Tetrahedron

Ruthenium-catalyzed hydration of nitriles and transformation of δ-ketonitriles to ene-lactams: total synthesis of (−)-pumiliotoxin C

SI Murahashi, S Sasao, E Saito, T Naota

Index: Murahashi, Shun-Ichi; Sasao, Shigehiro; Saito, Eiichiro; Naota, Takeshi Tetrahedron, 1993 , vol. 49, # 39 p. 8805 - 8826

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Citation Number: 93

Abstract

Hydration of nitriles with 1–2 equivalents of water can be performed efficiently by using RuH2 (PPh3) 4 catalyst to give the corresponding amides. Under the similar reaction conditions, δ-ketonitriles can be converted into the corresponding ene-lactams, which are versatile synthetic intermediates. The efficiency of the reaction is demonstrated by the short- step synthesis of (−)-pumiliotoxin C.