NITROALKENE INTER [4+2] INTRA [3+2] TANDEM CYCLOADDITIONS .7. APPLICATION OF (R)-(-)-2,2-DIPHENYLCYCLOPENTANOL AS THE CHIRAL AUXILIARY

Chiral enol ethers derived from (R)-(-)-2,2-diphenylcyclopentanol ((-)-3) have been found to provide high levels of asymmetric induction in tandem inter [4 + 2]/intra [3 + 2] nitroalkene cycloadditions. The chiral auxiliary (>97% ee) is readily prepared in three steps from diphenylacetonitrile employing an asymmetric oxazaborolidine-catalyzed borane reduction. Either enantiomeric series of tandem cycloaddition/hydrogenolysis product 7 is available from the chiral auxiliary of a single absolute configuration by judicious selection of the Lewis acid promoter, Ti(O-i-Pr)(2)Cl-2 (98% ee, (-)-7) or MAPh (93% ee, (+)-7). Propenyl ethers derived from (-)-3 undergo endo selective [4 + 2] cycloadditions (2.3/1 - 8.2/1) in the presence Ti(O-i-Pr)(2)Cl-2; however, exo selective [4 + 2] cycloadditions (10.2/1 - 54.8/1) are observed in the presence of MAPh.