COMMUNICATIONS
[3] a) V. K. Aggarwal, J. G. Ford, S. Fonquerna, H. Adams, R. V. H. Jones,
R. Fieldhouse, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 8328 ± 8339; b) V. K.
Aggarwal, J. G. Ford, A. Thompson, R. V. H. Jones, M. Standen, J.
Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 7004 ± 7005; c) V. K. Aggarwal, Synlett
1998, 329 ± 336.
epoxides with high enantioselectivity. Herein we describe the
extension of this work to the asymmetric aziridination of
imines[1] and to the asymmetric cyclopropanation of electron-
deficient alkenes.[2]
[4] M. Regitz, G. Maas, Diazo Compounds: Properties and Synthesis,
Academic Press, London, 1996. Over a period of five years we
experienced three explosions when distilling phenyldiazomethane and
this encouraged us to seek alternative protocols. Because of these
problems, we did not contemplate scaling up the reaction beyond
1 mmol.
We previously reported that 1,3-oxathiane 1 gave good
yields and high enantioselectivity in aziridination[3] and
cyclopropanation[4] reactions. However, these processes are
[5] For related work, see W. R. Bamford, T. S. Stevens, J. Chem. Soc. 1952,
4735 ± 4740.
[6] For related work, see S. Wulfman, S. Yoousefian, J. M. White, Synth.
Commun. 1978, 8, 569 ± 572.
[7] We have also used this procedure for homologation of aldehydes:
V. K. Aggarwal, J. De Vicente, B. Pelotier, I. P. Holmes, R. V. Bonnert,
Tetrahedron Lett. 2000, 41, 10327 ± 10331; see also: S. R. Angle, M. L.
Neitzel, J. Org. Chem. 2000, 65, 6458 ± 6461.
S
S
O
O
O
S
1
2a
2b
[8] a) E. Vedejs, T. H. Eberlein, D. J. Mazur, C. K. McClure, D. A. Perry,
R. Ruggeri, E. Schwartz, J. S. Stuls, D. L. Varie, R. G. Wilde, S.
Wittemberger, J. Org. Chem. 1986, 51, 1556 ± 1562; b) E. Vedejs, J. S.
Stuls, R. G. Wilde, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1988, 110, 5452 ± 5460.
[9] a) Y. Tokoro, Y. Kobayashi, Chem. Commun. 1999, 807 ± 808; b) J.-N.
potentially hazardous, cannot be easily scaled up, and the
sulfide cannot be fully recovered. We successfully solved these
problems in the epoxidation reaction by generating the diazo
compound in situ and by developing a new class of chiral
sulfides 2,[5] which were completely stable to the reaction
conditions. We were keen to examine whether these new
conditions and new sulfides were compatible with the
aziridination and cyclopropanation processes.
Optimization of the conditions for aziridination of the N-
SES-activated imine derived from benzaldehyde[6] (this imine
is easily prepared and provides a readily cleavable group) with
sulfide 2a revealed that 1,4-dioxane was the best solvent. A
broad study of different activating groups on the nitrogen
atom showed that sulfonylimines[7] led to aziridines in good
yield, high enantioselectivities, but low diastereoselectivities
(Table 1, entries 1 ± 3). A notable example is the naphthylsul-
fonylimine, which gave excellent results and this group is
considerably easier to deprotect[8] than the toluene-4-sulfonyl
(tosyl) group. Improved diastereoselectivity was observed
Ä
Denis, A. E. Greene, A. Aaraa Serra, M.-J. Luche, J. Org. Chem. 1986,
51, 46 ± 50.
[10] L. He, H. S. Byun, R. Bittman, Tetrahedron Lett. 1998, 39, 2071 ±
2074.
[11] For a discussion of the diastereoselectivity, see V. K. Aggarwal, S.
Calamai, J. G. Ford, J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 1 1997, 593 ± 599.
[12] Alkylation of sulfide 6 with benzyl bromide gave a single sulfonium
salt whose stereochemistry was determined by X-ray analysis. Full
details will be published elsewhere.
Application of Chiral Sulfides to Catalytic
Asymmetric Aziridination and
Cyclopropanation with In Situ Generation of
the Diazo Compound**
Varinder K. Aggarwal,* Emma Alonso, Guangyu Fang,
Marco Ferrara, George Hynd, and Marina Porcelloni
Table 1. Effect of the nitrogen substituent on the yield, diastereoselectiv-
ity, and enantioselectivity.[a]
In the preceding paper we described a highly efficient
catalytic process for converting carbonyl compounds into
+
R
N
Na
R
+
_
Rh2(OAc)4 (1 mol%)
BnEt3N+Cl– (10 mol%)
N
N
Ph
[*] Prof. V. K. Aggarwal,[] Dr. E. Alonso, G. Fang, M. Ferrara,
Dr. G. Hynd, M. Porcelloni
Ph
N
Ts
Ph
Ph
1,4-dioxane,40 °C
sulfide 2a (20 mol%)
1.5 equiv
Department of Chemistry
University of Sheffield
Brook Hill, Sheffield, S3 7HF (UK)
Entry
R
Yield [%][b]
d.r.[c]
(trans:cis)
ee [%][d]
[ ] Current address:
1
2
3
4
5
6[g]
SES
Ts
SO2C10H7
Boc
TcBoc
SES
75
68
70
33[e,f]
71
2.5:1
2.5:1
3:1
8:1
6:1
94
98
97
89
90
95
School of Chemistry
Bristol University
Cantockꢁs Close, Bristol, BS8 1TS (UK)
Fax : (44)117-9298611
66
2.5:1
[**] We thank Avecia (M.P.), the EPSRC (M.F.), the EU for a Marie Curie
Fellowship (E.A.; HPMF-CT-1999-00076), Luꢁan Teacherꢁs College
and the Education Minister of The Peoples Republic of China (G.F.),
and Sheffield University for financial support. We thank Dr. J. Blacker
(Avecia), Dr. R. V. H. Jones (Zeneca Agrochemicals), and Dr. R.
Fieldhouse (Zeneca Agrochemicals) for their interest and support of
this work.
[a] Tosylhydrazone salt (1.5 equiv), imine (1.0 equiv), phase-transfer cata-
lyst (PTC, 0.1 equiv), Rh2(OAc)4 (0.01 equiv), 1,4-dioxane (0.33m), chiral
sulfide 2a (0.2 equiv), 408C. [b] Yield of isolated product. [c] The trans:cis
ratio was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy. [d] Enantiomeric excess
values were determined on a Chiralcel OD column; the absolute config-
uration was 1R,2R. [e] 0.05 equiv of PTC were used. [f] trans-stilbene oxide
was obtained as the main side product. [g] 5 mol% of sulfide was used.
Ts tosyl toluene-sulfonyl.
Supporting information for this article is available on the WWW under
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2001, 40, No. 8
ꢀ WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, D-69451 Weinheim, 2001
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