Jennifer E. Antoline

Stereoselectivity in oxyallyl–furan (4 + 3) cycloadditions: control of intermediate conformations and dispersive stabilisation in cycloadditions involving oxazolidinone auxiliaries

Chiral oxazolidinones were previously thought to control cycloaddition stereoselectivity by steric crowding of one face of the substrate. We have discovered that in (4 + 3) cycloaddition reactions of oxyallyls, the stereoinduction is caused instead by stabilising CH–π interactions that lead to reaction at the more crowded face of the oxyallyl. Density functional theory calculations on the (4 + 3) cycloadditions of oxazolidinone-substituted oxyallyls with furans establish unexpected transition state conformations and a new explanation of selectivity.

Stereoselectivities and regioselectivities of (4 + 3) cycloadditions between allenamide-derived chiral oxazolidinone-stabilized oxyallyls and furans: experiment and theory

A systematic investigation of the regioselectivities and stereoselectivities of (4 + 3) cycloadditions between unsymmetrical furans and a chiral oxazolidinone-substituted oxyallyl is presented. Cycloadditions were performed using an oxyallyl containing a (R)-4-phenyl-2-oxazolidinone auxiliary (2(Ph)), under either thermal or ZnCl(2)-catalyzed conditions. Reactions of 2(Ph) with 2-substituted furans gave syn cycloadducts selectively, while cycloadditions with 3-substituted furans gave selectively anti cycloadducts. The stereoselectivities were in favor of a single diastereoisomer (I) in all but one case (2-CO(2)R). Density functional theory calculations were performed to explain the selectivities. The results support a mechanism in which all cycloadducts are formed from the E isomer of the oxyallyl (in which the oxazolidinone C═O and oxyallyl oxygen are anti to each other) or the corresponding (E)-ZnCl(2) complex. The major diastereomer is derived from addition of the furan to the more crowded face of the oxyallyl. Crowded transition states are favored because they possess a stabilizing CH-π interaction between the furan and the Ph group.

Regioselectivities of (4+3) cycloadditions between furans and oxazolidinone-substituted oxyallyls

The (4 + 3) cycloadditions of oxazolidinone-substituted oxyallyls and unsymmetrically substituted furans lead to syn regioselectivity when the furan has a 2-Me or 2-COOR substituent, while anti regioselectivity is obtained with a 3-Me or 3-COOR group. DFT calculations are performed to explain the selectivities. The reactivities and regioselectivities are consistent with the ambiphilic reactivity of amino-oxyallyls with furans.

Control of regioselectivity and stereoselectivity in (4 + 3) cycloadditions of chiral oxyallyls with unsymmetrically disubstituted furans

The regioselectivities and stereoselectivities of ZnCl2-catalyzed (4 + 3) cycloadditions between chiral oxazolidinone-substituted oxyallyls and unsymmetrical disubstituted furans have been determined. The substitution pattern on the furan is found to provide a valuable tool for controlling the stereochemistry (endo-I or endo-II) of the 7-membered cycloadduct. While cycloadditions with monosubstituted furans usually favor endo-I products, from addition of the furan to the more crowded face of the oxyallyl, cycloadditions with 2,3- and 2,5-disubstituted furans instead favor the endo-II stereochemistry. Density functional theory calculations are performed to account for the selectivities. For monosubstituted furans, the crowded transition state leading to the endo-I cycloadduct is stabilized by an edge-to-face interaction between the furan and the oxazolidinone 4-Ph group, but this stabilization is overcome by steric clashing if the furan bears a 2-CO2R group or is 2,3-disubstituted.

A stereoselective intramolecular cyclopropanation via a de novo class of push–pull carbenes derived from DMDO-epoxidations of chiral ynamides

This work describes the first examples of diastereoselective intramolecular cyclopropanations of a de novo class of push-pull carbenes derived from DMDO-epoxidations of chiral ynamides. This reaction sequence essentially constitutes a tandem epoxidation-cyclopropanation that effectively gives arise to a series of structurally unique amido-cyclopropanes. A plausible mechanistic model is proposed revealing insights into this novel cyclopropanation process.