Microbiological Oxygenation of Bridgehead Azabicycloalkanes

A series of N-substituted bridgehead azabicycloalkanes has been prepared and examined as substrates for microbiological oxygenation using the fungi Beauveria bassiana, Rhizopus nigricans, Aspergillus ochraceus, and Rhizopus arrhizus. Oxygenation using B. bassiana of N-tosyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane gave N-[p-(hydroxymethyl)benzenesulfonyl]-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane (56% yield), of N-(phenyloxycarbonyl)-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane gave the 2-endo-ol (56% yield, 51% ee), of N-BOC-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane gave the 2-endo-ol (10% yield), of N-Cbz-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane gave the 2-endo-ol (28%), of N-(phenyloxycarbonyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane gave the 3-endo-ol, and of N-(phenyloxycarbonyl)-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane gave the 3-exo-ol (30%) and 3-one (16%). Oxygenation using R. nigricans of N-BOC-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane gave the 2-endo-ol (62% yield, 28% ee) and the 2-exo-ol (27% yield, 42% ee). Oxidation of the N-BOC-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-ols gives the 2-ketone, a synthetic intermediate useful for conversion to the natural product, epibatidine. Oxygenation of N-(phenyloxycarbonyl)-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane using R. arrhizus gives the 2-endo-ol (5% yield, 31% ee) and the 2-exo-ol (18% yield, 22% ee). Oxygenation of N-(phenyloxycarbonyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane using A. ochraceous gives the 3-endo-ol (36%) and the 3-one (4%).