Conformational effects allowing or precluding chelation
with oxygen or sulfur of a thioketal also must
play a pivotal role in nucleophilic additions to 36
(Scheme 15, Table 6).24 Small differences in the side
chain or in the nucleophile can have a dramatic effect
on the selectivity in this system. It is especially
striking to note the opposite selectivities when changing
the nucleophile from phenyllithium to phenylmagnesium
bromide (entries 5-6, 11-12). It has
been argued that Grignard compounds act as hard
acids and are thereforesin contrast to lithiumsnot
able to coordinate with the soft sulfur atom. However,
invoking a six-membered lithium chelate between the
thioketal oxygen and the side chain oxygen atom as
in 40 might be another rationalization for the observed
stereochemical results (Scheme 16).
An ideal setup of a substrate for obtaining high
diastereoselectivity was found with the N-tosyl-1,3-
oxazine 41 (Table 7).25 While the N-tosyl group acts
as L both for steric and electronic reasons, the ring
oxygen assumesMbut is likewise able to be chelated.
Consequently, excellent selectivity for 42 is obtained