Lithiated 4-isopropyl-3-(methylthiomethyl)-5,5-diphenyloxazolidin-2-one:: A chiral formyl anion equivalent for enantioselective preparations of 1,2-diols, 2-amino alcohols, 2-hydroxy esters, and 4-hydroxy-2-alkenoates

The heterocyclic compound specified in the title (and readily prepared from commercial precursors) has a sterically protected C=O group, so that direct lithiation bp BuLi at the exocyclic CH2 group is possible (3 --> Li-3). The lithiated N,S-acetal derivative (Li-3) adds diastereoselectively to aldehydes (Table 2), unsymmetrical ketones (Table 3), chalcone (1,4-addition, Scheme 2), and N-phosphinoyl and N-sulfonylimines (Table 4). Protection of the newly formed OH groups (Scheme 3) and/or MeS/ OH displacement by Hg(O2CCF3)(2) in aqueous THF/acetonitrile converts the N,S-acetals into hemiaminals (--> 20) which, in turn, are readily cleaved to aldehydes, with recovery of the chiral auxiliary (1, Scheme 4). The aldehydes (especially those lacking alpha -carbonyl hydrogens) may be isolated, or they are trapped in situ by reduction to (selectively protected) diols or amino alcohols, by addition of Grignard or Li reagents, which provides diols with two stereogenic centers, by oxidation to give 2-hydroxy esters, or by olefination to provide 4-hydroxy-2-alkenoates (Scheme 5). The scope and limitations of the new, overall enantioselective transformation are determined, and the readily recovered chiral auxiliary used is compared with oxazolidinones of other substitution patterns (Scheme 7). The configuration of a number of products has been assigned by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (cf. Figure 5). These structures and similarities of NMR data led to configurational assignment of the other products (see formulas in the schemes and tables) by analogy. A simple mechanistic model for the stereochemical course of the addition of Li-3 to aldehydes and ketones is presented (Figure 6).