Understanding the fate of the oxyallyl cation following Nazarov electrocyclization: sequential Wagner-Meerwein migrations and the synthesis of spirocyclic cyclopentenones

A general reaction sequence is described that involves Nazarov cyclization followed by two sequential Wagner-Meerwein migrations, to afford spirocyclic compounds from divinyl ketones in the presence of 1 equiv of copper(II) complexes. A detailed investigation of this sequence is described including a study of substrate scope and limitations. It was found that after 4π electrocyclization, two different pathways are available to the oxyallyl cation intermediate: elimination of a proton can give the usual Nazarov cycloadduct, or ring contraction can give an alternative tertiary carbocation. After ring contraction, either [1,2]-hydride or carbon migration can occur, depending upon the substitution pattern of the substrate, to furnish spirocyclic products. The rearrangement pathway is favored over the elimination pathway when catalyst loading is high and the copper(II) counterion is noncoordinating. Several ligands were found to be effective for the reaction. Thus, the reaction sequence can be controlled by judicious choice of reaction conditions to allow selective generation of richly functionalized spirocycles. The three steps of the sequence are stereospecific: electrocyclization followed by two [1,2]-suprafacial Wagner-Meerwein shifts, the ring contraction and then a hydride, alkenyl, or aryl shift. The method allows stereospecific installation of adjacent stereocenters or adjacent quaternary centers arrayed around a cyclopentenone ring.     

A bidirectional approach to the synthesis of polypropionates: synthesis of C1-C13 fragment of zincophorin and related isomers

The structure-activity study of a bioactive natural product containing polypropionate subunits requires that its stereoisomers also be evaluated. Therefore, a general approach to synthesize these motifs is necessary. We describe herein the synthesis of the C1-C13 polypropionate subunit of zincophorin and isomers thereof using a two-reaction sequence: an aldol reaction using a mixture of tetrasubstituted enoxysilanes and a hydrogen-transfer reaction, both under Lewis acid control. Selection of the appropriate Lewis acid dictates the stereochemical outcome of these reactions. From a tactical standpoint, this study shows how a polypropionate sequence can be read and constructed in two directions, either the east-west or the west-east approaches. The choice of the optimal route is influenced by the number of complexation sites that can interfere in the aldol step under bidentate Lewis acid control.     

Stereoselective 1,2-cis glycosylation of 2-O-allyl protected thioglycosides

The technique of intramolecular aglycon delivery (IAD), whereby a glycosyl acceptor is temporarily appended to a hydroxyl group of a glycosyl donor is an attractive method that can allow the synthesis of 1,2-cis glycosides in an entirely stereoselective fashion. 2-O-Allyl protected thioglycoside donors are excellent substrates for IAD, and may be glycosylated stereoselectively through a three-step reaction sequence. This sequence consists of quantitative yielding allyl bond isomerisation, to produce vinyl ethers that can then undergo N-iodosuccinimide mediated tethering of the desired glycosyl acceptor, and subsequent intramolecular glycosylation, to yield either alpha-glucosides or beta-mannosides accordingly. Although attempted one-pot tethering and glycosylation is hampered by competitive intermolecular reaction with excess glycosyl acceptor, this problem can be simply overcome by the use of excess glycosyl donor. Allyl mediated IAD is a widely applicable practical alternative to other IAD approaches for the synthesis of beta-mannosides, that is equally applicable for alpha-gluco linkages. It is advantageous in terms of both simplicity of application and yield, and in addition has no requirement for cyclic 4,6-protection of the glycosyl donor.     

Chemical systems consisting only of elementary steps – a paradigma for nonlinear behavior

We present a new analytic method which allows one to interpret a mass‐action kinetic reaction of arbitrary molecularity as the limit case of a sequence of bimolecular steps. Together with other technics (transformation of an arbitrary ODE into a polynomial ODE [8]; transformation of a polynomial ODE into a form which can be interpreted as a mass‐action kinetic system [10]), it is thus possible to construct an at most bimolecular mass‐action kinetic system with the same dynamic behavior as an arbitrary ODE. Furthermore, we demonstrate necessary improvements of the transformation given in [10]. Is is also shown that an arbitrary single mass‐action kinetic reaction can be understood as a sequence of two reactions with a short‐living intermediate. In particular, it therefore follows that an autocatalytic reaction can always be approximated by two nonautocatalytic ones without changing the dynamics of the whole system. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The reaction of porphyrins with organolithium reagents

Porphyrins react readily with organolithium reagents, preferentially in the meso positions. The overall reaction is a nucleophilic substitution and proceeds via initial reaction of the organic nucleophile with a meso carbon yielding an anionic species which is hydrolyzed to a porphodimethene (5,15-dihydroporphyrin), formally constituting an addition reaction to two Cm positions. Subsequent oxidation with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) yields meso-substituted porphyrins. The reaction is highly versatile as it is accomplished in high, often quantitative yields with various alkyl or aryl lithium reagents. In addition, LiR can be used for reaction with a variety of metal complexes (best with NiII, but also with ZnII, CuII, and CoII) and most useful with free base porphyrins. Similarly beneficial this reaction can be used in sequence for the introduction of 1, 2, 3, or 4 (different) meso substituents giving for the first time an entry into any desired meso-substituted porphyrin. If meso-substituted porphyrins are used, reaction with LiR can be used for either the preparation of phlorins (already known reaction), porphodimethenes (5,15-dihydroporphyrins, including those with exocyclic double bonds, for example, 5(1),5(2)-didehydroporphyrins) or chlorins (2,3-dihydroporphyrins) depending on the substituent type in the reactant porphyrins. Thus, this reaction presents a generally applicable method for the facile and versatile functionalization of porphyrins.     

Experimental and theoretical studies on the Nazarov cyclization/Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement sequence

Highly functionalized cyclopentenones can be generated by a chemoselective copper(II)-mediated Nazarov/Wagner-Meerwein rearrangement sequence of divinyl ketones. A detailed investigation of this sequence is described including a study of substrate scope and limitations. After the initial 4π electrocyclization, this reaction proceeds via two different sequential [1,2]-shifts, with selectivity that depends upon either migratory ability or the steric bulkiness of the substituents at C1 and C5. This methodology allows the creation of vicinal stereogenic centers, including adjacent quaternary centers. This sequence can also be achieved by using a catalytic amount of copper(II) in combination with NaBAr(4)(f), a weak Lewis acid. During the study of the scope of the reaction, a partial or complete E/Z isomerization of the enone moiety was observed in some cases prior to the cyclization, which resulted in a mixture of diastereomeric products. Use of a Cu(II)-bisoxazoline complex prevented the isomerization, allowing high diastereoselectivity to be obtained in all substrate types. In addition, the reaction sequence was studied by DFT computations at the UB3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level, which are consistent with the proposed sequences observed, including E/Z isomerizations and chemoselective Wagner-Meerwein shifts.     

Efficient synthesis of aryl vinyl ethers exploiting 2,4,6-trivinylcyclotriboroxane as a vinylboronic acid equivalent

The synthesis of functionalized aryl vinyl ether derivatives can be readily achieved utilizing a room-temperature copper(II) acetate mediated coupling of substituted phenols with 2,4,6-trivinylcyclotriboroxane-pyridine complex in the presence of a suitable base. The scope of the procedure was demonstrated by the generation of an array of substituted aryl vinyl ethers. The reaction was seen to be tolerant of a diverse range of functional groups yielding products in high isolated yields. We have shown that one role of an amine base in the reaction sequence is the in situ generation of an amine coordinated boroxine ring. An X-ray crystal structure and low temperature (11)B NMR study of 2,4,6-trivinylcyclotriboroxane-pyridine complex demonstrated the nature of the tetracoordinate boron species, which may have a key role to play within the reaction sequence.     

Conversion of Allylic Alcohols into Allylic Nitromethyl Compounds via a Palladium-Catalyzed Solvolysis: An Enantioselective Synthesis of an Advanced Carbocyclic Nucleoside Precursor(1)

A two-step reaction sequence to homoallylic nitro compounds from allylic alcohols is presented. Ethoxy carbonylation of the alcohols with ethyl chloroformate provides the corresponding allylic ethyl carbonates in high yields. Exposure of these substrates to catalytic palladium(0) in CH(3)NO(2) initiates a reaction sequence, ionization-decarboxylation-nitromethylation, that culminates with the formation of nitroalkenes. The regio- and stereochemical outcomes of the nitromethyl allylation reaction can be explained by the behavior of the transient pi-allylpalladium complexes. This methodology serves as a centerpiece for the synthesis of an important carbocyclic nucleoside intermediate.     

Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion

In previous work, we demonstrated the use of electrospray ionization to analyze small differences in size or sequence of relatively small polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of 114 base pairs or less. The sequence information required to answer a biological question may be only a single nucleotide substitution or deletion. In many cases, the regions where these sequence variations can occur are several hundred base pairs in length, and the analysis of large PCR products is therefore desirable. Therefore, we have attempted to expand the size range of PCR products that can be analyzed by electrospray ionization (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry. Previous work has shown that the difficulties associated with PCR product analysis increase with product size. A revised cleanup scheme was employed to target the removal of detergents with ethanol wash or precipitation steps, followed by additional desalting. Additionally, an in-trap cleanup to collisionally induce dissociation of noncovalent salt adducts was employed. This approach was extended to a 223 base pair PCR product yielding mass measurement accuracy within 26 ppM. The mass measurement accuracy obtained illustrates that a single base substitution could be identified at this size of PCR product with a 7 tesla ESI-FTICR.     

Catalytic one-pot synthesis of cyclic amidines by virtue of tandem reactions involving intramolecular hydroamination under mild conditions

A new synthetic methodology for the generation of cyclic amidines has been developed by the reaction of 1,n-aminoalkynes with electron-deficient azides using a ruthenium catalyst at ambient temperature. The reaction proceeds most likely via a tandem sequence of intramolecular hydroamination of aminoalkynes, cycloaddition of azides with the resulting enamines, and rearrangement of triazoline intermediates. It demonstrates, as the proof-of-principle, that an equilibria cascade sequence can be favorably driven by an irreversible step, thus enabling a facile one-pot synthetic route to deliver molecular complexity under unprecedented mild conditions without relying on the traditional linear approaches.     

Electrophilic aromatic prenylation via cascade cyclization

To gain access to prenylated hexahydroxanthenes, tandem cascade cyclization–electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions have been studied on substrates bearing allylic and propargylic substituents. Both BF₃·OEt₂ and TMSOTf can be used to initiate this reaction sequence, resulting in different ratios of the C-2 and C-6 substitution products. Even though allylic transposition is observed in some cases, the results of a crossover experiment are consistent with an intramolecular reaction sequence. Taken together, these studies now allow preparation of either the C-2 or C-6 prenylated hexahydroxanthene products.     

Generalized RNA-directed recombination of RNA

RNA strand exchange through phosphor-nucleotidyl transfer reactions is an intrinsic chemistry promoted by group I intron ribozymes. We show here that Tetrahymena and Azoarcus ribozymes can promote RNA oligonucleotide recombination in either two-pot or one-pot schemes. These ribozymes bind one oligonucleotide, cleave following a guide sequence, transfer the 3' portion of the oligo to their own 3' end, bind a second oligo, and catalyze another transfer reaction to generate recombinant oligos. Recombination is most effective with the Azoarcus ribozyme in a single reaction vessel in which over 75% of the second oligo can be rapidly converted to recombinant product. The Azoarcus ribozyme can also create a new functional RNA, a hammerhead ribozyme, which can be constructed via recombination and then immediately promote its own catalysis in a homogeneous milieu, mimicking events in a prebiotic soup.     

Sustainable synthetic methods: domino construction of dihydropyridin-4-ones and beta-amino esters in aqueous ethanol

Domino reactions were designed to allow the byproduct of an upstream reaction to be internally recycled to catalyze a downstream reaction in a one-pot tandem sequence. Nitroarene reduction by In(0) generates an amine and In (III) byproducts. Addition of aldehyde followed by Danishefsky's diene or silyl ketene acetal provides access to dihydropyridin-4-ones or beta-amino esters, respectively, in yields that are comparable or superior to the reported stepwise reactions.     

Template-induced control of stereochemistry for the synthesis of linear vinyl polymers

Asymmetric cyclocopolymerization of judiciously designed bifunctional monomers with a number of common comonomers affords optically active vinyl polymers with main chain chirality. Tacticity and sequence of comonomeric units can be controlled and thus complicated structures built up. Under different reaction conditions the same bifunctional monomer 1 can undergo cyclization involving a 19-, a 21-, or an 18-membered ring. With monomer 3 an 11-membered ring is formed.     

First example of intramolecular [2π + 2π] alkene-arene photocyclization in the chromone series and its synthetic utility

Diels-Alder adducts of chromones are shown to undergo an intramolecular [2_π+2_π] alkene-arene photocyclization, leading to a versatile polycyclic diene, which is capable of dimerization or can be introduced into a high-yielding photoprotolytic oxametathetic sequence. This allows for an expeditious growth of molecular complexity over a few experimentally simple steps with stereochemistry being defined and locked at the very first Diels-Alder step. The overall reaction can potentially be utilized in diversity-oriented synthesis as it allows for three or more diversity inputs furnishing novel unique polycyclic scaffolds, which can readily be decorated with a variety of functionalities and aromatic/heterocyclic pendants.     

Organocatalytic Cascade Reactions for the Diversification of Thiopyrano-Piperidone Fused Rings Utilizing Trienamine Activation

An aminocatalytic privileged diversity-oriented synthesis (ApDOS) strategy utilizing trienamine catalysis for the construction of diverse and complex thiopyrans-piperidone fused rings through a thia-Diels–Alder/nucleophilic ring-closing sequence by using dithioamides as activated heterodienophiles is reported. Following this strategy, a super cascade reaction to assemble nine fused rings can be achieved by employing a bis-dithioamide. Additionally, by linking an indole moiety on the dithioamide, a Pictet–Spengler type reaction can be promoted once the cascade sequence has been achieved, leading to more complex penta- hexa- and heptacyclic fused ring derivatives in a one-pot process. This investigation opens new perspectives for the synthesis of a new class of complex and diverse thiopyrans that contribute to populate new relevant regions in the chemical space.     

General method for synthesizing pyranoid glycals. A new route to allal and gulal derivatives

[reaction: see text] Pyranoid glycals of all configurations can be obtained from pentoses through an olefination-cyclization-elimination sequence. The elimination can be carried out with excellent yields under radical conditions or by using common reductive reagents such as Zn/Cu, TiCl(4)/LiAlH(4), or lithium naphthalenide. The proposed method is appropriate for the synthesis of glycals with allo or gulo configurations because the cyclization step is more efficient for these substrates.     

Flexibility in the partial reduction of 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles: application to the synthesis of DMDP

[reaction: see text] The partial reduction of electron-deficient 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles has been developed into a flexible procedure that gives control of relative stereochemistry by variation of the reduction conditions. After the reaction, the pyrroline products were dihydroxylated at C-3,4 to give either the cis or trans isomers; this flexibility means that a variety of polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines can be prepared in a short sequence. Finally, this method was applied to a synthesis of the naturally occurring glycosidase inhibitor DMDP.     

A novel solid-phase synthesis of highly diverse guanidines: reactions of primary amines attached to the T2 linker

The reaction of primary amines with the T2 diazonium resin generates polymer-bound triazenes, which can in turn be acylated by the addition of isothiocyanate. The formed thioureas are readily transformed into the corresponding guanidines by the reaction with amines in the presence of mercury(II) oxide, tosyl chloride, or silver nitrate. This reaction sequence furnishes trisubstituted guanidines that are potentially useful pharmacophores.     

Neue vervielfachungsmethoden in der massanalyse

A new type of amplification reaction is described. The mass of a substance to be determined, or its equivalent, is increased by successive stoichiometric processes, the reaction sequence being repeated as often as required. All reactions are carried out on a chromatography tube on a suitable substrate. The accumulated amplified reaction product is finally dissolved from the column and titrated. The method is illustrated for three systems. Phosphate, hexacyanoferrate(II), chromate, zinc, iron and silver can be amplified directly or indirectly. The amplification technique can be automated. A series of results (with amplification factors up to 153) shows the utility of the method.