Lithium aluminum hydride cyclic ketone reduction

The stereochemical characteristics of lithium trimethoxyaluminohydride and lithium aluminum hydride in the reduction of cyclic ketones were analyzed by a linear combination of steric strain and product stability control. Qualitative and quantitative explanation of the experimental observations was possible using this approach. ... 

The reagent of choice for the reduction of ketals to ethers is alone prepared in situ from lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride in ether. At room temperature ethers are obtained in 61-92% yields [792, 934]. Cyclic ketals prepared from ketones and 1,2- or 1,3-diols afford on hydrogenolysis by alanes alkyl P- or y-hydroxyalkyl ethers in 83-92% yields [792]. 

Asymmetric reduction of cyclic ketones. Prochiral cyclic ketones arc reduced to (R)-alcohols in 75-96% ee by a chiral hydride obtained by refluxing a mixture of lithium aluminum hydride, (— )-N-methylephedrine (I equiv.), and 2-ethylaminopyridine (2 cquiv.) in ether for 3 hours. Reduction of prochiral acychc ketones with this hydride also results in (R)-alcohols, but only in moderate yield. 

The only asymmetric synthesis of the Nuphar indolizidine to date is due to Barluenga and co-workers (615). Their route to the (5S,8 ,8aS)-( -) enantiomer of 944 commenced with cycloaddition between the proline-derived 2-amino-butadiene 957 and imine 958 (Scheme 125). Hydrolysis of the adduct 959 gave piperidinone 960 in 51% yield and an ee of better than 99%. Once the alcohol and amine groups had been mutually protected as the cyclic carbamate 961, defimctionalization of the ketone was accomplished via an enol triflate. Chain-extension of the deprotected piperidine 962 at the hydroxymethyl substituent afforded 963, which was cyclized to the bicyclic lactam 964 simply by heating in toluene. Reduction with lithium aluminum hydride completed the synthesis of ( - )-944 ([a]n -99°, c 1.3, CH2CI2). 

This new reagent is an active reducing agent and reduces cyclic and bicyclic ketones with supcrstcreoselectivity. Thus reduction of 2-mcthylcyclohexanone (I) gives rw-2-methylcyclohexanol in 99.3 (, purity. Note that reduction with lithium trimethoxy-aluminum hydride alone yields (2) in 69% yield. Thus increasing the size of the alkyl substituents on boron enhances the stereoselectivity of the borohydride anion. Even... 

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