Wittig reaction of unprotected D-aldopentoses with stabilized ylides: metal-ion effects

Each of the four D-aldopentoses (1-4) reacts in the unprotected form with Ph3PCHCO2Me (5) in THF to give stereoselectively the corresponding trans-alpha,beta-unsaturated C7 Wittig adducts, isolated as the corresponding 4,5,6,7-tetraacetates (7-10) or 4,5:6,7-di-O-isopropylidene derivatives (11-14). Concurrently formed are also bicyclic, 1,4-lactone derivatives, isolated as their 5,7-diacetates (15-18) or 5,7-O-isopropylidene derivatives (19), arising through intramolecular Michael addition from the initial acyclic adducts. Formation of the cyclized products is suppressed by incorporation of Cu(OAc)2 in the reaction mixture, permitting preparative isolation of the hept-3-enonate derivatives 7-10, useful as dienophiles in Diels-Alder carbocyclizations with chirality transfer. Optimized yields were 25% (D-ribo), 50% (D-arabino), 49% (D-xylo), and 61% (D-lyxo). Under Cu(OAc)2-catalyzed conditions, the formation of small proportions of 3,7-anhydroheptonic acid esters (21 and 23) was observed in the D-arabino and D-xylo series, but not with the other two pentoses.