Stereoselectivity lead tetraacetate oxidation

More complex ellagitannins, such as the natural compounds tellimagrandin I (162) [117], sanguiin H-5 [18], pedunculagin [118], and coriariin A (166) (Scheme 41) [119, 120] have also been synthesized by the lead tetraacetate oxidative coupling procedure, with the same favorable stereoselective (S)-biaryl bond formation. 

In many instances, however, the intermediate triazoline can be isolated and separately converted into the aziridine, often with poor stereoselectivity. The first practical modification to the original reaction conditions generated the (presumed) nitrenes by in situ oxidation of hydrazine derivatives. Thus, Atkinson and Rees prepared a range of N-amino aziridine derivatives by treatment of N-aminophthali-mides (and other N-aminoheterocydes) with alkenes in the presence of lead tetraacetate (Scheme 4.10) [7]. 

Dihydrocorynantheine was obtained via similar steps from normal cyanoacetic ester 319 (172). Stereoselective transformation of the alio cyanoacetic ester 315 to the normal stereoisomer 319 was achieved by utilizing a unique epimerization reaction of the corresponding quinolizidine-enamine system (174). Oxidation of alio cyanoacetic ester 315 with lead tetraacetate in acetic acid medium, followed by treatment with base, yielded the cis-disubstituted enamine 317, which slowly isomerized to the trans isomer 318. It has been proved that this reversible eipmerization process occurs at C-15. The ratio of trans/cis enamines (318/317) is about 9 1. The sodium borohydride reduction of 318 furnished the desired cyanoacetic ester derivative 319 with normal stereo arrangement. The details of the C-15 epimerization mechanism are discussed by B rczai-Beke etal. (174). 

Barton oxidation was the key to form the 1,2-diketone 341 in surprisingly high yield, in order to close the five-membered ring (Scheme 38). The conditions chosen for the deprotection of the aldehyde, mercuric oxide and boron trifluoride etherate, at room temperature, immediately led to aldol 342. After protection of the newly formed secondary alcohol as a benzoate, the diketone was fragmented quantitatively with excess sodium hypochlorite. Cyclization of the generated diacid 343 to the desired dilactone 344 proved very difficult. After a variety of methods failed, the use of lead tetraacetate (203), precedented by work performed within the stmcmre determination of picrotoxinin (1), was spectacularly successful (204). In 99% yield, the simultaneous formation of both lactones was achieved. EIcb reaction with an excess of tertiary amine removed the benzoate of 344 and the double bond formed was epoxidized with peracid affording p-oxirane 104 stereoselectively. Treatment of... 

Condensation of silylimine of (5)-lactic aldehyde with lithium enolate of t-butyl isovalerate affords the -lactam in 80% chemical yield and in a 97 3 diastereomeric ratio. The mixture was desilylated and treated with lead tetracetate to give, in one step, through a radical fragmentation reaction, the 4-acetoxy derivative as a 1 1 4(R) 4(S) imeric mixture. The lack oi stereospecificity is not easy to rationalize expecially if one considers that the analogous lead tetraacetate induced oxidative decarboxylation is completely trans stereoselective. Both reactions should have the same radical intermediate. However, this lack of stereospecificity is not important for the success of the synthesis since the mixture of diastereoisomers exclusively affords the trans 4-substituted azetidinone by the subsequent Merck procedure (Scheme 9). 

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