Total synthesis of fluvirucinine A1

An efficient and highly stereocontrolled convergent synthesis of fluvirucinine A₁ is reported herein. In fluvirucinine A₁ both C₅-C₁₃ and C₁-C₄ fragments were accessed from a common intermediate 6 derived from (S)-Roche ester in 15 and 7 steps, respectively. The key steps involve Evans asymmetric alkylation, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, amidation and a ring-closing metathesis reaction (RCM) for macrocyclization.     

Short synthesis of 6-oxoprostaglandin E1 and 6-oxoprostaglandin F1α

6-Oxoprostaglandin E₁ methyl ester was synthesized in a single pot from ($\text{R}$)-4-$\text{t}$-butyldimethylsiloxy-2-cyclopentenone by organocopper conjugate addition with an ω side-chain unit, trapping of the resulting enolate with 6-methoxycarbonyl-2-nitrohex-1-ene, and treatment with aqueous titanium(III) trichloride. Hydrolysis of the methyl ester was accomplished by porcine liver esterase. 6-Oxoprostaglandin F_1α, was obtained from 6-nitroprostaglandin E₁ methyl ester in four steps.     

A total synthesis of leukotriene F4 (LTF4)

The synthesis of LTF₄ via the reaction of (±)-leukotriene A₄(LTA₄), methyl ester $\text{1}$ with the protected gluramylcysteine $\text{2}$ is reported.     

Synthesis of thromboxane A2 analog DL-(9,11), (11,12)-dideoxa-(9,11)-methylene-(11,12)-epithio-thromboxane A2 methyl ester

A synthesis of the thromboxane A₂ analog, $\text{dl}$-(9,11) ,(11,12)-dideoxa-(9,11)-methylene-(11,12)-epithio-thromboxane A₂ methyl ester $\text{2}$, is described.     

Synthesis of gibberellins A8 and A56 from gibberellin A3

A mixture of gibberellin A₃ derivatives with 1(10)-ene-2β,3β-diol and 1(10)-ene-2α,3β-diol (2:5) groups, readily obtained from gibberellin A₃, has been used for a new and simple synthesis of gibberellin A₈ and its esters. The hydrolysis of GA₃ and the iodolactonization of a mixture of the 2-epimers was carried out in aqueous solution in a single flask, as also was a synthesis of GA₅₆ from GA₃ by a method that we have modified. The mixture of 1β-iodides of GA₈ and GA₅₆ was separated by chromatography on SiO₂ in the form of methyl or p-bromophenacyl esters which were then deiodinated and the methyl or p-bromphenacyl ester of GA₈ was isolated. Free GA₈ was obtained by the dephenylation of the latter ester. By two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy we succeeded in assigning all the signals in the¹³C and¹H NMR spectra of the methyl esters of GA₈ and GA₅₆. In an attempt to obtain GA₅ methyl ester by the action of trimethylchlorosilane/sodium iodide on the 2α,3β-diol system in GA₅₆ methyl ester, the 8,13-epimer of the latter was formed, the structure of its molecule being established from the results of X-ray structural analysis.     

A facile synthesis of (±)-15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 methyl ester

A simple and facile synthesis of racemic 15-deoxy-Δ^12,14-prostaglandin J₂ methyl ester from readily available Corey lactone diol in total eleven steps was suggested. The standard methods provided a pathway to a block with an integrated w w w-chain and further to PGJ₂ methyl ester. The latter was smoothly converted to the target prostaglandin in the TsOH–CH₂Cl₂ medium when allylic alcohol moiety was transformed to exocyclic diene substituent conjugated with endocyclic enone system.     

Synthesis of gibberellins A8 and A56 from gibberellin A3

A mixture of gibberellin A₃ derivatives with 1(10)-ene-2,3-diol and 1(10)-ene-2,3-diol (2:5) groups, readily obtained from gibberellin A₃, has been used for a new and simple synthesis of gibberellin A₈ and its esters. The hydrolysis of GA₃ and the iodolactonization of a mixture of the 2-epimers was carried out in aqueous solution in a single flask, as also was a synthesis of GA₅₆ from GA₃ by a method that we have modified. The mixture of 1-iodides of GA₈ and GA₅₆ was separated by chromatography on SiO₂ in the form of methyl or p-bromophenacyl esters which were then deiodinated and the methyl or p-bromphenacyl ester of GA₈ was isolated. Free GA₈ was obtained by the dephenylation of the latter ester. By two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy we succeeded in assigning all the signals in the¹³C and¹H NMR spectra of the methyl esters of GA₈ and GA₅₆. In an attempt to obtain GA₅ methyl ester by the action of trimethylchlorosilane/sodium iodide on the 2,3-diol system in GA₅₆ methyl ester, the 8,13-epimer of the latter was formed, the structure of its molecule being established from the results of X-ray structural analysis.Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 663–669, September–October, 1994.     

The formal synthesis of lucentamycin A: Construction of cis-2,3-disubstituted pyrrolidine core by application of SmI2-DMPU system

The formal synthesis of lucentamycin A (1) was accomplished in 14 steps from d-serine methyl ester as a starting material. All the requisite stereogenic centers on the pyrrolidine core of 1 were controlled by SmI₂-mediated cyclization. Construction of the methyl unit at the C9 position of 1 was achieved by decarbonylation of lactol 11 with stoichiometric amount of Rh(PPh₃)₃Cl.     

Synthesis of the Multidrug Reversal Agent Ko143 and Its Parent Natural Product Fumitremorgin C

Ko143 is a tetracyclic, synthetic analog of the fungal metabolite fumitremorgin C. Ko143 is a potent and specific inhibitor of the membrane-bound efflux transporter ABCG2, and it reverses ABCG2-mediated drug resistance in cancer cells. Here, we describe an improved synthesis of Ko143 that relies on the highly selective, substrate-controlled reduction of an imine that is formed in a Bischler–Napieralski reaction with the amide derived from 6-methoxy-l -tryptophan methyl ester and isovaleric acid as a key step. We have also developed a new route to 6-methoxy-l -tryptophan methyl ester from Cbz-l -aspartic acid methyl ester, m-anisidine and differently substituted benzaldehydes. With p-nitrobenzaldehyde as one of the starting materials, this route gave access to 6-methoxy-l -tryptophan methyl ester in five steps and 20 % overall yield; however, it is less efficient than a previously reported synthesis of 6-methoxy-l -tryptophan methyl ester from 6-methoxy indole.     

Synthesis of Bifunctional Lipoxin-Derived Enzyme-Triggered CO-Releasing Molecules (LipET-CORMs)

In an attempt to develop new anti-inflammatory agents which act by co-release of carbon monoxide (CO) and a specialized pro-resolving mediator, we designed conjugates of a lipoxin A₄ analogue and an acyloxycyclohexadiene-Fe(CO)₃ complex as an esterase-triggered CO-releasing molecule (ET-CORM). After adjustment of the protecting group strategy, two of such compounds were successfully prepared by total synthesis (12 steps; 4–5 % overall yield) starting from deoxy-d -ribose and exploiting a Wittig olefination and an intermolecular Heck reaction as key C−C bond-forming steps. A crucial late reduction of an aryl-ketone moiety in the presence of a highly sensitive dienol ester functionality was achieved with BH₃-SMe₂ in the presence of catalytic amounts of NaBH₄. Both target compounds were dose-dependently toxic towards cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), with LipET-CORM 1-A being slightly more toxic. While induction of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in HUVEC was observed for both compounds, they did not inhibit TNF-α-mediated VCAM-1 expression in these cells. In M2 polarized macrophages HO-1 expression was more pronounced as compared to M1 polarized macrophages. In both types of macrophages HO-1 expression was downregulated by lipopolysaccharide, but only in M2 macrophages HO-1 expression was rescued by LipET-CORM. 15-Lipoxygenase (15-LO) was only expressed in M2 macrophages and was not influenced by LipET-CORM. Collectively our data demonstrate that LipET-CORMs induce HO-1 expression in endothelial cells and M2 polarized macrophages. The role of the intra-cellular released lipoxin A₄ in resolution of inflammation, however, remains to be assessed.     

Synthesis of 9α,11α-thiathromboxane A2 methyl ester

The synthesis of thromboxane A₂ (TXA) analogue, 9α,11α-thia-TXA₂ methyl ester $\text{2}$, in which the oxygen atom in the oxetane ring of TXA₂ was replaced by a sulfur atom, is described.     

Concise and diastereoselective approach to syn- and anti-N-tosyl-α-hydroxy β-amino acid derivatives

The methyl diazoacetate and aryl (N-tosyl)imines can be transformed into syn or anti α-hydroxy β-amino esters with high diastereoselectivities in three steps: the base promoted nucleophilic condensation of the methyl diazoacetate and aryl (N-tosyl)imines to give β-(N-tosyl)amino α-diazoesters, followed by oxidation with Oxone^® to generate α-oxo esters, which were reduced with NaBH₄ to yield the anti-N-tosyl-α-hydroxy β-amino ester, or hydrogenated with Pd/C (10%) as the catalyst to yield corresponding syn isomer, both in high diastereoselectivity.     

Pd(II)-catalyzed vinylic polymerization of norbornene and copolymerization with norbornene and copolymerization with norbornene carboxylic acid esters

The vinylic polymerization of norbornene and its copolymerization with norbornene carboxylic acid methyl esters were investigated. Norbornene was polymerized by us using di-μ-chloro-bis-(6-methoxybicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene-endo-5σ,2π)-palladium(II) as catalyst. The polymerization time can be decreased by a factor of 100000 by activation of the catalyst with methylaluminoxane (MAO). With this palladium catalyst activated by MAO, 140 t of norbornene can be polymerized per mol palladium per h. This catalyst system was much more active than [Pd(CH₃CN)₄](BF₄)₂ ( I ). The polymerization of norbornene by (6-methoxybicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene-endo-5σ,2π)-palladium(II) tetrafluoroborate was also possible but it was not as fast as the polymerization by Pd catalysts activated with MAO. We were also able to obtain copolymers of norbornene and 5-norbornene-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (exo/endo = 1/4 or 2/3) containing between 15 and 20 mol-% ester units. The copolymerization of norbornene and 2-methyl-5-norbornene-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (exo/endo = 7/3) was faster than the copolymerization mentioned before. In contrast the homopolymerization of 2-methyl-5-norbornene-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester was 10 times slower than that of 5-norbornene-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (exo/endo = 1/4).     

Triterpenoide. XIX. 3β‐Hydroxy‐11‐oxo‐18α‐olean‐12‐en‐28‐säure‐methyl­ester und 3,11‐Dioxo‐18α‐olean‐12‐en‐28‐säure‐methyl­ester

The X‐ray crystal structure analyses of 3β‐hydroxy‐11‐oxo‐18α‐olean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid methyl ester ethanol solvate, C₃₁H₄₈O₄·C₂H₆O, (I), and 3,11‐dioxo‐18α‐olean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid methyl ester, C₃₁H₄₆O₄, (II), are described. These two compounds differ only in the structure of ring A. In (I), ring A has a chair conformation, while in (II), it has a twisted boat conformation. In both compounds, ring C has a slightly distorted sofa conformation, rings B, D and E are in chair conformations, and rings D and E are trans‐fused. The asymmetric unit of (I) contains one mol­ecule of ethanol linked by hydrogen bonds with two different mol­ecules of (I).     

Normal Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography of Some Prostaglandin B1 Derivatives

Abstract

15-Keto-13, 14-trans-prostaglandin B₁ methyl ester, 13,14-trans-prostaglandin B₁ methyl ester, 13,14-cis-prostaglandin B₁ methyl ester, 13,14-dihydro-prostaglandin B₁ methyl ester and 13,14-dehydro-prostaglandin B₁ are organic intermediates used in the synthesis of prostaglandin B_x, a polymeric derivative of 15-keto-prostaglandin B₁ methyl ester. PGB_x has been shown to protect laboratory animals against cardiogenic shock, cerebral ischemia and hypoxia. A normal phase, high performance liquid chromatographic analysis is presented which permits the identification and quantitation of these PGB₁ intermediates.     

Absolute structure, biosynthesis, and anti-microtubule activity of phomopsidin, isolated from a marine-derived fungus Phomopsis sp.

The absolute configuration of phomopsidin, a marine-derived fungal metabolite from Phomopsis sp. isolated at Pohnpei, was determined by the exciton chirality method as 6S, 7S, 8S, 11S, 12R, and 15R. The biosynthetic study using ¹³C-labeled precursors revealed the origin of all carbon atoms in phomopsidin, which was built by nine acetates and three methyl groups from l-methionine. Inhibitory activities of phomopsidin and its Me ester derivative against microtubule assembly were examined together with the structurally related compounds MK8383, solanapyrones, and tanzawaic acids. Phomopsidin and its (16Z)-isomer (MK8383) showed anti-microtubule activity at IC₅₀ of 5.7 and 8.0 μM, respectively, while the Me ester and other compounds were not active at 100 μM.     

Gibberellin metabolites from ent-kaura-2,16-dien-19-ol and its succinate in Gibberella fujikuroi

Exposure of ent-kaura-2,16-dien-19-ol (1) or its succinate (2) to resuspended mycelia of G. fujikuroi has produced a complex mixture of acids which after methylation gave the esters of two C₁₉ (24) and (30) and five C₂₀ gibberellins (4, 11, 20, 32 and 33). The triester (32) and the lactone ester (24) have been prepared before from the esters of gibberellin A₁₃ (8) and gibberellin A₄ (26) respectively. The structures of the other metabolites were assigned on spectroscopic data and by chemical transformations. Thus the lactone diester (4) has been converted to the known keto triester (6). The epoxide (11) has been related to gibberellin A₁₄ (14) and the aldehyde (33) has been related to gibberellin A₁₃ trimethyl ester (8) by way of the triol (34). Selective de-epoxidation of the 16,17-epoxy function in diepoxides has provided a route from the dienes (20 and 24) to the epoxides (11 and 30) respectively, but not from the ester of gibberellin A₅ (23) to that of gibberellin A₆ (29). On the other hand the latter can be obtained by epoxidation of gibberellin A₅ methyl ester trifluoroacetate. Backfeeding experiments carried out with the epoxy diacid (12), the diene diacid (21) and the derived diol (39) indicate pathways connecting the various metabolites. The natural gibberellins A₅ and A₆ were shown to be formed in some of the backfeeding experiments.     

The stereospecific synthesis of leukotriene A4 (LTA4), 5-epi-LTA4, 6-epi-LTA4 and 5-epi,6-epi-LTA4

The stereospecific syntheses of the four isomers of 6-formyl-5,6-epoxy hexanoic acid methyl ester $\text{8}$, $\text{15}$, $\text{23}$ and $\text{30}$ from Z-deoxy-D-ribose have allowed the preparation of methyl esters of LTA₄, $\text{1}$, and its three unnatural isomers.     

Photosensitive protection of carboxyl group and the synthesis of three o-methyl derivatives of gibberellin a3

The methylation of p-methoxyphenacyl ester of gibberellin A₃ (5) and its isomeric monoacetates 6, 7 followed by the removal of p-methoxyphenacyl group gives rise to 3,13-O-dimethylgibberellin A₃14 and to the isomeric O-acetyl-O-methyl-derivatives 15 and 16; the latter afford 3-O-methylgibberellin A₃(17) and 13-O-methylgibberellin A₃18 upon Zemplén deacetylation. The removal of p-methoxyphenacyl group can be achieved either upon photolysis in abs ethanol or with zinc-acetic acid. This protective group survives the conditions of Koenigs-Knorr synthesis as well as oxidation with manganese dioxide. The limitations of this way of protecting the carboxyl group can be seen on the example of the enone ester 20.     

Palladium-catalyzed ring closure to a naphthofuranoneacetic ester by selective carbonylation of diacetylenic precursors

The new naphthofuranoneacetic acid methyl ester IX can be obtained catalytically with fair selectivity from the carbonylation of the diacetylenic alcohol I. The use of the soluble complex Pd(thiourea)₄I₂ leads to a catalytic reaction resulting from the combination of oxidative carbonylation and hydrogenolysis steps in an additive carbonylation.