Synthesis ylide formation

In several cases of syntheses of highly functionalized molecules, use of CH3Li-LiBr for ylide formation has been found to be advantageous. For example, in the synthesis of milbemycin D, Crimmins and co-workers obtained an 84% yield with 10 1 Z E selectivity.251 In this case, the more stable E-isomer was required and it was obtained by I2-catalyzed isomerization. 

Fig. 4.12. Synthesis of non-racemic griseofulvin based on intramolecular oxonium ylide formation [1262],...

The perfluoroacetamide catalysts, rhodium(II) trifluoroacetamidate [Rh2(tfm)4] and rhodium(II) perfluorobutyramidate [Rh2(pfbm)4], are interesting hybrid molecules that combine the features of the amidate and perfluorinated ligands. In early studies, these catalysts were shown to prefer insertion over cycloaddition [30]. They also demonstrated a preference for oxindole formation via aromatic C-H insertion [31], even over other potential reactions [86]. In still another example, rhodium(II) perfluorobutyramidate showed a preference for aromatic C-H insertion over pyridinium ylide formation, in the synthesis of an indole nucleus [32]. Despite this demonstrated propensity for aromatic insertion, the perfluorobutyramidate was shown to be an efficient catalyst for the generation of isomtinchnones [33]. The chemoselectivity of this catalyst was further demonstrated in the cycloaddition with ethyl vinyl ethers [87] and its application to diversity-oriented synthesis [88]. However, it was demonstrated that while diazo imides do form isomtinchnones under these conditions, the selectivity was completely reversed from that observed with rhodium(II) acetate [89, 90]. 

In a similar approach, Garner et al. (78) made use of silicon-based tethers between ylide and dipolarophile during their program of research into the application of azomethine ylides in the total asymmetric synthesis of complex natural products. In order to form advanced synthetic intermediates of type 248 during the asymmetric synthesis of bioxalomycins (249), an intramolecular azomethine ylide reaction from aziridine ylide precursors was deemed the best strategy (Scheme 3.84). Under photochemically induced ylide formation and subsequent cycloaddition, the desired endo-re products 250 were formed exclusively. However, due to unacceptably low synthetic yields, this approach was abandoned in favor of a longer tether (Scheme 3.85). 

In an extension to this work, this group applied the protocol to the synthesis of (—)-mesembrine (258). The key ylide formation and cycloaddition sequence was performed in xylenes at 250 °C in a sealed tube, furnishing the desired pyrrolidine lactone 259 as a single isomer in excellent yield, and further chemical elaboration yielded the target compound 258. Again it can be postulated that the stereochemical outcome is due to the bulky benzyloxymethyl group lying in an equatorial environment in the transition state (Scheme 3.88). 

Over the last 15 years, Padwa et al. (73,74) have been heavily involved with the study and application of carbonyl ylides as cycloaddition precursors in synthesis. Their work has helped make the tandem ylide formation-dipolar cycloaddition process a synthetically accessible transformation. Much of Padwa s early work focused on determining the extent and limitations of this methodology. Many of the early systems were carbocyclic in nature and helped define basic parameters such as... 

An intramolecular cycloaddition reaction was also used in the synthesis of the annelated tetrahydrothiophene (97), starting from l,3-oxathiolan-5-one (96) (131) (Scheme 5.36). Thiocarbonyl ylide formation occurred by thermal extrusion of CO2 at 250 °C, yielding 97 in 62% yield. 

Asymmetric induction in the ylide formation/[l,2]-shift has also been studied with chiral metal complexes. Katsuki and co-workers examined the reaction of ( )-2-phenyloxetane with 0.5 equiv. of /< //-butyl diazoacetate in the presence of Gu(i) catalyst. With chiral bipyridine ligand 53, trans- and m-tetrahydrofurans 54 and 55 are obtained with 75% and 81% ee, respectively (Equation (6)). This asymmetric ring expansion was applied by the same group to their enantioselective synthesis of translactone. 

Toward the synthesis of zaragozic acids, a novel family of fungal metabolites that has been shown to be picomolar competitive inhibitors of squalene synthease, Hodgson s group and Hashimoto s group have used cyclic carbonyl ylide formation/[3 + 2]-cycloaddition approach. " In Hashimoto s synthesis, the 2,8-dioxabicyclo[3,2,l]octane core... 

Intramolecular sulfur ylide formation and subsequent [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement has been utilized in construction of ring systems, as demonstrated by the total synthesis of (+)-/3-elemenone 118 and (+)-eleman-8/ , 12-olide 117 (Scheme a-diazo (3-kcto esters 113 as the starting material, the core structure is formed... 

A new synthesis of cr-substituted and a,a-disubstituted a-amino acid derivatives based on the ammonium ylide formation/[2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement has been recently reported by Clark s group.Decomposition of a-diazo -keto ester 153 was studied in detail with Rh2(OAc)4, Cu(acac)2, and Cu(hfacac)2 as the catalyst. Cu(acac)2 and Cu(hfacac)2 gave similar results, but Rh2(OAc)4 turned out less effective (Equation (23)). 

One of the attractions of dirhodium paddelwheel complexes is their ability to catalyse a wide variety of organic transformations such as C-H insertions, cyclopropanations and ylide formation. A review on the application of high symmetry chiral Rh2(II,II) paddlewheel compounds highlights their application as catalysts for asymmetric metal carbenoid and nitrenoid reactions, and as Lewis acids.59 Their impressive performance as catalysts in C-H functionalisation reactions has been exploited in the synthesis of complex natural products and pharmaceutical agents. A recent review on catalytic C-H functionalisation by metal carbenoid and nitrenoid insertion demonstrates the important role of dirhodium species in this field.60... 

Tandem carbonyl ylide generation from the reaction of metallo carbenoids with carbonyl continues to be of great interest both mechanistically and synthetically. Effective carbonyl ylide formation in transition metal catalyzed reactions of diazo compounds depends on the catalyst, the diazo species, the nature of the interacting carbonyl group and competition with other processes. The many structurally diverse and highly successful examples of tetrahydrofuran formation cited in this mini-review clearly indicate that the tandem cyclization/cycloaddition cascade of metallo carbenoids has evolved as an important strategy in both carbo- and heterocyclic synthesis. 

N — H insertion generally proceeds unidirectionally, C—H insertion leading to a four-membered ring is not infrequently accompanied by C—H insertion, yielding a five-membered ring, and also by aromatic cycloaddition, ylide formation, etc. Few other carbene reactions are employed in the synthesis of azetidines, and their mechanisms are not always clear. 

Carbene cyclization reactions offer a convenient and efficient method for the synthesis of five-membered sulfur-containing rings. These may involve both carbene insertion into a C—H bond and ylide formation. 

Recently, the known method for the synthesis of thiolanes by cyclization of diazo ketosulfides (72CC860) has received further development (92TL169 95JOC53). It was found that sulfur-containing a-diazo ketones 437 bearing a tethered alkyne unit decomposed in the presence of Rh2(OAc)4 via the addition of the rhodium-stabilized carbenoid onto the acetylene jr-bond to give a vinyl carbenoid, followed by sulfonium ylide formation and a subsequent [2,3]- or [l,2]-sigmatropic shift. This transfor-... 

The most important methods for the synthesis of thiane and thiepane derivatives involve sulfonium ylide formation. The most graceful and effective of these is the intramolecular cyclization of carbenes derived from diazocarbonyl and diazodicarbonyl compounds. In some cases, the latter provide stable sulfonium ylides. Thus, ylides 455 ( = 1 R = Et, Ph) were produced on heating diazo compounds 456 ( = 1 R = Et, Ph) in 62 and... 

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