InCl3-CH3CN-H2O: an efficient catalyst-solvent combination for the synthesis of Perlin aldehydes and related compounds. Application in the synthesis of unnatural l-azasugars

InCl₃-CH₃CN-H₂O has been found to be an efficient catalyst-solvent combination for the synthesis of Perlin aldehydes and related compounds. While acetylated glycals afforded the Perlin aldehydes directly with InCl₃ and water, benzylated glycals on the other hand provided the hemiacetals under identical condition. The methodology reports a non-mercurial approach to Perlin aldehydes. Noteworthy is that this reaction is more facile as well as highly selective with glycals possessing a hydroxyl as a leaving group than with a benzyloxy group. Extension of this reaction to 2-C-hydroxymethyl glycals resulted in the formation of the corresponding hemiacetals, which were further transformed in to unsaturated azasugars with an exo-methylene group at C-2 position. Glycosidase inhibition studies reveal that these compounds display selectivity in inhibiting glucosidases rather than galactosidases.     

Synthesis of 5-aza-analogues of angucyclines: manipulation of the 2-deoxy-C-glycoside subunit

Based on a heterocyclic Diels-Alder strategy, a concise synthesis of 5-aza-analogues of angucyclines bearing a 2-deoxy-C-glycoside subunit is reported. Starting from a common intermediate, a peracetylated D-2-deoxyglucose could be linked to carbons C9 or C10 of the tetracyclic framework. Further manipulations of the sugar residue allowed the installation of bromo and azido substituents at carbon C6′.     

Stereoselective synthesis of cyclic hemiacetals from 4-formylbenzoates and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes using a sulfoalkyl-substituted N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst

N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed transformation of 4-formylbenzoates and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to cyclic hemiacetals is described. The reaction proceeded smoothly when the sulfopropyl-substituted imidazolium salt was used as the catalyst. Various substrates were converted to the corresponding cyclic hemiacetals in a stereoselective manner.     

New tri- and tetracyclic diterpenes from Euphorbia villosa

Three new tetracyclic diterpenes were isolated from the chloroform-soluble extract of Euphorbia villosa, together with one new and one known lathyrane diterpene. The structures were elucidated by means of various spectroscopic methods, including HREI-MS, HRFAB-MS, UV, and 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Spectral analyses revealed that two of the tetracyclic compounds contain the rare 5-6-6-4 fused ring system, while the third has a 5-6-7-3 fused diterpene core. Such diterpene skeletons have previously been found only in euphoractines A-E isolated from Euphorbia micractina. As a new structural feature, the diterpene framework described here has a C-2 epimer configuration. The new lathyrane diterpene is a diester of a hitherto unknown polyfunctional parent alcohol.     

Concise total synthesis of flavone C-glycoside having potent anti-inflammatory activity

The total synthesis of anti-inflammatory active flavone C-glycoside isolated from oolong tea extract is achieved. Introducing a C-glucosyl moiety to an aryl system and constructing a fused tetracyclic ring characteristic to this natural product were conducted based on the O-to-C rearrangement of sugar moiety and the successive intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction, respectively. This concise and efficient synthetic pathway is applicable to the large-scale synthesis of target flavone and for constructing a large library of related compounds.     

Synthesis of deoxy sugar esters: a chemoenzymatic stereoselective approach affording deoxy sugar derivatives also in the form of aldehyde

A chemoenzymatic synthesis of deoxy sugar esters is described. The synthesis is based on the O-alkylation of carboxylic acid with 2-bromo-5-acetoxypentanal. The method allows treatment of hydroxy carboxylic acids without protection of alcoholic hydroxyl groups. Several stereoisomeric deoxy sugar esters were resolved (up to ee or de > 98%) using a lipase-catalyzed acetylation of hemiacetals that in certain cases afforded deoxy sugar derivatives in the form of aldehydes. The stereochemistry of the reactions was determined by the NMR spectra of mandelic acid derivatives.     

The versatile role of norbornene in C-H functionalization processes: concise synthesis of tetracyclic fused pyrroles via a threefold domino reaction

The synthesis of novel tetracyclic fused pyrroles from 1-(2-iodophenyl)-1H-pyrrole and various bromoalkyl-aryl alkynes via a palladium(0)-catalyzed and norbornene-mediated threefold domino reaction is reported. PdCl₂ and tri-2-furylphosphine (TFP) in the presence of norbornene and Cs₂CO₃ in CH₃CN at 90 °C gave a variety of tetracyclic fused pyrroles in usually high yields. In the described reaction sequence two of the three carbon-carbon bonds are formed by functionalization of an unactivated aryl C-H bond.     

Rapid stereoselective access to the tetracyclic core of puupehenone and related sponge metabolites using metal-free radical cyclisations of cyclohexenyl-substituted 3-bromochroman-4-ones

The tetracyclic nucleus of puupehenone, 15-oxopuupehenol and other sesquiterpene-phenol natural products can be assembled stereoselectively in three steps, the last of these being the 6-endo-trig cyclisation of an alpha-keto radical generated from a substituted 2-(2-cyclohexenyl)ethyl 3-bromo-4-chromanone under metal-free conditions.     

Convenient synthesis of fluorinated quinoline, 1,2-dihydroquinoline, and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives

A convenient synthetic method for 2-polyfluoroalkylated quinoline systems through the efficient generation of perfluoroalkylated imine from o-vinylanilines with perfluorinated hemiacetals or aldehyde hydrates was developed. In most cases, the major products are 2-polyfluoroalkyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline derivatives 3, which can be converted to either quinolines or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines.     

Photocyclisation of 3-alkoxy-6-chloro-2-(3-methylthiophen-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4-ones

Photocyclisation of 3-alkoxy-6-chloro-2-(3-methylthiophen-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4-ones in methanol with pyrex filtered UV-light lead to the formation of tetracyclic compounds through intramolecular γ-hydrogen abstraction. The methyl group on the thiophenyl ring does not interfere in the photocyclisation although it does effect the product formation.     

Hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of photochemically generated α-hydroxy-o-quinodimethanes with trifluoromethyl ketones

Hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of α-hydroxy-o-quinodimethanes photochemically generated from o-tolualdehydes with trifluoromethyl ketones gave a mixture of hemiacetals and hydroxyaldehydes in fairly good yields. Their subsequent oxidation with PCC provided 1-isochromanones as formal oxidative [4+2] cycloaddition products. In contrast, similar reaction of aromatic ketones such as o-methylbenzophenone, 1-indanone, and α-tetralone gave exclusively the corresponding ketones having (trifluoromethyl)methylol groups at the o-position.     

Stereoisomerism in the representative tetracyclic dispiro ozonide derived from (methylene)dicyclohexanone with the 1,5-diketo arrangement

The conditions and reasons for the stereoselective transformation of the rac form of 2,2′-(methylene)-dicyclohexanone into the meso- or rac-diastereomer of tetracyclic dispiro ozonide (1,2,4-trioxolane) in the reaction with 30% aqueous H₂O₂ in the presence of acid have been determined. A mechanism for the stereoisomerization of ozonides was proposed, and the stereochemistry of diastereomeric ozonides was established by NMR data.     

Explorations en route to synthesis of tashironins: singlet oxygen cycloaddition to 1,3-cyclopentadienes embedded within allo-cedrane framework

In an approach directed toward a tashironin based complex natural product, efficacy of the singlet oxygen mediated [4+2]-cycloaddition to a tetracyclic cyclopentadiene has been evaluated to install the key cis-1,4-dihydroxy functionality.     

Synthesis of a novel tetracyclic azaindolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazine ring system

Synthesis of a series of novel fused tetracyclic mono- and diazaindolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazine heterocyclic compounds 3a-o has been achieved in a two-step one-pot reaction set up starting from commercially available or easily accessible inputs. For example, reaction of di-lithiated (N-Boc)-2-amino-3-methylpyridine Li₂-2a with Weinreb amide of 2-(2,4-difluorophenoxy)-2,2-dimethylacetic acid 1a, followed by TFA treatment furnished the tetracyclic compound 3a, which is essentially a fusion of 7-azaindole and 3,4-dihydro[1,4]benzoxazine, in 70% isolated yield. A competitive elimination by-product 4a was also observed (24% isolated yield) in this case. Based on our initial results, a structural basis and molecular mechanism have been suggested to explain these two parallel reactions. Consequently, with appropriate structural tuning of 1, formation of the individual products can be controlled.     

Facile synthesis of sugar lactols via bromine-mediated oxidation of thioglycosides

Synthesis of a variety of sugar lactols (hemiacetals) has been accomplished in moderate to excellent yields by using bromine-mediated oxidation of thioglycosides. It was found that acetonitrile is the optimal solvent for this oxidation reaction. This approach involving bromine as oxidant is superior to that using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) which produces byproduct succinimide often difficult to separate from the lactol products.     

A new route to optically pure highly functionalized tetrahydro-isoquinolines with a quaternary carbon stereocenter

A facile synthesis of highly substituted, optically pure tetrahydro-isoquinolines with a quaternary carbon stereocenter is described. Glycolic cleavage of 1,2-dihydroxy-hexahydro-pyrrolo-isoquinolines 1 affords a mixture of cyclic hemiacetals, which can be converted via intramolecular chemoselective Cannizzaro reaction into respective β-amino alcohols, whereas the IBX oxidation gives N-formyl aldehydes. We have demonstrated the utility of such synthons by the synthesis of (+)-6,7-dimethoxy-salsoline-1-carboxylic acid and its new 1-phenyl analogue.     

Synthesis of different isoindolone embedded heterocycles with phenolic subunits from a common intermediate, 3-(2′-hydroxyaroyl)-2,3-dihydroisoindol-1-ones

A series of biologically important isoindolone embedded heterocycles such as tetracyclic 2,4-diamino-5-aryl-10-oxo-10H-1,10a-diazaindeno[2,1-a]indene-3-carbonitriles and tricyclic 1-aryl-3,5-dioxo-1H-imidazo-[3,4-b]isoindoles have been synthesized from an easily derived common intermediate, 3-(2′-hydroxyaroyl)-2,3-dihydroisoindol-1-ones. The significant advantages of the present methodologies are the use of simple and easily available starting materials and reagents, operational simplicity, and good yields of the products with high atom-economy.     

Design and synthesis of new C-nucleosides as potential adenosine deaminase inhibitors

A number of new pyrazolo[3,4-c] and [4,3-b]pyridine C-nucleosides, which can be viewed as 4- or 6-deazaformycin analogues were synthesized and examined as potential adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitors. The compounds were prepared through the condensation of a suitably substituted, lithiated 2- or 4-methylpyridine with tri-O-benzyl-d-ribonolactone, followed by borohydride reduction of the resulting hemiacetals, intramolecular Mitsunobu cyclisation of the derived diols, formation of the pyrazolopyridine ring system and subsequent removal of the protecting groups. These derivatives were designed on the structural basis provided by docking simulations performed within the enzyme catalytic site, however they demonstrated weak ADA inhibitory activity. Theoretical calculations assisted in the interpretation of the obtained biological data, thus providing guidance for rational structural modifications within this molecular scaffold.     

Efficient strategy for convergent synthesis of trans-fused polycyclic ethers based on an intramolecular SmI2-promoted cyclization of iodo ester

An efficient convergent strategy for the construction of a trans-fused 6-6-6-6-membered tetracyclic ether ring system was developed. The key steps involve coupling of two cyclic ethers by esterification, SmI₂-promoted intramolecular reductive cyclization of iodo ester to hemiacetal, dehydration to dihydropyran, hydroboration, oxidation, intramolecular acetalization, and Lewis-acid catalyzed silane reduction.     

Synthesis of new thieno[3,2-b]pyridine derivatives by palladium-catalyzed couplings and intramolecular cyclizations

Two methyl 3-aminothieno[3,2-b]pyridine-2-carboxylates were prepared from 3-fluoro or 3-nitropicolinonitriles and methyl thioglycolate in DMF/KOH(aq). From the unsubstituted precursor in the pyridine ring, di(hetero)arylamines were obtained by C-N Buchwald-Hartwig coupling with bromonitrobenzenes and with 2-bromopyridine. In the latter case a tetracyclic compound was formed by intramolecular cyclization. Using a brominated derivative in the pyridine ring as a coupling component, it was possible to synthesize C-C (Suzuki and Sonogashira) and C-N (Buchwald-Hartwig) coupling products and a tetracyclic compound obtained by bifunctionalization of the thienopyridine system.