title: Efficient two-step conversion of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes to optically active gamma-oxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles and its application to the total synthesis of (+)-patulolide C.
abstract: [reaction: see text] An efficient two-step conversion of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes into optically active gamma-oxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles is described. First, catalytic asymmetric cyanation-ethoxycarbonylation using (S)-YLi(3)tris(binaphthoxide) (YLB) afforded chiral allylic cyanohydrin carbonate. Second, a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement proceeded without racemization under thermal conditions to give gamma-oxy-alpha,beta-unsaturated nitriles. Lewis acids were also effective for the rearrangement, and the reaction proceeded smoothly under mild conditions. To demonstrate the utility of the conversion, concise catalytic enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-patulolide C was performed.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamagiwa
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Masakatsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibasaki