Synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one as a key intermediate of sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists

Herein we report the asymmetric synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one (S)-3 as a practical chiral synthon for a wide range of pharmaceutical and/or natural products, using Lipshutz’s asymmetric copper-catalyzed conjugate reduction. This method makes it feasible to prepare a conformationally constrained cyclopentane analogue 12, which is one of the key intermediates for the synthesis of novel sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists.     

Asymmetric synthesis of tert-butyl ((1R,4aR,8R,8aR)-1-hydroxyoctahydro-1H-isochromen-8-yl)carbamate

The asymmetric synthesis of methyl (E)-4-((1R,2S,3R)-3-amino-2-((E)-2-methoxycarbonyl-eten-1-yl)cyclohexyl)but-2-enoate 14 has been achieved from dimethyl (2E,7E)-nona-2,7-dienedioate 2. A key step is the asymmetric synthesis of 1-hydroxyoctahydro-1H-isochromene derivative 5 whose X-ray analysis corroborated the stereochemistry of the new stereocenters. The asymmetric synthesis of the isochromenyl acetate derivative 11 shows the potential of this methodology for fused cyclohexanic system heterocyclic synthesis.     

Total synthesis of myxol and deoxymyxol stereoisomers and their application to determining the absolute configurations of the natural products

The total synthesis of myxol stereoisomers 1a,b and deoxymyxol (plectaniaxanthin) stereoisomers 2a,b was accomplished by Wittig reaction of (S)- and (R)-C₁₀-phosphonium salts 8a,b bearing a silyl-protected 1,2-dihydroxy-ψ end group with C₃₀-apocarotenals 6 and 7. The phosphonium salts 8a,b were derived from aldehydes 11a,b possessing a cyclopentylidene ketal moiety, prepared via Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohol 12 followed by regioselective cleavage of the oxirane ring. We established an analytical HPLC method using a chiral column to separate stereoisomers 1a,b and 2a,b and thus determined the absolute configurations of the natural products. The HPLC analyses established that both myxol and deoxymyxol isolated from bacteria have the 2′S-configuration.     

Enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-decursin and related natural compounds using catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of an enone

The enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-decursin (1) and related natural dihydropyranocoumarins (−)-prantschimgin (3), (+)-decursinol (4), and (+)-marmesin (5) were achieved for the first time using catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of an enone as the key step. Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of the enone was effectively promoted by the novel multifunctional asymmetric catalyst generated from La(O-i-Pr)₃, BINOL, and Ph₃AsO in a 1:1:1 ratio to afford epoxide in 94% yield and 96% ee, which was recrystallized to give optically pure epoxide. After conversion to the common key intermediate (−)-peucedanol (7), all natural dihydropyranocoumarins were synthesized through palladium-catalyzed intramolecular C-O coupling reactions. A possible reaction mechanism of the catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of enones is also described based on X-ray analysis, laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, kinetic studies, and asymmetric amplification studies.     

Determination of the absolute structure of albaconol

The concise synthesis of (8aR)-(−)-albaconol (1) from (8aR)-albicanol (2) obtained from the lipase-assisted asymmetric acetylation of rac-2, was achieved in 45% overall yield (eight steps). By comparison of the sign of specific rotation of between synthetic (8aR)-(−)-albaconol (1) and natural (+)-albaconol (1), the absolute structure of natural (+)-1 was determined to be 1R,2R,4aS,8aS configuration.     

Asymmetric synthesis of aerothionin, a marine dimeric spiroisoxazoline natural product, employing optically active spiroisoxazoline derivative

Successful first synthesis of optically pure (+)- and (−)-aerothionins (1) from the racemic spiroisoxazoline derivative 8 has been accomplished. The absolute configuration of natural (+)-1 was determined by comparison of (+)- and (−)-8 with related derivatives.     

Synthesis and absolute configuration of (S)-(+)-chichimol ketone: the defensive secretion of walking stick Agathemera elegans

The first enantioselective synthesis of chichimol ketone (4-methyl-1-hepten-3-one) is described and the absolute configuration of the main semiochemical compound is determined as having an (S)-configuration. The synthesis features the use of a ruthenium catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation reaction to introduce chirality into acid 2. The synthetic chichimol ketone (S)-1 displayed a specific rotation that was in accordance with that of the natural product, thereby supporting the (S) configuration for natural chichimol ketone. To assure the correct stereochemical assignment, (S)-1 was converted in the known ketone (S)-5: the main alarm pheromone of the ant Atta texana that is 400 times more active than its (R)-enantiomers.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (S)-(−)-quinolactacin B

The enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-quinolactacin B (−)-1 was performed in seven steps and 33% overall yield from tryptamine. The synthesis features the use of ruthenium catalytic asymmetric hydrogen reaction to introduce the chirality in dihydro-β-carboline 2. Based on Noyori’s work, the hydrogenation using the (R,R)-TsDPEN-Ru complex produces dihydro-β-carbolines possessing the (S) absolute configuration, the corrected asymmetric center of the natural product. The synthetic quinolactacin B displayed optical rotations that was in accordance with that of the natural product, thereby supporting the (S) configuration for natural quinolactacin B. The final product’s stereochemical assignment is in agreement with that proposed by Nakagawa and co-workers.     

The first total synthesis of (+)-spatol with natural configuration

The first total synthesis of (+)-spatol (1) with natural configuration is described. The important step utilizes the carbon-carbon bond formation with simultaneous epoxide formation by the reaction of optically pure sulfonium ylide (4) and optically pure epoxy aldehyde (5).     

A simple synthesis of (−)-(R)-ipsdienol and (−)-(S)-ipsenol

A short and efficient synthesis of the unnatural enantiomer of (+)-(S)-ipsdienol 1 and (−)-(S)-ipsenol 2 is presented via an asymmetric allylboration. The synthesis was achieved by using a one-pot reduction–methylenation of an exo-methylene lactone intermediate.     

Concise asymmetric total synthesis of lycopodine and flabelliformine via cascade cyclization reaction

The shortest asymmetric total synthesis of lycopodine (3) and the first asymmetric total synthesis of flabelliformine (4) were accomplished by a strategy that features a cascade cyclization of linear substrate (5) to construct tetracyclic structure (6).     

Asymmetric synthesis of (S)-(−)-acromelobinic acid

A total synthesis of (S)-(−)-acromelobinic acid 2, which was isolated from clitocybe acromelalga, was achieved via an asymmetric hydrogenation protocol. Dehydroamino acid derivative 12 was prepared from 2,5-lutidine 5 and subjected to asymmetric hydrogenation using (S,S)-[Rh(Et-DuPHOS)(COD)]BF₄ to give the (S)-(+)-pyridylalanine derivative 13 in 93% yield and >96% e.e. Removal of the protecting groups in (S)-(+)-13 afforded (S)-(−)-acromelobinic acid 2.     

Asymmetric synthesis of L-cyclopentyl carbocyclic nucleosides

Asymmetric synthesis of L-carbocyclic nucleosides, (+)-β-L-aristeromycin (11) and its thymine analog (12) was accomplished. The key intermediate 3 was synthesized by a regioselective conjugate addition to the enone 1 followed by DIBAL-H reduction. Coupling of 4 with heterocycle or construction of heterocyle by a linear approach gave 11 and 12. This is the first asymmetric synthesis of L-cyclopentyl carbocyclic nucleosides.     

Total synthesis of natural products using a desymmetrization strategy

Total syntheses of SB-203207 (1) and sphingofungin E (2) were accomplished by utilizing an asymmetric desymmetrization strategy to introduce multiple stereogenic centers into meso starting compounds in a single step. Thus, rhodium carbenoid-mediated CH insertion into 3 provided the bicyclo[3.3.0]framework 4 for 1, while organocatalyst-mediated bromolactonization of 5 afforded 6 for the synthesis of 2. Similarly, we utilized desymmetric rhodium nitrenoid-mediated aziridination reaction of 5 to obtain a key intermediate required for a total synthesis of pactamycin (29), a complex aminocyclopentitol antibiotic featuring six contiguous stereogenic centers.     

Asymmetric halolactonisation reaction—1 : Asymmetric synthesis of optically active α,α-disubstituted-α-hydroxy acids from α,β-unsaturated acids by the novel use of halolactonisation r

Considering the usefulness of optically active α,α-disubstituted -α -hydroxy acids (1) andα,α- disubstituted-α-hydroxy ketones (2) readily accessible from 1 exploitation of a new asymmetric synthesis of 1 from α,β-unsaturated acids (3) which utilised halolactonisation reaction as its key step, was studied.The asymmetric bromolactonisation of (S) N-(α, β-unsaturated)acylproline((S) 5) derivable from 3 such as tiglic acid (3a) and trans-α methylcinnamic acid (3b), with N-bromosuccinimide in N,N dimethylformamide was found to proceed in a highly stereoselective and regiospecific manner giving a mixture of the two diastereomeric bromolactones (8) in which one diastereomer (8A) was highly predominant. Debromination of 8 followed by acidic hydrolysis readily afforded (R)-1 being 89-98% optically pure.     

Gold catalysis in stereoselective natural product synthesis: (+)-linalool oxide, (−)-isocyclocapitelline, and (−)-isochrysotricine

A stereoselective synthesis of the tetrahydrofuran-containing natural products (2S,5R)-(+)-linalool oxide (1), (−)-isocyclocapitelline (2), and (−)-isochrysotricine (3) is reported. Key steps are the copper-mediated S_N2′-substitution of propargyl oxiranes 7 and the gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of dihydroxyallenes 8/17, resulting in a highly efficient center-to-axis-to-center chirality transfer. The enantioselective total synthesis of (−)-isocyclocapitelline (2) and (−)-isochrysotricine (3) allowed the elucidation of the absolute configuration of these β-carboline natural products.     

Convenient preparation of chiral phase-transfer catalysts with conformationally fixed biphenyl core for catalytic asymmetric synthesis of α-alkyl- and α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids: application to the short asymmetric synthesis of BIRT-377

Chiral phase-transfer catalysts (S)-1a, (S)-1b, and (S)-2 with conformationally fixed biphenyl cores were conveniently prepared from the known, easily available (S)-6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl-2,2′-diol 3 and (S)-4,5,6,4′,5′,6′-hexamethoxybiphenyl-2,2′-dicarboxylic acid 14, respectively, in five steps. The catalysts, (S)-1a and (S)-1b are readily applicable to asymmetric alkylation of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester with excellent enantioselectivity. In particular, catalyst (S)-1b was found to exhibit the unique temperature effect on the enantioselectivity, and asymmetric alkylation of glycine derivatives at room temperature gave higher enantiomeric excess than that at 0 °C. In addition, the catalyst (S)-2 exhibited the high catalytic performance (0.01-1 mol %) in the asymmetric alkylation of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester and N-(p-chlorophenylmethylene)alanine tert-butyl ester compared to the existing chiral phase-transfer catalysts, thereby allowing to realize a general and useful procedure for highly practical enantioselective synthesis of structurally diverse natural and unnatural α-alkyl-α-amino acids as well as α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids. This approach is successfully applied to the short asymmetric synthesis of cell adhesion BIRT-377.     

A practical stereoselective synthesis of (2R,3S)-alloisoleucine

An efficient asymmetric Strecker synthesis of the unnatural α-amino acid, d-alloisoleucine (3), from commercially available and inexpensive (S)-2-methyl-1-butanol (4) was accomplished in four steps.     

Synthesis of the fungal natural product (−)-xylariamide A

The first synthesis of the fungal natural product (−)-xylariamide A 1 is reported. N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide induced coupling of d-tyrosine with (E)-but-2-enedioic acid 2,5-dioxo-pyrrolidin-1-yl ester methyl ester 5 produced the dechloro natural product 6, which was subsequently monochlorinated using oxone and KCl to yield synthetic 1. (−)-Xylariamide A 1, (+)-xylariamide A 2 and (−)-dechloroxylariamide A 6 displayed no cytotoxic or antimicrobial activity.     

Synthesis of (−)-(5R,6S)-6-acetoxyhexadecan-5-olide by l-proline-catalyzed asymmetric aldol reactions

The natural mosquito attractant pheromone, (−)-(5R,6S)-6-acetoxyhexadecan-5-olide 1, was synthesized from readily available aldehyde 3 and cyclopentanone 4 using l-proline catalyzed asymmetric aldol reactions as the key step.