Wadsworth-Emmons cyclization

A tandem enzymatic aldol-intramolecular Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction has been used in the synthesis of a cyclitol.310 The key steps are illustrated in Scheme 8.33. The phosphonate aldehyde was condensed with dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) in water with FDP aldolase to give the aldol adduct, which cyclizes with an intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction to give the cyclo-pentene product. The one-pot reaction takes place in aqueous solution at slightly acidic (pH 6.1-6.8) conditions. The aqueous Wittig-type reaction has also been investigated in DNA-templated synthesis.311... 

Pyridylidenehydantoins such as 139, obtained from pyridinecarbaldehydes by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions, are cyclized under acidic conditions to tricycles of the type 140 (Scheme 39) <2004TL553>. Similar benzannulated ring systems can be prepared by the reaction of 2-benzimidazolylacetonitriles and, for example, 2-chloronicotinic esters or 2-chloronicotinamides under basic conditions (Equation 32) <1996JHC1147, 1997JHC397>. 

D-Camphor-lO-sulfonic acid (CSA) has been utilized to form aj-fused bicyclic acetals from hexopyranosides (Scheme 20) <1997TL849>. A silver terrafluoroborate-promoted cyclization of a series of 3-hydroxyalkyl-2-cyanopiperidines has been used to prepare the octahydropyrano[2,3- ]pyridine of upenamide (Scheme 21) <2004EJ01057>. Related pyranopyr-idines have been prepared using an intramolecular Wadsworth-Emmons cyclization <2003TL8545>. 

Disubstituted isocoumarins are prepared from ortho-carboxy benzoic acids and a-diazophosphonates via a dirhodium(ll)-mediated O-H insertion followed by a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons intramolecular cyclization (Scheme 210) <20020L2317>. 

All the carbons of the target were introduced by a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of ent-427 with a-ethylacrolein, which gave a mixture of ( ) and (Z) olefins 437. The synthesis of the E) isomer of 437 constitutes a formal synthesis of coronafacic acid because its conversion to the natural product has been reported by Nara, Toshima, and Ichihara [90]. They reported that 437-E could be cyclized with base to hydrindenones 438 and 439 in 71 % yield. After purification, the major diastereomer 438 could be hydrolyzed to coronafacic acid in 95 % yield. 

The usual reactions involved in carbocyclic cyclization of the aforementioned open-chain intermediates are aldol and Claisen condensations as well as Michael additions. Some examples of the Wadsworth-Emmons reactions have been also published. 

The effectiveness of dialkyl 1-aIkynylphosphonates as acelonyl equivalents for the preparation of dialkyl 2-oxoalkylphosphonates has long been established. Because 2-oxoaIkylphosphonates themselves are versatile synthetic intermediates, especially as the reagents of choice for promoting a number of Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons cyclization reactions, procedures that effect the direct conversion of dialkyl 1-alkynylphosphonates into dialkyl 2-oxoalkylphosphonates are of special importance. The procedure for the hydration of dialkyl 1-alkynylphosphonates has remained unchanged since the first report in 1966 (Scheme 1.21). Thus, treatment of diethyl 1-alkynylphosphonates with aqueous H2SO4 in MeOH in the presence of HgSO4 gives, after reflux for 15 h - ... 

To date long-chain phosphonylated aldehydes (n > 10) have been prepared exclusively as precursors for the synthesis of 11- to 17-membered macrocycles via intramolecular Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions (Scheme 5.63). This widely used cyclization step provides the best method for preparing macrocycles. 

Similarly, 29 can be formed by the Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons modihcation of the Wittig reaction via the phosphonate 28 rather than the phosphorns ylide 27. In this case, the iodo compound mixture 26 is treated with trimethyl phosphite. Cyclization reqnires the nse of lithinm chloride/Hunig s base, ° and cyclization proceeds smoothly at room temperature in similar yield to the Wittig chemistry. Details of this process with isolation and characterization of the intermediates 26, 27, and 29 can be fonnd in a recently pnblished world patent application." Yields for the conversion of 24 into 27 are -77% overall cyclization yield from 27 to 29 is -85%. 

This is true for both cyclization options however, in the Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons chemistry, the cephem 29 is isolated before conversion into 30. 

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