Total Synthesis of Marine Eicosanoid (−)‐Hybridalactone

(?)‐Hybridalactone ( 1 ) is a marine eicosanoid isolated from the red alga Laurencia hybrida. This natural product contains cyclopropane, cyclopentane, 13‐membered macrolactone and epoxide ring systems incorporating seven stereogenic centers. Moreover, this compound has an acid‐labile skipped Z,Z‐diene motif. In this paper, we report on the total synthesis of (?)‐hybridalactone ( 1 ). The unique eicosanoid (?)‐hybridalactone ( 1 ) was synthesized starting from optically active γ‐butyrolactone 2 in a linear sequence comprising 21 steps with an overall yield of 21.9 %. A key step in the synthesis of (?)‐hybridalactone ( 1 ) is the methyl phenylsulfonylacetate‐mediated one‐pot synthesis of the cis‐cyclopropane‐γ‐lactone derivative. This reaction provided an efficient and stereoselective access to cis‐cyclopropane‐γ‐lactone 12 . Further elaboration of the latter compounds through desulfonylation, epoxidation, oxidation, Wittig olefination and Shiina macrolactonization afforded (?)‐hybridalactone.     

Studies on indium-mediated additions to lactones: synthesis of 2-deoxy-2-substituted-3-ulosonic acids

The indium-mediated Reformatsky reaction of a mannose-derived lactone with α,α-disubstituted-α-bromo esters yielded the corresponding ulosonic acid esters as mixtures of anomers. In contrast, the reaction with α-monosubstituted-α-bromo esters is highly stereoselective and afforded a single anomer of the corresponding (2S)-ulosonic acid esters. A mechanistic proposal for the reaction and an explanation of its outcome is discussed. The indium-mediated Reformatsky reaction of the mannose-derived lactone with 2-bromo-lactones was also achieved and the products obtained were consistent with those of our proposed mechanism in all cases. Moreover, indium-mediated allylation of the model sugar lactone was also investigated.     

Stereoselective synthesis of a new methyl-substituted inositol derivative

The stereoselective synthesis of methyl-substituted inositol derivative is described. Diene diacetate which is a key compound was first prepared via three steps starting from 2-methyl-p-benzoquinone. Osmium-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective dihydroxylation of diene diacetate afforded cis-diol diasetate, which then produced tetra acetate via acetylation with Ac₂O-pyridine. Oxidation and acetylation of the other alkene moiety in the compound gave a hexaacetate compound stereoselectively. Finally, the acetate groups were removed by NH₃ leading to formation of the desired new methyl-substituted inositol derivative having a muco-inositol-type stereochemical pattern in the six-membered ring. Spectroscopic methods were used for characterization of all synthesized compounds.     

Stereoselective multigram-scale synthesis of cis- and trans-β-phenylproline derivatives

Efficient routes for the gram-scale preparation of the proline analogues that bear a phenyl substituent attached to the pyrrolidine β carbon (cis- and trans-β-phenylproline) have been developed. The cis derivative was synthesized from N-Boc-β-alanine in six steps and 78% overall yield. The generation of a vinyl triflate with full regiochemical control together with a high-yielding cross-coupling reaction and a completely stereoselective hydrogenation are at the basis of the high efficiency of the procedure. Epimerization of the cis β-phenylproline derivative with lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide provided access to the trans isomer.     

Studies toward a synthesis of trilobatin B, a lignan from the liverwort Bazzania trilobata: asymmetric construction of the tetrahydrofuran segment

A novel and stereocontrolled process is described for the asymmetric synthesis of the tetrahydrofuran segment of a 2,3-dicarboxy-6,7-dihydroxy-1-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,2- dihydronaphthalene mono-ester, trilobatin B, a lignan from the liverwort Bazzania trilobata. The key cis-substituted lactone ring was constructed in a stereoselective manner by Horner-Emmons reaction followed by the subsequent tandem Michael addition and cyclization of two types of lactol intermediates elaborated from natural sources.     

Synthesis of spirane-bridged rigidified oxalkyl cyclopentadienyl ligands

Methods for the preparation of constrained spirane-bridged oxalkyl indenyl ligands are described. The cis,cis-α,α′-spirane derivatives were synthesised in several steps from spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-dione. Carbylation was achieved by Wittig methenylation. A subsequent stereoselective hydroboration by 9-BBN followed by peroxide treatment furnished the corresponding cis-methanol. Further manipulations provided the cis-carboxylic ester, which in a double Grignard reaction with α,α′-dichloro-o-xylene, furnished the corresponding indenyl derivative. The final products were cis,cis-α-(2-indenyl)-α′-(methoxy or methoxymethyl)spiro[4.4]nonanes.     

SmI2-induced cyclization of (E)- and (Z)-β-alkoxyvinyl sulfones with aldehydes

SmI₂-induced reaction of (E)- and (Z)-β-alkoxyvinyl sulfones onto an aldehyde function afforded 2,6-syn-2,3-trans- and 2,6-syn-2,3-cis-tetrahydropyran-3-ols, respectively, via stereoselective cyclization. This reaction was applied to the synthesis of 2-methyl-tetrahydropyran, corresponding to the N-ring of gymnocin-A, and 2-exo-methylene-tetrahydropyran, a key intermediate for convergent synthesis of polycyclic ethers based on the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction.     

Rapid access to the synthesis of polysubstituted δ-lactones via tandem stereoselective conjugate addition/α-alkylation of unsaturated 7,3-lactone-α-d-xylofuranose derivative

α-d-xylo-7,3-Unsaturated lactone, a versatile chiral building block, undergoes Cu-catalyzed conjugated addition with high yield and stereoselectivity. When the conjugated reaction is quenched with a suitable alkyl halide, a tandem stereoselective conjugated/α-alkylation reaction is achieved. Further, selective hydrolysis of the 1,2-O-isopropylidene moiety followed by oxidative cleavage and reduction reaction, afforded the title compounds.     

Stereodivergent synthesis of cyclic γ-aminobutyric acid – GABA analogues

A novel synthetic route towards two series of enantiomerically pure cyclic analogues of 2,3-cis- and 2,3-trans-γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was developed. The route is based on the elongation and stereodivergent manipulation of a readily accessible enantiomerically pure γ-substituted α-aminolactone. The five-step route towards the 2,3-cis-substituted GABA analogues was achieved via straightforward carbon chain extension of the lactone using a non-classical Wittig reaction followed by chemoselective reduction and a protecting group switch. The five-step route towards the 2,3-trans-substituted GABA analogues employed elongation of the same aminolactone using a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction and highly stereoselective intramolecular oxa-Michael addition as the key synthetic manipulations. Altogether this chemistry has allowed the stereodivergent preparation of a novel class of GABA analogues in two diastereomeric series.     

Construction of bicyclic systems containing an oxygen bridge by isomerization of cyclic epoxy alcohols

A novel method for constructing a 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton was developed. The substrates, namely cis-3,4-epoxy-1-cyclohexanol derivatives, were prepared from the corresponding 3-cyclohexen-1-ol derivatives via a stereoselective epoxidation reaction using a vanadium catalyst. Upon heating with lithium iodide in propionitrile, the cis-epoxy alcohol was transformed into the 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane derivative in high yield. The reaction proceeds through formation of a lithium alkoxide bearing an iodohydrin moiety, followed by an intramolecular S_N2 reaction.     

Bis(dithiomethyl-tetrathiafulvalene) with two phenyl-phosphino bridges

The single crystal X-ray structure of the precursor dithiomethyl-tetrathiafulvalene (MeS)₂TTF is reported, together with theoretical calculations at DFT level, which afforded two energy minima corresponding to cis and trans orientations of the thiomethyl substituents. The bis(tetrathiafulvalene) reaction of this TTF derivative followed by the reaction with phenyldichlorophosphine provides a new rigid bis(tetrathiafulvalene [TTF]) containing a 1,4-dihydro-1,4-diphosphinine ring between the two redox active units. Its solid-state structure, determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, shows the coexistence of both cis and trans isomers. Cyclic voltammetry measurements are in accordance with the existence of a communication between the two TTFs, as illustrated by the splitting of the oxidation waves.     

An efficient stereoselective route to the construction of tricyclic core structure towards the synthesis of the sesquiterpenes of the seco-prezizaane family

An efficient stereoselective approach to the construction of a hydrindane derivative having a bridged lactone is described toward the synthesis of the sesquiterpenes of the seco-prezizaane family. The key step involves RO-RCM of a norbornene derivative.     

Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Botryolide E

The stereoselective total synthesis of the naturally occurring γ‐lactone derivative botryolide E ( 1 ) was accomplished with acetaldehyde as the starting material (Scheme 2). The asymmetric allyl boration, asymmetric dihydroxylation, chelation‐mediated diastereoselective vinylation, and ring‐closing metathesis reaction are the key steps. The method can conveniently be utilized for the preparation of other related γ‐lactone derivatives.     

Total synthesis of erythromycin B

We report the details of the first total synthesis of erythromycin B using two different strategies for the end game. The first of these follows a classical approach in which the desosamine and cladinose residues are sequentially appended to a macrocyclic lactone, which was formed by cyclization of a seco acid derivative, to give a bis-glycosylated macrolide intermediate that is converted into erythromycin B. The second strategy features an abiotic approach in which a seco acid bearing a desosamine residue is cyclized to give a monoglycosylated macrocyclic lactone that is then transformed into erythromycin B via a sequence of steps involving refunctionalizations and a glycosylation to introduce the cladinose moiety. Attempts to prepare a bis-glycosylated seco acid by de novo synthesis were unsuccessful. The syntheses of the key seco acid intermediates feature the oxidative transformation of a furan containing C(3)-C(10) to provide a dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonenone that served as a template on which to create the stereocenters at C(6) and C(8). A stereoselective aldol reaction was used to establish the C(11)-C(15) segment, and a stereoselective crotylation was implemented to introduce the propionate subunit comprising C(1)-C(2).     

Stereoselective Iodolactonization of 4‐Allenoic Acids with Efficient Chirality Transfer: Development of a New Electrophilic Iodination Reagent

A highly stereoselective iodolactonization of 4‐allenoic acids with a new sterically demanding electrophilic iodination reagent to afford optically active γ‐butyrolactones has been developed. The reaction shows high efficiency of axial chirality transfer and excellent Z/E selectivity and has been applied to the synthesis of chiral cis‐β,γ‐disubstituted γ‐butyrolactones to give very high diastereomeric and enantiomeric excess values. The reaction has been successfully utilized in the synthesis of naturally occurring compounds (+)‐cis‐whisky lactone and (+)‐cis‐3‐methyl‐4‐decanolide.     

Stereoselective synthesis of cembranolides via conjugate addition to cycloalkynones

Addition of lithium dimethylcuprate to the conjugated cycloalkynone 8 yielded, after equilibration, a single (E)-enone 10 which was converted via acidic hydrolysis, oxidation, and reduction to the cis lactone 14. α-Methylenation afforded the natural cembranolide 16.     

A concise synthesis of (±)-3-deoxyisoaltholactone

The novel styryl lactone analog (±)-3-deoxyisoaltholactone was synthesized in 5 steps from dihydrofuran. An intramolecular vinylsilane–oxocarbenium condensation thus afforded the central cis-fused bicyclic ether array in near quantitative yield as a single stereoisomer.     

Stereoselective intramolecular 1,3-dipolar nitrile oxide cycloaddition reaction of N-formyl-β-nitroamides

The stereoselective intramolecular nitrile oxide cycloaddition (INOC) reaction was achieved from N-formyl-β-nitroamides, which were prepared through the Michael addition of allylic formamides to nitroalkenes, and cis-pyrroroisoxazoles and trans-piperidinoisoxazoles were obtained in a stereoselective manner.     

New stereoselective syntheses of cis- and trans-2-methyl-4-arylpiperidines

A stereoselective approach has been developed for the synthesis of cis- and trans-2-methyl-4-arylpiperidines from a common intermediate. The Ni-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of N-Boc-2-methyl-4-aryl-4-piperidinols, obtained by addition of organometallic reagents on N-Boc-2-methyl-4-piperidone, afforded the trans derivatives with up to 95% selectivity whereas the corresponding cis isomers were obtained in the presence of palladium catalysts.     

Sequential Baylis-Hillman reaction and radical cyclization of furanose derivatives: expeditious approach to enantiopure benzo-fused nine-membered oxacycles

A regioselective 9-endo-trig aryl radical cyclization of d-glucose derived diastereomeric Baylis-Hillman reaction products with Bu₃SnH led to highly functionalized tricyclic benzannulated ethers incorporating cis- and trans-9,5 bicyclic systems in good yields. Degradation of one of the products afforded an enantiopure multifunctionalized benzoxonine derivative.