Palladium® complexes tetrahydrofuran synthesis

Pd-catalyzed cyclization was also applied to the stereocontrolled preparation of chiral substituted tetrahydrofurans. The synthesis of optically active tetrahydrofurans was pioneered by Stork and Poirier,who described effective chirality transfer in the Pd-assisted cyclization of y-hydroxy allylic esters. Williams and Meyer deployed a variant of the 0-capture of 7r-allylpalladium complexes in the reactions of substimted trimethylenemethane palladium complexes developed by Trost, using aUylstannane (Scheme 32). A key intermediate 156 in the synthesis of amphidinolide K, a marine nam-ral product, was therefore synthesized starting from enantiopure diastereomer 160. Compound 160 was prepared by in situ transmetallation using the Corey chiral sulfonamide 159 with optically active aUylstannane 157 and then condensation with functionalized aldehyde 158. Formation of the c -2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran 156 occurred with an excellent diastereoselectivity (cis/trans 13 1) and a good yield (88%) from the syn-1,4-precursor 160. 

Telomerization of Isoprene.—Reviews have appeared on isoprene and chloro-prene, and on the complex reactions of isoprene to form terpenoids (in Japanese). Isoprene reacts with magnesium, especially in the presence of Lewis acids, and the resulting complex gives adducts with aldehydes. As usual in this type of reaction, a very complex mixture is obtained. The palladium-chloride-catalysed reaction of isoprene with acetic acid gives different products in different solvents. Monomers predominate in benzene [2-methylbut-2-enyl acetate (5) and 3-methylbut-2-enyl acetate (6)] while dimers [(7), (8), neryl (9), and geranyl (10) acetates] tend to be formed in tetrahydrofuran. Further details of the synthesis of Cio alcohols from isoprene and naphthyl-lithium are available, as well as of the in situ oxidation,but there is little of novelty (see Vol. 1, p. 17). 

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