Methanol, reaction with organolithium

The reaction of butyllithium with 1-naphthaldehyde cyclohexylimine in the presence of (/C )-l,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol dimethyl ether in toluene at —78 °C, followed by treatment with acetate buffer, gave 2-butyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene-l-carbaldehyde, which was then reduced with sodium borohydride in methanol to afford (1 R,2.S)-2-butyl-1 -hydroxymcthyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene in 80% overall yield with 91 % ee83. Similarly, the enantioselective conjugate addition of organolithium reagents to several a,/J-unsaturated aldimines took place in the presence of C2-symmetric chiral diethers, such as (/, / )-1,2-butanediol dimethyl ether and (/, / )- ,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol dimethyl ether. 

Unsubstituted tetrazolyl derivative 458 was also prepared according to the following procedure (91MIP2). A solution of 5-phenyl-2-trityltetrazole in tetrahydrofuran was first treated with 1.7 M ferf-butyllithium in pentane at -25°C, in two parts. After about 30 minutes, an organolithium salt precipitated. Then a 1 M ethereal solution of zinc chloride was added to the mixture, which was then warmed to room temperature. Bis(triphenyl-phosphine)palladium(Il) chloride and 4//-pyrido[l,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one 457 were added to the reaction mixture, and after boiling for 4 hours, the 2-trityl derivative of 458 was obtained in 56% yield. Finally, detritylation with a mixture of methanol and concentrated hydrochloric acid yielded tetrazole derivative 458. 

The cyclic vinyl ether 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxin is converted into its cyclic hemiacetal hydration product, tetrahydro-2-hydroxy-1,4-dioxin, in aqueous solution by an acid-catalyzed reaction <870K2746, 89JP043). Treatment of an alcohol with excess of 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxin at room temperature in the presence of copper(II) bromide in tetrahydrofuran leads to the corresponding acetal. This new protective group for alcohols, which is stable towards lithium aluminum hydride and organolithium reagents, can be removed by treatment with acidified aqueous methanol <85S806>. 

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