Synlett 2007(18): 2879-2881  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-990956
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Direct Synthesis of Substituted Vinyl Aziridines

Kordi Chigboha, Alan Nadinb, Robert A. Stockman*a
a School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
b Merck Sharp and Dohme, Terlings Park, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2QR, UK
Fax: +44(1603)592003; e-Mail: r.stockman@uea.ac.uk;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 9 May 2007
Publication Date:
19 October 2007 (online)

Abstract

Synthesis of a range of vinyl aziridines with varying substitution on the alkene has been achieved by the reaction of N-(di­methylsulfamoyl)phenylimine with a range ylides derived by deprotonation of substituted allyltetrahydrothiphenium salts. Yields of the substituted vinyl aziridines range from 57% to 77%.

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Typical Procedure for 1-(2′-Dimethylamine-2′-sulfonyl)-2-phenyl-3-vinylaziridine (2a) Vacuum-dried sulfonium salt 1a (0.61 g, 2 equiv, 4.73 mmol) in DMSO, (15 mL) was stirred under argon.
N-(Dimethylsulfamoyl)phenylimine (0.48 g, 1 equiv, 2.26 mmol) in DMSO (8 mL) was added to the solution followed by LiOt-Bu, (0.38 g, 2 equiv, 4.45 mmol), and the progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC (25% EtOAc-PE). After 10 min the reaction was judged to be complete and was quenched with ice-cold brine, filtered through a pad of Celite and washed with Et2O. The resultant bilayer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with Et2O, the combined organic extracts were dried over anhyd Na2SO4, filtered, and concentrated under vacuum. Purification by flash column chromatography on neutral alumina, eluting with 5% EtOAc-PE, furnished (0.39 g, 66%) as a 2:1 mixture of trans/cis diastereomers. The separated aziridines were formed as a clear oil. Assignments are of the major trans isomer. IR (thin film): νmax = 1170, 1450, 2900 cm-1. MS (EI/Cl): m/z (%) = 253 (100) [M + H]. HRMS: m/z calcd for C12H16S1O2N2 [M + H]+: 253.1005; found: 253.1006. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.40-7.20 (5 H, m), 6.2 (1 H, ddd, J = 9.6, 10.4, 16.8 Hz), 5.57 (1 H, dd, J = 0.8, 16.8 Hz), 5.45 (1 H, dd, J = 0.8, 10.4 Hz), 3.78 (1 H, d, J = 3.6 Hz), 3.18 (1 H, dd, J = 3.6, 9.6 Hz), 2.79 (6 H, s). 13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 136.0, 131.9, 129.0, 128.6, 126.4, 122.8, 53.8, 49.6, 39.0.
1-(2′-Dimethylamine-2′-sulfonyl)-2-phenyl-3-propenyl­-aziridine (2b)
Assignments are of the major diastereomer. IR (thin film): νmax = 1180, 1260, 1343, 1454 cm-1. MS (EI/Cl): m/z (%) 267 (47) [M + H], 145 (86), 60 (100). HRMS: m/z calcd for C13H18S1O2N2 [M + H]+: 267.1162; found: 267.1163. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.29 (5 H, m), 5.97 (1 H, m), 5.72 (1 H, m), 3.67 (1 H, d, J = 4.2 Hz), 3.99 (1 H, dd, J = 4.2, 9.6 Hz), 2.73 (6 H, s), 1.56 (3 H, d, J = 6.6 Hz). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 133.9, 128.9, 127.7, 127.2, 126.1, 122.8, 53.04, 48.96, 38.48, 17.96.
1-(2′-Dimethylamine-2′-sulfonyl)-2-isopropenyl-3-phenylaziridine (2c) Assignments are of the trans diastereomer. IR (thin film): νmax = 1180, 1342, 1453 cm-1. MS (EI/Cl): m/z (%) = 267 (100) [M + H]. HRMS: m/z calcd for C13H18S1O2N2 [M + H]+: 267.1162; found: 267.1163. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.37 (5 H, m), 5.29 (1 H, s), 5.20 (1 H, s), 3.87 (1 H, d, J = 4.8 Hz), 3.51 (1 H, d, J = 4.8 Hz), 2.79 (6 H, s), 1.97 (3 H, s). 13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 138.0, 136.2, 129.7, 128.4, 127.8, 117.2, 52.3, 48.0, 38.2, 20.4.
1-(2′-Dimethylamine-2′-sulfonyl)-2-(2′′-methyl-propenyl)-3-phenylaziridine (2d) Assignments are of the trans diastereomer. IR (thin film): νmax = 1180, 1343, 1453 cm-1. MS (EI/Cl): m/z (%) = 281 (100) [M + H]. HRMS: m/z calcd for C14H20S1O2N2 [M + H]+: 281.1318; found: 281.1320. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.30-7.19 (5 H, m), 4.62 (1 H, d, J = 8.6 Hz), 3.62 (1 H, d, J = 7.2 Hz), 3.57 (1 H, dd, J = 7.2, 8.6 Hz), 2.84 (6 H, s), 1.72 (3 H, s), 1.57 (3 H, s). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 127.6, 127.3, 127.1, 126.8, 115, 45.4, 42.8, 37.7, 24.9, 17.59.
1-(2′-Dimethylamine-2′-sulfonyl)-2-phenyl-3-styryl­-aziridine (2e) Assignments are of the trans diastereomer. IR (thin film): νmax = 1153, 1344, 1452 cm-1. MS (EI/Cl): m/z (%) = 329 (100) [M + H]. HRMS: m/z calcd for C18H20S1O2N2 [M + H]+: 329.1318; found: 329.1320. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.40-7.10 (10 H, m), 6.78 (1 H, d, J = 15.6 Hz), 6.40 (1 H, dd, J = 9.2, 15.6 Hz), 3.8 (1 H, d, J = 3.6 Hz), 3.28 (1 H, dd, J = 3.6, 9.2 Hz), 2.79 (6 H, s). 13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 137.1, 136.0, 133.8, 129.1, 128.9, 128.4, 128.2, 127.6, 127.1, 121.9, 48.0, 46.2, 39.0.