Stereoselective total synthesis of ieodomycin C

A concise stereoselective synthesis of the marine natural product ieodomycin C (3) has been achieved from commercially available pyridinium-1-sulfonate (8) in eight linear steps and 14% overall yield. The key synthetic steps included a B-alkyl Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction and an Evans–Nagao acetate aldol reaction. The same synthetic sequence was used for preparing the enantiomer of ieodomycin C (3). Our efforts confirmed the structure of the antibacterial natural product 3.     

A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol

A general strategy for the synthesis of both trans/syn- and trans/anti-sphenolobane diterpenes has been developed, which utilizes an intramolecular ester enolate alkylation (IEEA) as a key step. A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol (1), an unusual trans/syn-sphenolobane diterpene, was accomplished in 18 steps in 4.1% overall yield from readily available aldehyde 16.     

1,2-Disubstituted cyclohexane nucleosides: comparative study for the synthesis of cis and trans adenosine analogues

A new class of adenosine analogues with 1,2-disubstituted carbocycles (with cis and trans stereochemistry) have been synthesized. Construction of the base on the amino group of (±)-cis-(2-aminocyclohexyl)methanol was more efficient than the Mitsunobu condensation between the purine base and protected (±)-trans-(2-hydroxymethyl)cyclohexanol. The latter strategy gave the final compound with cis stereochemistry in a short number of steps with the overall yield depending on the nature of the protecting group on the hydroxymethyl group of the diol. However, Mitsunobu condensation between a purine base and the protected (±)-cis-(2-hydroxymethyl)cyclohexanol is not an ideal method to obtain trans purine derivatives because the elimination reaction is faster than the substitution reaction.     

Synthesis of (±)-phthalascidin 650 analogue: new synthetic route to (±)-phthalascidin 622

A synthesis of functionalized phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 as synthetic precursor of the catechol tetrahydroisoquinoline structure of phthalascidin 650 is disclosed. Starting from 3-methylcatechol 5, eight steps of synthesis give rise to the synthesis of phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 in 27% overall yield. This synthetic strategy involves the elaboration of fully functionalized aromatic aldehyde 8 and its transformation into a phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13, through a Knoevenagel condensation, simultaneous reduction of nitroketene and ester functions and hydrogenolysis of the benzyl protecting group. The pentacycle (±)-18 was obtained after four additional steps. The Pictet-Spengler cyclisation between the phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 and N-protected α-amino-aldehyde 4 allowed to obtain (1,3′)-bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline 14 with N-methylated and N-Fmoc removed. The last step was a Swern oxidation for allowing an intramolecular condensation.     

Efficient synthesis of neurotrophic honokiol using Suzuki–Miyaura reactions

Efficient synthesis of honokiol (1) was accomplished using two kinds of Suzuki–Miyaura reactions. The first Suzuki–Miyaura reaction was employed to couple 2-bromophenol (6) with 4-hydroxyphenylboronic acid (5), giving rise to biphenol 4, and the second coupling was used to introduce allyl groups at 5- and 3′-positions of honokiol. The total synthesis of 1 was completed in 74% yield over five steps from 6, or in 83% yield over four steps from biphenol 4.     

Total synthesis of (±)-luminacin D

A 15-step synthesis of (±)-luminacin D from ethyl pent-2-ynoate is reported. The pivotal step involves the formation of the central C-2′/C-3′ bond of the natural product by condensation of the titanium enolate derived from aromatic ketone 1 with aldehyde 2a. A remote asymmetric centre in aldehyde 2a exerts control over the stereochemical course of this reaction, with the major adduct (3a, 54% yield) possessing the required (2′S^∗,3′R^∗,5′R^∗)-stereochemistry. This assignment was unambiguously established by X-ray crystallography of late stage synthetic intermediate, 17. Further manipulation of 3a (six steps) yielded synthetic (±)-luminacin D spectroscopically identical to material isolated from Streptomyces sp. Mer-VD1207 by Naruse et al.     

Hexaphenylbenzene end-capped tri(p-phenylenevinylenes): synthesis and properties

Three new hexaphenylbenzene end-capped tri(p-phenylenevinylenes) were synthesized by the Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction in good yields (86–76%). All compounds have bright fluorescent emissions in the blue to blue–green region in solution (λ_max = 445–492 nm in tetrahydrofuran) and also high emission efficiency (Φ_fl = 0.51–0.72 in tetrahydrofuran). They exhibit good electrochemical reversibility, high thermal stability, and have high HOMO value.     

A concise synthesis of indoloquinoline skeletons applying two consecutive Pd-catalyzed reactions

The indoloquinoline alkaloids cryptolepine (1), neocryptolepine (2), isocryptolepine (3), and isoneocryptolepine (4) are important tools in traditional medicine. Now, their precursors 1a–4a were synthesized in two steps starting from the corresponding bromo-iodoquinolines. Our strategy is based on palladium-catalyzed reactions, applying regioselective Buchwald–Hartwig amination on 2,3- and 3,4-dihaloquinolines followed by an intramolecular Heck-type reaction. Both steps were carried out under microwave irradiation.     

A concise and efficient synthesis of tetrahydroquinoline alkaloids using the phase transfer mediated Wittig olefination reaction

The present study describes the total synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline alkaloids (±)-galipinine, (±)-cuspareine, (±)-galipeine and (±)-angustureine, in three steps and high yields (78%, 76%, 74%, and 66%, respectively) from common aldehyde and the ylide respectives. The key step of this approach is based on an unusual Wittig reaction by using the phase transfer medium (aq. NaOH/CH₂Cl₂ 1:1 or t-BuOK/t-BuOH/CH₂Cl₂ 1:1), affording olefinic intermediates in high yields.     

A practical enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-(S)-stepholidine

A convergent enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-(S)-stepholidine, a drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia and/or drug abuse, was described, which represented the first example of successful auxiliary-assisted Bischler–Napieralski cyclization of amide bearing bromine atom at 2-position of the C ring, followed by an introduction of the aryl methyl ester via Br–Li exchange. (−)-(S)-Stepholidine was synthesized in 6 steps, with 52% overall yield and >99% ee. The reported synthesis is practically free from chromatographic separation.     

Synthesis of the stabilized active metabolite of clopidogrel

The convergent synthesis of the stabilized active metabolite of clopidogrel was achieved in eleven steps from commercially available 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and 2-bromo-3′-methoxy acetophenone (MPBr). This synthetic route used a standard Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction allowing the introduction of a Z exocyclic double bond. A selective hydrolysis of an acrylic methyl ester moiety, isolated by an efficient and reliable preparative chiral chromatography at gram scale, released the title compound with a 98% LC purity and d.e. >99%.     

FeCl3-catalyzed tandem Prins and Friedel–Crafts cyclization: a highly diastereoselective route to polycyclic ring structures

Catalytic FeCl₃ in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves has been shown to effect highly diastereoselective tandem Prins and Friedel–Crafts cyclization of substituted (E/Z)-6-phenylhex-3-en-1-ol and a variety of aldehydes to provide a range of polycyclic compounds in good to excellent yields. The reaction of an enantioenriched alcohol with an aldehyde provided the cyclization product without loss of optical activity. Furthermore, a Lewis acid catalyzed ring opening resulted in functionalized tetralin derivatives with multiple chiral centers.     

Chiral cyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) complexes with P,P-ligands derived from (1R,2R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane: Synthesis,crystal structures and catalytic activity in Diels–Alder reactions

Chiral cyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) complexes [CpRu(L1–L3)Cl] (5–7) have been prepared by reaction of [CpRu(PPh₃)₂Cl] with chiral P,P-ligands (1R,2R)-1,2-bis(diphenylphosphinamino)cyclohexane (L1), N,N′-[bis-(3,3′-bis-tert-butyl-5,5′-bis-methoxy-1,1′-biphenyl-2,2′-diyl)phosphite]-(1R,2R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (L2) and N,N′-[bis-(R)-1,1′-binaphtyl-2,2′-diyl)phosphite]-(1R,2R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (L3). The molecular structures of 5 and 6 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Studies on catalytic activity of the cations derived from (5–7) by treatment with AgSbF₆, are also reported.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric Friedel–Crafts reaction of 1-naphthols with isatins: an enantioselective synthesis of 3-aryl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles

An organocatalytic enantioselective Friedel–Crafts reaction of 1-naphthols with isatins has been developed employing bifunctional thiourea–tertiary amine organocatalysts. A variety of isatin derivatives react well with 1-naphthols in the presence of Cinchona derived thiourea 1a to provide biologically important chiral 3-aryl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles (3a–zg) in good yield (70–84%) and moderate to good enantioselectivity (37–83%).     

Stereoselective synthesis of methyl branched chiral deoxypropionate units: a new route for synthesis of insect pheromone (−)-lardolure and (2R,4R,6R,8R) 2,4,6,8-tetramethylundecanoic acid

(−)-Lardolure and (2R,4R,6R,8R)-2,4,6,8-tetramethylundecanoic acid have been synthesized via lipase catalyzed desymmetrization strategy to create two methyl chiral centers. Other key steps involved in the synthesis are Wittig reaction, Evan’s asymmetric alkylation, Grignard reaction, Pd-catalyzed isomerization of primary allylic alcohol to corresponding saturated aldehyde, and PhNO/proline catalyzed MacMillan α-hydroxylation.     

Synthesis of 4,5-fused tricyclic quinolines via an acid-promoted intramolecular Friedel–Crafts allenylation of aniline derivatives

A novel method for synthesizing 4,5-fused tricyclic quinoline derivatives based on an acid-promoted intramolecular Friedel–Crafts allenylation of anilines. Using aryl group-substituted propargyl alcohol derivatives with a meta-substituted N-Boc aniline unit as substrates, a four-step reaction sequence involving an acid-promoted intramolecular Friedel–Crafts allenylation of anilines, an acid-promoted intramolecular C–N bond formation, deprotection of the Boc group, and air oxidation proceeded in a single pot, producing the corresponding 4,5-fused tricyclic quinoline derivatives in 31–84% yield.     

A new approach to (±)-heritonin. The preparation of β-tetralones from allylsilanes and acid chlorides

A new method for the preparation of 4-alkyl-β-tetralones is described, by reaction of arylacetic acid chlorides with allylsilanes. Employing β-tetralone 5, the synthesis of (±)-heritonine and (±)-epi-heritonine, natural piscicides isolated from Heritiera littoralis, was achieved in four steps and 22% overall yield. The key step of this synthesis involved the selenocarbenium ion-mediated elaboration of the butenolide ring of the natural product.     

Total synthesis of pyrrolidine alkaloid, Radicamine-B via Stille coupling

Total synthesis of (−) Radicamine-B is achieved in eight steps from (R)-(+)-Garner aldehyde in a stereoflexible manner involving Stille coupling and one-pot domino epoxidation-pyrrolidine formation as key steps.     

Total synthesis of (R)-tylophorine by using an asymmetric hydrogenation of the allyl alcohol

An efficient synthesis of naturally occurring (R)-tylophorine is described. The alkaloid was prepared in seven steps from a known phenanthryl aldehyde with an overall yield of 14.2%. Asymmetric hydrogenation of an allyl alcohol was employed as a key step for installing a stereogenic center with good enantioselectivity (77% ee), and the ee value of the ω-chloro alcohol was improved to 95% by recrystallization. After azidation and oxidation of the enantio-enriched ω-chloro alcohol to the precursor of the Schmidt reaction, the chirality transfer in the stereospecific 1,2-migration furnished the chiral carbon in the alkaloid. Finally, a one-pot deformylation/Pictet-Spengler cyclization completed the total synthesis of (R)-tylophorine.     

Synthesis of fused-tricyclic indole derivatives through an acid-promoted skeletal rearrangement

We developed a novel method for synthesizing fused-tricyclic indole derivatives with a 3-aminomethyl indole motif through a reaction cascade involving ipso-Friedel–Crafts alkylation of phenols, rearomatization of the spirocyclohexadienone unit, and iso-Pictet–Spengler reaction. Using TFA as an acid promoter, six-, seven-, and eight-membered ring-fused indoles were obtained in 31–99% yield.