A versatile stereocontrolled approach to chiral tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives via sequential asymmetric Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons and palladium-catalyzed ring closure reactions

[reaction: see text]An approach to chiral tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropyran derivatives is reported which is based on the sequential use of an asymmetric Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons desymmetrization of a meso-dialdehyde and a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular allylic substitution. The strategy is versatile in that either a cis- or a trans-relation between the stereocenters adjacent to the ring oxygen can be obtained.

An alternative synthesis of the NMDA antagonist CGS 19755 via free radical carbamoylation of ethyl isonicotinate.

The NMDA antagonist CGS 19755 (cis-4-phosphonomethyl-2-piperidinecarboxylic acid) has been prepared by applying Minisci reaction conditions [formamide, hydrogen peroxide, iron(II) sulfate] to ethyl isonicotinate, reduction of the ester with sodium borohydride, alcoholysis of the 2-carboxamide, formation of 4-(diethylphosphonomethyl)-2-pyridinecarboxylate, hydrogenation of the pyridine nucleus, and acid hydrolysis. The overall, unoptimized yield was around 11%. The procedure employs cheap starting materials, is practical and avoids the use of toxic and hazardous cyanotrimethylsilane which is used in the published procedure.