Silyl nitronates, addition

Although nitrile oxide cycloadditions have been extensively investigated, cycloadditions of silyl nitronates, synthetic equivalent of nitrile oxides in their reactions with olefins, have not received similar attention. Since we found that the initial cycloadducts, hl-silyloxyisoxazolidines, are formed with high degree of stereoselectivity and can be easily transformed into isoxazolines upon treatment with acid or TBAF, intramolecular silylnitronate-olefin cycloadditions (ISOC) have emerged as a superior alternative to their corresponding INOC reactions [43]. Furthermore, adaptability of ISOC reactions to one-pot tandem sequences involving 1,4-addition and ISOC as the key steps has recently been demonstrated [44]. 

One-pot tandem sequences involving 1,4-addition and ISOC as the key steps have been developed for the construction of N and 0 heterocycles as well as of carbocycles [44]. In this sequence, the nitronate arising from 1,4-addition to an a, -unsaturated nitro alkene is trapped kinetically using trimethyl silyl chloride (TMSCl). The resulting silyl nitronate underwent a facile intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with the unsaturated tether (e.g.. Schemes 20-22). 

ISOC reaction was employed to synthesize substituted tetrahydrofurans 172 fused to isoxazolines (Scheme 21) [44b]. The silyl nitronates 170 resulted via the nitro ethers 169 from base-mediated Michael addition of allyl alcohols 168 to nitro olefins 167. Cycloaddition of 170 followed by elimination of silanol provided 172. Reactions were conducted in stepwise and one-pot tandem fashion (see Table 16). A terminal olefinic Me substituent increased the rate of cycloaddition (Entry 3), while an internal olefinic Me substituent decreased it (Entry 4). 

The Michael addition of allyl alcohols to nitroalkenes followed by intramolecular silyl nitronate olefin cycloaddition (Section 8.2) leads to functionalized tetrahydrofurans (Eq. 4.15).20... 

A series of 3-substituted-2-isoxazoles are prepared by the following simple procedure in situ conversion of nitroalkane to the silyl nitronate is followed by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition to produce the adduct, which undergoes thermal elimination during distillation to furnish the isoxazole (Eq. 8.74). 5 Isoxazoles are useful synthetic intermediates (discussed in the chapter on nitrile oxides Section 8.2.2). Furthermore, the nucleophilic addition to the C=N bond leads to new heterocyclic systems. For example, the addition of diallyl zinc to 5-aryl-4,5-dihydroi-soxazole occurs with high diastereoselectivity (Eq. 8.75).126 Numerous synthetic applications of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitronates are summarized in work by Torssell and coworker.63a... 

Hassner and coworkers have developed a one-pot tandem consecutive 1,4-addition intramolecular cycloaddition strategy for the construction of five- and six-membered heterocycles and carbocycles. Because nitroalkenes are good Michael acceptors for carbon, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen nucleophiles (see Section 4.1 on the Michael reaction), subsequent intramolecular silyl nitronate cycloaddition (ISOC) or intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition (INOC) provides one-pot synthesis of fused isoxazolines (Scheme 8.26). The ISOC route is generally better than INOC route regarding stereoselectivity and generality. 

Second, nitroxyl radicals, which are generated either by a one-electron oxidation of SENAs (Eq. 1, Scheme 3.98) or by the addition of radical species to silyl nitronates (Eq. 2, Scheme 3.98), are rather stable and, consequently, can act as kinetically independent species. 

I. Intermolecular [3+2]-Addition of Nitronates to Olefins Of all known types of nitronates (see Section 3.2), alkyl- and silyl nitronates as well as cyclic C5-C6 nitronates are involved in [3+ 2]-cycloaddition reactions. Detailed comparative kinetic studies for different types of nitronates have not been reported. However, a few data (162, 336, 337) allow one to deduce some sequences (Chart 3.10). 

Silyl Nitronates The characteristic features of the behavior of SENAs in [3+ 2]-addition reactions (75, 133, 175-177, 185, 186, 189, 201a, 203, 205, 206, 216, 355-362c) are virtually identical to those of acyclic alkyl nitronates considered in the previous section. As mentioned above, minor but more reactive Z-tautomers of SENAs derived from primary AN can be detected by cycloaddition reactions (see Section 3.3.4.1 and Scheme 3.128). 

The classical Henry reaction conditions (base catalyzed addition) have some drawbacks sometimes the nitro alcohols are obtained in low yields and diastereoselectivities are not always high. To improve these results, a number of modifications were introduced. One of them is the Seebach s silyl nitronate method,25 that involves a reaction between an aldehyde with a silyl nitronate prepared by metalation of the corresponding nitro alkane with LDA, followed by reaction of the resulting nitronate with tert-butyldimethylsilyl chloride.26... 

The chemical shifts of HC(a) are shifted slightly downfield of the corresponding silyl nitronates. As expected, the addition of electron-withdrawing or conjugating groups shifts the resonance downfield. 

In the case of five-membered, cyclic nitronates, the NMR resonances for C(3) appears in the same region as C(a) in the silyl nitronates (Table 2.20) (60,62,74). In addition, C(5) is observed between 72 and 92 ppm. For six-membered cyclic... 

The wide variety of methods for the preparation of alkyl nitronates, gives rise to a broader diversity of structures compared to silyl nitronates. Alkyl nitronates can be grouped into two subclasses, acyclic and cyclic. Both subclasses participate in dipolar cycloadditions with similar reactivity, however, minor differences are manifest in their stability and stereoselectivity. Additionally, the ability to prepare cyclic nitronates allows access to a wide variety of novel, multicyclic ring stractures. 

The 3 + 2-cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to 2-crotyl-l,3-dithiane 1-oxides produces exclusively 5-acyldihydroisoxazoles.92 Lewis acid addition to 1,3-dipole cycloaddition reactions of mesityl nitrile oxide with a, /i-unsaturated 2-acyl-1,3-dithiane 1-oxides can reverse the sense of induced stereoselectivity.93 The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 4-t-butylbenzonitrile oxide with 6A-acrylainido-6A-deoxy-/i-cyclodextrin (68) in aqueous solution favours the formation of the 4-substituted isoxazoline (69) rather than the 5-substituted regioisomer (Scheme 24).94 Tandem intramolecular cycloadditions of silyl nitronate, synthons of nitrile oxides, yield functionalized hydrofurans.95... 

This topological rule readily explained the reaction product 211 (>90% stereoselectivity) of open-chain nitroolefins 209 with open-chain enamines 210. Seebach and Golinski have further pointed out that several condensation reactions can also be rationalized by using this approach (a) cyclopropane formation from olefin and carbene, (b) Wittig reaction with aldehydes yielding cis olefins, (c) trans-dialkyl oxirane from alkylidene triphenylarsane and aldehydes, (d) ketenes and cyclopentadiene 2+2-addition, le) (E)-silyl-nitronate and aldehydes, (f) syn and anti-Li and B-enolates of ketones, esters, amides and aldehydes, (g) Z-allylboranes and aldehydes, (h) E-alkyl-borane or E-allylchromium derivatives and aldehydes, (i) enamine from cyclohexanone and cinnamic aldehyde, (j) E-enamines and E-nitroolefins and finally, (k) enamines from cycloalkanones and styryl sulfone. 

As an extension of this highly enantioselective Michael addition of silyl nitronates with a, p-unsaturated aldehydes, the reactions with cyclic a,p-unsaturated ketones as a Michael acceptor were also tested (Scheme 9.15). Cyclohexenone and cyclohepte-none were employed as a useful Michael acceptor with various silyl nitronates in the presence of catalyst (R,R)-6c, and gave the corresponding enol silyl ethers 28 with excellent stereoselectivities [30]. 

Further applications of the chiral ammonium bifluoride-catalyzed enantioselective Michael addition of silyl nitronates has been shown in the reactions with nitroalkenes as a Michael acceptor (Scheme 9.17). These studies were started by examining the reaction of nitropropane-derived silyl nitronate 23b with P-nitrostyrene, using the chiral quaternary ammonium bifluoride (R,.R)-6d. When P-nitrostyrene was treated with 23b (1.2 equiv.) in the presence of (K,f )-6d (2mol%) in THF at — 78 °C, the... 

Highly enantioselective Michael addition of silyl nitronates (105) to cyclic o /3-unsaturated ketones (106 n = 0-2) has been accomplished by the utilization of N-spiro C2-symmetric chiral quaternary ammonium bifluoride (108) as an organocatalyst, offering a new route to the enol silyl ethers of scalemic y-nitro ketones (107 70-90% ee).156... 

The chiral quaternary ammonium bifluoride (162) has been shown to catalyse a (g) highly diastereo- and enantio-selective conjugate addition of silyl nitronates (160) to nitroalkenes, giving rise to 1,3-dinitro compounds (161) (76-96% ee).213 ... 

The efficient homogeneous catalysis of chiral ammonium bifluorides of type 15 has been further utilized for achieving an asymmetric Michael addition of silyl nitronates to a,/ -unsaturated aldehydes. Here, chiral ammonium bifluoride 15b bearing a 3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl group was found to be the catalyst of choice, and the reaction of 16a with trans-cinnamaldehyde under the influence of (R,R)- 15b (2 mol%) in THF at —78 °C produced the 1,4-addition product 18 predominantly (18/19 = 24 1) as a diastereomeric mixture (syn/anti = 78 22) with 85% ee of the major syn isomer (Scheme 4.9). Further, use of toluene as solvent led to almost exclusive formation of the 1,4-adduct (18/19 = 32 1) with similar diastereoselec-tivity (syn/anti = 81 19), and critical enhancement of the enantioselectivity was attained (97% ee) [15]. 

Table 4.2 Asymmetric Michael addition of silyl nitronate 16 to a,/ -unsaturated aldehydes and cyclohexenone catalyzed by chiral quaternary ammonium bifluorides (/ ,/ )-15. Isolation of optically active enol silyl ethers 20 and 21.

Addition of Silyl Nitronates to Enals Catalyzed by Quaternary Ammonium Bifluoride General Procedure for the Isolation of Enol Silyl Ether [34] (p. 128)... 

Diketones y-keto esters. TiCU or SnCl4 activates nitroolefins for Michael addition with silyl enol ethers to form intermediate silyl nitronates, which are hydrolyzed to 1,4-diketones. 

The preference of the steric effect was also demonstrated by the 1,4-addition of silyl nitronate (54) to cinnamaldehyde (55) where the sterically bulky substituents CF3 and f-Bu provided higher regio-, stereo- (synlanti), and enantioselectivities (Scheme 5.16, Table 5.6)... 

Table 5.6 Effect of substituents on the regio and enantioselectivity of 1,4-addition of silyl nitronate 54 to 55... 

Secondary nitroalkanes are converted into the corresponding silyl nitronates in lower yields and only those with r-butyldimethylsilyl groups are sufficiently stable to be available for the next reaction. Ifow-ever, their fluoride-catalyzed 0-silylnitroaldol addition gives only free nitro alcohols which can be subsequently silylated. 

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