A novel, general, totally stereoselective one-pot synthesis of cis-3-substituted 4-formylazetidin-2-ones

Synthesis of Strained Tricyclic β-Lactams by Intramolecular [2+2] Cycloaddition Reactions of 2-Azetidinone-Tethered Enallenols: Control of Regioselectivity by Selective Alkene Substitution

A convenient metal-free methodology for the preparation of structurally novel, strained tricyclic beta-lactams containing a cyclobutane ring has been developed. The first examples accounting for the intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition reactions in beta-lactams have been achieved by the thermolysis of 2-azetidinone-tethered enallenols, which have been prepared in aqueous media by regio- and diastereoselective indium-mediated carbonyl allenylation of 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes. Notably, the regioselectivity of the cycloaddition can be tuned in the allene component just by a subtle variation in the substitution pattern of the alkene component.

Novel Carbonyl Bromoallylation/Heck Reaction Sequence. Stereocontrolled Access to Bicyclic β-Lactams

[reaction: see text] The reaction of 2,3-dibromopropene with racemic as well as enantiopure 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes 1 in aqueous media was promoted by tin in the presence of several additives to afford the corresponding bromohomoallyl alcohols 2 in high diastereoselectivities. However, indium or zinc were unable to promote the bromoallylation reaction of aldehydes 1 under similar Barbier-type conditions. Vinyl bromides 2 bearing an extra alkene tether were used for the preparation of differently sized, fused bicyclic beta-lactams of nonconventional structure via Heck cyclization.

Diastereoselective [2+2]-Cycloaddition Reactions of Unsymmetrical Cyclic Ketenes with Imines: Synthesis of Modified Prolines and Theoretical Study of the Reaction Mechanism

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure modified proline derivatives was achieved by using spiro beta-lactams as starting material that were prepared in turn by the [2+2]-cycloaddition of unsymmetrical cyclic ketenes with optically active imines. A theoretical study of the [2+2]-cycloaddition reaction, using density-functional methods, gave insights on the origin of the observed stereoselectivity of the Staudinger reaction. The spiro beta-lactams were transformed in the N-Boc derivatives and subjected to nucleophilic ring opening, affording the corresponding enantiomerically pure modified proline derivatives, isolated as orthogonally protected compounds.

Structurally Novel Bi- and Tricyclic β-Lactams via [2 + 2] Cycloaddition or Radical Reactions in 2-Azetidinone-Tethered Enallenes and Allenynes

[reaction: see text] Thermolysis of beta-lactam-tethered enallenyl alcohols gave tricyclic ring structures via a formal [2 + 2] cycloaddition of the alkene with the distal bond of the allene, while the tin-promoted radical cyclization in 2-azetidinone-tethered allenynes proceeded to provide bicyclic beta-lactams containing a medium-sized ring. The access to cyclization precursors was achieved by regio- and stereoselective metal-mediated carbonyl allenylation of 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes in an aqueous environment.

Efficient entry to highly functionalized beta-lactams by regio- and stereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 2-azetidinone-tethered nitrones. Synthetic applications

Racemic as well as optically pure 2-azetidinone-tethered nitrones, both cyclic and acyclic, were smoothly prepared from 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes. The regio- and diastereoselectivities of the intermolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of 2-azetidinone-tethered nitrones with substituted alkenes and alkynes were investigated. 2-Azetidinone-tethered nitrones on reacting with various dipolarophiles yielded isoxazolinyl-, isoxazolidinyl-, or fused polycyclic-beta-lactams, exhibiting good regio- and facial stereoselectivity in the most of the cases. In addition, some interesting transformations of these cycloadducts were performed, yielding aziridinyl beta-lactams or functionalized beta-alkoxycarbonyl gamma-lactams (derivatives of the aza analogue of paraconic acid).

Stereoselective allylation of 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes. Application To the stereocontrolled synthesis of fused tricyclic beta-lactams via intramolecular diels-alder reaction of 2-azetidinone-tethered trienes

Allylation reactions of racemic and optically pure 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes were investigated both under anhydrous conditions and in aqueous media. Different Lewis acid or metal mediators showed varied diastereoselectivities on product formation during allylation reactions of the above aldehydes with allyltrimethylsilane, allyltributylstannane, or allyl bromide. Under standard reaction conditions, tin(IV) chloride-promoted addition of allyltrimethylsilane to 4-oxoazetidine-2-carbaldehydes provided the highest diastereoselectivity and the best yield. Boron trifluoride-diethyl ether-promoted reaction of allyltributylstannane provided slightly lower diastereoselectivity with the same facial preference. Indium-promoted allylation showed a reverse diastereofacial preference, although the observed selectivity is not synthetically useful. The mesylates of these homoallylic alcohols were used for the stereoselective preparation of cis-4-butadienyl-2-azetidinones. Interestingly, mesylates having an extra alkene or alkyne tether at position 1 or 3 of the beta-lactam ring, on heating in a sealed tube with equimolecular amounts of DBU in toluene, yielded fused tricyclic 2-azetidinones through a tandem one-pot elimination-intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction.

Base-promoted isomerization of cis-4-formyl-2-azetidinones: chemoselective C4-epimerization vs rearrangement to cyclic enaminones

Two simple, efficient, and complementary methods for the regiospecific C4-epimerization of cis-4-formyl-2-azetidinones 1-3 are described. The first method uses 40% aqueous dimethylamine as reagent in heterogeneous medium with benzene at room temperature, in the presence of benzyltributylammonium bromide (3-4 mol%) as the phase-transfer catalyst. This transformation tolerates alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, and alkoxy substituents at the C3 of the 2-azetidinone ring. However, limitations of this isomerization are as follows: (i) only N-(p-methoxyphenyl)-beta-lactams can be used, and (ii) transformation is less compatible with heteroatomic substituents bonded to the C3 position of the 2-azetidinone ring. A highly general solution to these problems relies on the use of sodium carbonate as the isomerization reagent in different solvents. We also describe a novel base-promoted rearrangement of the beta-lactam ring to cyclic enaminones 6 and 21, involving an E1cB-elimination reaction in cis-4-formyl-2-azetidinones.

Stereoselective Synthesis of 3-Substituted 4-(Formyloxy)-2-azetidinones by the Unusual Baeyer-Villiger Reaction of beta-Lactam Aldehydes. Scope and Synthetic Applications

The Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 4-formyl-beta-lactams 1with m-CPBA gave 4-(formyloxy) beta-lactams 2 in a simple, efficient, and totally stereoselective process. This reaction is one of the scarce examples of the preferred migration of a carbon moiety in an aliphatic aldehyde. The influence of the substituents at N1 and C3 of the four-membered ring in the Baeyer-Villiger rearrangement has been studied. Thus, alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and alkyloxy 3-substituted-1-(p-anisyl)-2-azetidinones 1 form exclusively 4-(formyloxy) beta-lactams 2. Amide or acetoxy substituents at C3 of the four-membered ring produce mixtures of 4-(formyloxy) beta-lactams 2and 4-carboxy beta-lactams 5. The exclusive formation of carboxy derivatives is observed sometimes for 1-alkyl-substituted-2-azetidinones 1. 4-(Formyloxy) beta-lactams 2 are suitable starting materials to prepare different 4-unsubstituted beta-lactams 9 using beta-hydroxy amides 8 as isolable intermediates. The overall transformation 4-formyl-2-azetidinone to 4-unsubstituted beta-lactam is an easy and convenient stereoselective route to these interesting types of compounds.