An efficient and general route to gem-difluoromethylenated alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactones: high enantioselective synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated goniothalamins

An efficient and general strategy to gem-difluoromethylenated alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactones in high yields from various aldehydes (including aliphatic, aromatic, alpha,beta-unsaturated, and sterically hindered aldehydes) has been developed. This methodology was successfully applied for the preparation of two enantiomers of gem-difluoromethylenated goniothalamins (S)-1 and (R)-1. gem-Difluoropropargylation of cinnamaldehyde followed by the resolution of resulting homopropargylic alcohols mediated by lipase from Pseudomonas (AK) gave alcohols (R)-6 and (S)-6. Selective hydrogenation of the triple bond of (S)-6 and (R)-6 to double bond with Lindlar catalyst in the presence of quinoline afforded the expected product (S)-8 and (R)-8, respectively. Deprotection of (S)-8 and (R)-8 followed by oxidation of the resulting 1,5-diols with catalytic 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) and excess bis-acetoxyiodobenzene (BAIB) provided the target molecules gem-difluoromethylenated goniothalamins (S)-1 and (R)-1 in high yields, respectively.     

Design and concise synthesis of gem-difluoromethylenated analogue of 7-epi-castanospermine

A novel gem-difluoromethylenated castanospermine analogue B was designed and synthesized, starting from 3-bromo-3,3-difluoropropene and L-（-）-malic acid. The key steps involve substitution cyclization reaction and RCM reaction to construct the aza fused bicyclic framework.     

Synthesis of gem-difluorinated nucleoside analogues of the liposidomycins and evaluation as MraY inhibitors

Two gem-difluoromethylenated nucleoside moieties of liposidomycins, 3 and 4, were designed and synthesized. Compound 3 was assembled from lactol 5 and gem-difluoromethylenated nucleoside 6. In the synthesis of target molecule 4, the coupling of the trichloroacetimidate derivative of gem-difluoromethylenated furanose 7 with nucleoside 8 in the presence of TMSOTf gave the unexpected compound 16 when CH3CN was used as solvent. This results from acetonitrile acting as a nucleophile and participating in the glycosylation reaction. This unusual process may be correlated with the presence of the electron-withdrawing gem-difluoro substituents at the C-2 position of furanose. Compound 3 demonstrated 29% inhibition of MraY at 11.4 mM.     

Synthesis and Anticancer Effect of gem-Difluoromethylenated Chrysin Derivatives

Ten gem-difluoromethylenated chrysin derivatives were prepared and their anticancer activities in vitro were evaluated by the standard MTT method. The results of biological test showed that some of gem-difluoromethylenated chrysin derivatives had higher anticancer activity than chrysin.     

Synthesis of 2',3'-dideoxy-6',6'-difluorocarbocyclic nucleosides

2',3'-Dideoxy-6',6'-difluorouracils, a novel series of gem-difluoromethylenated carbocyclic nucleosides, were synthesized from (Z)-but-2-ene-1,4-diol in 14 steps. A notable step was the construction of the carbocyclic ring via ring-closing metathesis and the incorporation of gem-difluoromethylene group by way of silicon-induced Reformatskii-Claisen reaction of chlorodifluoroacetic ester 3.     

A Tetranuclear Zinc(II) Complex of a [4+4] Macrocyclic Schiff Base Ligand

The cyclocondensation reaction between sodium 2,6-diformyl-4-methylphenolate(sdmp) and 1,5-diamino-3-(1-hydroxyethyl)azapentane (dhap) followed by in situ transmetallation with Zn(ClO₄)₂6H₂O produced a tetranuclear zinc(II)complex of the current biggest-sized [4+4] Schiff base macrocyclic ligand. The structure of the complex has been determined by X-ray techniques, indicating that the hydroxyethyl group of the amine, dhap, has been eliminated in the process. For comparison, the reaction of sdmp with diethylenetriamine has also been carried out. The resulting product has been characterized by its infrared and positive ion FAB mass spectra, which turned out to be a mixture of the corresponding [3+3] and [4+4] macrocyclic Schiff bases together with thecommon [2+2] mode.     

Synthesis of iso-epoxy-amphidinolide N and des-epoxy-caribenolide I structures. Revised strategy and final stages

A general and highly convergent synthetic route to the macrocyclic core structures of the antitumour agents amphidinolide N (1) and caribenolide I (2) has been developed, and the total synthesis of iso-epoxy-amphidinolide N and des-epoxy-caribenolide I structures is described. Central to the revised strategy was the use of a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination between beta-ketophosphonate 51 and aldehyde 14 to construct the C1-C13 sector common to both 1 and 2. Stereoselective alkylation of hydrazone 11 with iodide 65 and then with bromide 56 allowed for the rapid assembly of the complete caribenolide I carbon skeleton. Key steps in the completion of the synthesis of des-epoxy-caribenolide I structure 78 included hydrolysis of a sensitive methyl ester using Me(3)SnOH, followed by regioselective macrolactonisation of the resulting diol seco-acid and global deprotection. Coupling of hydrazone 11, bromide 56 and iodide 64 was followed by an analogous sequence of late-stage manoeuvres to arrive at the fully deprotected des-epoxy-amphidinolide N framework, obtained as a mixture of hemiacetal and bicyclic acetal 84. Regio- and diastereo-selective epoxidation of the C6 methylene group in bicyclic acetal 84 provided access to iso-epoxy-amphidinolide N stereoisomer 89.     

Iron-catalyzed cyanoalkylation of difluoroenol silyl ethers with cyclobutanone oxime esters

An iron-catalyzed coupling reaction of difluoroenol silyl ethers and cyclobutanone oxime esters is described. This protocol provides a convenient access to various previously unknown and potentially useful gem-difluoromethylenated ketonitriles inmoderate to good yields. The transformations of resulting products to other fluorinecontaining products is also documented.     

Syntheses and structural characterizations of 24-membered dimetal (Mn, Ni, Fe) macrocyclic complexes and the C-S bond formation between acetylacetone and a mercapto N-heterocycle

An organic ligand 2,5-di(3-pentanedionylthio)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (H2L) reacts with metal (Mn, Ni, Fe) salts, resulting in 24-membered dimetal macrocyclic complexes [MnL(H2O)(dmso)](2).2dmso, [NiL(H2O)(dmf)](2).2dmf, [MnL(dmf)2]2 and [Fe2L2(solvent)2(SO4)] (solvent=dmso; H2O ; dmf). Di-manganese macrocyclic complexes [MnL(dmf)(dmso)]2 and [MnL(H2O)2](2).6H2O can also be obtained directly by aerobic assembly reaction of MnCl2, dipotassium 1,3,4-thiadiazole-2,5-dithiolate (K2tdadt) and acetylacetone (H2acac) in various solvents, accompanying a C-S bond formation between acetylacetone and the mercapto N-heterocycle. Disulfide has been considered as the intermediate in the assembly reaction. Meanwhile an assembly reaction including MnCl2, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole and H2acac has produced an organic compound 2-(3-pentanedionylthio)benzimidazole with a new C-S bond. These dimetal complexes have similar macrocyclic structures, in which solvent molecules and sulfate coordinate to the octahedral metal in trans-configuration, whereas a pair of water molecules are located in octahedral cis-positions for owing to a small steric effect. A host cavity of sufficiently large size exists in the macrocyclic structure to trap the solvent molecules and the sulfate anion. The IR spectra have been used to assign the solvent molecules trapped and the sulfate anion which is shown as a bridged bidentate ligand. Thermal analyses show the stability of the macrocyclic backbone below 200 degrees C and gradual release processes of the trapped solvent molecules. Decomposition and oxidation of the dimetal macrocycle backbone occur at 300-500 degrees C, resulting in a metal sulfate. Further decomposition led to metal oxide at 500-600 degrees C.     

Facile synthesis of macrocyclic tetrazoles by regioselective cycloalkylation of bistetrazoles with 2,5-dimethylhexane-2,5-diol in perchloric acid

Alkylation of 1,5-bis(tetrazol-5-yl)-3-oxapentane with 2,5-dimethylhexane-2,5-diol in 65% aqueous perchloric acid was found to proceed selectively on the N2 atoms of both tetrazole rings generating a 15-membered macrocycle with tetrazol-2,5-diyl moieties incorporated (yield ca. 80%). Under analogous alkylation conditions 1,5-bis(1-methyltetrazol-5-yl)-3-oxapentane undergoes quaternization resulting in a macrocyclic tetrazolium perchlorate containing two 1-methyltetrazolium-3,5-diyl units linked by 3-oxapentane-1,5-diyl and 2,5-dimethylhexane-2,5-diyl bridges. Crystal structures of the macrocyclic compounds obtained, determined by single crystal X-ray analysis, are described.     

Studies on the chemical modification of monensin. III. Synthesis and sodium ion transport activity of macrocyclic monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones.

Monensylglycine (2a) was lactonized to macrocyclic monensylglycine-1,29-lactone (3a) by Corey's method. Lactonization of monensylamino acids (2b--d) to monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones (3b--d) was carried out by utilizing the template effect of K+ ion. Monobenzyl esters of dicarboxylic monensylamino acids (5e--f) also were lactonized followed by debenzylation to yield carboxylic monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones (3e--f). Sodium ion transport activity of monensin (1) and the lactones (3) was measured in a liquid membrane and in guinea pig erythrocyte membrane. Monensylaspartic acid-1,29-lactone (3e) exhibited 2.5 times higher activity than 1 in the liquid membrane. Monensylalanine-1,29-lactone (3b), monensylphenylalanine-1,29-lactone (3c), and monensyltyrosine-1,29-lactone (3d), having smaller Na+ ion transport activity than 3e, showed weak antibacterial activity, while 3e was inactive in biological tests, probably due to the lower lipophilicity.     

Synthesis of a chiral macrocyclic dibenzodicyclohexanotetraamide-containing stationary phase for liquid chromatography

Allyloxy-substituted macrocyclic dibenzodicyclohexanotetraamide 2 was prepared by the following sequence. MonoBoc-protected chiral 1,2-cyclohexanediamine ( 3 ) was treated with isophthaloyl chloride followed by removal of the Boc group to form bisisophthalamide 5. Compound 5 was then treated with allyloxyphthaloyl chloride to form the macrocyclic tetraamide 2 in a 56% yield. Chiral selector 2 was converted to its ethoxydimethylsilane derivative and heated in a suspension of silica gel and toluene to form the chiral macrocycle-containing silica gel phase 1. This phase separated the enantiomers of (±)-α-methylbenzylamine and (±)-DL-α-aminobutyric acid methyl ester in a liquid chromatograph.     

A three-carbon (n+1+2) ring expansion method for the synthesis of macrocyclic enones. Application to muscone synthesis

The three-carbon ring expansion methodology commences with the preparation of a cyclic allene (C9, C11, C13), readily available from the corresponding cycloalkene via dibromocarbene addition and subsequent treatment with methyllithium. Dichloroketene addition to the cyclic allene regioselectively provides the [2+2] cycloadduct, which is reductively dechlorinated with zinc in methanol. The resulting cyclobutanone is then catalytically hydrogenated; cyclobutanone ring opening is affected with trimethylsilyl iodide; immediate dehydroiodination of the resulting β-iodocycloalkanone with diazabicycloundecane (DBU) provides the corresponding macrocyclic enone. The 15-membered enone was converted to d,l-muscone with (CH₃)₂CuLi.     

The diazo route to diazonamide A. Studies on the indole bis-oxazole fragment

[structure: see text] Various approaches to the indole bis-oxazole fragment of the marine secondary metabolite diazonamide A are described, all of which feature dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reactions of diazocarbonyl compounds in key steps. Thus, 3-bromophenylacetaldehyde is converted into an alpha-diazo-beta-ketoester, dirhodium(II)-catalyzed reaction of which with N-Boc-valinamide resulted in N-H insertion of the intermediate rhodium carbene to give a ketoamide that readily underwent cyclodehydration to give (S)-2-(1-tert-butoxycarbonylamino)-2-methylpropyl]-5-(3-bromobenzyl)oxazole-4-carboxamide, after ammonolysis of the initially formed ester. This aryl bromide was then coupled to a 3-formyl-indole-4-boronate under Pd catalysis to give the expected biaryl. Subsequent conversion of the aldehyde group into a second alpha-diazo-beta-ketoester gave a substrate for an intramolecular carbene N-H insertion, although attempts to effect this cyclization were unsuccessful. A second approach to an indole bis-oxazole involved an intermolecular rhodium carbene N-H insertion, followed by oxazole formation to give (S)-2-[1-tert-(butoxycarbonylamino)-2-methylpropyl]-5-methyloxazole-4-carboxamide. A further N-H insertion of this carboxmide with the rhodium carbene derived from ethyl 2-diazo-3-[1-(2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl)indol-3-yl]-3-oxopropanoate gave a ketoamide, cyclodehydration of which gave the desired indole bis-oxazole. Finally, the boronate formed from 4-bromotryptamine was coupled to another diazocarbonyl-derived oxazole to give the corresponding biaryl, deprotection and cyclization of which produced a macrocyclic indole-oxazole derivative. Subsequent oxidation and cyclodehydration incorporated the second oxazole and gave the macrocyclic indole bis-oxazole.     

Synthetic studies toward sarain A. Formation of the western macrocyclic ring

Starting with the tricyclic core 2b, annulation to form the 13-membered western ring of sarain A has been achieved to afford the macrocycle 30a by initial construction of the sterically congested quaternary center at C-3, followed by elaboration of the C-3 side-chain and ring-closing olefin metathesis. Also included is a parallel conversion of tricycle 2c to macrocycle 30b containing a functionalized side-chain at N-1 suitable for attachment of the eastern macrocyclic ring.     

Synthetic and structural investigations of linear and macrocyclic nickel/iron/sulfur cluster complexes

Three series of new Ni/Fe/S cluster complexes have been prepared and structurally characterized. One series of such complexes includes the linear type of (diphosphine)Ni-bridged double-butterfly Fe/S complexes [(μ-RS)(μ-S═CS)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](2)[Ni(diphosphine)] (1-6; R = Et, t-Bu, n-Bu, Ph; diphosphine = dppv, dppe, dppb), which were prepared by reactions of monoanions [(μ-RS)(μ-CO)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](-) (generated in situ from Fe(3)(CO)(12), Et(3)N, and RSH) with excess CS(2), followed by treatment of the resulting monoanions [(μ-RS)(μ-S═CS)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](-)with (diphosphine)NiCl(2). The second series consists of the macrocyclic type of (diphosphine)Ni-bridged double-butterfly Fe/S complexes [μ-S(CH(2))(4)S-μ][(μ-S═CS)Fe(2)(CO)(6)](2)[Ni(diphosphine)] (7-9; diphosphine = dppv, dppe, dppb), which were produced by the reaction of dianion [{μ-S(CH(2))(4)S-μ}{(μ-CO)Fe(2)(CO)(6)}(2)](2-) (formed in situ from Fe(3)(CO)(12), Et(3)N, and dithiol HS(CH(2))(4)SH with excess CS(2), followed by treatment of the resulting dianion [{μ-S(CH(2))(4)S-μ}{(μ-S═CS)Fe(2)(CO)(6)}(2)](2-) with (diphosphine)NiCl(2). However, more interestingly, when dithiol HS(CH(2))(4)SH (used for the production of 7-9) was replaced by HS(CH(2))(3)SH (a dithiol with a shorter carbon chain), the sequential reactions afforded another type of macrocyclic Ni/Fe/S complex, namely, the (diphosphine)Ni-bridged quadruple-butterfly Fe/S complexes [{μ-S(CH(2))(3)S-μ}{(μ-S═CS)Fe(2)(CO)(6)}(2)](2)[Ni(diphosphine)](2) (10-12; diphosphine = dppv, dppe, dppb). While a possible pathway for the production of the two types of novel metallomacrocycles 7-12 is suggested, all of the new complexes 1-12 were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopy and some of them by X-ray crystallography.     

Encapsulation of tetraazamacrocyclic complexes of cobalt(II), copper(II) and oxovanadium(IV) in zeolite-Y and their use as catalysts for the oxidation of styrene

Encapsulation of tetraazamacrocyclic complexes of Co(II), Cu(II) and V(IV) into zeolite-Y has been accomplished, and the resulting materials were used as heterogeneous catalysts for aerobic oxidation of styrene. The materials were prepared by a ship-in-a-bottle method, in which the transition metal cations were first ion-exchanged into zeolite-Y and then reacted with ethylenediamine, followed by acetylacetone. The pure tetraazamacrocyclic complexes were characterized by FTIR, solid UV–Vis and elemental analysis. The structural integrity throughout the immobilization procedure, the successful immobilization of the macrocyclic complexes, and the loadings of metal ions and macrocyclic ligands were determined by characterization techniques such as FTIR, diffuse reflection UV–Vis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, TG/DTA and powder X-ray diffraction. Compared with their homogeneous analogues, the catalytic properties of the encapsulated macrocyclic complexes in the oxidation of styrene with air were investigated. The immobilized complexes proved to be active catalysts and could be reused without significant loss in activity.     

Isomeric molecular rectangles resulting from self-assembly of dicopper complexes of macrocyclic ligands

Dinuclear copper complexes containing hexaazacyclophane macrocyclic ligands react with the disodium salt of terephthalic acid resulting in the self-assembly of rectangular molecules with the general formula [(Cu2L)2(p-(O2CC6H4CO2)2)]X4, where X = CF3SO3 and ClO4 (3X4, L = Me2p and 4X4, L = Me2m). Tetranuclear complexes 3(CF3SO3)4 (as polymorphs 3a and 3b) and 4(ClO4)4 have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis providing definitive proof of their structure as well as their metrical parameters. 3a contains, in its unit cell, two isomeric cationic units (3asyn and 3aanti) that differ in the relative position of the two O carboxylate atoms which bind to the Cu atoms of the different macrocyclic complexes, leading to boxes with different metrical parameters. ESI-MS analyses of solutions of the tetranuclear complexes 3(CF3SO3)4 and 4(CF3SO3)4 exhibit cluster ions which match the solid state formulation, thus demonstrating that the cages are retained in solution.     

Explorations on the total synthesis of the unusual marine alkaloid chartelline A

In work directed toward a total synthesis of chartelline A (1a), a strategy was investigated to construct the 10-membered ring of this marine alkaloid via an intramolecular aldehyde/beta-lactam cyclocondensation to form the macrocyclic enamide functionality. Therefore, spiro-beta-lactam and imidazole fragments were first prepared. Tribromooxindole beta-lactam 24 was synthesized from commercially available 5-nitroisatin (18) in seven steps and 30% overall yield via a Staudinger ketene-imine [2 + 2]-cycloaddition strategy. The requisite 2-bromoimidazole subunit 40 bearing a terminal alkyne and a masked aldehyde was efficiently prepared from the readily available imidazole ester 25 in 10 steps. With both advanced intermediates available, the addition of the lithium acetylide generated from 2-bromoimidazole subunit 40 to the gamma-lactam carbonyl group of N-Boc-tribromooxindole 24 was investigated, affording the desired N-Boc-aminal 41. Hydrolysis of the acetonide moiety of 41, followed by oxidative cleavage of the resulting diol, gave the aldehyde 42. Unfortunately, treatment of aldehyde 42 with p-toluenesulfonic acid did not give the desired 10-membered macrocyclic (Z)-enamide 46, but rather the highly unsaturated seven-membered ring compound 44.     

The first example of macrocycles containing butterfly transition metal cluster cores via novel tandem reactions

A novel type of double butterfly, two mu-CO-containing dianions {[(mu-CO)Fe2(CO)6]2[mu-SCH2(CH2OCH2)nCH2S-mu]}2- (m1, n = 2, 3), has been synthesized from dithiol HSCH2(CH2OCH2)nCH2SH (n = 2, 3), Fe3(CO)12, and Et3N in THF at room temperature. While dianions m1 react in situ with CS2 followed by treatment with dihalide 1,4-(BrCH2)2C6H4 or 1,4-I(CH2)4I to give macrocyclic clusters [mu-SCH2(CH2OCH2)nCH2S-mu](mu-CS2ZCS2-mu)[Fe2(CO)6]2 (1a, n = 2, Z = 1,4-(CH2)2C6H4; 1b, n = 3, Z = (CH2)4), reactions of dianions m1 with (mu-S2)Fe2(CO)6 followed by treatment with dihalide 1,4-I(CH2)4I afford macrocyclic clusters [mu-SCH2(CH2OCH2)nCH2S-mu]{[Fe2(CO)6]2(mu4-S)}2[mu-S(CH2)4S-mu] (2a, n = 2; 2b, n = 3). The crystal structures of 1a and 2b are described.