Search

A novel, efficient, and regio- as well as diastereoselective conversion of non-enolizable bicyclic alpha-diketones into synthetically useful acyloins mediated by indium metal is described. The reduction is highly diastereoselective, leading exclusively to endo-acyloins (endo-hydroxyl groups) in excellent yields, and tolerates a variety of sensitive substituents, such as acetate, ester, and bridgehead halogens. The regioselectivity in the reductions of monosubstituted alpha-diketones varied from 70:30 to 100:0 for the two possible isomeric alcohols. The methodology is extended to the synthesis of highly functionalized cyclopentane carboxaldehydes, potential building blocks in organic syntheses, by cleavage of the acyloins by treating them with Pb(OAc)4 in MeOH/PhH. Allylindium additions to carboxaldehydes 22 have been found to be highly diastereoselective.

A rapid access to 7-azaspiro[4.5]decan-6-ones 1 involving three regio- and chemoselective reactions starting from tetrabromonorbornyl derivatives is described. The alkaline H(2)O(2) cleavage reaction of monosubstituted alpha-diketones 9 furnished the potential bridged bicyclic lactones 10in a highly regio- and stereoselective manner. The radical-mediated, intermolecular bridgehead C-C bond formation of the versatile bridged lactones 10 with acrylonitrile followed by LAH reduction of the adduct 13 intriguingly leads to the formation of novel spirolactam building blocks 1.

[reaction: see text] Alpha-diketones are efficiently reduced with indium metal in methanol-water in the presence of NH(4)Cl, LiCl, or NaCl to give regio- and diastereoselectively the corresponding acyloins in good to excellent yield. The cleavage of the acyloins under Pb(OAc)(4)/MeOH-PhH condition provides a convenient and regioselective access to highly functionalized cyclopentane carboxaldehydes, potential building blocks in organic syntheses.