Water freezing as a regiocontrol element in the multicomponent assembly of cyclic enones.

Regioselective synthesis of dialkoxy 2-cyclopentenones and 2-cyclohexenones with novel substitution patterns has been accomplished by the one-pot combination of three simple starting materials (chromium carbene complex, Weinreb acetamide lithium enolate and 1-alkoxyallenyllithium) under either anhydrous conditions or water-promoted solidification of the reaction mixture. These results revealed an unprecedented water-freezing effect that plays a key role to completely reverse the regioselectivity of the intramolecular carbometalation of an allene moiety.

Enantioselective multicomponent synthesis of fused 6-5 bicyclic 2-butenolides by a cascade heterobicyclisation process.

The successive coupling of an alkoxy(aryl/heteroaryl)carbene complex of chromium with either a ketone or an imide lithium enolate and then a 3-substituted (H, TMS, PhCH(2), PhCH(2)CH(2), Me) propargylic organomagnesium reagent has afforded novel hydroxy-substituted bicyclic [4.3.0]-γ-alkylidene-2-butenolides with three modular points that has allowed the efficient introduction of molecular complexity, including a homopropargylic alcohol core. The selective formation of these five- or six-component heterobicyclisation products is the result of the regioselective integration of the Grignard reagent as a propargyl fragment followed by a cascade CO/alkyne/CO insertion, ketene trapping and elimination sequence. By using lithium enolates of chiral N-acetyl-2-oxazolidinones and the corresponding propargylic organocerium reagents, both enantiomers of these bicyclic heterocycles were efficiently prepared with very high enantiomeric purity. Architecturally, these fused bicyclic butenolides are characterised by a highly unsaturated and oxygenated core and they exhibit strong blue fluorescence in solution.

On the mechanism of cyclization of 5-hexenylchromate intermediates in the reactions of Fischer carbene complexes with a lithium enolate and allylmagnesium bromide.

The mechanisms for the evolution of pentacarbonyl-5-hexenylchromate complexes, unsubstituted and methyl substituted at C2, formed from a pentacarbonyl(alkoxy)carbene complex of chromium, the corresponding ketone lithium enolate, and allylmagnesium bromide, were theoretically investigated by using DFT (Density Functional Theory) at the B3PW91/6-31G* level (LANL2DZ for Cr and Br) taking into account the effect of THF solvent through the PCM model (Polarizable Continuum Model). Methyl substitution at C2 provokes a shortening of about 5 degrees in the C1-C2-C3 angle that favors the formation of the pentacyclic product. Also, the presence of this methyl substituent at C2 sterically disfavors the formation of the hexacyclic product. Thus, our results yield the hexacyclic system as the most favored product for the evolution of the unsubstituted alkylpentacarbonylchromate complex, and the pentacyclic product in the case of the substituted system, in good agreement with the experimental findings. The stereochemistry of the products experimentally observed is determined at the transition state for the migration of the Cr(CO)(5) fragment from C1 to C6 and the conformational rearrangement of the C1-C6 skeleton. Amine molecules, present in the reaction medium, can play a catalytic role by assisting the 1,2-H migration in the last step for the formation of hexacyclic products.

Diastereoselective cyclopropanation of ketone enols with Fischer carbene complexes.

Treatment of aryl/heteroaryl methoxycarbene complexes of chromium with -substituted ketone lithium enolates between -78 degrees C and room temperature resulted in the diastereoselective synthesis of 1,2,2,3-tetrasubstituted cyclopropanols. An exception has been observed in the reaction with cyclohexanone lithium enolate that yielded a bicyclic 2-buten-4-olide. 1,2-Dimethoxycyclopropanes and 1-methoxy-2-trimethylsilyloxycyclopropanes were isolated by quenching the reactions with MeOTf or Me3SiCl, respectively. This novel cyclopropanation process involves formation of lithium (3-oxoalkyl)pentacarbonylchromate intermediates which on warming undergo intramolecular addition to the carbonyl group. This cyclization is equivalent to the cyclopropanation in smooth conditions of electron-rich alkenes with Fischer carbene complexes.

Diastereoselective multicomponent cyclizations of Fischer carbene complexes, lithium enolates, and allylmagnesium bromide leading to highly substituted five- and six-membered carbocycles.

The one-pot sequential reaction of a chromium alkoxycarbene complex, a ketone or ester lithium enolate, and allylmagnesium bromide enabled the selective synthesis of novel diastereomerically pure pentasubstituted cyclopentanols or tetrasubstituted 1,4-cyclohexanediols, depending on the degree of substitution at the Cbeta position of the enolate anion. A few exceptions have been encountered in which tetrasubstituted cyclopentanols or pentasubstituted 1,4-cyclohexanediols were selectively formed. The use of 2-iodoethoxycarbene complexes gave access to 1,2,4-cyclohexanetriols. These multicomponent-coupling reactions involved the formation of lithium alkylpentacarbonylchromates as key intermediates, which further evolved through intramolecular processes, such as insertion of an alkene, CO insertion or addition to a carbonyl group, and, moreover, could be trapped in intermolecular reactions with different electrophiles and styrene. The substitution pattern of the alkylchromate carbon chain has been proposed to control the nature of the annulation process.

Asymmetric dearomatization of the furan ring promoted by conjugate organolithium addition to (menthyloxy)(3-furyl)carbene complexes of chromium.

The sequential low-temperature addition reaction of an organolithium compound and methyl triflate to (menthyloxy)(3-furyl)carbene complexes of chromium and tungsten proceeded with excellent regioselectivity (1,4-addition) and diastereoselectivity (2,3-trans disposition of the nucleophile and electrophile groups) to afford new 2,3-disubstituted (2,3-dihydro-3-furyl)carbene complexes. In addition, a high degree of diastereofacial selectivity was achieved by employing alkenyllithium compounds. After detachment of both the metal fragment and the chiral auxiliary group, trisubstituted 2,3-dihydrofuran derivatives containing a quaternary stereogenic center at the C3 position were obtained. The characterization, including X-ray crystallography, of a novel type of stable four-membered chelate (eta(2)-alkene)tetracarbonylcarbene complex of chromium is also reported.

One-pot enantioselective formation of eight-membered rings from alkenyl Fischer carbene complexes and ketone enolates.

Eight-membered carbocycles with up to five new stereogenic centers are enantioselectively obtained following a one-pot procedure that involves the coupling of three components: an alkenyl Fischer carbene complex, a ketone enolate, and allyl lithium.

Stereoselective formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition of N-alkylidene glycine ester anions to chiral Fischer alkenylcarbene complexes. Asymmetric synthesis of 3,4,5-trisubstituted prolines.

The reaction between N-alkylidene glycine ester enolates, generated from glycine esters aldimines with LDA in THF at low temperature, and chiral alkoxyalkenylcarbene complexes of chromium provided directly 2,4,5-trisubstituted-3-pyrrolidinylcarbene complexes with total exo selectivity and very high syn and facial diastereoselectivity when carbene complexes bearing the (-)-8-phenylmenthyloxy group were employed. Oxidation of the metal carbene moiety followed by basic hydrolysis of the esters afforded enantiomerically highly enriched syn,exo-3,4,5-trisubstituted prolines, whereas acidic hydrolysis of the same functional groups proceeded with epimerization at the alpha-amino acid center leading to anti,exo-3,4,5-trisubstituted prolines of very high enantiomeric purity as well.

Stereoselective Michael Addition of Glycine Anions to Chiral Fischer Alkenylcarbene Complexes. Asymmetric Synthesis of beta-Substituted Glutamic Acids.

The reaction of lithium enolates of achiral N-protected glycine esters with chiral alkoxyalkenylcarbene complexes of chromium provided the corresponding Michael adducts with either high anti or syn selectivity depending on the nature of the nitrogen protecting group, and high diastereofacial selectivity when carbene complexes containing the (-)-8-phenylmenthyloxy group were employed. Subsequent oxidation of the metal-carbene moiety followed by deprotection of the amine group and hydrolysis of both carboxylic esters afforded enantiomerically enriched 3-substituted glutamic acids of natural as well as unnatural stereochemistry. Alternatively, when the deprotection step was performed previously to the oxidation, cyclic aminocarbene complexes were formed, which finally led to optically active 3-substituted pyroglutamic acids.

Novel Cleavage of Propargylamines by Reaction with Organolithium Compounds.

Treatment of secondary aliphatic 2-bromoallylamines with an excess of an organolithium compound led to saturated amines in which the organic group of the organolithium compound is incorporated at the alpha carbon. On the other hand, the successive reaction of the former amines with BuLi and t-BuLi between -80 degrees C and rt gave 1,3-diamines or hexahydropyrimidines depending on the reaction time. The formation of these unexpected products involves initial generation of lithium propargylamides, which subsequently undergo cleavage of the C propargylic-C acetylenic bond induced by the organolithium present in each case in the reaction medium. A mechanism which takes into account all the different reaction products has been proposed and additionally supported by successful trapping of dilithium acetylide.

Thermal Cyclodimerization of Aliphatic Secondary C,N-Dilithioallylamine Derivatives.

beta-Nitrogen-functionalized vinylic organolithium compounds derived from secondary aliphatic allylamines have been found to undergo upon heating (reflux of THF) either a dimerization or a regio- and stereoselective cyclodimerization reaction affording diamino 1,4-dienes or cis-2,3-disubstituted 4-methylenepyrrolidines, respectively, according to reaction time. In contrast, the corresponding dianions derived from aromatic allylamines underwent protonation by the solvent under analogous thermal treatment. A mechanism accounting for all these results has been proposed, which involves a spontaneous beta-elimination of lithium hydride and an intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization by addition of a lithium amide to an alkene group as critical steps. In addition, experimental evidence is provided about the formation of 3-lithio-1-aza 1,3-dienes as intermediates in these unusual thermal transformations.