Synthesis of bicyclic γ-butyrolactone derivatives by rhodium catalyzed intramolecular C-H insertion of α-dizao α-phosphoryl cycloalkyl esters

Under the catalysis of Rh2(OAc)4, several readily prepared cycloalkyl α-diazo α-phosphoryl esters undergo a intramolecular C-H insertion reaction to afford the fused bicyclic α-phosphoryl-γ-butyrolactones in varying yields (10%-80%) and dr ratios (69:14:17 to >99:1). The experimental results reveal that the reactivity of the precursors and the diastereoselectivity of the cyclization are both influenced by the ring sizes of the cycloalkyl moieties. Moreover, most of the resulting products can be further elaborated into α,α-dialkyl γ-butyrolactones via a two-step alkylation/reductive alkylation sequence with the controlled installation of two alkyl groups to the lactones. In addition, application of Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) olefination reaction to the insertion products allows an access to bicyclic α-alkylidene-γ-butyrolactone ring systems that occur ubiquitously in biologically active natural products and synthetic molecules.

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