Epoxide reaction with LiAlH

The hydrogenolyaia of cyclopropane rings (C—C bond cleavage) has been described on p, 105. In syntheses of complex molecules reductive cleavage of alcohols, epoxides, and enol ethers of 5-keto esters are the most important examples, and some selectivity rules will be given. Primary alcohols are converted into tosylates much faster than secondary alcohols. The tosylate group is substituted by hydrogen upon treatment with LiAlH (W. Zorbach, 1961). Epoxides are also easily opened by LiAlH. The hydride ion attacks the less hindered carbon atom of the epoxide (H.B. Henhest, 1956). The reduction of sterically hindered enol ethers of 9-keto esters with lithium in ammonia leads to the a,/S-unsaturated ester and subsequently to the saturated ester in reasonable yields (R.M. Coates, 1970). Tributyltin hydride reduces halides to hydrocarbons stereoselectively in a free-radical chain reaction (L.W. Menapace, 1964) and reacts only slowly with C 0 and C—C double bonds (W.T. Brady, 1970 H.G. Kuivila, 1968). 

Primary and secondary amines also react with epoxides (or in situ produced episulfides )r aziridines)to /J-hydroxyamines (or /J-mercaptoamines or 1,2-diamines). The Michael type iddition of amines to activated C—C double bonds is also a useful synthetic reaction. Rnally unines react readily with. carbonyl compounds to form imines and enamines and with carbo-tylic acid chlorides or esters to give amides which can be reduced to amines with LiAlH (p. Ilf.). All these reactions are often applied in synthesis to produce polycyclic alkaloids with itrogen bridgeheads (J.W. Huffman, 1967) G. Stork, 1963 S.S. Klioze, 1975). 

Much of our understanding of conformational analysis has arisen from studies on the reactions of rigid steroid nuclei. For example, the concept of trans-diaxial ring opening of epoxycyclohexanes was proposed to explain the stereoselective reactions seen with steroidal epoxides. Predict the product when each of the following steroidal epoxides is treated with LiAlH.. 

Anthracene is noncarcinogenic and is structurally incapable of forming a bay region diol epoxide. Anthracene 1,2-dihydrodiol is most conveniently synthesized from 2-anthranol by oxidation with phenylseleninic anhydride to anthracene 1,2-dione (55) followed by reduction with NaBH in ethanol (22) or LiAlH (55). Anthracene 1,2-dihydrodiol has also been synthesized via the Prdvost reaction route... 

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