Synlett 2006(11): 1667-1670  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-944226
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Design and Synthesis of 1,4-Amino Alcohol Ligands with a Chiral Cyclopropane Backbone for Asymmetric Diethylzinc Addition to Aromatic Aldehydes

Jiangchun Zhong, Mingan Wang, Hongchao Guo, Mingming Yin, QingHua Bian, Min Wang*
Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, P. R. of China
e-Mail: minwang@cau.edu.cn;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 7 March 2006
Publication Date:
04 July 2006 (online)

Abstract

A new type of cis-1,4-amino alcohols with a cyclopropane backbone have been developed in three simple steps, from a cheap industrial intermediate for enantioselective asymmetric diethylzinc addition to aromatic aldehydes, under mild conditions to afford corresponding secondary alcohols in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity.

9

cis -Cyclopropane Aminoester 7a-d; Typical Procedure
To a solution of secondary amine (60 mmol) in MeOH (50 mL) was added 5 N HCl-MeOH (4 mL, 20 mmol), followed by 6 (3.12 g, 20 mmol) and NaBH3CN (1 g, 16 mmol). The resulting solution was stirred at r.t. for 16 h, then concentrated HCl was added until pH <2, and the MeOH was removed in vacuo. The residue was taken up in H2O (15 mL) and extracted with Et2O (3 × 20 mL). The aqueous solution was brought to pH >10 with 20% aq NaOH and extracted with Et2O (5 × 15 mL). The combined extracts were dried over MgSO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure to give 7a-d in 90-95% yields.
cis -Cyclopropane Aminoalcohol 9a-9d; Typical Procedure
Mg (0.6 g, 25.0 mmol) and a very small amount of I2 were added to anhyd THF (20 mL). A solution of chlorobenzene (3.14 g, 20 mmol) in THF (10 mL) was added slowly dropwise. Once the reaction began, the rest of the chloro-benzene solution was added at a rate that maintained a gentle reflux. After the addition was complete, the mixture was refluxed for 20 min then cooled to -15 °C. Compound 7
(5 mmol) was dissolved in anhyd THF (5 mL) and added to the prepared Grignard mixture. The resulting solution was stirred at r.t. for 12 h. The reaction was quenched with a sat. solution of NH4Cl, and the mixture was extracted several times with Et2O. The combined organic phases was dried over MgSO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (hexane-EtOAc, 1:2) to afford 9a and 9b as white crystals.
8: Oil; [α]D 18 +49.25 (c 0.00201, CHCl3). 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 0.85-0.87 (m, 1 H), 1.06 (s, 3 H), 1.06 (s, 3 H), 2.28 (s, 6 H), 2.33-2.35 (m, 2 H), 3.30-3.34 (m, 1 H), 3.83-3.85 (m, 1 H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 15.5, 20.4, 25.5, 29.3, 29.6, 45.0, 55.0, 59.3. HRMS (ESI): m/z calcd for C9H20NO [M+]: 158.1539; found: 158.1543.
9a: Mp 102-103 °C; [α]D 18 +63.5 (c 0.01021, CHCl3). 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 0.91 (s, 3 H), 0.93-0.99 (m, 1 H), 1.22 (s, 3 H), 1.75 (d, 1 H, J = 9.5 Hz), 2.14 (s, 6 H), 2.41-2.45 (m, 1 H), 2.62-2.66 (m, 1 H), 7.09-7.11 (m, 2 H), 7.12-7.16 (m, 4 H), 7.22-7.27 (m, 4 H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 15.6, 20.2, 25.9, 30.2, 38.4, 44.2, 55.0, 125.5, 125.7, 125.9, 126.0, 127.6, 127.7, 149.0, 152.0. HRMS (EI): m/z calcd for C21H28NO [M + H+]: 310.2165; found: 310.2164.
9b: Mp 112-113 °C; [α]D 18 +14.1 (c 0.01508, CHCl3). 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 0.91 (s, 1 H), 0.92-1.02 (m, 1 H), 1.22 (s, 3 H), 1.61-1.64 (m, 3 H), 1.65-1.74 (m, 3 H), 2.40-2.91 (m, 5 H), 2.93-2.95 (m, 1 H), 7.09-7.16 (m, 2 H), 7.22-7.28 (m, 4 H), 7.50-7.56 (m, 4 H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 15.5, 20.1, 23.3, 26.5, 30.1, 38.3, 51.3, 52.9, 125.3, 125.7, 125.9, 127.6, 127.7, 149.1, 152.1. HRMS (ESI): m/z calcd for C23H30NO [M + H+]: 336.2321; found: 336.2322.
9c: Crystals; mp 162-163 °C; [α]D 18 +167.6 (c 0.00816, CHCl3). 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 0.89 (s, 1 H), 1.00-1.05 (m, 1 H), 1.16 (s, 3 H), 1.20-1.37 (m, 4 H), 1.84 (d, 1 H, J = 9.0 Hz), 2.46-2.50 (m, 1 H), 2.56-2.61 (m, 1 H), 7.09-7.14 (m, 2 H), 7.23-7.27 (m, 4 H), 7.52-7.60 (m, 4 H), 7.78 (br, 1 H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 15.4, 20.0, 24.1, 25.1, 25.3, 30.3, 37.3, 53.5, 54.7, 125.63, 125.66, 125.74, 125.9, 127.5, 127.7 149.3, 152.0. HRMS (ESI): m/z calcd for C24H32NO [M + H+]: 350.2478; found: 350.2479.
9d: Crystals; mp 156-157 °C; [α]D 18 +158.5 (c 0.00928, CHCl3). 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 0.94 (s, 1 H), 0.93-1.05 (m, 1 H), 1.17 (s, 3 H), 1.88 (d, 1 H, J = 9.0 Hz), 2.35 (br, 2 H), 2.52 (br, 2 H), 2.56-2.60 (m, 1 H), 2.65-2.69 (m, 2 H), 3.30 (br, 2 H), 3.48-3.52 (m, 2 H), 7.11-7.15 (m, 2 H), 7.24-7.27 (m, 4 H), 7.51-7.61 (m, 4 H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 15.3, 20.1, 24.5, 30.3, 37.1, 52.64, 54.55, 66.2, 125.5, 125.6, 125.8, 126.2, 127.7, 127.9, 148.9, 151.6. HRMS (ESI): m/z calcd for C23H30NO2 [M + H+]: 352.2271; found: 352.2272.