Cyclopropanes Desymmetrization

Landais has extended his desymmetrization of dienes from dihydroxylation approaches to a cyclopropanation reaction. A Cu-pybox complex provides the highest enantioselectivities and good diastereoselectivity in the asymmetric cyclopropanation of the silyl-substituted cyclopentadiene 210 ... 

In 1992, Trost and his co-workers investigated desymmetrization of cyclic w j-o-diesters with lithium sulfonyl-methylenenitronate as a nucleophile in the presence of Trost s ligand 118, where the corresponding cyclic compounds are obtained with an excellent enantioselectivity via intramolecular cyclization (Scheme 15),103,103a Asymmetric cyclopropanation and lactone annulation are achieved according to this protocol (Scheme Nitroalkanes can also be employed as carbon-centered nucleophiles in lieu of malonates (Scheme 17). ... 

Enantiomerically pure cyclopropanes are a frequent motif in the structure of natural products. Their synthesis is often demanding and many approaches have been made [50, 51]. Porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) was used for the stereoselective desymmetrization of a cyclopropane dibutanoate (Fig. 2). The asymmetric hydrolysis of the meso compound yielded the corresponding enantiopure alcohol almost quantitatively. The intermediate obtained was successfully applied in the total synthesis of dictyopterenes A and C, sexual pheromones of brown algae [52], and constanolactones (see below) [53]. 

Rhodium- and copper-catalysed cyclopropanation of 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane by diazocarbonyl compounds was achieved in poor to moderate yields. Ring opening of the cyclopropane (40) upon treatment with Sml2 offered a desymmetrization of the original bicycle. 

This collection begins with a series of three procedures illustrating important new methods for preparation of enantiomerically pure substances via asymmetric catalysis. The preparation of 3-[(1S)-1,2-DIHYDROXYETHYL]-1,5-DIHYDRO-3H-2.4-BENZODIOXEPINE describes, in detail, the use of dihydroquinidine 9-0-(9 -phenanthryl) ether as a chiral ligand in the asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction which is broadly applicable for the preparation of chiral dlols from monosubstituted olefins. The product, an acetal of (S)-glyceralcfehyde, is itself a potentially valuable synthetic intermediate. The assembly of a chiral rhodium catalyst from methyl 2-pyrrolidone 5(R)-carboxylate and its use in the intramolecular asymmetric cyclopropanation of an allyl diazoacetate is illustrated in the preparation of (1R.5S)-()-6,6-DIMETHYL-3-OXABICYCLO[3.1. OJHEXAN-2-ONE. Another important general method for asymmetric synthesis involves the desymmetrization of bifunctional meso compounds as is described for the enantioselective enzymatic hydrolysis of cis-3,5-diacetoxycyclopentene to (1R,4S)-(+)-4-HYDROXY-2-CYCLOPENTENYL ACETATE. This intermediate is especially valuable as a precursor of both antipodes (4R) (+)- and (4S)-(-)-tert-BUTYLDIMETHYLSILOXY-2-CYCLOPENTEN-1-ONE, important intermediates in the synthesis of enantiomerically pure prostanoid derivatives and other classes of natural substances, whose preparation is detailed in accompanying procedures. 

The or-analogue 159 has been made by a Pd-catalysed reaction involving an allylic phosphate as reactant, whilst others have also described routes to 159, its hydrogenated analogue, and the enantiomer and diastereoisomers of this, using enzymic desymmetrization to introduce chirality the products were evaluated for their ability to inhibit tumour necrosis factor-a. A chemo-enzymatic approach has also been used to make the cyclopropane-fused analogue 160 and... 

Consider the C2-symmetrical precursor 28, in which both acetoxy groups are homotopic (identical). Desymmetrization by hydrolysis of just one acetyl residue could be readily achieved late in a projected synthesis. This would enable a hydroxyl-directed Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation. Mitsunobu esterihcation (with inversion of configuration) would then set the stage for a concluding alkyne metathesis [39] (Scheme 3.24). This approach does not yet address the formation of the stereogenic center in the middle of the target structure, be it by oxidation to a ketone and stereoselective reduction. 

Cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes were only accessible via xo-type cyclizations, the former only within domino/cascade reactions (see Chapter 8) and the latter being realized by Erase [5a] in desymmetrizing Mizoroki-Heck cyclizations (see Chapter 13) and by Mulzer et al. [5b] five-membered and larger rings are formed in both modes. 

This first-generation process route provides an improved, asymmetric approach to P2 intermediate 24. However, this somewhat lengthy approach requires nine additional linear steps after the initial desymmetrization. Additionally, althongh the inventors do not provide any explanation for the moderate 70% yield on this final deprotection, competitive hydrogenation of the cyclopropane may contribute to sub-optimal yields in this step. Thus, an abbreviated route that avoids late-stage hydrogenation would provide improvement in efficiency. 

The experimental enthalpy of activation for disrotatory thermal isomerization of cis-l,3,5-hexatriene to 1,3-cyclohexadiene in the gas phase at 100 C is 29.2 kcal/mol [13]. The reaction is exothermic by 14.5 kcal/mol [14, p. 127], so of the reverse reaction is 43.7 kcal/mol, but - in spite of its high activation energy - it is characterized as allowed by all of the common orbital symmetry criteria. In norcaradiene ([4.1.0]hepta-2,4-diene), the cyclopropane ring bridging Cl and Ce of cyclohexadiene has built the disrotation into the molecule, desymmetrizing it - and its monocyclic isomer, cycloheptatriene - to C, in which the 61 and ai orbitals correlate directly (Fig. 5.3). The rate of isomerization is so much faster that it had to be measured at low temperature (ca. 100 K) in a hydrocarbon glass [15] is only 6.3 kcal/mol ... 

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