Oxidative cyclization stereocontrol

A novel Ni(cod)2-catalyzed allene/alkene cyclization has been utilized in the synthesis of (-)-a-kainic acid (Scheme 16.88) [96], A stereocontrolled metallacycle would be generated via coordination of Ni(0) species to both an alkene of the enone and a proximal allenyl double bond followed by oxidative cyclization of the Ni(0) complex. The metallacycle would be transformed into the product through transmetallation of Me2Zn and ensuing reductive elimination. 

As mentioned earlier, direct hydride abstraction from 5-exo-substituted cyclohexadiene complexes is in general difficult, except for the 2-trimethylsilyl-substituted derivatives such as (48) and (50). Oxidative cyclization techniques have been developed to overcome this problem, exemplified by the conversion of (52) to (53) and thence to (54 Scheme 7). Stereocontrolled addition of a second nucleophile has already been illustrated by the conversion of (54) to (126) or (127), and the limitations imposed by a sterically demanding 6-exo substituent have been mentioned. 

Espino et al. reported that the oxidative cyclization of the sulfamate esters 740 with PhI(OAc)2, in the presence of Rh2(OAc)4, gave the heterocycles 741, which had both S—O and S—N bonds in the ring, in high yields (Scheme 228).300b The oxidative cyclization of chiral 742 gave 743 in 91% yield with perfect stereocontrol, which was converted to R)-j3-isoleucine 744 (Scheme 229). 

In the following cases, experimental observations are hinting at the oxidative cyclization as the preferred pathway but the nature of the ligand and the reducing agent may have an impact on the mechanistic route. Note that the stereocontrol of the process is ensured by the Ni-promoted oxidative cyclization of the n components. 

The intramolecular Heck reaction presented in Scheme 8 is also interesting and worthy of comment. Rawal s potentially general strategy for the stereocontrolled synthesis of the Strychnos alkaloids is predicated on the palladium-mediated intramolecular Heck reaction. In a concise synthesis of ( )-dehydrotubifoline [( )-40],22 Rawal et al. accomplished the conversion of compound 36 to the natural product under the conditions of Jeffery.23 In this ring-forming reaction, the a-alkenylpalladium(n) complex formed in the initial oxidative addition step engages the proximate cyclohexene double bond in a Heck cyclization, affording enamine 39 after syn /2-hydride elimination. The latter substance is a participant in a tautomeric equilibrium with imine ( )-40, which happens to be shifted substantially in favor of ( )-40. 

In an extension of this work, the Shibasaki group developed the novel transformation 48—>51 shown in Scheme 10.25c To rationalize this interesting structural change, it was proposed that oxidative addition of the vinyl triflate moiety in 48 to an asymmetric palladium ) catalyst generated under the indicated conditions affords the 16-electron Pd+ complex 49. Since the weakly bound triflate ligand can easily dissociate from the metal center, a silver salt is not needed. Insertion of the coordinated alkene into the vinyl C-Pd bond then affords a transitory 7t-allylpalladium complex 50 which is captured in a regio- and stereocontrolled fashion by acetate ion to give the optically active bicyclic diene 51 in 80% ee (89% yield). This catalytic asymmetric synthesis by a Heck cyclization/ anion capture process is the first of its kind. 

A stereocontrolled synthesis of racemic monomorine I (16a) has been accomplished by Stevens and Lee (438). An allyl alcohol obtained by reaction of acrolein with the Grignard reagent of the chloroacetal (367) was oxidized to yield the enone (368). The Michael addition of 1-nitropentane to 368 was catalyzed by tetramethylguanidine to yield the nitroalkane (369). Reductive cyclization of 369... 

Page et al. (see [298] and references therein) have shown that generally excellent stereocontrol in organic reactions can be obtained by using DITOX (1,3-dithiane-l-oxide) derivatives as chiral auxiliaries. The one-pot stereo-controlled cycloalkanone synthesis given here outlines some aspects of the chemistry worked out for efficient acylation-alkylations steps. Of note are the use of N-acyl imidazoles under mixed base (sodium hexamethyldisilazide/n-butyllithium) conditions to yield the lithium enolates of 2-acyl-l,3-dithiane-l-oxides) and the sequential alkylation-cyclization of the latter (steps (iv) and (v)). 

Removable cation-stabilizing auxiliaries have been investigated for polyene cyclizations. For example, a silyl-assisted carbocation cyclization has been used in an efficient total synthesis of lanosterol. Other conditions for the cyclization of polyenes and of ene-ynes to steroids have been investigated. Oxidative free-radical cyclizations of polyenes produce steroid nuclei with exquisite stereocontrol Besides the aforementioned A-ring aromatic steroids and contraceptive agents, partial synthesis from steroid raw materials has also accounted for the vast majority of industrial-scale steroid synthesis. 

Fraser-Reid s stereocontrolled synthesis of the Woodward reserpine precursor 195 relied upon a tandem 5-exol6-exo radical cyclization of pyranose-derived dienes [76-77]. As outlined in Scheme 36, a,P-unsaturated ester 188 was prepared by free radical coupling of iodide 187 with a tin acrylate. After hydrolysis of 188 (MeONa, MeOH, 100%) to give primary alcohol 189, the silicon tethered diene 190 was installed by silylation. Treatment of 190 with n-BujSnH led to the desired cage molecule 192 in high yield via a 5-exo-trig cyclization to intermediate 191 followed by a 6-exo cyclization. Tamao oxidation of tricycle 192 led to diol... 

A diastereoselective ewrfo-cyclization into an oxidatively generated oxocarbenium ion was a key step in a formal synthesis of leucascandrolide A. Exposing 56 to CAN provided cw-tetrahydropyran 57 in high yield and with excellent stereocontrol (Scheme 3.20). This transformation provides further evidence that oxidative electrophile formation is tolerant of several functional groups and can be applied to complex molecule synthesis. The synthetic sequence also utilized a Lewis acid mediated ionization reaction to form an oxocarbenium ion in the presence of the homobenzylic ether (58, 59), illustrating that two carbocation precursors that ionize through chemically orthogonal conditions can be incorporated into the same structure. 

In addition to cationic cyclizations, other conditions for the cyclization of polyenes and of ene-ynes to steroids have been investigated. Oxidative free-radical cyclizations of polyenes produce steroid nuclei with exquisite stereocontrol. For example, treatment of (259) and (260) with Mn(III) and Cu(II) afford the D-homo-5a-androstane-3-ones (261) and (262), respectively, in approximately 30% yield. In this cyclization, seven asymmetric centers are established in one chemical step (226,227). Another intramolecular cyclization reaction of iodo-ene poly-ynes was reported using a carbopaUadation cascade terminated by carbonylation. This carbometalation—carbonylation cascade using CO at 111 kPa (1.1 atm) at 70°C converted an acycHc iodo—tetra-yne (263) to a D-homo-steroid nucleus (264) [162878-44-6] in approximately 80% yield in one chemical step (228). Intramolecular aimulations between two alkynes and a chromium or tungsten carbene complex have been examined for the formation of a variety of different fiised-ring systems. A tandem Diels-Alder—two-alkyne annulation of a triynylcarbene complex demonstrated the feasibiHty of this strategy for the synthesis of steroid nuclei. Complex (265) was prepared in two steps from commercially available materials. Treatment of (265) with Danishefsky s diene in CH CN at room temperature under an atmosphere of carbon monoxide (101.3 kPa = 1 atm), followed by heating the reaction mixture to 110°C, provided (266) in 62% yield (TBS = tert — butyldimethylsilyl). In a second experiment, a sequential Diels-Alder—two-alkyne annulation of triynylcarbene complex (267) afforded a nonaromatic steroid nucleus (269) in approximately 50% overall yield from the acycHc precursors (229). 

This type of stereocontrol is featured in a synthesis of the fungitoxin ( )-chokol-A (156) (Scheme 32). Alcohol (147) (easily prepared from l-hexen-5-one in two steps) efficiently gave the allyl chloride (148) (CCI4/PBU3). The metallation/cyclization/oxidation step (148) - (l49) -> (150) (151) (de-... 

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