E)-3-Dialkoxyphosphorylbut-2-enoates, readily available by the dehydration of the 3-dialkoxyphosphoryl-3-hydroxybutyrates are converted to 3-dialkoxyphosphorylbut-3-enoates by Pd(II)-catalyzed photochemically assisted double bond migration. Hydrogenation of the latter catalyzed by chiral rhodium complexes affords 3-dialkoxyphosphorylbutyrates with higher rates and enantioselectivity (98% ee) than the hydrogenation of the (E)-3-dialkoxyphosphorylbut-2-enoates. The low activity of the rhodium complexes with bisphosphinite ligands is caused by low affinity for complexation of the unsaturated phosphonate.Phosphonic acids are of respectable importance due to their wide biochemical activities 1 and especially chiral derivatives have attracted particular attention. 1b-f Our interest in the synthesis of previously unknown 3-(dialkoxyphosphoryl)but-3-enoates of the type 8 arose during the investigations of the rhodium dihydrido substrate complexes in enantioselectively catalyzed hydrogenation of dimethyl itaconate. 2 At that time we were unable to make an unambiguous assignment of the NMR signals due to spatial encroachment of substrate in the coordination sphere of the complex. We hoped to get unequivocal results with a substrate analogous to dimethyl itaconate but carrying phosphorus as a marker atom to give indicative couplings in the NMR spectra. We have now found a valuable route for the preparation of new (dialkoxyphosphoryl)butenoates which we report here together with some results on their highly enantioselective hydrogenation.There are several methods reported in the literature for the synthesis of vinylphosphonates. The hydrophosphonylation of alkynes is one of the most versatile synthetic approaches to alkenylphosphonates but, mostly, gives a mixture of products. 1b,3 Another method includes palladium-catalyzed coupling of various vinyl bromides with dialkyl phosphites. 4 The availability of the starting vinyl bromides is the limiting step of this synthetic strategy. An elegant synthesis of 1-methylenealkanephosphonates consists of Wittig reaction of acylphosphonates with methylenetriphenylphosphorane. 5 The starting methyl 3-oxo-3-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)propionate (1) is easily obtained by Arbuzov reaction of trimethyl phosphite with methyl malonyl chloride. 6 However, due to the full enolization of this ketophosphonate 1 (determined by NMR) it protonates the methylenephosphorane according to Scheme 1 to give quantitatively [(E)-1-dimethoxyphosphoryl-2-methoxycarbonylvinyloxy]methyltriphenylphosphorane (2).
Scheme 1In another approach, methyl 3-bis(diethoxyphosphoryl)propionate (3) is prepared by metallation of bis(diethoxyphosphoryl)methane with NaH and subsequent treatment with methyl chloroacetate. The HornerWadsworth-Emmons condensation with formaldehyde under a variety of conditions (MeONa/MeOH, t-BuOK/tBuOH, NaH/THF, MgBr 2 /Et 2 O/THF) leads to complex mixtures of products from which the starting material and the phosphonoolefin 7 are isolated. Evidently, the initially formed vinylphosphonate 8 undergoes ...