Organocatalytic asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation/cyclization cascade reaction of 1-naphthols and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes: an enantioselective synthesis of chromanes and dihydrobenzopyranes

J Org Chem. 2009 Sep 4;74(17):6881-4. doi: 10.1021/jo901409d.

Abstract

An enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation/cyclization cascade reaction of 1-naphthols and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes promoted by diphenylprolinol ether has been developed. The method affords one-pot access to chiral and synthetically useful chromanes and dihydrobenzopyranes in high yields and enantioselectivities from readily available compounds. In addition, the addition/cyclization products could be afterward transformed to various natural products and biologically active derivatives. On the basis of the experimental results and the observed absolute configurations of the products, a plausible mechanism has been proposed to explain the origin of the activation and the asymmetric induction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehydes / chemistry*
  • Alkylation
  • Benzopyrans / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Chemistry, Organic / methods*
  • Chromans / chemistry*
  • Cyclization
  • Drug Design
  • Models, Chemical
  • Molecular Structure
  • Naphthols / chemistry*
  • Oxygen / chemistry
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Temperature
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Aldehydes
  • Benzopyrans
  • Chromans
  • Naphthols
  • 2,2,5,7,8-pentamethyl-1-hydroxychroman
  • Oxygen