Free-radical-mediated conjugate additions. Enantioselective synthesis of butyrolactone natural products: (-)-enterolactone, (-)-arctigenin, (-)-isoarctigenin, (-)-nephrosteranic acid, and (-)-roccellaric acid

Lewis acid-mediated conjugate addition of alkyl radicals to a differentially protected fumarate 10 produced the monoalkylated succinates with high chemical efficiency and excellent stereoselectivity. A subsequent alkylation or an aldol reaction furnished the disubstituted succinates with syn configuration. The chiral auxiliary, 4-diphenylmethyl-2-oxazolidinone, controlled the stereoselectivity in both steps. Manipulation of the disubstituted succinates obtained by alkylation furnished the natural products (-)-enterolactone, (-)-arctigenin, and (-)-isoarctigenin. The overall yields for the target natural products were 20-26% over six steps. Selective functionalization of the disubstituted succinates obtained by aldol condensation gave the paraconic acid natural products (-)-nephrosteranic acid (8) and (-)-roccellaric acid (9). The overall yield of the natural products 8 and 9 over four steps was 53% and 42%, respectively.     

A concise stereocontrolled formal total synthesis of (+/-)-podophyllotoxin using sulfoxide chemistry

A short stereoselective formal total synthesis of (+/-)-podophyllotoxin has been carried out from a sulfoxide, using a one-pot tandem conjugate addition/aldol/electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction to form a tetralin, which was converted into picropodophyllin in two steps.     

Thermochemistry of (E)- and (Z)-disubstituted alkene species: a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of isomeric dimethyl fumarate and dimethyl maleate

The first unequivocal thermochemical/calorimetric determination of the enthalpies of combustion, phase change, and formation of a pair of (E)- and (Z)-disubstituted olefins of the type XCH = CHX, where X is an electron withdrawing group, is reported in this paper for the isomeric species dimethyl fumarate and dimethyl maleate (X = COOCH3). The corresponding density functional calculations, corrected for vibrational and thermal effects, confirm that the former isomer is more stable by some 30 kJ mol-1.     

Total synthesis of the tricyclic marine alkaloids (-)-lepadiformine, (+)-cylindricine c, and (-)-fasicularin via a common intermediate formed by formic acid-induced intramolecular conjugate azaspirocyclization

A very short and efficient enantioselective total synthesis of the tricyclic marine alkaloids (-)-lepadiformine (3), (+)-cylindricine C (1c), and (-)-fasicularin (4) has been developed utilizing the formyloxy 1-azaspiro[4.5]decane 5 as a common intermediate. The key strategic element for the synthesis was the formic acid-induced intramolecular conjugate azaspirocyclization, which proved to be a highly efficient and stereoselective way to rapid construction of the 1-azaspirocyclic substructure of these natural products in a single operation. Thus, the common intermediate 5, synthesized in two steps with 70% overall yield starting from the known (S)-N-Boc-2-pyrrolidinone 7 via the conjugate spirocyclization using an acyclic ketoamide 6, was utilized for the concise and stereoselective total synthesis of (-)-lepadiformine (3), which was accomplished in seven steps with 45% overall yield from 5 (31% yield from 7). The developed strategy based on the conjugate spirocyclization was also applied to the stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-cylindricine C (1c), which was achieved in 10 steps from 5 in 18% overall yield (12% yield from 7). Further application of this approach using 5 led to the synthesis of (-)-fasicularin (4), wherein an extremely efficient method for the introduction of the thiocyanato group via an aziridinium intermediate at the last step was developed. Thus, the highly efficient first enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-fasicularin was accomplished in nine steps with an overall yield of 41% from 5 (28% yield from 7).     

Cycloadditions of N-Aryl-C-(trifluoromethyl)nitrilimines with dimethyl fumarate and maleate

The cycloadditions of N-aryl-C-(trifluoromethyi)nitrilimines 1 , generated in situ from various precursors, with dimethyl fumarate and maleate are described. N-Aryltrifluoroacetohydrazonoyl bromides 2 reacted with fumarate in the presence of triethylamine to give the trans-4,5-dimethoxycarbonylpyrazolines 4 whereas the reactions with maleate afforded the 4,5 -dimethoxycarbonylpyrazoles 5 as well as 4. In the reactions with the chloride 6 under the more drastic conditions, both fumarate and maleate gave the pyrazole 5a. From thermolysis of the oxadiazaphosphole 8 , the trans-pyrazoline 4a was formed in both cases of fumarate and maleate. The preparation of the cis-pyrazoline 9 was attempted from 8 and maleic anhydride but 9 was found to be so unstable as to be epimerized under the mild conditions.     

o-quinodimethanes from 3,6-dihydrobenzo[b]-1,2-oxathiin-2-oxides

A two step synthesis of 3,6-dihydrobenzo[b]-1,2-oxathiin-2-oxide 5a from o-tolual-dehyde via the photochemically produced 1-hydroxy-1,3-dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene-2,2-dioxide is described. Analogous syntheses of 3 and 6 substituted derivatives of the benzosultines 5 have also been carried out. The feasibility of using these benzosultines as o-quinodimethane precursors has been tested by thermalizing the phenyl sultine 5c in refluxing cyclohexane in the presence of dimethyl fumarate, dimethyl maleate and methyl crotonate to form cycloadducts, stereospecifically and in good yield. The stereochemistry of addition of maleate appears to be exclusively “exo” in conflict with earlier studies on Diels-Alder reactions of α-aryl-o-quino-dimethanes.     

Silica Gel Catalyzed Conversion of Dimethyl 2-(5-Bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)butanedioate to Methyl 6-Bromo-2-oxo-2H-chromene-4-carboxylate in Solvent-Free Conditions

Protonation of the highly reactive 1:1 intermediates, produced in the reaction between triphenylphosphine and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, by 4-bromophenol leads to vinyltriphenylphosphonium salt, which undergoes aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction with conjugate base to produce dimethyl 2-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)butanedioate. Silica gel was found to catalyze conversion of dimethyl 2-(5-bromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)butanedioate to methyl 6-bromo-2-oxo-2H-chromene-4-carboxylate in solvent-free conditions at 80°C in fairly high yield.     

Total synthesis of (-)-(alpha)-kainic acid via a diastereoselective methylenecyclopropane ring expansion

[reaction: see text] A concise and enantioselective synthesis of (-)-(alpha)-kainic acid in 13 steps with an overall yield of 15% is reported. The pyrrolidine kainoid precursor with the required C2/C3 trans stereochemistry was prepared with excellent diastereoselectivity (>20:1) via a MgI(2)-mediated ring expansion of a tertiary methylenecyclopropyl amide. A selective hydroboration was then employed to set the remaining stereochemistry at the C4 position en route to (-)-(alpha)-kainic acid.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of Wieland-Gumlich aldehyde and (-)-strychnine

A total synthesis of (-)-strychnine in 15 steps from 1,3-cyclohexanedione in 0.15% overall yield is described. The sequence followed in the assembling of rings is: E-->AE [2-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,3-cyclohexanedione]-->ACE (3a-aryloctahydroindol-4-one)-->ACDE (arylazatricyclic core)-->ABCDE (strychnan skeleton)-->ABCDEF (Wieland-Gumlich aldehyde)-->ABCDEFG (strychnine). The key steps of the synthesis are the enantioselective construction of the 3a-(2-nitrophenyl)-octahydroindol-4-one ring system and the closure of the piperidine ring by a reductive Heck cyclization to generate the pivotal intermediate (-)-14. In contrast, a Lewis acid promoted a-alkoxypropargylic silane-enone cyclization did not lead to synthetically useful azatricyclic ACDE intermediates. The introduction of C-17 and the closure of the indoline ring by reductive amination of the alpha-(2-nitrophenyl) ketone moiety complete the strychnan skeleton from which, via the Wieland-Gumlich aldehyde, the synthesis of (-)-strychnine is achieved.     

Synthesis of (-)-tetracycline

We describe a convergent, enantioselective synthesis of (-)-tetracycline (1) from benzoic acid (17 steps, 1.1% yield). Benzoic acid was transformed into the AB precursor 2 in 10 steps (11% yield), as previously described, and the latter compound was activated toward Diels-Alder cycloaddition by the introduction of an alpha-phenylthio group (two steps, 66% yield). Heating of the resulting alpha-(phenylthio)enone (3) with the triethylsilyloxybenzocyclobutene derivative 4 at 85 degrees C gave the endo-Diels Alder adduct 5 in 64% yield. Deprotection and oxidation of the latter intermediate gave the 2-(phenylthio)-1,3-diketone 7, which was oxidized with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid. The sulfoxide intermediate(s) formed eliminated upon warming to 35 degrees C to give the anyhydrotetracycline derivative 8. Intermediate 8 underwent spontaneous autoxidation at 23 degrees C to form the hydroperoxide keto-9 stereoselectively. Without isolation, hydrogenolysis of 9 in the presence of palladium black gave (-)-tetracycline (42% yield from 7), indistinguishable from an authentic sample.     

The enantioselective synthesis of (-)-lycoramine with the Birch-Cope sequence

The first enantioselective synthesis of (-)-lycoramine has been achieved in 14 steps and 5% overall yield from the biaryl derivative 1. The synthesis applies the previously developed Birch-Cope sequence to create the key arylic quaternary stereocenter of (-)-lycoramine with excellent enantioselective control. The product of the Birch-Cope sequence, a versatile 4,4-disubstituted-2-carboxamide-2-cyclohexen-1-one, was elaborated through an intramolecular conjugate addition of a phenol to create the dihydrofuran ring. Chemoselective elaboration of the allyl group into an amide followed by a modified Pictet-Spengler reaction generated the azepine ring.     

A facile asymmetric route to (-)-aphanorphine

8O-methylaphanorphine was synthesized from 4-methoxyphenylacetaldehyde in 36% overall yield and in nine steps, featuring the formation of ring B via a Friedel-Crafts alkylative cyclization with the concomitant stereospecific introduction of the benzylic quaternary carbon center. The current work constitutes an efficient enantioselective formal synthesis of 3-benzazepine marine alkaloid (-)-aphanorphine.     

The synthesis of (-)-isodomoic acid C

The neuroactive algal metabolite (-)-isodomoic acid C, a kainoid amino acid, has been synthesized for the first time. Asymmetric dearomatizing cyclization of an aromatic amide using a chiral lithium amide base generates a bicyclic enone containing a pyrrolidinone ring with the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the target. A further 15 synthetic steps, including conjugate cuprate addition to the enone of a side chain precursor, a Ru-promoted oxidation of the phenyl ring to the C2-carboxylic acid substituent, a regioselective Baeyer-Villiger reaction, and an E-selective Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, elaborate the cyclization product into the target molecule.     

Synthetic studies towards pentacyclic quassinoids: total synthesis of unnatural (-)-14-epi-samaderine E and natural (-)-samaderine Y from (S)-(+)-carvone

First total syntheses of unnatural (-)-14-epi-samaderine E (5) and natural (-)-samaderine Y (2) were accomplished from (S)-(+)-carvone (6) in 18 and 21 steps, respectively. The syntheses are short, efficient (with an average yield of 80 % plus for each transformation), enantiospecific, and produce nine new chiral centers. The crucial points of the syntheses included a regioselective allylic oxidation on ring C, regio- and stereoselective reduction of ketone, a stereocontrolled epoxidation, an epoxymethano-bridge formation, a chemoselective Grignard reaction, an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, an intramolecular aldol addition, and a newly developed manganese(III)-catalyzed allylic oxidation on ring A.     

Synthesis of (-)-7-epiaustraline and (-)-1-epicastanospermine

Highly efficient and selective syntheses of the title compounds are described. The cornerstone of the synthetic plan is the tandem inter [4 + 2]/inter [3 + 2] cycloaddition process. These syntheses differ from previous applications of this strategy in that they incorporate an alkylation in the hydrogenolysis step to close the second ring of the azabicyclic systems. Notable features of the sequence are (1) the highly regio- and stereoselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition of nitronate 15 with siloxymethyl (Z)-beta-silylvinyl ketone (Z)-22b and (2) the highly selective reduction of the resulting ketone 24a with L-Selectride. A single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of synthetic (-)-7-epiaustraline confirmed that the targeted structure was successfully synthesized. This stimulated a reexamination of the structural assignment of the natural product. (-)-1-Epicastanospermine was synthesized in four steps from the common intermediate 27a. The absolute configuration of (-)-1-epicastanospermine was assured by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of intermediate (-)-27a. Thus, the sign of the optical rotation had to be revised. The overall efficiency of these syntheses were 9 steps and 23% yield for (-)-7-epiaustraline and 10 steps and 20% yield for (-)-1-epicastanospermine     

A practical enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-(S)-stepholidine

A convergent enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-(S)-stepholidine, a drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia and/or drug abuse, was described, which represented the first example of successful auxiliary-assisted Bischler–Napieralski cyclization of amide bearing bromine atom at 2-position of the C ring, followed by an introduction of the aryl methyl ester via Br–Li exchange. (−)-(S)-Stepholidine was synthesized in 6 steps, with 52% overall yield and >99% ee. The reported synthesis is practically free from chromatographic separation.     

(-)-(S)-Nakinadine B: first asymmetric synthesis

(-)-(S)-Nakinadine B has been synthesized for the first time (in 9 steps and 17% overall yield from commercially available atropic acid) using the conjugate addition of lithium dibenzyl-amide to an N-α-phenylacryloyl SuperQuat derivative with in situ diastereoselective enolate protonation as the key step.     

Asymmetric synthesis of the marine alkaloid (−)-(S)-nakinadine C

The first asymmetric synthesis of the marine alkaloid (−)-(S)-nakinadine C is described. This synthesis employs the conjugate addition of lithium dibenzylamide to an N-α-phenylacryloyl SuperQuat derivative followed by diastereoselective protonation of the intermediate enolate using 2-pyridone as the key step to introduce the stereochemistry. (−)-(S)-Nakinadine C was isolated in 13% yield over 9 steps from commercially available atropic acid, 98:2 dr [(Z):(E) ratio] and >99% ee.     

Exploring the mechanism for the amine-catalyzed isomerization of dimethyl maleate. A computational study

The main objective of this study was to investigate the amine-catalyzed isomerization of dimethyl maleate into dimethyl fumarate in order to utilize the former as a prodrug for the latter. Mechanistic study of this reaction using DFT at B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level revealed that the reaction is first order in dimethyl maleate, second order in the amine, and overall third order. Moreover, the calculations revealed the existence of a linear correlation between the basicity of the amine catalyst and the isomerization rate.     

Opening and Addition Modes in Propagation During Radical Polymerization of Fumaric and Maleic Derivatives

Abstract

Polymers of bis(trimethylsilyl) fumarate, di-tert-amyl fumarate, and methyl tert-amyl fumarate were prepared by radical polymerization at 60 or 120°C. The polymers were converted into poly(dimethyl fumarate) via thermolysis or hydrolysis and subsequent methylation to determine the tacticity using ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. The probabilities of meso addition (P _m) were revealed to be 0.66 (60°C) for the bis(trimethylsilyl) ester, 0.60 (60°C) and 0.52 (120°C) for the di-tert-amyl ester, and 0.54 (60 and 120°C) for the methyl tert-amyl ester. From the temperature dependence of the P _m values, the differences in activation enthalpies and entropies for the meso and racemo additions were evaluated. The microstructure of poly(dimethyl fumarate) derived from poly(maleic anhydride) was also examined. The opening and addition modes in propagation of the fumaric and maleic derivatives were discussed based on the results obtained in the present and previous work.