(3 × 20 mL). The Et2O extract was washed with water and
aqueous NaCl, dried over MgSO4 and concentrated in vacuo.
The residue was purified by flash chromatography (CH2Cl2–
MeOH–NH4OH, 40:10:1) to afford (R)-1, yield 0.17 g, 0.55
(R)-2-(3-Chloro-1-phenylpropoxy)-1-methoxybenzene [(R)-11]
(R)-11 was synthesized using a similar procedure as for (R)-9,
using (S)-6 (0.53 g, 3.1 mmol), guaiacol (0.39 g, 3.1 mmol),
Ph3P (0.81 g, 3.1 mmol) and diethyl azodicarboxylate (0.54 g,
0.48 mL, 3.1 mmol) in dry THF (7 mL) at room temp. Workup
and chromatography gave (R)-11, yield 0.35 g, 1.3 mmol (42%)
as a thick liquid, [α]D22 = ϩ26 (c = 2, CHCl3). 1H NMR: 2.21 and
2.55 (1 H each, m, -CH2-), 3.64 and 3.88 (1 H each, m, -CH2Cl),
5.33 (1 H, dd, J = 4.3 and 8.8, CH), 7.22–7.41 (5 H, m, phenyl),
o-methoxyphenoxy part: 3.86 (3 H, s, -OCH3), 6.71 (2 H, m,
H-3,6), 6.86 (2 H, m, H-4,5). 13C NMR: 41.4 and 41.6, (-CH2-
CH2-), 78.5 (-CHOR), 125.8 and 128.6 (both 2 Ph-C), 127.8 (Ph
C-4), 141.0 (Ph C-1), o-methoxyphenoxy part: 55.9 (-OCH3),
150.2 (C-1), 147.4 (C-2), 116.6 (C-3), 120.7 (C-4), 121.8 (C-5),
112.0 (C-6). TLC (n-pentane–Et2O, 4:1), Rf = 0.51.
1
mmol (62%), [α]D22 = ϩ2.0 (c = 1, CHCl3). H NMR: 2.11 and
2.27 (1 H each, m, -CH2-), 2.46 (3 H, s, -CH3), 2.82 (2 H, br t,
-CH2N), 5.33 (1 H, dd, J = 4.7 and 8.3, CH), 6.90 and 7.42 (2 H
each, AAЈXXЈ-system of p-disubstituted benzene), 7.25–7.38
(5 H, m, phenyl). 13C NMR: 37.8 and 51.51, (-CH2CH2-), 78.3
(-CHOR), 35.7 (-NCH3), 125.8 and 128.9 (both 2 Ph-C), 128.0
(Ph C-4), 140.6 (Ph C-1), p-trifluoromethylphenoxy part: 160.4
3
(C-1), 115.8 (2 C-2), 126.8 (q, JCF = 3.7 Hz, 2 C-3), 123.2 (q,
1
2JCF = 32.7 Hz, C-4), 124.8 (q, JCF = 271.2 Hz, -CF3). TLC
(CH2Cl2–MeOH–NH4OH, 40:10:1), Rf = 0.60.
(S)-Fluoxetine [(S)-1)] [(S)-4-(3-methylamino-1-phenyl-
propoxy)-1-trifluoromethylbenzene]
(R)-Nisoxetine [(R)-3] [(R)-2-(3-methylamino-1-phenyl-
propoxy)-1-methoxybenzene]
(S)-Fluoxetine [(S)-1] was prepared in the same way as (R)-1
using (S)-9. Workup gave (S)-1 (0.14 g, 0.46 mmol), yield 63%,
[α]D22 = Ϫ3.0 (c = 1, CHCl3). 1H and 13C NMR spectra were
identical with those of (R)-1.
(R)-Nisoxetine was synthesized like (R)-Fluoxetine [(R)-1],
using the chloro ether (R)-11 (0.22 g, 0.80 mmol) and excess
aqueous MeNH2 (40%, 3 mL) in EtOH (7 mL) at 130 for 6 h.
Workup gave (R)-3, yield 0.12 g, 0.44 mmol (55%), [α]D30 = ϩ35
(R)-2-(3-Chloro-1-phenylpropoxy)-1-methylbenzene [(R)-10]
1
(c = 1, CHCl3). H NMR: 1.88 (1 H, br s, NH), 2.03 and 2.26
(R)-10 was synthesized using the same procedure as for syn-
thesis of (R)-9 using (S)-6 (0.31 g, 1.8 mmol), o-cresol (0.20 g,
1.8 mmol), triphenylphosphine (0.47 g, 1.8 mmol) and diethyl
azodicarboxylate (0.31 g, 1.8 mmol, 0.28 mL) in dry THF
(8 mL) at room temp. Workup and purification afforded (R)-10
as a thick liquid, yield 0.27 g, 1.03 mmol (57%), [α]D22 = Ϫ10.8
(c = 3.4, CHCl3). 1H NMR: 2.23 and 2.48 (1 H each, m, -CH2-),
3.61 and 3.79 (1 H each, m, -CH2Cl), 5.38 (1 H, dd, J = 4.4 and
8.5, CH), 7.23–7.37 (5 H, m, phenyl), o-methylphenoxy part:
2.31 (3 H, s, -CH3), 6.62 (1 H, d, J = 8.2, H-6), 6.78 (1 H, t, H-5),
6.96 (1 H, m, H-4), 7.12 (1 H, d, J = 7.5, H-3). 13C NMR: 41.4
and 41.5, (-CH2CH2-), 77.2 (-CHOR), 125.8 and 128.7 (both 2
Ph-C), 127.8 (Ph C-4), 141.0 (Ph C-1), o-methylphenoxy part:
16.6 (-CH3), 155.7 (C-1), 127.0 (C-2), 130.7 (C-3), 120.5 (C-4),
126.6 (C-5), 112.8 (C-6). TLC (n-pentane–Et2O, 4:1), Rf = 0.71.
(1 H each, m, -CH2-), 2.43 (3 H, s, NCH3), 2.77 (2 H, br m,
-CH2Cl), 5.20 (1 H, dd, J = 4.7 and 8.4, CH), 7.23–7.39 (5 H, m,
phenyl), o-methoxyphenoxy part: 3.87 (3 H, s, -OCH3), 6.68
(2 H, m, H-3,6), 6.85 (2 H, m, H-4,5). 13C NMR: 36.5 (-NCH3),
38.5 and 48.8, (-CH2CH2-), 80.6 (-CHOR), 126.0 and 128.5
(both 2 Ph-C), 127.5 (Ph C-4), 142.0 (Ph C-1), o-methoxy-
phenoxy part: 56.0 (-OCH3), 150.1 (C-1), 147.7 (C-2), 116.4 (C-
3), 120.7 (C-4), 121.4 (C-5), 112.1 (C-6). TLC (CH2Cl2–MeOH–
NH4OH, 40:10:1), Rf = 0.35.
(S)-2–(3-Chloro-1-phenylpropoxy)-1-methoxybenzene [(S)-11]
and (S)-Nisoxetine [(S)-3] [(S)-2-(3-methylamino-1-phenyl-
propoxy)-1-methoxybenzene]
[(S)-11] and (S)-Nisoxetine [(S)-3] were synthesized in the same
way as (S)-9 and (S)-1, respectively. The yield of (S)-11 was
1
0.22 g, 0.82 mmol (46.4%), [α]D22 = Ϫ26 (c = 2, CHCl3). H and
(R)-Tomoxetine [(R)-2] [(R)-2-(3-methylamino-1-phenyl-
propoxy)-1-methylbenzene]
13C NMR spectra were identical with those of (R)-11. The yield
of (S)-3 was 80 mg, 0.29 mmol (50%), [α]D22 = Ϫ30 (c = 1,
CHCl3). 1H and 13C NMR spectra were identical with those of
(R)-3.
(R)-Tomoxetine [(R)-2] was synthesized using a similar method
as for (R)-1. The chloro ether (R)-10 (0.20 g, 0.77 mmol) was
refluxed with aqueous MeNH2 (40%, 3 mL) in EtOH (5 mL)
and (R)-2 was isolated, yield 0.12 g, 0.46 mmol (60%), [α]D22 = Ϫ44
(c = 1, MeOH). 1H NMR: 1.75 (1 H, br s, NH), 2.03 and 2.19 (1
H each, m, -CH2-), 2.40 (3 H, s, -NCH3), 2.75 (2 H, m, -CH2N),
5.25 (1 H, dd, J = 4.5 and 8.2, CH), 7.19–7.35 (5 H, m, phenyl),
o-methylphenoxy part: 2.32 (3 H, s, -CH3), 6.60 (1 H, d, J = 8.1,
H-6), 6.75 (1 H, t, H-5), 6.94 (1 H, t, H-5), 7.10 (1 H, d, 7.4,
H-3). 13C NMR: 38.7 and 48.5 (-CH2CH2-), 78.1 (-CHOR),
125.7 and 128.6 (both 2 Ph-C), 127.5 (Ph C-4), 142.0 (Ph C-1),
o-methylphenoxy part: 16.6 (-CH3), 156.0 (C-1), 127.0 (C-2),
130.6 (C-3), 120.2 (C-4), 126.6 (C-5), 112.8 (C-6). TLC
(CH2Cl2–MeOH–NH4OH, 40:10:1), Rf = 0.58.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Norwegian Research Council (NFR)
for financial support and to Novo-Nordisk A/S, Bagsværd,
Denmark for a gift of CALB.
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(S)-2-(3-Chloro-1-phenylpropoxy)-1-methylbenzene [(S)-10] and
(S)-Tomoxetine [(S)-2)] [(S)-2-(3-methylamino-1-phenyl-
propoxy)-1-methylbenzene]
(S)-10 and (S)-Tomoxetine [(S)-2)] were synthesized by using
the same procedures as for (S)-9 and (S)-1, respectively, (S)-10,
yield 0.21 g, 0.81 mmol (51%), [α]D22 = ϩ11.1 (c = 3.4, CHCl3). 1H
and 13C NMR spectra were identical with those of (R)-10. (S)-
2, yield 0.11 g, 0.43 mmol (53%), [α]D22 = ϩ44 (c = 1, MeOH),
1H and 13C NMR spectra were identical with those of (R)-2.
J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 2000, 1767–1769
1769