Synthesis of optically-active phosphono analogs of succinates

Process for the preparation of a compound represented by the formula ##STR16## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, alkyl, lower cycloalkyl, CH.sub.2 Ar or Ar radicals, wherein Ar is an aromatic group;

• R.sub.3 is
• (1) hydrogen radical;
• (2) alkyl radical of from one to six carbon atoms or alkyl radical of from one to six carbon atoms substituted by one or two hydroxyl, chloro or fluoro radicals;
• (3) cycloalkyl of from three to seven ring carbon atoms;
• (4) phenyl or phenyl substituted by one to three radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from one to four carbons, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four alkyl carbon atoms;
• (5) tolyl or tolyl substituted by one to three radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from of one to four carbon atoms, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four alkyl carbon atoms;
• (6) naphthyl or naphthyl substituted by one to three radicals selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from of one to four carbon atoms, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four alkyl carbon atoms;
• (7) indol-3-yl, indol-2-yl, imidazoly-4-yl, indol-3-ylmethyl, indol-2-ylmethyl or imidazol-4-ylmethyl radicals;
• (8) NHA wherein A is selected from the group consisting of
• hydrogen;
• trityl;
• alkyl of from one to six carbon atoms;
• alkyl of from one to six carbon atoms substituted with hydroxyl, chloro or fluoro;
• phenyl, naphthyl or phthaloyl unsubstituted or substituted by one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from of one to three carbon atoms, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four carbon atoms;
• indolyl;
• pyridyl;
• furyl;
• benzisoxazolyl;
• R.sub.12 (R.sub.13 R.sub.14 C).sub.m CO wherein m is an integer from one to three and R.sub.12, R.sub.13, and R.sub.14 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen;
• alkyl of from of one to three carbon atoms;
• alkyl of from of one to three carbon atoms substituted by chloro, fluoro or hydroxy;
• fluoro;
• chloro;
• hydroxy;
• alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms;
• amido;
• and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four carbon atoms;
• phenyl and phenyl substituted by one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from of one to three carbon atoms, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four carbon atoms;
• naphthyl and naphthyl substituted by one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from of one to three carbon atoms:
• fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four carbon atoms;
• pyridyl;
• furyl;
• benzisoxazolyl;
• and R.sub.12, R.sub.13 and R.sub.14 are indepently joined to form a monocyclic, bicyclic and tricycle ring system wherein each ring is a cycloalkyl of from three to six carbons;
• with the proviso that only one of R.sub.12, R.sub.13, and R.sub.14 can be hydroxy or alkoxy on the same carbon and can not be hydroxy, chloro or fluoro when m is one;
• R.sub.12 (R.sub.13 R.sub.14 C).sub.m W wherein W is OCO or SO.sub.2 and m, R.sub.12, R.sub.13 and R.sub.14 are independently as defined above;
• R.sub.20 W wherein W is as defined above and R.sub.20 is ispyridyl, furyl or benzisoxazolyl;
• R.sub.21 W wherein R.sub.21 is phenyl or naphthyl unsubstituted or substituted by from one to three substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl of from of one to three carbon atoms, fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, alkoxy of from one to three carbon atoms, nitro, amido, hydroxy, and mono- and dialkylamido of from one to four carbon atoms;
• R.sub.12 (R.sub.13 R.sub.14 C).sub.m P(O) (OR.sub.22) wherein R.sub.22 is alkyl of from one to four carbons or phenyl and m, R.sub.12, R.sub.13 and R.sub.14 are as defined above;
• R.sub.20 P(O)(OR.sub.22) wherein R.sub.20 and R.sub.22 are as defined above;
• R.sub.21 P(O)(OR.sub.22) wherein R.sub.21 and R.sub.22 are as defined above;
• (9) R.sub.12 (R.sub.13 R.sub.14 C).sub.m V wherein V is O or NH and m, R.sub.12, R.sub.13 and R.sub.14 are independently as defined above;
• (10) N(R.sub.11).sub.2 wherein R.sub.11 is alkyl of from one to four carbon atoms;
• (11) azetidinyl, pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl, or morpholinyl radicals;
• (12) R.sub.17 OCH.sub.2 O wherein R.sub.17 is
• (a) alkyl of from one to six carbon atoms,
• (b) R.sub.21 wherein R.sub.21 is independently defined as above, or
• (c) CH.sub.2 Q.sub.1 wherein Q.sub.1 is phenyl, naphthyl or a 5 to 7 membered heterocycle;
• (13) R.sub.17 OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 wherein R.sub.17 is independently as defined above;
• (14) alkynyl of from two to six carbon atoms optionally substituted with R.sub.21 wherein R.sub.21 is independently as defined above;
• (15) alkenyl of from two to six carbon atoms optionally substituted with R.sub.21 where in R.sub.21 is independently as define above;
• or
• (16) the side chain of an amino acid selected from the group consisting of aspargine, S-methyl cysteine and the corresponding sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives thereof, leucine, isoleucine, allo-isoleucine, tert-leucine, alanine, phenylalanine, ornithine, histidine, norleucine, glutamine, valine, threonine, allothreonine, serine, aspartic acid and betacyanoalanine;
• and
• R.sub.5 and R'.sub.5 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, lower cycloalkyl or Ar wherein Ar is an aromatic group;
• wherein said process comprises treating a compound represented by the formula ##STR17## or isomeric mixtures thereof, wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.3, R.sub.5 and R'.sub.5 are as defined above, with hydrogen in the presence of rhodium (R,R)-(1,2-ethanediyl bis[orthomethoxyphenyl)phenylphosphine] in deoxygenated solvent;
• and optionally hydrolyzing the phosphous or carbon containing acid group.