Facile and Efficient Synthesis of (R)‐4‐(Benzyloxy)‐3‐methylbutanenitrile: Toward Developing a Versatile Chiral Building Block

A practical synthesis of (R)‐4‐(benzyloxy)‐3‐methylbutanenitrile, a potential chiral building block, from the corresponding α‐keto ester in high yield and large scale was presented.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of (−)‐(R)‐Cordiachromene and (−)‐(R)‐Dictyochromenol Utilizing Intramolecular SNAr Reaction

A simple and efficient enantioselective synthesis of chromene, (?)‐(R)‐cordiachromene ( 1 ), and (?)‐(R)‐dictyochromenol ( 2 ) has been accomplished. This convergent synthesis utilizes intramolecular S_NAr reaction for the formation of chroman ring, and Seebach's method of ‘self‐reproduction of chirality’ should establish the (R)‐configuration of the C(2) side chain as key steps.     

The chiral bioconversion and preclinical pharmacokinetic analysis of (R)‐(+)‐rabeprazole in beagle dogs by HPLC and HPLC‐MS/MS

In order to accurately investigate the preclinical pharmacokinetics of (R)‐(+)‐rabeprazole sodium injection, a reliable high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed using a Chiral‐AGP column to prove that there is no chiral bioconversion of (R)‐(+)‐rabeprazole to (S)‐(?)‐rabeprazole in beagle dogs after single intravenous administration of (R)‐(+)‐rabeprazole sodium injection. An HPLC–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS) method for analysis of (R)‐(+)‐rabeprazole was developed and validated, and used to acquire the pharmacokinetic parameters in beagle dogs. (R)‐(+)‐Rabeprazole and internal standard omeprazole were extracted from plasma samples by protein precipitation and separated on a C₁₈ column using methanol–5 mm ammonium acetate as mobile phase. Detection was performed using a turbo‐spray ionization source and mass spectrometric positive multi‐reaction monitoring mode. The linear relationship was achieved in the range from 2.5 to 5000 ng/mL. The method also afforded satisfactory results in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and recovery as well as the stability of the analyte under various conditions, and was successfully applied to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in beagle dogs after single intravenous administrations of (R)‐(+)‐rabeprazole sodium injection at 0.33, 2 and 6 mg/kg. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Efficient Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Bioactive (3R,5R)‐1‐(4‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐phenylheptane‐3,5‐diol via Asymmetric Aldol Reaction

An efficient stereoselective total synthesis of (3R,5R)‐1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐phenylheptane‐3,5‐diol ( 1 ) is reported based on the Mukaiyama aldol reaction. The total synthesis of compound 1 was accomplished with 30% overall yield in simple eight steps from commercially available trans‐cinnamaldehyde.     

Alkyne‐Mediated Approach to the Synthesis of (4R,5R)‐5‐Hydroxy‐4‐decanolide and (−)‐Muricatacin

The asymmetric synthesis of two naturally occurring 5‐hydroxy‐γ‐butyrolactones, (4R,5R)‐5‐hydroxy‐4‐decanolide ( 1a ) and (?)‐muricatacin ( 2 ), is described using a general alkyne‐mediated strategy. The key steps involved are Sonogashira coupling for the desired carbon‐chain extension followed by Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation to construct the hydroxy‐lactone framework.     

A Facile Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure (R)‐6‐Arylbinols

This work reported a convenient method for the preparation of enantiomerically pure 6‐aryl‐2,2′‐dihydroxy‐1,1′‐binaphthyl derivatives starting from the commercially available (R)‐2,2′‐hydroxy‐1,1′‐binaphthyl [(R)‐ 1 ] via bromination, hydrolysis and Suzuki cross coupling reaction. This novel synthetic method was characterized with high regioselectivity, simple operation, mild reaction conditions, and excellent yield (up to 73%). On the other hand, we synthesized the target unknown compounds, which were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS and elementary analysis.     

Synthesis of (‐)‐herbertenediol and (aR,aS)‐mastigophorenes A via asymmetric intramolecular heck coupling reaction

Total enantioselective synthesis of the natural (‐)‐Herbertenediol (1) was accomplished in eleven steps with an overall yield of 15% starting from the 2‐methoxy‐4‐methyl‐phenol. The total synthesis features asymmetric intramolecular Heck reaction and Wolff‐Kishner‐Huang reduction. (aR, aS)‐Mastigophorenes A was also synthesized through the oxidative coupling reaction.     

Exaltone® (=Cyclopentadecanone) from Isomuscone® (=Cyclohexadecanone), a One‐C‐Atom Ring‐Contraction Methodology via a Stereospecific Favorskii Rearrangement: Regioselective Application to (−)‐(R)‐Muscone

Treatment of cyclohexadecanone ( 1g ; with I₂ (2.2 mol‐euqiv.) and KOH in MeOH) furnished the unsaturated (Z)‐ester 2g in 83% yield, via a stereospecific Favorskii rearrangement (Scheme 1). Further treatment with 3‐chloroperbenzoic acid (m‐CPBA) afforded the unreported epoxy ester 3g (88% yield), which was cleaved in 33% yield to Exaltone^® (=cyclopentadecanone; 1f ) with NaOH in MeOH/H₂O and then HCl at 65°. This methodology was similarly extended to higher (C₁₇) and lower (C₁₅ to C₁₁) cyclic ketone analogues, as well as regioselectively to (?)‐(R)‐muscone ( 5c ) and homomuscone ( 5f ) (Scheme 2). Olfactive properties of the corresponding macrocyclic 1‐oxaspiro[2,n]alkanes and ‐alkenes 4 and 8 , resulting from a Corey? Chaykovsky oxiranylation, are also presented.     

Enantiospecific Synthesis of (R)‐3‐Amino‐4‐(2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)butanoic Acid Using (S)‐Serine as a Chiral Pool

Starting from (S)‐serine, a new method was developed for the synthesis of the β‐amino acid part of sitagliptin in ten steps and with an overall yield of 30%. The crucial step of the synthesis was the ring opening of N‐ and O‐protected (R)‐aziridin‐2‐methanol with (2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)magnesium bromide to give N‐ and O‐protected (R)‐2‐amino‐3‐(2,4,5‐trifluorophenyl)propan‐1‐ol.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of (−)‐(19R)‐Ibogamin‐19‐ol

The first total synthesis of the natural product (?)‐(19R)‐ibogamin‐19‐ol ((?)‐ 1 ) is reported (biogenetic atom numbering). Starting with L ‐glutamic acid from the chiral pool and (2S)‐but‐3‐en‐2‐ol, the crucial aliphatic isoquinuclidine (= 2‐azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) core containing the entire configurational information of the final target was prepared in 15 steps (overall yield: 15%). The two key steps involved a highly effective, self‐immolating chirality transfer in an Ireland–Claisen rearrangement and an intramolecular nitrone‐olefin 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition reaction (Scheme 3). Onto this aliphatic core was grafted the aromatic moiety in the form of N(1)‐protected 1H‐indole‐3‐acetic acid by application of the dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) method (Scheme 4). Four additional steps were required to adjust the substitution pattern at C(16) and to deprotect the indole subunit for the closure of the crucial 7‐membered ring present in the targeted alkaloid family (Schemes 4 and 5). The spectral and chiroptical properties of the final product (?)‐ 1 matched the ones reported for the naturally occurring alkaloid, which had been isolated from Tabernaemonatana quadrangularis in 1980. The overall yield of the entire synthesis involving a linear string of 20 steps amounted to 1.9% (average yield per step: 82%).     

Total Synthesis of (R,R,R)‐γ‐Tocopherol through Cu‐Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,2‐Addition

Based on the asymmetric copper‐catalyzed 1,2‐addition of Grignard reagents to ketones, (R,R,R)‐γ‐tocopherol has been synthesized in 36 % yield over 12 steps (longest linear sequence). The chiral center in the chroman ring was constructed with 73 % ee by the 1,2‐addition of a phytol‐derived Grignard reagent to an α‐bromo enone prepared from 2,3‐dimethylquinone.     

The First Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Naturally Occurring,Bioactive (3R,5R)‐1‐(4‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐phenylheptane‐3,5‐diol and the Synthesis of Its Enantiomer

The first stereoselective total synthesis of the naturally occurring anti‐emetic diarylheptanoid (3R,5R)‐1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐phenylheptane‐3,5‐diol ( 1 ) was accomplished starting from 4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and involving a Sharpless kinetic resolution and an asymmetric epoxidation as the key steps (Scheme 2). The enantiomer 1a of this compound was also simultaneously prepared.     

Photochemical Reactions of Regioisomeric 2,2‐Dimethyl‐5,5‐diphenyl‐ and 5,5‐Dimethyl‐2,2‐diphenyl‐Substituted Diazo Ketones of a Tetrahydrofuran Series

The principal direction of conventional photolysis of the regioisomeric 2,2‐dimethyl‐5,5‐diphenyl‐ and 5,5‐dimethyl‐2,2‐diphenyl‐substituted 4‐diazodihydrofuran‐3(2H)‐ones 1a and 1b , respectively, is the Wolff rearrangement, while other photochemical processes, which are giving rise to the formation of C? H‐insertion, 1,2‐alkyl‐ or ‐aryl‐shifts, as well as H‐atom‐abstraction products occur to a much lower degree (Schemes 2 and 3). The ratio of similar reaction products from both regioisomers 1a and 1b is essentially independent of their structure, and a substantial effect of the relative position of the Ph and diazo group to each other on the yield of C? H‐insertion products does not occur. Based on stereochemical considerations, the Wolff rearrangement of diazodihydrofuran‐3(2H)‐ones apparently proceeds in a concerted manner, whereas the appearance in the reaction mixture of 1,2‐shift and H‐atom‐abstraction products points to the parallel generation during photolysis of singlet and triplet carbenes (Schemes 4 and 5).     

A Facile Solid‐Phase Synthesis of (+)‐(S)‐Clopidogrel

Enantiomerically pure (+)‐(S)‐clopidogrel was prepared by solid‐phase synthesis using the commercially available Wang resin. This method offers mild reaction conditions and provides the (+)‐(S)‐clopidogrel in overall 52% yield over six steps and with optical purity of 98.0% ee.     

Synthesis of (4R)-Methylnonan-1-ol and (4R,8RS)-Dimethyldecanal from (S)-(+)-3,7-Dimethyl-1,6-octadiene

Optically active (4R,8RS)-dimethyldecanal, an analog of the aggregation pheromone of the flour beetles Tribolium confusum and T. Castaneum, and (4R)-methylnonan-1-ol, the sex pheromone of the yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor L., are synthesized using ozonolytic transformation of (6R,10)-dimethyl-9-undecen-2-one to (6R)-methyl-9-hydroxynonan-2-one in the key step. The starting compound is available as enantiomerically enriched (ee ~50%) (S)-(+)-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene.     

Comparative simulation study of chemical synthesis of energetic (R)‐1,2,4‐butanetriol trinitrate plasticizer

A chemical synthesis method that involved aldol condensation and betenediol epoxidation was designed with the aid of Gaussian 09 and Materials Studio 6.0 software to accomplish simulation of the corresponding preparation processes of (R)‐1,2,4‐butanetriol trinitrate (BTTN) and its crucial (R)‐1,2,4‐butanetriol (BT) precursor. The aim of this work was to construct a comparative model that closely approached the real reaction environment. By regulation of the reaction temperature and reagent concentration, and employing detailed kinetics analysis and thermodynamic equilibrium computation, we aimed to explore potential reaction routes and enhance the production yield. The simulation reaction used ethanal and glyoxal as starting materials to obtain (R)‐BTTN, and the computational results revealed that with an increase in reaction temperature, a regular trend of a decrease in the overall energy barrier was observed. For the reaction process of BT preparation via 3‐butene‐1,2‐diol epoxidation, including all exothermic elementary reaction steps, the activation energy of each stage decreased in a stepwise manner, with a simultaneous lowering of the temperature. In summary, controlling the reagent at a concentration of 0.25 M and the reaction temperature at 283 K promoted rapid reaction and a high product yield. The results of this study could be used as a reference when performing laboratory experiments.     

Metal‐Free Tandem Rearrangement/Lactonization: Access to 3,3‐Disubstituted Benzofuran‐2‐(3H)‐ones

A novel metal‐free synthesis of 3,3‐disubstituted benzofuran‐2‐(3H)‐ones through reacting α‐aryl‐α‐diazoacetates with triarylboranes is presented. Initially, triarylboranes were successfully investigated in α‐arylations of α‐diazoacetates, however in the presence of a heteroatom in the ortho position, the boron enolate intermediate undergoes an intramolecular rearrangement to form a quaternary center. The intermediate cyclizes to afford valuable 3,3‐disubstituted benzofuranones in good yields.     

Novel Photo－induced Coupling Reactions of 9－Fluorenylidene－malononitrile or l,l－Diphenyl－2,2－dicyanoethylene with 10－Methyl－9,10－dihydroacridine. A Study on the Photophysics of the Reaction

9‐Fluorenylidenemalononitrile (FDCN) or 1, 1‐diphenyl‐2,2‐dicyanoethylene (DPCN) reacted with 10‐methyl‐9,10‐dihydroacridine (AcrH₂) under irradiation (λ 320 nm) to give couping products. In order to gain further insight into the mechanism of the photo‐induced reaction, the photophysics of the reactions of FDCN or DPCN with AcrH₂ have been investigated by using UV‐vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, excitation spectroscopy and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The results show that FDCN or DPCN interacts with AcrH₂ in the ground states to form a charge transfer complex, which further reacts to give the coupling product upon. irradiation.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)-and (S)-Moprolol

A simple and effective procedure for the enantioselective synthesis of (R)-and (S)-moprolol was described.The key step was the asymmetric synthesis of enantiopure (R)-and (S)-guaifenesin,which were synthesized from enantioenriched (R)-3-chloro-1,2-propanediol and (S)-epichlorohydrin via kinetics of hydrolysis resolution of racemic epichlorohydrin by chiral Salen-CoIIII complex.The e.e.values of both the optical compounds were above 98%,and the chemical structures of the target compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR,13C NMR,IR,and MS.