Equatorial hydroxyl

Me3SiNEt2- Trimethylsilyldiethylamine selectively silylates equatorial hydroxyl groups in quantitative yield (4-10 h, 25°). The report indicated no reaction at axial hydroxyl groups. In the prostaglandin series the order of reactivity of trimethylsilyldiethylamine is Cii > Ci5 C9 (no reaction). These trimethylsilyl ethers are readily hydrolyzed in aqueous methanol containing a trace of acetic acid. The reagent is also useful for the silylation of amino-acids. ... 

The stereoselective reactions in Scheme 2.10 include one example that is completely stereoselective (entry 3), one that is highly stereoselective (entry 6), and others in which the stereoselectivity is modest to low (entries 1,2,4, 5, and 7). The addition of formic acid to norbomene (entry 3) produces only the exo ester. Reduction of 4-r-butylcyclohexanone (entry 6) is typical of the reduction of unhindered cyclohexanones in that the major diastereomer produced has an equatorial hydroxyl group. Certain other reducing agents, particularly sterically bulky ones, exhibit the opposite stereoselectivity and favor the formation of the diastereomer having an axial hydroxyl groi. The alkylation of 4-t-butylpiperidine with benzyl chloride (entry 7) provides only a slight excess of one diastereomer over the other. 

The reactivity of various steroid alcohols decreases in the order primary > secondary (equatorial) > secondary (axial) > tertiary. The only systematic investigation relating to the selective protection of steroidal hydroxyl functions has been carried out with the cathylate (ethyl carbonate) group. Since only equatorial hydroxyl groups form cathylates this ester has been used as a diagnostic tool to elucidate the configuration of secondary alcohols. 

Beta- and 3a-equatorial hydroxyl groups of the 5a- and 5j5-series respectively, as well as the quasi-equatorial 3/ -hydroxyl in A -enes, are highly reactive. Most of the protective groups considered in this review can be readily prepared with these alcohols. 

A report on the acetylation of 2,7-anhydro-/3-D-aZtro-heptu-lopyranose (sedoheptulosan) with acetic anhydride further illustrates the low reactivity of an equatorial hydroxyl group on abridged, pyranoid ring under controlled conditions, 21% of the 1,3,5-tri-O-acetyl derivative may be isolated.60... 

As these acetals could be converted into the 4,6-O-ethylidene derivatives on treatment with acid, it was reasoned that use of a cyclic vinyl ether, namely, 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran, might prevent this second process, thus leading to a more useful method of selective acetalation.338 An equimolar reaction with methyl a-D-glu-copyranoside for 4 days in N,N-dimethylformamide led to utilization of 88% of the glycoside, and the 6-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl) ether constituted —85% of the crude reaction-product. In contrast to the steric control apparent in this instance, reaction of 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran with the axial and equatorial hydroxyl groups in dl-1,4,5,6-tetra-O-acetyl-mi/o-inositol was completely unselective,339 a fact that has been rationalized310 in terms of the probable mechanism of these reactions. 

Optically pure P-ethanolamines react with dichlorocarbene under phase-transfer catalytic conditions to produce epoxides of high configurational retention [30]. Initial reaction occurs at the tertiary nitrogen centre (Scheme 7.29) with subsequent cleavage of the C-N bond. The reaction is configurationally controlled, as shown by the reaction of the conformationally rigid cyclic systems epoxide formation occurs with the equatorial hydroxyl system (50%), but not with the axial hydroxyl compound. 

The cyclic form of glucose is termed glucopyra-nose, since the new ring system is a reduced form of the oxygen heterocycle pyran. Nucleophilic attack onto the planar carbonyl may occur from either of its two faces, generating two different stereochemistries at this new chiral centre, designated as a or p. This new chiral centre is termed the anomeric centre. Since there are other chiral centres in the molecule, the mixture of a- and -anomeric forms is not a racemate, but a mixture of diastereoisomers (see Section 3.4.4). The mixture does not contain 50% of each anomer (see below). Although both forms are produced, the form with the equatorial hydroxyl is thermodynamically favoured (see Section 3.3.2). 

An acidic medium favors alcohols with an axial hydroxyl an alkaline medium favors alcohols with an equatorial hydroxyl [848],... 

Different stereoselectivities caused by solvent effects are demonstrated in the reduction of dihydroisophorone (3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone) with sodium borohydride which gave less stable tranj-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanol (with axial hydroxyl) by reduction in anhydrous isopropyl alcohol (55-56%), in anhydrous tert-butyl alcohol (55%), in 65% aqeuous isopropyl alcohol (59.5%), in anhydrous ethanol (67%), and in 71% aqueous methanol (73%) (the balance to 100% being the more stable cis isomer with equatorial hydroxyl) [849]. 

The structure of the cyclic ketone is of utmost importance. Reduction of cyclic ketone by complex hydrides is started by a nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl function by a complex hydride anion. The approach of the nucleophile takes place from the less crowded side of the molecule (steric approach or steric strain control) leading usually to the less stable alcohol. In ketones with no steric hindrance (no substituents flanking the carbonyl group or bound in position 3 of the ring) usually the more stable (equatorial) hydroxyl is generated (product development or product stability control) [850, 851, 852, 555]. The contribution of the latter effect to the stereochemical outcome of... 

Different stereoisomeric cyclohexanols resulted also from reduction of ethyl 4-/ r/-butyl-2-methylcyclohexanone-2-carboxylate with sodium borohydride (equatorial hydroxyl) or with aluminum isopropoxide (axial hydroxyl) [1088]. 

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