The rearrangement of 2,3-epoxysulfonates and its application to natural products syntheses: formal synthesis of (-)-aphanorphine and total syntheses of (-)-alpha-herbertenol and (-)-herbertenediol.

The Lewis acid treatment of 2,3-epoxysulfonates with 2,3-dialkyl substituents or 2-alkyl-3-aryl substituents produced the rearrangement products via C3-cleavage of the oxirane ring in high yields. On the other hand, 2-aryl-3-alkyl-2,3-epoxysulfonates produced the products via C2-cleavage of the oxirane ring. The sulfonyloxy groups of the alpha-sulfonyloxy ketones, having a chiral benzylic quaternary carbon center obtained by the rearrangement of 2-alkyl-3-aryl-2,3-epoxysulfonates, were reductively eliminated to give the ketones with a chiral benzylic quaternary carbon center. The method was applied to the formal synthesis of (-)-aphanorphine and total syntheses of (-)-alpha-herbertenol and (-)-herbertenediol.