Epimerization reactions Michael additions

Recently, a synthesis of tetrodotoxin from D-glucose was described (Scheme 36). After a Michael addition of the lithium salt of bis(phenylthio)-methane to the nitroolefin 116, the major component (117b) of the resulting epimeric mixture 117a + 117b was subjected to a reaction sequence that involved an intramolecular nitroaldol reaction, to give the complex nitro cyclohexane derivative 118. 

The Soos group, in 2005, prepared the first thiourea derivatives from the cinchona alkaloids quinine QN (8S, 9R-121), dihydroquinidine DHQD (8S, 9S-122), C9-epi-QN (8S, 9P-123), and quinidine QD (SR, 9R-124) via an experimentally simple one-step protocol with epimerization at the C9-position of the alkaloid starting material (Figure 6.39) [278]. The catalytic efficiency of these new thiourea derivatives and also of unmodified QN and C9-epi-QN was evaluated in the enan-tioselective Michael addition [149-152] of nitromethane to the simple model chal-cone 1,3-diphenyl-propenone resulting in adduct 1 in Scheme 6.119. After 99h reaction time at 25 °C in toluene and at 10 mol% catalyst loading QN turned out to be a poor catalyst (4% yield/42% ee (S)-adduct) and C9-epi-QN even failed to accelerate the screening reaction. In contrast, the C9-modified cinchona alkaloid... 

Fig. 13.68. Michael addition to an tt,/kunsaturated ketone. A sequence of reactions is shown that effects the 1,4-addition of acetic acid to the unsaturated ketone. See Figure 17.51 regarding step 2 and Figure 13.37 for the mechanism of step 3. The stereochemistry of reaction steps 1 and 2 has not been discussed in the literature. The third step consists of a decarboxylation as well as an acid-catalyzed epimerization of the carbon in the position a to the carbonyl group. This epimerization allows for an equilibration between the cis,trans-isomeric cyclohexanones and causes the trans-configuration of the major product.

Synthesis by Other Cyclizations. The epimeric amines (49) have been made by means of a novel S 2 reaction of the corresponding 2-bromo-6-amino-cyclohexanone derivative. Double Michael addition of (+)-a-methylbenzyl-amine to cyclo-octa-2,7-dienone derivatives forms the basis of a synthesis of the enantiomeric forms of adaline (50). Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation has been used in the synthesis of derivatives of the 2,6-methanobenz-azepine, 2,6-methano-3-benzazocine, 2,6-methano-3-benzazonine, and... 

The tetrahydrofuran was lithiated with excess of LDA and in situ added lithioacetate. The result was quite promising giving a mixture of two epimeric products in 53% combined yield. This success could be tentatively explained in terms of the formation of lithiated complex as shown by the structure in the parenthesis. The yield of this Michael addition was further improved by the adoption of the procedure for elimination-addition reaction as... 

The compounds 392, prepared from Michael addition of aliphatic thiols to MBH adducts with high, sj -selectivity synjanti up to 98%), have also been applied to the synthesis of p-lactams (Scheme 4.126). The OH group of 392 was changed into an OAc group (393) in 87% yield. Subsequent acidic hydrolysis gave free carboxylic acid 394, which was then converted into amide 395 in 84% yield. The intramolecular 2 reaction occurred in the presence of the sulfonium salt, affording p-lactam 396 in diastereomerically pure form. This new synthetic method disclosed that p-lactams can be prepared with easy and practical manipulations as well as sufficient prevention of epimerization problems. 

The synthesis is initiated by the organocatalyzed cascade that activates a,p-unsaturated aldehyde 8 with the formation of an iminium ion (Scheme 14.2). In this way, the imidazolidinone catalyst allows hydride transfer from the Hantzsch dihydropyridine 9 onto the highly activated conjugated alkene 11, which creates the nucleophilic enamine intermediate 12. Because of the chirality of the organocatalyst, stereoselective Michael addition (97% ee) to the adjacent enone occurs, with minor preference for the cis diastereomer (2 1 dr). Fortunately, this undesired diastereomer slowly epimerizes to the required trans isomer, which produces (-l-)-ricciocarpin A when treated with samarium triisopropoxide. Besides the Cannizzaro-like redox disproportionation, which allows the lactone producing Evans-Tihchenko reaction to occur, samarium(III) also enhances the epimerization to the trans isomer and therefore produces the desired isomer in high selectivity. 

Later, the same group expanded this chemistry further by developing a cascade Michael addition/cross-benzoin condensation sequence of enolizable aldehydes 43 and activated enones 44 [27]. The reaction proceeded by means of enamine activation of aliphatic aldehydes to induce an asymmetric Michael addition to activated enones followed by an intramolecular cross-benzoin condensation (Scheme 9.30). Compared with their previous work, complex cyclopentanones with complementary substitution patterns were observed. Screening of the reaction parameters revealed that the chiral triazolium catalyst was necessary to ensure a satisfactory stereochemical outcome. Further mechanistic insights indicated that the high diasteroselectivity observed attributed to the secondary amine-induced epimerizing of the a-position of intermediate aldehyde 89. 

Asymmetric induction is a factor in nucleophilic and electrophilic additions to a chiral vinyl sulphoxide. " A full account is available of asymmetric syntheses involving the addition of piperidine and of bromine to chiral propenyl and vinyl p-tolyl sulphoxides, respectively (see Vol. 2, p. 50). An observation enhancing the value of a vinyl sulphoxide enantiomer in organic synthesis concerns the control exerted by the metal counterion in Michael addition of the diethyl malonate carbanion to (/ )-(+)-/ra/w-)S-styryl p-tolyl sulphoxide (58). The K-i- and Na salts in EtOH lead to a diastereoisomer mixture in which (59) predominates, while the Li+ salt in THF as the reaction medium leads to a preponderance of the epimeric adduct. ... 

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