An RCM‐Based Total Synthesis of the Antibiotic Disciformycin B

The total synthesis of the potent new antibiotic disciformycin B ( 2 ) is described, which shows significant activity against methicillin‐ and vancomycin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA/VRSA) strains. The synthetic route is based on macrocyclization of a tetraene substrate to the 12‐membered macrolactone core by ring‐closing olefin metathesis (RCM). Although macrocyclization was accompanied by concomitant cyclopentene formation by an alternative RCM pathway, conditions were established to give the macrocycle as the major product. Key steps in the construction of the RCM substrate include a highly efficient Evans syn‐aldol reaction, the asymmetric Brown allylation of angelic aldehyde, and the stereoselective Zn(BH₄)₂‐mediated 1,2‐reduction of an enone. The synthesis was completed by late‐stage dehydrative glycosylation to introduce the d ‐arabinofuranosyl moiety and final chemoselective allylic alcohol oxidation.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Stagonolide G

A simple asymmetric total synthesis of stagonolide G ( 1 ) is described. Asymmetric dihydroxylation, regioselective epoxide ring opening, and vinyl Grignard reactions are involved in generating the stereogenic centers C(4) and C(8), followed by Grubbs‐II‐catalyzed ring‐closing metathesis (RCM).     

Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Metathesis Cascade Reactions in Natural Products Synthesis

In this account, we provide a brief summary of recent developments in ruthenium‐catalyzed metathesis cascade reactions towards the total synthesis of natural products. We also highlight recent progress from our own laboratory regarding the synthesis of securinega alkaloids and humulanolides, which has resulted in the development of novel ruthenium‐catalyzed metathesis cascade reactions. Inspired and guided by the pioneering and elegant research conducted in this area, we developed a regio‐controlled relay dienyne metathesis cascade reaction and a cyclobutene‐promoted RCM/ROM/RCM cascade reaction for the synthesis of securinega alkaloids and humulanolides, respectively.     

Total Synthesis of (−)‐Cleistenolide

An efficient and short total synthesis of (?)‐cleistenolide ( 1 ) from D ‐mannitol with an overall yield of 23.6% is described. The chiron approach for the synthesis of (?)‐cleistenolide involves a one‐C‐atom Wittig olefination, a selective allylic triethylsilyl protection, and a Grubbs‐catalyzed ring‐closure‐metathesis (RCM) reaction as the key steps.     

Total Synthesis of Pulchellalactam via an RCM Strategy

Total synthesis of (Z) pulchellalactam, a CD protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, from commercially available methallyl chloride employing ring‐closure metathesis (RCM) as a key step is described.     

Efficient Total Synthesis of (S)-Dihydroresorcylide, a Bioactive Twelve-Membered Macrolide

The efficient synthesis of (S)‐dihydroresorcylide ( 1a ) along with trans‐resorcylide dimethyl ether ( 2b ), was achieved in linear 9 steps from commercially available orcinol monohydrate ( 6 ) with esterification, carbonylation, and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) as the key steps in the synthetic sequence.     

Stereoselective Total Synthesis of 4‐Ketoclonostachydiol

An efficient stereoselective total synthesis of the bioactive 14‐membered natural macrocyclic bislactone 4‐ketoclonostachydiol is described. The strategy involves a Jacobsen's hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR), epoxide opening, MacMillan α‐hydroxylation, Horner? Wadsworth? Emmons olefination, a Grignard reaction, and Hoveyda? Grubbs‐II‐catalyzed ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) as key steps.     

Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Multiplolide A and of a Diastereoisomer

A stereoselective total synthesis of multiplolide A ( 1 ) and of its diastereoisomer 2 was described from easily accessible starting materials (Schemes 2–4). The synthetic strategy involves a Jacobsen resolution, Sharpless epoxidation, Swern oxidation, Yamaguchi reaction, and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM).     

A Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Decarestrictine I

A convergent and stereoselective total synthesis of decarestrictine I, a polyketide natural product, is described. Both acid and alcohol fragments were prepared from the readily available L ‐malic acid via Still? Gennari olefination and Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation. The Steglich esterification and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) are employed to combine both acid and alcohol fragments.     

群柱虫内酯官能团化的C2-C10片段的立体选择性合成

本文以廉价的消旋甲基戊二酸酐为起始原料,完成了具有抗肿瘤活性的海洋天然产物群柱虫内酯（Clavulactone）官能团化的C2-C10片段的立体选择性合成。使用的关键方法包括不对称去对称化获得光学纯手性孤立甲基,和RCM方法构建顺式烯烃。该片段的获得为群柱虫内酯的全合成提供了基础。     

Total Synthesis of (+)‐Cryptocaryalactone and of a Diastereoisomer of (+)‐Strictifolione via Ring‐Closing Metathesis (RCM) and Olefin Cross‐Metathesis (CM)

Ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) and olefin cross‐metathesis (CM) reactions were used as the key steps for the synthesis of (+)‐cryptocaryalactone ( 1 ) and the first synthesis of the diastereoisomer 3 of (+)‐strictifolione, starting from the commercially available L ‐malic acid (=(2S)‐2‐hydroxybutanedioic acid).     

Formal Synthesis of (−)‐Cyclaradine Using Ring Closing Metathesis

The stereoselective formal synthesis of (?)‐cyclaradine from the inexpensively available starting material L ‐glutamic acid is described, using Eschenmoser's reagent, and applying Luche reduction, Grignard reaction, and ring closing metathesis (RCM) as the key steps.     

Total Synthesis of (−)‐Pepluanol B: Conformational Control of the Eight‐Membered‐Ring System

The first total synthesis of the Euphorbia diterpenoid pepluanol B in both racemic and enantioenriched form involves 20 steps from a known bicyclic diol. This synthesis features an unprecedented bromo‐epoxidation to control the eight‐membered‐ring conformation. In addition, salient reactions for the construction of the tetracyclic backbone include a sterically challenging aldol reaction to establish the quaternary center, a ring closing metathesis (RCM) to forge the eight‐membered ring, and a diastereoselective cyclopropanation to assemble the embedded cyclopropane motif.     

Total Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Resin Glycosides Ipomoeassin A–F and Analogues

A multitasking C‐silylation strategy using the readily available compound 26 as a surrogate for cinnamic acid represents the key design element of a total synthesis of all known members of the ipomoeassin family of resin glyosides. This protecting group maneuver allows the unsaturated acids decorating the glucose subunit of the targets to be attached at an early phase of the synthesis, prevents their participation in the ruthenium‐catalyzed ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) used to form the macrocyclic ring, and protects them against reduction during the hydrogenation of the resulting cycloalkene over Wilkinson’s catalyst. As the C‐silyl group can be concomitantly removed with the O‐TBS substituent using tris(dimethylamino)sulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate (TASF) in acetonitrile, no separate protecting group manipulations were necessary in the final stages, thus contributing to a favorable overall “economy of steps”. In addition to the naturally occurring ipomoeassins, a small set of synthetic analogues has also been prepared by “diverted total synthesis”. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was assayed with two different cancer cell lines. The recorded data confirm previous findings that the acylation‐ and oxygenation pattern of these amphiphilic glycoconjugates is highly correlated with their biological activity profile. Ipomoeassin F turned out to be the most promising member of the series, showing IC₅₀ values in the low nanomolar range.     

Synthesis of 3‐Aryl‐2,5‐Dihydro‐1‐Benzoxepines from Phenol via Ring‐Closing Metathesis

In this paper, the synthesis of 3‐aryl‐2,5‐dihydro‐1‐benzoxepines is described. While the reaction was started from phenol and based on the sequential reactions such as Claisen rearrangement, O‐alkylation, Wittig reaction, and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM), a series of new 3‐aryl‐1‐benzoxepines were prepared in good overall yields.     

A Convergent Synthesis of a Twelve‐Membered Macrolide Natural Product, (6R,12S)‐6‐Hydroxy‐12‐methyl‐1‐oxacyclododecane‐2,5‐dione

A new polyketide metabolite, the twelve‐membered macrolide 1 , isolated from the endophytic fungal strain Cladosporium tenuissimum LR 463 of Maytenus hookeri, whose structure had been determined as (6R,12S)‐6‐hydroxy‐12‐methyl‐1‐oxacyclododecane‐2,5‐dione, was synthesized for the first time by a convergent strategy via Yamaguchi esterification of 2 with 3 and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) to afford the cyclic ester 1 that was eventually transformed to the target molecule. However, the total synthesis revealed that the assigned structure of the natural product is not correct.     

Synthesis of Certain Benzoheterocyclic Compounds from 2‐Hydroxyacetophenone via Cyclization and Ring‐closing Metathesis

Synthesis of some benzoheterocyclic compounds like substituted benzofurans, 4‐methyl‐2H‐chromenes and 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[b]oxepin‐5‐ones from 2‐hydroxyacetophenone via base induced cyclization and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) is described.     

Design and Stereoselective Synthesis of ProM‐2: A Spirocyclic Diproline Mimetic with Polyproline Type II (PPII) Helix Conformation

With the aim of developing polyproline type II helix (PPII) secondary‐structure mimetics for the modulation of prolin‐rich‐mediated protein–protein interactions, the novel diproline mimetic ProM‐2 was designed by bridging the two pyrrolidine rings of a diproline (Pro–Pro) unit through a Z‐vinylidene moiety. This scaffold, which closely resembles a section of a PPII helix, was then stereoselectively synthesized by exploiting a ruthenium‐catalyzed ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) as a late key step. The required vinylproline building blocks, that is, (R)‐N‐Boc‐2‐vinylproline (Boc=tert‐butyloxycarbonyl) and (S,S)‐5‐vinylproline‐tert‐butyl ester, were prepared on a gram scale as pure stereoisomers. The difficult peptide coupling of the sterically demanding building blocks was achieved in good yield and without epimerization by using 2‐(1H‐7‐azabenzotriazol‐1‐yl)‐1,1,3,3‐tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate (HATU)/N,N‐diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA). The RCM proceeded smoothly in the presence of the Grubbs II catalyst. Stereostructural assignments for several intermediates were secured by X‐ray crystallography. As a proof of concept, it was shown that certain peptides containing ProM‐2 exhibited improved (canonical) binding towards the Ena/VASP homology 1 (EVH1) domain as a relevant protein interaction target.     

Synthetic Studies Toward (+)‐Spongidepsin

A convergent enantiomerically controlled synthetic effort toward (+)‐spongidepsin is reported. The synthesis benefits from the use of readily available and inexpensive starting materials like D ‐mannitol and (?)‐β‐citronellene. Key transformations include Evans asymmetric methylation, Mitsunobu esterification, (1H‐benzotriazol‐1‐yloxy)tripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBOP)‐mediated amide formation for the preparation of a fully functionalized acyclic precursor, and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM).     

Synthesis,Profiling, and Bioactive Conformation of trans‐Cyclopropyl Epothilones

A series of new 3‐deoxy‐C(12),C(13)‐trans‐cyclopropyl‐epothilones have been prepared, bearing benzothiazole, quinoline, thiazol‐5‐ylvinyl, or isoxazol‐3‐ylvinyl side chains. For analogs with fused aromatic side chains, macrocyclic ring‐closure was based on ring‐closing olefin metathesis (RCM) of a precursor incorporating the fully elaborated heavy atom framework of the target structure (including the side chain moiety), while side chain attachment for the thiazole and isoxazole‐containing 16‐desmethyl analogs was performed only after establishment of the macrolactone core. Two approaches were elaborated for a macrocyclic aldehyde as the common precursor for the latter analogs that involved ring‐closure either by RCM or by macrolactonization. Benzothiazole‐ and quinoline‐based analogs were found to be highly potent antiproliferative agents; the two analogs with a thiazol‐5‐ylvinyl or an isoxazol‐3‐ylvinyl side chain likewise showed good antiproliferative activity but were significantly less potent than the parent epothilone A. Surprisingly, the desaturation of the C(10)?C(11) bond in these analogs was associated with a virtually complete loss in antiproliferative activity, which likely reflects a requirement for a ca. 60 ° C(10)?C(11) torsion angle in the tubulin‐bound conformation of 12,13‐trans‐epothilones.