Lipase-mediated synthesis of enantiomeric 2,5,6-trideoxy-2,5-iminohexitols

Syntheses of 2,5,6-trideoxy-2,5-imino-d-alditol (2, 6-deoxy-DADP) and its enantiomer (3) from tri-orthogonally protected derivatives of DADP have been developed employing lipase-mediated kinetic desymmetrization and protecting group manipulations. Thus, and as an example, the starting DADP derivative (4) was transformed into a new symmetrical 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine (6) by sequential N-protection and bis-O-desilylation. The lipase-mediated desymmetrization of 6 was best carried out under acetylation conditions to give (2R)-acetyloxymethyl derivative 7. The absolute configuration and ee of 7 were unambiguously established by chemical correlation with a homochiral sample. Compound 7 was straightforwardly transformed into the target 2,5,6-trideoxy-2,5-iminohexitol 3.