Michael addition-allylic alkylation

The ruthenium complex Cp Ru(bipyridyl)Cl has been developed as a catalyst for the first regioselective tandem Michael addition-allylic alkylation of activated Michael acceptors. The net outcome is the decarboxylative insertion of Michael acceptors into allyl /3-keto esters to produce (215). The reaction combines the generation of Ru-tt-allyl and enolate from (213) the enolate is first added to the Michael acceptor (214) and the resulting species is captured by the Ru-tt-allyl.254... 

Scheme 10 Catalytic enantioselective Michael addition-allylic alkylation cascade...

An asymmetric synthesis of estrone begins with an asymmetric Michael addition of lithium enolate (178) to the scalemic sulfoxide (179). Direct treatment of the cmde Michael adduct with y /i7-chloroperbenzoic acid to oxidize the sulfoxide to a sulfone, followed by reductive removal of the bromine affords (180, X = a and PH R = H) in over 90% yield. Similarly to the conversion of (175) to (176), base-catalyzed epimerization of (180) produces an 85% isolated yield of (181, X = /5H R = H). C8 and C14 of (181) have the same relative and absolute stereochemistry as that of the naturally occurring steroids. Methylation of (181) provides (182). A (CH2)2CuLi-induced reductive cleavage of sulfone (182) followed by stereoselective alkylation of the resultant enolate with an allyl bromide yields (183). Ozonolysis of (183) produces (184) (wherein the aldehydric oxygen is by isopropyUdene) in 68% yield. Compound (184) is the optically active form of Ziegler s intermediate (176), and is converted to (+)-estrone in 6.3% overall yield and >95% enantiomeric excess (200). 

The starting illylic rutro compound is obtained by nitranon of 2-methylpropene with NO Subsequent Michael addition to methyl vinyl ketone followed by Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation affords terpenoids... 

A combination of a Tsuji-Trost and a Michael addition was used for the synthesis of (+)-dihydroerythramine 6/1-269, as reported by Desmaele and coworkers [128]. The Pd-catalyzed reaction of the allylic acetate 6/1-267 with the nitromethylarene 6/1-266 in the presence of Cs2C03 as base led to the domino product 6/1-268 as a 4 1 mixture of two diastereomers in 79% yield. Further manipulation of 6/l-268a yielded the desired dihydroerythramine 6/1-269 (Scheme 6/1.70). Interestingly, using the corresponding allylic carbonate without additional base gave the mono-alkylated product only. 

Allyl sulphones can be converted to dienes by alkylation and elimination of sulphinic acid under basic conditions (equation 64)105. Several vitamin A related polyenes have been synthesized following this two-step protocol (Table 10)106. The poor leaving-group ability of the arylsulphonyl group requires treatment with strong base for elimination. However, elimination of the allylsulphonyl group takes place readily under palladium catalysis (equation 65)107. Vinyl sulphones can be converted to dienes via Michael addition, alkylation with allyl halides and elimination of sulphinic acid sequence (equation 66)108. 

A total synthesis of ( )-aromatin has utilized the lithium anion of the dithiane of (E)-2-methyl-2-butenal as a functional equivalent of the thermodynamic enolate of methyl ethyl ketone in an aprotic Michael addition (Scheme 189) (81JOC825). Reaction of the lithium anion (805) with 2-methyl-2-cyclopentenone followed by alkylation of the ketone enolate as its copper salt with allyl bromide delivered (807). Ozonolysis afforded a tricarbonyl which cyclized with alkali to the aldol product (808). Additional steps utilizing conventional chemistry converted (808) into ( )-aromatin (809). 

A number of selective transformations (Fig. 10) have been described which include the selective allylation on alcohols in the presence of amides [47], the Lewis acid catalyzed cleavage of benzyl alcohol esters with secondary amines to afford tertiary amides [48], the synthesis of ketones from Weinreb-type amides [49], and the synthesis of tertiary amines by a Michael addition/alkylation/Hoffman elimination sequence [50],... 

Besides allylic alkylation reactions chelated zinc ester enolates 231 also give good results in various types of standard enolate reactions, including alkylations, aldol reactions" and Michael additions" . 

Asymmetric Alkylations and Michael Additions. Asym-metne alkylation of the cyclohexanone enamine derived from (+)-tran.s-2,5-dimethylpyrrolidine has been studied (eq 4). Alkylation with lodomethane, n-propyl bromide, and Allyl Bromide afforded the corresponding 2-n-alkylcyclohexanones in yields of 50-80% and with enantiomeric purities of 66, 86, and 64%, respectively. 

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