Logo image
Cyclic nitriles: Stereodivergent addition-alkylation-cyclization to cis- and trans-abietanes
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Cyclic nitriles: Stereodivergent addition-alkylation-cyclization to cis- and trans-abietanes

Fraser F. Fleming, Guoqing Wei and Omar W. Steward
Journal of organic chemistry, v 73(10), pp 3674-3679
16 May 2008
PMID: 18416532

Abstract

Chemistry Chemistry, Organic Physical Sciences Science & Technology
Diverse cyclic hydroxy nitrile's are readily synthesized through sequential 1,2-1,4-Grignard addition-methylations to 3-oxo-1-cyclohexene-1-carbonitrile. Acid-catalyzed intramolecular cyclizations of the cyclic hydroxy nitriles reveal fundamental stereoselectivity trends in Friedel-Crafts cyclizations to cis- and trans-abietanes. In contrast to previous assumptions, comparative cationic cyclizations with electron-rich and electron-poor aromatic nucleophiles exhibit similar preferences for cyclization to cis-abietanes. Optimizing the cyclizations for trans-abietanes has identified ZrCl4 as an exceptional Lewis acid which, for cyclizations of iminolactones, favors trans-abietanes as the only observable diastereomer. The sequential oxonitrile addition-Friedel-Crafts cyclization strategy provides a rapid, stereodivergent synthesis of cis- or trans-abietanes, demonstrates the dramatic influence of ZrCl4 in promoting cationic cyclizations, and in contrast to previous assumptions suggests that the cyclization stereoselectivity is not correlated with the electronic nature of the aromatic nucleus.

Metrics

14 Record Views
11 citations in Scopus

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Web of Science research areas
Chemistry, Organic
Logo image