Synlett 2010(5): 782-786  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1219362
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Enantioselective One-Pot Rhodium-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization-Wittig Sequence to Chiral Functionalized 4-Alkyl 3-Alkylidene Tetrahydrofuran(on)es

Nadine Körbera, Frank Romingerb, Thomas J. J. Müller*a
a Institut für Organische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie, Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie, Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Fax: +49(211)8114324; e-Mail: ThomasJJ.Mueller@uni-duesseldorf.de;
b Organisch-Chemisches Institut, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 270, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received 2 December 2009
Publication Date:
08 February 2010 (online)

Abstract

Alkyl and (hetero)aryl alkyne allyl alcohols can readily be transformed into chiral 4-alkyl 3-alkylidene tetrahydrofurans and tetrahydrofuranones bearing α,β-unsaturated carbonyl side chains in a one-pot fashion via an enantioselective rhodium-catalyzed ­cycloisomerization-Wittig olefination sequence in good yields (54-86%).

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Typical Procedure (4h, Table 1, Entry 8)
Under argon atmosphere [RhCl(cod)]2 precursor (12.3 mg, 0.025 mmol) and (R)-BINAP ligand (31.1 mg, 0.05 mmol) were placed in a Schlenk tube. Then dried, degassed DCE
(4 mL) was added, and the solution was stirred for several minutes, until a dark red solution was formed. Then alkyne allyl alcohol 1d (218 mg 1.0 mmol) was added, the solution stirred for another minute, and finally the reaction was started by addition of AgBF4 solution (1 mL, 0.05 mmol,
c 0.05 M, dissolved in DCE). The reaction was monitored by TLC and full conversion was observed after 5 min at r.t. Then ylide 3b (435 mg, 1.3 equiv, 1.3 mmol) was added. Again the reaction was monitored by TLC and full conver-sion was observed after 30 min at r.t. The mixture was poured into Et2O (100 mL), filtered, and the solvents were removed in vacuo. The residual crude product was chroma-tographed on silica gel (n-hexane-Et2O = 1:2; R f  = 0.51) to give the analytically pure product 4h in form of a yellow solid (193 mg, 0.71 mmol, 71%); mp 57 ˚C. ¹H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 2.34 (s, 3 H), 2.37-2.46 (m, 1 H), 2.52-2.62 (m, 1 H), 2.91-3.01 (m, 1 H), 3.60 (dd, ² J = 8.7 Hz, ³ J = 5.3 Hz, 1 H), 3.73 (s, 3 H), 3.95 (dd, ² J = 8.7 Hz, ³ J = 6.5 Hz, 1 H), 4.61-4.63 (m, 2 H), 5.90 (dt, ³ J = 15.6 Hz, ³ J = 1.5 Hz, 1 H), 6.33 (dd, ³ J = 4.1 Hz, ³ J = 2.1 Hz, 1 H), 6.93-7.03 (m, 3 H), 7.15 (d, ³ J = 8.0 Hz, 2 H). ¹³C NMR (75.5 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 21.0 (CH3), 35.9 (CH2), 44.2 (CH), 51.4 (CH3), 70.1 (CH2), 71.8 (CH2), 121.3 (CH), 122.7 (CH), 127.8 (CH), 129.2 (CH), 134.1 (Cquat), 136. 5 (Cquat), 142.6 (Cquat), 146.3 (CH), 166.6 (Cquat). IR (KBr pellet): ν = 3430 (br), 2944 (s), 2865 (m), 1718 (s), 1660 (s), 1513 (s), 1431 (m), 1343 (m), 1313 (m), 1296 (m), 1286 (m), 1221 (m), 1203 (m), 1163 (w), 1063 (s), 1041 (m), 979 (m), 935 (m), 880 (w), 810 (m), 521 (s) cm. UV/Vis (CH2Cl2): λmax (ε) = 262 (20400), 272 nm(14800). MS (EI): m/z (%) = 272 (15) [M]+, 174 (14), 173 (100) [C12H13O]+, 145 (86) [C10H9O]+, 143 (14), 131 (19), 129 (23) [C10H9]+, 128 (17), 115 (11) [C8H8]+, 105 (38) [C8H9]+, 91 (7) [C7H7]+. HRMS: m/z calcd for C17H20O3: 272.1412; found: 272.1399. Anal. Calcd (%) for C17H20O3 (272.14): C, 74.97; H, 7.40. Found: C, 74.94; H, 7.42. (R)-Enantiomer: [α]D ²0 +9.3 (c 4.0 mg/mL, CHCl3). Chiral HPLC: n-hexane-2-PrOH (95:5), 0.8 mL/min, 272 nm, t R(major) = 17.1 min, t R(minor) = 18.2 min; ee > 99%.

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CCDC 756431 (4e) and CCDC 756432 (4h) contain the supplementary crystallographic data for this paper.
These data can be obtained free of charge via http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/conts/retrieving.html [or from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Center, 12 Union Road, Cambridge CB2 1EZ, UK; fax:+44 (1223)336033; or deposit@ccdc.cam.ac.uk].