Synthesis of carbocyclic hydantocidins via regioselective and diastereoselective phosphine-catalyzed [3 + 2]-cycloadditions to 5-methylenehydantoins.

The phosphine-catalyzed [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of 5-methylenehydantoins 4 with the ylides 5, derived from addition of tributylphosphine to the 2-butynoic acid derivatives, 6a-d, gives spiro-heterocyclic products. The camphor sultam derivative 6b gives optically active products. Noteable was that the ylides derived from ethyl 2-butynoate and the 3-(2-butynoyl)-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one derivatives 6c and 6d gave spiro-heterocyclic products with reverse regioselectivities. The N,N-dibenzylprotected cycloadduct has been converted to carbocyclic hydantocidin and 6,7-diepi-carbocyclic hydantocidin.