Practical Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)-MA20565, a Wide-spectrum Agricultural Fungicide

A practical asymmetric synthesis of a wide-spectrum agricultural fungicide, (S)-MA20565 (1), is described. The convergent synthesis was achieved starting from commercially available 3-(trifluoromethyl)aniline (7) in 44% overall yield through five steps and 2-bromobenzaldehyde (9) in 48% overall yield through four steps, respectively. (S)-O-[1-(3-Trifluoromethylphenyl)ethyl]hydroxylamine (2), a key intermediate of 1, was prepared via ruthenium(II)-catalyzed asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)ethanone (6) followed by chlorination using methanesulfonyl chloride and oxyamination using potassium acetohydroxamate with high level of stereocontrol.