Enantioselective Synthesis of syn-α-Aryl-β-hydroxy Weinreb Amides: Catalytic Asymmetric Roskamp Reaction of α-Aryl Diazo Weinreb Amides.

Abstract

A convenient one-pot procedure to synthesize a variety of highly optically active syn-α-aryl-β-hydroxy Weinreb amides using an asymmetric Roskamp/reduction strategy is described. An oxazaborolidinium ion catalyzed asymmetric Roskamp reaction of α-aryl diazo Weinreb amides with aldehydes produced α-phenyl-β-keto Weinreb amides, which were in situ reduced with zinc borohydride to give syn-α-aryl-β-hydroxy Weinreb amides in good yields (up to 87%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) and syn stereoselectivities (>20:1).