Reduction with stereochemistry

The stereochemistry of reductions with diborane has been little studied. 

Diols can be prepared either by direct hydroxylation of an alkene with 0s04 followed by reduction with NaHSOj or by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of an epoxide (Section 7.8). The 0s04 reaction occurs with syn stereochemistry to give a cis diol, and epoxide opening occurs with anti stereochemistry to give a trans diol. 

A stereoselective total synthesis of ( )-hirsutine has been developed by Brown et al. (179). Catalytic hydrogenation of hydroxycyclopentenone 327, prepared previously (180), afforded a mixture of isomeric diols 328, which were quantitatively cleaved by sodium periodate to supply 329. Reductive amination of 329 with tryptamine resulted in tetrahydropyridine 330, which upon treatment with aqueous methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid gave indolo-[2,3-a]quinolizine 321 with pseudo stereochemistry. Conversion of 321 to ( )-hirsutine was accomplished in a similar manner by Wenkert et al. (161) via selective reduction with diisobutylaluminum hydride and methylation with methanol (179). 

Further variations on the epoxyketone intermediate theme have been reported. In the first (Scheme 9A) [78], limonene oxide was prepared by Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of commercial (S)-(-)- perillyl alcohol 65 followed by conversion of the alcohol 66 to the crystalline mesylate, recrystallization to remove stereoisomeric impurities, and reduction with LiAlH4 to give (-)-limonene oxide 59. This was converted to the key epoxyketone 60 by phase transfer catalyzed permanganate oxidation. Control of the trisubstituted alkene stereochemistry was achieved by reaction of the ketone with the anion from (4-methyl-3-pentenyl)diphenylphosphine oxide, yielding the isolable erythro adduct 67, and the trisubstituted E-alkene 52a from spontaneous elimination by the threo adduct. Treatment of the erythro adduct with NaH in DMF resulted... 

Mechanism, Stoichiometry and Stereochemistry of Reductions with Hydrides... 

In many cases also the reduction agent itself influences the result of the reduction, especially if it is bulky and the environment of the function to be reduced is crowded. A more detailed discussion of stereochemistry of reduction with hydrides is found in the section on ketones (p. 114). 

Double bonds conjugated with benzene rings are reduced electrolytically [344] (p. 23). Where applicable, stereochemistry can be influenced by using either catalytic hydrogenation or dissolving metal reduction [401] (p. 24). Indene was converted to indane by sodium in liquid ammonia in 85% yield [402] and acenaphthylene to acenaphthene in 85% yield by reduction with lithium aluminum hydride in carbitol at 100° [403], Since the benzene ring is not inert toward alkali metals, nuclear reduction may accompany reduction of the double bond. Styrene treated with lithium in methylamine afforded 25% of 1-ethylcyclohexene and 18% of ethylcyclohexane [404]. 

On treatment with benzeneselenenyl chloride two olefinic urethanes (214 and 217) underwent cyclization to afford piperidine derivatives (215 and 218, respectively) having the cis stereochemistry. Their reduction with triphenyltin hydride gave the same product (216). Removal of the blocking group from the nitrogen gave ( )-isosolenopsin A (Ic) (Scheme 6) (392). 

The cyclic borates (758) are useful alternatives to benzanilides in the photochemical synthesis of phenanthridines. Irradiation, followed by reduction with lithium aluminum hydride, gives phenanthridines in good yield, the borate ring maintaining the correct stereochemistry (78CC884). 

Stereochemistry of reduction, 34 Stereochemistry of reductions with diborane, 90... 

The main methods of reducing ketones to alcohols are (a) use of complex metal hydrides (b) use of alkali metals in alcohols or liquid ammonia or amines 221 (c) catalytic hydrogenation 14,217 (d) Meerwein-Ponndorf reduction.169,249 The reduction of organic compounds by complex metal hydrides, first reported in 1947,174 is a widely used technique. This chapter reviews first the main metal hydride reagents, their reactivities towards various functional groups and the conditions under which they are used to reduce ketones. The reduction of ketones by hydrides is then discussed under the headings of mechanism and stereochemistry, reduction of unsaturated ketones, and stereochemistry and selectivity of reduction of steroidal ketones. Finally reductions with the mixed hydride reagent of lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride, with diborane and with iridium complexes, are briefly described. 

Reduction of ketones. Reduction of ketones with metals in an alcohol is one of the earliest methods for effecting reduction of ketones, and is still useful since it can proceed with stereoselectivity opposite to that obtained with metal hydrides.1 An example is the reduction of the 3a-hydroxy-7-ketocholanic acid 1 to the diols 2 and 3. The former, ursodesoxycholic acid, a rare bile acid found in bear bile, is used in medicine for dissolution of gallstones. The stereochemistry is strongly dependent on the nature of the reducing agent (equation I).2 Sodium dithionite and sodium borohydride reductions result mainly in the 7a-alcohol, whereas reductions with sodium or potassium in an alcohol favor reduction to the 7p-alcohol. More recently3 reduction of 1 to 2 and 3 in the ratio 96 4 has been achieved with K, Rb, and Cs in f-amyl alcohol. Almost the same stereoselectivity can be obtained by addition of potassium, rubidium, or cesium salts to reductions of sodium in t-amyl alcohol. This cation effect has not been observed previously. 

Hypobromous (HOBr) and hypoiodous (IOH) acids can be generated from NaBrOs and H5IO6, respectively, by reduction with NaHSC>3 in MeCN/H20. Markovnikov orientation and awfi-stereochemistry has been observed on addition of these reagents to a variety of olefins186. 

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