Heck reaction cyclohexane synthesis

A twofold intramolecular Heck reaction has been employed as a key step for the synthesis of the skeleton of the natural product (—)-chimonanthine 58 (Scheme 19). The synthetically most challenging structural features of this bispyrro-loindoline alkaloid are its two adjacent quaternary centers. They were both built up by intramolecular double-bond carbopalladations, which stereoselectively produced the pentacycle 57 from the f72-symmetrical bis[A-(2-iodophenyl)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxamide 55 via the intermediate 56. The key intermediate 57 was thus obtained as a single enantiomer in 90% yield. 

Intramolecular Heck reactions have frequently been used for the synthesis of cyclopen-tanoid structures. In nearly all cases reported so far, the ring closure occurs as a 5-exo process (for an exception, see Table 4, entry 6), for which 2-halo-l,6-heptadienes and related compounds are the appropriate starting materials. In some cases, however, these substrates cyclize by a 6-endo mode to give cyclohexane derivatives (see Sect. IV.2.2.1.B.V). 

B.M. Trost and co-workers conducted studies toward the total synthesis of saponaceolide B, an antitumor agent active against 60 human cancer cell lines. " One of the challenging structural features of this compound was the cis 2,4-disubstituted 1-methylene-3,3-dimethylcyclohexane ring. The key steps to construct this highly substituted cyclohexane ring were a diastereoselective Barbier reaction to install a vinyl bromide moiety followed by an intramolecular Heck cyclization reaction. 

---