Oxazolium-derived azomethine ylides. External oxazole activation and internal dipole trapping in the synthesis of an aziridinomitosene.

E Vedejs, D W Piotrowski, F C Tucci

Index: J. Org. Chem. 65(18) , 5498-505, (2000)

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Abstract

Intermolecular alkylation of the aziridinyl oxazole 20 using PhSO(2)CH(2)CH(2)OTf is possible despite the presence of potentially nucleophilic aziridine nitrogen. The resulting oxazolium salt 22 reacts with BnNMe(3)(+)CN(-) to produce the azomethine ylide 24b via electrocyclic ring opening of an oxazoline 23b. Internal cycloaddition affords 26 in 66% yield. After saponification and base-induced cleavage of the N-phenylsulfonylethyl group, conventional cyclization provides access to 33. Deprotection and DDQ oxidation completes the synthesis of the aziridinomitosene derivative 9b. The starting cis-disubstituted aziridine ester 16 can be prepared by the aza-Darzens reaction of 15 with tert-butyl chloroacetate.