (794) to nitro olefins (795), which afforded valuable a-substituted p-oxo phosphonates (796) in satisfactory yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) (Scheme 202). ... 

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