Reduced collagen cross links: the first synthesis of all the possible (2S,2′S)-stereoisomers of 5-hydroxylysinonorleucine and of 5,5′-dihydroxylysinonorleucine in enantiomerically pure form

The paper reports the first enantioselective synthesis of all the possible collagen reduced cross links as described: (2S,2′S,5R)- and (2S,2′S,5S)-5-hydroxylysinonorleucine 3a and 3b, (2S,2′S,5R,5′R)-5,5′-dihydroxylysinonorleucine 4a, (2S,2′S,5R,5′S)-5,5′-dihydroxylysinonorleucine 4b and (2S,2′S,5S,5′S)-5,5′-dihydroxylysinonorleucine 4c. The Williams’ glycine template methodology was used both for the introduction of a stereogenic at the α-position and for an easy protection of the amino acidic functionalities during the synthesis of the dimeric amino acids.     

A general strategy for the formal synthesis of (−)-trans-kumausyne and total synthesis of (5R)-Hagen’s gland lactones from diacetone-d-glucose

A general strategy for the formal synthesis of (−)-trans-kumausyne 1 via the bicyclic lactone (3aR,5R,6aR)-4 and total synthesis of (5R)-Hagen’s gland lactones 2 and 3 via bicyclic lactone (3aR,5S,6aR)-5 starting from diacetone-d-glucose 6 is described. Syntheses of 4 and 5 were achieved by Wittig olefination–lactonization–Michael addition of the corresponding lactols 16 and 17, respectively.     

A flexible enantioselective approach to 3,4-dihydroxyprolinol derivatives by SmI2-mediated reductive coupling of chiral nitrone with ketones/aldehydes

A flexible enantioselective approach to polyhydroxylated prolinol derivatives was described, which is based on the samarium diiodide-mediated reductive coupling of the chiral nitrone (3S,4R)-8, derived from d-isoascorbic acid with aldehydes/ketones. Thereby, polyhydroxyprolinol derivatives 9a–e and 9h–j were obtained from aromatic ketones and aliphatic aldehydes in good to excellent yields of 65–91%. These reductive hydroxyalkylations are highly diastereoselective in establishing the C-4 stereogenic center. By this way, the asymmetric syntheses of (?)-8a-epi-swainsonine (4) and (?)-8,8a-di-epi-swainsonine (5) have been achieved.     

Perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines derived from (−)-8-aminomenthol as ligands for the catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes

The catalytic potency of a series of perhydro-1,3-benzoxazines prepared from (?)-8-aminomenthol was examined in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. When (2R,3S,3aS,4aR,6R,8aS)-2-isopropyl-6,9,9-trimethyl-3-phenyldecahydro-4aH-pyrrolo[2,1-b][1,3]benzoxazin-3-ol 7b was used as a chiral ligand, 1-substituted propanols with an (R)-configuration were obtained in high yields and enantiomeric excesses up to >99%. The catalyst can be recovered and used without any loss in its activity.     

Total synthesis of the 5-epimers of naturally occurring (−)-hyacinthacine A5 and unnatural (+)-hyacinthacine A4

(1R,2S,3R,5S,7aR)-1,2-Dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine 10 [(+)-5-epihyacinthacine A₅] and (1R,2S,3R,5S,7aS)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine 17 [ent-5-epihyacinthacine A₄] have been synthesized by either Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) or Wittig methodology using aldehydes 6 and 13, prepared from (2R,3S,4R,5R)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-2′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine 5 (partially protected DALDP) and (2R,3S,4R,5S)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-N-benzyloxycarbonyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2′-O-pivaloylpyrrolidine 12 (partially protected DGADP), respectively, and the appropriated ylide, followed by cyclization through an internal reductive amination process of the corresponding intermediate pyrrolidinic ketones 7 and 14 and subsequent deprotection.     

Masked constrained cysteines: diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of 1-amino-2-mercaptocyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives

A diastereoselective and enantioselective synthesis of (Z)-1-benzoylamino-2-tritylsulfanylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives 8a,b and 9a,b was achieved starting from (−)- or (+)-menthyl 2-benzoylamino-3-tritylsulfanylacrylates 3a,b. Compounds 3 were reacted with diazomethane giving the corresponding pyrazolines 4a,b and 5a,b. These compounds, on melting, were transformed, under steric control, into the cyclopropaneamino acid derivatives (R,R)-8a,b and (S,S)-9a,b. The synthesis of a large class of chiral 2-S-alkyl-1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives is possible after removing the trityl protecting group and subsequent alkylation reactions.     

Natural product synthesis from (8aR)- and (8aS)-bicyclofarnesols: synthesis of (+)-wiedendiol A, (+)-norsesterterpene diene ester and (−)-subersic acid

Both enantiomers (8aR)-7 and (8aS)-7 of bicyclofarnesol were synthesized from the enzymatic resolution products (1R,4aR,8aR)-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-decahydro-5,5,8a-trimethyl-2-oxo-trans-naphthalene-1-methanol-2-ethylene acetal (8aR)-5 (98% ee) and acetate of (1S,4aS,8aS)-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-decahydro-5,5,8a-trimethyl-2-oxo-trans-naphthalene-1-methanol-2-ethylene acetal (8aS)-6 (>99% ee), respectively. The formal synthesis of (+)-wiedendiol 1 was achieved via a coupling reaction of an ate complex derived from 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene with allyl bromide (8aS)-8 derived from (8aS)-7. The total synthesis of (+)-norsesterterpene diene ester 2 was achieved, based on the synthesis of (13E,10S)-α,β-unsaturated aldehyde 12, derived from (8aS)-7, followed by the selective construction of the (3E,5E)-diene moiety including a C(2)-stereogenic centre in (+)-2. The total synthesis of (−)-subersic acid 3 was carried out based on a Stille coupling between allyl trifluoroacetate congener 25c, derived from (8aR)-7, corresponding to the diterpene part, and aryl stannane congener 26 in the presence of Pd catalyst and CuI as an additive.     

Reactions of β-substituted amines-IV: Kinetics and stereochemistry of the thermal to (r) 3-chloro-1-ethylpiperidine,and the stereo-chemical course of their reactions with nucleophiles

The rate of the thermal rearrangement of (S) 2 chloromethyl-1-ethylpyrrolidine [(S)-1a] to (R)-3-chloro-1-ethylpiperidine [(R) 2a] has been examined at three temperatures in benzene by PMR and polarimetry. The rearrangement was shown to be completely stereospecific and to obey a simple first order rate law. The calculated E_a ΔH3 and ΔS3 were 22 ± 2 $\text{kcal}\text{mole}$ (25°), 21 ± 2.5 $\text{kcal}\text{mole}$ (25°) and - 10 ± 2 e.u. (0°K) respectively. The effect of solvents having differing dielectric constants was also studied. A transition state 9'a and an ion pair intermediate 3a are suggested for the rearrangement. The stereochemical course of the reactions of (S)-1a, (R)-2a and (S)-2a with hydroxide and methoxide ions have been shown to be 100% stereospecific with an uncertainty of about 1%. The absolute configurations of all optically active reactants and products [(S)- and (R)-4a, (S)-4b (R)- and (S)-5a, (R)-5b, (S,S')-6a, (S,R')-7a and (R,R')-8a] were established by chemical correlations with known compounds or by ORD and chemical inference. The ring opening of both the primary and secondary aziridinium ion positions of 1-azonia-1-ethylbicyclo [3.1.0]hexane [(S)-3a] by nucleophiles proceeds entirely by S_N2 processes. The conversion of (R)-1-ethyl-3-hydroxypiperidine [(R)-5a] to (S)-2a. HCl with thionyl chloride in chloroform proceeds by inversion with 4.8% racemization, whereas the thermal rearrangement of (S)-1a to (R)-2a occurs with complete retention of absolute configuration.     

Advanced procedure for the enzymatic ring opening of unsaturated alicyclic β-lactams

Enantiopure β-amino acids 1a–4a and β-lactams 1b–4b were prepared simultaneously through the lipolase-catalysed enantioselective ring opening of unsaturated racemic β-lactams (±)-1-(±)-4. High enantioselectivities (E>200) were observed when the reactions were performed with 1 equiv of water in iPr₂O at 70 °C. The resolved (1R,2S)-amino acids (yield⩾45%) and (1S,5R)-, (1S,6R)- and (1S,8R)-lactams (yield⩾47%) could be easily separated. The ring opening of lactam enantiomers 1b–4b with 18% HCl afforded the corresponding β-amino acid hydrochlorides 1c·HCl–4c·HCl (ee >95%).     

Enzymatic desymmetrization of meso cis-2,6- and cis,cis-2,4,6-substituted piperidines. Chemoenzymatic synthesis of (5S,9S)-(+)-indolizidine 209D

The stereoselective acylation of meso piperidines 3a,b by vinyl acetate (solvent and acyl donor) in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase gave the corresponding (2S,6R) and (2S,4R,6R) monoesters 2a,b in high enantiomeric purity. (5S,9S)-(+)-Indolizidine 209D was prepared in eight steps from (2S,6R)-2a.     

Optically active 1-(benzofuran-2-yl)ethanols and ethane-1,2-diols by enantiotopic selective bioreductions

Enantiotopic selective reduction of 1-(benzofuran-2-yl)ethanones 1a–d, 1-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2-hydroxyethanones 4a–c and 2-acetoxy-1-(benzofuran-2-yl)ethanones 3a–c was performed by baker's yeast for preparation of optically active (benzofuran-2-yl)carbinols [(S)-5a–d, (S)-6a–c and (R)-6a–c, enantiomeric excess from 55 to 93% ee].     

A novel asymmetric synthesis of oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu) from (−)-shikimic acid

Oseltamivir phosphate 1 was synthesized starting from a readily available acetonide, that is, ethyl (3R,4S,5R)-3,4-O-isopropylidene shikimate 2, through a new route via 11 steps and in 44% overall yield. The synthesis described in this article is characterized by two particular steps: the highly regioselective and stereoselective facile nucleophilic replacement of an OMs by an N₃ group at the C-3 position of ethyl (3R,4S,5R)-3,4-O-bismethanesulfonyl-5-O-benzoyl shikimate 5, and the mild ring-opening of an aziridine with 3-pentanol at the C-1 position of ethyl (1S,5R,6S)-7-acetyl-5-benzoyloxy-7-azabicyclo[4,1,0]hept-2-ene-3-carboxylate 8.     

Enantioselective diethylzinc addition to the exocyclic CN double bond of some 4-arylideneamino-3-mercapto-6-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazin-5-one derivatives

4-Arylideneamino-3-mercapto-6-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazin-5-ones 2a–f have been evaluated as substrates in the enantioselective diethylzinc addition reaction in the presence of (1S,2R)-N-alkyl-N-benzylnorephedrines 3a–d as chiral ligands. The utility of using a dual catalytic system (amino alcohol/halosilane) for the diethylzinc addition reaction has been also examined. The addition products 4-(1-arylpropyl)amino-3-mercapto-6-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazin-5-ones 4a–f were obtained in high yields and with enantiomeric excesses of up to 92%. The treatment of arylimines 2a–f with a diethylzinc reagent did not affect the hetero-ring opening although the CN double bond of the lateral chain did undergo an addition reaction to yield the C-ethylated products 4a–f. The reductive cleavage of the 1,2,4-triazinyl heterocyclic ring from addition products 4a–f led smoothly to the corresponding free primary amines 5a–f without a significant loss of enantiomeric purity.     

Synthesis of ethyl and t-butyl (3R,5S)-dihydroxy-6-benzyloxy hexanoates via diastereo- and enantioselective microbial reduction

Previously we have demonstrated the reduction of ethyl diketoester 4 to the corresponding dihydroxy ester 6a by Acinetobacter sp. SC13874. Recently we screened more than 100 cultures for microbial reduction of both the ethyl and t-butyl diketoesters 4 and 5. Most yeast cultures showed a preference for reduction at the C-3 with low enantioselectivity. Among the three Acinetobacter strains screened, Acinetobacter sp. SC13874 reduced both compounds 4 and 5 to the corresponding (3R)- and (5S)-monohydroxy compounds. Monohydroxy compounds were isolated and their absolute configurations determined. (3R)- and (5S)-Monohydroxy compounds were reduced further to the corresponding dihydroxy esters 6a and 8a to provide alternate routes for the synthesis of compounds 14a and 16a, potential intermediates for the synthesis of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. Cell suspensions of Acinetobacter sp. SC13874 reduced the ethyl diketoester 4 to a mixture of desired syn and undesired anti diastereomers. The desired syn-(3R,5S)-dihydroxy ester 6a was obtained with an enantiomeric excess (ee) of 99% and a diastereomeric excess (de) of 63%. Cell suspensions reduced the t-butyl diketoester 5 to a mixture of mono- and dihydroxy esters with the dihydroxy ester showing an ee of 87% and de of 51% for the desired syn-(3R,5S)-dihydroxy ester 8a. Three different ketoreductases were purified to homogeneity, and their biochemical properties compared. Reductase I only catalyzes the reduction of ethyl diketoester 4 to its monohydroxy products 10 and 11, whereas reductase II catalyzes the formation of dihydroxy products 6 and 7 from monohydroxy substrates 10 and 11. A third reductase (III) was identified, which catalyzes the reduction of diketoester 4 to syn-(3R,5S)-dihydroxy ester 6a.     

Synthesis of (−)-okundoperoxide and determination of the absolute configuration of natural (+)-okundoperoxide

The first enantioselective synthesis of (3S,4aR,8aR)-1 (the enantiomer of natural okundoperoxide) has been accomplished. The synthesis features: 1) stereoselective installation of the peroxy functionality (16 → 17); 2) ring opening of peroxyacetal and subsequent intramolecular reaction between the hydroperoxide and the vinyl epoxide to form the peroxy six-membered ring (5 → 1). The absolute configuration of okundoperoxide was determined to be 3R,4aS,8aS by comparing specific rotations of the synthetic sample and the natural product.     

Total synthesis of natural (+)-hyacinthacine A6 and non-natural (+)-7a-epi-hyacinthacine A1 and (+)-5,7a-diepi-hyacinthacine A6

Naturally occurring (1S,2R,3R,5R,7aR)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine [(+)-hyacinthacine A₆, 2] together with unnatural (1S,2R,3R,7aS)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethylpyrrolizidine [(+)-7a-epi-hyacinthacine A₁, 3] and (1S,2R,3R,5S,7aS)-1,2-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-5-methylpyrrolizidine [(+)-5,7a-diepi-hyacinthacine A₆, 4] have been synthesized from a DALDP derivative [5, (2R,3S,4R,5R)-3,4-dibenzyloxy-2′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine], as the homochiral starting material. The synthetic process employed took advantages of Wittig methodology followed by internal lactamization, in the case of (+)-7a-epi-hyacinthacine A₁ (3), and reductive amination for (+)-hyacinthacine A₆ (2) and (+)-5,7a-diepi-hyacinthacine A₆ (4).     

Lipase mediated enantiomer and diastereomer separation of 2,2′-[1,2- and 1,3-phenylenebis(oxy)]dicyclohexanols

Separation of diastereomeric and enantiomeric mixtures of 2,2′-[1,2- and 1,3-phenylenebis(oxy)]dicyclohexanols rac-3a and meso-3a, and rac-3b and meso-3b—resulting from the reactions of pyrocatechol 1a and resorcinol 1b with cyclohexene oxide 2—were performed using acetylation catalyzed by the highly stereoselective Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435). The absolute configurations of the resulting diols (S,S,S,S)-3a,b, monoacetates (R,R,S,S)-4a,b and diacetates (R,R,R,R)-5a,b were assigned on the basis of the steric analogy to the acetylation of racemic trans-2-phenoxycyclohexanol rac-6 with the same enzyme resulting in the known acetate (−)-(R,R)-7.     

Synthesis of (−)-(1′S,4aS,8aR)- and (+)-(1′S,4aR,8aS)-4a-ethyl-1-(1′-phenylethyl)-octahydroquinolin-7-ones

A synthesis of the enamine (−)-(1′S)-5-ethyl-1-(1′-phenylethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyridine 4 and its application in a synthesis of (−)-(1′S,4aS,8aR)- and (+)-(1′S,4aR,8aS)-4a-ethyl-1-(1′-phenylethyl)-octahydroquinolin-7-ones 5 and 6 is described. In addition, an X-ray study of 6 is reported. Finally, the preparation of (+)-(4aS,8aR)-4a-ethyl-octahydroquinolin-7-one 7 is described.     

Formal enantioselective synthesis of (+)-vincamine. The first enantioselective route to (+)-3,14-epivincamine and its enantiomer

A formal synthesis of (+)-vincamine (1) from (S)-(+)-2-ethyl-2-(2-methoxycarbonylethyl) cyclopentanone (6a) is described. This intermediate had previously been obtained by our research group in 90% ee through d'Angelo's deracemizing alkylation of the chiral imine 7, easily prepared from (R)-(+)-α-methylbenzylamine and 2-ethyl cyclopentanone with methyl acrylate. A potencial advanced intermediate for the synthesis of (+)-4, an epimer of (+)-1 at positions C-3 and C-14, has also been prepared from 6a.     

Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of a tri-substituted cyclopropyl chiral synthon: a practical method for preparation of chiral 1-alkoxycarbonyl-2-oxo-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane

An efficient method for the preparation of optically active enantiomers of 1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-oxo-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 1 has been developed. Treatment of 1 with lipase Amano PS gave (1S,5R)-1-carboxy-2-oxo-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 4a which was converted to (1S,5R)-1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-oxo-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane 1a with high enantiomeric purity (98.0% ee, 75% yield), while the (1R,5S)-lactone ester 1b remained intact. A simple procedure for the recovery of 4a from the reaction mixture was also established.