Synthesis of chiral 1-and 2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-3-trimethylsilyloxybuta-1,3-dienes and their behaviour in Diels-Alder cycloadditions

The synthesis of (+/-)-(E)-1-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-3-trimethylsilyloxybuta-1,3-diene 1 and (S-S)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-3-trimethylsilyloxybuta-1,3-diene 2 and their reactions with cyclic dienophiles are described. Cycloaddition of diene 1 with N-methylmaleimide 10 was performed under pressure affording a complex reaction mixture from which two epimers at C-3', (+/-)-11a and (+/-)-11b [2,3,3a,4,5,7a-hexahydro-2-methyl-7a-(1-methylsuccinimide-3-yl)-1H-isoindole-1,3,5-triones], were isolated in equal amounts. Diene (+/-)-1 cycloadded to the more reactive 4-methyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione 14 at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. However, nothing can be said about the stereochemical outcome of this addition since the loss of the chiral auxiliary via the sulfoxide-sulfenate rearrangement gave the bicyclic Alpha, Beta-unsaturated ketone 17 (2-methyl-2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-1H-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-1,3,6-trione). Diels-Alder cycloaddition of enantiopure diene 2 with 10 occurred under pressure leading to a diastereomeric mixture of adducts where the trimethylsilyl enol ether moiety spontaneously evolved to the ketone function. The major enantiopure product 18a [(3aS,6S,7aR,R-S)-2-methyl-6-(p-tolylsulfinyl)perhydroisoindole-1,3,5-trione] was isolated and characterized. Cycloadditions of both dienes to dienophile 10 appear highly stereoselective. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.