Three-Carbon Annelations. Regiocontrolled Reactivity of Trimethylsilyl- and Ethoxyethyl-Protected Cyanohydrins. Versatile Homoenolate and Acyl Anion Equivalents

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo01291a005

The trimethylsilyl- (2) and ethoxyethyl- (4) protected cyanohydrins of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes are utilized as three-carbon annelation reagents.Metalated reagent 2 displays exclusive α reactivity with aldehydes and ketones at -78 deg C.Metalated reagent 4 displays exclusive α reactivity at -78 deg C and exclusive γ reactivity at 0 deg C.Reagent 4 thus allows for complete regiocontrol in its addition to aldehydes and ketones which permits selective addition of either a homoenolate or an acyl anion equivalent.Metalation of the α product 11 at -78 deg C with subsequent warming to 0 deg C produces exclusively the γ product, confirming the reversible nature of the addition to the carbonyl.The derived α '-trimethylsiloxy enones 17 (R₃=Me3Si), α '-hydroxy enones 17 (R₃=H), α '-acetoxyenones 17 (R₃=Ac), and γ-lactones 10 are useful cyclopentenone precursors.Treatment of 17 with p-TsOH in toluene at reflux produces cyclopentenones.The reaction proceeds via the postulated intermediacy of a pentadienyl cation 15 which undergoes in situ electrocyclic ring closure.