Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.133, No.24, 9216-9219, 2011
Convergent and Stereodivergent Synthesis of Complex 1-Aza-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes
A convergent and stereodivergent pathway to highly substituted 1-aza-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes is described. It begins with a coupling reaction involving allylic alcohol, aldehyde, and LiHMDS to produce stereodefined primary homoallylic amines. Subsequent N-oxidation and condensation with formaldehyde or glyoxylate defines a convenient entry to densely functionalized homoallylic nitrones whose intramolecular annulation can be controlled to deliver one of two distinct heterocyclic skeletons, each with >= 20:1 stereoselection. Control of the stereochemistry in these reactions results from both control of the nitrone geometry and selective partitioning of the reaction pathway between direct [3 + 2] cycloaddition and tandem [3,3] rearrangement/[3 + 2] cycloaddition.