Stereoselective epoxidations

Stereoselective epoxidation can be realized through either substrate-controlled (e.g. 35 —> 36) or reagent-controlled approaches. A classic example is the epoxidation of 4-t-butylcyclohexanone. When sulfonium ylide 2 was utilized, the more reactive ylide irreversibly attacked the carbonyl from the axial direction to offer predominantly epoxide 37. When the less reactive sulfoxonium ylide 1 was used, the nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl was reversible, giving rise to the thermodynamically more stable, equatorially coupled betaine, which subsequently eliminated to deliver epoxide 38. Thus, stereoselective epoxidation was achieved from different mechanistic pathways taken by different sulfur ylides. In another case, reaction of aldehyde 38 with sulfonium ylide 2 only gave moderate stereoselectivity (41 40 = 1.5/1), whereas employment of sulfoxonium ylide 1 led to a ratio of 41 40 = 13/1. The best stereoselectivity was accomplished using aminosulfoxonium ylide 25, leading to a ratio of 41 40 = 30/1. For ketone 42, a complete reversal of stereochemistry was observed when it was treated with sulfoxonium ylide 1 and sulfonium ylide 2, respectively. ... 

The cytochrome P450j, is able to bring about the stereoselective epoxidation of cis-methylstyrene to the (IS,2R) epoxide (Ortiz de Montellano et al. 1991). 

Extension of this strategy enables syntheses of both protected D-threonine and L-allo-threonine, in which reagent-controlled stereoselective epoxidation of a common intermediate is the key step (Scheme 4.8).53... 

In the next step of the sequence, the authors sought to introduce a hydroxy-methylene substituent at the unsubstituted 7-position of the enone. This bond construction can be carried out by conducting a Baylis-Hillman reaction with formaldehyde. In this instance, the authors used a modification of the Baylis-Hillman reaction which involves the use of a Lewis acid to activate the enone [26]. Under these conditions, the enone 42 is treated with excess paraformaldehyde in the presence of triethylphosphine (1 equiv), lanthanum triflate (5 mol%), and triethanolamine (50 mol%). It is proposed that the lanthanum triflate forms a complex with the triethanolamine. This complex is able to activate the enone toward 1,4-addition of the nucleophilic catalysts (here, triethylphosphine). In the absence of triethanolamine, the Lewis acid catalyst undergoes nonproductive complexation with the nucleophilic catalyst, leading to diminution of catalysis. Under these conditions, the hydroxymethylene derivative 37 was formed in 70 % yield. In the next step of the sequence, the authors sought to conduct a stereoselective epoxidation of the allylic... 

The 8,9- and 10,11-dihydrodiols formed in the metabolism of BA and DMBA respectively are all highly enriched (>90%) in R,R enantiomers (Table III). Labeling experiments using molecular oxygen-18 in the in vitro metabolism of the respective parent compounds and subsequent mass spectral analyses of dihydrodiol metabolites and their acid-catalyzed dehydration products indicated that microsomal epoxide hydrolase-catalyzed hydration reactions occurred exclusively at the nonbenzylic carbons of the metabolically formed epoxide intermediates (unpublished results). These findings indicate that the 8,9- and 10,11-epoxide intermediates, formed in the metabolism of BA and DMBA respectively, contain predominantly the 8R,9S and 10S,11R enantiomer, respectively. These stereoselective epoxidation reactions are relatively insensitive to the cytochrome P-450 isozyme contents of different rat liver microsomal preparations (Table III). 

The stereoselective epoxidation of chalcones, followed by acid-catalysed ring closure and concomitant cleavage of the epoxide ring, provides a very efficient route to chiral flavon-3-ols and, subsequently, by borohydride reduction to produce flavan-3,4-diols [13, 14], It has been shown that diastereoselective reduction of the chiral flavon-3-ols by sodium borohydride in methanol yields the trans-2,3-dihydroxy compounds, whereas borohydride reduction in dioxan produces the cis-isomers [14] the synthetic procedure confirms the cis configuration of the 2,3-hydroxy groups of naturally occurring leucodelphinidins [14]. 

M. Shou, F. J. Gonzalez, H. V. Gelboin, Stereoselective Epoxidation and Hydration at the K-Region of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by cDNA-Expressed Cytochromes P450 1A1, 1A2, and Epoxide Hydrolase , Biochemistry 1996, 35, 15807 - 15813. 

A new stereoselective epoxidation catalyst based on a novel chiral sulfonato-salen manganese(III) complex intercalated in Zn/Al LDH was used successfully by Bhattacharjee et al. [125]. The catalyst gave high conversion, selectivity, and enantiomeric excess in the oxidation of (i )-limonene using elevated pressures of molecular oxygen. Details of the catalytic activities with other alkenes using both molecular oxygen and other oxidants have also been reported [126]. 

Product exc>-2,3-epoxy-5-vmylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptane obtained by regio- and stereoselective epoxidation. 

The second example demonstrated immobilization via ship in a bottle , ionic, metal center, and covalent bonding approaches of the metal-salen complexes. Zeolites X and Y were highly dealuminated by a succession of different dealumi-nation methods, generating mesopores completely surrounded by micropores. This method made it possible to form cavities suitable to accommodate bulky metal complexes. The catalytic activity of transition metal complexes entrapped in these new materials (e.g, Mn-S, V-S, Co-S, Co-Sl) was investigated in stereoselective epoxidation of (-)-a-pinene using 02/pivalic aldehyde as the oxidant. The results obtained with the entrapped organometallic complex were comparable with those of the homogeneous complex. 

Preparation of nonracemic epoxides has been extensively studied in recent years since these compounds represent useful building blocks in stereoselective synthesis, and the epoxide functionality constitutes the essential framework of various namrally occurring and biologically active compounds. The enantiomericaUy enriched a-fluorotropinone was anchored onto amorphous KG-60 silica (Figure 6.6) this supported chiral catalyst (KG-60-FT ) promoted the stereoselective epoxidation of several trans- and trisubstituted alkenes with ees up to 80% and was perfectly reusable with the same performance for at least three catalytic cycles. 

Stereoselective epoxidation of an allylic alcohol (5. 75-76 9, 81-82). The antibiotic methyl pscudomonatc A (2) is the -epoxide of methyl pseudomonate C. Epoxidation of methyl pseudomonate C with m-chloropcrbenzoic acid in CH.Cl. 

In contrast to these observations, stereoselective epoxidation has been described.265 Internal olefins reacting with a stoichiometric amount of pivalaldehyde yield quantitatively the corresponding epoxides. The higher reactivity of the internal double bond permits selective epoxidation of dienes ... 

Certain robust manganese porphyrins [e.g., manganese(IH) tetra(2, 6 -dichloro-pheny])porphyrin chloride] are able to catalyze stereoselective epoxidations, when applied in the presence of imidazole324-327 or other heterocyclic nitrogen bases.326 NaI04324 or even H202325-327 can be used as oxidant. 

Hikino et al. [153] have investigated by enzymatic means the stereospecific epoxidation reactions of olefinic double bonds in the plant Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe. They studied the bioconversion of germacrone (207), a constituent of C. zedoaria, by microorganisms in the hope of obtaining stereoselective epoxidation as in the case of the plant. Cuminghamella blakesleeana yielded three major products (208 - 210) from germacrone, Fig. (42). 

The key step in a total synthesis of cycloeudesmol (6) is a highly stereoselective epoxidation of 3 to provide 4, which can be converted into the cyclopropane 5 in quantitative yield by treatment with 3 equiv. of LDA at -780°.2... 

NR = nonreactive toward hydrocarbons PO = oxidation of phosphines to phosphine oxides MF — peroxometallacyclic adduct formation with cyanoalkenes NSE — nonstereoselective epoxidation SE=stereoselective epoxidation AE = asymmetric epoxidation HA- hydroxylation of alkanes HB=hydroxylation of arenes OA = oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl compounds K = ketonization of Lermina 1 alkenes SO oxidation of S02 to coordinated S04 MO = metallaozonide formation with carbonyl compounds I = oxidation of isocyanides to isocyanates. 

Molecular-orbital calculations indicate that the stereoselective epoxidation of the alkene 192 by peroxy acids arises from stereoelectronic control exerted by a CF3— C bond orientated anti to the alkene plane, in contrast to the previously proposed model for epoxidation of allylic fluoride in which the F—C bond and alkene bonds are in a syn arrangement305. 

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