Alkylation of nucleic acids by the antitumor agent COMC

[reaction: see text]. Mass spectral data are presented indicating that the antitumor agent 2-crotonyloxymethyl-2-cyclohexenone (COMC) is capable of alkylating oligonucleotides via a mechanism involving an electrophilic exocyclic enone intermediate. Under physiological conditions, the exocyclic enone is likely the glutathionylated 2-exomethylenecyclohexenone. This supports a recent hypothesis that the antitumor activity of COMC arises from alkylation of nucleic acids and/or proteins critical to cell function and not from competitive inhibition of glyoxalase I by an adduct of COMC and glutathione.     

Diastereoselective cycloreductions and cycloadditions catalyzed by Co(dpm)(2)-silane (dpm = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate): mechanism and partitioning of hydrometallative versus anion radical pathways

In the presence of phenylsilane and 5 mol % cobalt(II) bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionate), aryl-substituted monoenone monoaldehydes and bis(enones) undergo reductive cyclization to afford syn-aldol and anti-Michael products, respectively. For both aldol and Michael cycloreductions, five- and six-membered ring formation occurs in good yield with high levels of diastereoselectivity. Cycloreduction of monoenone monoaldehyde 1a in the presence of d(3)-phenylsilane reveals incorporation of a single deuterium at the enone beta-position as an equimolar mixture of epimers, inferring rapid isomerization of the kinetically formed cobalt enolate prior to cyclization. The deuterated product was characterized by single-crystal neutron diffraction analysis. For bis(enone) substrates, modulation of the silane source enables partitioning of the competitive Michael cycloreduction and [2 + 2] cycloaddition manifolds. A study of para-substituted acetophenone-derived bis(enones) reveals that substrate electronic features also direct partitioning of cycloreduction and cycloaddition manifolds. Further mechanistic insight is obtained through examination of the effects of enone geometry on product stereochemistry and electrochemical studies involving cathodic reduction of bis(enone) substrates. The collective experiments reveal competitive enone reduction pathways. Enone hydrometalation produces metallo-enolates en route to aldol and Michael cycloreduction products, that is, products derived from coupling at the alpha-position of the enone. Electron-transfer-mediated enone reduction produces metallo-oxy-pi-allyls en route to [2 + 2] cycloadducts and, under Ni catalysis, homoaldol cycloreduction products, that is, products derived from coupling at the beta-position of the enone. The convergent outcome of the metal-catalyzed and electrochemically induced transformations suggests the proposed oxy-pi-allyl intermediates embody character consistent with the mesomeric metal-complexed anion radicals.     

Organocatalytic,Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (−)‐Haliclonin A

The first total synthesis of the alkaloid (?)‐haliclonin A is reported. The asymmetric synthesis relied on a novel organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of nitromethane with 3‐alkenyl cyclohex‐2‐enone to set the stereochemistry of the all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center. The synthesis also features a Pd‐promoted cyclization to form the 3‐azabicyclo[3,3,1]nonane core, a SmI₂‐mediated intermolecular reductive coupling of enone with aldehyde to form the requisite secondary chiral alcohol, ring‐closing alkene and alkyne metathesis reactions to build the two aza‐macrocyclic ring systems, and an unprecedented direct transformation of enol into enone.     

Stereoselective approach to conjugated enone oximes from aliphatic nitro compounds and sulfur ylides

A novel approach to conjugated enone oximes from aliphatic nitro compounds deals with double silylation of N,N-bis(silyloxy) enamines followed by a stereoselective reaction with an ester-stabilized sulfur ylide. The proposed mechanism involves the generation of labile nitrosoalkenes as intermediates, which react with the sulfur ylide to give target enone oximes.     

Organocatalytic,Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (−)‐Haliclonin A

The first total synthesis of the alkaloid (−)‐haliclonin A is reported. The asymmetric synthesis relied on a novel organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of nitromethane with 3‐alkenyl cyclohex‐2‐enone to set the stereochemistry of the all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center. The synthesis also features a Pd‐promoted cyclization to form the 3‐azabicyclo[3,3,1]nonane core, a SmI₂‐mediated intermolecular reductive coupling of enone with aldehyde to form the requisite secondary chiral alcohol, ring‐closing alkene and alkyne metathesis reactions to build the two aza‐macrocyclic ring systems, and an unprecedented direct transformation of enol into enone.     

Synthesis of (−)-xialenon A by enantioselective α-deprotonation-rearrangement of a meso-epoxide

The first total synthesis of (−)-xialenon A was achieved via enantioselective transannular desymmetrisation of a substituted cycloctene oxide using an organolithium/(−)-α-isosparteine combination. Oxidation of the resulting bicyclo[3.3.0]octanol gave an enone which underwent stereoselective conjugate allylation; subsequent α′-hydroxylation on the more hindered face of a derived enone using hypervalent iodine chemistry led to the natural product.     

Total synthesis of +/--hyphodermins A and D

An efficient formal synthesis of (+/-)-hyphodermins A and D, metabolites of Hyphoderma radula, has been completed in 12 and 11 steps, respectively. The tricyclic carbon skeleton of enone 6 was rapidly assembled from diester 11 via an alpha brominationn-elimination sequence followed by anhydride formation. Regioselective reduction of the lactone group of enone 6 with LiAlH(t-BuO) 3 gave lactol 15. Lactol 15 was converted in two steps to (+/-)-hyphodermin D, without the need for complex protection-deprotection strategies. Lactol 15 was converted in three steps to (+/-)-hyphodermin A, via the key step of epoxidation of an enone in the presence of a THP lactol. A combination of NMR and ab initio studies suggests that the structures of hyphodermin C and D should be interchanged.     

Construction of tricyclic enone, a common precursor for aphidicolane and stemodane B/C/D-ring system

Synthesis of a tricyclic enone (B/C/D ring system), a common key precursor for the aphidicolane- and stemodane-type diterpene, is described. The key reaction for the construction of the quaternary carbon center is allylation of epoxide at the more substituted carbon with an organotitanium reagent. Asymmetric reduction with DIP-Cl followed by stereoselective cyclization of spirocyclic ketone and the functional group modification gave the desired tricyclic enone in good yield.     

Cyclization of Cyanoethylated Ketones as a Route to 6‐Substituted Indole Derivatives

δ‐Cyanoketones are quickly cyclized with KOtBu to 3‐aminocyclohex‐2‐enone derivatives, which in turn will give substituted indoles when treated with oxalyl chloride. Thus, 3‐amino‐6,6‐dimethylcyclohex‐2‐enone gave 3‐chloro‐6,6‐dimethyl‐2,5,6,7‐tetrahydroindole‐2,5‐dione, whose structure was corroborated by X‐ray crystallography, whereas the corresponding molecule without the blocking gem‐dimethyl groups, 3‐aminocyclohex‐2‐enone, gave via hydrogen shifts 6‐chloro‐3‐hydroxyoxindole.     

Phosphorescence of thermally oxidised poly(butadiene) and model enones: temperature dependence

The temperature dependence of phosphorescence of model enone compounds in poly (methyl methacrylate) matrix and glassy methylcyclohexane/isopentane solution and of enones formed from thermal oxidation of poly (butadiene) has been studied over the temperature range 77–220°K. The single discontinuity in the plot for the model enone-glassy solvent is due to the freezing of a (solvent perturbed) barrier to rotation in the enone, and an analogous transition is also observed in the model enone poly (methyl methacrylate) samples and in thermally oxidised poly (butadiene). In the polymer matrices, a second transition corresponding to the γ-transition in poly (methyl methacrylate) and the glass transition temperature T_g in poly (butadiene) are also revealed in the Arrhenius plots. The results demonstrate that care must be taken in ascribing such discontinuities solely to polymer properties since intrinsic properties of the luminescence probe itself may exhibit similar features.     

The synthesis of (-)-isodomoic acid C

The neuroactive algal metabolite (-)-isodomoic acid C, a kainoid amino acid, has been synthesized for the first time. Asymmetric dearomatizing cyclization of an aromatic amide using a chiral lithium amide base generates a bicyclic enone containing a pyrrolidinone ring with the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the target. A further 15 synthetic steps, including conjugate cuprate addition to the enone of a side chain precursor, a Ru-promoted oxidation of the phenyl ring to the C2-carboxylic acid substituent, a regioselective Baeyer-Villiger reaction, and an E-selective Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, elaborate the cyclization product into the target molecule.     

Stéréochimie—LIV: Influence du degre de substitution de la double liaison éthylénique sur la stéréochimie de l'hydrocyanation 1,4 de cétones conjuguées

The topological isomerism between octalinones in which the enone group has two distinct locations does not lead to any difference on the stereochemistry of the hydrocyanation of these substrates; the cyano group is axial in the kinetically controlled products. On the contrary, the stereoselectivity is strikingly reversed when the enone group is substituted by a methyl β to the carbonyl, leading to the introduction of the cyano group in an equatorial configuration in the kinetically controlled products.     

Concise and protective group-free syntheses of (±)-hamigeran B and (±)-4-bromohamigeran B

Concise and protective group free syntheses of (±)-hamigeran B and (±)-4-bromohamigeran B are reported. The key reactions include an enone migration and a Diels-Alder cyclization to provide the requisite tricyclic skeleton.     

Regioselective synthesis of spiropyrrolidine/spiropyrrolizidine/spirothiazolidine-grafted macrocycles through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition methodology

Synthesis of 13- and 16-membered macrocyclic enone with alkyl ether and triazole as a linker was achieved using intramolecular aldol condensation. The newly synthesized macrocyclic enone was successfully utilized as a dipolarophile in 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (1,3-DC). The dipole generated from isatin/acenaphthenequinone with various secondary amino acids (sarcosine, l-proline, and thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid) were reacted with macrocyclic enone to give a new class of spiropyrrolidine-grafted macrocycles in good yield (>85%). The structures were assigned by 2D NMR spectra and the regio- and stereochemical outcome of the cycloadducts were established by a single crystal X-ray analysis.     

Design and Synthesis of Linearly Fused Triquinanes through Tandem-Metathesis: Access to Basic Core of Cucumin,Capnellene, Chondrosterin,and Xeromphalinone

Herein, a short synthetic approach to linearly fused tricyclic enone 1 and cis-anti-cis type hydroxy-triquinane 2 has been described in an efficient manner by employing tandem-metathesis as a key step. The triquinane-based enone 1 is prepared by a Babler–Dauben oxidation of hydroxy-triquinane 2 , which is assembled by following a three-step sequence involving a regio- and stereoselective allylation, vinyl Grignard addition, and tandem-metathesis. Our strategy relies on exo-tricyclic ketone, which is derived from readily available exo-dicyclopentadiene-1-one. The newly synthesized molecules were identified and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data. It is worth mentioning that tricyclic enone 1 is present as a core unit of many naturally occurring polyquinanes, particularly xeromphalinone family members. Hence, our approach may be useful in the synthesis of such bioactive molecules.     

A new, ring closing metathesis-based synthesis of (-)-fumagillol

[reaction: see text]. A new strategy to access the fumagillin/fumagillol skeleton is proposed. An Evans aldolization and a RCM involving an enone are used for the preparation of a key cyclohexanone intermediate, which was readily converted to fumagillol. The synthesis also features an efficient preparation of isogeraniol and isogeranic acid.     

A Brønsted acid mediated cascade enone synthesis from aldehydes containing a tethered propargylsilane

MeSO3H effects the intramolecular allenylation of a series of aldehydes 1 to provide allenyl alcohol product 3 as a single diastereoisomer. Cyclization proceeds rapidly at -78 degrees C. However, when the reaction is performed at room temperature, aldehyde 1 provides enone product 7 instead. A mechanism for the formation of this product is proposed in which the initially formed allenyl alcohol 3 undergoes dehydration to provide an allyl carbocation, which is trapped with water, thereby installing the enone.     

Efficient and general approach to eremophilanes using siloxyalkyne-alkene metathesis

An efficient skeletal reorganization of a terminal alkene armed with an appropriate siloxy alkyne fragment is a pivotal step in our novel and general strategy for the construction of a bicyclic core of eremophilanes with complete diastereocontrol and high synthetic efficiency. Our approach features three significant strategic elements. First, the enyne metathesis precursor is assembled via a highly endo-selective Diels-Alder reaction. Second, installation of the siloxy group at the alkyne terminus enables the regioselective assembly of the ensuing enone fragment via intramolecular enyne cyclization. Third, the common enone precursor offers the necessary flexibility of accessing several natural products of the eremophilane family.     

A new enone‐containing triglyceride derivative as precursor of thermosets from renewable resources

A novel triglyceride containing α,β‐unsaturated ketone was prepared through photoperoxidation from high oleic sunflower oil by two steps one pot environmentally friendly procedure. This new enone‐containing triglyceride was crosslinked with diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) via aza‐Michael addition. A kinetic study of the reaction of p‐toluidine with either enone‐containing methyl oleate or epoxidized methyl oleate, as model compounds, allowed us to establish the higher reactivity of the former, thus confirming this curing system as an alternative to amine‐cured epoxidized vegetable oils. The thermal properties of thermosets from enone‐ and epoxy‐containing triglycerides with DDM have been evaluated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 6843–6850, 2008     

A General Synthesis of 2-Phenylselenenylenones. The Reaction of Unsaturated Ketones with a Phenylselenenyl Chloride/Pyridine Complex

The generation of specific enolates via Michael addition of nucleophiles to unsaturated ketones has proven to be an extremely useful process in organic synthesis. With regard to this we felt that the incorporation of a phenylselenenyl group in the 2-position of an enone would (a) enhance the ability of the enone to undergo Michael addition, (b) provide, after Michael addition, a stabilized enolate for the subsequent introduction of a substituent in the 2-position and (c) allow for the eventual introduction of a new double bond via the well-known selenoxide β-elimination reaction.¹ While a few 2-phenylselenenylenones have been previously reported in the literature,² no general method currently exists for their preparation.³ We now wish to report a general method for the synthesis of these systems in good yield under extremely mild reaction conditions. In future communications we will demonstrate the versatility of this class of compounds in a variety of enone mono- and dialkylation reactions.