Asymmetric syntheses of heliannuols B and D

The synthesis of heliannuol D along with the first synthesis of heliannuol B has been achieved using Mitsunobu reaction and ring-closing metathesis as the key steps.     

An effective enantioselective approach to the securinega alkaloids: total synthesis of (-)-norsecurinine

[reaction: see text] A highly versatile approach to the enantioselective synthesis of securinega alkaloids is presented. Crucial steps are a palladium-catalyzed enantioselective imide alkylation, a vinylogous Mannich reaction, and a ring-closing metathesis process. Through this strategy, the synthesis of (-)-norsecurinine has been accomplished in nine steps and 11% overall yield.     

Concise asymmetric total synthesis of obolactone

The first efficient asymmetric synthesis of obolactone 1 has been accomplished in 11 steps and with a 15% overall yield in which Brown's enantioselective allylation reactions and ring-closing metathesis reaction are key steps.     

Total synthesis of (+)-hygrine via asymmetric phase-transfer catalytic alkylation

The first enantioselective synthesis of (+)-hygrine (1) is reported. 1 was obtained in 12 steps with 29% overall yield and 97% ee via asymmetric phase-transfer catalytic alkylation and ring-closing metathesis as key steps. The absolute configuration of (+)-hygrine could be directly confirmed as R.     

A short, rapid synthesis of heliannuol D, an allelochemical from Helianthus annus employing ring-closing metathesis

A facile, very short synthesis of the allelochemical heliannuol D is described involving the application of ring-closing metathesis to generate the benzoxepane ring system of 1.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of clavirolide C. Applications of Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate additions and Ru-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis

The first enantioselective total synthesis of clavirolide C, a member of the dolabellane family of diterpenes isolated from Pacific soft coral Clavularia viridis, is disclosed. The total synthesis features the application of chiral amino acid based ligands in Cu-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition (ACA) reactions and a relatively rare application of catalytic ring-closing metathesis to access an 11-membered ring structure. The total synthesis effort has spawned the development of a new protocol for NHC.Cu-catalyzed ACA of alkylaluminum reagents to beta-substituted cycloalkenones. The enantioselective clavirolide C synthesis requires 17 steps (longest linear sequence), affords the target molecule in 3.5% overall yield, and confirms the stereochemical assignment for the natural product.     

Synthesis of the HCV protease inhibitor Vaniprevir (MK-7009) using ring-closing metathesis strategy

A highly efficient synthesis of Vaniprevir (MK-7009) has been accomplished in nine linear steps and 55% overall yield. The key features of this synthesis include a cost-effective synthesis of the isoindoline subunit and efficient construction of the 20-membered macrocyclic core of Vaniprevir (MK-7009) utilizing ring-closing metathesis technology. A high-performing ring-closing metathesis protocol has been achieved by simultaneous slow addition of the ruthenium catalyst (0.2 mol %) and the diene substrate at a concentration of 0.13 M.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-rogioloxepane A

[reactiojn: see text] The enantioselective synthesis of (+)-rogioloxepane A has been achieved in 21 steps from 1,5-hexadien-3-ol. The key steps in the synthesis are an asymmetric glycolate alkylation leading to the diene 2 and a subsequent ring-closing metathesis to construct the oxepene core.     

(-)-Lytophilippine A: synthesis of a C1-C18 building block

The convergent enantioselective synthesis of a protected C1-C18 building block for the total synthesis of (-)-lytophilippine A was achieved. A catalytic asymmetric Gosteli-Claisen rearrangement and an Evans aldol reaction served as key C/C-connecting transformations during the assembling of the C1-C7 subunit (10 steps from 4, 29%). The synthesis of the C8-C18 segment was achieved utilizing d-galactose as inexpensive ex-chiral-pool starting material (15 steps, 15%). The merger of the subunits was accomplished by a remarkably efficient sequence consisting of esterification and ring-closing metathesis (five steps, 56%).     

Formal total syntheses of the (-)-salicylihalamides A and B from D-glucose and L-rhamnose

[reaction: see text] Two formal total syntheses of the (-)-salicylihalamides, based on chiral pool approaches, are reported. D-glucose and L-rhamnose were used to prepare advanced intermediates 23 and 54, which can be converted in three or four steps, respectively, to the target compounds. The synthesis of 23 from a known D-glucose-derivative was accomplished in 12 steps and 17% overall yield, and the synthesis of 54 from a known L-rhamnose-derivative was done in nine steps and 6% overall yield. A key step in the synthesis was a ring-closing metathesis reaction to prepare the macrocyclic ring system. It was demonstrated that the phenolic protecting group was critical for inducing the preferential formation of the desired E isomer. It was further shown that the protecting group at the C13 hydroxyl group had no significant influence on the E:Z ratio during the ring-closing metathesis reaction.     

Toward an enantioselective total synthesis of sarain A: construction of an advanced intermediate and rearrangement of the sarain A core under mild conditions

A high-yielding N-sulfonyliminium ion-enoxysilane cyclization and a ring-closing metathesis are key steps in the enantioselective synthesis of late-stage intermediates en route to sarain A. Also revealed is an unprecedented rearrangement of the tetracyclic sarain A core under mildly acidic conditions. [structure: see text]     

Enantioselective total synthesis of the potent antitumor agent (-)-mucocin using a temporary silicon-tethered ring-closing metathesis cross-coupling reaction

The enantioselective total synthesis of the annonaceous acetogenin (-)-mucocin (1) was accomplished using a triply convergent 12-step sequence (longest linear sequence) in 13.6% overall yield. This represents the first application of the temporary silicon-tethered (TST) ring-closing metathesis (RCM) cross-coupling reaction and the enantioselective alkyne/aldehyde addition to the synthesis of a complex annonaceous acetogenin. Moreover, all three fragments required for the coupling reactions are conveniently prepared in 5-6 steps from two readily available enantiomerically enriched epoxides. Finally, this synthesis stimulated the development of a new approach for the construction of 3-hydroxy-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans, using the bismuth tribromide-mediated reductive etherification reaction, which represents a motif that is prevalent in a wide range of pharmacologically significant natural products.     

Enantioselective allyltitanations and metathesis reactions. Application to the synthesis of piperidine alkaloids (+)-sedamine and (-)-prosophylline

An enantioselective synthesis of the piperidine alkaloids (+)-sedamine and (-)-prosophylline is reported. The synthesis of (+)-sedamine has been achieved in 12 steps with an overall yield of 20% from benzaldehyde, and (-)-prosophylline was obtained in 15 steps with an overall yield of 9.2%, starting from D-glyceraldehyde acetonide 14. The key steps are enantioselective allyltitanation reactions and ring-closing or cross-metathesis reactions.     

A concise and efficient synthesis of (-)-allosamizoline

A regio- and stereocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-allosamizoline is described. The key steps for this synthesis are ring-closing metathesis to form the cyclopentene core, halocyclization to afford the oxazoline ring, and finally stereoselective alkene radical addition followed by an alkene isomerization reaction to install the hydroxymethyl group. (-)-Allosamizoline was prepared in a total of 13 steps and 22% overall yield.     

An asymmetric synthesis of 7-hydroxy-9-propylnonenolide (herbarumin III)

An asymmetric synthesis of herbarumin III has been developed using (R)-cyclohexylidene glyceraldehyde 1 as the chiral template. The key steps of the synthesis were the enantioselective preparation of the required homoallylic alcohol from 1, an asymmetric dihydroxylation, and a ring-closing metathesis reaction for the macrolactonization.     

A new approach to (-)-swainsonine by ruthenium-catalyzed ring rearrangement

A new enantioselective synthesis of the idolizidine alkaloid (-)-swainsonine 1 in 40% overall yield starting from the known oxazolidinone 6 is described. Throughout the synthesis, the high efficiency of metal-catalyzed reactions is illustrated. The key step is a new ruthenium-catalyzed metathesis rearrangement reaction. In this ring-closing/ring-opening tandem process, stereocenters are transferred from a ring to the olefinic side chain of the formed heterocycle. The metathesis precursor was obtained by palladium-catalyzed desymmetrization of cyclopentenediol. The synthesis was completed by functionalization of the terminal double bond, cyclization of the second ring, and diastereoselective dihydroxylation.     

Synthetic approaches and total synthesis of natural zoapatanol

[structure: see text] The total synthesis of (+)-zoapatanol utilizing an intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination and an enantioselective Sharpless dihydroxylation as the key steps has been achieved. An advanced oxepene intermediate has been obtained by applying a ring-closing metathesis to an unsaturated enol ether.     

A novel and efficient synthesis of Entecavir

A practical synthesis of Entecavir (1) has been accomplished in 10 steps with 21% overall yield. The key steps to construct the five-membered carbocyclic framework 2 are a ring-closing metathesis and a diethyl-aluminum 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidide (DA-TMS) mediated epoxide isomerization. Furthermore, the guanine was introduced by modified Mitsunobu reaction.     

Total synthesis and elucidation of the absolute configuration of the diterpene tonantzitlolone

[structure: see text] The first enantioselective total synthesis of tonantzitlolone, a novel 15-membered macrocyclic diterpene, utilized a Julia olefination, a highly selective, potassium enolate-based anti-Felkin aldol reaction, and an E-selective ring-closing metathesis as key C-C bond-forming steps. The absolute configuration of tonantzitlolone is established.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of (-)-galanthamine

An enantioselective synthesis of (-)-galanthamine has been realized in 11 linear steps starting from isovanillin. A Mitsunobu aryl ether forming reaction was used to assemble the galanthamine backbone, which was stitched together using enyne ring-closing metathesis, Heck, and N-alkylation reactions affording the tetracyclic ring system. Control of relative and absolute stereochemistry was derived from an easily accessible enantiomerically enriched propargylic alcohol 13.