10.1021/ol0708020
The research presents a stereoselective method for synthesizing 4,5-disubstituted imidazolidinones-2-ones from R-amino acids, utilizing a zinc-mediated homologation process involving the Blaise reaction and subsequent reduction. The key reactants include R-amino acids, bromoacetate, and various reducing agents such as sodium cyanoborohydride and sodium in liquid ammonia. The experiments involved the preparation of N-protected R-aminonitriles, their reaction with tert-butyl bromoacetate in the presence of zinc to form enaminoesters, and then reduction to obtain imidazolidinones. The analyses used to determine the success and stereochemistry of the reactions included HPLC, X-ray crystallography, and NMR spectroscopy. The study achieved complete stereoselectivity in the reduction step and provided a route to valuable 1,2-diamine building blocks, which are significant in organic synthesis and biological applications.