Optical activity compounds with double bonds

FIGURE 2.18 Examples of optically active compounds with double bonds trans-cyclooctene and aUene, a simplest cumulene. 

Asymmetric cyclization using chiral ligands offers powerful synthetic methods for the preparation of optically active compounds [39]. After early attempts [40,41], satisfactory optical yields have been obtained in a number of cases. Synthesis of the optically active cA-decalin system [42] was carried out with high enantioselectivity based on the differentiation of enantiotopic C=C double bonds [43]. The cyclization of the triflate 93 gave the cA-decalin 94 with 95% ee in 78% yield using (i )-BINAP. A mixture of 1,2-dichloroethane and f-BuOH is the best solvent, and the asymmetric synthesis of vemolepin (96) via Danishefsky s key intermediate 95 has been achieved [44]. 

Since conocephalenol (56) has a very similar structure to tamariscol, the synthetic strategy used was similar to those used in the tamariscol synthesis. If the trisubstituted double bond of the a,P-unsaturated ester, 61 or 62, could be isomerized into the ester, 63, with the tetrasubstituted double bond, compound 56 might easily be prepared. If this isomerization does not proceed, this could be accomplished through the epoxide 64. The optically active compound might be synthesized from the ketone 65 or its alcohol (Scheme 11). 

These cases are completely different from the cis-trans isomerism of compounds with one double bond (p. 157). In the latter cases, the four groups are all in one plane, the isomers are not enantiomers, and neither isomer is chiral, while in allenes, the groups are in two perpendicular planes and the isomers are a pair of optically active enantiomers. 

Allylic alcohols can be converted to epoxy-alcohols with tert-butylhydroperoxide on molecular sieves, or with peroxy acids. Epoxidation of allylic alcohols can also be done with high enantioselectivity. In the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation,allylic alcohols are converted to optically active epoxides in better than 90% ee, by treatment with r-BuOOH, titanium tetraisopropoxide and optically active diethyl tartrate. The Ti(OCHMe2)4 and diethyl tartrate can be present in catalytic amounts (15-lOmol %) if molecular sieves are present. Polymer-supported catalysts have also been reported. Since both (-t-) and ( —) diethyl tartrate are readily available, and the reaction is stereospecific, either enantiomer of the product can be prepared. The method has been successful for a wide range of primary allylic alcohols, where the double bond is mono-, di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted. This procedure, in which an optically active catalyst is used to induce asymmetry, has proved to be one of the most important methods of asymmetric synthesis, and has been used to prepare a large number of optically active natural products and other compounds. The mechanism of the Sharpless epoxidation is believed to involve attack on the substrate by a compound formed from the titanium alkoxide and the diethyl tartrate to produce a complex that also contains the substrate and the r-BuOOH. ... 

These complexes can be isolated in some cases in others they are generated in situ from appropriate precursors, of which diazo compounds are among the most important. These compounds, including CH2N2 and other diazoalkanes, react with metals or metal salts (copper, palladium, and rhodium are most commonly used) to give the carbene complexes that add CRR to double bonds. Ethyl a-diazoacetate reacts with styrene in the presence of bis(ferrocenyl) bis(imine), for example, to give ethyl 2-phenylcyclopropane-l-carboxylate. Optically active complexes have... 

Aluminum alkyls react by the Ziegler reaction with the least substituted double bond to give the tricitronellyl aluminum compound. Oxidation of the intermediate compound then produces the tricitronellyl aluminate, which is easily hydrolyzed with water to give citronellol (112,113). If the citronellene is optically active, optically active citronellol can be obtained (114). The (—)-citronellol is a more valuable fragrance compound than the ( )-citrondlol. 

Although various transition-metal complexes have reportedly been active catalysts for the migration of inner double bonds to terminal ones in functionalized allylic systems (Eq. 3.2) [5], prochiral allylic compounds with a multisubstituted olefin (Rl, R2 H in eq 2) are not always susceptible to catalysis or they show only a low reactivity [Id]. Choosing allylamines 1 and 2 as the substrates for enantioselective isomerization has its merits (1) optically pure citronellal, which is an important starting material for optically active terpenoids such as (-)-menthol, cannot be obtained directly from natural sources [6], and (2) both ( )-allylamine 1 and (Z)-allylamine 2 can be prepared in reasonable yields from myrcene or isoprene, respectively, The ( )-allylamine 1 is obtained from the reaction of myrcene and diethylamine in the presence of lithium diethylamide under Ar in an almost quantitative yield (Eq. 3.3) [7], The (Z)-allylamine 2 can also be prepared with high selectivity (-90%) by Li-catalyzed telomerization of isoprene using diethylamine as a telomer (Eq. 3.4) [8], Thus, natural or petroleum resources can be selected. 

---