Asymmetric reactions amino-Cope rearrangement

The Rh2(DOSP)4 catalysts (6b) of Davies have proven to be remarkably effective for highly enantioselective cydopropanation reactions of aryl- and vinyl-diazoacetates [2]. The discovery that enantiocontrol could be enhanced when reactions were performed in pentane [35] added advantages that could be attributed to the solvent-directed orientation of chiral attachments of the ligand carboxylates [59]. In addition to the synthesis of (+)-sertraline (1) [6], the uses of this methodology have been extended to the construction of cyclopropane amino acids (Eq. 3) [35], the synthesis of tricyclic systems such as 22 (Eq. 4) [60], and, as an example of tandem cyclopropanation-Cope rearrangement, an efficient asymmetric synthesis of epi-tremulane 23 (Eq. 5) [61]. 

The use of a cationic aza-Cope rearrangement in concert with a Mannich cyclization has also been applied to the total synthesis of enantiomerically pure (—)-crinine (359) (205). In the event, nucleophilic opening of cyclopentenoxide with the aluminum amide that was formed on reaction of (/ )-a-methylbenzyl-amine and trimethylaluminum gave the amino alcohol 485 together with its (15,25) diastereomer. Although there was essentially no asymmetric induction in this process, the diastereomeric amino alcohols were readily separated by chromatography, and the overall procedure therefore constitutes an efficient means for the preparation of enantiomerically pure 2-amino alcohols from epoxides. When the hydrochloride salt derived from 485 was treated with paraformaldehyde and potassium cyanide, the amino nitrile 486 was formed. Subsequent Swem oxida-... 

Another example of a catalytic asymmetric [3,31-sigma-tropic rearrangement is the catalytic asymmetric amino allylation of aldehydes developed by Rueping and Anton-chick and recently explored by Ren and Wulff (see Scheme 17.23). In this reaction, the homoallyhc amine 96 first condenses with the aldehyde 97 giving imine 98. With the help of an acid catalyst, the i minium ion of imine 98 is formed and the cationic aza-Cope reaction can then ensue giving protected homoallylic amine 99. After treatment... 

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