A [4 + 4] 2-pyridone approach to taxol. 3. Stereocontrol during elaboration of the cyclooctane.

Intramolecular photocycloaddition of 2-pyridones connected through a four-carbon tether (6-[4-(1,2-dihydro-1-methyl-2-oxo-3-pyridinyl)-4-[[(1,1-dimethylethyl)++ +dimethylsilyl]oxy]butyl]-4-methoxy-1,3-dimethyl-2(1H)-pyridinone) yields a single tetracyclic product with four new stereogenic centers. The diastereoselectivity of this [4 + 4] reaction is fully controlled by a stereogenic carbon of the tether. Treatment of the photoproduct with osmium tetraoxide transforms the alkene to a diol and the enol ether to an alpha-hydroxy ketone, with stereocontrol dictated by nearby lactams that block one face of each alkene. Allylmagnesium bromide addition to the ketone also yields a single diastereomer, but unexpectedly this product results from approach of the nucleophile to the most-hindered face of the ketone. Study of this reaction in a model system has found the allylic nucleophile to be unique, with nonallylic reagents approaching along the expected, least-hindered path. This contrasteric addition likely results from coordination of the allylic nucleophile to the nearby amide. The amide can therefore act either as a steric shield or as a directing group. The three steps of photocycloaddition, cis-hydroxylation, and nucleophilic addition constructs both quaternary carbons of the cyclooctane and four of the five stereogenic centers found in the eight-membered ring of Taxol.