Reactions of N-silyl- and N-aluminoimines with B-allyldiisopinocampheylborane in the presence of methanol, followed by oxidative workup furnished homoallylic amines in good yields and high ee. A 11B NMR spectroscopy study revealed that the reactions do not proceed, even at room temperature, unless a molar equivalent of water or methanol is added. The first reagent-controlled asymmetric crotylboration and alkoxyallylboration of aldimines furnishing beta-methyl or beta-alkoxy homoallylic amines in very high diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity are reported herein. Crotylboration and alkoxyallylboration of imines proceed only with the "allyl"-boron "ate" complexes, instead of the "allyl"-dialkylboron reagents used with aldehydes. The addition of methanol is necessary for these reactions as well. Application of this methodology for the conversion of representative nitriles to beta-amino acids in two steps has been described. Additionally, a procedure for the preparation of chiral delta-amino alcohols and gamma-lactams from nitriles is also reported.

A modified hydroalumination protocol for the preparation of [alpha-(ethoxycarbonyl)vinyl]diisobutylaluminum and its beta-methyl or -phenyl analogues was developed. These vinylaluminum reagents react with aldehydes and ketones to provide the corresponding functionalized allyl alcohols in good to excellent yields. Perfluoroalkyl and -aryl carbonyl compounds, alpha-keto esters, alpha-acyl cyanides, and alpha-acetylenic ketones provide the corresponding alpha-hydroxyalkenes in high yields. The allyl alcohol product ratios from the vinylalumination of unsymmetrical alpha-diketones with [alpha-(ethoxycarbonyl)vinyl]diisobutylaluminum and its beta-methyl or -phenyl analogues depend on the steric and electronic environments of the ketones as well as the reagents. The products from the vinylalumination of alpha-bromoaldehydes and -ketones were cyclized with K2CO3 or KF under nonaqueous conditions to provide functionalized vinylepoxides in high yields. Vinylaluminations of keto-protected pyruvaldehyde provided the products, which were converted to alpha-alkylidene-beta-hydroxy-gamma-lactones.

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[Chemical reaction: See text] A convenient preparation of functionalized chiral tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylates from nitriles in 68-90% enantiomeric excess (ee) via allylboration, followed by a conjugate addition-elimination and ring-closing metathesis, has been developed. Thus, the treatment of the acetate derived from vinylalumination of formaldehyde by use of [alpha-(ethoxycarbonyl)vinyl]diisobutylaluminum with chiral beta-substituted and beta-unsubstituted homoallylic amines, prepared in >98% diastereomeric excess (de) and 68-90% ee via allylboration of the corresponding N-aluminoimines, furnished functionalized aminodienes, which underwent ring-closing metathesis to provide chiral C5-C6 disubstituted tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylates. This methodology has been applied for the synthesis of a chiral C6-substituted tetrahydropyridine with known GABA-inhibiting properties at low concentrations.

[reaction: see text] Optically pure allylic amines have been synthesized from alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes via allylboration with (-)-B-allyldiisopinocampheylborane, followed by Overman rearrangement. By incorporating crotyl and alkoxyallylboration, functionalization at delta-position was readily accomplished. By applying this methodology, the synthesis of several chiral alpha-amino acids has been achieved.