Alkylation of lithiated dimethyl tartrate acetonide with unactivated alkyl halides and application to an asymmetric synthesis of the 2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane core of squalestatins/zaragozic acids.

(R,R)-Dimethyl tartrate acetonide 7 in THF/HMPA undergoes deprotonation with LDA and reaction at -78 °C during 12-72 h with a range of alkyl halides, including non-activated substrates, to give single diastereomers (at the acetonide) of monoalkylated tartrates 17, 24, 33a-f, 38a,b, 41 of R,R-configuration, i.e., a stereoretentive process (13-78% yields). Separable trans-dialkylated tartrates 34a-f can be co-produced in small amounts (9-14%) under these conditions, and likely arise from the achiral dienolate 36 of tartrate 7. Enolate oxidation and acetonide removal from γ-silyloxyalkyl iodide-derived alkylated tartrates 17 and 24 give ketones 21 and 26 and then Bamford-Stevens-derived diazoesters 23 and 27, respectively. Only triethylsilyl-protected diazoester 27 proved viable to deliver a diazoketone 28. The latter underwent stereoselective carbonyl ylide formation-cycloaddition with methyl glyoxylate and acid-catalysed rearrangement of the resulting cycloadduct 29, to give the 3,4,5-tricarboxylate-2,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane core 31 of squalestatins/zaragozic acids. Furthermore, monoalkylated tartrates 33a,d,f, and 38a on reaction with NaOMe in MeOH at reflux favour (≈75:25) the cis-diester epimers epi- 33a,d,f and epi- 38a (54-67% isolated yields), possessing the R,S-configuration found in several monoalkylated tartaric acid motif-containing natural products.

On the ozonolysis of unsaturated tosylhydrazones as a direct approach to diazocarbonyl compounds.

The scope and limitations are described of reacting unsaturated tosylhydrazones with O3 followed by Et3N for the generation of 1,4- and 1,5-diazocarbonyl systems. Tosylhydrazones, from tosylhydrazide condensation with readily available δ- and ε-unsaturated α-ketoesters, led in the former case to a 2-pyrazoline whereas the latter cases led to α-diazo-ε-ketoesters, although a terminal alkene produced a tetrahydropyridazinol. Using the ozonolysis-Et3N strategy, tosylhydrazones from cyclic enones give 2,5- and 2,6-diazoketones with aldehyde or ester functionality at the 1-position; the α-diazoaldehydes prefer the s-trans conformation, with a rotation barrier of 74 kJ mol-1 at 25 °C determined by NMR. This one-pot ozonolysis/Bamford-Stevens chemistry demonstrates both the tolerance of tosylhydrazones to ozone, and the subsequently added amine playing a dual role to directly transform the intermediate tosylhydrazone ozonides into products containing reactive diazo and ketone functionalities; such adducts are of particular value as precursors to cyclic carbonyl ylides for 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions.

Synthesis of (-)-6,7-Dideoxysqualestatin H5 by Carbonyl Ylide Cycloaddition-Rearrangement and Cross-electrophile Coupling.

An asymmetric synthesis of (-)-6,7-dideoxysqualestatin H5 is reported. Key features of the synthesis include the following: (1) highly diastereoselective n-alkylation of a tartrate acetonide enolate and subsequent oxidation-hydrolysis to provide an asymmetric entry to a ß-hydroxy-α-ketoester motif; (2) facilitation of Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclic carbonyl ylide formation-cycloaddition by co-generation of keto and diazo functionality through ozonolysis of an unsaturated hydrazone; and (3) stereoretentive Ni-catalyzed Csp3-Csp2 cross-electrophile coupling between tricarboxylate core and unsaturated side chain to complete the natural product.