Scope of Stereoselective Mn-Mediated Radical Addition to Chiral Hydrazones and Application in a Formal Synthesis of Quinine

Stereocontrolled Mn-mediated addition of alkyl iodides to chiral N-acylhydrazones enables strategic C–C bond constructions at the stereogenic centers of chiral amines. Applying this strategy to quinine suggested complementary synthetic approaches to construct C–C bonds attached at the nitrogen-bearing stereogenic center using multifunctional alkyl iodides 6a–d as radical precursors, or using multifunctional chiral N-acylhydrazones 26a–d as radical acceptors. These were included among Mn-mediated radical additions of various alkyl iodides to a range of chiral N-acylhydrazone radical acceptors, leading to the discovery that pyridine and alkene functionalities are incompatible. In a revised strategy, these functionalities are avoided during the Mn-mediated radical addition of 6d to chiral N-acylhydrazone 22b, which generated a key C–C bond with complete stereochemical control at the chiral amine carbon of quinine. Subsequent elaboration included two sequential cyclizations to complete the azabicyclo[2.2.2]­octane ring system. Group selectivity between two 2-iodoethyl groups during the second cyclization favored an undesired azabicyclo[3.2.1]­octane ring system, an outcome that was found to be consistent with transition state calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G­(d) level. Group differentiation at an earlier stage enabled an alternative regioconvergent pathway; this furnished the desired azabicyclo[2.2.2]­octane ring system and afforded quincorine (21b), completing a formal synthesis of quinine.