Epoxide-initiated cationic cyclization of azides: a novel method for the stereoselective construction of 5-hydroxymethyl azabicyclic compounds and application in the stereo- and enantioselective total synthesis of (+)- and (-)-indolizidine 167B and 209D

A novel and general method has been developed for the stereoselective construction of 5-hydroxymethyl azabicyclic ring skeletons based on epoxide-initiated cationic cyclization of azides. The key cyclization reaction was systematically studied with the model compound, 3-(1-oxa-spiro[2.4]hept-4-yl)propyl azide 3a, and EtAlCl(2) was found to be an ideal choice as the catalyst. The generality of this transformation was further tested with different ring sizes, where six- and seven-membered epoxyazides 3b,c underwent smooth cyclization to give 5-hydroxymethyl azepine 4b and 5-hydroxymethyl azocine 4c, respectively, as a single detectable diastereomer. This novel methodology was elegantly applied in the stereoselective total synthesis of indolizidine alkaloids 167B and 209D. Further, the enantioselective total synthesis of natural and unnatural indolizidine alkaloids 167B and 209D was accomplished by using Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as a key step.     

The Baylis-Hillman acetates as a valuable source for one-pot multistep synthesis: a facile synthesis of functionalized tri-/tetracyclic frameworks containing azocine moiety

The Baylis-Hillman acetates have been conveniently transformed into tri-/tetracyclic heterocyclic frameworks containing an important azocine moiety via one-pot multistep protocol involving alkylation, reduction, and cyclization sequence.     

Biosynthesis of Complex Indole Alkaloids: Elucidation of the Concise Pathway of Okaramines

The okaramines are a class of complex indole alkaloids isolated from Penicillium and Aspergillus species. Their potent insecticidal activity arises from selectively activating glutamate‐gated chloride channels (GluCls) in invertebrates, not affecting human ligand‐gated anion channels. Okaramines B ( 1 ) and D ( 2 ) contain a polycyclic skeleton, including an azocine ring and an unprecedented 2‐dimethyl‐3‐methyl‐azetidine ring. Owing to their complex scaffold, okaramines have inspired many total synthesis efforts, but the enzymology of the okaramine biosynthetic pathway remains unexplored. Here, we identified and characterized the biosynthetic gene cluster (oka ) of 1 and 2 , then elucidated the pathway with target gene inactivation, heterologous reconstitution, and biochemical characterization. Notably, we characterized an α‐ketoglutarate‐dependent non‐heme Fe^II dioxygenase that forged the azetidine ring on the okaramine skeleton.     

Suzuki-Miyaura and Stille reactions as key steps in the synthesis of diversely functionalized Amaryllidaceae alkaloid analogs bearing a 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[c,e]azocine skeleton

Microwave-assisted Suzuki-Miyaura and Stille cross-coupling reactions for the synthesis of highly electron-rich and diversely functionalized biaryl intermediates are presented. Microwave-irradiation has been demonstrated to be a very powerful tool for performing difficult transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with unfavorably substituted coupling partners. The key biaryl intermediates were used for the microwave-enhanced construction of the 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo[c,e]azocine skeleton of the Apogalanthamine analogs. The success of the strategy is demonstrated by synthesizing a number of hitherto unknown, diversely functionalized, natural product analogs.     

A versatile enantioselective synthesis of azabicyclic ring systems: a concise total synthesis of (+)-grandisine D and unnatural analogues

Closing in on azacines: We have developed a new six step approach for the rapid and enantioselective synthesis of indolizidine, pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepine, and pyrrolo[1,2-a]azocine azabicyclic systems and their respective lactam congeners, which are found in a host of natural products as well as pharmaceutical preparations. This protocol enables a concise enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-grandisine?D in 16.4?% overall yield from commercial materials (see scheme).     

Uncommon expansion of piperidine ring into hydroazocine ring in reactions of some piperidine β-acyl derivatives with acetylenecarboxylic acids esters

Cyclohexanone condensation with formaldehyde and methylamine led to the formation of 4ahydroxy-2-methyloctahydrospiro[isoquinoline-4,1'-cyclohexan]-2'-one whose structure was established by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. This spiro compound reacted with acetylenecarboxylic acids esters with unexpected conversion of its piperidine ring into a hexahydroazocine cycle. The uncommon expansion reaction of the β-acyl-substituted piperidine ring into a hexahydroazocine cycle is confirmed by the analogous conversion of 4-hydroxy-1-methyl-4-phenylpiperidin-3-yl(phenyl)methanone into azocine derivative at treating with methyl propiolate.     

Total synthesis of (+)-lysergic acid

A stereocontrolled total synthesis of (+)-lysergic acid (1) is achieved using three metal-catalyzed methodologies for the construction of three key rings. Highlights of the synthesis include Pd-catalyzed indole synthesis to form the B ring, a RCM reaction to form the D ring, and an intramolecular Heck reaction to form the C ring.     

Tandem transformations of tetrahydropyrrolo[3,2-<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis>]pyridines under the action of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. A novel route to pyrrolo[2,3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>]azocines

Reactions of substituted tetrahydropyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridines with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate in protic and aprotic solvents were studied. A novel single-step method for the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,3-d]azocine derivatives was developed. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2513–2519, November, 2005.     

Total synthesis of bryostatins: the development of methodology for the atom-economic and stereoselective synthesis of the ring C subunit

Bryostatins, a family of structurally complicated macrolides, exhibit an exceptional range of biological activities. The limited availability and structural complexity of these molecules makes development of an efficient total synthesis particularly important. This article describes our initial efforts towards the total synthesis of bryostatins, in which chemoselective and atom-economical methods for the stereoselective assembly of the ring C subunit were developed. A Pd-catalyzed tandem alkyne-alkyne coupling/6-endo-dig cyclization sequence was explored and successfully pursued in the synthesis of a dihydropyran ring system. Elaboration of this methodology ultimately led to a concise synthesis of the ring C subunit of bryostatins.     

Total synthesis of (+)-pinnatoxin A

A convergent enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-pinnatoxin A is described. The synthesis capitalizes on the highly diastereoselective Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of an acyclic alpha-branched allylic ester to set the quaternary stereogenic center at the core of the spiroimine ring system along with the adjacent tertiary stereocenter. The all-carbon macrocyclic ring system was formed by ring-closing metathesis.     

Stereoselective synthesis of umuravumbolide

An efficient stereoselective total synthesis of umuravumbolide has been developed. The key features of the synthesis include Jacobsen resolution, Wadsworth Emmons olefination and silyl-tethered ring closing metathesis.     

Total synthesis of antimalarial diterpenoid (+)-kalihinol A

Total synthesis of antimalarial diterpenoid (+)-kalihinol A, isolated from marine sponge Acanthella sp., is achieved. This total synthesis involves regioselective alkylation of an epoxide, construction of a tetrahydropyran ring by iodo-etherification, construction of a cis-decalin ring by intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, isomerization of cis-decalin to trans-decalin, and subsequent functionalization of the trans-decalin ring.     

Total synthesis of (−) homothienamycin

The total synthesis of a ring expanded analog of thienamycin has been developed. The key step utilizes a highly efficient carbene insertion reaction to form the carbacephem ring system.     

2-Alkyl-4-oxohexahydropyrimido[4,5-<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>]- and -[5,4-<Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>]azocines

It has been established that 2-R-4-oxotetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidines, under the action of activated alkynes in methanol, form a mixture of 2-R-4-oxohexahydropyrimido[4,5-d]azocines and products of decomposition of the tetrahydropyridine ring, the 2-R-5-methoxymethyl-4-oxo-6-vinylaminoethyl-pyrimidines. Tetrahydropyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine, isomeric at the junction of the pyrimidine and tetrahydropyridine rings, forms only the corresponding pyrimido[5,4-d]azocine, the product of expansion, under the action of methyl propiolate.     

Chemoenzymatic total synthesis of stagonolide-E

Asymmetric total synthesis of small ring macrolide stagonolide-E has been described in this communication. The main highlight of our synthetic strategy is the application of ME-DKR (metal enzyme combo dynamic kinetic resolution) reaction, asymmetric reduction with Noyori’s BINAL-H reagent system, stereoselective cross metathesis, and RCM (ring closing metathesis) reaction at a late stage enables us to achieve the synthesis of the target molecule in an efficient way.     

Remarkable synthesis and structure of allene type zerumbone

The ring expansion of zerumbone to a 12-membered ring was studied via a ring opening system or a ring closure system of zerumbone. We succeeded in the synthesis of a zerumbone derivative with 12-membered ring, an allene type zerumbone. For the first time, a Doering-LaFlamme allene synthesis method was adopted and the structure was confirmed by monocrystal X-ray diffraction. It was obtained in total 27.7% yield from zerumbone. We believe that this compound is not only an important building block in synthesizing the BC ring of paclitaxel, but also plays an important role in a novel structure formation and a reactive discovery.     

Total synthesis of mangiferaelactone

Herein we document the first total synthesis of mangiferaelactone and thus establish its absolute configuration. The central nonenolide ring was constructed using ring closing metathesis and Yamaguchi esterification. The key alcohol fragment was synthesized by the Bernet–Vasella fragmentation of C-ribofuranoside.     

Total synthesis of (+)-pseudohygroline

A simple and efficient total synthesis of five-membered pyrrolidine, (+)-pseudohygroline is described. The key steps involved in this synthesis are highly stereoselective Prins cyclisation followed by reductive ring opening and hydroboration.     

Synthetic study of gymnocin-A: synthesis of the ABC ring fragment

The synthesis of the ABC ring fragment of gymnocin-A is described. The key feature of this approach was the convergent BC ring formation using an oxiranyl anion coupling, which was followed by intramolecular Williamson ether synthesis and the reductive etherification of an α-acetoxy acetal. The five-membered A ring was then constructed on the seven-membered B ring by radical cyclization of a β-alkoxy acrylate derivative.     

A new stereoselective synthesis of ciguatoxin right wing fragments

The right wings (13 and 14) of ciguatoxins were synthesized highly stereoselectively. Key transformations in the synthesis are (i) an oxiranyl anion strategy to attach the H ring, (ii) intramolecular carbonyl olefination to cyclize the J ring, (iii) regio- and stereoselective reduction of the epoxyacetal to install the C42-stereocenter, and (iv) stereoselective reductive etherification to construct the K ring. The present procedure greatly improved the stereoselectivity and efficiency in comparison to a previous synthesis. Remarkably, only 23 steps were required from monocyclic I ring 5 to construct the ciguatoxin right wings. The high practicality of the present synthesis ensures a sufficient supply of these complex fragments for total syntheses and biomedical applications.