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. 2019 Dec 18;141(50):19902-19910.
doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b11262. Epub 2019 Dec 3.

Site-Selective and Stereoselective O-Alkylation of Glycosides by Rh(II)-Catalyzed Carbenoid Insertion

Affiliations

Site-Selective and Stereoselective O-Alkylation of Glycosides by Rh(II)-Catalyzed Carbenoid Insertion

Jicheng Wu et al. J Am Chem Soc. .

Abstract

Carbohydrates are synthetically challenging molecules with vital biological roles in all living systems. Selective synthesis and functionalization of carbohydrates provide tremendous opportunities to improve our understanding on the biological functions of this fundamentally important class of molecules. However, selective functionalization of seemingly identical hydroxyl groups in carbohydrates remains a long-standing challenge in chemical synthesis. We herein describe a practical and predictable method for the site-selective and stereoselective alkylation of carbohydrate hydroxyl groups via Rh(II)-catalyzed insertion of metal carbenoid intermediates. This represents one of the mildest alkylation methods for the systematic modification of carbohydrates. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the site selectivity is determined in the Rh(II)-carbenoid insertion step, which prefers insertion into hydroxyl groups with an adjacent axial substituent. The subsequent intramolecular enolate protonation determines the unexpected high stereoselectivity. The most prevalent trans-1,2-diols in various pyranoses can be systematically and predictably differentiated based on the model derived from DFT calculations. We also demonstrated that the selective O-alkylation method could significantly improve the efficiency and stereoselectivity of glycosylation reactions. The alkyl groups introduced to carbohydrates by OH insertion reaction can serve as functional groups, protecting groups, and directing groups.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Scheme 1.
Scheme 1.
Selective Functionalization of Glycosides
Scheme 2.
Scheme 2.. Determination of the Stereochemistrya
a Reaction conditions: See Table 1 for conditions. α-diazo compounds 14a or 14b (0.3 mmol, 1.5 equiv) was used.
Scheme 3.
Scheme 3.
DFT Calculations and Working Model for Site-selective Alkylation
Scheme 4.
Scheme 4.. Tuning the Site-selectivity by Protecting Groupsa
a See Table 1 for conditions, α-diazo compound 2 (0.3 mmol, 1.5 equiv) was used.b Rh2(oct)4 (1 mol%) was used.
Scheme 5.
Scheme 5.. Evaluation of Chiral Rh(II) Catalystsa
a See Table 1 for conditions, α-diazo compound (0.3 mmol, 1.5 equiv) was used, 10 min - 2 h.b α-diazo compound 2 was used, 10 min - 2 h. Rh2(R-DOSP)4: dirhodium(II) tetrakis[(R)-N-(p-dodecylphenylsulfonyl)prolinate]. Rh2(R-PTAD)4: dirhodium(II) tetrakis[(R)-(−)-(1-adamantyl)-(N-phthalimido)acetato]. Rh2(5R-MEPY)4: dirhodium(II) tetrakis[methyl 2-pyrrolidone-5(R)-carboxylate].
Scheme 6.
Scheme 6.. Alkyl Group as the Directing Group for Stereoselective Glycosylation Reactions
Conditions: a) See Table 1 for standard conditions. b) DMAP, NEt3, Piv2O, AcOH, DCM, rt. c) PdCl2, NaOAc/AcOH/H2O, rt. d) CCl3CN, DBU, DCM, rt. e) TMSOTf, 4Å MS, DCM, −78 °C - rt.
Scheme 7.
Scheme 7.. Alkyl Group as the Protecting Group for Glycosylation Reactions
Conditions: a) KHMDS, −78 °C, THF, 30 min. b) Oxaziridine, −78 °C, 1 – 3 h; r.t., 45 min. c) TMSOTf, DCM, −78 °C - rt. d) NIS, TMSOf, DCM, −78 °C - rt, 4 Å MS. e) NaOMe, MeOH, rt.
Scheme 8:
Scheme 8:. Alkyl Group as the Functional Group
Conditions: a) TBSCl, imidazole, DMF, rt, 6 h. b) LiOH·H2O, THF/H2O (v/v, 5:1), rt, 4 h. c) HATU, DIPEA, DCM, rt, 5 h. d) DMAP, DCC, DCM, rt, 5 h.

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