Rhodium cyclopropanation reactions

Rhodium complexes with chelating bis(oxazoline) ligands have been described to a lesser extent for the cyclopropanation of olefins. For example, Bergman, Tilley et al. [32] have prepared a family of bis(oxazoline) complexes of coordinatively unsaturated monomeric rhodium(II) (see 20 in Scheme 13). Interestingly, the use of complex 20 in the cyclopropanation reaction of styrene afforded mainly the cis cyclopropane cis/trans = 63137), with 74% ee and not the thermodynamically favored trans isomer. No mechanistic suggestions are proposed by the authors to explain this unusual selectivity. 

Several chiral ligands have been developed for use with the rhodium catalysts, among them are pyrrolidinones and imidazolidinones.207 For example, the lactamate of pyroglutamic acid gives enantioselective cyclopropanation reactions. 

The dominant role of copper catalysts has been challenged by the introduction of powerful group VIII metal catalysts. From a systematic screening, palladium(II) and rhodium(II) derivatives, especially the respective carboxylates62)63)64-, have emerged as catalysts of choice. In addition, rhodium and ruthenium carbonyl clusters, Rh COJjg 65> and Ru3(CO)12 e6), seem to work well. Tables 3 and 4 present a comparison of the efficiency of different catalysts in cyclopropanation reactions with ethyl diazoacetate under standardized conditions. 

Inhibition of diazoester decomposition by a large excess of olefin speaks in favor of intermediarily liberated W(CO)5 as direct metal precursor of425. Stereoselectivities in the cyclopropanation reaction are very similar to those observed in the Rh2(OAc)4 catalyzed version, which underlines once more the close relationship of tungsten and rhodium carbene complexes. 

Cyclopropanation reactions can be promoted using copper or rhodium catalysts or indeed systems based on other metals. As early as 1965 Nozaki showed that chiral copper complexes could promote asymmetric addition of a carbenoid species (derived from a diazoester) to an alkene. This pioneering study was embroidered by Aratani and co-workers who showed a highly enantioselective process could be obtained by modifying the chiral copper... 

The catalyst can also have a significant influence on the stereoselectivity of cyclopropanation reactions [1023], For instance, cyclopropanation of styrene with ethyl diazoacetate and copper or rhodium catalysts normally proceeds with low diastereoselectivity. With ruthenium porphyrines as catalysts, however, up to 92% de can be achieved [1041,1042]. 

NHC ligands have been used to bridge different metals resulting in homo-bimetallic systems. Examples exist for palladium(II), rhodium(I), as well as chromium(O). " Homobimetallic ruthenium(II) systems have been shown to be superior catalysts in cyclopropanation reactions compared to their monometallic... 

Carbenoids derived from the aryldiazoacetates are excellent donor/acceptor systems for the asymmetric cyclopropanation reaction [22]. Methyl phenyldiazoacetate 3 cyclopropanation of monosubstituted alkenes catalyzed by Rh2(S-DOSP)4 is highly diaster-eo- and enantioselective (Tab. 14.5) [22]. Higher enantioselectivities can be obtained when these reactions are performed at -78°C, as the catalyst maintains high solubility and activity at this temperature. The phenyldiazoacetate system has been evaluated using many popular rhodium(II) and copper catalysts the rhodium(ll) prolinates have proven to be superior catalysts for this class of carbenoids [37, 38]. 

Cyclohexadiene derivatives are less reactive than butadiene derivatives, thus only a few examples of cycloadditions with these compoimds are known (Figure 4.3) [37 0]. The cyclohexadiene bicychc derivative 32 was synthesized by rhodium-catalyzed reaction of toluene with tert-butyldiazoacetate and cycloadds in about 40% yield to Cjq [39]. The product has anti-cyclopropane orientation relative to the entering dienophile Cjq. Valence isomerization of 33 (Scheme 4.4) leads to the cyclobutene-fused cyclohexene 35 that adds in good yields (50%) at moderate temperatures (110 °C) to Cjq [40]. The reaction of with the electron-deficient cyclohexene 34 is also possible in moderate yields [38]. 

Catalytic asymmetric cyclopropanations via carbene transfer to alkenes were reviewed by Singh and co-workers in 1997," Doyle and Protopopova in 1998," and mostly recently by Doyle in 2000." The reaction can be catalyzed by copper," rhodium," and other metals." Bis(oxazolines) are known to be among the most effective ligands for this cyclopropanation reaction (see Chapter 9). 

Dihydro-2//-pyran also undergoes a highly stereoselective cyclopropanation reaction with methyl l-(tri-isopropylsiloxy)vinyldiazoacetate in the presence of a chiral rhodium catalyst. Optically active furo[2,3- 5 ]pyran derivatives are generated upon desilylation of the cyclopropanes (Scheme 40) <2005SL1397>. 

The rhodium(II) catalysts and the chelated copper catalysts are considered to coordinate only to the carbenoid, while copper triflate and tetrafluoioborate coordinate to both the carbenoid and alkene and thus enhance cyclopropanation reactions through a template effect.14 Palladium-based catalysts, such as palladium(II) acetate and bis(benzonitrile)palladium(II) chloride,l6e are also believed to be able to coordinate with the alkene. Some chiral complexes based on cobalt have also been developed,21 but these have not been extensively used. 

Dirhodium(II) tetrakis(carboxamides), constructed with chiral 2-pyrroli-done-5-carboxylate esters so that the two nitrogen donor atoms on each rhodium are in a cis arrangement, represent a new class of chiral catalysts with broad applicability to enantioselective metal carbene transformations. Enantiomeric excesses greater than 90% have been achieved in intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions of allyl diazoacetates. In intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions with monosubsti-tuted olefins, the cis-disubstituted cyclopropane is formed with a higher enantiomeric excess than the trans isomer, and for cyclopropenation of 1-alkynes extraordinary selectivity has been achieved. Carbon-hydro-gen insertion reactions of diazoacetate esters that result in substituted y-butyrolactones occur in high yield and with enantiomeric excess as high as 90% with the use of these catalysts. Their design affords stabilization of the intermediate metal carbene and orientation of the carbene substituents for selectivity enhancement. 

Several iodonium ylides, thermally or photochemically, transferred their carbene moiety to alkenes which were converted into cyclopropane derivatives. The thermal decomposition of ylides was usually catalysed by copper or rhodium salts and was most efficient in intramolecular cyclopropanation. Reactions of PhI=C(C02Me)2 with styrenes, allylbenzene and phenylacetylene have established the intermediacy of carbenes in the presence of a chiral catalyst, intramolecular cyclopropanation resulted in the preparation of a product in 67% enantiomeric excess [12]. 

Incidentally, cyclopropanation, one of the carbon-carbon bond formation reactions, is a useful reaction by using diazo compounds to give a variety of keto or alkoxycarbonyl cyclopropane derivatives, for example, crythantimates and their analogues as popular insectsides [2]. The cyclopropanation reactions have often been carried out with the use of copper or rhodium catalysts however, this results in stereochemical problems of trans-cis selectivity or asymmetric induction [3]. 

Intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions with ethyl diazoacetate have been employed for the construction of the cyclopropane-containing amino acid 7 (equation 25) Thus, rhodium(II) acetate catalysed decomposition of ethyl diazoacetate in the presence of d-cbz-vinylglycine methyl ester 5 afforded cyclopropyl ester 6 in 85% yield. Removal of the protecting group completed the synthesis of 7. Another example illustrating intermolecular cyclopropanation can be found in Piers and Moss synthesis of ( )-quadrone 8" (equation 26). Intermolecular cyclopropanation of enamide or vinyl ether functions using ethyl diazoacetate has also been used in the synthesis of eburnamonine 9", pentalenolactone E ester 10" and ( )-dicranenone A11" (equations 27-29). 

In a detailed investigation of the mechanism and scope of palladium catalyzed amination of five-membered heterocycles, the 1-methyl-3-bromoindole 145 was aminated with secondary amines to the 3-aminoindoles 146. Similar results were obtained for l-methyl-2-bromoindole <03JOC2861>. Rhodium-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions involving 1-methyl-3-diazooxindole and exocyclic alkenes provided novel dispirocyclic cyclopropanes <03SL1599>. New applications of palladium-mediated cross-coupling reactions have been utilized to prepare a variety of functionalized indoles. Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions of indole-3-boronates <03H(59)473> and indole-5-boronates <03H(60)865> were utilized to prepare inhibitors of lipid peroxidation and melatonin analogues, respectively. 

Preparative Methods substituted 2,3-methanoamino acids are difficult to prepare. Unfortunately, most of the reported syntheses give racemic materials whereas stereochemically pure compounds are required for studies of cyclopropane-based peptidomimetics. The only 2,3-methanologs of protein amino acids prepared in optically active form are ( )- and (Z)-cyclo-Phe and -Tyr, all four stereoisomers of cyc/o-Met, (Z)-cyclo-Arg and (25,35)-(Z)-cyc/o-Trp, although several routes to enantio-enriched 2,3-methanologs of simple nonproteogenic amino acids have been reported. " The most practical synthesis of the title compound is that based on a diastereoselective, rhodium-catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction. ... 

The use of chiral additives with a rhodium complex also leads to cyclopropanes enantioselectively. An important chiral rhodium species is Rh2(5-DOSP)4, which leads to cyclopropanes with excellent enantioselectivity in carbene cyclopro-panation reactions. Asymmetric, intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions have been reported. The copper catalyzed diazoester cyclopropanation was reported in an ionic liquid. ° It is noted that the reaction of a diazoester with a chiral dirhodium catalyst leads to p-lactones with modest enantioselectivity Phosphonate esters have been incorporated into the diazo compound... 

SCHEME 10.4 Copper and rhodium catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions directed by sugar-derived chiral auxiliaries. 

An alternative strategy for achieving asymmetric control may be by covalent attachment of a chiral auxiliary to the carbenoid. This strategy has so far met with rather limited success in cyclopropanation reactions (see eq. (3) for a similar palladium-catalyzed reaction). However, the use of a-hydroxy esters as chiral auxiliaries with stabilized rhodium(II) vinylcarbenoids allowed entry into both series of enantiomeric vinylcyclopropanes with predictable stereochemistry. Optical yields are fair to excellent [14] and the outcome of the reaction was rationalized on the basis of interactions between the carbonyl oxygen of the chiral auxiliary and the carbenoid carbon. The strategy led to an efficient synthesis of optically active hydroxy vitamin D3 ring A [28]. 

Cyclopropanation reactions are catalyzed by rhodium clusters. Styrene reacts with ethyl diazoacetate to give the cyclopropane derivative 82, catalyzed by Rh6(CO)16 (25°C, conversion 87%, CT 174) (364) ... 

In the formative years of diazo chemistry it was recognized that copper catalysis both reduced the decomposition temperature of a diazo compound and allowed much more efficient intra- and intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions. With the advent of rhodium- and palladium-based catalysts, the purely thermal method has lost even more ground. 

Furthermore, these transformations have been dealt with in several other Houben-Weyl volumes Vol. E18, p829 (rhodium- and palladium-catalyzed cyclopropanation reactions) Vol. E19b, pp 1088, 1099, 1181, 1271, 1300 (intra- and intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions with diazocarbonyl compounds) Vol. E21c, p3220 (stereoselective cyclopropanations). 

In rhodium(II)-catalyzed intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions, chiral dirhodium(II) carb-oximidates provide only limited enantiocontrol. " Tetrakis(5-methoxycarbonyl-2-pyrrolidonato)dirhodium [18, Rh2(MEPY)J, in both enantiomeric forms of the carboxamide ligands, produces the highest enantioselectivities. As can be seen for the cyclopropanation of styrene with diazoacetates, a high level of double diastereoselectivity results from the combination of this chiral catalyst with /- or d-menthyl diazoacetate, but not with diazoacetates bearing other chiral residues.In terms of trans/cis selectivity and enantioselectivity for styrene giving 19 this catalyst is comparable to the Aratani catalysts, but they cannot match the high enantiocontrol of the chiral copper catalysts developed by Pfaltz, Masamune, and Evans vide supra). 

Some examples of catalytic cyclopropanation reactions with diazoacetamides are given in Table 14. In reactions with a-diazo-A,7V-dimethylacetamide catalyzed by tetraacetatodi-rhodium, cyclopropane yields decrease with decreasing alkene reactivity (ethoxyethene, 82% styrene, 47% cyclohexene, 21%). - Furthermore, with A-alkyl substituents larger than methyl, intramolecular carbenoid C-H insertion is in competition with alkene addition, e.g. formation of 4.i -259... 

In cyclopropanation reactions with diazoacetamides and rhodium catalysts, diastereoselectivity is much more dependent on the catalyst than with diazoacetic esters (see Section 1.2.1.2.4.2.6.3.2.). Tetrakis(acetamido)dirhodium generally provides enhanced trans (anti) selectivity. For example, A,A -diisopropyl-2-phenylcyclopropane-l-carboxamide was obtained from a-diazo-A.Af-diisopropylacetamide and styrene as follows [catalyst, total yield, ratio (trans/cis)] RhjCOCOCjF l, 51%, 12 Rh2(OAc),, 53%, 64 Rh CNHAc), 47%, 112. 

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