Halohydrin reactions

The high degree of stereoselectivity associated with most syntheses and reactions of oxiranes accounts for the enormous utility of these systems in steroid syntheses. Individual selectivity at various positions in the steroid nucleus necessitates the discussion of a collection of uniquely specific reactions used in the synthesis of steroidal epoxides. The most convenient and generally applicable methods involve the peracid, the alkaline hydrogen peroxide and the halohydrin reactions. Several additional but more limited techniques are also available. 

The halohydrin reaction has been used in the synthesis of (IR, 2S)-(l,2-epoxypropyl)-phosphonic acid (phosphonomycin)(370) and its derivatives. One such synthesis (Scheme 32) was deviscd soon after this substance was originally described. The treatment of (Z)-(prop-l-enyl)phosphonic acid with /erf-BuOCl or NaOCl affords (IRS, 2S R)-(1-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)phosphonic acid (369), which was resolved by the use of (-)-PhCHMeNH2. When treated in turn with 10 m NaOH, the (+)-chlorohydrin afforded the desired compoimd 370. In a second and more recent synthesis, (Z)-(prop-l-enyl)-... 

To account for the regioselectivity and anti stereoselectivity of halohydrin reactions, chemists propose a three-step mechanism. 

Silver(I) salts are often utilized as catalysts for addition reactions. Kozmin and Sun have recently shown that AgNTf2 is a catalyst of choice for the hydroamination of siloxy alkynes with either secondary amides or carbamates to give silyl ketene am-inals [34]. The addition occurs in a syn selective manner, for instance, the reaction of siloxy alkyne (24) with carbamate (25) produces silyl ketene aminal (26) in 86% yield at room temperature under the influence of 1 mol% of AgNTf2 (Scheme 18.9). A six-membered chelated transition state is proposed to explain the high syn selectivity. Diastereoselective bromohydroxylation and bromomethoxylation reactions of cinnamoyl compounds possessing a chiral auxiliary are also effectively promoted by silver(I) salts such as AgNOs [35]. The asymmetric halohydrin reaction has been successfully applied into stereoselective syntheses of (-)-chloramphenicol and (+)-thiamphenicol. Csp-H iodination [36], hydrosilylation of aldehydes [37], and deprotection of TMS-alkynes [38] are also catalyzed by silver (I) salts. 

Reaction with base brings the alcohol function of the halohydrin into equilibrium with Its corresponding alkoxide... 

Base promoted cyclization of vicinal halohydrms (Section 16 10) This reaction is an intramolecu lar version of the Williamson ether synthesis The alcohol function of a vicinal halohydrin is con verted to its conjugate base which then displa ces halide from the adjacent carbon to give an epoxide... 

Electrochemical Process. Applying an electrical current to a brine solution containing propylene results in oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide. The chemistry is essentially the same as for the halohydrin process. AH of the chemistry takes place in one reactor. Most of the reported work uses sodium or potassium bromide as the electrolyte. Bromine, generated from bromide ions at the anode, reacts with propylene and water to form propylene bromohydrin. Hydroxide generated at the cathode then reacts with the bromohydrin to yield propylene oxide (217—219). The net reaction involves transfer of two electrons ... 

The success of the halo ketone route depends on the stereo- and regio-selectivity in the halo ketone synthesis, as well as on the stereochemistry of reduction of the bromo ketone. Lithium aluminum hydride or sodium borohydride are commonly used to reduce halo ketones to the /mm-halohydrins. However, carefully controlled reaction conditions or alternate reducing reagents, e.g., lithium borohydride, are often required to avoid reductive elimination of the halogen. 

Alcoholic potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide are normally used to convert the halohydrins to oxiranes. Other bases have also been employed to effect ring closure in the presence of labile functional groups such as a-ketols, e.g., potassium acetate in ethanol, potassium acetate in acetone or potassium carbonate in methanol.However, weaker bases can lead to solvolytic side reactions. Ring closure under neutral conditions employing potassiunT fluoride in dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide or A-methyl-pyrrolidone has been reported in the patent literature. 

Halohydrins are useful intermediates especially in the synthesis of epoxides The main reaction is usually accompanied by the formation of a dihalide... 

Furthermore, in analogy to the aldol reaction, a-chloro-a,3-unsaturated esters have been observed—likely the result of 3-elimination of water from the intermediate halohydrin. For example, when benzaldehyde is condensed with the enolate of 17, chloride 19 was obtained. ... 

Yet another example of an electrophilic addition is the reaction of alkenes with the hypohalous acids HO—Cl or HO-Br to yield 1,2-halo alcohols, called halohydrins. Halohydrin formation doesn t take place by direct reaction of an alkene with HOBr or HOC1, however. Rather, the addition is done indirectly by reaction of the alkene with either Br2 or Cl2 in the presence of water. 

Figure 7.3 Mechanism of the oxymercuration of an alkene to yield an alcohol. The reaction involves a mercurinium ion intermediate and proceeds by a mechanism similar to that of halohydrin formation. The product of the reaction is the more highly substituted alcohol, corresponding to Markovnikov regiochemistry.

HC1, HBr, and HI add to alkenes by a two-step electrophilic addition mechanism. Initial reaction of the nucleophilic double bond with H+ gives a carbo-cation intermediate, which then reacts with halide ion. Bromine and chlorine add to alkenes via three-membered-ring bromonium ion or chloronium ion intermediates to give addition products having anti stereochemistry. If water is present during the halogen addition reaction, a halohydrin is formed. 

Epoxides can also be opened by reaction with acids other than H30+. If anhydrous HX is used, for instance, an epoxide is converted into a trans halohydrin. 

The reversibility of halohydrin dehalogenase-catalyzed reactions has been used for the regioselective epoxide-opening with nonnatural nucleophiles (an example is given in Scheme 10.34) [133]. The stereoselectivity of the enzyme results in the resolution of the racemic substrate. At the same time, the regioselectivity imposed by the active site geometry yields the anti-Markovnikov product. [128]... 

Figure 6.74 Ring-opening reactions catalyzed by halohydrin dehalogenase.

Urea hydrogen peroxide adduct (UHP) was employed in metal-catalysed asymmetric epoxidation [98] and Baeyer-Villiger oxidation [99,100]. Since the presence of urea does not change the course of the reaction, this will not be described here. Conversion of epoxides to halohydrins with elemental... 

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