Chiral overcrowded alkenes; Asymmetric synthesis of (3S,3 ' S)-(M,M)-(E)-(+)-1,1 ',2,2 ',3,3 ',4,4 '-octahydro-3,3 ',7,7 '-tetramethyl-4,4 '-biphenanthrylidenes

An asymmetric synthesis route towards (3S,3'S)-(M,M)-(E)-(+)1,1',2,2',3,3', 4,4'-octahydro-3,3',7,7'-tetramethyl-4,4'-biphenanthrylidene was developed using the Evans procedure as a key step. The absolute configurations of the title compound and of its parent ketone were determined by CD spectroscopy and could be correlated with the stereochemical results of the asymmetric alkylation. Furthermore, a comparison was made with the known (3R,3'R)-(P,P )- (E)-(-)-1,1',2,2',3,3',4,4'-octahydro-3,3',7,7'-dimethyl-4,4'-biphenanth rylidene. Finally, the X-ray crystallographic analysis of (3S,3'S)-(M,M)-(E )-(+)-1,1',2,2',3,3',4,4'-octahydro-3,3',7,7'-tetramethyl-4,4'-biphenanthry lidene is presented. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.