Hydrogen-Bonding Catalysis and Inhibition by Simple Solvents in the Stereoselective Kinetic Epoxide-Opening Spirocyclization of Glycal Epoxides to Form Spiroketals

Mechanistic investigations of a MeOH-induced kinetic epoxide-opening spirocyclization of glycal epoxides have revealed dramatic, specific roles for simple solvents in hydrogen-bonding catalysis of this reaction to form spiroketal products stereoselectively with inversion of configuration at the anomeric carbon. A series of electronically tuned C1-aryl glycal epoxides was used to study the mechanism of this reaction based on differential reaction rates and inherent preferences for S_N2 versus S_N1 reaction manifolds. Hammett analysis of reaction kinetics with these substrates is consistent with an S_N2 or S_N2-like mechanism (ρ = −1.3 vs ρ = –5.1 for corresponding S_N1 reactions of these substrates). Notably, the spirocyclization reaction is second-order dependent on MeOH, and the glycal ring oxygen is required for second-order MeOH catalysis. However, acetone cosolvent is a first-order inhibitor of the reaction. A transition state consistent with the experimental data is proposed in which one equivalent of MeOH activates the epoxide electrophile via a hydrogen bond while a second equivalent of MeOH chelates the side-chain nucleophile and glycal ring oxygen. A paradoxical previous observation that decreased MeOH concentration leads to increased competing intermolecular methyl glycoside formation is resolved by the finding that this side reaction is only first-order dependent on MeOH. This study highlights the unusual abilities of simple solvents to act as hydrogen-bonding catalysts and inhibitors in epoxide-opening reactions, providing both stereoselectivity and discrimination between competing reaction manifolds. This spirocyclization reaction provides efficient, stereocontrolled access to spiroketals that are key structural motifs in natural products.