Synthesis 2022; 54(02): 355-368
DOI: 10.1055/a-1638-2478
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Kinetic Resolution by Lithiation: Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Substituted Dihydrobenzoxazines and Tetrahydroquinoxalines

Ashraf El-Tunsi
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
,
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
,
Song-Hee Yeo
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
,
Joshua D. Priest
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
,
Anthony Choi
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
,
Carolin M. Kobras
b   The Florey Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
,
Soneni Ndlovu
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
,
Ilaria Proietti Silvestri
c   Liverpool ChiroChem, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK
,
Andrew K. Fenton
b   The Florey Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
,
Iain Coldham
a   Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK
› Author Affiliations
This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, grant EP/R024294/1), the University of Sheffield, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Libya, the Royal Society (Short Industry Fellowship SIF\R2\202031), and the Medical Research Council (MRC, grant MR/S009280/1).


Abstract

Kinetic resolution provided a highly enantioselective method to access a range of 3-aryl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazines using n-butyllithium and the chiral ligand sparteine. The enantioenrichment remained high on removing the tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) protecting group. The intermediate organolithium undergoes ring opening to an enamine. The kinetic resolution was extended to give enantiomerically enriched substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxalines and was applied to the synthesis of an analogue of the antibiotic levofloxacin that was screened for its activity against the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 20 August 2021

Accepted: 06 September 2021

Accepted Manuscript online:
06 September 2021

Article published online:
26 October 2021

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