Enantioselective synthesis of fluorinated alpha-amino acids and derivatives in combination with ring-closing metathesis: intramolecular pi-stacking interactions as a source of stereocontrol.

[reaction: see text]. Hydride reduction of C=N bonds stereocontrolled by intramolecular pi-stacking interactions of 1-naphthylsulfinyl and N-aryl groups, nonoxidative Pummerer rearrangement, and ring-closing metathesis are efficiently combined in a highly stereoselective entry to enantiomerically pure cyclic and acyclic fluorinated beta-amino alcohols and alpha-amino acid derivatives, respectively.

Stereoselective Mannich-Type Reaction of an Acyclic Ketimine with a Substituted Chlorotitanium Enolate:  Efficient Approach to d-erythro-α-Trifluoromethylβ-hydroxyaspartic Units

Synthesis of nonracemic α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acids from sulfinimines of trifluoropyruvate

We describe a novel and useful method for the synthesis of nonracemic α-trifluoromethyl α-amino acids (α-Tfm-AAs). Key building blocks are the sulfinimines (S)-1a and (S)-1b, prepared by Staudinger reaction from trifluoropyruvate esters and the chiral N-sulfinyl iminophosphorane (S)-8, which were treated with benzyl, allyl, and alkylmagnesium halides. The resulting diastereomeric N-sulfinyl α-Tfm α-amino esters, 12 and 13, were produced with moderate to good stereoselectivity and yields. When alkyl Grignard reagents were used, stereocontrol became progressively higher with increasing steric bulk, while reversed, though poor, stereocontrol was achieved with benzyl/allyl Grignard reagents. An…