Esters synthesis from alkenes

The Woodward Reaction (or Woodward c/s-Hydroxylation) allows the synthesis of syn-diols from alkenes by the addition of iodine followed by nucleophilic displacement with acetate in the presence of water. Hydrolysis of the intermediate ester gives the desired diol. The Prevost Reaction gives crn/z -diols. 

Nevertheless, the use of chirally modified Lewis acids as catalysts for enantioselective aminoalkylation reactions proved to be an extraordinary fertile research area [3b-d, 16]. Meanwhile, numerous publications demonstrate their exceptional potential for the activation and chiral modification of Mannich reagents (generally imino compounds). In this way, not only HCN or its synthetic equivalents but also various other nucleophiles could be ami-noalkylated asymmetrically (e.g., trimethylsilyl enol ethers derived from esters or ketones, alkenes, allyltributylstannane, allyltrimethylsilanes, and ketones). This way efficient routes for the enantioselective synthesis of a variety of valuable synthetic building blocks were created (e.g., a-amino nitriles, a- or //-amino acid derivatives, homoallylic amines or //-amino ketones) [3b-d]. 

Ireland-Claisen rearrangements frequently are used for the synthesis of alkenes. This works particularly well if the allyl ester is derived from a secondary allyl alcohol. In this case a stereogenic double bond is formed in the rearrangement. The examples in Figure 14.48 show that the alkene is mostly trans-configured if this C=C bond is 1,2-disubstituted and almost completely is-configured if it is trisubstituted. 

Ruthenium-catalyzed olefin cross-metathesis (ring-closing metathesis, RGM) between terminal alkenes and vinyl-boronic acid or esters has recently been developed for the synthesis of ( )-l-alkenylboron compounds from alkenes.459,460 The efficiency of protocol was proved in the synthesis of a key intermediate of epothilone 490 292 461 (Equation (84)). The vinyl boronate was given almost exclusively the trans-adduct. 

A useful synthesis of functionalized dienes from alkenes used the initial formation of a stable rr-allyl palladium complex, followed by reaction with a-sulfinyl ester enolate and pyrolytic sulfoxide elimination (Scheme 55). ... 

In the laboratory of H. Hiemstra, the synthesis of the bicyclo[2.1.1]hexane substructure of solanoeclepin A was undertaken utilizing the intramolecular photochemical dioxenone-alkene [2+2] cycloaddition reaction. The dioxenone precursor was prepared from the commercially available fert-butyl acetoacetate using the acetoacetic ester synthesis. When this dioxenone precursor was subjected to irradiation at 300 nm, complete conversion of the starting material was observed after about 4h, and the expected cycloadduct was formed in acceptable yield. 

Brown and coworkers have described an alternative synthesis of chiral alkylboronic esters. In this synthesis prochiral alkenes are hydroborated with monoisopinocamphenylborane to yield isopinocam-phenylalkylboranes which are then readily transformed to chiral alkyllraronic esters (Scheme 39). Homologation with dichloromethyllithium, followed by reduction with potassium triisopropoxyborohy-dride (KIPBH) and oxidation, finely yields B-chiral alcohols (Scheme 40). These alcohols are not easily prepared by other methods. Aldehydes can be prepared by homologation from chiral alkylboronic esters with LiCH(OMe)SPh and oxidation (Scheme 41). ... 

By analogy to a synthesis of 1,1-dialkoxycarbonylcyclopropanes and 1-ethoxycarbonylcyclo-propane-l-carbonitriles from alkenes and malonic esters or cyanoacetic esters, respectively (see Section 1.2.1.2.4.2.9.), cyclopropane-1,1-dicarbonitriles were obtained from 1,3-dienes and malonodinitrile in the presence of iodine and solid potassium carbonate under phase-transfer conditions. ... 

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