Trisubstituted Olefin Synthesis

Faulkner, D. J. Stereoselective synthesis of trisubstituted olefins. Synthesis 1971, 175-189. 

This trisubstituted olefin synthesis was used for the synthesis of a trienecar-boxylic ester (6) having the skeleton of the C 18-Crecropia juvenile hormone, methyl cw-10,1 l-oxido-3,1 l-dimethyl-7-ethyltrideca-/r nr,/ra r-2,6-dienoate (3)... 

Keywords Heterogeneous palladium Suzuki coupling Hydroalumination Palladium removal methods Sonogashira reaction Trisubstituted olefin synthesis... 

Stereospecific Synthesis of Trisubstituted Olefins from Acetylenes or Aldehydes Applications to the Total Synthesis of Cecropia Juvenile Hormones (JH) and Farnesol... 

Synthesis of trisubstituted olefins via LAH reduction of the propargylic alcohols and iodination as the key step (Ref. 1). 

The reaction was adapted to the stereospecific synthesis of trisubstituted olefins in two ways as shown in the following scheme. 

The first synthesis of trisubstituted olefins from acetylenes was applied to the total synthesis of several natural products as outlined on the next page. 

A cursory inspection of key intermediate 8 (see Scheme 1) reveals that it possesses both vicinal and remote stereochemical relationships. To cope with the stereochemical challenge posed by this intermediate and to enhance overall efficiency, a convergent approach featuring the union of optically active intermediates 18 and 19 was adopted. Scheme 5a illustrates the synthesis of intermediate 18. Thus, oxidative cleavage of the trisubstituted olefin of (/ )-citronellic acid benzyl ester (28) with ozone, followed by oxidative workup with Jones reagent, affords a carboxylic acid which can be oxidatively decarboxylated to 29 with lead tetraacetate and copper(n) acetate. Saponification of the benzyl ester in 29 with potassium hydroxide provides an unsaturated carboxylic acid which undergoes smooth conversion to trans iodolactone 30 on treatment with iodine in acetonitrile at -15 °C (89% yield from 29).24 The diastereoselectivity of the thermodynamically controlled iodolacto-nization reaction is approximately 20 1 in favor of the more stable trans iodolactone 30. 

For trisubstituted olefins, the nucleophile attacks predominantly at the less substituted end of the allyl moiety, e.g. to afford a 78 22 mixture of 13 and 14 (equation 7). Both the oxidative addition of palladium(O) and the subsequent nucleophilic attack occur with inversion of configuration to give the product of net retention7. The synthesis of the sex pheromone 15 of the Monarch butterfly has been accomplished by using bis[bis(l,2-diphenylphosphinoethane)]palladium as a catalyst as outlined in equation 87. A substitution of an allyl sulfone 16 by a stabilized carbon nucleophile, such as an alkynyl or vinyl system, proceeds regioselectively in the presence of a Lewis acid (equation 9)8. The... 

Pd/P(t-Bu)., in the presence of Cy2NMe, is an unusually mild and versatile catalyst for Heck reactions of aryl chlorides (Tables 1 and 2) (as well as for room-temperature reactions of aryl bromides).21 22 23 Example A, the coupling of chlorobenzene with butyl methacrylate, illustrates the application of this method to the stereoselective synthesis of a trisubstituted olefin a-methylcinnamic acid derivatives are an important family of compounds that possess biological activity (e.g., hypolipidemic24 and antibiotic25) and serve as intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals (e.g., Sulindac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug26). Example B, the coupling of 4-chlorobenzonitrile with styrene, demonstrates that Pd/P(t-Bu). can catalyze the Heck reaction of activated aryl chlorides at room temperature. 

The jS-oxido-ylides synthesis of trisubstituted olefins has also been applied to the synthesis of farnesol (127). The phosphonium salt (123) with the aldehyde (124) and formaldehyde gave the hydroxy farnesol derivative (125) which was transformed into farnesol (127) and into (126), a position isomer of Cj juvenile hormone. 

Although the introduction of a substituent at both C-a and C-P may be expected to destabilize the transoid state of rearrangement due to additional 1,2-allylic interactions, the tendency to form an -double bond exclusively is retained in the synthesis of trisubstituted olefins as well. The first such report, shortly following the initial Evans report , was made by Grieco who achieved a completely stereospecific general synthesis of ( )-y-substituted methallyl alcohols, including the synthesis of racemic ( )-nuciferol (45, equation 24) . Subsequently, other examples of nearly or completely stereospecific syntheses of ( )-) , y-substituted allylic alcohols have also been pub-lished - " . On the other hand, in the synthesis of y,y-disubstituted allylic alcohols a diminished stereoselectivity has been observed. In this case, the /Z ratio depends on the... 

Phomactin A is the most challenging family member architecturally. The fragments that are most challenging are highlighted in Fig. 8.4. In Box-A, the highly sensitive hydrated furan is prone to dehydration under acidic or basic conditions, and any total synthesis almost certainly must save introduction of this fragment until the end game. Box-B relates to the strained and somewhat twisted electron-rich double bond. This trisubstituted olefin is extremely reactive toward electrophilic oxidants. 

Trost reported the synthesis of 1,4-dienes with ruthenium catalysis through regioselective carbometallation of alkynes with alkenes.51 Di- and trisubstituted olefins can also be obtained with arylboronic acids through an intermolecular process under rhodium,30 52 55 nickel,56 and palladium catalysis.57 Recently, Larock has reported an efficient palladium-catalyzed route for the preparation of tetrasubstituted olefins.58,59... 

As depicted in Scheme 21, subjection of 86 with 20 mol% of freshly prepared 2 after 4 h at 22 °C indeed afforded 87 in 92% yield after silica gel chromatography (>98% Z). Stereocontrolled hydrogenation of the trisubstituted olefin (72% yield) and removal of the acetate and trifluroacetate groups, effected by subjection of the hydrogenated adduct with hydrazine in MeOH, delivered Sch 38516 (1) in 96% yield to complete the total synthesis. 

The opening of cyclopropylcarbinols to homoallylic bromides constituted the first use of cyclopropyl compounds for the stereocontrolled synthesis of natural products. The cyclopropyl conjunctive reagents enhance the richness of this notion. The stereocontrolled opening of vinylcyclopropanes by a homopentadienyl proton shift provides an approach to trisubstituted olefins and thereby a new strategy. The fungal prohormone methyl trisporate B (224) as summarized in Scheme 15 illustrates this conceptual development97). 

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