Rhodium compounds, catalysis intramolecular

This collection begins with a series of three procedures illustrating important new methods for preparation of enantiomerically pure substances via asymmetric catalysis. The preparation of 3-[(1S)-1,2-DIHYDROXYETHYL]-1,5-DIHYDRO-3H-2.4-BENZODIOXEPINE describes, in detail, the use of dihydroquinidine 9-0-(9 -phenanthryl) ether as a chiral ligand in the asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction which is broadly applicable for the preparation of chiral dlols from monosubstituted olefins. The product, an acetal of (S)-glyceralcfehyde, is itself a potentially valuable synthetic intermediate. The assembly of a chiral rhodium catalyst from methyl 2-pyrrolidone 5(R)-carboxylate and its use in the intramolecular asymmetric cyclopropanation of an allyl diazoacetate is illustrated in the preparation of (1R.5S)-()-6,6-DIMETHYL-3-OXABICYCLO[3.1. OJHEXAN-2-ONE. Another important general method for asymmetric synthesis involves the desymmetrization of bifunctional meso compounds as is described for the enantioselective enzymatic hydrolysis of cis-3,5-diacetoxycyclopentene to (1R,4S)-(+)-4-HYDROXY-2-CYCLOPENTENYL ACETATE. This intermediate is especially valuable as a precursor of both antipodes (4R) (+)- and (4S)-(-)-tert-BUTYLDIMETHYLSILOXY-2-CYCLOPENTEN-1-ONE, important intermediates in the synthesis of enantiomerically pure prostanoid derivatives and other classes of natural substances, whose preparation is detailed in accompanying procedures. 

The intramolecular Buchner reaction of aryl diazoketones has been carried out using both copper(I) and rhodium(II) catalysts. For example, 1-diazo-4-phenylbutan-2-one 27a cyclizes in bromobenzene with copper(I) chloride catalysis, furnishing 3,4-dihydroazulen-l(2//)-one 30 in 50% yield after purification by chromatography over alumina. Trienone 30 is not the primary cyclization product, and the less conjugated isomeric trienone 29a is first produced, but contact with alumina causes isomerization to 30. The yield of this cyclization is further improved when rhodium(II) acetate is used as the catalyst instead of copper(I) chloride. Thus a catalytic amount of rhodium(II) acetate brings about the nearly quantitative conversion of 27a to 29a within minutes in hot dichloromethane. Compound 29a isomerizes to 30 on treatment with triethylamine, and rearranges to 2-tetralone 31a when exposed to silica gel or acid. 

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