Desymmetrization of Benzoic Acid in the Context of the Asymmetric Birch Reduction−Alkylation Protocol. Asymmetric Total Syntheses of (−)-Eburnamonine and (−)-Aspidospermidine

The highly diastereoselective potassium in ammonia reduction−ethylation (EtI) of the chiral 2-(trimethylsilyl)benzamide 1b to give 1,4-cyclohexadiene 3 is the key step in asymmetric syntheses of (−)-eburnamonine ( 4 ) and (−)-aspidospermidine ( 5 ). Cyclohexadiene 3 was converted to cyclohexanone 7, which provided the trimethylsilyl-substituted butyrolactone 9 utilized for the synthesis of 4 and butyrolactone 13 required for the synthesis of 5 . The preparation of 9 depended upon the completely regioselective silicon-directed Baeyer−Villiger oxidation 7 → 8; Baeyer−Villiger oxidation of the cyclohexenone 10 also was regioselective to give the desired enol lactone 11 in 92% yield. Remarkable diastereoselectivity was observed for the kinetically controlled cyclization of the acyl imminium ion derived from the vinyl-substituted carboxaldehyde 16b; treatment of 16b with 5 equiv of CF 3 CO 2 H in CH 2 Cl 2 at −55 °C gave an 18:1 mixture of 17 and its C(3) β-epimer in 93% yield. The oxidation of alcohol 18 containing sensitive indole and piperidine rings was best carried out with tetrapropylammonium perruthenate/ N -methylmorpholine N -oxide to give (−)-eburnamonine ( 4 ) in 97% yield. The asymmetric synthesis of (−)-aspidospermidine 5 involved the conversion of butyrolactone 13 to the hydroxylactam 22, the Harley-Mason cyclization of 22 to 23, and reduction of 23 with LiAlH 4 .