Nitronates, tandem reaction

Recently, Denmark and coworkers have developed a new strategy for the construction of complex molecules using tandem [4+2]/[3+2]cycloaddition of nitroalkenes.149 In the review by Denmark, the definition of tandem reaction is described and tandem cascade cycloadditions, tandem consecutive cycloadditions, and tandem sequential cycloadditions are also defined. The use of nitroalkenes as heterodienes leads to the development of a general, high-yielding, and stereoselective method for the synthesis of cyclic nitronates (see Section 5.2). These dipoles undergo 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions. However, synthetic applications of this process are rare in contrast to the functionally equivalent cycloadditions of nitrile oxides. This is due to the lack of general methods for the preparation of nitronates and their instability. Thus, as illustrated in Scheme 8.29, the potential for a tandem process is formulated in the combination of [4+2] cycloaddition of a donor dienophile with [3+2]cycload-... 

As a consequence of the complimentary electron demand of the nitroalkene and the product nitronate, there exists the possibility of a one-pot, tandem reaction. In this case, the nitroalkene will react preferentially with the electron-rich alkene to produce an intermediate nitronate. This nitronate can then react with a second alkene bearing an electron-withdrawing substituent. Therefore subjection of the nitroalkene 210 to both ethyl vinyl ether and acrylonitrile provides only the nitroso acetal 211 in moderate yield (Eq. 20) (70). Moreover, this also allows the possibility of intramolecular variants of the process. 

Cyclic alkyl nitronates may be used in tandem [4+2]/[3+2] cycloadditions of nitroalkanes, and this reaction has been extensively studied by Denmark et al. (64,333-335). In recent work, they developed the silicon-tethered heterodiene-alkene 219 (Scheme 12.63). Steric hindrance and the fact that both the nitroalkene and the a,p-unsaturated ester in 219 are electron deficient renders the possibility of self-condensation. Instead, 219 reacts with the electron-rich chiral vinyl ether 220 in the presence of the catalyst 224 to form the intermediate chiral nitronate 221. The tandem reaction proceeds from 221 with an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to form 222 with 93% de. Further synthetic steps led to the formation of ( )-detoxinine 223 (333). A similar type of tandem reaction has also been applied by Chattopadhyaya and co-workers (336), using 2, 3 -dideoxy-3 -nitro-2, 3 -didehydrothymidine as the starting material (336). 

The a-hydrogens of nitroalkanes are appreciably acidic due to resonance stabilization of the anion [CH3NO2, 10.2 CH3CH2NO2, 8.5]. The anions derived from nitroalkanes give typical nucleophilic addition reactions with aldehydes (the Henry-Nef tandem reaction). Note that the nitro group can be changed directly to a carbonyl group via the Nef reaction (acidic conditions). Under basic conditions, salts of secondary nitro compounds are converted into ketones by the pyridine-HMPA complex of molybdenum (VI) peroxide. Nitronates from primary nitro compounds yield carboxylic acids since the initially formed aldehyde is rapidly oxidized under the reaction conditions. 

The Mannich reaction is a very common process that occurs in many tandem reaction sequences. For example, the Overman Aza-Cope cascade sequence is terminated by a Mannich reaction (cf. Scheme 35). Several groups have used variants of the Mannich reaction to initiate cascades that lead to the formation of heterocyclic molecules. For example, the Lewis acid-catalyzed intermolecular vinylogous Mannich reaction (01T3221) of silyloxy furan 281 with nitrone 282 produced a diastereomeric mixture (49 3 42 6) of azabicycles 284a-d in 97% combined yield (Scheme 52) (96TA1059). These products arose from an intramolecular Michael addition of the initially formed oxonium ion 283. 

Silicon-tethered 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions have been performed to regio- and stereoselectively assemble complex compounds. " A tandem reaction sequence was conducted by first installing the dimethylvinylsilane on 33 (R, R include H, Me, Et, Bu, (CH2)s, n-Ci2H25, Ph, anri-PhCH(OH)) to form intermediate 34 followed by the 1,3-cycloaddition with the cyclic nitronate furnishing 35 in good yield (eq 16). ... 

Although nitrile oxide cycloadditions have been extensively investigated, cycloadditions of silyl nitronates, synthetic equivalent of nitrile oxides in their reactions with olefins, have not received similar attention. Since we found that the initial cycloadducts, hl-silyloxyisoxazolidines, are formed with high degree of stereoselectivity and can be easily transformed into isoxazolines upon treatment with acid or TBAF, intramolecular silylnitronate-olefin cycloadditions (ISOC) have emerged as a superior alternative to their corresponding INOC reactions [43]. Furthermore, adaptability of ISOC reactions to one-pot tandem sequences involving 1,4-addition and ISOC as the key steps has recently been demonstrated [44]. 

ISOC reaction was employed to synthesize substituted tetrahydrofurans 172 fused to isoxazolines (Scheme 21) [44b]. The silyl nitronates 170 resulted via the nitro ethers 169 from base-mediated Michael addition of allyl alcohols 168 to nitro olefins 167. Cycloaddition of 170 followed by elimination of silanol provided 172. Reactions were conducted in stepwise and one-pot tandem fashion (see Table 16). A terminal olefinic Me substituent increased the rate of cycloaddition (Entry 3), while an internal olefinic Me substituent decreased it (Entry 4). 

Clerici and Porta reported that phenyl, acetyl and methyl radicals add to the Ca atom of the iminium ion, PhN+Me=CHMe, formed in situ by the titanium-catalyzed condensation of /V-methylanilinc with acetaldehyde to give PhNMeCHMePh, PhNMeCHMeAc, and PhNMeCHMe2 in 80% overall yield.83 Recently, Miyabe and co-workers studied the addition of various alkyl radicals to imine derivatives. Alkyl radicals generated from alkyl iodide and triethylborane were added to imine derivatives such as oxime ethers, hydrazones, and nitrones in an aqueous medium.84 The reaction also proceeds on solid support.85 A-sulfonylimines are also effective under such reaction conditions.86 Indium is also effective as the mediator (Eq. 11.49).87 A tandem radical addition-cyclization reaction of oxime ether and hydrazone was also developed (Eq. 11.50).88 Li and co-workers reported the synthesis of a-amino acid derivatives and amines via the addition of simple alkyl halides to imines and enamides mediated by zinc in water (Eq. 11.51).89 The zinc-mediated radical reaction of the hydrazone bearing a chiral camphorsultam provided the corresponding alkylated products with good diastereoselectivities that can be converted into enantiomerically pure a-amino acids (Eq. 11.52).90... 

Hassner and coworkers have developed a one-pot tandem consecutive 1,4-addition intramolecular cycloaddition strategy for the construction of five- and six-membered heterocycles and carbocycles. Because nitroalkenes are good Michael acceptors for carbon, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen nucleophiles (see Section 4.1 on the Michael reaction), subsequent intramolecular silyl nitronate cycloaddition (ISOC) or intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition (INOC) provides one-pot synthesis of fused isoxazolines (Scheme 8.26). The ISOC route is generally better than INOC route regarding stereoselectivity and generality. 

More regularly, super-high pressure (15kbar) was used in the tandem [4 + 2] [3 + 2] process, in which six-membered cyclic nitronates, generated in situ as intermediates, are involved in [3 + 2]-addition to specially chosen dipolarophiles (364, 373, 375). It should be emphasized that this reaction does not require the use of LA as catalysts. 

Intramolecular [3+ 2]-cycloaddition of six-membered cyclic nitronates was extensively studied by Prof. Denmark and coworkers for the tandem [4 + 2] [3 + 2] -cycloaddition reactions of nitroalkenes. Detailed considerations of this problem were summarized in two reviews (394a, b). Most data were comprehensively discussed in Reference 394b. It is unnecessary to repeat this information however, it is worthwhile to briefly review the available data. 

Reaction at the C atom of nitronate salts is known with a variety of electrophiles, such as aldehydes (Henry reaction) and epoxides (191-193). Thus the incorporation of the nitro moiety and the cyclization event can be combined into a tandem sequence. Addition of the potassium salt of dinitromethane to an a-haloaldehyde affords a nitro aldol product that can then undergo intramolecular O-alkylation to provide the cyclic nitronate (208, Eq. 2.17) (59). This process also has been expanded to a-nitroacetates and unfunctionalized nitroalkanes. Other electrophiles include functionalized a-haloaldehydes (194,195), a-epoxyaldehydes (196), a-haloenones (60), and a-halosulfonium salts (197), (Chart 2.2). In the case of unsubstituted enones, it is reported that the intermediate nitronate salt can undergo formation of a hemiacetal, which can be acetylated in moderate yield (198). 

Whereas it is easy to foresee expanded application of nitronate cycloadditions in synthesis, important challenges still remain. For example, the potential of these reactions would benefit from the development of catalysts to accelerate the process. Moreover, asymmetric catalysis has only recently been successful in dipolar cycloaddition chemistry and would have a great impact here. Another important avenue would be the invention of new tandem processes that allow for the creation of nitronates from different precursors in the presence of dipolarophiles. 

Tamura et al. (170-172) discovered that, when reactions of ester-substituted nitrones with allylic alcohols are performed in the presence of an equimolar amount of titanium tetraisopropoxide under heating or at room temperature, transesterification takes place to form new nitrones bearing an inner alkene dipolarophile. The resulting nitrone substrates undergo regio- and stereoselective intramolecular cycloaddition reactions to give the ring-fused isoxazolidines (Scheme 11.52). This tandem transesterification/[3 + 2]-cycloaddition method leads to the selective... 

Achiral ester-substituted nitrones as well as chiral nitrones can be employed in diastereoselective asymmetric versions of tandem transesterification/[3 + 21-cycloaddition reactions, as shown in Scheme 11.54 (174). High diastereoselectivity and excellent chemical yields have been observed in the reaction with a (Z)-allylic alcohol having a chiral center at the a-position in the presence of a catalytic amount of TiCl4- On the other hand, the reaction with an ( )-allylic alcohol having a chiral center at the a-position, under similar conditions, affords very low selectivities. Tamura et al. has solved this problem with a double chiral induction method. Thus, high diastereoselectivity has been attained by use of a chiral nitrone. 

The reactions of chiral cychc alkyl nitronates have been described (62-64). These nitronates are intermediates in a tandem[4- -2]/[3- -2] cycloadditions. 

Nitronates have also been applied in intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. Denmark and Thorarensen (64) extensively studied the application of cyclic alkyl nitronates in tandem[4+2]/[3+2] cycloadditions of nitroalkanes. In most cases, the stereoselectivity of these reactions is directed by a chiral auxiliary and will thus be outlined in Section 12.3.4. The reader is also directed to the excellent chapter by Denmark in Chapter 2. 

Tandem Diels-Alder-Nitronic Ester Cyclization Reactions 1122... 

Nitrones can be generated by Michael reaction of oximes with appropriate conjugated substrates.25 If a generated nitrone has a built-in dipolarophile, cyclization can ensue (Scheme 15). There are three synthetic variations on this theme.25a,b First, the oxime may contain the dipolarophile as in (56). Reaction of (56) with phenyl vinyl sulfone provided a quantitative yield of the tandem product as one stereoisomer. Alternatively, die dipolarophile can reside in the Michael substrate as in (57). Reaction of (57) with cyclohexanone oxime produced two isoxazolidines from competitive cyclization of the intermediate nitrone through six- and seven-membered carbocyclic transition states. It is also possible to carry out an intramolecular Michael addition followed by an intramolecular nitrone cyclization as in thermolysis of (58) to produce a tricyclic isoxazolidine. Very recently several examples of a tandem Diels-Alder, Michael addition, nitrone cyclization sequence have been reported.250... 

The 3 + 2-cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 2-crotyl-l,3-dithiane 1-oxides produces exclusively 5-acyldihydroisoxazoles.92 Lewis acid addition to 1,3-dipole cycloaddition reactions of mesityl nitrile oxide with a, /i-unsaturated 2-acyl-1,3-dithiane 1-oxides can reverse the sense of induced stereoselectivity.93 The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 4-t-butylbenzonitrile oxide with 6A-acrylainido-6A-deoxy-/i-cyclodextrin (68) in aqueous solution favours the formation of the 4-substituted isoxazoline (69) rather than the 5-substituted regioisomer (Scheme 24).94 Tandem intramolecular cycloadditions of silyl nitronate, synthons of nitrile oxides, yield functionalized hydrofurans.95... 

Pseudocopsinine (215) was isolated from Vinca erecta. Parsons et al. devised a concise synthesis of the pseudocopsinine framework 214 utilizing a 5-exo/5-exo double tandem radical cyclization [83-84]. The cyclization precursor 213 was readily accessible via a [3 + 2] nitrone cyclization. As depicted in Scheme 40, reaction between the pyrrolidine aldehyde 210 ando-... 

Tandem pericyclic reactions are a powerful strategy for construction of complex, polycyclic compounds. In recent years tandem [4 + 2]/[3 + 2] chemistry of nitro-alkenes and nitronates has been developed by Denmark et al. as a general approach to functionalized pyrrolidine-containing structures [118]. Within the subclass of inter [4 -I- 2]/intra [3 + 2] cycloadditions, they have documented the fused mode (/3-tether, Eq. 77), spiro mode (a-tether, Eq. 78), and bridged mode (a-tether, Eq. 79 or /3-tether, Eq. 80) constructions. These are highly stereoselective processes in the presence of Lewis acid such as SnCU and are amenable to asymmetric modification by use of chiral vinyl ethers. Finally, the nitroso acetals are readily transformed, by hydroge-nolysis, into polycyclic, a-hydroxypyrrolidinones, 4-aminocyclohexanones, and cyclo-pentylamines. 

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