The chelation-control model is often used by synthetic chemists to predict and explain
stereoselectivity in the reductions of α-alkoxy carbonyl compounds. Organometallic
reagents form chelates to α-alkoxy carbonyl compounds in which bond rotation is restricted,
leading to steric differentiation between diastereotopic faces of the carbonyl group.[1]
[2]
[3] The chelation-control model assumes that the chelated intermediate is the most reactive
species in solution.[1] NMR spectroscopic studies established that the chelated intermediate is a minor
component of the reaction mixture, so, for the reaction to be diastereoselective,
the nucleophile must react more rapidly with the chelated intermediate than it does
with the non-chelated form.[2]
,
[4–6] If the chelated intermediate were not the most reactive species, stereoselectivity
would not be high because addition to unchelated forms of the carbonyl compound would
be competitive with addition to the chelated form.[2]
[5] Although this explanation has been established for additions of organomagnesium
reagents to ketones,[1]
[2]
,
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8] the rate acceleration due to chelation has not been established for the corresponding
reductions of ketones by metal hydrides.
In this paper, we demonstrate that high diastereoselectivity in reductions of α-alkoxy
ketones is not always correlated with chelation-induced rate acceleration. A variety
of hydride reducing agents were assessed for the diastereoselectivity of reduction
of chiral chelating ketone 1. These stereoselectivities were then compared to competition experiments that established
whether rate acceleration had accompanied selectivity.
Table 1 Highly Diastereoselective Reductions of Ketone 1 with Different Reducing Agents

|
Entry
|
Reducing agent
|
Solvent
|
Temp (°C)
|
2/3
a
|
Conversion (%)a
|
1
|
Zn(BH4)2
|
Et2O
|
–78
|
>99:1
|
100
|
2
|
Li(
t
BuO)3AlH
|
Et2O
|
20
|
>99:1
|
100
|
3
|
N-Selectrideb
|
THF
|
–78
|
95:5
|
98
|
4
|
LiAlH4
|
Et2O
|
–78
|
96:4
|
100
|
5
|
Red-Alc
|
THF
|
–78
|
92:8
|
97
|
a Diastereoselectivity and conversion were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy.
b Sodium tri-sec-butylborohydride.
c Sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride.
High diastereoselectivity and rate acceleration with a chelated intermediate was observed
in reactions with only some hydride reducing agents. Zinc borohydride [Zn(BH4)2], a reagent commonly employed in chelation-controlled reductions,[9]
[10]
[11] exhibited high diastereoselectivity in the reduction of α-alkoxy ketone 1 (Table [1]). Similarly, reduction with Li(
t
BuO)3AlH was highly selective for the diastereomer predicted by the chelation-control model
(Table [1]). Rate acceleration was assessed using intermolecular competition experiments between
a non-chelating ketone (5) and an α-alkoxy ketone (4). Almost exclusive reduction of the α-alkoxy ketone 4 was observed with these reducing agents, indicating that the rate of reaction with
the chelated intermediate was accelerated when compared to the reaction of the non-chelated
form (Table [2]). These correlations of rate and diastereoselectivity are comparable to the rates
and stereoselectivities involving additions of dialkylmagnesium and alkylmagnesium
halide reagents.[2]
,
[6]
[7]
[8]
Table 2 Intermolecular Competition Experiments Demonstrate Chelation-Induced Rate Acceleration
with Highly Diastereoselective Reducing Agents

|
Entry
|
Reducing agent
|
Solvent
|
Temp (°C)
|
6/7
a
|
1
|
Zn(BH4)2
|
Et2O
|
–78
|
93:7
|
2
|
Li(
t
BuO)3AlH
|
Et2O
|
20
|
>99:1
|
3
|
N-Selectrideb
|
THF
|
–78
|
>99:1
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
b Sodium tri-sec-butylborohydride
To rule out the possibility that the rate acceleration observed in the intermolecular
competition experiment with ketones 4 and 5 could be a result of inductive effects from the α-methoxy group in ketone 4, an intermolecular competition experiment between a ketone bearing an α-siloxy group
(8) and ketone 5 was performed. It has been documented that triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) protected alcohols
generally cannot chelate due to the steric hinderance of the silyl protecting group.[1]
,
[12]
[13]
[14] As a result, α-siloxy ketone 8 should exhibit comparable reactivity to ketone 5 if inductive effects do not contribute to the observed rate acceleration.[2]
[5] A competition experiment between ketone 5 and α-siloxy ketone 8 with Zn(BH4)2 showed no preference for reaction with ketone 8 (Scheme [1]). This observation indicates that the rate acceleration observed in Table [2] is not caused by inductive effects, but is instead due to chelation.
Scheme 1 Intermolecular competition experiment to assess inductive effects on rate acceleration
with Zn(BH4)2
The divergent behavior of sodium and lithium borohydride reagents illustrates the
importance of the counterion on stereoselectivity and rate. N-Selectride (sodium tri-sec-butylborohydride), a borohydride reagent with a sodium counterion, diastereoselectively
reduced ketone 1 to the product predicted by the chelation-control model (Table [1]). Just as with Zn(BH4)2 and Li(
t
BuO)3AlH, N-Selectride reacted preferentially with chelating ketone 4 in the competition experiment (Table [2]), indicating that the chelated form of the ketone was likely to be the most reactive
species in solution. Changing the counterion to lithium reversed these trends. L-Selectride
(lithium tri-sec-butylborohydride) reacted with ketone 1 with low stereoselectivity, favoring the product predicted by the Felkin–Ahn model
(Scheme [2]).[15]
[16]
[17] Furthermore, L-Selectride showed no chelation-induced rate acceleration (Scheme
[3]). The lack of enhanced reactivity of chelating ketones with L-Selectride may indicate
that a chelated intermediate does not form during this reaction. Nevertheless, the
two Selectride reagents exhibit the expected trends: if chelating carbonyl compounds
accelerate the rate of reduction, then the reaction is highly stereoselective.[2]
[5]
Scheme 2 Reduction of ketone 1 with L-Selectride
Scheme 3 Intermolecular competition experiment between a chelating and non-chelating ketone
with L-Selectride
The trends observed with these metal hydride reagents, however, were not general.
In a few cases, the chiral α-alkoxy ketone 1 was reduced by aluminum hydride reagents with high diastereoselectivity but the reducing
agents exhibited no chelation-induced rate acceleration. Lithium aluminum hydride
(LiAlH4), for example, reduced ketone 1 with high diastereoselectivity, but in the intermolecular competition experiment,
it reacted at a similar rate with both ketones (Table [1] and Table [3]). Similarly, Red-Al [sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride] reacted with high
diastereoselectivity but showed only a modest preference for reaction with the α-alkoxy
ketone. Competition experiments established that the lack of chelation-induced rate
acceleration observed in reductions by these aluminum hydride reagents is not the
result of inductive effects (Scheme [4]).
Table 3 Some Highly Diastereoselective Reducing Agents Show Low Preference for a Chelating
Ketone in Intermolecular Competition Experiments

|
Entry
|
Reducing agent
|
Solvent
|
Temp (°C)
|
6/7
a
|
1
|
LiAlH4
|
Et2O
|
–78
|
63:37
|
2
|
Red-Alb
|
Et2O
|
–78
|
77:23
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
b Sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride.
Scheme 4 Intermolecular competition experiment to assess inductive effects on rate acceleration
with LiAlH4
The results with these reagents do not fit neatly into the chelation-control model.
Unlike the Selectride reagents, diastereoselectivities for reductions using these
aluminum hydride reagents were high with both lithium and sodium counterions. The
high diastereoselectivities imply that chelated intermediates with sterically differentiated
faces were formed in the course of the reaction. Because rate acceleration was not
observed in this example, the reaction could be diastereoselective if the chelated
intermediate were the major component of the reaction mixture.[8] This explanation, however, would suggest that the same would be true of the Selectride
reagents. Instead, with these reagents, chelation-controlled selectivity occurred
only with the sodium counterion.
The diastereoselectivities observed with borohydride reagents are even more difficult
to reconcile with the chelation-control model. For example, diastereoselectivity for
reduction with sodium borohydride varied with the solvent. The reaction was moderately
diastereoselective for the product predicted by the chelation-control model (2) in solvents such as methanol and dioxane (Table [4]). In water and DMSO, however, the diastereoselectivity shifted to favor the product
predicted by the Felkin–Ahn stereochemical model (3).
Table 4 Reductions of Ketone 1 with Sodium Borohydride

|
Entry
|
Solvent
|
2/3
a
|
Conversion (%)a
|
1
|
dioxane
|
87:13
|
100
|
2
|
THF
|
87:13
|
69
|
3
|
hexane
|
85:15
|
100
|
4
|
MeCN
|
85:15
|
100
|
5
|
Et2O + H2Ob
|
84:16
|
100
|
6
|
MeOH
|
80:20
|
100
|
7
|
i
PrOH
|
80:20
|
100
|
8
|
C6H6
|
77:23
|
75
|
9
|
pyridine
|
70:30
|
100
|
10
|
C6H6 + H2Ob
|
53:47
|
98
|
11
|
DMF
|
48:52
|
100
|
12
|
CH2Cl2
|
46:54
|
89
|
13
|
H2O
|
42:58
|
100
|
14
|
DMSO
|
40:60
|
100
|
a Diastereoselectivity and conversion were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy.
b Water (2 equiv) was added per equivalent of NaBH4 to increase solubility.
In intermolecular competition experiments to assess rate acceleration, the rate of
reduction of the α-alkoxy ketone 4 was similar in both methanol and DMSO despite large differences in the diastereoselectivities
observed for these solvents (Table [5]). For the reduction in methanol, this result is consistent with the chelation-control
model: considering that the chelated intermediate was only somewhat more reactive,
the reduction was only moderately stereoselective. The reaction with NaBH4 in DMSO was accelerated by the chelating group, but the reaction was not diastereoselective.
Competition experiments between α-siloxy ketone 8 and ketone 5 suggest that the rate acceleration observed in both methanol and DMSO is not the
result of inductive effects (Table [6]). Taken together, these results indicate that rate acceleration with a chelated
intermediate does not necessarily lead to increased stereoselectivity as would be
predicted by the chelation-control model.
Table 5 Intermolecular Competition Experiments To Assess Chelation-Induced Rate Acceleration
with NaBH4

|
Entry
|
Solvent
|
6/7
a
|
1
|
MeOH
|
79:21
|
2
|
DMSO
|
88:12
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
Table 6 Intermolecular Competition Experiments To Assess Inductive Effects on Rate Acceleration
with NaBH4

|
Entry
|
Solvent
|
9/7
a
|
1
|
MeOH
|
18:82
|
2
|
DMSO
|
21:79
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies of α-alkoxy ketone 4 in the presence of sodium borohydride failed to provide evidence for a chelated intermediate.
In CD3OD, the reduction proceeded too quickly for measurement by NMR spectroscopy. In DMSO-d
6, however, the reduction was slow enough to observe that there was no change in the
chemical shifts of ketone 4 in the presence of sodium borohydride. Even though chelation of ketone 4 was not observed, solvation of the sodium borohydride was observed in the 1H NMR spectrum.[18] Experiments with another borate salt with a sodium counterion also did not support
a significant amount of chelation. No change in the chemical shifts of ketone 4 was observed in the presence of NaBF4 in either CD3OD or DMSO-d
6. These experiments suggest that the chelated intermediate is a minor component of
the reaction mixture in both solvents, as has been observed in NMR experiments with
dimethylmagnesium.[5] This conclusion does not, however, provide an explanation for the low diastereoselectivity
in the reduction of ketone 1 in DMSO even though rate acceleration was observed.
No diastereoselectivity was observed in the reduction of chiral α-alkoxy ketone 1 with lithium borohydride and potassium borohydride (Table [7]). Just as with the reduction using sodium borohydride in DMSO, competition experiments
indicated that chelation accelerated the reduction of α-alkoxy ketone 4 (Table [8]). 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic studies of ketone 4 with lithium borohydride and potassium borohydride in CD3OD could not be employed to show evidence of a chelated intermediate, because both
reactions occurred too quickly to obtain a measurement before the ketone was fully
reduced. Additional experiments showed that the rate acceleration observed with both
lithium borohydride and potassium borohydride is not the result of inductive effects
(Table [9]). Sodium cyanoborohydride, like sodium borohydride in methanol, reduced ketone 1 with moderate diastereoselectivity and showed moderate rate acceleration in the reduction
of α-alkoxy ketone 4 in the intermolecular competition experiment (Tables 7 and 8).
Table 7 Stereoselectivity in Reductions with Other Borohydride Reducing Agents

|
Entry
|
Reducing agent
|
2/3
a
|
Conversion (%)a
|
1
|
LiBH4
|
47:53
|
88
|
2
|
KBH4
|
54:46
|
100
|
3
|
NaBH3CN
|
75:25
|
57
|
a Diastereoselectivity and conversion were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy.
Table 8 Intermolecular Competition Experiments To Assess Chelation-Induced Rate Acceleration
with Borohydride Reducing Agents

|
Entry
|
Reducing agent
|
Temp (°C)
|
6/7
a
|
1
|
LiBH4
|
–78
|
79:21
|
2
|
KBH4
|
–78
|
85:15
|
3
|
NaBH3CN
|
20
|
67:33
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
Table 9 Intermolecular Competition Experiments To Assess Inductive Effects on Rate Acceleration
with Borohydride Reducing Agents

|
Entry
|
Reducing agent
|
Temp (°C)
|
9/7
a
|
1
|
LiBH4
|
–78
|
8:92
|
2
|
KBH4
|
20
|
37:63
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
Diastereoselectivity in the reductions of ketone 1 with diisobutylaluminum hydride (
i
Bu2AlH) were also strongly influenced by solvent. While moderate diastereoselectivity
was observed for the product from chelation (2) in THF, the reductions were unselective in dichloromethane, diethyl ether, and benzene
(Table [10]). This trend is opposite to the trend observed for additions of allylmagnesium reagents
to ketones, where chelation-controlled addition was more favored in solvents such
as dichloromethane compared to THF and diethyl ether.[8] In hexane, the product derived from the Felkin–Ahn stereochemical model (3) was preferred. The intermolecular competition experiment between α-alkoxy ketone
4 and ketone 5 in THF showed no preference for reduction of one ketone over the other (Table [11]). When the competition experiment was performed in hexane, the reaction favored
reduction of the non-chelating ketone 5. This outcome was expected because
i
Bu2AlH cannot chelate,[5]
[12]
[19] but evidently there is no acceleration by inductive effects exerted by the OMe group.[20] In addition, competition experiments to assess inductive effects directly showed
no preference for the reduction of α-siloxy ketone 8 in either THF or hexane (Table [12]).
Table 10 Reductions of Ketone 1 with
i
Bu2AlH

|
Entry
|
Solvent
|
Temp (°C)
|
2/3
a
|
Conversion (%)a
|
1
|
THF
|
–78
|
76:24
|
100
|
2
|
CH2Cl2
|
–78
|
58:42
|
100
|
3
|
Et2O
|
–78
|
53:47
|
100
|
4
|
C6H6
|
20
|
45:55
|
100
|
5
|
hexane
|
–78
|
28:72
|
100
|
a Diastereoselectivity and conversion were determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy.
Table 11 Intermolecular Competition Experiments To Assess Chelation-Induced Rate Acceleration
with
i
Bu2AlH

|
Entry
|
Solvent
|
6/7
a
|
1
|
THF
|
46:54
|
2
|
hexane
|
19:81
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
Table 12 Intermolecular Competition Experiments To Assess Inductive Effects on Rate Acceleration
with
i
Bu2AlH

|
Entry
|
Solvent
|
9/7
a
|
1
|
THF
|
<1:99
|
2
|
hexane
|
3:97
|
a Product ratios determined by GC analysis.
Reduction of α-alkoxy ketone 1 with triisobutylaluminum[21] (
i
Bu3Al) in diethyl ether gave the Felkin–Anh product (3, Scheme [5]). An intermolecular competition experiment showed no preference for reaction with
the α-alkoxy ketone 4 over non-chelating ketone 5, as would be expected based upon the diastereoselectivity (Scheme [6]).
Scheme 5 Reduction of ketone 1 with
i
Bu3Al
Scheme 6 Intermolecular competition experiment between a chelating and non-chelating ketone
with
i
Bu3Al
Taken together, the results described above are difficult as a group to accommodate
with the chelation-control model.[1]
[2]
[5]
[8] That model involves a Curtin–Hammett kinetic scenario[2,22] in which the chelated form is more reactive than other species in solution, and
addition to that intermediate is diastereoselective. These results with reductions
of ketones show that, although reactivity and selectivity are correlated in some cases,
in many other cases they are not. Figure [1] illustrates the lack of correlation between diastereoselectivity and chelation-induced
rate acceleration. This plot of diastereoselectivity vs chelation-induced rate acceleration
using the data from the above tables does not show a clear trend across all reactions.
Data points on or near the trendline (y = x) would indicate a correlation between
diastereoselectivity and chelation-induced rate acceleration, as predicted by the
chelation-control model. Evidently, in some cases, such as the reduction using LiAlH4, the two faces are sufficiently differentiated without any evidence that the chelate
is either favored or more reactive. Conversely, reaction through a chelate, as indicated
by rate acceleration, is not a sufficient condition to observe diastereoselectivity
(i.e., reduction with NaBH4 in DMSO). All that is required to observe diastereoselectivity is that addition to
the two diastereotopic faces of the ketone occur at different rates. These results
illustrate that although we can ascribe one product as formed by chelation-control
and another as formed through a Felkin–Anh transition state, many modes of addition
lead to product, and it is possible that the products are formed from multiple pathways
with different origins of stereoselectivity.[23]
[24]
Figure 1 Diastereoselectivity in the reductions of chiral α-alkoxy ketone 1 is not necessarily correlated with chelation-induced rate acceleration
In conclusion, these experiments indicate that a revision to the chelation-control
model is needed. The model does not include cases where diastereoselectivity is not
correlated to rate acceleration with a chelated intermediate. It also does not include
cases where no diastereoselectivity is observed even though there is rate acceleration
with a chelated intermediate as observed in competition experiments.
1H NMR spectra were obtained at room temperature using Bruker AVIII-400 (400 MHz and
100 MHz, respectively), AVIIIHD-400 (400 MHz and 100 MHz, respectively), AV-500 (500
MHz and 125 MHz, respectively), and AV-600 (600 MHz and 150 MHz, respectively) spectrometers;
spectroscopic data are reported as follows: chemical shifts in ppm on the δ scale,
referenced to residual solvent (1H NMR: CDCl3 δ 7.26; 13C NMR: CDCl3 δ 77.2), multiplicity (standard abbreviations), coupling constant(s) (Hz), and integration.
Ratios of products were obtained from one-pulse 1H NMR integrations using diagnostic peaks in unpurified reaction mixtures. One-pulse
1H spectra were taken with a relaxation delay of 30 s when determining product ratios.
Multiplicities of carbon peaks were determined using HSQC experiments. Product distributions
of competition experiments were determined by gas chromatography, using an Agilent
6850 Series gas chromatograph with the carrier gas (helium) set to 15 psi and equipped
with a capillary column (14% cyanopropylphenyl, 86% methylpolysiloxane, 30 m × 0.321
mm × 0.25 μm). High-resolution mass spectra were acquired on an Agilent 6224 Accurate-Mass
time-of-flight spectrometer with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)
source. Infrared (IR) spectra were recorded using a Thermo Nicolet AVATAR Fourier
Transform IR spectrometer using attenuated total reflectance (ATR). Liquid chromatography
was performed using forced flow (flash chromatography) of the indicated solvent system
on silica gel 60 (230–400 mesh). Tetrahydrofuran, diethyl ether, dichloromethane,
benzene, hexane, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, and methanol were dried and degassed
using a solvent purification system before use. All anhydrous reactions were run under
a nitrogen atmosphere in glassware that had been flame-dried under vacuum. Ketone
1,[25] ketone 4,[8] ketone 8,[26] and zinc borohydride[27] were prepared by known methods. Unless otherwise noted, all reagents and substrates
were commercially available. The concentrations of commercially available reagents
were assumed to be near the concentrations reported by the suppliers.
Reduction of Ketone 1; Representative Procedure
To a cooled (–78 °C) solution of LiAlH4 (0.064 g, 1.7 mmol) in Et2O (3 mL) was added a solution of ketone 1 (0.082 g, 0.50 mmol) in Et2O (3 mL) dropwise. After 4 h, MeOH (2 mL) was added. The solution was warmed to room
temperature and brine (10 mL) was added. The mixture was extracted with CH2Cl2 (3 × 10 mL) and the combined organic layers were dried over Na2SO4. 1H NMR spectroscopic analysis of the unpurified reaction mixture revealed a 96:4 mixture
of diastereomers (2/3). Purification by flash chromatography (EtOAc–hexanes, 15:85) afforded a mixture
of alcohols 2 and 3 as a colorless oil, with a diastereomeric ratio of 94:6; yield: 0.071 g (85%). The
spectroscopic data are consistent with literature data.[28]
[29]
IR (neat): 3458, 2980, 1451, 1026, 824 cm–1.
1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 7.35–7.28 (m, 5 H), 4.91 (m, 1 H), 3.57–3.51 (m, 1 H), 3.42 (s, 3 H), 2.55
(br s, 1 H), 0.98 (d, J = 6.3 Hz, 3 H).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 140.7 (C), 128.4 (CH), 127.5 (CH), 126.5 (CH), 81.0 (CH), 74.7 (CH), 56.9 (CH3), 12.8 (CH3).
HRMS (APCI): m/z [(M + H) – H2O]+ calcd for C10H13O: 149.0961; found: 149.0957.
Competition Experiment between Ketone 4 and Ketone 5; Representative Procedure
To a cooled (–78 °C) solution of ketone 4 (0.045 g, 0.30 mmol) and ketone 5 (0.040 mL, 0.30 mmol) in Et2O (3 mL) was added Zn(BH4)2 (0.500 mL, 0.15 M solution in Et2O, 0.075 mmol) dropwise. After stirring for 12 h, MeOH (1 mL) was added, and the reaction
mixture was warmed to room temperature over 15 min. An aliquot of the reaction mixture
(1 mL) was filtered through a plug of silica gel and analyzed by GC (start temperature
= 80 °C, ramp = 10 °C/min, final temperature = 170 °C) to show a 93:7 mixture of products
(6/7), using the retention times of authentic samples prepared as a reference.
Competition Experiment between Ketone 8 and Ketone 5; Representative Procedure
To a cooled (–78 °C) solution of ketone 8 (0.088 g, 0.30 mmol) and ketone 5 (0.040 mL, 0.30 mmol) in Et2O (3 mL) was added Zn(BH4)2 (0.500 mL, 0.15 M solution in Et2O, 0.075 mmol) dropwise. After stirring for 12 h, MeOH (1 mL) was added, and the reaction
mixture was warmed to room temperature over 15 min. An aliquot of the reaction mixture
(1 mL) was filtered through a plug of silica gel and analyzed by GC (start temperature
= 150 °C, ramp = 50 °C/min, final temperature = 250 °C) to show a 52:48 mixture of
products (9/7), using the retention times of authentic samples prepared as a reference. This ratio
was corrected to 32:68 using a GC to 1H NMR calibration curve (second-order polynomial regression, y = –0.0067x2 + 1.6296x + 2.7501, R2 = 0.9992) derived from seven mixtures of pure alcohols 9 and 7; the variable y = the percentage of 9 by GC, and x = the percentage of 9 by 1H NMR spectroscopy.