Ketone lithium enolates aldol reaction

Titanium enolates can be prepared from lithium enolates by reaction withatrialkoxy-titanium(IV)chloride,suchasfra-(isopropoxy)titaniumchloride.21 Titanium enolates are usually prepared directly from ketones by reaction with TiCl4 and a tertiary amine.22 Under these conditions, the Z-enolate is formed and the aldol adducts have syn stereochemistry. The addition step proceeds through a cyclic TS assembled around titanium. 

The medicinally important )3-lactam antibiotic thienamycin (34) has stimulated several investigations into the application of the aldol reaction for the introduction of the hydroxyethyl moiety with the indicated Cg and Cg stereochemistry (29,30). Low-temperature enolization (LDA, THF) of either 35 (29a,b) or 36 (30) and subsequent condensation with excess acetaldehyde afforded the illustrated kinetic aldol adducts (eqs. [22] and [23]). In both examples the modest levels of threo diastereoselection are comparable to related data for unhindered cyclic ketone lithium enolates. Related condensations on the penam nucleus have also been reported (31). 

Evidence for chair-like transition states in aldol reactions of methyl ketone lithium enolates has been obtained from deuterium-labelled enolates.121... 

As shown in Scheme 9-57, the Ci-Cf, ketones 202 and 203 have both been prepared by aldol chemistry. The synthesis of ketone 202 used the Braun auxiliary 204 in a lithium-mediated aldol reaction and afforded adduct 205 in 75% yield and 98% ds [75]. This synthe.sis can be compared with the related Reformatsky reaction of imide 206, again controlled by an auxiliary attached to the enolate... 

Stereoselectivities of 99% are also obtained by Mukaiyama type aldol reactions (cf. p. 58) of the titanium enolate of Masamune s chired a-silyloxy ketone with aldehydes. An excess of titanium reagent (s 2 mol) must be used to prevent interference by the lithium salt formed, when the titanium enolate is generated via the lithium enolate (C. Siegel, 1989). The mechanism and the stereochemistry are the same as with the boron enolate. 

In contrast, fluorinated ketones have been used as both nucleophilic and electrophilic reaction constituents The (Z)-lithium enolate of 1 fluoro 3,3-di-methylbutanone can be selectively prepared and undergoes highly diastereoselec-tive aldol condensations with aldehydes [7] (equation 8) (Table 4)... 

In general the reaction of an aldehyde with a ketone is synthetically useful. Even if both reactants can form an enol, the a-carbon of the ketone usually adds to the carbonyl group of the aldehyde. The opposite case—the addition of the a-carbon of an aldehyde to the carbonyl group of a ketone—can be achieved by the directed aldol reaction The general procedure is to convert one reactant into a preformed enol derivative or a related species, prior to the intended aldol reaction. For instance, an aldehyde may be converted into an aldimine 7, which can be deprotonated by lithium diisopropylamide (EDA) and then add to the carbonyl group of a ketone ... 

The lithium enolate 2a (M = Li ) prepared from the iron propanoyl complex 1 reacts with symmetrical ketones to produce the diastercomers 3 and 4 with moderate selectivity for diastereomer 3. The yields of the aldol adducts are poor deprotonation of the substrate ketone is reported to be the dominant reaction pathway45. However, transmetalation of the lithium enolate 2a by treatment with one equivalent of copper cyanide at —40 C generates the copper enolate 2b (M = Cu ) which reacts with symmetrical ketones at — 78 °C to selectively produce diastereomer 3 in good yield. Diastereomeric ratios in excess of 92 8 are reported with efficient stereoselection requiring the addition of exactly one equivalent of copper cyanide at the transmetalation step45. Small amounts of triphcnylphosphane, a common trace impurity remaining from the preparation of these iron-acyl complexes, appear to suppress formation of the copper enolate. Thus, the starting iron complex must be carefully purified. 

Another example of a [4S+1C] cycloaddition process is found in the reaction of alkenylcarbene complexes and lithium enolates derived from alkynyl methyl ketones. In Sect. 2.6.4.9 it was described how, in general, lithium enolates react with alkenylcarbene complexes to produce [3C+2S] cycloadducts. However, when the reaction is performed using lithium enolates derived from alkynyl methyl ketones and the temperature is raised to 65 °C, a new formal [4s+lcj cy-clopentenone derivative is formed [79] (Scheme 38). The mechanism proposed for this transformation supposes the formation of the [3C+2S] cycloadducts as depicted in Scheme 32 (see Sect. 2.6.4.9). This intermediate evolves through a retro-aldol-type reaction followed by an intramolecular Michael addition of the allyllithium to the ynone moiety to give the final cyclopentenone derivatives after hydrolysis. The role of the pentacarbonyltungsten fragment seems to be crucial for the outcome of this reaction, as experiments carried out with isolated intermediates in the absence of tungsten complexes do not afford the [4S+1C] cycloadducts (Scheme 38). 

Alternatively, Cushman has devised a facile route to pyrroles by the reaction of Boc-a-amino aldehydes or ketones 14 with the lithium enolates of ketones 15 to afford aldol intermediates 16 which cyclize to pyrroles 17 under mild acidic conditions <96JOC4999>. This method offers several advantages over the Knorr since it employs readily available Boc-a-amino aldehydes or ketones and utilizes simple ketones instead of the p-diketo compounds or p-keto esters normally used in the Knorr. 

From these and many related examples the following generalizations can be made about kinetic stereoselection in aldol additions of lithium enolates. (1) The chair TS model provides a basis for analyzing the stereoselectivity observed in aldol reactions of ketone enolates having one bulky substituent. The preference is Z-enolate syn aldol /(-enolate anti aldol. (2) When the enolate has no bulky substituent, stereoselectivity is low. (3) Z-Enolates are more stereoselective than /(-enolates. Table 2.1 gives some illustrative data. 

The enolates of other carbonyl compounds can be used in mixed aldol reactions. Extensive use has been made of the enolates of esters, thiol esters, amides, and imides, including several that serve as chiral auxiliaries. The methods for formation of these enolates are similar to those for ketones. Lithium, boron, titanium, and tin derivatives have all been widely used. The silyl ethers of ester enolates, which are called silyl ketene acetals, show reactivity that is analogous to silyl enol ethers and are covalent equivalents of ester enolates. The silyl thioketene acetal derivatives of thiol esters are also useful. The reactions of these enolate equivalents are discussed in Section 2.1.4. 

In the general context of donor/acceptor formulation, the carbonyl derivatives (especially ketones) are utilized as electron acceptors in a wide variety of reactions such as additions with Grignard reagents, alkyl metals, enolates (aldol condensation), hydroxide (Cannizzaro reaction), alkoxides (Meerwein-Pondorff-Verley reduction), thiolates, phenolates, etc. reduction to alcohols with lithium aluminum hydride, sodium borohydride, trialkyltin hydrides, etc. and cyloadditions with electron-rich olefins (Paterno-Buchi reaction), acetylenes, and dienes.46... 

More traditional carbon nucleophiles can also be used for an alkylative ring-opening strategy, as exemplified by the titanium tetrachloride promoted reaction of trimethylsilyl enol ethers (82) with ethylene oxide, a protocol which provides aldol products (84) in moderate to good yields <00TL763>. While typical lithium enolates of esters and ketones do not react directly with epoxides, aluminum ester enolates (e.g., 86) can be used quite effectively. This methodology is the subject of a recent review <00T1149>. 

Three tactical approaches were surveyed in the evolution of our program. As outlined in Scheme 2.7, initially the aldol reaction (Path A) was performed direcdy between aldehyde 63 and the dianion derived from tricarbonyl 58. In this way, it was indeed possible to generate the Z-lithium enolate of 58 as shown in Scheme 2.7 which underwent successful aldol condensation. However, the resultant C7 P-hydroxyl functionality tended to cyclize to the C3 carbonyl group, thereby affording a rather unmanageable mixture of hydroxy ketone 59a and lactol 59b products. Lac-tol formation could be reversed following treatment of the crude aldol product under the conditions shown (Scheme 2.7) however, under these conditions an inseparable 4 1 mixture of diastereomeric products, 60 (a or b) 61 (a or b) [30], was obtained. This avenue was further impeded when it became apparent that neither the acetate nor TES groups were compatible with the remainder of the synthesis. 

Lithium Enolates. The control of mixed aldol additions between aldehydes and ketones that present several possible sites for enolization is a challenging problem. Such reactions are normally carried out by complete conversion of the carbonyl compound that is to serve as the nucleophile to an enolate, silyl enol ether, or imine anion. The reactive nucleophile is then allowed to react with the second reaction component. As long as the addition step is faster than proton transfer, or other mechanisms of interconversion of the nucleophilic and electrophilic components, the adduct will have the desired... 

Because the aldol reaction is reversible, it is possible to adjust reaction conditions so that the two stereoisomeric aldol products equilibrate. This can be done in the case of lithium enolates by keeping the reaction mixture at room temperature until the product composition reaches equilibrium. This has been done, for example, for the product from the reaction of the enolate of ethyl /-butyl ketone and benzaldehyde. 

Three component [2 + 2 + 2 cycloadditions.x Lithium enolates of ketones react with methyl acrylate (2 equiv.) in THF at - 78° to form cyclohexanols (equation I). The reaction involves two sequential Michael additions and an aldol con-... 

This procedure illustrates a general method for the preparation of crossed aldols. The aldol reaction between various silyl enol ethers and carbonyl compounds proceeds smoothly according to the same procedure (see Table I). Sllyl enol ethers react with aldehydes at -78°C, and with ketones near 0°C. Note that the aldol reaction of sllyl enol ethers with ketones affords good yields of crossed aldols which are generally difficult to prepare using lithium or boron enolates. Lewis acids such as tin tetrachloride and boron trifluoride etherate also promote the reaction however, titanium tetrachloride is generally the most effective catalyst. 

Another important contribution is to the regioselectivity of enolate formation from unsym-metrical ketones. As we established in chapter 13, ketones, particularly methyl ketones, form lithium enolates on the less substituted side. These compounds are excellent at aldol reactions even with enolisable aldehydes.15 An application of both thermodynamic and kinetic control is in the synthesis of the-gingerols, the flavouring principles of ginger, by Whiting.16... 

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