Lithium borohydride, reduction esters

Two large-scale syntheses were reported by Quaedflieg et al. at Tibotec.31 Chiral synthon 20, obtained from ascorbic acid, was converted to a,p-unsaturated ester 21 in 92% yield and E/Z ratio was > 95 5. Michael addition of nitromethane to 21 was carried out with DBU as base to provide 22 in 80% yield and a syn/anti ratio of 5.7 1. A Nef reaction then converted 22 to a mixture of lactone 23 (major, 56%) (a/p = 3.8 1) and ester 24 (minor). The a-23 was obtained via recrystallization in isopropanol (37%), with high enantiomeric purity (> 99%). Isomerization of P-23 followed by recrystallization in isopropyl alcohol gave an additional 9% yield of a-23. It is interesting that most of 24 remained in the aqueous layer. Lithium borohydride reduction of a-23 followed by acid-catalyzed cyclization resulted in (-)-ll. 

In 1972 Link and Bernauer (69) published a synthesis of (+)-isopilosine and of (+)-pilocarpine, and then obtained (—)-epiisopilosine as a by-product. The readily available ester 53 was converted in two steps to the aldehyde (54), which on Stobbe condensation with succinic ester gave the half-ester acid salt 55. Lithium borohydride reduction followed by prolonged acid treatment gave ( )-pilosinine [( )-32], together with 2,3-dehydropilosin-... 

Blumenfeld and Gallop (1962b) have used lithium borohydride reduction, with subsequent chromatographic separation of the amino alcohols produced, to identify the carboxyl donor of the ester links previously found by Gallop et al. (1959) using hydroxylamine and hydrazine. The peaks obtained on the chromatogram for the two products in question, namely homoserine and /3-amino-7-hydroxybutyric acid, are very small, but nonetheless seem to establish that a- and /3-carboxyl groups of aspartic acid participate in the hydroxylamine-sensitive links. 

The cyclic anhydride was converted into the amide acid which on Hofmann rearrangement followed by lithium borohydride reduction on the ester gave a derivative of ip-amino-2a, 3a-dihydroxy-43-hydroxy-methylcyclopentane. Condensation of the amino-triol with 5-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidine followed by ring closure with triethyl orthoformate gave the 6-chloropurine derivative which on treatment with ammonia gave 11. ... 

In contrast to the usual reaction of aromatic aldehydes with cyclic ketones o-nitrobenzaldehyde condenses with 17-ketones to produce good yields of seco-acids, a reaction which has been applied to the preparation of 16-oxa-steroids. Thus, 3 -hydroxy-5a-androstan-17-one or its acetate affords the seco-steroid (153), which can be oxidised either as the free acid by ozone and alkaline hydrogen peroxide to the diacid (155) or, as its methyl ester (154), with chromium trioxide to the monomethyl ester (156). Diborane reduction of the diacid (155) or lithium aluminium hydride reduction of the dimethyl ester (157) gave the trans-diol (158), cyclised with toluene-p-sulphonic acid to 16-oxa-androstan-3)5-ol (159) or, by oxidation with Jones reagent to the lactone (152) (as 3-ketone) in quantitative yield. This lactone could also be obtained by lithium borohydride reduction of the monomethyl ester (156), whilst diborane reduction of (156) and cyclisation of the resulting (151) afforded the isomeric lactone (150). The diacid (155) reacted with acetic anhydride to afford exclusively the cis-anhydride (161) which was reduced directly with lithium aluminium hydride to the cis-lactone (160) or, as its derived dimethyl ester (162) to the cis-diol (163) which cyclised to 16-oxa-14)5-androstan-3) -ol (164). 

Synthesis from L-threitol The L-threitol derivative 24, obtained from D-(-)-diethyl tartarate in three steps and 90% overall yield, was used as a starting material for the synthesis of nectrisine (1) (Scheme 5). " Swern oxidation of 24 produced the L-threose derivative 25, which was transformed into the aminonitrile 26 in 96% overall yield from 24, as an inseparable diastereomeric mixture. Removal of the silyl protecting group from 26 followed by oxidation of the resulting primary hydroxyl group with TPAP afforded the lactam 27, which was treated with sodium methoxide to produce the methyl ester 28 in 62% yield from 26. Lithium borohydride reduction of 28 afforded a chromatographically separable mixture of the lactams 29 and 30 in a ratio of 56 44 and 87% total yield. Silylation... 

The syn selective reduction of ester 128 to alcohol 129 was accomplished by Grignard addition followed by lithium borohydride reduction. The reagents were added simultaneously since lithium borohydride does not compete with the Grignard reagent in the reaction with the ester 128. In contrast, the anti-product 120 was obtained by first reducing the ester with diisobutylalurninum hydride and subsequent Grignard addition. Both alcohols 129 and 130 were obtained as single isomers with the respective procedures. 

The stereoselective total synthesis of both ( )-corynantheidine (61) (170,171) (alio stereoisomer) and ( )-dihydrocorynantheine (172) (normal stereoisomer) has been elaborated by Szdntay and co-workers. The key intermediate leading to both alkaloids was the alio cyanoacetic ester derivative 315, which was obtained from the previously prepared ketone 312 (173) by the Knoevenagel condensation accompanied by complete epimerization at C-20 and by subsequent stereoselective sodium borohydride reduction. ( )-Corynantheidine was prepared by modification of the cyanoacetate side chain esterification furnished diester 316, which underwent selective lithium aluminum hydride reduction. The resulting sodium enolate of the a-formyl ester was finally methylated to racemic corynantheidine (171). 

Other reagents used for reduction are boranes and complex borohydrides. Lithium borohydride whose reducing power lies between that of lithium aluminum hydride and that of sodium borohydride reacts with esters sluggishly and requires refluxing for several hours in ether or tetrahydrofuran (in which it is more soluble) [750]. The reduction of esters with lithium borohydride is strongly catalyzed by boranes such as B-methoxy-9-bora-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and some other complex lithium borohydrides such as lithium triethylborohydride and lithium 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane. Addition of 10mol% of such hydrides shortens the time necessary for complete reduction of esters in ether or tetrahydrofuran from 8 hours to 0.5-1 hour [1060],... 

Bromination to 4 and substitution of the bromine by an amine gives 5. Sodium borohydride reduction of the ketone to an alcohol 6 is followed by a resolution with (-)-di-/ -toluoyltartaric acid and reduction of the ester group with lithium aluminum hydride to give diol 7. Catalytic debenzylation gives albuterol, sometimes called salbutamol. 

The original racemic patents described the use of resolution to give a chiral oxirane, such as 25, as an intermediate or the use of a chiral auxiliary (20) to produce the salmeterol enantiomers. Alkylation of chiral amine 20 with 2-benzyloxy-5-(2-bromo-acetyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester, followed by diastereoselective reduction of the ketone with lithium borohydride furnished intermediate 21 after chromatographic separation of the diasteromers. Removal of the benzyl group and the chiral auxiliary was... 

Some strategies used for the preparation of support-bound thiols are listed in Table 8.1. Oxidative thiolation of lithiated polystyrene has been used to prepare polymeric thiophenol (Entry 1, Table 8.1). Polystyrene functionalized with 2-mercaptoethyl groups has been prepared by radical addition of thioacetic acid to cross-linked vinyl-polystyrene followed by hydrolysis of the intermediate thiol ester (Entry 2, Table 8.1). A more controllable introduction of thiol groups, suitable also for the selective transformation of support-bound substrates, is based on nucleophilic substitution with thiourea or potassium thioacetate. The resulting isothiouronium salts and thiol acetates can be saponified, preferably under reductive conditions, to yield thiols (Table 8.1). Thiol acetates have been saponified on insoluble supports with mercaptoethanol [1], propylamine [2], lithium aluminum hydride [3], sodium or lithium borohydride, alcoholates, or hydrochloric acid (Table 8.1). 

Asymmetric reduction of -arylcarbonyl esters.1 Reduction of these esters with lithium borohydride and (R,R )-1 and t-butyl alcohol affords the corresponding 3-hydroxy esters in 80-92% ee (equation I). 

Lithium borohydride is intermediate in activity as a reducing agent between lithium aluminium hydride and sodium borohydride. In addition to the reduction of aldehydes and ketones it will readily reduce esters to alcohols. It can be prepared in situ by the addition of an equivalent quantity of lithium chloride to a 1m solution of sodium borohydride in diglyme. Lithium borohydride should be handled with as much caution as lithium aluminum hydride. It may react rapidly and violently with water contact with skin and clothing should be avoided. 

Reduction of esters.1 Lithium borohydride is more effective than Ca(BH4)2 or NaBH4 for reduction of esters in ethyl ether. It is less active in THF than in ether. Alcohol solvents are less useful for this reduction because of competitive solvolysis. Selective reduction is possible in the presence of nitro, halo, cyano, and alkoxy groups.3... 

An alternate route to substituted tetrahydrobenzazepines (Scheme 33) commenced with the Michael addition of the ester 351 to acrylonitrile in the presence of Triton B, and the intermediate cyanoester was converted to 352 by reduction of the ester function with lithium borohydride and O-benzylation (168). Base-induced hydrolysis of the nitrile group of 352 delivered the corresponding acid, which was transformed to 353 via a Curtius rearrangement. Subjection of 353 to a modified two-step Tschemiac-Einhom reaction involving AMiydroxymethyla-tion and subsequent acid-catalyzed cyclization gave 354. 

The new metallic hydrides are excellent reducing agents for carbonyl compounds. These hydrides now include lithium aluminum hydride, lithium borohydride, and sodium borohydride. The last reagent may be used in either aqueous or methanolic solutions. It does not reduce esters, acids, or nitriles and, for this reason, is superior for certain selective reductions. Other groups which are unaffected by this reagent include a,/S-double bonds and hydroxyl, methoxyl, nitro, and dimethylamino groups. ... 

Lithium borohydride decomposed by /V-benzoylcysteine (61) or /V/v -dibenzoylcystine (62), a sulfur-containing modifier, is a highly efficient chiral reducing agent. A complex prepared from (61), t-butyl alcohol and LiBH4 affords carbinols in maximum 92% ee by the reduction of aryl alkyl ketones in THF at -78 °C (Scheme 13). A LiBH4 complex with (62) and t-butyl alcohol is useful for the reduction of -keto esters to give (R)-P-hydroxy esters in up to 91 % ee. In both cases the use of r-butyl alcohol is essential in order to achieve efficient enantiofacial differentiation. ... 

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