Efficient construction of a chiral all-carbon quaternary center by asymmetric 1,4-addition and its application to total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol

The conjugate addition of lithium divinylcuprate to (4S,2′E)-3-(6′-TBDPS-3′-methylhex-2′-enoyl)-4-phenyloxazolidin-2-one proceeded efficiently to create a chiral all-carbon quaternary center with a high diastereoselectivity (R:S = 95:5). The absolute configuration of the newly generated chiral center was confirmed by applying this methodology to the total synthesis of (+)-bakuchiol.     

Asymmetric synthesis of macrolactin analogue

Total asymmetric synthesis of macrolactin A analogue was accomplished by the convergent strategy. Rapid access to advanced intermediate 16 through isomerization of ynone to (E,E)-conjugated dienone is a key step of this synthesis. Overall, control of all of the four stereocenters was achieved by means of asymmetric and diastereoselective reactions without using any chiral natural sources.     

An expeditious total synthesis of kalkitoxins: determination of the absolute stereostructure of natural kalkitoxin

Kalkitoxin, a potent neurotoxin isolated from the marine cyanobacteria Lyngbya majuscula, and its congeners (1-7) were efficiently synthesized utilizing Hruby's diastereoselective 1,4-addition and the Wipf's oxazoline-thiazoline conversion as key steps. These synthetic efforts in combination with spectral studies of natural kalkitoxin clearly determined the absolute stereostructure of kalkitoxin to be 7.     

An efficient multicomponent stereoselective synthesis of 1,2,4-trisubstituted 1,3-thiazetidines

The first one-pot three-component coupling reaction of O,O-diethyl hydrogen phosphorodithioate, aldehydes, and aldimines affording 1,2,4-trisubstituted 1,3-thiazetidines is reported. The product is obtained in moderate to high yields (45-94%) and has excellent diastereoselectivity (90-96%) in favour of the cis isomer. Shorter reaction times, ambient temperature, operational simplicity, and high yields are the salient features of the present procedure.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids via enantioselective reduction of cyclic meso-imide

Stereoselective synthesis of (3S,4S)- and (3R,4R)-series of 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids was investigated. The key reaction in this synthesis is asymmetric reduction of meso-imide derived from meso-tartaric acid. Lewis acid-promoted cyanation of the obtained optically active lactam via the acyliminium intermediate followed by standard deprotection procedure afforded the desired 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids.     

Asymmetric synthesis of Sedum alkaloids via lithium amide conjugate addition

Conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-allyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide or lithium (R)-N-but-3-enyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to an alkyl hexa-2,4-dienoate or alkyl hepta-2,6-dienoate, followed by ring-closing metathesis of the olefin functionalities within the resultant β-amino ester, generates a range of diastereoisomerically pure azacycles in good yield. These homochiral templates are readily transformed to a range of piperidine alkaloids of the Sedum family, and the corresponding five-, seven- and eight-membered ring homologues.     

Asymmetric synthesis of dihydroquinazolinones via directed ortho metalation and addition to tert-butanesulfinyl imines

An asymmetric route to dihydroquinazolinones via the addition of ortho metalated substrates to tert-butanesulfinyl imines is reported. The scope of the nucleophile and electrophile components and the absolute stereochemical outcome are presented.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (−)-(S,S)-homaline

The asymmetric synthesis of (−)-(S,S)-homaline was achieved in 8 steps from commercially available starting materials using the diastereoselective conjugate addition of the novel lithium amide reagent lithium (R)-N-(3-chloropropyl)-N-(α-methyl-p-methoxybenzyl)amide to methyl cinnamate to install the correct stereochemistry. Subsequent functional group manipulation of the resultant β-amino ester and Sb(OEt)₃-mediated macrolactamisation was followed by homodimerisation to give (−)-(S,S)-homaline in 18% overall yield, representing the first asymmetric, and by far the most efficient synthesis of this natural product reported to date.     

Asymmetric synthesis of the polyol subunit of the macrolide antibiotic, ossamycin

An asymmetric synthesis of the C1-C16 polyol subunit of the macrolide antibiotic, ossamycin, has been achieved through stepwise carbon-chain elongation reaction from d-glucose.     

A polystyrene-supported triflating reagent for the synthesis of aryl triflates

An insoluble polystyrene-supported triflating reagent has been prepared by suspension co-polymerization of N-(4-vinylphenyl)trifluoromethanesulphonimide, styrene and the JandaJel^® cross-linker. This reagent, in the presence of triethylamine, allows for the efficient synthesis of aryl triflates from a wide range of phenols in a process that permits the desired product to be isolated from the reaction mixture in essentially pure form via several filtration and concentration operations. Adding to the utility of this reagent is its ability to be easily recovered, regenerated and reused. Both soluble and insoluble bifunctional polymers containing trialkylamine moieties in addition to triflimide groups were also prepared and examined as triflating reagents. Unfortunately these reagents afforded only modest yields of the desired products in representative reactions.     

Convergent synthesis of the ABCDE ring fragment of ciguatoxins

Synthesis of the ABCDE ring fragment of ciguatoxins has been achieved in a highly stereocontrolled and convergent manner via the B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura coupling-based approach.     

Asymmetric synthetic study of macrolactin analogues

We designed two aromatic analogues 1a and 1b of macrolactin A with expectation of enhancing biological activity and metabolical stability. As a result of retrosynthetic analysis of these compounds 1a-b, two synthetic strategies have been examined. The first strategy includes the enantioselective addition of nonadienyl anion, derived from 3, to aldehyde 4 as a key step. The second one includes epimerization of ynone 7 to (E,E)-conjugated dienone 31 and subsequent diastereoselective hydride-reduction of 31. Although the former route furnished no desired target, the latter one was revealed to work well for the synthesis of 1. Unfortunately, the aimed (2Z,4E)-analogue 1a could not be synthesized due to an epimerization of the (2Z)-olefin into the (2E)-olefin. However, these methods could be applied to the total asymmetric synthesis of the (2E,4E)-analogue 1b. Overall, control of all of the four stereocenters was achieved by means of asymmetric and diastereoselective reactions without using any chiral natural sources.     

l-Proline: an efficient catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted and 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles

A simple highly versatile and efficient synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles is achieved by three-component cyclocondensation of 1,2-dicarbonyl compound, aldehyde and ammonium acetate using l-proline as a catalyst in methanol at moderate temperature. To explore the utility of this method 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles were also synthesized. The key advantages of this process are high yields, cost effectiveness of catalyst, easy work-up and purification of products by non-chromatographic methods.     

Asymmetric synthesis of cytotoxic sponge metabolites R-strongylodiols A and B and an analogue

The asymmetric synthesis of the marine sponge natural products R-strongylodiols A R-1 and B R-2, using a minimum protection strategy, is described. Two approaches were examined and the Noyori asymmetric reduction of ynones was found to be successful for installing the chirality of the natural products. Analogue R-32 was also prepared. In addition, asymmetric alkynylation of aldehydes is briefly reviewed.     

Short synthesis of stenusine and norstenusine, two spreading alkaloids from Stenus beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Each of the both spreading alkaloids stenusine and norstenusine could be synthesized starting from commercially available 3-picoline in a two-step synthesis in yields of 74% and 67% in gram scale. The stereoisomeric ratio of the synthesized (+)-stenusine is similar to that of stenusine from Stenus comma.     

A new (R)-hydroxynitrile lyase from Prunus mume: asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrins

A new hydroxynitrile lyase (HNL) was isolated from the seed of Japanese apricot (Prunus mume). The enzyme has similar properties with HNL isolated from other Prunus species and is FAD containing enzyme. It accepts a large number of unnatural substrates (benzaldehyde and its variant) for the addition of HCN to produce the corresponding cyanohydrins in excellent optical and chemical yields. A new HPLC based enantioselective assay technique was developed for the enzyme, which promotes the addition of KCN to benzaldehyde in a buffered solution (pH=4.5).     

Studies on the total synthesis of tenuifoliside B

An efficient synthesis of tenuifoliside B, which shows potential cognitive improvement and cerebral protective effects that may be further developed to become an anti-AD lead compound, has been developed starting from commercial available starting materials. Regioselective introductions of acyl groups to the OH-3′ and OH-6 of sucrose play the key steps by metal chelate-directed acylation and Mitsunobu esterification, respectively.     

Regioselective synthesis of 1,3,5- and 1,3,4,5-substituted pyrazoles via acylation of N-Boc-N-substituted hydrazones

Acylation of N-Boc-N-methylhydrazones followed by TFA treatment affords regioselective access to substituted pyrazoles. Both regioisomers of 1-methyl-3,5-disubstituted-1H-pyrazoles can be selectively obtained. This procedure can also be employed for the regioselective preparation of fully substituted 1H-pyrazoles.     

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of (S)-2-cyclohexyl-2-phenylglycolic acid, the acid segment of oxybutynin

An innovative and facile synthesis of the title compound has been developed starting from (R)-cyclohexylidene glyceraldehyde. The key step in the synthesis is a chiral template-driven Grignard addition with absolute diastereocontrol. The other attractive features are the operational simplicity and the use of inexpensive compounds/reagents.     

Total synthesis of lansiumamides A and B and alatamide

The total syntheses of lansiumamide A, lansiumamide B and alatamide have been completed taking advantage of the dihalo-olefination of N-formylimides. The syntheses are convergent, flexible and allow for the generation of analogues not accessible through other routes.