Highly diastereoselective Michael reaction of (S)-mandelic acid enolate.: Chiral benzoyl carbanion equivalent through an oxidative decarboxylation of α-hydroxyacids
The reaction of the lithium enolate of the 1,3-dioxolan-4-one derived front optically active (S)-mandelic acid and pivalaldehyde with alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds proceeds readily to give the corresponding Michael adducts in good yields and high diastereoselectivity. Subsequent basic hydrolysis of the acetal and oxidative decarboxylation of the a-hydroxyacid moiety provides chiral 2-substituted 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds with very high enantionieric excesses. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.