Preparation of β2‐Homotryptophan Derivatives for β‐Peptide Synthesis

In view of the prominent role of the 1H‐indol‐3‐yl side chain of tryptophan in peptides and proteins, it is important to have the appropriately protected homologs H‐β² HTrp OH and H‐β³ HTrp OH (Fig.) available for incorporation in β‐peptides. The β²‐HTrp building block is especially important, because β²‐amino acid residues cause β‐peptide chains to fold to the unusual 12/10 helix or to a hairpin turn. The preparation of Fmoc and Z β²‐HTrp(Boc) OH by Curtius degradation (Scheme 1) of a succinic acid derivative is described (Schemes 2–4). To this end, the (S)‐4‐isopropyl‐3‐[(N‐Boc‐indol‐3‐yl)propionyl]‐1,3‐oxazolidin‐2‐one enolate is alkylated with Br CH₂CO₂Bn (Scheme 3). Subsequent hydrogenolysis, Curtius degradation, and removal of the Evans auxiliary group gives the desired derivatives of (R)‐H β²‐HTrp OH (Scheme 4). Since the (R)‐form of the auxiliary is also available, access to (S)‐β²‐HTrp‐containing β‐peptides is provided as well.     

Synthesis of the 2‐Alkenyl‐4‐alkylidenebut‐2‐eno‐4‐lactone (=α‐Alkenyl‐γ‐alkylidenebutenolide) Core Structure of the Carotenoid Pyrrhoxanthin via the Regioselective Dihydroxylation of Hepta‐2,4‐diene‐5‐ynoic Acid Esters

A new strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of 4‐alkylidenebut‐2‐eno‐4‐lactones (=γ‐alkylidenebutenolides) with (Z)‐configuration of the exocyclic CC bond at C(4) was developed. It is exemplified by the synthesis of 4‐alkylidenebutenolactone 31 (Scheme 4), which constitutes a substructure of the carotenoids pyrrhoxanthin ( 1 ) and peridinin. The formation of the precursor 4‐(1‐hydroxyalkyl)butenolactone 29 was accomplished either by cyclocarbonylation of the prop‐2‐yn‐1‐ol moiety of 27 (→ 29 ) or by hydrostannylation of the isopropylidene‐protected alkynoic acid ester 26 (→ 28 ) followed by transacetalization/transesterification (→ 30 ). The 4‐alkylidenebutenolactone was formed by the anti‐selective Mitsunobu dehydration 29 → 31 .     

Preparation and Structure of β-Peptides Consisting of Geminally Disubstituted β2,2- and β3,3-Amino Acids: A Turn Motif for β-Peptides

We report on the synthesis of new and previously described β-peptides ( 1 – 6 ), consisting of up to twelve β^2,2- or β^3,3-geminally disubstituted β-amino acids which do not fit into any of the secondary structural patterns of β-peptides, hitherto disclosed. The required 2,2- and 3,3-dimethyl derivatives of 3-aminopropanoic acid are readily obtained from 3-methylbut-2-enoic acid and ammonia (Scheme 1) and from Boc-protected methyl 3-aminopropanoate by enolate methylation (Scheme 2). Protected (Boc for solution-, Fmoc for solid-phase syntheses) 1-(aminomethyl)cycloalkanecarboxylic-acid derivatives (with cyclopropane, cyclobutane, cyclopentane, and cyclohexane rings) are obtained from 1-cyanocycloalkanecarboxylates and the corresponding dihaloalkanes (Scheme 3). Fully ¹³C- and ¹⁵N-labeled 3-amino-2,2-dimethylpropanoic-acid derivatives were prepared from the corresponding labeled precursors (see asterixed formula numbers and Scheme 4). Coupling of these amino acids was achieved by methods which we had previously employed for other β-peptide syntheses (intermediates 18 – 23 ). Crystal structures of Boc-protected geminally disubstituted amino acids ( 16a – d ) and of the corresponding tripeptide ( 23a ), as well as NMR and IR spectra of an isotopically labeled β-hexapeptide ( 2a* ) are presented (Figs. 1 – 4) and discussed. The tripeptide structure contains a ten-membered H-bonded ring which is proposed to be a turn-forming motif for β-peptides (Fig. 2).     

Stereoselective Preparation of 3‐Amino‐2‐fluoro Carboxylic Acid Derivatives,and Their Incorporation in Tetrahydropyrimidin‐4(1H)‐ones,and in Open‐Chain and Cyclic β‐Peptides

The preparation of (2S,3S)‐ and (2R,3S)‐2‐fluoro and of (3S)‐2,2‐difluoro‐3‐amino carboxylic acid derivatives, 1 – 3 , from alanine, valine, leucine, threonine, and β³h‐alanine (Schemes 1 and 2, Table) is described. The stereochemical course of (diethylamino)sulfur trifluoride (DAST) reactions with N,N‐dibenzyl‐2‐amino‐3‐hydroxy and 3‐amino‐2‐hydroxy carboxylic acid esters is discussed (Fig. 1). The fluoro‐β‐amino acid residues have been incorporated into pyrimidinones ( 11 – 13 ; Fig. 2) and into cyclic β‐tri‐ and β‐tetrapeptides 17 – 19 and 21 – 23 (Scheme 3) with rigid skeletons, so that reliable structural data (bond lengths, bond angles, and Karplus parameters) can be obtained. β‐Hexapeptides Boc[(2S)‐β³hXaa(αF)]₆OBn and Boc[β³hXaa(α,αF₂)]₆‐OBn, 24 – 26 , with the side chains of Ala, Val, and Leu, have been synthesized (Scheme 4), and their CD spectra (Fig. 3) are discussed. Most compounds and many intermediates are fully characterized by IR‐ and ¹H‐, ¹³C‐ and ¹⁹F‐NMR spectroscopy, by MS spectrometry, and by elemental analyses, [α]_D and melting‐point values.     

Preparation and Structures of 2‐Substituted 5‐Benzyl‐3‐methylimidazolidin‐4‐one‐Derived Iminium Salts,Reactive Intermediates in Organocatalytic Transformations Involving α,β‐Unsaturated Aldehydes

Preparations of the title compounds, 5 – 7 (Scheme 1 and Table 1), of their ammonium salts, 9 – 11 (Scheme 2 and Table 2), and of the corresponding cinnamaldehyde‐derived iminium salts 12 – 14 (Scheme 3 and Table 3) are reported. The X‐ray crystal structures of 15 cinnamyliminium PF₆ salts have been determined (Table 4). Selected ¹H‐NMR data (Table 5) of the ammonium and iminium salts are discussed, and structures in solution are compared with those in the solid state.     

Synthesis of Novel 8,14‐Secoursane Derivatives: Key Intermediates for the Preparation of Chiral Decalin Synthons from Ursolic Acid

The novel 8,14‐secoursatriene derivative 6 was synthesized starting from ursolic acid ( 1 ) via methyl esterification of the 17‐carboxylic acid group and benzoylation of the 3‐hydroxy group (→ 2 ; Scheme 1), ozone oxidation of the C(12)?C(13) bond (→ 3 ), dehydrogenation with Br₂/HBr (→ 4 ), enol acetylation of the resulting carbonyl group (→ 5 ; Scheme 2), and ring‐C opening with the aid of UV light (→ 6 ). Ring‐C‐opened dienone derivative 7 of ursolic acid was also obtained via selective hydrolysis of 6 (Scheme 2). Both compounds 6 and 7 are key intermediates for the preparation of chiral decalin synthons from ursolic acid.     

Synthesis of (2′S)‐2′‐Deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylpurine Nucleosides and Their Phosphoramidites

We describe the stereoselective synthesis of (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methyladenosine ( 12 ) and (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylinosine ( 14 ) as well as their corresponding cyanoethyl phosphoramidites 16 and 19 from 6‐O‐(2,6‐dichlorophenyl)inosine as starting material. The methyl group at the 2′‐position was introduced via a Wittig reaction (→ 3 , Scheme 1) followed by a stereoselective oxidation with OsO₄ (→ 4 , Scheme 2). The primary‐alcohol moiety of 4 was tosylated (→ 5 ) and regioselectively reduced with NaBH₄ (→ 6 ). Subsequent reduction of the 2′‐alcohol moiety with Bu₃SnH yielded stereoselectively the corresponding (2′S)‐2′‐deoxy‐2′‐C‐methylnucleoside (→ 8a ).     

Synthesis of Racemic Δ3‐2‐Hydroxybakuchiol and Its Analogues

The first synthetic approach to (±)‐Δ³‐2‐hydroxybakuchiol (=4‐[(1E,5E)‐3‐ethenyl‐7‐hydroxy‐3,7‐dimethylocta‐1,5‐dien‐1‐yl]phenol; 14 ) and its analogues 13a – 13f was developed by 12 steps (Schemes 2 and 3). The key features of the approach are the construction of the quaternary C‐center bearing the ethenyl group by a Johnson–Claisen rearrangement (→ 6 ); and of an (E)‐alkenyl iodide via a Takai–Utimoto reaction (→ 11 ); and an arylation via a Negishi cross‐coupling reaction (→ 12e – 12f ).     

Domino‐Heck Reactions of Carba‐ and Oxabicyclic,Unsaturated Dicarboximides: Synthesis of Aryl‐Substituted,Bridged Perhydroisoindole Derivatives

The C? C coupling of the two bicyclic, unsaturated dicarboximides 5 and 6 with aryl and heteroaryl halides gave, under reductive Heck conditions, the C‐aryl‐N‐phenyl‐substituted oxabicyclic imides 7a – c and 8a – c (Scheme 3). Domino‐Heck C? C coupling reactions of 5, 6 , and 1b with aryl or heteroaryl iodides and phenyl‐ or (trimethylsilyl)acetylene also proved feasible giving 8, 9 , and 10a – c , respectively (Scheme 4). Reduction of 1b with LiAlH₄ (→ 11 ) followed by Heck arylation and reduction of 5 with NaBH₄ (→ 13 ) followed by Heck arylation open a new access to the bridged perhydroisoindole derivatives 12a , b and 14a , b with prospective pharmaceutical activity (Schemes 5 and 6).     

Isocyanide‐Based Three‐Component Synthesis of Highly Substituted 1,6‐Dihydro‐6,6‐dimethylpyrazine‐2,3‐dicarbonitrile, 3,4‐Dihydrobenzo[g]quinoxalin‐2‐amine,and 3,4‐Dihydro‐3,3‐dimethyl‐quinoxalin‐2‐amine Derivatives

A novel and efficient isocyanide‐based multicomponent reaction between alkyl or aryl isocyanides 1 , 2,3‐diaminomaleonitrile ( 2 ), naphthalene‐2,3‐diamines ( 6 ) or benzene‐1,2‐diamine ( 9 ), and 3‐oxopentanedioic acid ( 3 ) or Meldrum's acid ( 4 ) or ketones 7 was developed for the ecologic synthesis, at room temperature under mild conditions, of 1,6‐dihydropyrazine‐2,3‐dicarbonitriles 5a – 5f in H₂O without using any catalyst, and of 3,4‐dihydrobenzo[g]quinoxalin‐2‐amine and 3,4‐dihydro‐3,3‐dimethyl‐quinoxalin‐2‐amine derivatives 8a – 8g and 10a – 10e , respectively, in the presence of a catalytic amount of p‐toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) in EtOH, in good to excellent yields (Scheme 1).     

Fused 1,2‐Dithioles. Part VII

The 1,2‐dithiolosultam derivative 14 was obtained from the (α‐bromoalkylidene)propenesultam derivative 9 (Scheme 1). Regioselective cleavage of the two ester groups (→ 1b or 2b ) allowed the preparation of derivatives with different substituents at C(3) in the dithiole ring (see 27 and 28 ) as well as at C(6) in the isothiazole ring (see 17 – 21 ; Scheme 2). Curtius rearrangement of the 6‐carbonyl azide 21 in Ac₂O afforded the 6‐acetamide 22 , and saponification and decarboxylation of the latter yielded ‘sulfothiolutin’ ( 30 ). Hydride reductions of two of the bicyclic sultams resulted in ring opening of the sultam ring and loss of the sulfonyl group. Thus the reduction of the dithiolosultam derivative 14 yielded the alkylidenethiotetronic acid derivative 33 (tetronic acid=furan‐2,4(3H,4H)‐dione), and the lactam‐sultam derivative 10 gave the alkylidenetetramic acid derivative 35 (tetramic acid=1,5‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxy‐2H‐pyrrol‐2‐one) (Scheme 3). Some of the new compounds ( 14, 22, 26 , and 30 ) exhibited antimycobacterial activity. The oxidative addition of 1 equiv. of [Pt(η²‐C₂H₄)L₂] ( 36a , L=PPh₃; 36b , L=1/2 dppf; 36c , L=1/2 (R,R)‐diop) into the S? S bond of 14 led to the cis‐(dithiolato)platinum(II) complexes 37a – c . (dppf=1,1′‐bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene; (R,R)‐diop={[(4R,5R)‐2,2‐demithyl‐1,3‐dioxolane‐4,5‐diyl]bis(methylene)}bis[diphenylphosphine]).     

Efficient Synthesis of Novel Coumarin‐3‐carboxamides (=2‐Oxo‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxamides) Containing Lipophilic Spacers

The novel coumarin‐3‐carboxamides (=2‐oxo‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxamides) 5a – 5g containing lipophilic spacers were synthesized through the Ugi‐four‐component reaction (Scheme 1). The reactions of aromatic aldehydes 1 , 4,4′‐oxybis[benzenamine] or 4,4′‐methylenebis[benzenamine] as diamine 2 , coumarin‐3‐carboxylic acid (=2‐oxo‐2H‐benzopyran‐3‐carboxylic acid; 3 ), and alkyl isocyanides 4 lead to the desired substituted coumarin‐3‐carboxamides 5a – 5g at room temperature with high bond‐forming efficiency. These novel coumarin derivatives exhibit brilliant fluorescence at 544 nm in CHCl₃.     

Synthesis of 9‐Halogenated 9‐Deazaguanine N7‐(2′‐Deoxyribonucleosides)

The syntheses of N⁷‐glycosylated 9‐deazaguanine 1a as well as of its 9‐bromo and 9‐iodo derivatives 1b , c are described. The regioselective 9‐halogenation with N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) and N‐iodosuccinimide (NIS) was accomplished at the protected nucleobase 4a (2‐{[(dimethylamino)methylidene]amino}‐3,5‐dihydro‐3‐[(pivaloyloxy)methyl]‐4H‐pyrrolo[3,2‐d]pyrimidin‐4‐one). Nucleobase‐anion glycosylation of 4a – c with 2‐deoxy‐3,5‐di‐O‐(p‐toluoyl)‐α‐D ‐erythro‐pentofuranosyl chloride ( 5 ) furnished the fully protected intermediates 6a – c (Scheme 2). They were deprotected with 0.01M NaOMe yielding the sugar‐deprotected derivatives 8a – c (Scheme 3). At higher concentrations (0.1M NaOMe), also the pivaloyloxymethyl group was removed to give 7a – c , while conc. aq. NH₃ solution furnished the nucleosides 1a – c . In D₂O, the sugar conformation was always biased towards S (67–61%).     

Tandem Hydroformylation/Reductive Amination of 3‐Allyl‐2‐methylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐one

The 3‐allyl‐2‐methylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐one ( 1 ), a model functionalized terminal olefin, was submitted to hydroformylation and reductive amination under optimized reaction conditions. The catalytic carbonylation of 1 in the presence of Rh catalysts complexed with phosphorus ligands under different reaction conditions afforded a mixture of 2‐methyl‐4‐oxoquinazoline‐3(4H)‐butanal ( 2 ) and α,2‐dimethyl‐4‐oxoquinazoline‐3(4H)‐propanal ( 3 ) as products of ‘linear’ and ‘branched’ hydroformylation, respectively (Scheme 2). The hydroaminomethylation of quinazolinone 1 with arylhydrazine derivatives gave the expected mixture of [(arylhydrazinyl)alkyl]quinazolinones 5 and 6 , besides a small amount of 2 and 3 (Scheme 3). The tandem hydroformylation/reductive amination reaction of 1 with different amines gave the quinazolinone derivatives 7 – 10 . Compound 10 was used to prepare the chalcones 11a and 11b and pyrazoloquinazolinones 12a and 12b (Scheme 4).     

Synthesis of Derivatives of the Optically Active β‐Amino Acids from (+)‐Car‐2‐ene

The reaction of (+)‐car‐2‐ene ( 4 ) with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (=sulfuryl chloride isocyanate; ClSO₂NCO) led to the tricyclic lactams 6 and 8 corresponding to the initial formation both of the tertiary carbenium and α‐cyclopropylcarbenium ions (Scheme 2). A number of optically active derivatives of β‐amino acids which are promising compounds for further use in asymmetric synthesis were synthesized from the lactams (see 16, 17 , and 19 – 21 in Scheme 3).     

A One‐Pot Tandem Ugi Multicomponent Reaction (MCR)/Click Reaction as an Efficient Protecting‐Group‐Free Route to 1H‐1,2,3‐Triazole‐Modified α‐Amino Acid Derivatives and Peptidomimetics

By a one‐pot tandem Ugi multicomponent reaction (MCR)/click reaction sequence not requiring protecting groups, 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐modified Ugi‐reaction products 6a – 6n (Scheme 1 and Table 2), 7a – 7b (Table 4), and 8 (Scheme 2) were synthesized successfully. i.e., terminal, side‐chain, or both side‐chain and terminal triazole‐modified Ugi‐reaction products as potential amino acid units for peptide syntheses. Different catalyst systems for the click reaction were examined to find the optimal reaction conditions (Table 1, Scheme 1). Finally, an efficient Ugi MCR+Ugi MCR/click reaction strategy was elaborated in which two Ugi‐reaction products were coupled by a click reaction, thus incorporating the triazole fragment into the center of peptidomimetics (Scheme 3). Thus, the Ugi MCR/click reaction sequence is a convenient and simple approach to different 1H‐1,2,3‐triazole‐modified amino acid derivatives and peptidomimetics.     

One‐Pot Syntheses of 2‐(2‐Sulfanyl‐4H‐3,1‐benzothiazin‐4‐yl)acetic Acid Derivatives via Reactions of 3‐(2‐Isothiocyanatophenyl)prop‐2‐enoic Acid Derivatives with Thiols or Sodium Sulfide

Two efficient methods for the preparation of 2‐(2‐sulfanyl‐4H‐3,1‐benzothiazin‐4‐yl)acetic acid derivatives 3 under mild conditions have been developed. The first method is based on the reaction of 3‐(2‐isothiocyanatophenyl)prop‐2‐enoates 1a – 1c with thiols in the presence of Et₃N in THF at room temperature, leading to the corresponding dithiocarbamate intermediates 2 , which underwent spontaneous cyclization at the same temperature by an attack of the S‐atom at the prop‐2‐enoyl moiety in a 1,4‐addition manner (Michael addition) to give 2‐(2‐sulfanyl‐4H‐3,1‐benzothiazin‐4‐yl)acetates in one pot. The second method involves treatment of 3‐(2‐isothiocyanatophenyl)prop‐2‐enoic acid derivatives 1b – 1d with Na₂S leading to the formation of 2‐(2‐sodiosulfanyl‐4H‐3,1‐benzothiazin‐4‐yl)acetic acid intermediates 5 by a similar addition/cyclization sequence, which are then allowed to react with alkyl or aryl halides to afford derivatives 3 . 2‐(2‐Thioxo‐4H‐3,1‐benzothiazin‐4‐yl)acetic acid derivatives 6 can be obtained by omitting the addition of halides.     

Mono- and Dialkylation of Derivatives of (1R, 2S)-2-Hydroxycyclopentanecarboxylic Acid and -cyclohexanecarboxylic acid via bicyclic dioxanones: Selective generation of three contiguous stereogenic centers on a cyclohexane ring

Ethyl (1R, 2S)-2-hydroxycyclopentanecarboxylate and -cyclohexanecarboxylate ( 1a and 2a , respectively) obtained in 40 and 70% yield by reduction of 3-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate and cyclohexanecarboxylate, respectively (Scheme 2), with non-fermenting yeast, are converted to bicyclic dioxanone derivatives 3 and 4 with formaldehyde, isobutyraldehyde, and pivalaldehyde (Scheme 3). The Li-enolates of these dioxanones are alkylated (→ 5a – 5i , 5j , 6a – 6g ), hydroxyalkylated (→ 51, m, 6d, e ), acylated (→ 5k, 6c ) and phenylselenenylated (→ 7 – 9 ) with usually high yields and excellent diastereoselectivities (Scheme 3, Tables and 2). All the major isomers formed under kinetic control are shown to have cis-fused bicyclic structures. Oxidation of the seleno compounds 7–9 leads to α, β-unsaturated carbonyl derivatives 10 – 13 (Scheme 3) of which the products 12a – c with the C?C bond in the carbocyclic ring (exocyclic on the dioxanone ring) are most readily isolated (70–80% from the saturated precursors). Michael addition of Cu(I)-containing reagents to 12a – c and subsequent alkylations afford dioxanones 14a – i and 16a – d with trans-fused cyclohoxane ring (Scheme 4). All enolate alkylations are carried out in the presence of the cyclic urea DMPU as a cosolvent. The configuration of the products is established by NMR measurements and chemical correlation. Some of the products are converted to single isomers of monocyclic hydroxycyclopentane ( 17 – 19 ) and cyclohexane derivatives ( 20 – 23 ; Scheme 5). Possible uses of the described reactions for EPC synthesis are outlined. The observed steric course of the reactions is discussed and compared with that of analogous transformations of monocyclic and acyclic derivatives.     

Determination of Enantiomer Purity of β‐ and γ‐Amino Acids by NMR Analysis of Diastereoisomeric Palladium Complexes

Like α‐amino acids, β‐ and γ‐amino acids form spirobicyclic complexes (see 2 and 3 ) by reaction with the chiral di‐μ‐chlorobis{2‐[1‐dimethylamino‐ϰN)‐ethyl]phenyl‐ϰC}dipalladium complexes 1 under basic conditions (Scheme 1 and X‐ray structures in Fig. 1). The diastereoisomeric complexes formed with mixtures of enantiomers of either the amino acids or the dichloro‐dipalladium complexes give rise to marked chemical‐shift differences in the ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectra (Figs. 2 – 4) to allow determination of the enantiomer purities. A simple procedure is described by which β‐ and γ‐amino acids (which may be generated in situ from Boc‐ or Fmoc‐protected precursors) are converted to the Pd complexes and subjected to NMR measurements. The effects of solvent, temperature, and variation of the aryl group in the chiral derivatizing Pd reagent are described (Figs. 4 and 5). The methyl esters of β‐amino acids can also be employed, forming diastereoisomeric chloro[(amino‐ϰN)aryl‐ϰC][(amino‐ϰN)alkanoate]palladium complexes 6 for determining enantiomer ratios (Scheme 6). The new method has great scope, as demonstrated for β²‐, β³‐, β^2,3‐, β^2,2,3‐, γ²‐, γ³‐, γ⁴‐, and γ^2,3,4‐amino acid derivatives.     

Preparation of Protected β2‐ and β3‐Homocysteine, β2‐ and β3‐Homohistidine,and β2‐Homoserine for Solid‐Phase Syntheses

The Ser, Cys, and His side chains play decisive roles in the syntheses, structures, and functions of proteins and enzymes. For our structural and biomedical investigations of β‐peptides consisting of amino acids with proteinogenic side chains, we needed to have reliable preparative access to the title compounds. The two β³‐homoamino acid derivatives were obtained by Arndt–Eistert methodology from Boc‐His(Ts)‐OH and Fmoc‐Cys(PMB)‐OH (Schemes 2–4), with the side‐chain functional groups' reactivities requiring special precautions. The β²‐homoamino acids were prepared with the help of the chiral oxazolidinone auxiliary DIOZ by diastereoselective aldol additions of suitable Ti‐enolates to formaldehyde (generated in situ from trioxane) and subsequent functional‐group manipulations. These include OH→O^tBu etherification (for β²hSer; Schemes 5 and 6), OH→STrt replacement (for β²hCys; Scheme 7), and CH₂OH→CH₂N₃→CH₂NH₂ transformations (for β²hHis; Schemes 9–11). Including protection/deprotection/re‐protection reactions, it takes up to ten steps to obtain the enantiomerically pure target compounds from commercial precursors. Unsuccessful approaches, pitfalls, and optimization procedures are also discussed. The final products and the intermediate compounds are fully characterized by retention times (t_R), melting points, optical rotations, HPLC on chiral columns, IR, ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analyses, and (in some cases) by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis.