STEREOSELECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF BETA-LACTAMS BY CONDENSATION OF TITANIUM ENOLATES OF 2-PYRIDYL THIOESTERS WITH IMINES

A mild and versatile one-pot synthesis of beta-lactams has been performed by condensation of the easily generated titantium enolates of 2-pyridyl thioesters with imines employing chiral reaction partners. Both imines obtained from enantiomerically pure alkoxy aldehydes and the enolate derived from 3-hydroxybutyrate showed high diastereofacial preferences, efficiently transferring the stereochemical information to the stereocenters of the azetidinone ring. Advanced precursors of (+)-PS-5, (+)-PS-6, thienamycin, and 1-beta-methylthienamycin were prepared to illustrate the potential of this method. A H-1-NMR study of the enolization process and a tentative rationalization of the stereochemical results are presented.