Synlett 2014; 25(11): 1561-1564
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1339030
letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Indium-Mediated Debromination of gem-Bromonitroalkanes under Mild Conditions in Aqueous Medium

Rita C. Acúrcio
Department of Chemistry & QOPNA, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal   Fax: +351(234)370084   Email: artur.silva@ua.pt   Email: rsoengas@ua.pt
,
Raquel G. Soengas*
Department of Chemistry & QOPNA, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal   Fax: +351(234)370084   Email: artur.silva@ua.pt   Email: rsoengas@ua.pt
,
Artur M. S. Silva*
Department of Chemistry & QOPNA, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal   Fax: +351(234)370084   Email: artur.silva@ua.pt   Email: rsoengas@ua.pt
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 15 March 2014

Accepted after revision: 08 April 2014

Publication Date:
13 May 2014 (online)

 


Abstract

gem-Bromonitroalkanes are efficiently reduced into the corresponding dehalogenated products in excellent yields with indium metal in the presence of a palladium(0) catalyst and indium(III) chloride in aqueous medium. The addition of bromonitromethane to carbohydrate-derived aldehydes or imines, followed by debromination of the intermediate bromonitro compounds represents an extremely efficient method for the stereoselective preparation of nitrosugars.


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Nitroalkanes are important synthons for the preparation of more complex molecules. Under basic conditions, they readily form a nitronate anion that can undergo aldol reactions with aldehydes and ketones (Henry reaction),[1] or imines (aza-Henry reaction),[2] and additions to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (Michael reaction).[3] Moreover, a wide variety of other organic compounds can be accessed by transformations of the nitro group into other chemical functionalities, such as amines,[4] carbonyl groups,[5] hydroxylamines[6] and oximes or nitriles.[7]

gem-Bromonitroalkanes are useful analogues of nitroalkanes and have been employed in organic synthesis as precursors of aliphatic nitro derivatives, with the aim of improving diastereoselection and avoiding dimerization.[8] For example, the enantioselective conjugate addition of gem-bromonitroalkanes to α,β-unsaturated ketones followed by debromination of the resulting products, afforded the corresponding nitroalkanes with excellent enantioselectivity.[9] Similarly, debromination of the enantiopure products arising from the addition of bromonitromethane to aldehydes or imines gave the corresponding nitroalkanols[10] or nitroamines,[11] whilst preserving the absolute configuration at the β-position. Radical dehalogenation promoted by tri-n-butyltin hydride has been widely used to transform gem-halonitroalkanes into nitroalkanes.[12]

During our recent investigations on the use of bromonitromethane in organic synthesis,[13] we became interested in the use of gem-bromonitrosugars as precursors of the corresponding enantiopure nitrosugars. This, combined with our long-term interest in the use of indium in organic chemistry,[14] prompted us to initiate a search for an indium-promoted procedure for the reduction of gem-bromonitroalkanes that would avoid using highly toxic tri-n-butyltin hydride.

The very low first ionization energy of indium(0) makes it an ideal candidate to be used in single-electron transfer (SET) reactions.[15] This property, together with its stability toward oxygen and water, has prompted exhaustive studies focused on indium-mediated carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions[16] and reductions of functional groups.[17] Various reactions in which a carbon–halogen bond is reduced by indium have been reported.[18] However, to the best of our knowledge, the indium-promoted transformation of gem-halonitroalkanes into nitroalkanes has not been described to date.

Herein, we describe a novel dehalogenation reaction of 2-bromo-2-nitroalkan-1-ols and 2-bromo-2-nitroamines promoted by indium metal in the presence of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) [Pd(PPh3)4] as the catalyst and indium(III) chloride (InCl3) in aqueous medium.[19]

To determine the optimum reaction conditions, we first used a model substrate, 2-bromo-1-cyclohexyl-2-nitroethanol (1a), and various reagent systems (Scheme [1, ]Table [1]).

Zoom Image
Scheme 1 Indium-mediated reductive debromination of 2-bromo-1-cyclohexyl-2-nitroethanol (1a)

Thus, treatment of bromoalkanol 1a with indium powder (200 mol%) and indium(III) chloride (50 mol%) in the presence of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (2 mol%) in a 2:1 (v/v) mixture of tetrahydrofuran–water afforded the desired nitroalkane product 2a in 93% yield (Table [1], entry 1).[20] [21]

Table 1 Optimization of the Conditions for the Synthesis of 1-Cyclohexyl-2-nitroethanol (2a)

Entry

Reagentsa

Solvent

Yield

1

Pd(PPh3)4, In, InCl3

THF–H2O

93%

2

Pd(PPh3)4, In

THF–H2O

NR

3

Pd(PPh3)4, InCl3

THF–H2O

NR

4

In, InCl3

THF–H2O

13%

5

Pd(PPh3)4, In, InCl3

DMF–H2O

32%

6

Pd(PPh3)4, In, InCl3

MeOH–H2O

28%

7

Pd(PPh3)4, In, InCl3

H2O

21%

8

Pd(PPh3)4, Zn, InCl3

THF–H2O

NR

a Ratio of bromonitroalkanol/Pd(PPh3)4/metal/InCl3 = 1:0.02:2:0.5. NR = no reaction.

The reaction did not occur in the absence of either indium(III) chloride or indium (Table [1], entries 2 and 3). The indium/indium(III) chloride reagent system in the absence of Pd(PPh3)4 reduced the C–Br bond at a very low rate, resulting in a poor yield of 2a (Table [1], entry 4). Employing other solvent systems also led to poor results (Table [1], entries 5–7). When zinc metal was used instead of indium, the reaction did not proceed (Table [1], entry 8).

Given this satisfactory result (Table [1], entry 1), the indium-mediated reductive elimination was applied to various gem-halonitro compounds (Scheme [2, ]Table [2]), the requisite starting materials being readily prepared by reactions of aldehydes or imines with bromonitromethane.[10] [11a] [22] After aqueous work-up, the intermediate bromonitro derivatives were submitted, without any further purification, to the debromination reaction.

As shown by the results compiled in Table [2], the Pd(PPh3)4/In/InCl3 system was effective for the reductive dehalogenation of various 2-bromo-2-nitro intermediates in aqueous medium, affording the corresponding nitroalkanes 2af in good to excellent yields.[23] Accordingly, the combination of a sodium iodide catalyzed addition followed by dehalogenation was an effective procedure for the preparation of nitroalkanes from either aldehydes or imines.

Zoom Image
Scheme 2 Addition of bromonitromethane to aldehydes and imines 3 followed by an indium-mediated reductive debromination

Table 2 Synthesis of Nitroalkanes 2af

Entry

Substrate

R

Y

Product

Yield

1

3a

c-C6H11

O

2a

93%

2

3b

n-C7H15

O

2b

90%

3

3c

Ph

O

2c

51%

4

3d

i-Bu

O

2d

83%

5

3e

c-C6H11

NPMPa

2e

72%

6

3f

n-C7H15

NPMPa

2f

78%

a NPMP = N-p-methoxyphenyl

The interest in this procedure lies in the better diastereoselection achieved on the addition of bromonitromethane to aldehydes and imines, rather than on the addition of simpler nitromethane. Thus, the addition of nitromethane to sugar aldehydes[13a] [b] [c] , [e] or imines[11a] [13d] [f] gave moderate to good diastereoselectivity, while the addition of bromonitromethane resulted in excellent anti-selectivity.[13d] [g] Accordingly, the sequence of bromonitromethane addition/debromination would be predicted to afford the anti-isomers with superior diastereoselection than the addition of nitromethane alone. In order to prove our hypothesis, we explored the sequence of bromonitromethane addition/debromination on several sugar-derived aldehydes and imines 3gl. The corresponding nitrosugars 2gl were obtained in good yields and with excellent diastereoselectivities (Scheme [3, ]Table [3]).[24] The absolute configurations were established by comparison with the literature data on nitrosugars 2gl.

The observed stereochemistry of products 2 can be explained by assuming Felkin–Ahn-type addition of the bromonitronate anion. The stereochemistry at the β-nitro position is preserved during the dehalogenation reaction.

A mechanistic proposal for the debromination process is depicted in Scheme [4]. Thus, treatment of gem-bromonitroalkanes 1 with indium(I), generated in situ by the reaction of indium metal and indium(III) chloride, in the presence of a catalytic amount of palladium(0) would generate indium nitronate intermediates 4, hydrolysis of which would afford the corresponding nitroalkanes 2. Even though the role of palladium(0) is not clear, it is probably involved in some kind of palladium insertion into the C–Br bond, which would facilitate the metallation.

Zoom Image
Scheme 3 Addition of bromonitromethane to sugar-derived aldehydes and imines 3gl followed by an indium-mediated reductive debromination

Table 3 Synthesis of Nitrosugars 2gl

Entry

Substrate

Sugar

Y

Product

dr

Yielda

1

3g

O

2g

 95:5

83%

2

3h

O

2h

>98:2

88%

3

3i

NPMPb

2i

>98:2

69%

4

3j

O

2j

>98:2

81%

5

3k

NPMPb

2k

>98:2

65%

6

3l

O

2l

 95:5

81%

a Yield of isolated product after column chromatography based on the starting aldehyde or imine 3.

b NPMP = N-p-methoxyphenyl

Zoom Image
Scheme 4 Mechanistic proposal for the conversion of 1 into 2

In summary, we have developed an easy, efficient and general reductive debromination procedure for converting gem-bromonitroalkanes into the corresponding nitroalkanes using a palladium(0) catalyst, indium metal and indium(III) chloride. The reactions proceeded smoothly under mild conditions in neutral aqueous medium, preserving the stereochemistry of any existing stereogenic centers. In combination with the sodium iodide catalyzed addition of bromonitromethane to aldehydes or imines, the present method offers an efficient alternative for the stereoselective preparation of nitrosugars.


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Acknowledgment

Thanks are due to the University of Aveiro, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER for funding the Organic Chemistry Research Unit (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2013) and the Portuguese National NMR Network (RNRMN). R.S. thanks the FCT for an ‘Investigador Auxiliar’ position.

Supporting Information

  • References

    • 3a Knochel P, Seebach D. Synthesis 1982; 1017
    • 3b Lucet D, Sabelle S, Kostelitz O, Le Gall T, Mioskowski C. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 1999; 2583
  • 5 Ballini R, Petrini M. Tetrahedron 2004; 60: 1017
  • 6 García-Ruano JL, López-Cantarero J, de Haro T, Alemán J, Cid MB. Tetrahedron 2006; 62: 12197
  • 7 Czekelius C, Carreira EM. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005; 44: 612
    • 8a Soengas RG, Acurcio R, Silva AM. S. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2014; in press
    • 8b Inokuma T, Takemoto Y. Bromonitromethane. e-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. 2010
  • 9 Dong L.-T, Lu R.-J, Du Q.-S, Zhang J.-M, Liu S.-P, Xuan Y.-N, Yan M. Tetrahedron 2009; 65: 4124
  • 10 Blay G, Hernández-Olmos V, Pedro JR. Chem. Commun. 2008; 4840
    • 11a Soengas RG, Silva S, Estévez AM, Estévez JC, Estévez RJ, Rodríguez-Solla H. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2012; 4339
    • 11b Dobish MC, Villalta F, Waterman MR, Lepesheva GI, Johnston JN. Org. Lett. 2012; 14: 6322
  • 12 Bowman WR, Crosby D, Westlake PJ. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans 2 1991; 73

    • For reviews on indium chemistry, see:
    • 15a Cintas P. Synlett 1995; 1089
    • 15b Li CJ. Tetrahedron 1996; 52: 5643
    • 15c Marshall JA. Chemtracts Org. Chem. 1997; 10: 481
    • 15d Li CJ In Green Chemistry, Frontiers in Benign Chemical Syntheses and Processes . Anastas P, Williamson TC. Oxford University Press; New York: 1998. Chap. 14
    • 15e Paquette LA In Green Chemistry, Frontiers in Benign Chemical Syntheses and Processes . Anastas P, Williamson TC. Oxford University Press; New York: 1998. Chap. 15
    • 15f Li C.-J, Chan T.-H. Tetrahedron 1999; 55: 11149
    • 15g Ranu BC. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2000; 2347
    • 15h Podlech J, Maier TC. Synthesis 2003; 63
  • 17 Augé J, Lubin-Germain N, Uziel J. Synthesis 2007; 1739
    • 18a Podlech J, Maier TC. Synthesis 2003; 633
    • 18b Ranu BC, Dutta P, Sarkar A. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1 1999; 1139
  • 19 A similar system was used for the reductive elimination of halohydrins, see: Cho S, Kang S, Keum G, Kang SB, Han S.-Y, Kim Y. J. Org. Chem. 2003; 68: 180
  • 20 Nitroalkanes 2; General Procedure NaI (0.12 mmol, 0.15 equiv) was added to a stirred solution of bromonitromethane (0.8 mmol, 1 equiv) and the corresponding aldehyde 3 (0.8 mmol, 1 equiv) in THF (10 mL), and the resulting mixture was stirred at r.t. for 5 h. After this period, the mixture was quenched with aq HCl (10 mL, 0.1 M) and extracted with Et2O (1 × 20 mL). The combined extracts were washed with sat. aq Na2S2O3 solution (1 × 20 mL), dried over Na2SO4, filtered and the solvent removed under reduced pressure to afford the crude 1-bromo-1-nitroalkan-2-ol. In metal (183 mg, 1.6 mmol), InCl3 (88 mg, 0.4 mmol) and Pd(PPh3)4 (18 mg, 2 mol%) were added to a solution of the 1-bromo-1-nitroalkan-2-ol (0.8 mmol) in THF–H2O (2:1, 6 mL). After stirring the mixture at r.t. for 12 h, it was quenched with HCl (3 mL, 1 M), diluted with H2O (25 mL) and extracted with Et2O (3 × 25 mL). The combined organic extracts were dried over Na2SO4, filtered and the solvent removed under reduced pressure to afford the nitroalkanes 2.
  • 21 1-Cyclohexyl-2-nitroethanol (2a) Yellow oil; Rf  = 0.30 (hexane–EtOAc, 5:1). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 4.45–4.33 (2 m, 3 H), 1.73–0.90 (m, 11 H). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 79.3, 72.8, 41.4, 27.9, 26.1, 25.9, 25.7, 22.8.
  • 22 Concellón JM, Rodríguez-Solla H, Concellón C, García-Granda S, Díaz MR. Org. Lett. 2006; 8: 5979
  • 23 N-(1-Cyclohexyl-2-nitroethyl)-4-methoxybenzenamine (2e) Brown oil; Rf  = 0.22 (hexane–EtOAc, 3:1). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 6.76 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2 H), 6.65 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2 H), 4.72 (dd, J = 12.3, 5.2 Hz, 1 H), 4.46 (dd, J = 12.3, 7.4 Hz, 1 H), 4.08–4.04 (m, 1 H), 3.73 (s, 3 H), 2.73 (s, 11 H). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 152.7 (C), 141.0 (C), 115.0 (2 × CH), 114.9 (2 × CH), 75.7 (CH2), 60.9 (CH), 55.7 (CH3), 43.0 (CH), 34.7 (2 × CH2), 25.2 (CH2), 21.6 (2 × CH2). MS (ESI): m/z (%) = 279 (6) [M + H]+, 234 (19), 216 (100), 214 (28). HRMS (ESI): m/z [M + H]+ calcd for C15H23N2O3: 279.1709; found: 279.1703.
  • 24 7-Deoxy-1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-7-nitro-d-glycero-β-d-galacto-heptopyranose (2g) Yellow oil; Rf  = 0.20 (hexane–EtOAc, 3:1); [α]D 20 –49.4 (c 0.6, CHCl3). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 5.49 (d, J = 5.0 Hz, 1 H), 4.78 (apparent d, J = 11.2 Hz, 1 H), 4.65 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.5 Hz, 1 H), 4.51–4.47 (m, 2 H), 4.43 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 4.34 (dd, J = 4.9, 2.5 Hz, 1 H), 3.73 (dd, J = 8.2, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 2.89 (d, J = 5.9 Hz, 1 H), 1.51 (s, 3 H, CH 3), 1.46 (s, 3 H, CH 3), 1.37 (s, 3 H, CH 3), 1.32 (s, 3 H, CH 3). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 109.6, 108.9, 96.2, 78.1, 70.6, 70.5, 70.1, 67.7, 67.4, 25.9, 24.8, 24.3. MS (ESI): m/z (%) = 342 (24) [M + Na]+, 337 (100) [M + NH4]+, 320 (19) [M + H]+, 262 (48).

  • References

    • 3a Knochel P, Seebach D. Synthesis 1982; 1017
    • 3b Lucet D, Sabelle S, Kostelitz O, Le Gall T, Mioskowski C. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 1999; 2583
  • 5 Ballini R, Petrini M. Tetrahedron 2004; 60: 1017
  • 6 García-Ruano JL, López-Cantarero J, de Haro T, Alemán J, Cid MB. Tetrahedron 2006; 62: 12197
  • 7 Czekelius C, Carreira EM. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005; 44: 612
    • 8a Soengas RG, Acurcio R, Silva AM. S. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2014; in press
    • 8b Inokuma T, Takemoto Y. Bromonitromethane. e-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. 2010
  • 9 Dong L.-T, Lu R.-J, Du Q.-S, Zhang J.-M, Liu S.-P, Xuan Y.-N, Yan M. Tetrahedron 2009; 65: 4124
  • 10 Blay G, Hernández-Olmos V, Pedro JR. Chem. Commun. 2008; 4840
    • 11a Soengas RG, Silva S, Estévez AM, Estévez JC, Estévez RJ, Rodríguez-Solla H. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2012; 4339
    • 11b Dobish MC, Villalta F, Waterman MR, Lepesheva GI, Johnston JN. Org. Lett. 2012; 14: 6322
  • 12 Bowman WR, Crosby D, Westlake PJ. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans 2 1991; 73

    • For reviews on indium chemistry, see:
    • 15a Cintas P. Synlett 1995; 1089
    • 15b Li CJ. Tetrahedron 1996; 52: 5643
    • 15c Marshall JA. Chemtracts Org. Chem. 1997; 10: 481
    • 15d Li CJ In Green Chemistry, Frontiers in Benign Chemical Syntheses and Processes . Anastas P, Williamson TC. Oxford University Press; New York: 1998. Chap. 14
    • 15e Paquette LA In Green Chemistry, Frontiers in Benign Chemical Syntheses and Processes . Anastas P, Williamson TC. Oxford University Press; New York: 1998. Chap. 15
    • 15f Li C.-J, Chan T.-H. Tetrahedron 1999; 55: 11149
    • 15g Ranu BC. Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2000; 2347
    • 15h Podlech J, Maier TC. Synthesis 2003; 63
  • 17 Augé J, Lubin-Germain N, Uziel J. Synthesis 2007; 1739
    • 18a Podlech J, Maier TC. Synthesis 2003; 633
    • 18b Ranu BC, Dutta P, Sarkar A. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1 1999; 1139
  • 19 A similar system was used for the reductive elimination of halohydrins, see: Cho S, Kang S, Keum G, Kang SB, Han S.-Y, Kim Y. J. Org. Chem. 2003; 68: 180
  • 20 Nitroalkanes 2; General Procedure NaI (0.12 mmol, 0.15 equiv) was added to a stirred solution of bromonitromethane (0.8 mmol, 1 equiv) and the corresponding aldehyde 3 (0.8 mmol, 1 equiv) in THF (10 mL), and the resulting mixture was stirred at r.t. for 5 h. After this period, the mixture was quenched with aq HCl (10 mL, 0.1 M) and extracted with Et2O (1 × 20 mL). The combined extracts were washed with sat. aq Na2S2O3 solution (1 × 20 mL), dried over Na2SO4, filtered and the solvent removed under reduced pressure to afford the crude 1-bromo-1-nitroalkan-2-ol. In metal (183 mg, 1.6 mmol), InCl3 (88 mg, 0.4 mmol) and Pd(PPh3)4 (18 mg, 2 mol%) were added to a solution of the 1-bromo-1-nitroalkan-2-ol (0.8 mmol) in THF–H2O (2:1, 6 mL). After stirring the mixture at r.t. for 12 h, it was quenched with HCl (3 mL, 1 M), diluted with H2O (25 mL) and extracted with Et2O (3 × 25 mL). The combined organic extracts were dried over Na2SO4, filtered and the solvent removed under reduced pressure to afford the nitroalkanes 2.
  • 21 1-Cyclohexyl-2-nitroethanol (2a) Yellow oil; Rf  = 0.30 (hexane–EtOAc, 5:1). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 4.45–4.33 (2 m, 3 H), 1.73–0.90 (m, 11 H). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 79.3, 72.8, 41.4, 27.9, 26.1, 25.9, 25.7, 22.8.
  • 22 Concellón JM, Rodríguez-Solla H, Concellón C, García-Granda S, Díaz MR. Org. Lett. 2006; 8: 5979
  • 23 N-(1-Cyclohexyl-2-nitroethyl)-4-methoxybenzenamine (2e) Brown oil; Rf  = 0.22 (hexane–EtOAc, 3:1). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 6.76 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2 H), 6.65 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2 H), 4.72 (dd, J = 12.3, 5.2 Hz, 1 H), 4.46 (dd, J = 12.3, 7.4 Hz, 1 H), 4.08–4.04 (m, 1 H), 3.73 (s, 3 H), 2.73 (s, 11 H). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 152.7 (C), 141.0 (C), 115.0 (2 × CH), 114.9 (2 × CH), 75.7 (CH2), 60.9 (CH), 55.7 (CH3), 43.0 (CH), 34.7 (2 × CH2), 25.2 (CH2), 21.6 (2 × CH2). MS (ESI): m/z (%) = 279 (6) [M + H]+, 234 (19), 216 (100), 214 (28). HRMS (ESI): m/z [M + H]+ calcd for C15H23N2O3: 279.1709; found: 279.1703.
  • 24 7-Deoxy-1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-7-nitro-d-glycero-β-d-galacto-heptopyranose (2g) Yellow oil; Rf  = 0.20 (hexane–EtOAc, 3:1); [α]D 20 –49.4 (c 0.6, CHCl3). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 5.49 (d, J = 5.0 Hz, 1 H), 4.78 (apparent d, J = 11.2 Hz, 1 H), 4.65 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.5 Hz, 1 H), 4.51–4.47 (m, 2 H), 4.43 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 4.34 (dd, J = 4.9, 2.5 Hz, 1 H), 3.73 (dd, J = 8.2, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 2.89 (d, J = 5.9 Hz, 1 H), 1.51 (s, 3 H, CH 3), 1.46 (s, 3 H, CH 3), 1.37 (s, 3 H, CH 3), 1.32 (s, 3 H, CH 3). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 109.6, 108.9, 96.2, 78.1, 70.6, 70.5, 70.1, 67.7, 67.4, 25.9, 24.8, 24.3. MS (ESI): m/z (%) = 342 (24) [M + Na]+, 337 (100) [M + NH4]+, 320 (19) [M + H]+, 262 (48).

Zoom Image
Scheme 1 Indium-mediated reductive debromination of 2-bromo-1-cyclohexyl-2-nitroethanol (1a)
Zoom Image
Scheme 2 Addition of bromonitromethane to aldehydes and imines 3 followed by an indium-mediated reductive debromination
Zoom Image
Scheme 3 Addition of bromonitromethane to sugar-derived aldehydes and imines 3gl followed by an indium-mediated reductive debromination
Zoom Image
Scheme 4 Mechanistic proposal for the conversion of 1 into 2