Tandem aldol cyclization reactions

SCHEME 12 Mechanism of tandem aldol cyclization reactions. 

The present tandem nitro aldol-cyclization process is used for the preparation of the enantiomerically pure 4-hydroxy-2-isoxazoline-2-ones. They are prepared starting from chiral a-mesyloxy aldehydes and ethyl nitroacetate under mild reaction conditions (Eq. 8.85).136... 

The zinc chloride-mediated tandem Mukaiyama aldol-lactonization reaction of aldehydes 21 and thiopyridylketene acetals 22 gave mainly the trans isomer 23. However, if the catalyst is stannic chloride and the reaction is carried out at -78 °C, then the cyclization is highly diastereoselective and yields the cis-isomer 24 <990L1197>. 

Feringa and co-workers described the tandem addition-aldol cyclization protocol leading to the formation of 6,6-, 6,7-, and 6,8-annulated bicyclic systems (Scheme 68).39 Using Cu(n)-29 as catalyst and functionalized organozinc reagents as nucleophiles, the conjugate addition reaction followed by aldol cyclization can offer highly enantioselec-tive annulation products (up to 98% ee). This method can be used in the synthesis of carbocyclic compounds, such as steroids, terpenes, and other natural products. 

The Darzens reaction (tandem aldol-intramolecular cyclization sequence reaction) is a powerful complementary approach to epoxidation (see Chapter 5) that can be used for the synthesis of a,P-epoxy carbonyl and a,p-epoxysulfonyl compounds (Scheme 8.32). Currently, all catalytic asymmetric variants of the Darzens reactions are based on chiral phase-transfer catalysis using quaternary ammonium salts as catalysts. 

A tandem aldol/intramolecular enol cyclization of epoxyaldehydes to form a-furyl carbinols, 127, has been reported <05TL5467>. Only isopropyl methyl ketones or t-butyl methyl ketones have been shown to work in this reaction. The corresponding A-Boc aziridine aldehyde 127 (X = Af-Boc) has also been used to generate an a-amino furan in excellent yield. 

Krische disclosed an intramolecular tandem 1,4-addition/aldol process in the presence of water (Scheme 8.40) [118]. Here, the rate of the aldol cyclization was faster than the competing hydrolysis of the rhodium enolate, so that 150 was isolated in 88% yield and 88% enantioselectivity. The configuration observed for the aldol reaction could be accounted for by the Zimmerman-Traxler-type transition state of the (Zj-enolate. 

An unexpected result from the same series of work as above by Perumal et al was obtained when cycloalkenones were used as dienophiles [187]. Instead of the imino Diels-Alder product, azabicyclic ketones were obtained (Figure 8.79). The authors proposed a novel Diels-Alder reaction between In-dienolate ions as dienes, and the imines as dienophiles. Another possibility brought up by the authors was that the products were the result of a tandem aldol reaction on the imine, followed by a Michael-type cyclization reaction. 

A tandem enzymatic aldol-intramolecular Homer-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction has been used in the synthesis of a cyclitol.310 The key steps are illustrated in Scheme 8.33. The phosphonate aldehyde was condensed with dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) in water with FDP aldolase to give the aldol adduct, which cyclizes with an intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction to give the cyclo-pentene product. The one-pot reaction takes place in aqueous solution at slightly acidic (pH 6.1-6.8) conditions. The aqueous Wittig-type reaction has also been investigated in DNA-templated synthesis.311... 

Tandem processes mediated by triethylborane involving conjugate addition to enones followed by aldol reaction are reported (Scheme 52, Eq. 52a). More recently, a tandem process involving addition of an isopropyl radical to an o ,/3-unsaturated oxime ether afforded an azaenolate intermediate that reacts with benzaldehyde in the presence of trimethylaluminum. The aldol product cyclizes to afford an isopropyl substituted y-bulyroloaclonc in 61% overall yield (Scheme 52) [116]. In these reactions, triethylborane is acting as a chain transfer reagent that delivers a boron enolate or azaenolate necessary for the aldolization process. 

In almost the same manner, tandem hydroformylation/aldol condensation aldol condensation of ketoolefins, such as p,y-unsaturated ketones, gives a single cyclization product under acid catalysis. Similar to the stepwise reaction, the in situ generated aldehyde preferentially acts as the electrophilic carbonyl component, while the ketone acts as the nucleophilic enol to form the five-membered ring product. Subsequent dehydration and hydrogenation of the resulting enone readily occurs under the reductive reaction conditions used (Scheme 30) [84],... 

This method can also be applied to silyl enol ethers of homologous unsaturated ketones as well as of unsaturated aldehydes or esters [85-87]. While unmodified unsaturated esters give only the corresponding aldehydes without cyclization under tandem hydroformylation/aldol reaction conditions, the corresponding silylated ester enolates smoothly cyclize in a tandem hy-droformylation/ Mukaiyama aldol reaction (Scheme 32) [85-87]. 

Reaction at the C atom of nitronate salts is known with a variety of electrophiles, such as aldehydes (Henry reaction) and epoxides (191-193). Thus the incorporation of the nitro moiety and the cyclization event can be combined into a tandem sequence. Addition of the potassium salt of dinitromethane to an a-haloaldehyde affords a nitro aldol product that can then undergo intramolecular O-alkylation to provide the cyclic nitronate (208, Eq. 2.17) (59). This process also has been expanded to a-nitroacetates and unfunctionalized nitroalkanes. Other electrophiles include functionalized a-haloaldehydes (194,195), a-epoxyaldehydes (196), a-haloenones (60), and a-halosulfonium salts (197), (Chart 2.2). In the case of unsubstituted enones, it is reported that the intermediate nitronate salt can undergo formation of a hemiacetal, which can be acetylated in moderate yield (198). 

Moderate yields of 3-hydroxyalkylthiochromones 521 result from a tandem Michael-aldol reaction of l-(2-methyl-s111 I d n y I phenv l)propvnone with aldehydes in the presence of two moles of BF3 etherate as a Lewis acid. The process involves a 6-emfo-dig cyclization (Equation 181) <2002TL7039, 2005PS(180)989>. 

A tandem Michael-aldol reaction of ynone selenides with aldehydes provides a convenient route to 3-substituted selenochromen-4-ones 132 (Equation 49) <2002TL7039>. The reaction proceeds via an intermediate zwitterion formed via a 6-/ r/ -r//g-cyclization. 

An intramolecular tandem Michael aldol reaction was described for esters that have an enolizable aldehyde in the molecule. The lithium ester enolate generated through the Michael reaction undergoes an intramolecular aldol reaction. Thus, the reaction of unsaturated esters 153 with lithium benzylthiolate provided the expected cyclization products 156 and 157 via (w-formylenolate 154 in an excellent cis stereoselectivity (Scheme 49)no. 

The cyclization, presumably via 160, gave the Michael-aldol tandem cyclization products 161 and 162 in a perfect. vyw-aldol stereoselectivity. The stereochemistry of the tandem reaction is rationalized by the model 164, which is sterically more favorable than 165 (Scheme 51). The oxo-ester 158 reacts in s-cis form and generates the d.v-enolatc, 163,... 

A remarkable example of tandem conjugate addition-aldol reaction has been recently reported by Tomioka and coworkers. The transient lithium enolate, generated by 1,4-addition of benzyl lithium thiolate onto the corresponding a,-unsaturated ester182,595, is followed by an intramolecular aldol tandem cyclization, resulting in a five-membered... 

The isoquinuclidine ring system is readily accessible through various synthetic routes. The most widely used approach to the construction of the ISQ ring system is through Diels-Alder or 4+2 cycloaddition reactions. Dihydropyridines (DHPs) or 1,3-cyclohexadienes are most commonly employed as diene components and various dienophiles have been employed based on the substitution pattern of the final desired product. Intramolecular cyclizations, tandem-Michael addition/aldolizations or cyclization via tricyclic aziridines or perhydro / -aminobenzoic acid derivatives have also been reported. Several synthetic routes employing asymmetric or chiral synthetic approaches have also been reported. Most recently, solution-phase parallel synthesis of ISQ derivatives using several of these approaches has been reported [49,50,51]. 

A mixture of THF and DMPU has been used as a solvent for Sml2 in various reactions such as cyclization of alkynyl halides [90,91], tandem iodo-enone cy-clization/samarium enolate aldol reaction [92], coupling of (3-silylacrylic esters [93], deprotection of arenesulfonamides [94] and pyridine-2-sulfonamides [95], radical ring-opening reactions of cyclopropyl ketones and the trapping of the resulting samarium(III) enolates by a variety of electrophiles [96] (Scheme 41). 

Michael and aldol reaction tandem. Michael reaction products arising from dicarbonyl compounds that contain one conjugated double bond undergo cyclization (aldol reaction) if the second carbonyl group is properly juxtaposed. For example, a synthesis of 2-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid derivatives is accomplishable in one step from 7-keto-2-alkenamides. The tandem reaction is promoted by MejAlCl. 

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