Regioselective Baeyer-Villiger lactonization of 2-substituted pyrrolidin-4-one. Synthesis of statine

Nine 2-substituted pyrrolidin-4-ones 4a-i were obtained via a series of functional group transformation of known prolinol 5 by facile six kinds of methodologies. The target structure of 1,3-amino alcohols 2a-i was constructed in the regioselective Baeyer-Villiger lactonization of ketones 4a-i and reduction of the resulting 4-substituted tetrahydro-1,3-oxazin-6-ones 3a-i. A new and straightforward synthesis of (3S,4S)-statine (6) has been established starting from trans-(2S,4R)-4-hydroxyproline (1).     

Convenient preparation of chiral phase-transfer catalysts with conformationally fixed biphenyl core for catalytic asymmetric synthesis of α-alkyl- and α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids: application to the short asymmetric synthesis of BIRT-377

Chiral phase-transfer catalysts (S)-1a, (S)-1b, and (S)-2 with conformationally fixed biphenyl cores were conveniently prepared from the known, easily available (S)-6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl-2,2′-diol 3 and (S)-4,5,6,4′,5′,6′-hexamethoxybiphenyl-2,2′-dicarboxylic acid 14, respectively, in five steps. The catalysts, (S)-1a and (S)-1b are readily applicable to asymmetric alkylation of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester with excellent enantioselectivity. In particular, catalyst (S)-1b was found to exhibit the unique temperature effect on the enantioselectivity, and asymmetric alkylation of glycine derivatives at room temperature gave higher enantiomeric excess than that at 0 °C. In addition, the catalyst (S)-2 exhibited the high catalytic performance (0.01-1 mol %) in the asymmetric alkylation of N-(diphenylmethylene)glycine tert-butyl ester and N-(p-chlorophenylmethylene)alanine tert-butyl ester compared to the existing chiral phase-transfer catalysts, thereby allowing to realize a general and useful procedure for highly practical enantioselective synthesis of structurally diverse natural and unnatural α-alkyl-α-amino acids as well as α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids. This approach is successfully applied to the short asymmetric synthesis of cell adhesion BIRT-377.     

Stereocontrolled conversion of some optically active (4S,5R)-dihydroisoxazoles into acyclic 3-acetamido-1,2-diols

Optically active (4S,5R)-dihydroisoxazoles 5a-c (90-91% ee) have been prepared by reaction of the epoxyketones 4a-c with hydroxylamine. Reduction of compounds 5a and 5b using lithium aluminium hydride took place exclusively from the Re face to give (1R,2S,3S)-1,3-disubstituted-3-aminopropane-1,2-diols 6a and 6b. These amino-diols were characterised by N-acetylation and the stereochemical sense of the hydride reduction was confirmed by conversion of amides 7a and 7b into α-amino acid derivatives 10a and 10b.     

Synthesis and evaluation of new chiral diols based on the dicyclopentadiene skeleton

The resolution by Lipase PS of rac-5 (from reduction of ketone 6, obtained from dicyclopentadiene with a new environment-friendly synthesis) gives (2S)-5, which was further reduced to the endo(2R)-1a alcohol. The endo(2S)-1b alcohol was obtained from camphor with a multistep synthesis. Pinacol couplings of 3a,b, carried out with Mg/Hg or Corey's general procedure respectively, afforded with high diastereoselectivity the C₂ symmetry diols (2R,2′R)-2a and (2S,2′S)-2b, with endo oriented OH functions. The enantiogenic power of the endo alcohol (2R)-1a and (2S)-1b and of the diols (2R,2′R)-2a and (2S,2′S)-2b was tested towards the LiAlH₄ reduction of acetophenone. The C₂ symmetry appears to play a fundamental role.     

Intramolecular Heck reaction strategy for the synthesis of functionalised tetrahydroanthracenes: a facile formal total synthesis of the linear abietane diterpene, umbrosone

Rapid annulation employing an intramolecular Heck reaction yielded the functionalised 1,1,10-trimethyl-6-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroanthracene 4a, a key intermediate for the linear diterpenoid quinone umbrosone (1), and the related compounds 4b-d. A similar strategy was also successfully adopted for the synthesis of the 9-methyl tetrahydroanthracene ester 5 and the tetrahydrodibenzo[a,d]cycloheptene ester 6.     

Convenient synthesis of antisepsis agent TAK-242 by novel optical resolution through diastereomeric N-acylated sulfonamide derivative

A convenient synthesis method of antisepsis agent TAK-242 ((R)-1) through diastereomeric resolution was developed. By condensation of racemate rac-1 with chiral acid (S)-O-acetylmanderic acid (6a), the desired diastereomer 5a was isolated with 98% de in 39% yield by simple crystallization. Deacylation of 5a with aq NaOH followed by recrystallization provided (R)-1 with 99% ee in 20% yield from rac-1.     

A practical and efficient synthesis of 6-carboalkoxy-13-cycloalkyl-5H-indolo[2,1-a][2]benzazepine-10-carboxylic acid derivatives

A convenient and practical synthesis of 6-carboalkoxy-13-cycloalkyl-5H-indolo[2,1-a][2]benzazepine-10-carboxylic acid derivatives (6) has been developed. The key step in the synthesis utilizes an intramolecular tandem reaction sequence of a Michael addition followed by a Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) olefination reaction between hemi-aminal 11 and methyl 2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)acrylate 12. The ring construction occurred efficiently and purification of the products 6 was straightforward. The C-10 methyl ester of 6a was hydrolyzed selectively to the carboxylic acid 13 while the olefin of 6d was converted to the cyclopropane 14 using trimethylsulfoxonium iodide in DMSO in the presence of NaH.     

Synthesis of substituted (S)-2-aminotetralins via ring-opening of aziridines prepared from l-aspartic acid β-tert-butyl ester

This paper describes the total synthesis of the hydrochloride salts of (2S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin (21-HCl) and (2S)-2-amino-6-fluoro-7-methoxytetralin (ST1214), from a common enantiomerically pure aziridine 4b, which was available from l-aspartic acid β-tert-butyl ester. The synthesis of 21-HCl and ST1214 proceeded in nine steps and 5 and 6% overall yields, respectively. Key steps are the regioselective ring-opening of 4b with ArMgBr/CuBr·SMe₂ and the intramolecular Friedel-Crafts cyclisation providing α-tetralone. Substituted naphthalenes were formed as side products in the latter reaction.     

Synthetic access to optically active isoflavans by using allylic substitution

A general approach to the (S)- and (R)-isoflavans was invented, and efficiency of the method was demonstrated by the synthesis of (S)-equol ((S)-3), (R)-sativan ((R)-4), and (R)-vestitol ((R)-5). The key step is the allylic substitution of (S)-6a (Ar¹=2,4-(MeO)₂C₆H₃) and (R)-6b (Ar¹=2,4-(BnO)₂C₆H₃) with copper reagents derived from CuBr·Me₂S and Ar²-MgBr (7a, Ar²=4-MeOC₆H₄; 7b, 2,4-(MeO)₂C₆H₃; 7c, 2-MOMO-4-MeOC₆H₃), furnishing anti S_N2′ products (R)-8a and (S)-8b,c with 93-97% chirality transfer in 60-75% yields. The olefinic part of the products was oxidatively cleaved and the Me and Bn groups on the Ar¹ moieties was then removed. Finally, phenol bromide 9a and phenol alcohols 9b,c underwent cyclization with K₂CO₃ and the Mitsunobu reagent to afford (S)-3 and (R)-4 and -5, respectively.     

First total synthesis of modiolide A, based on the whole-cell yeast-catalyzed asymmetric reduction of a propargyl ketone

While the first total synthesis of modiolide A (1a), a 10-membered ring lactone with a marine-origin was achieved, an important chiral building block for constructing the chirality at C-4 in 1a, (S)-6-[(4-methoxybenzyl)oxy]-1-trimethylsilyl-1-hexyn-3-ol (3a) was obtained in as high as 96.1% ee. Asymmetric reduction of a silylated propargyl ketone (5) mediated by whole-cell of Pichia minuta IAM 12215 was established. This yeast-mediated reduction was also applicable to provide stereochemically pure (3S,5R)-5-[(4-methoxybenzyl)oxy]-1-trimethylsilyl-1-hexyn-3-ol (15), a synthetic intermediate for the related 10-membered lactone, tuckolide (16).     

Synthesis of sulfur containing analogues of the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor 8-bromo-4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[3,4-c][1,4]benzoxazin-1-one NS2028

Sulfur analogues of the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor NS2028 1a are synthesized. Treating 8-bromo-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3(4H)-one oxime (6) with 1,1′-thiocarbonyldiimidazole (1.1 equiv) gave the carbamothioate 8-bromo-4H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[3,4-c][1,4]benzoxazine-1-thione (3a) in 83% yield. Alternatively reacting NS2028 1a with P₂S₅ (0.5 equiv) affords the carbamothioate 3a in 80% yield. Similar treatment of 8-aryl substituted NS2028 analogues 1b-d with P₂S₅ gave the carbamothioates 3b-d in 64-91% yields. Although quite stable, the carbamothioates 3a-d could be thermally isomerized in the presence of Cu (10 mol %) to afford the thiocarbamates 4a-d in high yields. Interestingly, in the case of carbamothioate 3a Pd and In metals also facilitated the isomerization. Furthermore, treatment of the thiocarbamates 4a-d with P₂S₅ (0.5 equiv) affords the carbamodithioates 5a-d in 72-89% yields. All new compounds are fully characterized including single crystal X-ray data for carbamothioate 3a and thiocarbamate 4a. Finally, a mechanism is proposed for the carbamothioate to thiocarbamate isomerization.     

An efficient substituent dependent synthesis of congested pyridines and pyrimidines

An efficient and versatile synthesis of various congested pyridines 3a-h, 6a,b, 8a-n, 10a-g, and 16a,b, and (pyrimidin-4-yl)acetonitriles 13a-g has been delineated by base catalyzed ring transformation of suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones 1a-h, 5, 7, and 15 by formamidine acetate 2a, acetamidine hydrochloride 2b, S-methylisothiourea 9a, pyrazol-1-yl-carboxamidine 9b, and arylamidine hydrochloride 12 separately in the presence of powdered KOH in dry DMF.     

Complementary kinetic and thermodynamic resolution of a chiral biaryl axis

The condensation of 2′-formylbiphenyl-2-carboxylic acid 4 with (S)-valinol proceeds under kinetic control to give a major product, (4bR,7S,aS)-6,7-dihydro-7-isopropyldibenz[c,e]oxazolo[3,2-a]azepin-9(4bH)-one 6a (84%), in which the biaryl axis has the (S)-configuration. Heating 6a at 140°C with a catalytic amount of acid gives rise to an equilibrium dominated by the diastereoisomeric (4bS,7S)-lactam 6b (6a:6b ratio 27:73), in which the biaryl unit has the (R)-configuration. The structures of both lactams were established by X-ray crystallography; no other diastereoisomers were obtained.     

Salen-ligands based on a planar-chiral hydroxyferrocene moiety: Synthesis, coordination chemistry and use in asymmetric silylcyanation

Condensation of the O-protected hydroxyferrocene carbaldehyde (S_p)-1 with suitable diamines, followed by liberation of the hydroxyferrocene moiety leads to a new type of ferrocene-based salen ligands (3). While the use of ethylenediamine in the condensation reaction yields the planar-chiral ethylene-bridged ligand [(S_p,S_p)-3a], reaction with the enantiomers of trans-1,2-cyclohexylendiamine gives rise to the corresponding diastereomeric cyclohexylene-bridged systems [(S,S,S_p,S_p)-3b and (R,R,S_p,S_p)-3c], which feature a combination of a planar-chiral ferrocene unit with a centrochiral diamine backbone. Starting with the ferrocene-aldehyde derivative (R_p)-1, the enantiomeric ligand series (3d/e/f) is accessible via the same synthetic route.The (S_p)-series of these newly developed N₂O₂-type ligands was used for the construction of the corresponding mononuclear bis(isopropoxy)titanium (4a/b/c), methylaluminum (5a/b/c) and chloroaluminum-complexes (6a/b/c), which were isolated in good yields and identified by X-ray diffraction in several cases. The aluminum complexes (5/6) were successfully used in the Lewis-acid catalyzed addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to benzaldehyde, yielding the corresponding cyanohydrins in 45-62% enantiomeric excess.     

Determination of the absolute structure of albaconol

The concise synthesis of (8aR)-(−)-albaconol (1) from (8aR)-albicanol (2) obtained from the lipase-assisted asymmetric acetylation of rac-2, was achieved in 45% overall yield (eight steps). By comparison of the sign of specific rotation of between synthetic (8aR)-(−)-albaconol (1) and natural (+)-albaconol (1), the absolute structure of natural (+)-1 was determined to be 1R,2R,4aS,8aS configuration.     

Regioselective synthesis of novel 4-aryl-2-ethylthio-7-methyl pyrazolo[1,5-a]-[1,3,5]-triazines

Pyrazolo[1,5-a]-[1,3,5]-triazines 6a-d were obtained by an efficient one-step reaction from S,S-diethyl aroyliminodithiocarbonates 4a-d and 5-amino-3-methylpyrazole 5 or by an alternative two-step reaction from 5 and aroyl isothiocyanates 8a-d to give initially the thiourea derivatives 9a-d, which after S-ethylation and cyclization afforded compounds 6a-d. The intermediate 7a isolated from reaction between 4a and 5 permitted us to establish the orientation.     

Synthesis of (4R,15R,16R,21S)- and (4R,15S,16S,21S)-rollicosin

A convergent synthesis of (4R,15R,16R,21S)-rollicosin (1) and (4R,15S,16S,21S)-rollicosin (2) was accomplished. Hydroxy lactone 6a and/or 6b were synthesized from 4-pentyn-1-ol, and α,β-unsaturated lactone 7 was synthesized from γ-lactone 8 and 5-hexen-1-ol. Inhibitory activity of these compounds was examined with bovine heart mitochondrial complex I.     

Total synthesis of (+)-Z-deoxypukalide, a furanobutenolide-based cembranoid isolated from the pacific octocoral Leptogorgia spp.

A total synthesis of (+)-Z-deoxypukalide 3 using a combination of Stille and Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi(NHK) coupling reactions as key steps, is described. During this study a new practical synthesis of the substituted butenolide intermediate 10, based on a combination of RCM and CM reactions from the cyclobutene ester 21 in the presence of 2-methylpropenol was also developed. Attempts to apply the intramolecular NHK reaction to the substrates 8a and 8b containing an ester group adjacent to the reacting aldehyde functionality gave disappointing low yields (<6%) of the corresponding coupled products 9. The synthetic (+)-Z-deoxypukalide 3 was correlated with naturally derived material, and also with pukalide 1, the first member of the furanobutenolide-based cembranoids to be isolated from corals.     

Synthetic study toward 17-thiasteroids: synthesis of the 1-thiahydrinden-5-one subunit using a new annulation procedure and investigation of its reduction

The enantioselective syntheses of ketones 6 and 7 featuring the CD subunit of 17-thiasteroid are described. The key bicyclic 1-thiahydrindenone (S)-5 was assembled in three steps from Michael adduct (S)-12 via β-keto ester 15 using a one-pot sequential process involving cleavage of both the ketal group and the tert-butyl ester group, decarboxylation, and finally intramolecular aldol condensation. Hydridoalkyl cuprate-induced conjugate reduction of 1-thiahydrindenone (S)-5 and its corresponding sulfone (S)-23 gave 1-thiahydrindanones 6 and 7, respectively, which display unexpectedly the unnatural cis-ring junctions.     

A novel and convenient method for the synthesis of new derivatives of pyrido[3,2-e]pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine-6,11-dione

A novel methodology has been developed for the efficient synthesis of 1,4-pyridopyrrolodiazepine derivatives. The key reaction is the bromination under mild conditions by NBS of compounds resulting via peptide coupling of l-proline methyl ester with 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxylic acid 1, then intramolecular cyclization in the construction of 2-bromo-6a,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-pyrido[3,2-e]pyrrolo[1,2-a][1,4]diazepine-6,11-dione 4. This latter is then engaged in cross-coupling reactions to generate 1,4-pyridopyrrolodiazepines derivatives 5a-m, 6a-i, 7, and 8a-c. This strategy provides an efficient method to access a library of compounds based on privileged substructures that are of great interest in drug discovery.