Christina M.
LeGay
,
Colton G.
Boudreau
and
Darren J.
Derksen
*
Department of Chemistry, St. Francis Xavier University, Physical Sciences Complex, 5009 Chapel Square, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada. E-mail: dderksen@stfx.ca; Fax: +1-902-867-2414; Tel: +1-902-867-3918
First published on 19th April 2013
Enantioselective nucleophilic acylation catalysis provides a simple method of determining absolute configuration for unsaturated alcohols. Extension of this technique to natural products and synthetic compounds, as well as current limitations of this approach, are also described.
Fig. 1 Top: Enantiomeric processes proceed with the same rate (red = k1, black = k2). Kinetic resolution reactions employ racemic starting materials and an enantioselective catalyst (A and B or C and D) while determination of configuration can be achieved by comparing the rate of reaction between the unknown secondary carbinol and enantiomeric catalysts. (A and C or B and D). Bottom: Fu's commercially available ‘planar-chiral’ DMAP, (−)-DMAP-C5Ph5. |
Fig. 2 Consistent with literature precedent, if k(+) > k(−), R1 = unsaturated, R2 = alkyl. If k(+) < k(−), R1 = alkyl, R2 = unsaturated. Top: 1-phenylethanol, bottom: 3-butyn-2-ol. Solvent CDCl3, monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. |
To demonstrate the simplicity of implementing this methodology, we investigated the use of the most basic chromatography-coupled analysis, thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Although the experiment utilises only qualitative results, the relative rates of acylation can be easily observed for (S)-1-phenylethanol acylation (s-factor 43, 0 °C, t-amyl alcohol6) and are consistent with the result determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in CDCl3.8 It is important to note that the TLC approach is not suitable for all substrates as lower selectivity factors produce results that appear ambiguous to the unaided eye. This is the case with 3-butyn-2-ol (Fig. 2) where TLC is insufficient to compare the relative rates of reaction while 1H-NMR spectroscopy is able to differentiate between the rates of reaction mediated by enantiomeric catalysts. However, given the simplicity and sensitivity of the TLC approach, we have found that it is suitable to attempt the TLC method first, and then proceed to a more quantitative analysis method as required.
Although this kinetics-based approach is ideal for compounds where direct precedent exists in the kinetic resolution literature (Fig. 3), a predictive model for characterization of novel chiral compounds is the end goal of this research. By review of our data and the available literature utilising the ferrocene-derived chiral DMAP catalysts (Fig. 3), an apparent trend is observed: if the rate of acylation for (+)-DMAP-C5Ph5 is greater than for (−)-DMAP-C5Ph5, R1 (Fig. 2) contains an unsaturated moiety while R2 is an alkyl substituent. Similarly, if the rate of acylation for (−)-DMAP-C5Ph5 is greater than for (+)-DMAP-C5Ph5, R1 (Fig. 2) contains the alkyl substituent while R2 is unsaturated.
Fig. 3 Literature precedent for enantioselective acylation reactions mediated by catalyst 1.6,7,9,10 |
Based on our research interest in natural products, we investigated the use of this methodology on the natural alkaloid (−)-lobeline11 (2) and a sidechain protected analogue of chloramphenicol (3, Fig. 4). The current limitation of the TLC-based approach is demonstrated with (−)-lobeline as the relatively low selectivity between acylation catalysts does not allow the configuration to be unambiguously determined; 1H-NMR spectroscopy revealed modest selectivity consistent with the proposed model. By comparison, the enantioselective acylation selectivity for chloramphenicol derivative (3) is sufficiently high that the correct configuration could be readily deduced by monitoring the reactions by TLC or 1H-NMR spectroscopy.8 With the further development and commercial availability of highly selective acylation catalysts, we expect the scope of this methodology will continue to increase due to its simplicity and ability to produce rapid results.
Fig. 4 Acylation of test substrates (−)-lobeline (2) and TBS protected chloramphenicol derivative (3) are consistent with proposed model (Fig. 2). Solvent CDCl3, monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. |
We thank StFX for financial support (start-up funds and University Council for Research) and for a Summer Research Internship (CGB).
Footnote |
† Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: General experimental procedures and sample spectra for the acylation of (S)-(−)-1-phenylethanol. See DOI: 10.1039/c3ob40709h |
This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013 |