Double enantioselection

Sharpless epoxidation of symmetrical diols can be expected, on purely mathematical grounds, to produce diepoxide products whose enantiomeric purities are dramatically increased over those obtained for formation of a single epoxide56. Hoyle56 recently exploited the double Sharpless epoxidation of a symmetrical diol 12 to produce epoxides 13, 14 and 15 that were required for subsequent conversion to chiral 2,5-linked bistetrahydrofurans. Although the diastereomeric ratios and enantiomeric purities could not be determined, it was possible to calculate that if the enantiofacial selectivity was 19 1 (90% ee) for a single epoxidation, the ratios of isomers would be 361 38 1 for 13/14/15. Thus, in this double enantioselective epoxidation the diastereomeric excess of the chiral diepoxide (13, 15) is expected to be 99.45%. 

Resolution by transesterification. Using vinylic acetates to esterify allyl alcohols, propargyl alcohols, 2-phenylthiocycloalkanols, a-hydroxy esters," methyl 5-hydroxy-2-hexenoates, and 2-substituted 1,3-propanediols, the enantioselective esterification provides a means of separation of optical isomers. Vinyl carbonates are also resolved by lipase-mediated enantioselective conversion to benzyl carbonates. Other esters that have also been used in the kinetic resolution include 2,2,2-tri-fluoroethyl propionate. There is a report on a double enantioselective transesterification" of racemic trifluoroethyl esters and cyclic meso-diols by lipase catalysis. 

A double-enantioselective synthesis of carbonates and carbamates using C. antarctica lipase is eminently successful. ... 

A related inter-esterification reaction has been employed to demonstrate the concept of double enantioselection (Scheme 3.18). Thus the bicyclic... 

A different approach to synthesize (+)-sedamine (119), reported by Cossy et al. [48, 49], was based on a double enantioselective allyltitanation of the aldehydes 120 and 122 (Scheme 2.29). Next, transformation of the resulting homoallylic alcohol 123 into amine 124 was accomplished via a Mitsunobu reaction, which was in a two-step procedure converted into the RCM precursor 124. Completion of the synthesis was achieved through RCM (catalyst [Ru]-I, benzene, reflux), followed by hydrogenation of the aikene and deprotection, in 52% over four steps. 

A more eflicient and general synthetic procedure is the Masamune reaction of aldehydes with boron enolates of chiral a-silyloxy ketones. A double asymmetric induction generates two new chiral centres with enantioselectivities > 99%. It is again explained by a chair-like six-centre transition state. The repulsive interactions of the bulky cyclohexyl group with the vinylic hydrogen and the boron ligands dictate the approach of the enolate to the aldehyde (S. Masamune, 1981 A). The fi-hydroxy-x-methyl ketones obtained are pure threo products (threo = threose- or threonine-like Fischer formula also termed syn" = planar zig-zag chain with substituents on one side), and the reaction has successfully been applied to macrolide syntheses (S. Masamune, 1981 B). Optically pure threo (= syn") 8-hydroxy-a-methyl carboxylic acids are obtained by desilylation and periodate oxidation (S. Masamune, 1981 A). Chiral 0-((S)-trans-2,5-dimethyl-l-borolanyl) ketene thioketals giving pure erythro (= anti ) diastereomers have also been developed by S. Masamune (1986). 

The target molecule above contains a chiral center. An enantioselective synthesis can therefore be developed We use this opportunity to summarize our knowledge of enantioselective reactions. They are either alkylations of carbanions or addition reactions to C = C or C = 0 double bonds ... 

Among chiral dialkylboranes, diisopinocampheylborane (8) is the most important and best-studied asymmetric hydroborating agent. It is obtained in both enantiomeric forms from naturally occurring a-pinene. Several procedures for its synthesis have been developed (151—153). The most convenient one, providing product of essentially 100% ee, involves the hydroboration of a-pinene with borane—dimethyl sulfide in tetrahydrofuran (154). Other chiral dialkylboranes derived from terpenes, eg, 2- and 3-carene (155), limonene (156), and longifolene (157,158), can also be prepared by controlled hydroboration. A more tedious approach to chiral dialkylboranes is based on the resolution of racemates. /n j -2,5-Dimethylborolane, which shows excellent enantioselectivity in the hydroboration of all principal classes of prochiral alkenes except 1,1-disubstituted terminal double bonds, has been... 

A chiral vanadium complex, bis(3-(heptafluorobutyryl)camphorato)oxovana-dium(IV), can catalyze the cycloaddition reaction of, mainly, benzaldehyde with dienes of the Danishefsky type with moderate to good enantioselectivity [21]. A thorough investigation was performed with benzaldehyde and different activated dienes, and reactions involving double stereo differentiation using a chiral aldehyde. 

We employed malononitrile and l-crotonoyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole as donor and acceptor molecules, respectively. We have found that this reaction at room temperature in chloroform can be effectively catalyzed by the J ,J -DBFOX/Ph-nick-el(II) and -zinc(II) complexes in the absence of Lewis bases leading to l-(4,4-dicya-no-3-methylbutanoyl)-3,5-dimethylpyrazole in a good chemical yield and enantio-selectivity (Scheme 7.47). However, copper(II), iron(II), and titanium complexes were not effective at all, either the catalytic activity or the enantioselectivity being not sufficient. With the J ,J -DBFOX/Ph-nickel(II) aqua complex in hand as the most reactive catalyst, we then investigated the double activation method by using this catalyst. 

With an appropriate chiral reactant, high enantioselectivity can be achieved, as a result of asymmetric induction If both reactants are chiral, this procedure is called the double asymmetric reaction and the observed enantioselectivity can be even higher. 

For the performance of an enantioselective synthesis, it is of advantage when an asymmetric catalyst can be employed instead of a chiral reagent or auxiliary in stoichiometric amounts. The valuable enantiomerically pure substance is then required in small amounts only. For the Fleck reaction, catalytically active asymmetric substances have been developed. An illustrative example is the synthesis of the tricyclic compound 17, which represents a versatile synthetic intermediate for the synthesis of diterpenes. Instead of an aryl halide, a trifluoromethanesul-fonic acid arylester (ArOTf) 16 is used as the starting material. With the use of the / -enantiomer of 2,2 -Z7w-(diphenylphosphino)-l,F-binaphthyl ((R)-BINAP) as catalyst, the Heck reaction becomes regio- and face-selective. The reaction occurs preferentially at the trisubstituted double bond b, leading to the tricyclic product 17 with 95% ee. °... 

Jacobsen demonstrated that the (salen)Cr system used to effect intermolecular, cooperative asymmetric azidolysis of meso-epoxides (Schemes 7.3 and 7.5) could be applied to sulfur-centered nucleophiles (Scheme 7.13). In order to overcome moderate enantioselectivity (<60% ee), a dithiol nucleophile was employed as part of a double resolution strategy in which the minor enantiomer of the monoaddition product reacts preferentially to form the meso- bis-addition product, thereby increasing the ee of the C2-symmetric bis-addition product. Enantiopure 1,2-mer-capto alcohols (>99% ee) were obtained from the meso-epoxide in ca. 50% overall yield by a burdensome (though effective) multistep sequence, [23]. 

For a successful application in synthesis, several problems have to be solved regioselectivity, whether the C-C bond is formed with the 1- or 3-position in an unsymmetrical ambident anion, EjZ selectivity in the formation of the double bond, and simple diastereoselectivity, since two new stereogenic centers are created from prostereogenic compounds. Further, different types of induced stereoselectivity or enantioselectivity may be required. Allylmetals with a wide choice of substituents are accessible by various methods (Sections D. 1.3.3.3.1.-10.). 

On the other hand, high levels of diastereoselectivity are relatively easy to achieve in matched double asymmetric reactions since the intrinsic diastereofacial preference of the chiral aldehyde reinforces that of the reagent, and in many cases it has been possible to achieve synthetically useful levels of matched diastereoselection by using only moderately enantioselective chiral allylboron reagents. Finally, it is worth reminding the reader that both components of double asymmetric reactions need to be both chiral and nonracemic for maximum diastereoselectivity to be realized. 

The reaction of methyl 4-formyl-2-mcthylpentanoate and the chiral (Z)-2-butenylboronate clearly shows 52b-103, however, that the chiral auxiliary is not sufficiently enantioselective to increase the diastereoselectivity to >90% in either the matched [( + )-auxiliary] or mismatched [(—)-auxiliary] case. This underscores the requirement that highly enantioselective chiral reagents be utilized in double asymmetric reactions. 

Dimethylphenylsilyl-2-propenylboronate 7 is more enantioselective (81-87% ee with achiral aldehydes) than the 2-[cyclohexyloxy(dimethyl)silyl] compound 8 (64-72% ee), and consequently the former generally gives better results especially in mismatched double asymmetric reactions. Nevertheless, the examples show that appreciable double diastereoselection may be achieved with both reagents in many cases. 

The reactions of allylboronates 1 (R = H or CH3) may proceed either by way of transition state 3, in which the a-substituent X adopts an axial position, or 4 in which X occupies an equatorial position. These two pathways are easily distinguished since 3 provides 7 with a Z-olefin, whereas 4 provides 8 with an E-olefinic linkage. There is also a second fundamental stereochemical difference between these two transition states 7 and 8 are heterochirally related from reactions in which 1 is not racemic. That is, 7 and 8 arc enantiomers once the stereochemistry-associated with the double bond is destroyed. Thus, the selectivity for reaction by way of 3 in preference to 4, or via 6 in preference to 5 in reactions of a-subsliluted (Z)-2-butenylboronate 2, is an important factor that determines the suitability of these reagents for applications in enantioselective or acyclic diastereoselective synthesis. 

Chiral, nonracemic allylboron reagents 1-7 with stereocenters at Cl of the allyl or 2-butenyl unit have been described. Although these optically active a-substituted allylboron reagents are generally less convenient to synthesize than those with conventional auxiliaries (Section 1.3.3.3.3.1.4.), this disadvantage is compensated for by the fact that their reactions with aldehydes often occur with almost 100% asymmetric induction. Thus, the enantiomeric purity as well as the ease of preparation of these chiral a-substituted allylboron reagents are important variables that determine their utility in enantioselective allylboration reactions with achiral aldehydes, and in double asymmetric reactions with chiral aldehydes (Section 1.3.3.3.3.2.4.). 

The data summarized in Section 1.3.3.3.3.2.3. established that a-chloro-2-propenylboronate 2 is more enantioselective than l9,32a b. It is not surprising, therefore, that the reactions of 2 and chiral aldehydes exhibit greater diastereoselectivity, particularly those cases involving mismatched double diastereoselection. This point is demonstrated by the reactions with (i )-2,3-[isopropylidenebis(oxy)]propanal. 

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