Amadori ketoses with calcium hydroxide and the Kiliani reaction on 1-deoxy ketoses: two approaches to the synthesis of saccharinic acids

Saccharinic acids (2-C-methyl aldonic acids) may be formed by treatment of Amadori ketoses with calcium hydroxide or by the Kiliani reaction of 1-deoxy ketoses with cyanide. Thus (i) N,N-dibenzyl or N,N-dimethyl-1-amino-1-deoxy-d-fructose with aqueous calcium hydroxide afforded 2-C-methyl-d-ribono-1,4-lactone under green conditions and (ii) reaction of methyl magnesium bromide with 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-erythronolactone gave 1-deoxy-3,4-O-isopropylidene-d-ribulose, which on subsequent treatment with aqueous sodium cyanide and hydrolysis, formed 2-C-methyl-d-arabinono-1,4-lactone. Such branched sugar lactones are likely to be of value as chirons containing branched carbon chains.     

Kiliani reactions on ketoses: branched carbohydrate building blocks from D-tagatose and D-psicose

D-Tagatose and D-psicose on treatment with sodium cyanide gave mixtures of branched sugar lactones; extraction of the crude products by acetone in the presence of acid permits direct access to branched carbohydrate diacetonides, likely to be of value as new chirons. In both cases, the major lactone products—diacetonides with a 2,3-cis-diol relationship—can be crystallised in around 40-50% yield from the ketohexose. A practical procedure for the conversion of 30 g of D-tagatose to give 24 g of 2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-2-C-hydroxymethyl-D-talono-1,4-lactone is reported.     

Carbon-branched carbohydrate chirons: synthesis of C-3 and C-4-branched sugar lactones derived from d-erythronolactone

Two carbon chain extensions using a Wittig reaction on both a 1-deoxy ribulose derivative and a C-2-branched erythrose derivative are reported. Subsequent dihydroxylation resulted in the synthesis of C-3 and C-4 methyl-branched sugar lactones, the useful synthetic building blocks. Control of the stereoselectivity of both the Wittig reaction and the dihydroxylation is investigated, and 3-C-methyl and 4-C-methyl d-altrono-1,4-lactones and d-glucono-1,4-lactone and 4-C-hydroxymethyl-d-altrono-1,4-lactone were synthesised.     

Five-membered 2,3-dioxo heterocycles: CI. Reaction of 3-aroylpyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazine-1,2,4-triones with arylhydrazines. Crystal and molecular structure of substituted 2-hydrazonopyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazine

A new direction of nucleophilic attack was revealed in the reactions of 3-aroylpyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]-benzoxazine-1,2,4-triones with o-tolylhydrazine and 2-hydrazinylbenzoic acid hydrochloride, which afforded the corresponding hydrazones at the C²=O carbonyl group, substituted 2-(2-o-tolylhydrazono)pyrrolo[2,1-c]-[1,4]benzoxazine-1,4(2H)-diones and pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazin-2(4H)-ylidenehydrazinylbenzoic acids. The structure of (Z)-2-{2-[3-benzoyl-1,4-dioxo-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzoxazin-2(4H)-ylidene]hydrazinyl}-benzoic acid was determined by X-ray analysis.     

Hydroxylated C-branched pyrrolidines, C-branched prolines and C-branched piperidines from a 2-C-methyl sugar lactone; efficient azide displacement of a tertiary triflate with inversion of configuration

The versatility of 3,4-O-isopropylidene-2-C-methyl-d-arabinonolactone [from d-erythronolactone] as a chiron for complex piperidines and pyrrolidines is illustrated by the synthesis of (2R,3S,4S)- and (2R,3S,4R)-dihydroxy-2-C-methyl prolines, 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-4-C-methyl-l-ribitol and 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-4-C-methyl-l-arabinitol, and isofagomine derivatives; the enantiomeric series is equally accessible from l-erythronolactone.     

Homochiral carbon branched piperidines from carbon branched sugar lactones: 4-C-methyl-deoxyfuconojirimycin (DFJ) and its enantiomer—removal of glycosidase inhibition

The value of readily available 2-C-methyl aldonic acids in short syntheses of carbon branched piperidines containing quaternary centers is demonstrated. The effect of the introduction of a 4-C-methyl group into piperidine imino sugar inhibitors of l-fucosidases and d-galactosidases is reported.     

Towards the biotechnological isomerization of branched sugars: d-tagatose-3-epimerase equilibrates both enantiomers of 4-C-methyl-ribulose with both enantiomers of 4-C-methyl-xylulose

Microbial oxidation of 2-C-methyl-d-ribitol and 2-C-methyl-d-arabinitol by Gluconobacter thailandicus NBRC 3254 produces 4-C-methyl-l-ribulose and 4-C-methyl-d-ribulose, respectively. Further, 4-C-methyl-l-ribulose and 4-C-methyl-d-ribulose were equilibrated by d-tagatose-3-epimerase (DTE) with 4-C-methyl-l-xylulose and 4-C-methyl-d-xylulose, respectively. These transformations demonstrate that polyol dehydrogenase and DTE act on branched synthetic sugars. The green preparation of all of the stereoisomers of 4-C-methyl pentuloses illustrates the ability of biotechnology to generate novel branched monosaccharides.     

Two epimerisations in the formation of oxetanes from l-rhamnose: towards oxetane-containing peptidomimetics

The methyl group in (R)-3,5-O-benzylidene-l-rhamnono-1,4-lactone 2, prepared from l-rhamnose 1 in 41% yield without need for chromatography, is axial and provides a good example of Mills’ rule that the ‘O-inside’ conformations are, in general, more stable than alternative ‘H-inside’ conformations. The lactone 2 may be converted in two steps in an overall 57% yield to the rhamnono-oxetane 3, which should be useful in generating oxetane dipeptide isosteres and oxetane β-amino acids and in determining the value of the oxetane ring in inducing secondary structure in small peptidomimetics. Methyl 2,4-anhydro-(S)-3,5-O-benzylidene-l-rhamnonate 11, in which both the phenyl and methyl groups are equatorial, is slightly more thermodynamically stable than 3, providing a rare exception to Mills’ rule. X-ray crystal structures of 2 and 11 are reported.     

Confirmation of the structure of a glucono-1,4-lactone derivative obtained from silylation of glucono-1,5-lactone

Silylation reactions of glucono-1,5-lactone can give the persilylated glucono-1,5-lactone or the persilylated 1,4-lactone depending on the reaction conditions employed. The structure of 2,3,5,6-tetra-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-d-glucono-1,4-lactone, obtained in 84% yield from the reaction of glucono-1,5-lactone with TBSOTf and lutidine in dichloromethane, has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Formation of the glucono-1,5-lactone and manno-1,5-lactone derivatives and other possible products has also been ruled out by synthesis of possible exo-glycal derivatives of these lactones using the Ramberg–Bäcklund rearrangement of the corresponding sulfones.     

(3R,4S)-3,4,5-Trihydroxy-4-methylpentylphosphonic acid, an isosteric phosphonate analogue of 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate, a key intermediate in the new pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis

2-C-Methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) is the first intermediate in the mevalonate-independent pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis presenting the branched C₅ isoprene skeleton. Enantiopure (3R,4S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-4-methylpentylphosphonic acid (MEP_N), an isosteric phosphonate analogue of MEP was synthesized from 1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-xylofuranose.     

Microwave assisted stereospecific synthesis of d-erythro-l-gluco-nonulose

A convenient, highly efficient synthesis of d-erythro-l-gluco-nonulose from a new 2-C-(hydroxymethyl) branched-chain aldose is presented. The nucleophilic addition of the appropriately protected aldose to formaldehyde afforded 2-C-(hydroxymethyl)-d-erythro-l-manno-octose. The branched sugar bearing a CH₂OH group at C-2 provides access to a nine-carbon sugar in a single step through a stereospecific isomerization. The isomerization exploited the catalytic effect of molybdate ions and microwave irradiation. The structure of the product was analyzed by NMR spectra and quantum-chemical DFT calculations. DFT-computed proton–proton coupling constants were found to be comparable with the experimentally obtained coupling constants and agreed with the pyranose form of this branched-chain aldose.     

Synthesis of novel mucic acid 1,4-lactone methyl ester 3-O-ferulate related to an extractive component isolated from the peels of Citrus sudachi

Synthesis of a new type of mucic acid 1,4-lactone methyl ester 3-O-ferulate related to an extractive component isolated from Citrus sudachi, and its diastereomer has been achieved by employing stereodivergent dihydroxylation as a key step. The structures of the final products are fully characterized by spectroscopic methods and compared with that of the natural product.     

Two approaches to the enantioselective synthesis of (4R)-(−)-4-hydroxymethyl-4-thiobutyro-1,4-lactone

Enantiomerically pure (4R)-4-hydroxymethyl-4-thiobutyro-1,4-lactone [(5R)-dihydro-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2(3H)-thiophenone (12)] and derivatives were synthesized by two enantiospecific sequences employing d-ribono-1,4-lactone (1) and l-glutamic acid (6) as chiral templates. The key step in the first approach was the SmI₂-promoted 2,3-deoxygenation of a 4-thio-l-lyxono-1,4-lactone derivative, prepared from 1. The other strategy, which starts from 6, involves the (5S)-dihydro-5-(p-tolylsulfonyloxymethyl)-2-(3H)-furanone (8) as chiral precursor. This was converted into a 4,5-thiirane derivative via the corresponding 4,5-epoxide. Regioselective opening of the thiirane ring by acetate followed by O-deacetylation gave 12 (40% overall yield from 8).     

Concise and practical route to tri- and tetra-hydroxy seven-membered iminocyclitols as glycosidase inhibitors from d-(+)-glucurono-γ-lactone

An efficient and short total synthesis of tetrahydroxy-1c and trihydroxy-azepane 1d is reported in 72% and 57% overall yields, respectively, from d-(+)-glucurono-γ-lactone. Thus, d-glucuronolactone 2 on acetonide protection, DIBAL-H reduction and one-pot intermolecular reductive amination followed by -NCbz protection afforded 6-(N-benzyl-N-benzyloxycarbonyl) amino-6-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-gluco-1,4-furanose 5a. 1,2-Acetonide hydrolysis in 5a and Pd-mediated intramolecular reductive aminocyclization afforded tetrahydroxyazepane 1c. An analogous pathway with 5-deoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucurono-6,3-lactone 3b gave trihydroxy-azepane 1d. Glycosidase inhibitory activity of 1c/1d was studied and 1d was found to be potent inhibitor of α-mannosidase and β-galactosidase.     

Synthesis of 2-C-branched derivatives of d-mannose: 2-C-aminomethyl-d-mannose binds to the human C-type lectin DC-SIGN with affinity greater than an order of magnitude compared to that of d-mannose

2-C-Substituted branched d-mannose analogues are novel monosaccharides, readily obtained from a Kiliani-acetonation sequence on d-fructose, followed by subsequent functional group manipulation. 2-C-Azidomethyl-d-mannose and 2-C-aminomethyl-d-mannose bind to the C-type lectin DC-SIGN (CD209) with significantly greater affinity than mannose. In particular, 2-C-aminomethyl-d-mannose exhibits a comparative 48-fold increase in binding as determined using a surface plasmon resonance-based competition assay. DC-SIGN is an important cell-surface type II transmembrane protein that interacts with blood group antigens, endogenous glycoproteins such as ICAM-3, and also deadly pathogens such as the human immunodeficiency and hepatitis C viruses. The effective use of small compounds to block target binding by mannose-selective C-type lectins at sub-millimolar concentrations has not been shown previously; thus, these data represent a very attractive thoroughfare to novel antiviral and immunomodulatory drug development.     

1-Acylmethylbenzimidazole-2-sulfonic acids and their cyclization by N-nucleophiles

New preparation method was developed for derivatives of 1,4-dihydro-1,2,4-triazino[4,3-a]-, 2-aryl-1(9)H-, and 1-R-imidazo[1,2-a]benzimidazole underlain by newly synthesized 1-acylmethylbenzimidazole-2-sulfonic acids. The latter react with 2-aminoethanol affording along with the previously described compounds of the 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)imidazobenzimidazole series also compounds of formerly unknown polycyclic system, 2,3,11,12-tetrahydro-1,3-oxazolo[2,3-a]imidazo[1,2-a]benzimidazole.     

Unusual ring contraction by substitution of 4-O-activated-pentono-1,5-lactams with cyanide. Stereospecific synthesis of 6-amino-1,4,5,6-tetradeoxy-1,4-imino-hexitols

Reaction of 4-O-sulfonylated 2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-ribo- or -d-lyxo-1,5-lactams with tetrabutylammonium cyanide gave 4-amino-5-C-cyano-4,5-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-lyxo-5 or -l-ribo-15-1,4-lactams, respectively. A stereospecific ring contraction with inversion at C-4 had taken place in each case. Reduction of the cyano-lactams with LiAlH₄ gave 6-amino-1,4,5,6-tetradeoxy-1,4-imino-l-lyxo-6 or -l-ribo-16-hexitol, respectively. The 6-amino-1,4,5,6-tetradeoxy-1,4-imino-l-ribo-hexitol 16 was found to be a moderate inhibitor of α-l-fucosidase with a K_i of 110 μM.     

Excited-State dynamics of conjugated polycarbosilane oligomers with branched dimethyl or diphenyl group

Dimethyl or diphenyl branched conjugated polycarbosilane oligomers in solutions, including poly[[1,4-bis(thiophenyl)buta-1,3-diyne]-alt-(dimethylsilane)], poly[[1,4-bis(thiophenyl)buta-1,3-diyne]-alt-(diphenylsilane)], poly[[1,4-bis(phenyl)buta-1,3-diyne]-alt-(dimethylsilane)], and poly[[1,4-bis(phenyl)buta-1,3-diyne]-alt-(diphenylsilane)], were investigated by steady-state and picosecond time-resolved spectroscopies to elucidate the effect of silicon-atom introduction into the π-conjugated copolymer backbone and the substitution of the aromatic phenyl group on the silicon atom. The introduction of silicon atoms into π-conjugated copolymer backbones induces slow decay emission components with lifetimes of about 450 ps in addition to π–π* local excited-state relaxations in the time-resolved fluorescence decay profiles. The diphenyls, which are branched in the silicon atoms, bring about broad, structureless emission bands in the low-frequency region of the steady-state fluorescence spectra. However, such broad bands do not occur in the case of dimethyl branched conjugated polycarbosilane oligomers. The time-resolved and solvent-dependent studies of these bands imply that the excited-state dynamics of diphenyl branched conjugated polycarbosilane oligomers can be related to an intramolecular charge-transfer dynamics through an inductive and (d-p) π-conjugation effect between the π-conjugated backbone and the branched phenyl ring. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2901–2908, 1999     

First synthesis of (1,2-C2)-monolignol glucosides

The monolignol glucosides (1,2-¹³C₂)-p-glucocoumaryl alcohol, (1,2-¹³C₂)-coniferin and (1,2-¹³C₂)-syringin, and the glucosides of (1,2-¹³C₂)-p-coumaric, (1,2-¹³C₂)-ferulic and (1,2-¹³C₂)-sinapic acids were synthesized by condensation of the corresponding aldehydes with (1,2,3-¹³C₃)-malonic acid. The free acids were converted to the acyl chlorides prior to their reduction to alcohols.     

Reactions of 1,4-bis(tetrazole)benzenes: formation of long chain alkyl halides

The reactions of 1,4-bis[2-(tributylstannyl)tetrazol-5-yl]benzene with α,ω-dibromoalkanes were carried out in order to synthesise pendant alkyl halide derivatives of the parent bis-tetrazole. This led to the formation of several alkyl halide derivatives, substituted variously at N1 or N2 on the tetrazole ring. The crystal structures of 1,4-bis[(2-(4-bromobutyl)tetrazol-5-yl)]benzene (2-N,2-N′), 1,4-bis[(2-(4-bromobutyl)tetrazol-5-yl)]benzene (1-N,2-N′) and 1,4-bis[(2-(8-bromooctyl)tetrazol-5-yl)]benzene (2-N,2-N′) are reported. Further discussion involves the structure of 1,4-bis[2-(6-bromohexyl)-2H-tetrazol-5-yl]benzene (2-N,2-N′) previously reported.