Asymmetric
synthesis II
reagent controlled allyl/
crotylation
reagent controlled
reduction
catalyst controlled
reduction
catalyst controlled oxidation
O
H
TMS
OMOM
B[(-)-ipc]2
then K2CO3,
MeOH
74% (2 steps)
> 95% de
> 90% ee
OHH
H OMOM
MOM = methoxymethyl
(-)-ipc =
(-)-isopinocampheyl
Question 1
Explain both the diastereoselectivity and
enantioselectivity of the allylation reaction shown above.
This example is taken from a synthesis of palmerolide A.
O
Angew. Chem. Int Ed. 2007, 46, 5896 & Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 463
OMOM
B
H
R2B
H
≡
S
R2B
M
L
small S
medium M
large L
Answer
When considering the enantioselectivity, the first thing we need to do is determine the
conformation of the reagent.
Initially this looks quite challenging (and it is) but we can make some simplifications.
Instead of considering the whole pinene unit we condense this moiety to a single
stereocentre attached to the boron atom. There are three other substituents based on
size; the hydrogen atom is small; the alkyl chain is medium; the branched alkyl chain is
large.
X
B
X
ax
ax
S
L
M
R
minimise
interactions
≡
X
R
X
L
S
M
view
If we assume the reaction will proceed through the standard chair-like transition state
then the axial pinene group is the most important as it will suffer the greatest
interactions with the substrate and reagents (1,3-diaxial interactions). To minimise
1,3-diaxial interactions the smallest substituent (the hydrogen) will be orientated over
the ring of the transition state. The conformation will be staggered so that we minimise
torsional strain with the substituents on the boron atom.
Having determined the conformation of the first pinene we can look at the second ...
X
B
X
S
L
M
M L
S
eclipsed
favoured
versus
X
B
X
S
L
L
M
S
M
syn-pentane
disfavoured
The conformation of the second pinene unit should minimise the torsional and non-
bonding (steric) strain. No conformation is free of strain so it is a case of minimising
the interactions. The left hand structure suffers torsional strain with the aldehyde and
allyl unit. The right hand structure has steric strain through something called the syn-
pentane interaction.
The latter has been determined (calculations) to be greater.
The equatorial pinene will control the enantioselectivity (the axial pinene controls the
orientation of this second pinene).
H
S
B
L
S
L
M
M L
S ≡
O
B
H
R
S
S
LM
L
M
H
favoured
B
OR
H
H
H
S
L
M
S
LM
interaction
disfavoured
vs.
Finally, the last variable is which face will the aldehyde approach from, top or bottom in
the figure above?
The aldehyde is considered smaller than the allyl unit as there are no substituents on
the oxygen compared to the hydrogen atoms on the methylene position of the allyl
group. As a result the aldehyde will be on the same face (syn) to the largest substituent
on the equatorial pinene.
What does this look like?
O
B
H
R
H
H
H
H
B
O
H
H
H
H
H
R
disfavoured
The transition state on the left is disfavoured as the methyl group (large substituent)
and allyl group interact.
O
B
H
H H
H
H
TMS
OMOM
H
OH
H
TMS
OMOM
H
The diastereoselectivity is determined by the geometry of the allyl unit. In the chair-
like transition state we can only control which face the aldehyde approaches and its
orientation (substituent prefers to be pseudo-equatorial). The position of the allyl
substituent is fixed; if we have a Z-alkene then it must be axial (as above) if it is E then
it will be equatorial.
The only taxing thing left is unravelling the chair but I hope it is obvious that the two
hydrogen atoms are on the same face.
O
C5H11
B
(R)-Alpine-borane®
C5H11
H OH
Question 2
This is another example of the use of a chiral reagent in synthesis (massoilactone). Try
and determine the rational for the enantioselectivity.
Tetrahedron 1984, 40, 1371
BH
H
H
B
Alpine borane® is prepared by the reaction of pinene with 9-BBN (a bulky
organoborane). If you remember, hydroboration occurs with a concerted addition to the
least sterically demanding face of a double bond (in this case anti to the dimethyl
bridge) and with the boron at the least substituted end of the double bond (for both
steric and electronic reasons).
If you can’t remember this please revise!
H
H
B
R
R
B
H
HO
C5H11
minimise
1,3-diaxial
interactions
O
C5H11
HHO
C5H11
The reaction occurs
through an elegant
mechanism in which the
aldehyde coordinates to
the boron. Lewis acid
activation of the aldehyde
increases its
electrophilicity. The
coordination to the boron
also activates the hydride
by altering the
hybridisation of the boron
centre (sp2 to sp3) thus
lengthening the bonds
and making them weaker.
This promotes hydride
transfer.
The bicyclic nature of the
pinene subunit restricts
the conformation of the
organoboron species and
the reaction must ...
H
H
B
R
R
B
H
HO
C5H11
minimise
1,3-diaxial
interactions
O
C5H11
HHO
C5H11
... occur through a boat-
like transition state. The
facial selectivity is
determined by the
orientation of the
aldehyde and the
minimisation of 1,3-
diaxial interactions. The
alkyne is smaller than an
alkyl group is as it
restricted to being a
linear cylinder of carbon
instead of a rotating
chain of atoms (and it
has no hydrogen atoms).
The transition state can
be depicted in an
alternative manner ...
H
OB
C5H11
RR
H
OH
C5H11
≡
C5H11
H OH
... this shows the same
salient features with the
methyl substituent of the
reagent controlling the
approach of the aldehyde.
Personally, I have find this
drawing easier.
O
OCO2Et
N
B
O
H
Ph Ph
0.25eq
BH3•THF 0.65eq
94%
93% ee
OCO2Et
HHO
Question 3
This is our first example of asymmetric catalysis. This is the use of the CBS reductant
in a synthesis of forskolin. With the basic principles we have already covered you
should be able to devise a reasonable rational for the enantioselectivity.
Tetrahedron Lett. 1989, 30, 7297 & Tetrahedron Lett. 1988, 29, 6409
RL RS
H OH
N
B O
H
Ph
Ph
H3B
RL RS
O
N
B O
H
Ph
Ph
BH3•THF
Ph
Ph
O
B N
B
H
O
H
H
RL
RS
Ph
Ph
O
B N
B
H
O
H
H
RL
RS
The mechanism for the
reaction is quite elegant.
The catalyst is derived
from proline (so easily
accessed). The
coordination of the
stoichiometric reductant,
BH3, to the nitrogen lone
pair has to effects; firstly,
it activates the reductant
converting borane into a
borohydride anion.
Secondly, the positive
charge on the nitrogen
atom increases the
polarity of the N–B bond
and thus makes the ring
boron (endocyclic) more
Lewis acidic. This allows
better activation of the
ketone.
RL RS
H OH
N
B O
H
Ph
Ph
H3B
RL RS
O
N
B O
H
Ph
Ph
BH3•THF
Ph
Ph
O
B N
B
H
O
H
H
RL
RS
Ph
Ph
O
B N
B
H
O
H
H
RL
RS
Coordination of the
ketone increases the
electrophilicity of the
carbonyl group and
tethers the ketone to the
reductant. As is so often
the case we now have an
arrangement of 6 atoms
and so the favoured
transition state is thought
to resemble a chair-like
conformation. The
enantioselectivity arises
from the minimisation of
1,3-diaxial interactions
with the small substituent
of the ketone being
pseudo-equatorial. For the
real system this looks
like ...
Ph
Ph
O
B N
B
H
O
H
H
EtO2CO
HH
Ph
Ph
O
B N
B
H
O
H
H
H
H
EtO2CO
disfavoured
... here are the two chair-like transition states for the CBS reduction of the cyclic
ketone. The one on the right is disfavoured due to 1,3-diaxial interactions between the
two methyl substituents.
TBSO OTBS
OH
(–)-DIPT, Ti(OiPr)4,
t-BuO2H
88%
13:1 dr
TBSO OTBS
OH
O
Question 4
This is an example of the archetypal asymmetric catalytic reaction, the Sharpless
Asymmetric Epoxidation (SAE). It is taken from a synthesis of psymberin. Can we
rationalise the diastereoselectivity?
Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 5625
Sometimes we have to accept that it is very hard to predict a reactions outcome by
simple conformational analysis (or even in-depth computational calculation). Often the
intermediates/species involved in a reaction simply are not known and without such
basic information speculation seems pointless.
When this occurs with a useful transformation, such as the SAE, then empirical rules
are often drawn up so that we can still use the reaction. With the SAE there is a useful
mnemonic that frequently predicts the stereochemical outcome. It is acceptable to just
quote this ...
OH
"O" D-(–)-DET unnatural isomer
"O" L-(+)-DET natural isomer
OTBS
H
... with this mnemonic the alcohol is placed in the lower righthand corner and the
allylic alkene is placed back into the plane of the paper. The (–)-enantiomer of the
tartrate reagent delivers oxygen to the top face (as required in this example) while the
(+)-enantiomer delivers the oxygen form the bottom face.
There is believed to be an experimental basis for this mnemonic. Studies on the active
species have determined that there are 8 possible titanium species present with ...
E
O O
O
Ti
O
OO
O
O
Ti
O
O
CO2iPr
iPrO2C
iPr
iPr
OiPr
t-Bu
E
O O
O
Ti
O
OO
O
O
Ti
O
O
CO2iPr
iPrO2C
iPr
iPr
OiPr
t-Bu
R
OTBS
H
H
H
R
OTBS
H
... the dimer above the most likely candidate to be responsible for enantio- (or
diastereo-) selectivity.
It is though that the tartrate ligands create a pocket for TBHP activation and that the
allylic alcohol must coordinate to the same titanium centre (and this is why the SAE
only works reliably for the epoxidation of allylic alcohols). Internal delivery of the
oxygen then leads to the observed product.
Cl
O
SnBu3
Cl
BF3•OEt2
> 20:1 dr
Cl
OH
Cl
Cl
O
Cl
OH
Cl
Cl
B
Question 5
Can you rationalise the change in diastereoselectivity between these two allylation
reactions with the same chiral substrate? Both examples are taken from studies on a
class of molecule known as the chlorosulfolipids.
J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 2226
H
Cl
O
H
H
ClO
H SnBu3
Cl
H
ClHO
H
Cl
≡
Cl
OH
Cl
F3B F3B
Answer
Basically this is just
another way of asking you
to justify the
stereochemical outcome
of each reaction and see
why they are different.
The first task is to
determine which face of
the aldehyde the reagents
would prefer to react with.
If we start with the allyl
stannane (top reaction).
This is simply an example
of Felkin-Anh addition as
can be demonstrated with
the Newman projection.
If we draw the
conformation with the
large isopropyl group
perpendicular to the
carbonyl we get ...
H
Cl
O
H
H
ClO
H SnBu3
Cl
H
ClHO
H
Cl
≡
Cl
OH
Cl
F3B F3B
... the correct
stereochemistry for the
alcohol.
Note: I have not drawn the
stereochemistry for the
second chloride as we
need to determine that in
a separate step.
Warning
Arguably, this reaction
could have proceeded
through a different
transition state with
the chloride
perpendicular to the
carbonyl. This would
agree with the Polar
Felkin-Anh model which
states that
electronegative atoms
tend to be
perpendicular to the pi
system to maximise
orbital overlap.
O
RH
HCl
SnBu3
OH
RH
HCl
OH
RH
HCl
≡ ≡
OH
RH
H
Cl
≡
R
OH
Cl
F3B
Now we have to determine the diastereoselectivity of the second chloride substituent.
The reaction of allyl stannanes proceed through what is know as an open transition
state (non-cyclic, no chair). Initially, it was proposed that an anti transition state (as
shown above with the allyl group anti to the carbonyl) was responsible for the
selectivity. The chloride substituent was orientated away from the aldehyde. This is
quite attractive for a number of reasons (not least it is easy to draw). But, this being
chemistry, it is probably not always (ever?) the case. Calculations have shown that the
allyl group is normally gauche to the carbonyl (this is favoured by orbital overlap
apparently) as shown on the next slide ...
O
RH
H
Cl
Bu3Sn
OH
RH
H
Cl ≡
OH
RH
H
Cl
≡
R
OH
Cl
F3B
... in this transition state it is argued that the allyl group
is anti to the aldehyde substituent (minimising
interactions) with the chloride bisecting the O–C–R area.
This minimises interactions between the chloride and
the R and H groups of the aldehyde. It should be
remembered that nucleophiles approach along the
Bürgi-Dunitz angle and so we want the smallest group
orientated between R & H (see the structure on the
right).
Felkin-Anh and this open transition state explain the
observed product stereochemistry.
O
R
H BF3
H
Cl
SnBu3
minimise
interactions
BO
H
H
Cl
Cl
H
Felkin-Anh (Re)
disfavoured
syn-pentane
dipole-dipole
vs.
O
B
Cl
H
H
Cl
H
favoured
OH
Cl
H
H
Cl
H
≡OH
Cl
H
H
Cl
H
≡
Cl
OH
Cl
The allyl borane reagent reacts through a closed (cyclic) transition state and so we
need to draw a chair-like arrangement of atoms. The first representation shows the
reaction proceeding through attack predicted by the Felkin-Anh model. This does not
occur due to the syn-pentane interaction (sterics) or the destabilising alignment of the
C–Cl dipoles (electronics). Instead the reaction must proceed through anti-Felkin-Anh
attack on the aldehyde ...
BO
H
H
Cl
Cl
H
Felkin-Anh (Re)
disfavoured
syn-pentane
dipole-dipole
vs.
O
B
Cl
H
H
Cl
H
favoured
OH
Cl
H
H
Cl
H
≡OH
Cl
H
H
Cl
H
≡
Cl
OH
Cl
... in this arrangement we minimise the syn-pentane interaction (C–Cl eclipses C–H).
Once again the hardest part is unravelling the 3D representation into a standard
skeletal representation. I have tried to make it easier by highlighting in bold all the
atoms in the plane of the paper. Thus you should see that two hydrogens and a
chloride are on the top face.
Note: the reaction could proceed through the polar-Felkin-Anh transition state with the
chloride perpendicular to the carbonyl but this is unlikely as the isopropyl group would
eclipse the other chloride.

Tutorial 2 answers

  • 1.
    Asymmetric synthesis II reagent controlledallyl/ crotylation reagent controlled reduction catalyst controlled reduction catalyst controlled oxidation O H TMS OMOM B[(-)-ipc]2 then K2CO3, MeOH 74% (2 steps) > 95% de > 90% ee OHH H OMOM MOM = methoxymethyl (-)-ipc = (-)-isopinocampheyl Question 1 Explain both the diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity of the allylation reaction shown above. This example is taken from a synthesis of palmerolide A. O Angew. Chem. Int Ed. 2007, 46, 5896 & Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 463
  • 2.
    OMOM B H R2B H ≡ S R2B M L small S medium M largeL Answer When considering the enantioselectivity, the first thing we need to do is determine the conformation of the reagent. Initially this looks quite challenging (and it is) but we can make some simplifications. Instead of considering the whole pinene unit we condense this moiety to a single stereocentre attached to the boron atom. There are three other substituents based on size; the hydrogen atom is small; the alkyl chain is medium; the branched alkyl chain is large. X B X ax ax S L M R minimise interactions ≡ X R X L S M view If we assume the reaction will proceed through the standard chair-like transition state then the axial pinene group is the most important as it will suffer the greatest interactions with the substrate and reagents (1,3-diaxial interactions). To minimise 1,3-diaxial interactions the smallest substituent (the hydrogen) will be orientated over the ring of the transition state. The conformation will be staggered so that we minimise torsional strain with the substituents on the boron atom. Having determined the conformation of the first pinene we can look at the second ...
  • 3.
    X B X S L M M L S eclipsed favoured versus X B X S L L M S M syn-pentane disfavoured The conformationof the second pinene unit should minimise the torsional and non- bonding (steric) strain. No conformation is free of strain so it is a case of minimising the interactions. The left hand structure suffers torsional strain with the aldehyde and allyl unit. The right hand structure has steric strain through something called the syn- pentane interaction. The latter has been determined (calculations) to be greater. The equatorial pinene will control the enantioselectivity (the axial pinene controls the orientation of this second pinene). H S B L S L M M L S ≡ O B H R S S LM L M H favoured B OR H H H S L M S LM interaction disfavoured vs. Finally, the last variable is which face will the aldehyde approach from, top or bottom in the figure above? The aldehyde is considered smaller than the allyl unit as there are no substituents on the oxygen compared to the hydrogen atoms on the methylene position of the allyl group. As a result the aldehyde will be on the same face (syn) to the largest substituent on the equatorial pinene. What does this look like?
  • 4.
    O B H R H H H H B O H H H H H R disfavoured The transition stateon the left is disfavoured as the methyl group (large substituent) and allyl group interact. O B H H H H H TMS OMOM H OH H TMS OMOM H The diastereoselectivity is determined by the geometry of the allyl unit. In the chair- like transition state we can only control which face the aldehyde approaches and its orientation (substituent prefers to be pseudo-equatorial). The position of the allyl substituent is fixed; if we have a Z-alkene then it must be axial (as above) if it is E then it will be equatorial. The only taxing thing left is unravelling the chair but I hope it is obvious that the two hydrogen atoms are on the same face.
  • 5.
    O C5H11 B (R)-Alpine-borane® C5H11 H OH Question 2 Thisis another example of the use of a chiral reagent in synthesis (massoilactone). Try and determine the rational for the enantioselectivity. Tetrahedron 1984, 40, 1371 BH H H B Alpine borane® is prepared by the reaction of pinene with 9-BBN (a bulky organoborane). If you remember, hydroboration occurs with a concerted addition to the least sterically demanding face of a double bond (in this case anti to the dimethyl bridge) and with the boron at the least substituted end of the double bond (for both steric and electronic reasons). If you can’t remember this please revise!
  • 6.
    H H B R R B H HO C5H11 minimise 1,3-diaxial interactions O C5H11 HHO C5H11 The reaction occurs throughan elegant mechanism in which the aldehyde coordinates to the boron. Lewis acid activation of the aldehyde increases its electrophilicity. The coordination to the boron also activates the hydride by altering the hybridisation of the boron centre (sp2 to sp3) thus lengthening the bonds and making them weaker. This promotes hydride transfer. The bicyclic nature of the pinene subunit restricts the conformation of the organoboron species and the reaction must ... H H B R R B H HO C5H11 minimise 1,3-diaxial interactions O C5H11 HHO C5H11 ... occur through a boat- like transition state. The facial selectivity is determined by the orientation of the aldehyde and the minimisation of 1,3- diaxial interactions. The alkyne is smaller than an alkyl group is as it restricted to being a linear cylinder of carbon instead of a rotating chain of atoms (and it has no hydrogen atoms). The transition state can be depicted in an alternative manner ...
  • 7.
    H OB C5H11 RR H OH C5H11 ≡ C5H11 H OH ... thisshows the same salient features with the methyl substituent of the reagent controlling the approach of the aldehyde. Personally, I have find this drawing easier. O OCO2Et N B O H Ph Ph 0.25eq BH3•THF 0.65eq 94% 93% ee OCO2Et HHO Question 3 This is our first example of asymmetric catalysis. This is the use of the CBS reductant in a synthesis of forskolin. With the basic principles we have already covered you should be able to devise a reasonable rational for the enantioselectivity. Tetrahedron Lett. 1989, 30, 7297 & Tetrahedron Lett. 1988, 29, 6409
  • 8.
    RL RS H OH N BO H Ph Ph H3B RL RS O N B O H Ph Ph BH3•THF Ph Ph O B N B H O H H RL RS Ph Ph O B N B H O H H RL RS The mechanism for the reaction is quite elegant. The catalyst is derived from proline (so easily accessed). The coordination of the stoichiometric reductant, BH3, to the nitrogen lone pair has to effects; firstly, it activates the reductant converting borane into a borohydride anion. Secondly, the positive charge on the nitrogen atom increases the polarity of the N–B bond and thus makes the ring boron (endocyclic) more Lewis acidic. This allows better activation of the ketone. RL RS H OH N B O H Ph Ph H3B RL RS O N B O H Ph Ph BH3•THF Ph Ph O B N B H O H H RL RS Ph Ph O B N B H O H H RL RS Coordination of the ketone increases the electrophilicity of the carbonyl group and tethers the ketone to the reductant. As is so often the case we now have an arrangement of 6 atoms and so the favoured transition state is thought to resemble a chair-like conformation. The enantioselectivity arises from the minimisation of 1,3-diaxial interactions with the small substituent of the ketone being pseudo-equatorial. For the real system this looks like ...
  • 9.
    Ph Ph O B N B H O H H EtO2CO HH Ph Ph O B N B H O H H H H EtO2CO disfavoured ...here are the two chair-like transition states for the CBS reduction of the cyclic ketone. The one on the right is disfavoured due to 1,3-diaxial interactions between the two methyl substituents. TBSO OTBS OH (–)-DIPT, Ti(OiPr)4, t-BuO2H 88% 13:1 dr TBSO OTBS OH O Question 4 This is an example of the archetypal asymmetric catalytic reaction, the Sharpless Asymmetric Epoxidation (SAE). It is taken from a synthesis of psymberin. Can we rationalise the diastereoselectivity? Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 5625
  • 10.
    Sometimes we haveto accept that it is very hard to predict a reactions outcome by simple conformational analysis (or even in-depth computational calculation). Often the intermediates/species involved in a reaction simply are not known and without such basic information speculation seems pointless. When this occurs with a useful transformation, such as the SAE, then empirical rules are often drawn up so that we can still use the reaction. With the SAE there is a useful mnemonic that frequently predicts the stereochemical outcome. It is acceptable to just quote this ... OH "O" D-(–)-DET unnatural isomer "O" L-(+)-DET natural isomer OTBS H ... with this mnemonic the alcohol is placed in the lower righthand corner and the allylic alkene is placed back into the plane of the paper. The (–)-enantiomer of the tartrate reagent delivers oxygen to the top face (as required in this example) while the (+)-enantiomer delivers the oxygen form the bottom face. There is believed to be an experimental basis for this mnemonic. Studies on the active species have determined that there are 8 possible titanium species present with ...
  • 11.
    E O O O Ti O OO O O Ti O O CO2iPr iPrO2C iPr iPr OiPr t-Bu E O O O Ti O OO O O Ti O O CO2iPr iPrO2C iPr iPr OiPr t-Bu R OTBS H H H R OTBS H ...the dimer above the most likely candidate to be responsible for enantio- (or diastereo-) selectivity. It is though that the tartrate ligands create a pocket for TBHP activation and that the allylic alcohol must coordinate to the same titanium centre (and this is why the SAE only works reliably for the epoxidation of allylic alcohols). Internal delivery of the oxygen then leads to the observed product. Cl O SnBu3 Cl BF3•OEt2 > 20:1 dr Cl OH Cl Cl O Cl OH Cl Cl B Question 5 Can you rationalise the change in diastereoselectivity between these two allylation reactions with the same chiral substrate? Both examples are taken from studies on a class of molecule known as the chlorosulfolipids. J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 2226
  • 12.
    H Cl O H H ClO H SnBu3 Cl H ClHO H Cl ≡ Cl OH Cl F3B F3B Answer Basicallythis is just another way of asking you to justify the stereochemical outcome of each reaction and see why they are different. The first task is to determine which face of the aldehyde the reagents would prefer to react with. If we start with the allyl stannane (top reaction). This is simply an example of Felkin-Anh addition as can be demonstrated with the Newman projection. If we draw the conformation with the large isopropyl group perpendicular to the carbonyl we get ... H Cl O H H ClO H SnBu3 Cl H ClHO H Cl ≡ Cl OH Cl F3B F3B ... the correct stereochemistry for the alcohol. Note: I have not drawn the stereochemistry for the second chloride as we need to determine that in a separate step. Warning Arguably, this reaction could have proceeded through a different transition state with the chloride perpendicular to the carbonyl. This would agree with the Polar Felkin-Anh model which states that electronegative atoms tend to be perpendicular to the pi system to maximise orbital overlap.
  • 13.
    O RH HCl SnBu3 OH RH HCl OH RH HCl ≡ ≡ OH RH H Cl ≡ R OH Cl F3B Now wehave to determine the diastereoselectivity of the second chloride substituent. The reaction of allyl stannanes proceed through what is know as an open transition state (non-cyclic, no chair). Initially, it was proposed that an anti transition state (as shown above with the allyl group anti to the carbonyl) was responsible for the selectivity. The chloride substituent was orientated away from the aldehyde. This is quite attractive for a number of reasons (not least it is easy to draw). But, this being chemistry, it is probably not always (ever?) the case. Calculations have shown that the allyl group is normally gauche to the carbonyl (this is favoured by orbital overlap apparently) as shown on the next slide ... O RH H Cl Bu3Sn OH RH H Cl ≡ OH RH H Cl ≡ R OH Cl F3B ... in this transition state it is argued that the allyl group is anti to the aldehyde substituent (minimising interactions) with the chloride bisecting the O–C–R area. This minimises interactions between the chloride and the R and H groups of the aldehyde. It should be remembered that nucleophiles approach along the Bürgi-Dunitz angle and so we want the smallest group orientated between R & H (see the structure on the right). Felkin-Anh and this open transition state explain the observed product stereochemistry. O R H BF3 H Cl SnBu3 minimise interactions
  • 14.
    BO H H Cl Cl H Felkin-Anh (Re) disfavoured syn-pentane dipole-dipole vs. O B Cl H H Cl H favoured OH Cl H H Cl H ≡OH Cl H H Cl H ≡ Cl OH Cl The allylborane reagent reacts through a closed (cyclic) transition state and so we need to draw a chair-like arrangement of atoms. The first representation shows the reaction proceeding through attack predicted by the Felkin-Anh model. This does not occur due to the syn-pentane interaction (sterics) or the destabilising alignment of the C–Cl dipoles (electronics). Instead the reaction must proceed through anti-Felkin-Anh attack on the aldehyde ... BO H H Cl Cl H Felkin-Anh (Re) disfavoured syn-pentane dipole-dipole vs. O B Cl H H Cl H favoured OH Cl H H Cl H ≡OH Cl H H Cl H ≡ Cl OH Cl ... in this arrangement we minimise the syn-pentane interaction (C–Cl eclipses C–H). Once again the hardest part is unravelling the 3D representation into a standard skeletal representation. I have tried to make it easier by highlighting in bold all the atoms in the plane of the paper. Thus you should see that two hydrogens and a chloride are on the top face. Note: the reaction could proceed through the polar-Felkin-Anh transition state with the chloride perpendicular to the carbonyl but this is unlikely as the isopropyl group would eclipse the other chloride.