Epoxides protection

The alkyne is actually available as it is easily made from acetylene and formaldehyde. Two decisions remain how do we distinguish the three alcohols in 36 and what reagent do we use for Me- in the reaction on the epoxide Protection as the cyclic acetal 40 makes epoxidation straightforward and Me2CuLi turned out to be the best reagent for opening the epoxide. We now have two of the OHs protected 42 but they are the wrong two ... 

On the other hand, 65 (R=MOM), obtained through 63-65 (R=MOM) by employing the same sequence involving RCM, was converted into 66 on sequential diastereoselective epoxidation, protection and oxidation. On treatment with DBU, 66 afforded 67 serving as the precursor of (-)-shikimic acid (Scheme 18).26... 

C—C double bonds may be protected against electrophiles by epoxidation and subsequent removal of the oxygen atom by treatment with zinc and sodium iodide in acetic acid (J.A. Edwards, 1972 W. Kndll, 1975). Halogenation has often been used for protection, too. The C—C double bond is here also easily regenerated with zinc (see p. 138, D.H.R. Barton, 1976). 

In all cases examined the ( )-isomers of the allylic alcohols reacted satisfactorily in the asymmetric epoxidation step, whereas the epoxidations of the (Z)-isomers were intolerably slow or nonstereoselective. The eryfhro-isomers obtained from the ( )-allylic alcohols may, however, be epimerized in 95% yield to the more stable tlireo-isomers by treatment of the acetonides with potassium carbonate (6a). The competitive -elimination is suppressed by the acetonide protecting group because it maintains orthogonality between the enolate 7i-system and the 8-alkoxy group (cf the Baldwin rules, p. 316). 

The 9 — 15 fragment was prepared by a similar route. Once again Sharpless kinetic resolution method was applied, but in the opposite sense, i.e., at 29% conversion a mixture of the racemic olefin educt with the virtually pure epoxide stereoisomer was obtained. On acid-catalysed epoxide opening and lactonization the stereocentre C-12 was inverted, and the pure dihydroxy lactone was isolated. This was methylated, protected as the acetonide, reduced to the lactol, protected by Wittig olefination and silylation, and finally ozonolysed to give the desired aldehyde. 

The (partial) description of the synthesis and coupling of the five fragments starts with the cyclohexyl moiety C —C. The first step involved the enantio- and diastereoselective harpless epoxidation of l,4-pentadien-3-ol described on p. 126f. The epoxide was converted in four steps to a d-vinyl d-lactone which gave a 3-cyclohexenecarboxylate via Ireland-CIaisen rearrangement (cf. p. 87). Uncatalysed hydroboration and oxidation (cf. p. 131) yielded the desired trans-2-methoxycyclohexanol which was protected as a silyl ether. The methyl car-... 

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (74) is stmcturaHy related to and has been prepared from hydroxyprogesterone (39) (Fig. 10). Formation of the bis-ketal accomplishes the protection of the ketones and the required migration of the double bond. Epoxidation with peracetic acid produces a mixture of epoxides (75), with a predominating. Treatment of the a-epoxide with methyl magnesium bromide results in diaxial opening of the epoxide. Deprotection of the ketones provides (76), which is dehydrated to (77) by treatment with dilute sodium hydroxide in pyridine. Upon treatment with gaseous hydrochloric... 

Another synthesis of the cortisol side chain from a C17-keto-steroid is shown in Figure 20. Treatment of a C3-protected steroid 3,3-ethanedyidimercapto-androst-4-ene-ll,17-dione [112743-82-5] (144) with a tnhaloacetate, 2inc, and a Lewis acid produces (145). Addition of a phenol and potassium carbonate to (145) in refluxing butanone yields the aryl vinyl ether (146). Concomitant reduction of the C20-ester and the Cll-ketone of (146) with lithium aluminum hydride forms (147). Deprotection of the C3-thioketal, followed by treatment of (148) with y /(7-chlotopetben2oic acid, produces epoxide (149). Hydrolysis of (149) under acidic conditions yields cortisol (29) (181). 

To control the stereochemistry of epoxidation at the 10,11-double bond in intermediates in prostaglandin synthesis, a bulky protective group was used for the C15-OH group. Epoxidation of the tribenzylsilyl ether yielded 88% a-oxide epoxidation of the tri-/ -xylylsilyl ether was less selective. ... 

Dioxolanes haye been prepared from a carbonyl compound and an epoxide (e.g., ketone/SnC, CCI4, 20°, 4 h, 53% yield or aldehyde/ Et4N Br, 125-220°, 2-4 h, 20-85% yield ). Perhalo ketones can be protected by reaction with ethylene chlorohydrin under basic conditions (K2CO3, pentane, 25°, 2 h, 85% yield or NaOH, EtOH—H2O, 95% yield ). 

The poor stability on exposure to air and water, particularly at elevated temperatures, which results in a reduction in conductivity, also poses problems. In the case of polypyrrole it has been found that conductivity can, however, be maintained either by the drastic measure of storing under the protective layer of the inert gas argon or embedding polypyrrole film in a matrix of an epoxide resin-glass-fibre composite. 

Hydroxyl groups are stable to peracids, but oxidation of an allylic alcohol during an attempted epoxidation reaction has been reported." The di-hydroxyacetone side chain is usually protected during the peracid reaction, either by acetylation or by formation of a bismethylenedioxy derivative. To obtain high yields of epoxides it is essential to avoid high reaction temperatures and a strongly acidic medium. The products of epoxidation of enol acetates are especially sensitive to heat or acid and can easily rearrange to keto acetates. 

To the epoxide dissolved in a minimal amount of chloroform or ether is added a corresponding solution of freshly prepared thiocyanic acid (20 fold excess) as described above (acetic acid has also been used as solvent). The resulting solution is allowed to stand at least 70 hr at room temperature. (Some workers have protected the reaction mixture from light during this period). The reaction mixture is worked up by washing first with a 10% solution of sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate, and then water. The remaining ether extract is dried (Na2S04) and evaporated under vacuum. The crude thiocyanatohydrin is crystallized from an appropriate solvent or treated with methanesulfonyl chloride s (see below). 

A recent publication describes the protection of a S-keto-A" system via its eniminium salt, permitting enol acetylation of a 20-ketone, epoxidation, hydrolysis and finally removal of the A-ring protecting group. 

Protection for the double bond in the allyl protecting group may be achieved by epoxidation. Regeneration of the allyl group occurs upon... 

The asymmetric epoxidation of electron-poor cinnamate ester derivatives was highlighted by Jacobsen in the synthesis of the Taxol side-chain. Asymmetric epoxidation of ethyl cinnamate provided the desired epoxide in 96% ee and in 56% yield. Epoxide ring opening with ammonia followed by saponification and protection provided the Taxol side-chain 46 (Scheme 1.4.12). 

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