Asymmetric reductions of prochiral ketones with lithium [2-[2-benzyloxy)ethyl]-6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]-3-nonyl]-9-boratabicyclo-[3.3.1]nonane (lithium NB-Enantride) and its derivatives
作者:M. Mark Midland、Aleksander Kazubski、Richard E. Woodling
DOI:10.1021/jo00003a030
日期:1991.2
NB-Enantride, prepared by hydroboration of nopyl benzyl ether with 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9-BBN) followed by treatment with tert-butyllithium, is an effective asymmetric reducing agent. Especially noteworthy is the fact that it can reduce aliphatic ketones such as 2-octanone or 2-butanone in efficiencies approaching 80% enantiomeric excess. Several analogues have been tested in order to probe the structural features which contribute to making this reagent effective. The ether group evidently plays a role in obtaining high selectivity, since changing oxygen to nitrogen or sulfur causes a drop in selectivity. Moving the ether group by one atom in either direction or making it more hindered causes a drop in selectivity. However, replacing the OCH2C6H5 group with a methyl group also results in an effective reducing agent and suggests that steric factors play an important role. The lithium cation was also found to be very important. Whereas the lithium compound reduced acetophenone within minutes at -78-degrees-C, the potassium analogue gave no reduction over an extended period. At higher temperatures (-65-degrees-C) reduction did slowly occur with the potassium compound, but the selectivity was greatly reduced in comparison to the lithium compound.