Wittig selectivity

Accumulating evidence makes it increasingly clear that there is no single dominant Wittig transition state geometry and, therefore, no simple scheme to explain cis/trans selec-tivities. The conventional betaine pathway may not occur at all, the stabilized ylides, e,g., PhsP—CH —C02Et, can be ( )- or (Z)-selective, depending on the solvent and substrate (E. Vedejs, 1988 A, B, 1990). 

The selective intermolecular addition of two different ketones or aldehydes can sometimes be achieved without protection of the enol, because different carbonyl compounds behave differently. For example, attempts to condense acetaldehyde with benzophenone fail. Only self-condensation of acetaldehyde is observed, because the carbonyl group of benzophenone is not sufficiently electrophilic. With acetone instead of benzophenone only fi-hydroxyketones are formed in good yield, if the aldehyde is slowly added to the basic ketone solution. Aldols are not produced. This result can be generalized in the following way aldehydes have more reactive carbonyl groups than ketones, but enolates from ketones have a more nucleophilic carbon atom than enolates from aldehydes (G. Wittig, 1968). 

The Corey process is also useful for the synthesis of PGs of the 1 and 3 series. Catalytic hydrogenation of (34) (see Fig. 5) with 5% Pd/C at — 15-20°C results in selective reduction of the 5,6-double bond. Subsequent transformations analogous to those in Figure 5 lead to PGE (9) and PGF (10). The key step for synthesis of the PG series is the Wittig reaction of (29) with the appropriate unsaturated CO-chain yUde (170). 

The aldehyde functionality present in 3-phenyl-2H-azirine-2-carbox-aldehyde reacts selectively with amines and with Qrignard and Wittig reagents to give a variety of substituted azirines. These azirines have been used, in turn, to prepare a wide assortment of heterocyclic rings such as oxazoles, imidazoles, pyrazoles, pyrroles, and benzazepins. ... 

Aryl and alkyl trimethylsilyl ethers can often be cleaved by refluxing in aqueous methanol, an advantage for acid- or base-sensitive substrates. The ethers are stable to Grignard and Wittig reactions and to reduction with lithium aluminum hydride at —15°. Aryl -butyldimethylsilyl ethers and other sterically more demanding silyl ethers require acid- or fluoride ion-catalyzed hydrolysis for removal. Increased steric bulk also improves their stability to a much harsher set of conditions. An excellent review of the selective deprotection of alkyl silyl ethers and aryl silyl ethers has been published. ... 

Another total synthesis used the rich chemistry of iminophosphoranes (95AHC159). The /3-(3-indolyl)vinyl iminophosphorane 354 underwent an aza-Wittig/electrocyclic ring closure reaction to give the carboline 355 which was hydrolyzed with lithium hydroxide (Scheme 106). A selective reduction, deprotection, decarboxylation and diazotation followed by ring closure gave Fascaplysine (353) (94TL8851). 

Barron, L. D., and Vrbancich, J. Natural Vibrational Raman Optical Activity. 123,151-182 (1984) Bestmann, H. J., Vostrowsky, O. Selected Topics of the Wittig Reaction in the Synthesis of Natural Products. 109, 85-163 (1983). 

With the co side chain at C-12 in place, we are now in a position to address the elaboration of the side chain appended to C-8 and the completion of the syntheses. Treatment of lactone 19 with di-isobutylaluminum hydride (Dibal-H) accomplishes partial reduction of the C-6 lactone carbonyl and provides lactol 4. Wittig condensation8 of 4 with nonstabilized phosphorous ylide 5 proceeds smoothly and stereoselectively to give intermediate 20, the bistetra-hydropyranyl ether of ( )-1, in a yield of -80% from 18. The convergent coupling of compounds 4 and 5 is attended by the completely selective formation of the desired cis C5-C6 olefin. 

In our work with aminolysis of vinylepoxides (see Section 9.2.1.1), the substrates were routinely synthesized by SAE followed by Swern/Wittig reactions (Table 9.3, Entries 1-4) [48, 49]. This procedure is well suited for terminal olefins, but dis-ubstituted olefins can seldom be obtained with useful (E Z) selectivities. Nakata recently synthesized some advanced intermediates towards natural products in this manner (Entries 5, 6) [50, 51]. 

Several trialkoxy(2-butenyl)zirconium(IV)6,7i 18 and 2-butenylbis(cyclopentadienyl)zirco-nium(IV)18,19 124 complexes have been investigated with respect to the diastereoselectivity on addition to aldehydes. Chlorobis(cyclopentadienyl)-(3-tributylstannyl-2-propenyl)zirconium(IV), prepared by hydrozirconation of tributyl-(l,2-propadienyl)tin, accomplishes the (E)-selective, Wittig-like 1,2-propenylidenation of aldehydes and methyl ketones125. 

Olefin cross metathesis starts to compete with traditional C=C bondforming reactions such as the Wittig reaction and its modifications, as illustrated by the increasing use of electron-deficient conjugated alkenes for the ( )-selective construction of enals and enoates. 

The Wittig reagent (56) is best protected as an ester and reacts chemo-selectively with the aldehyde rather than the less reactive ketone in (57),... 

It should be noted here that the lithium salt of hexamethyldisilazane li-HMDS 492 (and Na-HMDS-(486) and K-HMDS in Sections 5.1.2 and 5.1.3), which is readily obtained on treatment of a solution of HMDS 2 in hexane or THF with butyUithium at -78 °C, is not only a very useful and selective strong base, e.g. for Wittig reactions, but can also add to carbonyl groups to yield the silylated Schiff bases or nitriles (cf. Sections 4.7 and 5.1.3) or to nitriles to afford N-silylated ami-dines. Alkylation of the Li-HMDS 492, e.g. with allyl bromide, affords, furthermore, N,N-bis(trimethylsilylated) primary amines such as 43 [64]. The combina-... 

Quebrachitol was converted into iL-c/j/roinositol (105). Exhaustive O-isopropylidenation of 105 with 2,2-dimethoxypropane, selective removal of the 3,4-0-protective group, and preferential 3-0-benzylation gave compound 106. Oxidation of 106 with dimethyl sulfoxide-oxalyl chloride provided the inosose 107. Wittig reaction of 107 with methyl(triphenyl)phos-phonium bromide and butyllithium, and subsequent hydroboration and oxidation furnished compound 108. A series of reactions, namely, protection of the primary hydroxyl group, 0-debenzylation, formation of A-methyl dithiocarbonate, deoxygenation with tributyltin hydride, and removal of the protective groups, converted 108 into 7. 

The stereoselectivity of the Wittig reaction is believed to be the result of steric effects that develop as the ylide and carbonyl compound approach one another. The three phenyl substituents on phosphorus impose large steric demands that govern the formation of the diastereomeric adducts.240 Reactions of unstabilized phosphoranes are believed to proceed through an early TS, and steric factors usually make these reactions selective for the d.v-alkcnc.241 Ultimately, however, the precise stereoselectivity is dependent on a number of variables, including reactant structure, the base used for ylide formation, the presence of other ions, solvent, and temperature.242... 

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