Conjugate Additions of 1-Propenylphosphonates to Metalated Schöllkopf's Bis-lactim Ether: Stereocontrolled Access to 2-Amino-3-methyl-4-phosphonobutanoic Acids

Diastereoselectivity in the conjugate addition of metalated Schöllkopf's bis-lactim ethers 5a-e to (E)- and (Z)-1-propenylphosphonates 4a,b was studied experimentally and theoretically and utilized to achieve a direct and stereocontrolled synthesis of all four diastereoisomers of 2-amino-3-methyl-4-phosphonobutanoic acid, 6a,b and their enantiomers. The relative stereochemistry was assigned from an NMR study of cyclic derivatives 13a,b. According to semiempirical calculations, both in vacuo (PM3) or a dielectric continuum (PM3/COSMO), initial lithium-phosphoryl coordination, without an energy barrier, to form a solvated chelate complex is followed by the rate-determining reorganization to the 1,4-addition product through an eight-membered transition state. The translation of the Z,E geometry into a syn, anti configuration at the adducts originates from an orientational preference in the transition state for a compact disposition of the reaction partners.