CHIRAL LEAVING GROUP: ASYMMETRIC SYNTHESIS OF LIMONENE AND BISABOLENE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)90598-8

The biogenetic-type asymmetric synthesis of limonene and bisabolenes is described.As model studies for the present asymmetric synthesis, the cyclization of catechol, biphenol and binaphthol mononeryl ethers 1, 4, and 5, with organoaluminium reagents are executed to furnish limonene as a major product.Since the reaction of 1, 4, and 5 has proved to proceed much faster than that of neryl phenyl ether under the similar conditions, the rate acceleration is attributed to the novel metal-anchimeric assistance of the aluminium reagents bound with the neighboring hydroxyl group for effecting the generation of the allyl cathion.This anchimeric effect is utilized for the enantioselective cyclization of (R)-(+)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol mononeryl ether (8) upon treatment with modified aluminium reagent 9 to produce limonene with high optical purity (77percent ee).In a similar fashion, (R)-(+)-binaphtol (Z,Z)-monofarnesyl ether 16a undergoes the enantioselective cyclization to give β-bisabolene in 76percent ee.