New pyrano[3,4-b]indoles from 2-hydroxymethylindole and l-dehydroascorbic acid

2-Hydroxymethylindole reacts with l-dehydroascorbic acid under mild conditions to give (3R,3aR,10cS)-3-[(1S)-1,2-dihydroxyethyl]-3a,10c-dihydroxy-3a,5,6,10c-tetrahydrofuro[3′,4′:5,6]pyrano[3,4-b]indol-1(3H)-one. Its tosyl derivative undergoes cyclization to form a pentacyclic ketal derivative.     

Experimental and theoretical studies on inversion dynamics of dichloro(l-difluoromethionine-N,S)platinum(II) and dichloro(l-trifluoromethionine-N,S)platinum(II) complexes

Fluorinated analogues of methionine such as l-S-(difluoromethyl)homocysteine (l-difluoromethionine; DFM) and l-S-(trifluoromethyl)homocysteine (l-trifluoromethionine; TFM) have been demonstrated to be interesting analogues for incorporation into peptides and proteins. The presence of the fluorine nucleus adjacent to the sulfur atom in the side chain not only serves to alter the nucleophilicity and electron density of the sulfur atom but it can function as an important NMR spectroscopic (¹⁹F) probe. Additional information on the properties of these fluorinated amino acid analogues was obtained by studying their interactions with dipotassium tetrachloroplatinate (K₂PtCl₄). The resulting complexes, dichloro(l-difluoromethionine-N,S)platinum(II) and dichloro(l-trifluoromethionine-N,S)platinum(II) were investigated with respect to their sulfur inversion rates utilizing dynamic NMR methods. Inversion barriers for the DFM- and TFM-platinum complexes were experimentally determined to be 16.4 ± 0.2 and 18 ± 1 kcal/mol, respectively. Density functional calculations at the B3LYP/SDD level were also performed to model the structures and energies of the ground and transition states for these complexes.     

Synthesis of (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-[3-H1]-proline via highly stereoselective hydrolysis of a silyl enol ether

A straightforward synthesis of (2S)-[3,3-²H₂]-proline 1c and (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-[3-²H₁]-proline, 1b and 1a, respectively, has been devised. The key step of the route to the latter compounds involves highly stereoselective hydrolysis of the silyl enol ethers 3 and 3a, respectively, with protonation (deuteriation) from the re-face of the silyl enol ether.     

Concise and practical synthesis of (2S,3R,4R,5R) and (2S,3R,4R,5S)-1,6-dideoxy-1,6-iminosugars

The syntheses of (2S,3R,4R,5R) and (2S,3R,4R,5S)-1,6-dideoxy-1,6 iminosugars 1a and 1b, respectively, from d-glucose are described. The key transformations in this reaction sequence include regio-selective epoxide ring opening with N-benzylamine followed by intramolecular reductive amination of amino-aldehyde.     

A common approach to the total synthesis of l-arabino-, l-ribo-C18-phytosphingosines, ent-2-epi-jaspine B and 3-epi-jaspine B from d-mannose

A common strategy for the total syntheses of the protected l-arabino- and l-ribo-C₁₈-phytosphingosine (8 and 9, respectively), HCl salts of ent-2-epi-jaspine B (ent-6) and 3-epi-jaspine B (7) with efficient use of both flexible building blocks 26 and 27 was achieved. The key step of this approach was [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of allylic trichloroacetimidate 21 and thiocyanate 22, which were derived from the known 2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-d-mannofuranose 18 as the source of chirality. The side chain functionality was installed utilizing a Wittig reaction.     

A common and stereoselective strategy for the synthesis of N,O,O,O-tetra-acetyl d-ribo-(2S,3S,4R)-phytosphingosine and 2-epi-jaspine B

A common and stereoselective strategy for the synthesis of N,O,O,O-tetra-acetyl d-ribo-(2S,3S,4R)-phytosphingosine and 2-epi-jaspine B was achieved by using Grignard addition on N-benzyl sugar lactamine and Wittig olefination as key steps.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of methyl (1S,2R,4S,5S)-7-aza-5-hydroxybicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylate through unexpected stereoselective substitution reaction

Methyl (1S,2R,4S,5R)-7-aza-5-bromo-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylate was synthesized in high yield in short time from methyl (1R,2S,4R,5R)-2-amino-4,5-dibromocyclohexanecarboxylate through intramolecular cycloamination under microwave-assisted conditions. The following substitution reaction by trifluoro-acetate anion also took place in microwave-assisted conditions to afford methyl (1S,2R,4S,5S)-7-aza-5-hydroxy-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylate. In the acyloxylation reaction, unusual endo-selectivity was observed owing to 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (2S,3R,4R)-d-xylo-phytosphingosine from substituted azetidin-2-one

Enantiomerically pure (2S,3R,4R)-d-xylo phytosphingosine is synthesized in 36% overall yield in seven steps from known β-lactam (8) derived from d-mannitol triacetonide.     

Synthesis of d-gluco-, l-ido-, d-galacto-, and l-altro-configured glycaro-1,5-lactams from tartaric acid

The d-gluco-, l-ido-, d-galacto-, and l-altro-configured glycaro-1,5-lactams 1-4 were prepared from the known tartaric anhydride 5 via the aldehyde 6. These lactams are known (1) or potential (2-4) inhibitors of β-d-glucuronidases and α-l-iduronidases. Olefination of 6 to the (E)- and (Z)-alkenes 7 or 8, followed by reagent or substrate controlled dihydroxylation, lactonization, azidation, reduction, and deprotection led in 10 steps and in overall yields of 11-20% to the title lactams.     

An efficient synthesis of d-ribo- and l-lyxo-phytosphingosine from d-tartaric acid

The preparations of d-ribo- and l-lyxo-phytosphingosines (1, 2) are described. Chelation-controlled addition of tetradecylmagnesium bromide to pentylidene-protected d-threitol aldehyde 6 afforded the key intermediate tetrol 7, providing the desired l-lyxo stereochemistry of phytosphingosine. Inversion at C4 of intermediate 7 provided the d-ribo stereochemistry.     

Synthesis of trimethyl (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-[2-H1]-homocitrates and the corresponding dimethyl ester lactones—towards elucidating the stereochemistry of the reaction catalysed by homocitrate synthase and by the Nif-V protein

Trimethyl (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-[2-²H₁]-homocitrates, 10b and 10c respectively, and dimethyl (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-[2-²H₁]-homocitric lactones, 11b and 11c respectively, have been synthesised from shikimic acid and [2-²H]-shikimic acid by a route which defines the stereochemistry of the two chiral centres in each compound. The NMR spectra of these products will enable the stereochemistry of the biological reaction catalysed by homocitrate synthase and by the protein from the nifV gene to be elucidated.     

Assymetric synthesis of (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-[2-C;3-H] glutamic acid

We have developed a synthetic route for (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-[2-¹³C;3-²H] glutamic acids with high enantioselectivity. The key reactions in this synthesis are the asymmetric reduction of the 2,3-didehydroornithine derivative using the (S,S)-Et-DuPHOS-Rh catalyst and the oxidation of the δ-position by ruthenium catalysis.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of new polyhydroxylated indolizidines from (l)-glutamic acid

A diastereoselective synthesis of two new swainsonine's analogues 1a and 1b with the piperidine ring fused to a phenyl nucleus at C6-C7, namely (1R, 2S, 10R, 10aR)-(+)-1,2,10-trihydroxy-1,2,3,5,10,10a-hexahydrobenzo[f] indolizine (1a) and (1S, 2R, 10R, 10aR)-(+)-1,2,10-trihydroxy-1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 10a-hexahydrobenzo[f] indolizine (1b), is described. Throughout this work, the effectiveness of the tricyclic indolizidine dione 5, readily available in three steps from the cheap l-glutamic acid, as an attractive platform for chemo- and stereodivergent transformations is illustrated. The key steps involved totally diastereoselective ketone reduction of compound 5 and catalytic cis-dihydroxylation of the unsaturated amide 10. The synthetic strategy also allowed for the diastereoselective synthesis of benzoanalogues of the 1,8a-di-epi-lentiginosine 3a ((1R, 2S, 10aR)-(+)-1,2-dihydroxy-1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 10a-hexahydrobenzo[f]indolizine) and 2,8a-di-epi-lentiginosine 3b ((1S, 2R, 10aR)-(+)-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2,3,5,10,10a-hexahydrobenzo[f]indolizine).     

Stereoselective synthesis of (1′S,3R,4R)-4-acetoxy-3-(2′-fluoro-1′-trimethylsilyloxyethyl)-2-azetidinone

A stereoselective synthesis of (1′S,3R,4R)-4-acetoxy-3-(2′-fluoro-1′-trimethylsilyloxyethyl)-2-azetidinone as a new fluorine-containing intermediate towards β-lactams, is described. The synthetic key step relies upon the dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of ethyl 2-benzamidomethyl-4-fluoro-3-oxo-butanoate via asymmetric transfer hydrogenation catalyzed by [Ru(η⁶-arene)(S,S)-R₂NSO₂DPEN].     

Stereoselective synthesis of (1R,2S)- and (1S,2R)-1-amino-cis-3-azabicyclo[4.4.0]decan-2,4-dione hydrochlorides: bicyclic glutamic acid derivatives

Asymmetric synthesis of (1R,2S)- and (1S,2R)-1-amino-cis-3-azabicyclo[4.4.0]decan-2,4-diones has been achieved. The underlying second generation asymmetric synthesis proceeds via a Strecker reaction with commercially available (R)-1-phenylethylamine (1-PEA) as chiral auxiliary, TMSCN as cyanide source and racemic ethyl 2-(2-oxocyclohex-1-yl)ethanoate. A ring closure addition-elimination reaction between an amide nitrogen and the ester functionality leads to the 1-amino-3-azabicyclo[4.4.0]decan-2,4-diones. The absolute configurations of the title compounds have been assigned based on detailed NMR-spectroscopic analysis and X-ray data.     

Straightforward synthesis of (R,R/S,S)-2-[2-(2-aryl)-1-phenyl-ethyl]-morpholines: a new class of inhibitors of the norepinephrine transporter

Diastereoselective synthesis of (R,R/S,S)-2-[2-(2-aryl)-1-phenyl-ethyl]-morpholines 6 has been achieved through the preparation of key E-enol-triflate 4 and its further coupling with benzylzinc reagents and final hydrogenation.     

Synthesis of (±)-2R,4R,5S-2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone and (±)-2R,4S,5R-2-methoxy-5-nitro-4-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone as colchicine mimetics

Colchicine mimetic (±)-4S,5R-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexene (1) was epoxidized to afford a mixture of epoxides. The epoxides were separately converted in two steps, with high stereoselectivity, to two regioisomeric α-methoxyketones. One regioisomer, (±)-2R,4S,5R-2-methoxy-5-nitro-4-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (17), proved to be about 12-fold more potent than synthetic precursor 1 against HCT-116 tumor cells while the other regioisomer, (±)-2R,4R,5S-2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (16), and the synthetic intermediates tested showed no improvement in potency.     

An efficient approach to d-threo-3-hydroxyaspartic acid for the synthesis of novel l-threo-oxazolines as selective blockers of glutamate reversed uptake

An efficient, stereoselective synthetic strategy to d-threo-3-hydroxyaspartic acid was developed. Starting from l-(2S,3S)-N-benzoyl-3-hydroxyaspartic acid dimethyl ester by a Deoxo-fluor-catalyzed cyclization reaction, an inversion of configuration at the β-center (erythro isomer), was observed. A base-induced epimerization reaction led to the d-trans-isomer, which was hydrolyzed to give d-threo-3-hydroxyaspartic acid with excellent stereoselectivity and overall yield. Starting from d-threo-3-hydroxyaspartic acid, l-threo-oxazolines can be stereoselectively synthesized.     

Simple approach to 1-O-protected (R)- and (S)-glycerols from l- and d-arabinose for glycerol nucleic acids (GNA) monomers research

5-O-Protected (-Tr, -Sitert-BuPh₂) d- and l-arabinofuranoses easily available in multigram quantities were converted to (S)- and (R)-1-O-protected glycerols, respectively, via oxidation (NaIO₄) and reduction (NaBH₄). Sources of chirality in the targets are the C4 atoms in the substrates. This stereospecific procedure permits a very simple access to both enantiomeric 1-O-protected glycerols for GNA monomers work.     

Synthesis of (S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin and isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinolinone derivatives from l-aspartic acid

This paper describes a new total synthesis for (S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin, (S)-7-MeO-AT, from l-aspartic acid in an overall yield of 10% over nine steps. The major loss was ascribed to a key intramolecular Friedel–Crafts cyclization step, which afforded up to 36% yield. Attempts to perform a Friedel–Crafts cyclization of an intermediate phthalimide protected amino alcohol 13 did not give the desired protected (S)-7-MeO-AT. On the other hand, two new isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinolinone derivatives 14 and 15, were isolated in 21 and 11% yield, respectively. The yield of 15 was improved to 70%.