Synlett 2011(4): 449-460  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1259536
ACCOUNT
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

β-Carbon Elimination from Cyclobutanols: A Clean Access to Alkylrhodium Intermediates Bearing a Quaternary Stereogenic Center

Nicolai Cramer*a, Tobias Seiserb
a Laboratory of Asymmetric Catalysis and Synthesis, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL SB ISIC LCSA, BCH 4305, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Fax: +41(21)6933680; e-Mail: Nicolai.cramer@epfl.ch;
b Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
Further Information

Publication History

Received 3 December 2010
Publication Date:
08 February 2011 (online)

Abstract

The catalytic activation of C-C bonds bears significant ecological and economical advantages. In this account we describe our results for an enantioselective C-C activation of symmetrically substituted tert-cyclobutanols. Subsequent downstream reactions of the obtained alkylrhodium intermediate give rise to a wide range of synthetically versatile products bearing all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centers with excellent enantioselectivities.

1 Introduction

1.1 Cyclobutanol Syntheses

2 Intramolecular Addition Reactions

2.1 Allenylcyclobutanols

2.2 Initiation of Cascade Catalysis

2.3 Vinylcyclobutanols

3 Intramolecular Bond-Activation Reactions

3.1 Aromatic C(sp²)-H Activations

3.2 Aromatic C(sp²)-SiR3 Activations

3.3 1,3-Shift Reactions, C(sp³)-H Activations

4 Summary and Outlook