No abstract

A class of zinc reagents (RXZnCH(2)Y) generated with an appropriate organozinc is very effective for the cyclopropanation of olefins. The reactivity and selectivity of these reagents can be regulated by tuning the electronic and steric nature of the RX group on Zn. A reasonable level of enantioselectivity was obtained for the cyclopropanation of unfunctionalized olefins when a chiral (iodomethyl)zinc species was used, providing a valuable approach for the asymmetric cyclopropanation of unfunctionalized olefins.

The reduction of tertiary phosphine oxides (TPOs) and sulfides with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAL-H) has been studied in detail. An extensive solvent screen has revealed that hindered aliphatic ethers, such as MTBE, are optimum for this reaction at ambient temperature. Many TPOs undergo considerable reduction at ambient temperature and then stall due to inhibition. 31P and 13C NMR studies using isotopically labeled substrates as well as competition studies have revealed that the source of this inhibition is tetraisobutyldialuminoxane (TIBAO), which builds up as the reaction proceeds. TIBAO selectively coordinates the TPO starting material, preventing further reduction. Several strategies have been found to circumvent this inhibition and obtain full conversion with this extremely inexpensive reducing agent for the first time. Practical reduction protocols for these critical targets have been developed.

This paper describes an efficient kinetic resolution process of trisubstituted cyclic olefins via a chiral dioxirane generated in situ from a fructose-derived ketone and Oxone. The substrates presented include a variety of 1,3-disubstituted and 1,6-disubstituted cyclohexenes with the stereogenic centers at allylic positions. A sequential desymmetrization and kinetic resolution of 1,4-cyclohexadienes by the chiral dioxirane was also found to be feasible. The initially formed monoepoxides can be kinetically resolved by continuing the reaction, leading to the increase or decrease of the ee values of monoepoxides depending on the diene systems. In some cases, a prochiral directing group is not required and the first formed epoxide stereoselectively directs the second epoxidation. When the coupled desymmetrization and kinetic resolution is used synergistically, high enantiopurity can be obtained for an epoxide from an intrinsically less enantioselective substrate. The observed absolute and relative stereochemistry as well as the changing optical purity can be effectively rationalized by transition state analysis.

The development of a large scale synthesis of the glucocorticoid agonist BI 653048 BS H3PO4 (1·H3PO4) is presented. A key trifluoromethyl ketone intermediate 22 containing an N-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl amide was prepared by an enolization/bromine-magnesium exchange/electrophile trapping reaction. A nonselective propargylation of trifluoromethyl ketone 22 gave the desired diastereomer in 32% yield and with dr = 98:2 from a 1:1 diastereomeric mixture after crystallization. Subsequently, an asymmetric propargylation was developed which provided the desired diastereomer in 4:1 diastereoselectivity and 75% yield with dr = 99:1 after crystallization. The azaindole moiety was efficiently installed by a one-pot cross coupling/indolization reaction. An efficient deprotection of the 4-methoxyphenethyl group was developed using H3PO4/anisole to produce the anisole solvate of the API in high yield and purity. The final form, a phosphoric acid cocrystal, was produced in high yield and purity and with consistent control of particle size.