Enantioselective Synthesis of Allenes

Hiroaki Ohno, Yasuo Nagaoka, and Kiyoshi Tomioka 

Allene is a versatile functionality because it is useful as either a nucleophile or an electrophile and also as a substrate for cycloaddition reactions. This multi-reactivity makes an allene an excellent candidate for a synthetic manipulations. In addition to these abilities, the orthogonality of 1,3-substitution on the cumulated double bonds of allenes enables the molecule to exist in two enantiomeric configurations and reactions using either antipode can result in the transfer of chirality to the respective products. Therefore, the development of synthetic methodology for chiral allenes is one of the most valuable subjects for the synthetic organic chemist. This chapter serves as an introduction to recent progress in the enantioselective syntheses of allenes. Several of the earlier examples are presented in excellent previous reviews [ ]  

Organocopper-Mediated Alkylation of Propargyl Alcohol Derivatives 

In 1984, Corey and Boaz rationalized the anti stereochemistry observed in most of the organocopper-mediated SN2 displacements [4]. The stereoelectronic effect arising from a bidentate binding involves a d-orbital of a nucleophilic copper and 

Modem Allene Chemistry. Edited by N. Krause and A.S.K. Hashmi Copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN 3-527-30671-4 

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Scheme 4.69 Highly enantioselective synthesis of allenes 272 by palladium-catalyzed substitution.

Table 9.15 Enantioselective synthesis of allenic and propargylic carbinols.

Optically active, 2,5-diphenyl-tetrahydrophosphole-based phosphonium salts were utilized in the enantioselective synthesis of allenic esters (Scheme 71). ... 

The catalytic oxidative carbonylation of allene with PdCb and CuCh in MeOH affords methyl a-methoxymethacrylate (559)[499]. The intramolecular oxidative aminocarbonylation of the 6-aminoallene 560 affords the unsaturated J-amino ester 561. The reaction has been applied to the enantioselective synthesis of pumiliotoxin (562)[500]. A similar intramolecular oxycarbonyla-tion of 6-hydroxyallenes affords 2-(2-tetrahydrofuranyl)acrylates[501]. 

Several Pd-catalyzed domino processes start with a Tsuji-Trost reaction, a pal-ladation of alkynes or allenes [5], a carbonylation [6], an amination [7] or a Pd(II)-cat-alyzed Wacker-type reaction [8]. A novel illustrious example of this procedure is the efficient enantioselective synthesis of vitamin E [9]. 

This chapter has discussed the transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of allenes. Because allenes have attracted considerable attention as useful synthons for synthetic organic chemistry, effective synthetic methods for their preparation are desirable. Some recent reports have demonstrated the potential usefulness of optically active axially chiral allenes as chiral synthons however, methods for supplying the enantiomerically enriched allenes are still limited. Apparently, transition metal-catalyzed reactions can provide solutions to these problems. From the economics point of view, the enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral allenes from achiral precursors using catalytic amounts of chiral transition metal catalysts is especially attractive. Considering these facts, further novel metal-catalyzed reactions for the preparation of allenes will certainly be developed in the future. 

The asymmetric synthesis of allenes via enantioselective hydrogenation of ketones with ruthenium(II) catalyst was reported by Malacria and co-workers (Scheme 4.11) [15, 16]. The ketone 46 was hydrogenated in the presence of iPrOH, KOH and 5 mol% of a chiral ruthenium catalyst, prepared from [(p-cymene) RuC12]2 and (S,S)-TsDPEN (2 equiv./Ru), to afford 47 in 75% yield with 95% ee. The alcohol 47 was converted into the corresponding chiral allene 48 (>95% ee) by the reaction of the corresponding mesylate with MeCu(CN)MgBr. A phosphine oxide derivative of the allenediyne 48 was proved to be a substrate for a cobalt-mediated [2 + 2+ 2] cycloaddition. 

Carreira and co-workers developed a highly efficient enantioselective addition of terminal alkynes to aldehydes giving propargyl alcohols by the mediation of zinc tri-flate and N-methylephedrine [17]. This reaction serves as a convenient and powerful synthetic route to a wide variety of enantioenriched allenes via propargyl alcohols. Dieter and Yu applied this alkynylation to the asymmetric synthesis of allenes (Scheme 4.12) [18]. Reaction of phenylacetylene with isobutyraldehyde afforded the propargyl alcohol in 80% yield with 99% ee, which was mesylated to 49 in quantitative yield. Reaction of 49 with the cyanocuprate 50 afforded the desired allene 51 with 83% ee. 

The enantioselective synthesis of an allenic ester using chiral proton sources was performed by dynamic kinetic protonation of racemic allenylsamarium(III) species 237 and 238, which were derived from propargylic phosphate 236 by the metalation (Scheme 4.61) [97]. Protonation with (R,R)-(+)-hydrobcnzoin and R-(-)-pantolactone provided an allenic ester 239 with high enantiomeric purity. The selective protonation with (R,R)-(+)-hydrobenzoin giving R-(-)-allcnic ester 239 is in agreement with the... 

The Lewis acid-promoted [4+ 2]-cycloaddition reaction of the allenic ester 103 having a camphor-derived chiral auxiliary with cydopentadiene provided the adduct with excellent Jt-facial selection, leading to an enantioselective synthesis of (-)-/l-san-talene [92]. 

An enantioselective synthesis of the Ziegler intermediate 107 of forskolin (108) has been achieved using an intramolecular allenic Diels-Alder reaction (Scheme 19.20) [24], Treatment of propargyl ether 104 with potassium tert-butoxide in tert-butanol affords 106, presumably through the intermediate allene 105. Compound 106 was obtained as a single stereoisomer. 

The yields of the allenes and the enantioselectivities are not very high, and the method could possibly be further developed by the use of more rigid, e.g., bidentate ligands. Since no satisfactory reagent-controlled enantioselective synthesis of chiral allenes is known to date, this is a challenge for the future. 

Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of 4,4-dimethyl-l-phenyl-l,2-pentadiene from 4,4-dimethyl-1,2-pentadiene and iodobenzene using 0.4 to 1 mol % of palladium complexes containing chiral phosphane ligands as the catalyst for the enantioselective cross coupling134 is the only example of substoichiometric transition metal catalyzed enantioselective allene synthesis. 

As for the aUcynes, the reactions here are arranged by the nature of the nucleophile. Thus heteronucleophiles, mainly nitrogen- and oxygen-based, and carbon nucleophiles are discussed. However, first of all, a gold-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of axially chiral allenes will be... 

Rabat, M.M., A novel method of highly enantioselective synthesis of y-hydroxy-P-keto phosphonates via allene oxides. Tetrahedron Lett., 34, 8543, 1993. 

The remarkable. St-facc directing effect observed for the (l/ )-2-e.vo,3-ejco-2-neopentyloxy-l,7.7-trimcthylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-3-yl acrylate was also observed using a chiral allenic ester. It has been applied to an enantioselective synthesis of (— )-/ -santalcnc employing the addition of 13 to cyclopentadiene. Excellent chemical and optical yields (98% endoiexo 98 2 d.r. 99.5 0.5) are reported, the minor isomers being removed by crystallization44. 

The numerous applications of ( (-sparteine include the synthesis of allenes (Section B.I., both enantiomers), enantioselective Michael additions (Section D.1.5.2.1.), asymmetric acylations of ally] anions (Section D.1.3.3.3 ), and the enantioselective introduction of electrophilic groups at a-carbons in primary alcohols via carbamates (Section D.9.). 

Intramolecular reaction of allenes is known to proceed mainly by palladation at the central carbon to generate alkenylpalladium 235, which undergoes further reactions. Also TT-allylpalladium 236 is formed when a nucleophile attacks the central carbon. The intramolecular aminopalladation of the 6-aminoallene 237, followed by CO insertion, afforded the unsaturated amino ester 238. The reaction has been applied to the enantioselective synthesis of pumiliotoxin [103]. Oxycarbonylation of the allenyl alcohol 239 afforded the unsaturated ester 240 in 83 % yield using a catalytic amount of PdCl2 and 3 equivalents of CuCb in MeOH and is used for the synthesis of rhopaloic acid [104]. 

Kanai and colleagues developed an enantioselective synthesis of various 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)indole scaffolds via the amido-cupration of allenes followed by the asymmetric addition of carbonyl compounds. Treatment of allene 88 with a copper catalyst forms a stable and highly nucleophilic allyl-copper species, which then adds into benzaldehyde (89) to furnish indole 90. A range of carbonyl compounds are competent in the sequence, including aryl- and heteroaryl aldehydes, alkyl aldehydes, and aryl ketones. This is reported to be the first example of a combined catalytic indole generation and subsequent enantioselective addition of carbonyl compormds (14CS1585). 

In most of the palladium-catalysed domino processes known so far, the Mizoroki-Heck reaction - the palladium(0)-catalysed reaction of aryl halides or triflates as well as of alkenyl halides or triflates with alkenes or alkynes - has been apphed as the starting transformation accordingly to our classification (Table 8.1). It has been combined with another Mizoroki-Heck reaction [6] or a cross-coupling reaction [7], such as Suzuki, Stille or Sonogashira reactions. In other examples, a Tsuji-Trost reaction [8], a carbonylation, a pericyclic or an aldol reaction has been employed as the second step. On the other hand, cross-couphng reactions have also been used as the first step followed by, for example, a Mizoroki-Heck reaction or Tsuji-Trost reactions, palladation of alkynes or allenes [9], carbonylations [10], aminations [11] or palladium(II)-catalysedWacker-type reactions [12] were employed as the first step. A novel illustrative example of the latter procedure is the efficient enantioselective synthesis of vitamin E [13]. 

A new class of chiral bifunctional thiourea catalysts derived from trans-2-amino-l-(diphenylphosphino)cyclohexane was developed by Jacobsen and Fang in order to be applied to a highly enantioselective synthesis of a wide range of 2-aryl-2,5-dihydropyrrole derivatives. This strategy was based on a [3-1-2] cycloaddition between an A-phosphinoyl imine and an allene in the presence of TEA and water as additives. High yields combined with excellent enantioselectivities of up to 98% ee were observed in all cases of substrates, as shown in Scheme 6.19. 

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