A concise approach for the total synthesis of pseudolaric acid A

A new strategy for the stereoselective total synthesis of natural product pseudolaric acid A (1) was accomplished in 16 steps from commercially available starting material, featuring a samarium diiodide (SmI(2))-mediated intramolecular alkene-ketyl radical cyclization and a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction to stereoselectively cast the unusual trans-fused [5-7]-bicyclic core of pseudolaric acid A (1).     

Synthetic studies on pseudolaric acid B:Enantioselective synthesis of C4,C10-di-epi-trans-fused[5-7]-bicyclic skeleton

Studies on the synthesis of antifungal and anticancer natural product,pseudolaric acid B,have led to the enantioselective synthesis of di-epi-trans-fused [5-7]-bicyclic co re skeleton.The synthesis was achieved in 10 linear steps,which features the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation,cyanide-opening reaction of epoxide,and intramolecular [5+2] cycloaddition reaction as the key transformations.The stereochemistry was determined by the X-ray crystallographic analysis.     

A rhodium carbene cyclization-cycloaddition cascade strategy toward the pseudolaric acids

A rhodium carbene intramolecular cyclization-cycloaddition cascade was employed as the key reaction in the synthesis of the nucleus of the cytotoxic diterpenoids pseudolaric acids A and B.     

Total synthesis of (-)-pseudolaric acid B

We report a full account of our work toward the total synthesis of pseudolaric acid B (1a), a diterpene acid isolated from the bark of Pseudolarix kaempferi Gordon (pinaceae). Compound 1a is an antifungal and antifertility agent. Furthermore, its capacity for inhibiting tubulin polymerization makes it a potential lead for cancer therapy. Herein, we describe the use of a Ru- or Rh-catalyzed [5 + 2] intramolecular cycloaddition reaction of an alkyne and a vinylcyclopropane for the construction of the polyhydroazulene core of the molecule. Our first unsuccessful strategy for the introduction of the quaternary center based on an epoxide opening with cyanide led to the discovery of a new TBAF-mediated isomerization of a 1,4-diene to a 1,3-diene and a vinylogous eliminative opening of an epoxide to form a dienol. Our second strategy, based on the cyclization of an alkoxycarbonyl radical upon a diene system, succeeded in forming the quaternary center. Detailed studies showed the dependence of this underutilized approach for the synthesis of lactones on substrate structure and reaction conditions. In the late stage of the synthesis, the unique capacity of cerium organometallic reagents to add to a sensitive, sterically hindered ketone was demonstrated. The easy formation of an oxo-bridged derivative was the major hurdle to the completion of the synthesis and showcased the intriguing reactivity of the complex core of the pseudolaric acids.     

Construction of the Core of Pseudolaric Acid A and Mechanistic Studies on Intramolecular [4+3] Cycloaddition

Pseudolaric acid A (1), which exhibits antifungal activity, cytotoxicity against several tumor cell lines in vitro, as well as contraceptive effects in mice, is a diterpenoid compound isolated from Pseudolarix Kaemferi1. The unusual structural feature in this molecule is a trans arrangement of the lactone and acetoxy group at the fused junction of 5, 7-fused ring skeleton bearing four contiguous stereogenic centers. The synthetic challenges posed by these structural elements in a rather compa…     

Involvement of JNK-initiated p53 accumulation and phosphorylation of p53 in pseudolaric acid B induced cell death

A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to determine that apoptosis causes HeLa cell death induced by pseudolaric acid B. The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 decreased p53 protein expression during exposure to pseudolaric acid B. SP600125 decreased the phosphorylation of p53 during pseudolaric acid B exposure, indicating that JNK mediates phosphorylation of p53 during the response to pseudolaric acid B. SP600125 reversed pseudolaric acid B-induced down-regulation of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), and protein kinase C (PKC) was activated by pseudolaric acid B, whereas staurosporine, calphostin C, and H7 partly blocked this effect. These results indicate that p53 is partially regulated by JNK in pseudolaric acid B-induced HeLa cell death and that PKC participates in pseudolaric acid B-induced HeLa cell death.     

Pseudolaric acid B induces apoptosis via activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and caspase-3 in HeLa cells

Pseudolaric acid B was isolated from Pseudolarix kaempferi Gordon (Pinaceae) and was evaluated for the anti-cancer effect in HeLa cells. We ob-served that pseudolaric acid B inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. HeLa cells treated with pseudolaric acid B showed typical characteristics of apoptosis including the morphological changes and DNA fragmentation. JNK inhibitor, SP600125,markedly inhibited pseudolaric acid B-induced celldeath. In addition, Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated while Bax protein level was up-regulated.Caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk, partially blocked pseudolaric acid B-induced cell death, and the expression of two classical caspase substrates,PARP and ICAD, were both decreased in a time-dependent manner, indicative of downstream cas-pase activation.     

Synthesis and applications of angular acyl-substituted azulenones: formal synthesis of (±)-acorenol and facile access to the hydroazulene core of pseudolaric acid

Azulenones with an angular acyl substituent were synthesized by the reactions of 2-aryl-2-chloroacylketenes with phenylthioacetylene or ethoxyethyne. Acyl-substituted azulenones with a methoxy group in the cycloheptatriene moiety could be rearranged to spiro[4.5] compounds. Spiro[4.5] and bicyclo[5.3.0]decane ring systems were constructed en route to a formal synthesis of (±)-acorenol and synthesis of the hydroazulene core of pseudolaric acid, respectively.     

土槿皮新二萜成分的研究 IV: 土槿丁酸和土槿戊酸的分离和结构测定

从土槿皮(Pseudolarix kaempferi, Gord.)中分离到两个新二萜酸, 命名为土槿丁酸(1)和土槿戊酸(2), 经理化性质和对它们的IR、^1H NMR、^1^3C NMR、MS数据的分析, 鉴定1为 18-羟-对映-贝壳杉-15-烯-17-羧酸; 2为对映-贝壳杉-15-烯-17, 18-二羧酸. 1的结构经X衍射得到了证实.     

Rapid analysis of pseudolaric acids in Cortex Pseudolaricis and related medicinal products by high performance liquid chromatography

A simple, rapid, reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the quantitative analysis of pseudolaric acids in Cortex Pseudolaricis and its related medicinal products. With a C₁₈ analytical column (4.6 mm × 150 mm i.d.), five pseudolaric acids, namely pseudolaric acids A-C, pseudolaric acid A-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and pseudolaric acid B-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, were well separated within 7 min. Acetonitrile and 0.10% acetic acid were used as the mobile phase in a gradient program. The UV detection wavelength was set at 260 nm. The detection limits and quantification limits ranged in 8.26-16.66 ng/ml and 27.54-55.53 ng/ml, respectively. The intra- and inter-day variations were less than 1% for all five compounds. The recovery of all spiked pseudolaric acids ranged from 99.1% to 101.9%. Compared to existing analytical methods, this new method not only used two more important chemical markers but also provided a fivefold reduction in analysis time. In addition, the extraction method of herb sample was also modified by an orthogonal array experiment on three variable parameters: extraction time, solvent volume, and extraction cycles. The optimized extraction method was much simpler and could be efficiently used to analyse large set of herbal materials and related medicinal products. Nineteen herb samples collected from different regions of China and five related products were examined with this new analytical method. The results showed that this method is effective in distinguishing adulterants and unqualified products.     

Convergent Synthesis of (−)‐Quinocarcin Based on the Combination of Sonogashira Coupling and Gold(I)‐Catalyzed 6‐endo‐dig Hydroamination

The total synthesis of the pentacyclic tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid quinocarcin, which possesses intriguing structural and biological features, has been achieved through a gold(I)‐catalyzed regioselective hydroamination reaction. It is noteworthy that the regioselectivity of the intramolecular hydroamination of an unsymmetrical alkyne could be completely switched through substrate control. Other key features of this synthesis include the highly stereoselective synthesis of 2,5‐cis‐pyrrolidine through the intramolecular amination of the bromoallene and the Lewis acid mediated ring opening of dihydrobenzofuran.     

A new route for the synthesis of indolizidine (−)-209D: excellent diastereoselectivity in the intramolecular hydroamination of alkynes

A highly efficient synthesis of indolizidine (−)-209D I has been accomplished. The key reaction in the synthesis is the palladium(0)/benzoic acid catalyzed intramolecular hydroamination of the ε-amino alkyne 6. The excellent diastereoselectivity in the intramolecular hydroamination is discussed on the basis of the proposed transition state.     

Efficient synthesis of highly substituted Pyrrolin-4-ones via PIFA-mediated cyclization reactions of enaminones

A convenient and efficient synthesis of highly substituted pyrrolin-4-ones is developed via the PIFA-mediated cyclization reactions of readily available enaminones, and a mechanism involving sequential cleavage of N-C bond, formation of new N-C bond, intramolecular addition reaction, and benzilic acid type rearrangement is proposed.     

Total synthesis of (+)-tubelactomicin A. 1. Stereoselective synthesis of the lower-half segment by an intramolecular Diels-Alder approach

[reaction: see text]. Starting from diethyl (R)-malate, synthesis of the lower-half segment of (+)-tubelactomicin A, a 16-membered macrolide antibiotic, has been achieved. The synthesis involved the highly endo- and pi-facial selective intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction achieved using a trisubstituted methacrolein derivative tethering a 10-carbon dienyne unit at the beta-carbon, which in turn was prepared from a known allylated malic acid derivative.     

Total Synthesis of (−)‐Ophiodilactone A and (−)‐Ophiodilactone B

The first asymmetric total synthesis of (?)‐ophiodilactone A and (?)‐ophiodilactone B, isolated from the ophiuroid (Ophiocoma scolopendrina), is reported. The key features of the synthesis include the highly stereocontrolled construction of the structurally congested γ‐lactone/δ‐lactone skeleton through an asymmetric epoxidation, diastereoselective iodolactonization, and intramolecular epoxide‐opening with a carboxylic acid, and biomimetic radical cyclization of ophiodilactone A to ophiodilactone B.     

First total synthesis of ent-gelsedine via a novel iodide-promoted allene N-acyliminium ion cyclization

The first total synthesis of the oxindole alkaloid gelsedine (1) starting from (S)-malic acid is described. The key step is a novel iodide-promoted intramolecular reaction of an allene with an N-acyliminium ion intermediate which provided in a single step the bicyclic vinyl iodide 11. Other important steps are the highly stereoselective Pd-catalyzed Heck cyclization of N-methylanilide 23a which led to the desired spiro-oxindole 24a, the fully regioselective intramolecular oxymercuration of 25a to the desired cyclic ether, and the remarkable oxindole N-demethylation of 29 via a radical mechanism by using dibenzoyl peroxide. The total synthesis was concluded by the stereoselective introduction of the ethyl group from the bis-Boc compound 41 followed by methoxylation of the oxindole nitrogen. This total synthesis leads to the unnatural (+)-enantiomer of gelsedine in 21 steps and 0.10% overall yield.     

An efficient and enantioselective approach to the azaspirocyclic core of alkaloids: formal synthesis of halichlorine and pinnaic acid

A novel, highly stereoselective synthesis of an azaspirocyclic core, which contains four stereogenic carbons consistent with structures of natural halichlorine and pinnaic acid, is presented. Lipase PS-catalyzed selective acylation, asymmetric methylation on the alpha-methylene of the bicyclic lactone, and an asymmetric Michael addition of the tertiary nitro cyclopentane were concisely used to conquer the challenging problem of successfully constructing the C9 quarternary carbon center with complete stereocontrol. The spiropiperidine ring was formed by reduction of the delta-nitroketone, intramolecular condensation, and then highly stereoselective reduction of the cyclic nitrone with NaBH(4). This spirocyclic core is a key intermediate in Danishefsky's synthesis of pinnaic acid and halichlorine.     

Novel synthetic approach to 6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[1,5-a]-pyrazin-8-ones

[reaction: see text] A novel route to highly substituted chiral 6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[1,5-a]pyrazine-8-ones starting from Meldrum's acid is disclosed. The key features of the methodology are the incorporation of amino esters as a chiral pool and facile mild intramolecular cyclization to form the pyrazine ring. Incorporation of various substituents at different stages of the synthesis from various building block sets makes this methodology readily amenable to parallel synthesis.     

Intramolecular Diels-Alder/Tsuji allylation assembly of the functionalized trans-decalin of salvinorin A

An enantioselective synthesis of the highly functionalized trans-decalin core (2) of salvinorin A is described. The tetraene 4 was synthesized in six steps from a known L-(+)-tartaric acid derivative. Three contiguous stereocenters, two of them quaternary, on the trans-decalin were established asymmetrically by an intramolecular Diels-Alder/Tsuji allylation sequence.     

Total Synthesis of (±)-Hirsutene via Pd-Promoted Cycloalkenylation Reaction

Beginning with trans-2-methyl-4-cyclohexenecarboxylic acid (9), a total synthesis of linear triquinane sesquiterpene (±)-hirsutene (1) has been accomplished. An acid catalyzed intramolecular conjugate addition (7→6a) and a Pd²⁺-promoted highly stereocontrolled cyclization (5→4) were utilized for the key step of the sequence. Interestingly, some synthetic intermediates exhibited cytotoxicity.