Total regioselective and diastereospecific iodolysis of 2,3-epoxyamides promoted by SmI2: synthesis of (2R*,3R*)- or (2R,3S)-2-hydroxy-3-iodoamides.

The use of samarium diiodide as a source of iodides is reported. Thus, 2-hydroxy-3-iodoamides were obtained, with total regioselectivity, by treatment of 2,3-epoxyamides, in which the oxirane ring is 2,3-disubstituted or 2,2,3-trisubstituted, with SmI2. The ring-opening reaction was diastereospecific and (2R*,3R*)- or (2R*,3S*)-2-hydroxy-3-iodoamides were obtained from cis- or trans-epoxyamides, respectively.

Synthesis of (E)-alpha-hydroxy-beta,gamma-unsaturated amides with high selectivity from alpha,beta-epoxyamides by using catalytic samarium diiodide or triiodide.

The highly stereoselective synthesis of (E)-alpha-hydroxy-beta,gamma-unsaturated amides starting from alpha,beta-epoxyamides, by using catalytic SmI2 or SmI3, was achieved. This transformation can also be carried out by using SmI2 generated in situ from samarium powder and diiodomethane. The starting compounds 1 are easily prepared by the reaction of enolates derived from alpha-chloroamides with ketones at -78 degrees C.

The first transformation of aliphatic alpha,beta-epoxyamides into alpha-hydroxyamides.

A general synthesis of aliphatic alpha-hydroxyamides with total regioselectivity by a reductive cleaveage of the C(beta)-O bond of aliphatic alpha,beta-epoxyamides, promoted by samarium diiodide and MeOH, is described. The treatment of enantiopure aliphatic alpha,beta-epoxyamides afforded enantiomerically enriched aliphatic alpha-hydroxyamides. A radical mechanism has been proposed to explain this reaction.

Synthesis of aromatic (E)- or (Z)-alpha,beta-unsaturated amides with total or very high selectivity from alpha,beta-epoxyamides and samarium diiodide.

Highly stereoselective synthesis of aromatic alpha,beta-unsaturated amides was achieved by treatment of aromatic alpha,beta-epoxyamides with samarium diiodide. The starting compounds 1 and 3 are easily prepared by the reaction of enolates derived from alpha-chloroamides with carbonyl compounds at -78 degrees C. A mechanism to explain this transformation is proposed.

Transformation of alpha,beta-epoxyesters into 2,3-dideuterioesters promoted by samarium diiodide.

An easy and general sequenced elimination/reduction process by means of samarium diiodide, in the presence of D(2)O, provides an efficient method for synthesizing 2,3-dideuterioesters 2. The reaction can be also carried out in the presence of H(2)O instead of D(2)O, yielding the corresponding saturated esters 4. Other deuterated esters have been also obtained.

Synthesis of (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated esters with total or high diastereoselectivity from alpha,beta-epoxyesters.

[reaction: see text] High stereoselective beta-elimination in 2,3-epoxyesters 1 was achieved using samarium diiodide, yielding alpha,beta-unsaturated esters 2, in which the C=C bond is di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted. The starting compounds 1 are easily prepared by reaction of the corresponding lithium enolates of alpha-chloroesters with aldehydes or ketones at -78 degrees C. The influence of the reaction conditions and the structure of the starting compounds in the stereoselectivity of the beta-elimination reaction is also discussed.