Cyanohydrin 1-alkylation

Stork first demonstrated the utility of protected cyanohydrins as acyl anion equivalents in 1971 [2]. The acetal-protected cyanohydrin 8 was transformed into the corresponding anion with LDA in THF/HMPA, which was then alkylated with a range of alkyl halides, including secondary bromides (Scheme 2). A mild acidic hydrolysis yielded a cyanohydrin, which provided the ketone after treatment with base. The Stork cyanohydrin alkylation and its variants have become important methods in natural product synthesis [3,4]. 

Masked formyl cyanides such as cyanohydrin alkyl ethers of formyl cyanide are also applicable to the aldol reaction. Palladium complexes, especially Pd2(dba)3-CHCl3, show high catalytic activities for the additions to aldehydes (Eq. 66) [136]. 

Our strategy for the synthesis of (+)-dactylolide (2.217) is outlined in Scheme 2.69. We envisioned that the 20-membered macrolactone in 2.332 could be constructed by intramolecular iV-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed oxidative macrolactonization of co-hydroxy aldehyde 2.333. Intramolecular NHC-catalyzed oxidative esterification reactions have been recognized as an attractive tool and rapidly growing area in the synthetic community. Indeed, several examples of these reactions have recently been reported [208-216], which clearly provide a new opportunity for the development of catalytic acyl transfer agents in macrolactonization reactions of co-hydroxy aldehydes in the presence of oxidants. The substrate for the macrolactonization reaction would be derived firom the cyanohydrin alkylation of 2,6-dr-tetrahydropyran enal 2.335 with dienyl chloride 2.334. 2,6 -di-tetrahydropyran enal would in turn be constructed by employing the 1,6-oxa conjugate addition reaction of co-hydroxy 2,4-dienal 2.336. Despite the... 

The preparation of dienyl chloride 2334 for the cyanohydrin alkylation was achieved in a two-step sequence from the known ester 2,355. Reduction of 2355 and chlorination by treatment with LiCl and methanesulfonyl chloride furnished the dienyl chloride 2.334 (Scheme 2.78). 

Out first example is 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-octanone. 3-Octanone can be purchased, but it would be difficult to differentiate the two activated methylene groups in alkylation and oxidation reactions. Usual syntheses of acyloins are based upon addition of terminal alkynes to ketones (disconnection 1 see p. 52). For syntheses of unsymmetrical 1,2-difunctional compounds it is often advisable to look also for reactive starting materials, which do already contain the right substitution pattern. In the present case it turns out that 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone is an inexpensive commercial product. This molecule dictates disconnection 3. Another practical synthesis starts with acetone cyanohydrin and pentylmagnesium bromide (disconnection 2). Many 1,2-difunctional compounds are accessible via oxidation of C—C multiple bonds. In this case the target molecule may be obtained by simple permanganate oxidation of 2-methyl-2-octene, which may be synthesized by Wittig reaction (disconnection 1). 

Nitrile groups m cyanohydrins are hydrolyzed under conditions similar to those of alkyl cyanides Cyanohydrin formation followed by hydrolysis provides a route to the preparation of a hydroxy carboxylic acids... 

Nitriles contain the —C=N functional group We have already discussed the two mam procedures by which they are prepared namely the nucleophilic substitution of alkyl halides by cyanide and the conversion of aldehydes and ketones to cyanohydrins Table 20 6 reviews aspects of these reactions Neither of the reactions m Table 20 6 is suitable for aryl nitriles (ArC=N) these compounds are readily prepared by a reaction to be dis cussed m Chapter 22... 

Section 20 18 Nitnles are prepared by nucleophilic substitution (8 2) of alkyl halides with cyanide ion by converting aldehydes or ketones to cyanohydrins (Table 20 6) or by dehydration of amides... 

Selected physical properties of various methacrylate esters, amides, and derivatives are given in Tables 1—4. Tables 3 and 4 describe more commercially available methacrylic acid derivatives. A2eotrope data for MMA are shown in Table 5 (8). The solubiUty of MMA in water at 25°C is 1.5%. Water solubiUty of longer alkyl methacrylates ranges from slight to insoluble. Some functionalized esters such as 2-dimethylaniinoethyl methacrylate are miscible and/or hydrolyze. The solubiUty of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate in water at 25°C is 13%. Vapor—Hquid equiUbrium (VLE) data have been pubHshed on methanol, methyl methacrylate, and methacrylic acid pairs (9), as have solubiUty data for this ternary system (10). VLE data are also available for methyl methacrylate, methacrylic acid, methyl a-hydroxyisobutyrate, methanol, and water, which are the critical components obtained in the commercially important acetone cyanohydrin route to methyl methacrylate (11). 

AH ahphatic aldehydes and most ketones react to form cyanohydrins. The lower reactivity of ketones, relative to aldehydes, is attributed to a combination of electron-donating effects and increased steric hindrance of the second alkyl group in the ketones. The magnitude of the equiUbrium constants for the addition of hydrogen cyanide to a carbonyl group is a measure of the stabiUty of the cyanohydrin relative to the carbonyl compound plus hydrogen cyanide ... 

Ethylene cyanohydria can be hydroly2ed to acryUc acid or esterified to give the corresponding alkyl acrylates (81) (see Cyanohydrins). 

Conversion of aldehydes to ketones via cyanohydrin derivatives (ethers) by alkylation or Michael addition also used with sdyl ethers, dialtylamlnonitnies (see also Stetter reaction). 

Class 6 Poisons such as acetone cyanohydrin, acetonitrile, acrylonitrile, allyl alcohol, allyl chloride, airiline, epiclilorohydrin, lead alkyls, organophosphorus compounds. 

One of the earliest preparations of this ring system starts with displacement of the hydroxyl of benzaldehyde cyanohydrin (125) by urea. Treatment of the product (126) with hydrochloric acid leads to addition of the remaining urea nitrogen to the nitrile. There is thus obtained, after hydrolysis of the imine (127), the hydantoin (128). Alkylation by means of ethyl iodide affords ethotoin (129)... 

Benzaldehyde cyanohydrin is reacted with urea to displace the hydroxyl group of the cyanohydrin. That intermediate is treated with HCI to convert the urea nitrogen to a nitrile. The resultant imine is hydrolyzed to the phenylhydantoin. Alkylation with ethyl iodide gives ethotoin, as described by A. Pinner in Chem. Ber. 21, 2325 (1888). 

Stork s elegant use of a protected cyanohydrin function in the synthesis of PGF2a (2) is also noteworthy. The electron-withdrawing cyano substituent in intermediate 21 (Scheme 7) confers nucleophilic potential to C-9 and permits the construction of the saturated cyclopentane nucleus of PGF2a (2) through intramolecular alkylation. In addition, the C-9 cyanohydrin function contained within 40 is stable under the acidic conditions used to accomplish the conversion of 39 to 40 (see Scheme 7), and it thus provides suitable protection for an otherwise labile /J-hydroxy ketone. 

Besides acylation and alkylation reactions, typical carbonyl reactions, such as reduction and substitution, are known. Thus, the oxo group in position 3 of 8 is attacked by sodium cyanide, resulting in the cyanohydrin in 55% yield. Subsequent dehydration with p-toluene-sulfonic acid and acetylation in position 5 gives 1-benzothiepin 12.90... 

Alkylations of 4-cyano-l,3-dioxanes (cyanohydrin acetonides) represent a highly practical approach to syn-l,3-diol synthesis. Herein we present a comprehensive summary of cyanohydrin acetonide chemistry, with particular emphasis on practical aspects of couplings, as well as their utility in natural product synthesis. Both 4-acetoxy-l,3-dioxanes and 4-lithio-1,3-dioxanes have emerged as interesting anri-l,3-diol synthons. The preparation and utility of these two synthons are described. 

Keywords Cyanohydrin acetonide alkylations. Reductive decyanations, Oxocarbenium ions. Reductive lithiation... 

Beau and Sinay described a method which laid the groundwork for cyanohydrin acetonide alkylations [1]. Their strategy involved alkylation and reductive desulfonylation of glucopyranosyl sulfones 4. In this one-pot procedure, low temperature alkylation and subsequent reductive desulfonylation with lithium naphthalenide generated -C-glycosides with good selectivity >10 1 j3 a) and in moderate to good yield (Eq. 1). 

Leahy demonstrated that unsaturation at the 5-position of a 4-cyano-l,3-dioxane can lead to a reversal in selectivity [12] (Eq. 6). Alkylation of cyanohydrin acetonide 19 with benzyl bromide generated a 9 1 mixture of 20 and 21, with the flufz-isomer 20 predominating, in 57% overall yield. An alkylithium intermediate in which overlap with the methylidene tt orbital favors the axial configuration could account for this anomalous selectivity. 

Lithiated cyanohydrin acetonides are potent nucleophiles. Reactive electrophiles like butyl bromide work well (Eq. 8). Less reactive electrophiles like -alkoxy-and -silyloxy bromides (Eqs. 9 and 10) also smoothly participate in alkylations. Increased steric bulk near the reacting center of the cyanohydrin acetonide is well tolerated (Eq. 11) [21]. 

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