Dithians Synthesis

A dithiane synthesis can convert an aldehyde to a ketone. The aldehyde is first converted to its dithiane derivative, which is deprotonated and alkylated. A mercuric chloride-assisted hydrolysis gives the ketone. Show how this technique might be used to convert benzaldehyde to benzyl phenyl ketone. 

Disulfides are good soft acceptors. They are reduced to thiols by hydro-selenide ion (90). The utilization of dimethyl disulfide as an indirect oxidant during conversion of aldehyde to acid derivatives via the dithiane synthesis has been reported (91). The alkylation of the lithiodithiane derived from cinnam-aldehyde occurs exclusively at the heterocyclic carbon. This may be indicative of symbiotic stabilization of the transition state and the product. 

Dimethyl-2-sila-l,3-dithiane, BF3 Et20, CH2CI2, 0°, 82-99% yield. This method was reported to be superior to the conventional synthesis because cleaner products are formed. Aldehydes are selectively protected in the presence of ketones, which do not react competitively with this reagent. 

The Dim ester was developed for the protection of the carboxyl function during peptide synthesis. It is prepared by transesterification of amino acid methyl esters with 2-(hydroxymethyl)-l,3-dithiane and Al(/-PrO)3 (reflux, 4 h, 75°, 12 torr, 75% yield). It is removed by oxidation [H2O2, (NH4)2Mo04 pH 8, H2O, 60 min, 83% yield]. Since it must be removed by oxidation it is not compatible with.sulfur-containing amino acids such as cysteine and methionine. Its suitability for other, easily oxidized amino acids (e.g., tyrosine and tryptophan) must also be questioned. It is stable to CF3CO2H and HCl/ether. - ... 

Ethyl l,3-dithiane-2-carboxylate [20462-00-4] M 192.3, b 75-77 /0.2mm, 96 /0.4mm, dj 1.220, n 1.5379. Dissolve in CHCI3, wash with aqueous K2CO3, 2 x with H2O, dry over MgS04, filter, evaporate and distil. [Eliel and Hartman J Org Chem 37 505 I972 Seebach Synthesis 1 17 1969.]... 

Finally, the 1,3-dione systems prepared by Cram and Alberts deserve special note . These compounds, referred to as hexahosts are similar to the polymer-bound material illustrated as Compound 29 in Chap. 6. The synthesis is based on a methylene-bridged bis-dithiane unit. One of these may be cyclized with a polyethylene glycol, or more than one unit may be incorporated to give multiple 1,3-dione binding sites in the macrocycle. The former case is illustrated in Eq. (3.46). 

The (V-methyldihydrodithiazine 125 has also been used as an effective formyl anion equivalent for reaction with alkyl halides, aldehydes, and ketones (77JOC393). In this case there is exclusive alkylation between the two sulfur atoms, and hydrolysis to give the aldehyde products is considerably easier than for dithianes. However, attempts to achieve a second alkylation at C2 were unsuccessful, thus ruling out the use of this system as an acyl anion equivalent for synthesis of ketones. Despite this limitation, the compound has found some use in synthesis (82TL4995). 

Total synthesis of macrolide immunodepressants using 1,3-dithiane aldol couplings and a-bond olefin constructions 98ACR35. 

Dithiane 1-oxide derivatives as chiral auxiliaries and asymmetric building blocks for organic synthesis 980PP145. 

When 2-lithio-2-(trimethylsilyl)-l,3-dithiane,9 formed by deprotonation of 9 with an alkyllithium base, is combined with iodide 8, the desired carbon-carbon bond forming reaction takes place smoothly and gives intermediate 7 in 70-80% yield (Scheme 2). Treatment of 7 with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) results in the formation of a lactam enolate which is subsequently employed in an intermolecular aldol condensation with acetaldehyde (6). The union of intermediates 6 and 7 in this manner provides a 1 1 mixture of diastereomeric trans aldol adducts 16 and 17, epimeric at C-8, in 97 % total yield. Although stereochemical assignments could be made for both aldol isomers, the development of an alternative, more stereoselective route for the synthesis of the desired aldol adduct (16) was pursued. Thus, enolization of /Mactam 7 with LDA, as before, followed by acylation of the lactam enolate carbon atom with A-acetylimidazole, provides intermediate 18 in 82% yield. Alternatively, intermediate 18 could be prepared in 88% yield, through oxidation of the 1 1 mixture of diastereomeric aldol adducts 16 and 17 with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) in... 

In total synthesis, model studies are frequently performed on simpler systems prior to the final assault on the target molecule. In the synthesis of zaragozic acid A (1), 2-methyl-1,3-dithiane (92) was employed as a simple model for the more elaborate dithiane 67. Deprotonation of 92 with n-butyllithium under standard conditions47 and addition of the aldehyde provides a mixture of two diastereoisomers, 93 and 94 (Scheme 22), in approximately equal amounts. One of the diastereoisomers (93) lacks the TMS group,... 

Similarly, in another example, alkylation of 111 with diepoxide (—)-115 (1 equiv.) in the presence of HMPA (1.3 equiv.) furnished diol (+)-117. Protection of (+)-117 to form the acetonide, removal of the silyl protecting groups (TBAF), and hydrolysis of the dithiane with Hg(Cl04)2 provided the diketone (+)-118. Hydroxy-directed syn-reduction of both carbonyl groups with NaBI U in the presence of Et2BOMe, and triacetonide formation, followed by hydrogenolysis and monosilylation, afforded the desired Schreiber subtarget (+)-119, which was employed in the synthesis of (+)-mycoticins A and B (Scheme 8.31) [56b]. 

For further use of dithiane chemistry in the synthesis of spongistatin, see also a)... 

In ( )-[2-(l-propenyl)-l, 3-dithian-2-yl]lithium, no problem of EjZ selectivity arises. It is easily prepared by deprotonation of the allylic dithiane87,88 with butyllithium in THF, whereas deprotonation of the 2-propylidene-l, 3-dithiane requires the assistance of HMPA. The addition to saturated aldehydes proceeds with excellent y-regioseleetivity and anti selectivity88,89. As often observed in similar cases, aldehydes which bear an, p2-carbon atom adjacent to the carbonyl group give lower selectivities. The stereoselectivity decreases with ketones (2-bu-tanone y/a 84 16, antiisyn 77 23)88. The reaction with ethyl 2-oxopropanoate is merely nonstereoselective90, but addition of zinc chloride improved the syn/anti ratio to 96 4, leading to an efficient synthesis of ( )-crobarbatic acid. 

Propenyl)-1,3-dithiane, after lithiation and addition of zinc chloride, reacts with ethyl 2-oxopropanoate to give preferentially the. vvn-adduct37, which is an intermediate in the synthesis of racemic /ra .s-tetrahydro-2,3-dimethyl-5-oxo-2-furancarboxylic acid. It is assumed, that the ethoxycarbonyl group is brought to a pseudoaxial position in the cyclic transition state by the chelating zinc cation. 

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