Epoxides with cuprate reagents

The optically active iodide 153 (Scheme 43) can be conveniently prepared from commercially available methyl (S)-(+)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate (154) (see Scheme 41). At this stage of the synthesis, our plan called for the conversion of 153 to a nucleophilic organometallic species, with the hope that the latter would combine with epoxide 152. As matters transpired, we found that the mixed higher order cuprate reagent derived from 153 reacts in the desired and expected way with epoxide 152, affording alcohol 180 in 88% yield this regioselective union creates the C12-C13 bond of rapamycin. 

Especially in the early steps of the synthesis of a complex molecule, there are plenty of examples in which epoxides are allowed to react with organometallic reagents. In particular, treatment of enantiomerically pure terminal epoxides with alkyl-, alkenyl-, or aryl-Grignard reagents in the presence of catalytic amounts of a copper salt, corresponding cuprates, or metal acetylides via alanate chemistry, provides a general route to optically active substituted alcohols useful as valuable building blocks in complex syntheses. 

Scheme 4.10 gives some examples of application of alkyne carboalumination in synthesis. The reaction in Entry 1 was carried out as part of a synthesis of the immunosuppressant drug FK-506. The vinyl alane was subsequently transmetallated to a cuprate reagent (see Chapter 8). In Entry 2, the vinyl alane was used as a nucleophile for opening an epoxide ring and extending the carbon chain by two atoms. In Entries 3 to 5, the vinyl alane adducts were converted to vinyl iodides. In Entry 6, the vinyl alane was converted to an ate reagent prior to reaction with formaldehyde. 

Scheme 3.27. Regioselectivity in reactions of silyllithium and silyl cuprate reagents with allylic carbamates and epoxides...

Allyl epoxides are produced by the acclaimed Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation reaction [75], and are important intermediates and products. For example, an allyl epoxide is a vital part of the structure of amphidinolides, a series of unique macrolides isolated from dinoflagellates (Amphidinium sp.). Amphidinolide H (AmpH) is a potent cytotoxic 26-membered macrolide with potent cytotoxicity for several carcinoma cell lines [76]. An allyl epoxide is involved in the total synthesis of prostaglandin A2 with a cuprate reagent [77]. Allyl epoxides derived from Sharpless chemistry are a practical method for construction of polypropionate structures by Lewis acid-induced rearrangement [78,79]. Other allyl epoxides such as l,2-epoxy-3-methyl-3-butanol are useful organic intermediates for the production of a-hydroxyketones, which are used for the synthesis of various natural... 

FIGURE 16 6 Polystyrene/divinylbenzene sulfmate [432] resin was used to prepare the indicated sulfone oxirane on a solid phase. This was subjected to epoxide ring-opening with Grignard and cuprate reagents. Subsequent oxidation of the secondary alcohol was accomplished with simultaneous release from the resin, affording substituted cyclopent-2-enones. 

Non-ate allylcopper is also useful in the chlorides and epoxides. 1,2-Amino alcohol with amide cuprate reagents. ... 

---