Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons sequence

An efficient one-pot synthesis of mikanecic acid derivatives was accomplished from allylic phosphonates, ClC02Et, and aqueous HCHO (Eq. 12.38).100 The overall process involves a cascade sequence linking together metalation-alkoxycarbonylation, Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons,... 

Domino processes involving Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reactions constitute another important approach. Among others, HWE/Michael sequences have been employed by the group of Rapoport for the synthesis of all-cis-substituted pyrrolidines [143], and by Davis and coworkers to access new specific gly-coamidase inhibitors [144]. Likewise, arylnaphthalene lignans, namely justicidin B (2-281) and retrojusticidin B (2-282) [145], have been synthesized utilizing a domino HWE/aldol condensation protocol developed by Harrowven s group (Scheme 2.65) [146]. 

The same group recently disclosed a related free radical process, namely an efficient one-pot sequence comprising a homolytic aromatic substitution followed by an ionic Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination, for the production of a small library of a,/3-unsaturated oxindoles (Scheme 6.164) [311]. Suitable TEMPO-derived alkoxy-amine precursors were exposed to microwave irradiation in N,N-dimethylformam-ide for 2 min to generate an oxindole intermediate via a radical reaction pathway (intramolecular homolytic aromatic substitution). After the addition of potassium tert-butoxide base (1.2 equivalents) and a suitable aromatic aldehyde (10-20 equivalents), the mixture was further exposed to microwave irradiation at 180 °C for 6 min to provide the a,jS-unsaturated oxindoles in moderate to high overall yields. A number of related oxindoles were also prepared via the same one-pot radical/ionic pathway (Scheme 6.164). 

Similarly, the a-monochlorinated and a-monobrominated dimethyl 2-oxoalkylphosphonates are prepared in satisfactory yields (50%) by reaction of the sodium enolate of dimethyl 2-oxoalkyl-phosphonates with NCS or NBS in DME at room temperature- "- - or with bromine in Et20 (53-71%) or THE (60%) Synthesis of diethyl l-chloro-2-oxopropylphosphonate has also been reported through reduction of the 1,1-dichloro derivatives with sodium sulfite.- lodination in the Y-position of P-ketophosphonate 1,3-dianions prepared with KiCO, in MeOH has been reported. These dianions react with benzaldehyde in a Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons-Darzens reaction sequence to produce the a,P-unsaturated a, P -epoxyketones in 60-79% yields (Scheme 7.101).s ... 

Al-Badri, H., and Collignon, N., First one-pot synthesis of mikanecic acid derivatives from allylic phosphonates, via a tandem-sequence Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons and Diels-Alder reactions. Synthesis, 282, 1999. 

The pivotal step associated with our approach to compounds 31-34 was an organocatalysed, enantioselective and intramolecular Michael addition reaction of the nucleophilic C-2 carbon of a pyrrole to an iV-tethered a,p-unsaturated aldehyde residue and thereby estabhshing the required CD-ring system. Full details of the reaction sequence are shown in Scheme 4 and this involves initial reaction of the potassium salt, 35, of pyrrole with butyrolactone (36) to give, after acidic workup, compound 37 (60-90%). Conversion of this last species into the corresponding Weinreb amide 38 (87%) followed by its reaction with ethylmagnesium bromide then afforded the ethyl ketone 39 (95%) that was subjected to standard Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) conditions and thereby generating the... 

The reaction of several a-diazoketones with ethyl vinyl ether under various conditions has been examined. In the presence of metal salts [Rh2(OAc)4, Pd(OAc)2, CuCl] ethoxy dihydrofurans are produced. The initial product of this reaction sequence is a cyclopropyl ketone which suffers from a spontaneous rearrangement to the dihydrofuran <96CJC2401>. An efficient synthesis of 3-acylfurans is achieved by Ag(I)/Celite mediated cycloaddition of dicarbonyl compounds with vinyl sulfide (<97TL5671> see also <97TL2095>). A two-step synthesis of 2-substituted 4-furanmethanol compounds was reported. The method involves a Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction between 3-ketophosphonates and l,3-diacetoxy-2-... 

Ab initio calculations (RHF/6-31 -I- G ) have revealed that the Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction of acetaldehyde with the lithium enolate derived from trimethyl phosphonoacetate occurs by a sequence of carbonyl addition, oxaphosphetane formation, pseudorotation, P-C bond cleavage, and then O-C bond cleavage. The transxis alkene ratio (97.5 2.5) is a direct consequence of competitive formation of the corresponding oxaphosphetanes in the rate-determining cyclization step. 

Ddmling and coworkers adapted a four-component Ugi-type reaction sequence to the synthesis of highly substituted 3-pyrrolin-2-ones (Scheme 104 20040L39). The combination of aUyl isocyanide (395), primary amine 396, a-phosphonoacetic acid 397, and a-ketoaldehyde 398 gives the 5-carboxamido-3-pyrrolin-2-one 399. The two-step process involves an Ugi multicomponent reaction followed by an intramolecular Homer/ Wadsworth/Emmons cycHzation. 

The ether derivatives 0,0,0-trimethylkorupensamine A (248) and B have both been synthesised by a route which commenced with a lengthy sequence to the biaryl 249 from 3,5-dimethylanisole (ref. 95) (Scheme 32). Reduction of 249 with LiAlHa and oxidation gave aldehyde 250 which upon Wadsworth-Emmons-Homer extension, reduction and Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation provided epoxide 251 and the corresponding atropisomer in almost equal amounts which were separated by silica gel chromatography. The derived alcohol 252, obtained by mesylation of 251 and in situ reduction, was then converted into the acetamide 253 by displacement with azide under Mitsunobu conditions followed by reduction and acetylation. Ring closure followed by stereoselective reduction then yielded 0,0,0-trimethylkorupensamine A (248). The synthesis of 0,0,0-triraethylkorupensamine B was accomplished in a similar manner using the atropisomer of 251 obtained in the epoxidation step. 

Muscone (40) is a sex pheromone of the musk deer and a chemical component of cosmetics. A 12-member library of racemic muscone analogs was synthesized by Nicolaou et al.," who anployed a cyclorelease method on solid support to form the macrocycle scaffold (Figure 11.17). A phosphonate-functionalized resin loaded on encoded SMART microreactors 36 was coupled to olelinic esters 35 to form the p-ketophosphonates 37. Sorting and cross olefin metathesis of 37 with two alkenols followed by oxidation with Dess-Martin reagent gave aldehydes 38. An intramolecular ketophosphonate-aldehyde condensation (Homer-Emmons-Wadsworth reaction) of 38 caused smooth cyclorelease of macrocyclic enones 39. Parallel solution-phase chemistry completed the sequence. 

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