The Stereoselective Preparation of an Enantiomerically Pure Cyclopentane Using Intramolecular Aldol Cyclopentaannulation of a Glucose Derivative

Abstract

Methods for the annulation of carbohydrates have found extensive applications in organic synthesis. We report here a new protocol for the stereoselective conversion of glucose into an enantiomerically pure cyclopentane aldehyde 22. The readily available epoxide 15 was reacted with allyl Grignard to produce alcohol 16 in 86% yield. Swern oxidation followed by epimerization using triethylamine in N,N-dimethylformamide furnished the ketone 17 also in 86% yield. Regioselective deprotonation with lithium hexamethyldisilazane in THF was followed by methylation with methyl iodide and 1,3-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(1H)-pyrimidone as cosolvent to give 80% yield of ketone 18. Oxidation of ketone 18 by the Wacker procedure gave the 1,4-diketone 19 in 56% yield. Intramolecular aldol condensation occurred readily on treatment of diketone 19 with potassium tert-butoxide in toluene to furnish a 90% yield of enone 20. Treatment with N-bromosuccinimide produced the bromoester 21 in 72% yield, which was reduced to a mix...