Attrition-Enhanced Deracemization and Absolute Asymmetric Synthesis of Flavanones from Prochiral Precursors

Seven racemic 5,7-dimethoxyflavanones afforded conglomerate crystals upon recrystallization from a solvent. Three methodologies were investigated to achieve asymmetric transformation based on dynamic crystallization of the chiral conglomerate system. The first was chiral symmetry breaking of racemic flavanones by attrition-enhanced deracemization. Continuous suspension of racemic flavanones in a small amount of propanol in the presence of a base (1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]­undec-7-ene (DBU)) and glass beads promoted chiral symmetry breaking and converted the flavanones to crystals of (+)- or (−)-enantiomers with 78 to 99% ee. The second method involved cyclization of the intermediate aldol product to give optically active flavanone with 90% ee involving a reversible oxa-Michael addition reaction with attrition-enhanced deracemization. The third was a reaction starting from prochiral 2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethoxyacetophenone and 2-naphthaldehyde under basic conditions, which gave the corresponding flavanone in 89% ee.