Methylenation reactions, Peterson olefination

Equatorially positioned methyl-branched derivatives may be obtained by reductive cleavage of spiro epoxides [94], Thus the Peterson olefination of 188gives the exocyclic 3 -methylene function in 189. By means of a Sharpless epoxidation the allylic 4"-hydroxy group should determine the chirality of the resulting epoxide. However, the Sharpless method does not show any reaction neither in a monosaccharide model system nor in this trisaccharide precursor [95]. Amazingly, the classical epoxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid is employed to give exclusively the desired (3"R) epoxide 190 in excellent yield. These results may be associated with a sufficient chiral induction of the stereochemical information at C-l", C-4", and C-5". A subsequent reduction furnishes the original E-D-C trisaccharide sequence 191 of mithramycin [95, 96]. 

The Peterson olefination is a connective alkene synthesis and represents a useful alternative to the Wittig reaction. The precursors for the Peterson olefination are 3-hydroxy-alkyltrimethylsilanes which undergo P-elimination of trimethylsilanol under basic or acidic conditions to furnish stereodefined alkenes. This olefination method is especially valuable for the preparation of terminal and exo-cyc ic double bonds and for the methylenation of hindered ketones where the Wittig reaction is problematic. Also, the... 

The Peterson reaction has two more advantages over the Wittig reaction 1. it is sometimes less vulnerable to sterical hindrance, and 2. groups, which are susceptible to nucleophilic substitution, are not attacked by silylated carbanions. The introduction of a methylene group into a sterically hindered ketone (R.K. Boeckman, Jr., 1973) and the syntheses of olefins with sulfur, selenium, silicon, or tin substituents (D. Seebach, 1973 B.T. Grdbel, 1974, 1977) illustrate useful applications. The reaction is, however, more limited and time consuming than the Wittig reaction, since metallated silicon derivatives are difficult to synthesize and their reactions are rarely stereoselective (T.H. Chan, 1974 ... 

Nafion resins have been used not only for the opening of epoxides but also for their isomerization to aldehydes or ketones [137]. Various other rearrangements and isomerizations are catalyzed by this solid acid, in some cases with selectivities higher than those obtained with other solid catalysts [138-140]. Other reactions that have been studied include the Peterson methylenation of carbonyl compounds [141], hetero-Michael additions to unsaturated ketones [142], the Koch-type carbon-ylation of alcohols to form carboxylic acids [143], dimerization of a-methylstyrene [144], addition of carboxylic acids to olefins [145] and Diels-Alder reactions [146]. Notably, in most cases, reutilization of the catalyst is considered but only after an appropriate washing protocol to regenerate its acidity/activity. 

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