Practical asymmetric synthesis of bioactive aminotetralins from a racemic precursor using a regiodivergent resolution

Catalyst-controlled asymmetric ring opening of a racemic oxabicyclic alkene leads to two readily separable regioisomeric products both in excellent ee. A cationic Rh catalyst, with added NH(4)BF(4) to modulate reactivity, was required to obtain synthetically useful yields. The utility of each substituted aminotetralin product has been demonstrated by their conversion to different biologically relevant molecules in a highly efficient and practical manner.     

1,2-Halogen migration in haloallenyl ketones: regiodivergent synthesis of halofurans

Selective 1,2-iodine, bromine, and chlorine migration in haloallenyl ketones in the presence of Au catalyst has been demonstrated. It was found that, depending on the nature of the Au catalyst used, either selective bromine migration or hydrogen shift occurs, leading to the formation of 3- or 2-bromofurans, respectively. Halirenium intermediate was proposed for the unusual 1,2-halogen migration. This cascade transformation allows for mild and efficient synthesis of various types of 3-halofurans.     

A substituted benzene ring synthesis

$\text{N}$-Aminopyrroles are used in a new, versatile and high yield substituted benzene ring synthesis.     

A novel regiodivergent resolution reaction mediated by a homochiral lithium amide base

The reaction of a racemic perhydroisoquinolene derivative 9 with the homochiral lithium amide basse 3 in the presence of Me₃SiCl in an regiodivergent fashion to give the two non-racemic regioisomeric enol silanes 10 and 11. Conversion of 10 into enone 15, an intermediate useful in the synthesis of the alkaloid (+)-yohimbine, was also possible.     

Ni-catalyzed regiodivergent hydrophosphorylation of enynes

A regiodivergent hydrophosphorylation of enynes with phosphites has been developed using earth-abundant nickel catalyst. The manipulation of regioselectivity can be achieved by regulating the insertion order of alkyne bonds with (RO)₂P(O)–Ni–H or R₂P(O)O–Ni–H species, respectively. Under the Ni/Xantphos catalysis, 4,1-hydrophosphorylation is selectively obtained while the adding of acid can promote reactions towards 1,2-addition. By employing an additional Pd–H catalysis, 2,1-hydrophosphorylation is also an accessible task in one-pot reaction. Mechanistic studies and analysis have also been performed to interpret the origin of the regioselective regulation. This work highlights the arts in accessing different regioisomers by diverting common elementary reaction steps.     

A diastereoselective total synthesis of trans-trikentrin A: a ring contraction approach

A new route to obtain the polyalkylated indole (+/-)-trans-trikentrin A was developed. The synthesis of this natural alkaloid features a thallium(III)-mediated ring contraction reaction to obtain the trans-1,3-disubstituted five-membered ring in a diastereoselective manner. Thallium(III) is chemoselective in this rearrangement, reacting with the olefin without oxidation of the indole moiety. Other key transformations are the Bartoli's reaction to construct the heterocyclic ring and a Heck coupling to add the carbons atom that will originate the nonaromatic cycle.     

Regioselective epoxide ring opening. Steroselective synthesis of a tetrahydropyran ring

The stereoselective synthesis of a 2-substituted tetrahydropyran with adjacent alkoxy-bearing stereogenic centre is described. The key steps of this synthesis were the stereoselective epoxidation of an allylic alcohol and the regioselective epoxide ring opening by lithium aluminum hydride. The regio and stereoselective synthesis of a trihydroxyselenide and a trihydroxysulfide is also described. The latter compounds are not suitable for cyclization to tetrahydrofuran ring.     

Furan ring opening-isochromene ring closure: a new approach to isochromene ring synthesis

A new approach toward the synthesis of 1H-isochromenes based on the recyclization of the furan ring in the corresponding ortho-hydroxymethylbenzylfurans is described.     

A concise enantioselective synthesis of a fully oxygen substituted ring A taxol precursor

A concise synthesis of the oxygen substituted ring A compound 2 found in Taxol^®1a and Taxotere^®1b starting from 2,2-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione and proceeding via the key intermediates 8 and 11, is described. The absolute configuration of 2 was established from an X-ray crystal structure determination of a 4-bromophenylbenzoate derivative, viz. 15.     

Site-selective catalysis: toward a regiodivergent resolution of 1,2-diols

This paper demonstrates that the secondary hydroxyl can be functionalized in preference to the primary hydroxyl of a 1,2-diol. The site selectivity is achieved by using an enantioselective organic catalyst that is able to bond to the diol reversibly and covalently. The reaction has been parlayed into a divergent kinetic resolution on a racemic mixture, providing access to highly enantioenriched secondary-protected 1,2-diols in a single synthetic step.     

A simple synthesis of 5-fluorouracil by a novel ring transformation reaction

A very simple method for the preparation of 5-fluorouracil ( 1 ) from 1,3-dimethyl-5-azauracil ( 2 ) by a novel ring transformation reaction is reported.     

From a biogenetic scenario to a synthesis of the ABC ring of manzamine A

On the basis of a biogenetic proposal for explaining the biogenesis of manzamine A, the cycloaddition of dihydropyridinium salt 26 with diene derivative 5 leads to adducts 27. These adducts, as well as their related and previously described analogues 9, are now shown to be precursors of diene derivatives such as 10, 13, and 28. Treatment of diene 32 with sodium azide resulted in a one-step formation of the tricyclic imino derivative 34. This key intermediate was further transformed into tricyclic derivative 40, which possesses the essential features of the ABC ring of manzamine A.     

Formal nucleophilic pyrrolylmethylation via palladium-based auto-tandem catalysis: switchable regiodivergent synthesis and remote chirality transfer

Although nucleophilic benzylation-type reaction to introduce various aromatic systems into molecules has been widely explored, the related pyrrolylmethylation version remains to be disclosed. Reported herein is a palladium-catalysed multiple auto-tandem reaction between N-Ts propargylamines, allyl carbonates and aldimines in the presence of an acid, proceeding through sequential allylic amination, cycloisomerisation, vinylogous addition and aromatisation steps. A diversity of formal pyrrolylmethylated amine products were finally furnished efficiently. In addition, switchable regiodivergent 3-pyrrolylmethylation and 4-pyrrolylmethylation were realised by tuning catalytic conditions. Moreover, remote chirality transfer with readily available enantioenriched starting materials was well achieved with an achiral ligand, relying on diastereoselective generation of η²-Pd(0) complexes between Pd(0) and chiral 1,3-diene intermediates in the key vinylogous addition step. A few control experiments were conducted to elucidate the palladium-involved tandem reaction and regiodivergent synthesis.

A formal nucleophilic pyrrolylmethylation reaction was disclosed via a palladium-catalysed tandem reaction between propargyl amines, allyl carbonates and aldimines. Switchable regiodivergent synthesis and chirality transfer could be well achieved.     

A ring-closing metathesis approach to a synthesis of the B ring of eleutherobin

A short and efficient RCM route is reported for the construction of the key nine-membered B ring of eleutherobin starting from the readily available 1,2,5,6-diisopropylidene-d-glucose.     

A total synthesis of oxetanocin,a novel nucleoside with an oxetane ring

Oxetanocin has been synthesized starting from cis-2-buten-1,4-diol through α- or β-D-oxetanosyl acetate as an important intermediate which has an α-(methyl oxalyloxy)methyl group at C₂-position.     

Synthetic studies toward merrilactone A: a short synthesis of AB ring motif

An efficient route to the AB ring motif of merrilactone A has been established by remarkable regioselective reduction of cyclic anhydrides 3 and 8 to the γ-lactone moiety, followed by the successive Stille and Heck reactions of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkene.