2-Decalones specificity

Certain specific steric effects are operative on intramolecular nitrile oxide— olefin cycloadditions. These effects are governed by both ring size and character of substituents. Thus, cycloadditions to the exomethylene group are successful with substituted methylenecyclohexanones 334 (m = 1, 2 n = 2) and gave tricyclic 335 (m = 1, 2), but do not occur with methylenecyclopentanones 334 (m = 1, 2, 3 n = 1). Activation energies calculated by molecular mechanics are consistent with these results. Cleavage of 335 (m = 2) by Raney Ni gives cA-decalone 336 (403). 

Enantiomeric and diastereotopic face specific reductions are also readily effected on racemic bicyclic ketones. An illustration of the broad structural range that is amenable to enzyme-catalyzed transformation in this way is given in Scheme 38. While 2-decalones, such as ( )-(81)- 83), and the related heterocyclic analogs ( )-(85) are good substrates for HLADH, the 1-decalone ( )-(84) is not. However, by changing enzymes to MJADH, ( )-(84) becomes a good substrate.Similarly, TBADH is a highly satisfactory catalyst for stereospecific reduction of ( )-(86), but will not accept its dimethyl... 

Exploitation of the complementary specificities of enzymes from different sources towards the same racemic substrate permits very precise control of the product stereochemistry. For example, any one of the three diastereomeric 2-decalols (94)-(96) can be obtained at will from ( )-tra/iJ-2-decalone (81 R = H) using the alcohol dehydrogenases HLADH, MJADH or CFADH, respectively (Scheme 40). The stereospecificities of these three enzymes are well documented and a simple active site model of predictive value is available for each. 55 Racemic bridged bicyclic ketones are similarly discriminated, either... 

Similarly, specific enolates of unsymmetrical ketones can be obtained by reduction of a,p-unsaturated ketones with lithium in liquid ammonia. Alkylation of the intermediate enolate gives an a-alkyl derivative of the corresponding saturated ketone which may not be the same as that obtained by base-mediated alkylation of the saturated ketone itself. For example, base-mediated alkylation of 2-decalone generally leads to 3-alkyl derivatives whereas, by proceeding from the enone 11, the 1-alkyl derivative is obtained (1.26). The success of this procedure depends on... 

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