Reagent Control of Geometric Selectivity and Enantiotopic Group Preference in Asymmetric Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons Reactions with meso-Dialdehydes

Joshua S. Tullis, Lauri Vares, Nina Kann, Per-Ola Norrby, Tobias Rein

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    Results from asymmetric Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reactions between chiral phosphonate reagents 3a-d, which contain (1R,2S,5R)-8-phenylmenthol as a chiral auxiliary, and meso-dialdehydes 6 and 14 are presented. It was found that both the geometric selectivities and the levels of asymmetric induction depended on the structure of the phosphonate (i.e., the alkyl group R1 in the phosphoryl unit) and to a certain extent also on the reaction conditions. Furthermore, the nature of the protecting group used on the a-oxygen substituent in dialdehydes 14 influenced the outcome somewhat. By an appropriate choice of reagent and conditions, either (E)- or (Z)-monoaddition products could be obtained geometrically pure and with good to excellent diastereoselectivities, in synthetically useful yields. Analyses of the absolute configurations of the products showed that the (E)-selective reagents (3a-c) and the (Z)-selective phosphonate 3d reacted at opposite enantiotopic carbonyl groups in the substrates. A mechanistic model which accounts for the products formed is presented.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalJournal of organic chemistry
    Volume63
    Issue number23
    Pages (from-to)8284-8294
    Publication statusPublished - 1998

    Cite this