Synthesis of (E,E)-Germacrane Sesquiterpene Alcohols via Enolate-Assisted 1,4-Fragmentation.
An efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of (E,E)-germacrane sesquiterpene alcohols. The key step in these syntheses involves the enolate-assisted 1,4-fragmentation of properly functionalized perhydro-1-naphthalenecarboxaldehydes with 1 equiv of sodium tert-amylate as base, to give the corresponding (E,E)-germacrane aldehydes. These aldehydes are not very stable, and in situ reduction of the aldehyde function with Red-Al is required to obtain high yields of the desired germacrane alcohols. This procedure has led to the successful synthesis of 15-hydroxygermacrene B (4) and 15-hydroxyhedycaryol (35) from the mesylates 6 and 33, respectively. When KHMDS is used instead of sodium tert-amylate in the fragmentation reaction of 6, isomerization of the initially formed C(4)-C(5) E double bond cannot be avoided and results, after in situ reduction with Red-Al, in the formation of the (E,Z)-germacrane alcohol 24. The 15-hydroxy-(E,E)-germacranes are excellent starting materials for the selective synthesis of the corresponding 4,5-epoxides, which in turn can perfectly well be used in studies on the biomimetic formation of guaiane sesquiterpenes.
Minnaard
Adriaan J.
AJ
Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Agricultural University, Dreijenplein 8, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Wijnberg
Joannes B. P. A.
JB
de Groot
Aede
A