A Stereoselective Synthesis of 2,6-Dideoxy-6,6,6-trifluoro-arabino-hexoses via an Asymmetric Diels–Alder Strategy

Abstract

The enantioselective syntheses of each enantiomer of ethyl 2,6-dideoxy-6,6,6-trifluoro-β-arabino-hexopyranoside (3) and of 2,6-dideoxy-6,6,6-trifluoro-arabino-hexose (4) are described. The key step in the approach is the inverse electron demand Lewis acid catalysed Diels–Alder reaction of the heterodiene (E)-1,1,1-trifluoro-4-[(1R)-1- phenylethoxy]but-3-en-2-one (5) and either ethyl vinyl ether (7a) or benzyl vinyl ether (7b). The titanium(IV) chloride catalysed cycloadditions at low temperature displayed high endo-selectivity and modest diastereofacial selectivity. Hydroboration of the mixture of the cis-cycloadducts (8a) afforded the separable diastereoisomers (9a) and (10a). Hydrogenolysis of (9a) gave ethyl 2,6-dideoxy-6,6,6-trifluoro-β-L-arabino-hexopyranoside (+)-(3), and of (10a) gave the corresponding D-glycoside (−)-(3). Similarly, hydroboration of the cis-cycloadducts (8b) gave the protected benzyl glycosides (9b) and (10b). Hydrogenolysis of each gave 2,6-dideoxy-6,6,6-trifluoro-L-arabino-hexopyranose (−)-(4) and the corresponding D-sugar (+)-(4) respectively. The absolute configurations of fluorinated carbohydrates (+)- and (−)-(3) were determined by comparison of their molar rotations with those of the parent glycosides. These assignments were confirmed by an X-ray crystallographic structure determination of the glycoside (9a).