Hyphenating the curtius rearrangement with Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts: synthesis of biologically active acyloins and vicinal aminoalcohols

Using Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts as substrates, the Curtius rearrangement was performed in a sequence that allowed the synthesis of several hydroxy-ketones (acyloins) with great structural diversity and in good overall yields. These acyloins in turn were easily transformed into 1,2-anti aminoalcohols through a highly diastereoselective reductive amination step. The synthetic utility of these approaches was exemplified by performing the syntheses of (±)-bupropion, a drug used to treat the abstinence syndrome of smoker and (±)-spisulosine, a potent anti-tumoral compound originally isolated from a marine source.