A Protecting-Group-Free Synthesis of (−)-Salvinorin A

A concise enantioselective total synthesis of the neoclerodane diterpene (−)-salvinorin A is reported. The stereogenic center at C-12 was installed by catalytic asymmetric propargylation with excellent enantioselectivity, and the remaining six stereogenic centers were set up highly diastereoselectively under substrate control. As for our previous synthesis of racemic salvinorin A, two intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions were applied to generate the tricyclic core. A chemoselective Mitsunobu inversion of a syn 1,2-diol allowed for further streamlining of the original reaction sequence by two steps. Overall, (−)-salvinorin A was synthesized in only 16 steps starting from 3-furaldehyde with 1.4 % total yield. Furthermore, an alternative intramolecular Diels-Alder strategy employing a 2-bromo-1,3-diene moiety was investigated.     

A Stereoselective Synthesis of (−)-Endo-Brevicomin

A stereoselective synthesis of (1S,5R,7R) (-)-endo-brevicomin by employing Sharpless kinetic resolution method has been described.     

Total Synthesis of (−)-Glaucocalyxin A

A practically useful method for the formation of the highly oxygenated bicyclo[3.2.1]octane ring system through Mn(OAc)₃-mediated radical cyclization of alkynyl ketones was developed, which opens up a new avenue for the total synthesis of a number of highly oxidized diterpenoids. Application of this method enabled the first total synthesis of (−)-glaucocalyxin A. Other salient features of the synthesis include a highly enantioselective conjugate addition/acylation cascade reaction, a Yamamoto aldol reaction, and an intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction to assemble the A/B ring system.     

A novel synthesis of (−)-callicarpenal

Callicarpenal, isolated from the leaves of American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) and Japanese beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica), exhibits significant mosquito bite-deterring activity and repellent activity against ticks and fire ants. The mosquito bite-deterring activity level of callicarpenal was reported to be similar to that of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. The novel synthesis of (?)-callicarpenal reported herein was accomplished by starting from (+)-pulegone. In our original approach, a novel Prins-type cyclization based on Meyer–Schuster rearrangement was featured as a key step.     

A furan route to (−)-exo-isobrevicomin

A new enantiocontrolled synthesis of (−)-exo-isobrevicomin, isolated from male mountain pine beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae, has been established starting from 5-ethyl-2-furfural by employing AD-mix-induced asymmetric induction and oxidative furan ring-expansion reaction as the key steps.     

First total synthesis of (−)-aplyolide A

The first total synthesis of (−)-aplyolide A², (16S)-methyloxacyclohexadeca-(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)-tetraen-2-one, 1 is reported. The synthesis is based on three consecutive couplings of terminal alkynes with propargylic halides and proves the absolute configuration of the stereogenic center of the natural product.     

De novo asymmetric synthesis of (−)-nanaomycin A

The de novo asymmetric total synthesis of (?)-nanaomycin A is described. The entirely linear route required only 13 steps from commercially available starting materials (3% overall yield). Key transformations include a Claisen rearrangement, an asymmetric dihydroxylation, a regioselective tosylation, a diastereoselective intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation and a nitrile hydrolysis. As the route relies on a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation it is equally amenable for the synthesis of (+)-nanaomycin A.     

A Concise Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (−)-Deoxoapodine

We have established a highly convergent 10-step route for the total synthesis of (−)-deoxoapodine, which is a hexacyclic aspidosperma alkaloid. The quaternary C5 center of the characteristic tetrahydrofuran ring was constructed by a chiral-phosphoric-acid-catalyzed enantioselective bromocycloetherification in a 5-endo fashion and subsequent allylation by using the Keck protocol. Construction of the aspidosperma skeleton features the formation of a nine-membered lactam by a catalytic C−H palladation/alkylation cascade at the indole 2-position and an iron-catalyzed oxidative transannular reaction at a late-stage of the synthesis.     

A stereocontrolled synthesis of (−)-detoxinine from l-ascorbic acid

A stereoselective synthesis of (−)-detoxinine, the core unit of the detoxifying agent detoxin D₁, is presented. The approach, characterized by the use of an inexpensive starting material and by the easy and stereoselective preparation of the key 4,5-disubstituted oxazolidin-2-one 11, proves to be a suitable alternative to the known procedures.     

A short and concise synthetic route to (−)-coniceine

(−)-Coniceine, the simplest framework of indolizidine alkaloids, has been successfully accessed using a route in which ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) was the key reaction to establish the unsaturated bicyclic lactam system.     

A simple and efficient stereoselective synthesis of (−)-cleistenolide

A simple and straightforward stereoselective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated δ-lactone, (?)-cleistenolide has been accomplished in 10 steps in an overall yield of 19%, starting from inexpensive and commercially available starting materials, respectively. This linear synthesis utilizes Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, sulfur ylide mediated epoxide opening followed by ring-closing metathesis (RCM) for the formation of six-membered lactone ring as the key step sequence.     

A simple synthesis of (−)-(R)-ipsdienol and (−)-(S)-ipsenol

A short and efficient synthesis of the unnatural enantiomer of (+)-(S)-ipsdienol 1 and (−)-(S)-ipsenol 2 is presented via an asymmetric allylboration. The synthesis was achieved by using a one-pot reduction–methylenation of an exo-methylene lactone intermediate.     

A convenient synthesis of (+)-albicanol based on enzymatic function: total syntheses of (+)-albicanyl acetate, (−)-albicanyl 3,4-dihydroxycinnamate, (−)-drimenol, (−)-drimenin and (−)-ambrox

By using lipase ‘PL-266’ from Alcaligenes sp. enantioselective acetylation of (±)-albicanol 4 with isopropenyl acetate gave the enantiomerically pure (+)-albicanyl acetate 3 and (+)-albicanol 4. Deprotection of (+)-3 afforded the natural (+)-albicanol 4 which was converted to the natural products (−)-albicanyl 3,4-dihydroxycinnamate 7, (−)-drimenol 8, (−)-drimenin 9 and (−)-ambrox 10.     

Synthesis of an advanced intermediate enroute to (−)-clavosolide A

A stereoselective route to an advanced intermediate toward the synthesis of clavosolide A is disclosed. The key steps include Wadsworth-Emmons cyclopropanation, utilization of a sulfinyl moiety as an internal nucleophile to open a cyclopropane ring activated by Hg(II)- to create the C3-C5 stereogenic centers, CC bond formation employing an α-chloro sulfide, asymmetric transfer hydrogenation, regioselective hydrosilylation and Tamao-Fleming oxidation.     

Divergent Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (−)-Voacafricines A and B

A divergent asymmetric total synthesis of voacafricines A and B, hexacyclic monoterpene indole alkaloids, has been accomplished featuring the following key steps: a) a catalyst-controlled asymmetric Pictet–Spengler reaction of 6-methoxytryptamine with a chiral α-ketoester affording a 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydro-β-carboline in excellent yield and diastereoselectivity; b) oxidative cleavage of a 3,5-disubstituted cyclopentene furnishing a dialdehyde intermediate, which was effectively differentiated through spontaneous cyclization with the neighboring hydroxy and secondary amine functions; c) intramolecular nucleophilic addition of a tertiary amino nitrogen atom to the in situ generated oxonium species generating stereoselectively an unprecedented 8-alkyl octahydro-2H-5,8-methanofuro[2,3-b]azepin-8-ium motif bearing five contiguous stereocenters. The synthesis confirmed the absolute configuration of these two natural products.     

A biosynthetically inspired synthesis of (−)-berkelic acid and analogs

We describe a complete account of our total synthesis and biological evaluation of (?)-berkelic acid and analogs. We delineate a synthetic strategy inspired by a potentially biomimetic union between the natural products spicifernin and pulvilloric acid. After defining optimal parameters, we executed a one-pot silver-mediated in situ dehydration of an isochroman lactol to methyl pulvillorate, the cycloisomerization of a spicifernin-like alkynol to the corresponding exocyclic enol ether, and a subsequent cycloaddition to deliver the tetracyclic core of berkelic acid. Our studies confirm that the original assigned berkelic acid structure is not stable and equilibrates into a mixture of 4 diastereomers, fully characterized by X-ray crystallography. In addition to berkelic acid, C22-epi-berkelic acid, and nor-berkelic acids, we synthesized C26-oxoberkelic acid analogs that were evaluated against human cancer cell lines. In contrast to data reported for natural berkelic acid, our synthetic material and analogs were found to be devoid of activity.     

The synthesis of (−)-cis- and (−)-trans-crobarbatic acid

The synthesis of both cis- and trans-crobarbatic acid is reported. The five-step sequence proceeds in high yield and with control of both relative and absolute stereochemistry. The key step in the synthesis is the Birch reductive alkylation of a chiral furoic acid which sets the absolute stereochemistry of the products. The stereochemistry of the compounds described was proven unambiguously by X-ray crystallography on one synthetic intermediate and on trans-crobarbatic acid.     

Syntheses of cyclopentyl nucleoside (−)-neplanocin A through tetrazole-fragmentation from cyanophosphates

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A concise synthesis of (−)-lentiginosine via an anti,syn-oxazine

A concise and stereocontrolled total synthesis of (−)-lentiginosine, a potent glycosidase inhibitor, has been achieved. Starting from anti,syn-oxazine as a chiral building block, the key features in these strategies are the Wittig reaction and cyclization.     

A rapid formal synthesis of the macrolide (−)-A26771B

(−)-A26771B, a novel 16-membered macrolide with antibiotic activity, has been formally synthesized. In the synthesis ruthenium catalyzed ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) was used as a key reaction to construct the lactone ring.