Asymmetric induction in the Sommelet rearrangement of chiral benzyl sulfonium salts
The Sommelet rearrangement of (+)-ethylmethyl-p-nitrobenzylsulfonium perchlorate, (+)-1, and (+)-ethylmethyl-p-chlorobenzylsulfonium perchlorate, (+)-2, are described. Elution of (+)-1 through an hydroxide exchange resin generated ethylmethylsulfonium p-nitro-benzylide (+)-3 which decomposed in methanol at room temperature to ethyl 2-methyl-5-nitro-benzyl sulfide, 6, and (+)-methyl α-(2-methyl-5-nitrophenyl)ethyl sulfide, (+)-7, with 18 to 20.3% asymmetric induction. Decomposition of (+)-2 in sodium methoxide solution at 70 °C for 2 h produced ethyl 2-methyl-5-chlorobenzyl sulfide, 8, and (+)-methyl α-(2-methyl-5-nitro-phenyl)ethyl sulfide, (+)-9, with 21 to 25.5% asymmetric induction. The lower estimates of asymmetric induction for each sulfide were made by comparison with specific rotations of authentic samples obtained by synthesis and resolution. The higher estimates were obtained by the use of a chiral lanthanide shift reagent Eu(hfbc)3 with the sulfone derivatives of these chiral sulfides. The ylide (+)-3 reacted with aldehydes in high yield to produce oxiranes with no induction of asymmetry.