cis,cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4,5-Pentakis(hydroxymethyl)cyclopentane

All-cis pentamethanolcyclopentane has been obtained in six steps by Diels–Alder condensation of maleic anhydride with (benzyloxymethyl)cyclopenta-2,4-diene, reduction of the anhydride to a diol that was protected as the acetonide. Then, ozonolysis of the double bond, followed by reduction led to a cis-diol. Then successive deprotections of the three other methanol groups gave the cis,cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4,5-pentakis(hydroxymethyl)cyclopentane.     

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.     

An efficient stereoselective synthesis of (2S,4S,5R)-(−)- and (2R,4R,5S)-(+)-bulgecinine

A short synthetic route to (−)-and (+)-bulgecinine, the amino acid moiety of the bulgecins was achieved from the readily available nonchiral pool starting material cis-2-butene-1,4-diol in which a Claisen orthoester rearrangement and a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation were used as the key steps.     

A tethered aminohydroxylation route to l-arabino-[2R,3S,4R] and l-xylo-[2R,3S,4S]-C18-phytosphingosines

A concise and highly efficient synthesis of l-arabino-[2R,3S,4R] and l-xylo-[2R,3S,4S]-C₁₈-phytosphingosines has been achieved. The synthetic strategy features the Sharpless kinetic resolution and tethered aminohydroxylation as the key steps.     

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.     

1,3,8,10-Tetrahydro-2,9-diazadibenzo[cd,lm]perylenes: synthesis of reduced perylene bisimide analogues

A unique family of 1,3,8,10-tetrahydro-2,9-diazadibenzo[cd,lm]perylenes (THDAP) was prepared through a new synthetic strategy. Completion of the synthesis was achieved in several steps from commercially available perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride via reactions between 3,4,9,10-tetra(chloromethyl)perylene and primary amines. The successful use of a variety of primary amines in the reactions indicated that the synthetic approach provides a rich opportunity to produce new functionalized perylene derivatives.     

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%.     

Isoindolinone-type alkaloids from the sponge-derived fungus Stachybotrys chartarum

Eight new isoindolinone-type alkaloids named chartarutines A–H (1–8) and a known analogue (9) were isolated from the sponge-associated fungus Stachybotrys chartarum. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic (IR, MS, 1D, and 2D NMR) data analyses, in addition to the Mosher method and CD effects for the assignment of their absolute configurations. All compounds were evaluated for the inhibition against HIV-1 virus, while chartarutines B, G, and H exhibited significant inhibitory effects. Primary structure–activity relationship was discussed.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of (2S,3S)-3-hydroxypipecolic acid

A synthetic route to (2S,3S)-3-hydroxypipecolic acid was achieved from readily available nonchiral pool starting material cis-2-butene-1,4-diol and involved Claisen orthoester rearrangement, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and intramolecular lactamisation of azido lactone as the key steps.     

Divergent synthesis of 6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-ones and indenoindolones: an investigation of Pd-catalyzed isocyanide insertion

A novel Pd-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization via tert-butyl isocyanide insertion from 2-(2-bromophenyl)-1H-indoles has been developed, which demonstrates the utility of isocyanides in C–N or C–C bond construction. Treatment of 2-(2-bromophenyl)-1H-indoles with tert-butyl isocyanide affords 6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-ones with high efficiency. However, N-methyl or N-Boc protected 2-(2-bromophenyl)-1H-indoles gives indenoindolones in excellent yields under the same condition, which reveals that under the described situation, isocyanides insertion for the formation of C–N bonds is prior to that of C–C bonds.     

A general,flexible, ring closing metathesis (RCM) based strategy for accessing the fused furo[3,2-b]furanone moiety present in diverse bioactive natural products

A simple and straightforward methodology of general utility to construct sterically encumbered furo[3,2-b]furanone scaffolds present in a diverse range of bioactive natural products is delineated. The methodology emanates from readily available Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts and employs sequential ring closing metathesis and oxy-Michael addition cascade as the key steps.     

A concise synthesis of (±)-pseudodeflectusin, an antitumor isochroman derivative isolated from Aspergillus sp.

A novel and concise synthesis of (±)-pseudodeflectusin (1), an antitumor isochroman derivative isolated from the culture broth of Aspergillus pseudodeflectus, was accomplished by starting from 4-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-1-pentyne (3) and diethyl 3-oxopentanedicarboxylate (5).     

A biomimetic cascade for the formation of the methyl [2(5H)-furanylidene]ethanoate core of spongosoritin A and the gracilioethers

The polyketide secondary metabolites spongosoritin A and gracilioethers A–C contain a unique methyl [2(5H)-furanylidene]ethanoate core. A synthetic model of a suspected biosynthetic intermediate to these natural products was constructed in seven steps and 48% overall yield. This model undergoes a facile cyclisation/double dehydration cascade to give the desired furanylidene motif, with the required (2Z) isomer obtained in >90 dr when an ethyl substituent is located at C3′ of the furanylidene.     

Synthesis of maresin 1 and (7S)-isomer

Maresin 1 (with the 7R carbon) and (7S)-maresin 1 were synthesized stereoselectively. The conjugated triene system was constructed by Pd-catalyzed coupling of the trans cis-dienylborane (the C10–C22 part) with the trans vinyl iodide corresponding to the C1–C9 part. The stereogenic centers at C7 and C14 were created by Ru-catalyzed asymmetric reduction of ketone and asymmetric epoxidation/kinetic resolution of the racemic alcohol, respectively.     

Synthesis of methyl (5Z,8Z,10E,12E,14Z)-eicosapentaenoate

The first total synthesis of methyl (5Z,8Z,10E,12E,14Z)-eicosapentaenoate has been achieved in seven steps and in 16% overall yield. The synthesis confirmed the assigned structure of this polyunsaturated natural product.     

Synthesis of (±)-2R,4R,5S-2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone and (±)-2R,4S,5R-2-methoxy-5-nitro-4-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone as colchicine mimetics

Colchicine mimetic (±)-4S,5R-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexene (1) was epoxidized to afford a mixture of epoxides. The epoxides were separately converted in two steps, with high stereoselectivity, to two regioisomeric α-methoxyketones. One regioisomer, (±)-2R,4S,5R-2-methoxy-5-nitro-4-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (17), proved to be about 12-fold more potent than synthetic precursor 1 against HCT-116 tumor cells while the other regioisomer, (±)-2R,4R,5S-2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (16), and the synthetic intermediates tested showed no improvement in potency.     

Isolation and synthesis of N-acyladenine and adenosine alkaloids from a southern Australian marine sponge, Phoriospongia sp.

Chemical fractionation of the southern Australian marine sponge Phoriospongia sp. (CMB-03107) yielded phorioadenine A (1) as a nematocidal agent and the first reported example of a 6-N-acyladenine natural product. The structure of 1 was confirmed by spectroscopic analysis and the chemical synthesis of racemic (1a) and enantiomeric (1b) analogues. HPLC–ESIMS analysis of the crude sponge extract with comparisons to the synthetic 6-N-acyladenosine 2a provided evidence that the biosynthetically related adenosine, phorioadenosine A (2), was present as a trace co-metabolite. The rare starfish metabolite asterubine (3) was also isolated as a co-metabolite, and its structure confirmed by spectroscopic analysis and chemical synthesis. Biological investigations confirmed that natural products 1–3 and synthetic analogues 1a–e and 2a were not cytotoxic to multiple mammalian cancer cell lines, or Gram-positive or -negative bacteria. Nematocidal activity (inhibition of larval development of Haemonchus contortus) detected in the Phoriospongia sp. extract was attributed to 1 (LD₉₉ 31 μg/mL), with preliminary structure–activity relationship investigations confirming the importance of the N-acyl side chain.     

New polyesters from Talaromyces flavus

Six new polyesters, talapolyesters A–F (1–4, 14, and 16), together with 11 known ones 15G256ν (5), 15G256ν-me (6), 15G256π (7), 15G256β-2 (8), 15G256α-2 (9), 15G256α-2-me (10), 15G256ι (11), 15G256β (12), 15G256α (13), 15G256α-1 (15), and 15G256ω (17), were isolated from the wetland soil-derived fungus Talaromyces flavus BYD07-13, and their structures were determined by NMR and MS spectroscopic data. Among them, 1–4 and 16 were assembled in a different manner from that of the known 256 polyesters. All the polyesters are composed of (R)-2,4-dihydroxy-6-(2-hydroxypropyl)benzoic acid and (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid/(S)-3,4-dihydroxybutyric acid residues. The absolute configurations of the residues were determined by alkaline hydrolysis. The cytotoxicity against five tumor cell lines of these compounds was examined, and a tight structure–activity relationship is proposed.     

Enhanced detectability of fluorinated derivatives of N,N-dialkylamino alcohols and precursors of nitrogen mustards by gas chromatography coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis for verification of chemical weapons convention

N,N-Dialkylamino alcohols, N-methyldiethanolamine, N  -ethyldiethanolamine and triethanolamine are the precursors of VX type nerve agents and three different nitrogen mustards respectively. Their detection and identification is of paramount importance for verification analysis of chemical weapons convention. GC–FTIR is used as complimentary technique to GC–MS analysis for identification of these analytes. One constraint of GC–FTIR, its low sensitivity, was overcome by converting the analytes to their fluorinated derivatives. Owing to high absorptivity in IR region, these derivatives facilitated their detection by GC–FTIR analysis. Derivatizing reagents having trimethylsilyl, trifluoroacyl and heptafluorobutyryl groups on imidazole moiety were screened. Derivatives formed there were analyzed by GC–FTIR quantitatively. Of these reagents studied, heptafluorobutyrylimidazole (HFBI) produced the greatest increase in sensitivity by GC–FTIR detection. 60–125 folds of sensitivity enhancement were observed for the analytes by HFBI derivatization. Absorbance due to various functional groups responsible for enhanced sensitivity were compared by determining their corresponding relative molar extinction coefficients (ε^′_max${{\epsilon }^{\prime }}_{\text{max}}$) considering uniform optical path length. The RSDs for intraday repeatability and interday reproducibility for various derivatives were 0.2–1.1% and 0.3–1.8%. Limit of detection (LOD) was achieved up to 10–15 ng and applicability of the method was tested with unknown samples obtained in international proficiency tests.     

Novel benzo[e][1,2]thiazine derivatives, synthesis and reactions

New benzo[e][1,2]thiazine derivatives are described. The synthetic route to N-alkyl benzothiazinones, involving protection-deprotection steps is developed and their reactivity is investigated. Novel β-aminovinylketones, hydroxymethylene ketones and pyrazolobenzothiazines are obtained.