An application of the palladium-catalyzed,allylic amination of unsaturated sugars: a new synthesis of d-forosamine

Methyl 4-O-benzoyl-6-bromo-6-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside, obtainable from methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucopyranoside (1), was converted into the 2,3-unsaturated 4-benzoate (3) by application of the triiodoimidazole method. Debenzoylation of 3, followed by acetylation, afforded crystalline methyl 4-O-acetyl-6-bromo-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-d-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (5). Treatment of 5 with benzylmethylamine under conditions of palladium-catalyzed, allylic substitution gave a separable mixture of the corresponding 4-(N-benzyl)methylamino-6-bromo-2-enoside (37%) and the 4,6-di-(N-benzyl)methylamino]-2-enoside (55%). Debromination of 5 with lithium triethylborohydride, proceeding with simultaneous deacetylation, readily yielded methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-α-d-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (8). The 4-acetate of 8 (obtained by reacetylation), and also its 4-benzoate (prepared by a different synthetic route), furnished high yields (～80%) of methyl 4-(N-benzyl)-methylamino]-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-α-d-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (13) upon palladium-catalyzed animation with benzylmethylamine. Catalytic hydrogenation of 13 effected saturation of the alkenic double bond and removal of the N-benzyl group, to afford methyl 2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-4-methylamino-α-d-erythro-hexopyranoside, which was subsequently N-methylated with formaldehyde and sodium borohydride, to give its N,N-dimethyl analog, methyl α-d-forosaminide (15). The overall yield of 15 from 1 was 24%. Hydrolysis of 15 to the free sugar has been described previously.