Introduction, stereospecific

Aziridines have been prepared stereospecifically by the nucleophilic addition of the nitrogen residue to alkenes <80T73). Introduction of the nitrene is accomplished readily via a Michael-type addition with free diphenylsulfilimine (Scheme 12), and where a chiral sulfilimine is used the chirality is transferred to the aziridine with optical yields in excess of 25%. 

The introduction of halogen into organic molecules can be carried out by a variety of addition or substitution reactions. The classical methods for the addition of halogen to double bonds or the substitution of halogen for hydroxyl by hydrohalic acids are too well known to bear repetition here. Discussed below, then, are methods that are of interest because of their stereospecific outcome or because they may be used on sensitive substrates. 

N,O-acetal intermediate 172, y,<5-unsaturated amide 171. It is important to note that there is a correspondence between the stereochemistry at C-41 of the allylic alcohol substrate 173 and at C-37 of the amide product 171. Provided that the configuration of the hydroxyl-bearing carbon in 173 can be established as shown, then the subsequent suprafacial [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement would ensure the stereospecific introduction of the C-37 side chain during the course of the Eschenmoser-Claisen rearrangement, stereochemistry is transferred from C-41 to C-37. Ketone 174, a potential intermediate for a synthesis of 173, could conceivably be fashioned in short order from epoxide 175. 

The oxirane ring in 175 is a valuable function because it provides a means for the introduction of the -disposed C-39 methoxy group of rapamycin. Indeed, addition of CSA (0.2 equivalents) to a solution of epoxy benzyl ether 175 in methanol brings about a completely regioselective and stereospecific solvolysis of the oxirane ring, furnishing the desired hydroxy methyl ether 200 in 90 % yield. After protection of the newly formed C-40 hydroxyl in the form of a tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) ether, hydrogenolysis of the benzyl ether provides alcohol 201 in 89 % overall yield. 

The introduction of a (dialkylamino)dimethylsilyl or dimethylphenylsilyl group makes it possible to introduce a hydroxy group stereospecifically by Tamao oxidation78 80. This was successfully applied in the synthesis of /rrw.y-4-hydroxy-5-alkylfuranones81. 

Intramolecular nitrone cycloadditions often require higher temperatures as nitrones react more sluggishly with alkenes than do nitrile oxides and the products contain a substituent on nitrogen which may not be desirable. Conspicuously absent among various nitrones employed earlier have been NH nitrones, which are tautomers of the more stable oximes. However, Grigg et al. [58 a] and Padwa and Norman [58b] have demonstrated that under certain conditions oximes can undergo addition to electron deficient olefins as Michael acceptors, followed by cycloadditions to multiple bonds. We found that intramolecular oxime-olefin cycloaddition (lOOC) can occur thermally via an H-nitrone and lead to stereospecific introduction of two or more stereocenters. This is an excellent procedure for the stereoselective introduction of amino alcohol functionality via N-0 bond cleavage. 

Although the introduction of a substituent at both C-a and C-P may be expected to destabilize the transoid state of rearrangement due to additional 1,2-allylic interactions, the tendency to form an -double bond exclusively is retained in the synthesis of trisubstituted olefins as well. The first such report, shortly following the initial Evans report , was made by Grieco who achieved a completely stereospecific general synthesis of ( )-y-substituted methallyl alcohols, including the synthesis of racemic ( )-nuciferol (45, equation 24) . Subsequently, other examples of nearly or completely stereospecific syntheses of ( )-) , y-substituted allylic alcohols have also been pub-lished - " . On the other hand, in the synthesis of y,y-disubstituted allylic alcohols a diminished stereoselectivity has been observed. In this case, the /Z ratio depends on the... 

As mentioned in the Introduction, the ring closure of s-cis butadiene to cyclobutene has been at the very center of the evolution of theoretical understanding of polyene photochemistry to its current state25,87-89,151. Early ab initio calculations recognized the crucial role of the 21Ag state in the isomerization, and successfully accounted for the disrotatory stereospecificity of the reaction in terms of a two-dimensional model in which the planarity of the carbon framework is more or less maintained throughout12,13,15. 

The 1970s saw the introduction of higher activity catalysts based on magnesium chloride-supported titanium that improved the control of the physical properties of the polyethylene—molecular weights, stereospecificity, and the degree of copolymerization. 

Compounds 29, 34, 39, and 40 constitute chiral synthons suitable for use in stereospecific aninocyclitol synthesis. Thus, 40 or other, appropriately N protected derivatives of 39 may be employed for stereospecific substitution at OH-6 alternatively, after temporary protection of OH-6 followed by removal of the acetal, the molecule should be amenable to manipulation at OH-4. In 9 and 4, the two unequal nitrogenous functions may be reduced stepwise to amino groups, thus offering possibilities for stereospecific introduction of an N-substituent at either position. In order to demonstrate that such a strategy is feasible, reaction sequences leading to the enantiomers of mono-N-methyl-2-deoxystreptamine were performed, as illustrated in Figure 5. 

Epoxysteroids are important synthetic intermediates since their facile ring opening allows the introduction of various functionalities in a stereospecific manner [85, 86]. In fact, these compounds are often used in synthetic cascades towards several compounds with interesting biological and/or pharmacological activities. 

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