Synthesis of fluspidine via asymmetric NaBH4 reduction of silicon enolates of β-keto esters

Asymmetric NaBH4 reduction catalyzed by the Co(II) complex of a chiral diamidine-type sp2N ligand, Naph-diPIM-dioxo-iPr, was successfully applied to 3-silyloxycinnamate substrates without over-reduction, giving quantitatively 3-silyloxy-3-arylpropionates with an enantiomer ratio of up to 99:1. The high utility was confirmed on a 30-g scale using 0.1 mol% catalyst. Both Z and E substrates could be converted to a single enantiomeric product by changing the ligand chirality. The relationship between the Z/E stereochemistry and the absolute configuration of the 1,4-reduction product provided important information about the mechanism underlying enantioface selection. Combination of the asymmetric catalysis with two other key steps, Suzuki coupling with an N-protected tetrahydropyridine boronic acid derivative and intramolecular bromo etherification, realized an efficient synthetic route to both enantiomers of fluspidine. The new strategy permits the introduction of substituents on the two aryl groups and piperidine ring, allowing for structural variations toward the development of higher performance σ1 receptor antagonists.