Addition of a Reformatsky reagent to N-anthracene-9-sulfonyl and related imines: Synthesis of protected β-amino acids

Abstract

The Reformatsky reagent tert-butoxycarbonylmethylzinc bromide adds in high yields to N-sulfonylimines, e.g. 1a–1d, derived by condensation of benzaldehyde dimethyl acetal with methanesulfonamide, toluene-4-sulfonamide, 4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzenesulfonamide and sulfamide: the products are protected β-amino acids 2a–2d. N-Deprotection occurs reductively (Na-naphthalene; low yields) for 2b and 2c or hydrolytically (refluxing aq. pyridine; 76% yield of amino acid 3a after acid hydrolysis of the t-butyl ester) for the sulfamide derivatives 2d. Anthracene-9-sulfonamide ( 6) is readily available by sulfonation and chlorination of anthracene, and condenses with aldehydes [RCHO; R = Ph, 4-FC 6H 4, 4-MeOC 6H 4, 4-NCC 6H 4, 2-furyl, ( E)-styryl], e.g. in the presence of TiCl 4/Et 3N, to yield imines 7a–7f, which after addition of tert-butoxycarbonylmethylzinc bromide give protected amino acids 8a–8f; however, 8f cyclizes to the sultam 9 via a spontaneous intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction. Reductive cleavage of the N-anthracene-9-sulfonyl group is much easier than for traditional N-sulfonyl protecting groups, as demonstrated by the deprotection of 8a and 8c using aluminium amalgam.