Stereoinversion of tertiary alcohols to tertiary alkyl isonitriles and amines Sergey V. Pronin, Christopher A. Reiher, Ryan A. Shenvi The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California. Nature 501, 2013, 195–199.
Ryan A. Shenvi B.S in chemistry at Penn State with Prof. Raymond L. Funk Ph.D. from The Scripps research Institute with Prof. Phil S. Baran Postdoctoral fellowship in Harvard University with Prof. Elias J. Corey Assistant Professor (2010 - ), Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute. Research Interests: Total synthesis of terpenes, Alkaloids and natural products targeting neglected tropical diseases
Isonitrile containing secondary terpenoid metabolites
Common methods to access isonitriles
tert-Isonitrile synthesis in Natural products
A direct conversion of alcohols to isonitriles Kitano, Y.; Kazuhiro, C. Tada, M.; Tet. Lett. 1997 39, 1911-1912
Lewis acid modification
Lewis acid screening
Lewis acid modification
Substrate Scope
Substrate Scope
Transformations of formed isonitriles
Limitations
Mechanistic rationale
Increase in fluorination of the substrate ester has an effect on the selectivity towards inversion Use of TMSOTf instead of Sc(OTf)3 did promote any reaction. Addition of 2-6-di-t-butyl pyridine (3:1 with catalyst) did not inhibit product formation, which excludes Bronsted acid catalysis. Addition of stoichiometic TMSOTf did not affect the reaction Reaction seems to be unique to TMSCN as nucleophile/solvent No reaction when MeCN is used as nucleophile, TMSN3 and TMSSCN gave complex mixtures
Conclusions The methodology can be used for Stereoslective conversion of 3 o alcohols to isonitriles and amines Is chemoselective to 3 o alcohols in the presence of 1 o and 2 o alcohols Works best with minmally branched acylic alcohols and conformationally inflexible alicyclic alcohols
Other examples from literature for SN2 at tert-center