Regioselective synthesis

Microwave-promoted reactions continue to extend their reach in heterocyclic synthesis. Regioselective N4-aminoethylation of the l,4-benzodiazepin-2-one 94 was observed under microwave conditions in DMF/K2C03 to afford, for example, 96a and 96b in 64% and 67% yield respectively (Table 4). In contrast, the thermal reaction at 80 °C in DMF with K.2CC)3 as base gave the Nl-aminoethylation products (95a, 65%) and (95b, 76%). These results were... 

Otera, J. CsF in organic synthesis. Regioselective nucleophilic reactions of phenols with oxi-... 

P-Lactams. Insertion of CO into aziridines is a new approach to 3-lactam synthesis. Regioselectivity for such a reaction has been observed in certain substrates. 

Williams and co-workers ° described a regioselective metalation of 2,4 -bis-oxazoles in the context of natural product synthesis. Regioselective lithiation of 4-(methoxymethyl)-2 -methyl-2,4 -bis-oxazole 924 followed by quenching with a variety of electrophiles produced the 4-(methoxymethyl)-2 -methyl-5-substituted-2,4 -bis-oxazoles 925, respectively, in modest to excellent yield (Scheme 1.248). 

While special cases might be imagined where dehydration could favor one alkene rather than another, the situation depicted for cyclohexanone in Scheme 9.74 is typical. Aldehydes generally behave similarly with the potential for dehydration of the alcohol generated by the addition routinely realized. However, utilizing P-acyloxysulfones (the Julia synthesis) regioselective double bond introduction is possible. 

Paterson I, Osborne S. Enol borinates in organic synthesis regioselective a-sulphenylation and a-selenylation of ketones. Synlett 1992 145 146. 

An interesting case are the a,/i-unsaturated ketones, which form carbanions, in which the negative charge is delocalized in a 5-centre-6-electron system. Alkylation, however, only occurs at the central, most nucleophilic position. This regioselectivity has been utilized by Woodward (R.B. Woodward, 1957 B.F. Mundy, 1972) in the synthesis of 4-dialkylated steroids. This reaction has been carried out at high temperature in a protic solvent. Therefore it yields the product, which is formed from the most stable anion (thermodynamic control). In conjugated enones a proton adjacent to the carbonyl group, however, is removed much faster than a y-proton. If the same alkylation, therefore, is carried out in an aprotic solvent, which does not catalyze tautomerizations, and if the temperature is kept low, the steroid is mono- or dimethylated at C-2 in comparable yield (L. Nedelec, 1974). 

The synthesis of spiro compounds from ketones and methoxyethynyl propenyl ketone exemplifies some regioselectivities of the Michael addition. The electrophilic triple bond is attacked first, next comes the 1-propenyl group. The conjugated keto group is usually least reactive. The ethynyl starting material has been obtained from the addition of the methoxyethynyl anion to the carbonyl group of crotonaldehyde (G. Stork, 1962 B, 1964A). 

The method has been applied in asymmetric and regioselective syntheses of several natural compounds. Two simple examples are the commercial syntheses of the gipsy moth hydrophobic sex attractant, disparlure (RE. Rossiter, 1981, 1985) and < mono-epoxidation of a diene in a leukotriene B4 synthesis (L.S. Mills, 1983). 

Regioselectivity of C—C double bond formation can also be achieved in the reductiv or oxidative elimination of two functional groups from adjacent carbon atoms. Well estab llshed methods in synthesis include the reductive cleavage of cyclic thionocarbonates derivec from glycols (E.J. Corey, 1968 C W. Hartmann, 1972), the reduction of epoxides with Zn/Nal or of dihalides with metals, organometallic compounds, or Nal/acetone (seep.lS6f), and the oxidative decarboxylation of 1,2-dicarboxylic acids (C.A. Grob, 1958 S. Masamune, 1966 R.A. Sheldon, 1972) or their r-butyl peresters (E.N. Cain, 1969). 

Other interesting regioselective reactions are carried out within the synthesis of nitrofurantoin. Benzaidehyde semicarbazone substitutes chlorine in chloroacetic ester with the most nucleophilic hydrazone nitrogen atom. Transamidation of the ester occurs with the di-protic outer nitrogen atom. Only one nucleophilic nitrogen atom remains in the cyclization product and reacts exclusively with carbonyl compounds. 

In his cephalosporin synthesis methyl levulinate was condensed with cysteine in acidic medium to give a bicyclic thiazolidine. One may rationalize the regioselective formation of this bicycle with the assumption that in the acidic reaction mixture the tMoI group is the only nucleophile present, which can add to the ketone. Intramolecular amide formation from the methyl ester and acid-catalyzed dehydration would then lead to the thiazolidine and y-lactam rings. The stereochemistry at the carboxylic acid a-... 

Many examples of stereospecific allylation consistent with the above mechanism have been reported. As one example, the regioselective and highly diastereoselective allylation of the lactone 17 with the optically active allylic phosphate 16 proceeded with no appreciable racemization of the allylic part to give the lactones l8 and 19, and the reaction has been used for the synthesis of a polypropionate chain[26]. 

Desulfonylation of equally substituted allylic sulfones with NaBH4 and LiBHEt3 usually yields a mixture of regioisomeric alkenes[406,407]. However, the regioselective attack of the less substituted side of the unsymme-trically substituted allylic system with LiEtjBH has been utilized for the removal of the allylic sulfone group in synthesis of the polyprenoid 658[408],... 

With a regioselectivity opposite to that of the Zaitsev rule the Hofmann ehmma tion IS sometimes used in synthesis to prepare alkenes not accessible by dehydrohalo genation of alkyl halides This application decreased in importance once the Wittig reac tion (Section 17 12) became established as a synthetic method Similarly most of the analytical applications of Hofmann elimination have been replaced by spectroscopic methods... 

Section 24 10 The Kolbe-Schmitt synthesis of salicylic acid is a vital step m the preparation of aspirin Phenols as their sodium salts undergo highly regioselective ortho carboxylation on treatment with carbon dioxide at elevated temperature and pressure... 

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