Enantioselective ester hydrolyses using Rhizopusnigricans: stereoselective synthesis and absolute stereochemistry of (−)-cis- and (−)-trans-1-hydroxy-4-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene

Abstract

Enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic acetates of cis- and trans-1-hydroxy-4-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene using Rhizopusnigricans yields chiral alcohols. The absolutestereochemistry of these compounds, and that of a key intermediate in their stereoselective synthesis, r-1-hydroxy-2,t-bromo-4,c-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, were determined by chemical transformations to 1-oxo-4-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene of known absolute stereochemistry. The relativestereochemistry of the acetate of the key intermediate was established by X-ray crystallography.