Stereoselective Aminoxylation of Biradical Titanium Enolates with TEMPO

A highly efficient and straightforward aminoxylation of titanium(IV) enolates from (S)‐N‐acyl‐4‐benzyl‐5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐ones with TEMPO has been developed. A wide array of functional groups on the acyl moiety, including alkyl and aryl substituents, olefins, esters, or α‐cyclopropyl, as well as α‐trifluoromethyl groups, are well tolerated. This transformation can therefore produce the α‐aminoxylated adducts in excellent yields with high diastereomeric ratios (d.r.). In turn, parallel additions to the α,β‐unsaturated N‐acyl counterparts give the corresponding γ‐adducts with complete regioselectivity in moderate to good yields. Removal of the piperidinyl moiety or the chiral auxiliary converts the resultant adducts into enantiomerically pure α‐hydroxy carboxyl derivatives, alcohols, or esters in high yields under mild conditions. Finally, a new mechanistic model based on the biradical character of the titanium(IV) enolates has been proposed. Radical additions: The addition of TEMPO to the titanium(IV) enolates from a wide array of (S)‐N‐acyl‐4‐benzyl‐5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐ones produces the α‐aminoxylated derivatives in high yields with high diastereomeric ratios (d.r.; see scheme). A mechanistic model based on the biradical character of the titanium enolates accounts for such a transformation.