Stereoselectivity, free radical cyclizations

Nouguier R, Lesueur C, Riggi ED, Bertrand MP (1990) Stereoselective free-radical cyclization on sugar template the sulfonyl radical as a synthetic tool for functionalized glycosides. Tetrahedron Lett 31 3541-3544... 

Free-radical cyclizations using ethyl radicals generated by EtsB/air system or stannyl radicals systems provide a range of carbocyclic and heterocyclic hydroxylamines (equation 77). Stereoselectivity in these reactions is variable but can be semiquaUtatively predicted by Beckwith-Houk models . Depending on the substitution pattern of the emerging cyclic system, stereoselectivity can be very high, especially in fused polycyclic systems (equation... 

Free-radical cyclization of phenyl selenide 15 to indolizidinone 16 represented a key step in the total synthesis of (—)-slaframine (equation 52). The two pairs of diastereomers were first separated and then hydrolyzed to the corresponding alcohols in 76% overall yield77. (TMS)3SiH-mediated acyl radical reactions from phenylseleno esters 17 have recently been utilized for the stereoselective synthesis of cyclic ethers78. In fact, the experimental conditions reported in equation 53 are particularly good for both improving cis diastereoselectivity and suppressing decarbonylation. 

In further illustrations of the use of free-radical cyclization reactions in terpene synthesis Snider et al. have described the 5-exo-trig cyclization from the imidazolide (29) to produce both B-copaene (30a) and B-ylangene (30b), Stork and Baine have synthesized seychellene (32) [from (31)], and Ladlow and Pattenden have featured a novel, stereoselective intramolecular radical cyclization step onto an enolic double bond, viz. (33) - (34), in their synthesis of ( )-alliacolide (35). 

Barton and coworkers used free radical cyclization in the synthesis of tetracyclines (Scheme 105). Photolysis of 254 (X,Y = SR or OR) gives the corresponding radical, which cyclizes to the (Cy6) compound 255 in 80% yield when X,Y = SCH2CH2O. Quite remarkably, 255 is formed only in the cis form. Another completely stereoselective reaction toward the cis compound involving intramolecular addition to an acetylenic bond has been described by Pradhan and was discussed in Section IX.2 (Scheme 70). An analogous reductive cyclization (K, NH3) of ethynyl ketones has been used by Stork in the construction of a tricyclic intermediate for the synthesis of gibberellic acid. ... 

A new effective metal-ffee radical approach by Murphy et al generates the free radical by treatment with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF).1491 As depicted in scheme 16 the aromatic amine 79 is transformed into the diazonium salt 81 which on treatment with TTF leads to the radical 82. The following stereoselective cyclization gives the hexahydrocarba-zole scaffold 80, a substructure of alkaloids like aspi-dospermidin, strychnin and vinblastin. Also the non-toxic tris(trimethylsilyl)silane was employed for domino reactions, eg. for the preparation of the alkaloid aspidospermidin. 

S. Velazquez, S. Huss, and M.-J. Camarasa, Stereoselective synthesis of [3.3.0] fused lactones (y-butyrolactones) of sugars and nucleosides by free radical intramolecular cyclization, J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. p. 1263 (1991). 

Chapter 4 by J.J. Li reviews radical cyclization reactions in the total synthesis of indole alkaloids. The use of free radical chemistry in the synthesis of alkaloids has grown markedly because of the mild reaction conditions, tolerance of a wide variety of functional groups, and the good stereoselectivities. 

Both intermolecular and intramolecular additions of carbon radicals to alkenes and alkynes continue to be a widely investigated method for carbon-carbon bond formation and has been the subject of a number of review articles. In particular, the inter- and intra-molecular additions of vinyl, heteroatomic and metal-centred radicals to alkynes have been reported and also the factors which influence the addition reactions of carbon radicals to unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds. The stereochemical outcome of such additions continues to attract interest. The generation and use of alkoxy radicals in both asymmetric cyclizations and skeletal rearrangements has been reviewed and the use of fi ee radical reactions in the stereoselective synthesis of a-amino acid derivatives has appeared in two reports." The stereochemical features and synthetic potential of the [1,2]-Wittig rearrangement has also been reviewed. In addition, a review of some recent applications of free radical chain reactions in organic and polymer synthesis has appeared. The effect of solvent upon the reactions of neutral fi ee radicals has also recently been reviewed. ... 

---