Reaction of catalytic enantioselective reductive aminolysis of δ 2-oxazolin-5-ones as a method of asymmetric synthesis of α-amino acids

Abstract

This investigation is devoted to the interaction of Δ 2-oxazolin-5-ones, S(—)-α-phenylethy lamine and H 2 in the presence of PdCl 2 which yields α-phenylethylamides of acylamino acids of the S,S configuration, hydrolysis of the latter compounds resulting in the formation of optically pure amino acids and providing for chiral amine recycling. In DME, double bond saturation and ring opening in Δ 2-oxazolin-5-one occur within the catalytic complex sphere without the intermediate formation of saturated oxazolinones or unsaturated amides. In t-BuOH, saturated oxazolinones are formed as intermediates. The catalyst formed in situ was shown to be a zero-valent Pd complex with S(—)-α-phenylethylamine stabilized by substrate coordination. The stereochemical pathway of the reactions has been traced. Reductive aminolysis involves cis-addition of H 2, while in reductive methanolysis H 2 trarns-addition occurs. The suggested process mechanism accounts for the ratio of aminolysis and racemization rates for saturated oxazolinones and the ratio of diastereomers of α-phenylethylamides of acylamino acids obtained by reacting unsaturated Δ 2oxazolin-5-ones with S(—)-α-phenyl-ethylamine. In agreement with the postulated mechanism, the catalyst enantioselectivity is observed at the steps of substrate addition to the catalyst and proton transfer to the α-C-center, provided the process is carried out in DME. In the case of t-BuOH, the enantiodifferentiating action of the catalyst vanishes as a result of racemization, and process stereo selectivity appears at the step of saturated oxazolinone aminolysis with a chiral amine.