Combining two-directional synthesis and tandem reactions: a short formal synthesis of halichlorine

A short and efficient synthesis of an advanced intermediate (1) in the Clive route to halichlorine has been achieved in 12 steps and 13.2% yield by a combined two-directional synthesis/tandem reaction strategy.     

Combining two-directional synthesis and tandem reactions: desymmetrisation by intramolecular cycloaddition/triazoline fragmentation

A tandem azide formation/intramolecular cycloaddition/triazoline fragmentation/Michael addition, which results in a non-symmetrical quinolizidine from an acyclic symmetrical precursor, is presented.     

Combining two-directional synthesis and tandem reactions. Part 4: A concise approach to the spirocyclic core of halichlorine and the pinnaic acids

A synthesis of the spirocyclic core structure of halichlorine, an inhibitor of the induced expression of VCAM-1 and the pinnaic acids, inhibitors of PLA₂, is presented. A two-directional strategy is employed, in conjunction with a tandem oxime formation/Michael addition/cycloaddition to form the key azaspirocyclic skeleton in a very direct manner.     

Combining two-directional synthesis and tandem reactions: an efficient strategy for the total syntheses of (+/-)-hippodamine and (+/-)-epi-hippodamine

Two-directional total stereoselective syntheses of (+/-)-hippodamine and (+/-)-epi-hippodamine, utilising a tandem deprotection/intramolecular double Michael addition sequence as the key step, are presented.     

Enantioselective organocatalytic tandem Michael-Aldol reactions: one-pot synthesis of chiral thiochromenes

A highly enantioselective (S) diphenylpyrrolinol silyl ether promoted tandem Michael-aldol reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with 2-mercaptobenzaldehydes has been developed. The method affords one-pot access to chiral and synthetically useful thiochromenes in high yields and high enantioselectivities from readily available compounds.     

Efficient synthesis of isothiocyanates based on the tandem Staudinger/aza-Wittig reactions and mechanistic consideration of the tandem reactions

The tandem and stepwise Staudinger/aza-Wittig reactions of several azides were examined in detail. The tandem reaction method (Method I) exhibited superior results in the yield of the corresponding isothiocyanates bearing an electron-withdrawing group than the conventional stepwise method (Method II) which involves the sequential treatment of the azides with triphenylphosphine and then carbondisulfide. The mechanistic consideration for both reaction methods was proposed on the basis of the 1H-NMR analyses.     

A two-directional synthesis of (+/-)-perhydrohistrionicotoxin

An entirely two-directional synthesis of (+/-)-perhydrohistrionicotoxin is presented, utilizing a tandem oxime formation/Michael addition/[3 + 2] cycloaddition as the key step. This approach also constitutes formal syntheses of (+/-)-histrionicotoxin and (+/-)-histrionicotoxin 235A.     

Efficient synthesis of diarylidene octahydroacridines by one-pot multi-component tandem reactions

A one-pot multi-component reaction is developed for the efficient synthesis of 4,5-dibenzylidene octahydroacridines in high yields. The reaction is performed by the tandem reaction of three molar equivalent aromatic aldehydes with two molar equivalent 4-alkylcyclohexanone in the system of NH₄OAc/HOAc under microwave irradiation.      

A two-directional approach to the anatoxin alkaloids: second synthesis of homoanatoxin and efficient synthesis of anatoxin-a

Total syntheses of the potent neurotoxins, environmental hazards, and biochemical probes anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin have been achieved from a common intermediate using a combined two-directional synthesis-tandem reaction strategy which includes key advances in oxidative desymmetrisation, tandem Michael-intramolecular Mannich cyclisations and a new method for deprotection of N-tosyl anatoxin-a.     

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of acyclic arrays by tandem 1,4-addition-aldol reactions

Herein, we report efficient acyclic stereocontrol in tandem 1,4-addition-aldol reactions triggered by catalytic asymmetric organometallic addition. Grignard reagents add to alpha,beta-unsaturated thioesters in a 1,4-fashion and the resulting magnesium enolates are trapped with aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes. The process provides a range of tandem products bearing three contiguous stereocenters with excellent control of relative and absolute stereochemistry. The various diastereomeric products have been fully characterized using single-crystal X-ray analysis and the origins of stereocontrol in this tandem protocol are discussed. The versatility and efficiency of this methodology are demonstrated in the first catalytic asymmetric synthesis of (-)-phaseolinic acid with 54% overall yield via a short and concise route.     

Microwave-assisted tandem reactions for the synthesis of 2-hydrazolyl-4-thiazolidinones

A tandem method for the synthesis of 2-hydrazolyl-4-thiazolidinones (5) from commercially available materials in a 3-component reaction has been developed. The reaction connects aldehydes, thiosemicarbazides, and maleic anhydride, effectively assisted by microwave irradiation. The synthesis of a new type of compound, 2-hydrazolyl-5,5-diphenyl-4-thiazolidinone (7), obtained by treatment of thiosemicarbazone with benzil in basic media is also reported. HOMO/LUMO energies, orbital coefficients, and charge distribution were used to explain the proposed reaction mechanism.     

Regioselective synthesis of mono- and bis-decahydrobenzocarbazoles via tandem reactions of α-diazo ketones

Regioselective intermolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of rhodium generated carbonyl ylides with indoles are reported in this paper. Intermolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of five-membered-ring cyclic carbonyl ylides with indole and substituted indoles afforded hexahydro-2H-carbazol-2-ones in a regioselective manner. Similarly, reactions of cyclic carbonyl ylides were carried out to afford decahydrobenzo[c]carbazoles or decahydrocyclopenta[c]carbazoles with high regioselectivity. Interestingly, the other possible regioisomer decahydrobenzo[a]carbazoles were also obtained by the reaction of cyclic carbonyl ylides and indoles having electron withdrawing substituents. The structure and stereochemistry of regioisomers 6,11c-epoxy-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,11b,11c-decahydro-4a-methyl-5-oxo-7H-benzo[c]carbazole and 11-benzenesulfonyl-6,11b-epoxy-2,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,11,11a,11b-decahydro-4a-methyl-5-oxo-1H-benzo[a]carbazole were unequivocally corroborated by single-crystal X-ray analyses. To advance this study, regioselective double 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of five-membered-ring cyclic carbonyl ylides has been demonstrated for the first time with biindoles having various aryl and alkyl spacers. This process constructed up to eight stereocenters, four carbon-carbon and two carbon-oxygen bonds in a single step with an excellent molecular complexity and stereoselectivity.     

Generation and tandem reactions of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallics: practical and versatile reagents for organic synthesis

A practical and straightforward method for generation of versatile 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates and their application to construction of functionalized building blocks are disclosed. Beginning with readily available air-stable 1-alkynyl-1-boronate esters, hydroboration with dicyclohexylborane generates 1-alkenyl-1,1-diboro species. In situ transmetallation with dialkylzinc reagents furnishes 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates. Direct treatment with aldehydes followed by workup allows isolation of B(pin)-substituted allylic alcohols in 70-95% yield. The B(pin)-substituted allylic alcohols react with NBS to afford (E)-alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes in 51-77% yield via a semipinacol-type rearrangement. In situ treatment of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates with aldehydes followed by TBHP oxidation enables the preparation of alpha-hydroxy ketones. Under optimized conditions, addition of 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates to a variety of protected alpha- and beta-hydroxy aldehydes proceeds with good to excellent control over diastereoselectivity to furnish differentially protected dihydroxy ketones. The 1-alkenyl-1,1-heterobimetallic intermediates have also been employed in tandem aldehyde addition/Suzuki cross-coupling reactions to provide densely functionalized allylic alcohols in good to excellent yields.     

A two-directional approach to enantiopure 1,4-difluoro-cyclohexenes: synthesis of difluorinated cyclitol analogues

Enantiopure 1,4-difluoro-cyclohexenes were prepared from readily available acetonide-protected (3 S,4 S)-hexa-1,5-diene-3,4-diol. In a two-directional mode, a double cross-metathesis reaction using allyltrimethylsilane as the olefinic partner, followed by electrophilic fluorination, afforded diastereomeric acetonide-protected 3,6-difluoro-octa-1,7-diene-4,5-diols. These dienes were found to be suitable substrates for ring-closing metathesis, delivering cyclohexenes featuring fluorine atoms on the two allylic positions flanking the double bond. Upon dihydroxylation, novel difluorinated cyclitol analogues were formed.     

Copper-mediated oxidative tandem reactions with molecular oxygen: synthesis of 2-arylbenzoxazinone derivatives from indoles

We developed an efficient method for the transformation of indoles by utilizing a copper catalyst and molecular oxygen as the oxidant. The transformation involves a tandem oxidative process of 2-arylindoles. Our reaction afforded a variety of N-benzoyl anthranilic acids and benzoxazinones. Our investigation revealed that the choice of solvent and additives is critical in these reactions.     

Simple and one-pot protocol for synthesis of indene-spiro-oxindoles involving tandem Prins and Friedel-Crafts reactions

[reaction: see text] A simple and one-pot protocol for the synthesis of indene-spiro-oxindole derivatives via TiCl4-mediated reaction between 1,1-diarylethylenes and isatin derivatives involving construction of two carbon-carbon bonds through tandem Prins and intramolecular Friedel-Crafts (PFC) reactions has been described. A plausible mechanism for this transformation is also presented.     

Novel tandem multi-component reactions in the stereoselective synthesis of highly functionalised pyrrolidines

The four-component reaction of ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate with aromatic aldehydes and ammonium acetate in a 1:2:1 molar ratio provided a simple and rapid access to highly functionalised pyrrolidines, ethyl 1-acetyl-4-hydroxy-5-[hydroxy(aryl)methyl]-2-aryl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylates stereoselectively. This transformation presumably occurs via a tandem Mannich-substitution-acetylation-aldol sequence of reactions.     

A two-directional strategy for the diversity-oriented synthesis of macrocyclic scaffolds

Macrocyclic compounds represent a structural class with exceptional potential for biological activity; however, they have historically been underrepresented in screening collections and synthetic libraries. In this article we report the development of a highly step-efficient strategy for the diversity-oriented synthesis of complex macrocyclic architectures, using a modular approach based on the two-directional synthesis of bifunctional linear precursors and their subsequent combination in a two-directional macrocyclisation process. In this proof of principle study, the synthesis of 14 such compounds was achieved. Cheminformatic analysis of the compounds produced suggests that they reside in biologically relevant regions of chemical space and the compounds were screened for activity against two cancer cell lines.