Total synthesis of (4R,5S,6E,14S)- and (4R,5S,6E,14R)-cystothiazoles F

Total synthesis of (4R,5S,6E,14S)- and (4R,5S,6E,14R)-cystothiazoles F 3 was achieved from the chiral bithiazole-type primary alcohols [(S)- and (R)-4-ethoxycarbonyl-2′-(1-hydroxymethylethyl)-2,4′-bithiazoles 8], which were obtained based on the enzymatic resolution of racemic alcohol 8 and its acetate 9. From a direct comparison by means of chiral HPLC between natural cystothiazole F 3 and synthetic compounds [(4R,5S,6E,14S)- and (4R,5S,6E,14R)-cystothiazoles 3], natural cystothiazole F 3 was found to be a 33:67 diastereomeric mixture [(4R,5S,6E,14S)-3:(4R,5S,6E,14R)-3 = 33:67].     

Synthetic studies on homophymine A: stereoselective synthesis of (2R,3R,4R,6R)-3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethyloctanoic acid

An efficient and highly stereocontrolled synthesis of (2R,3R,4R,6R)-3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethyloctanoic acid, the β-hydroxy acid unit that acylates the N-terminus of homophymine A, has been devised starting from iodoethane and (S,S)-pseudoephedrine propionamide in 9 steps and 36% average overall yield. Comparison of the ¹H and ¹³C NMR and optical rotation data of the resulting β-hydroxy acid with the natural fragment unambiguously verifies the configurational assignment as (2R,3R,4R,6R).     

First total synthesis of (+)-Vedelianin, a potent antiproliferative agent

The total synthesis of (+)-vedelianin has been accomplished in 18 steps from vanillin. Preparation of a key intermediate in nonracemic form through a Shi epoxidation has allowed determination of the absolute stereochemistry of the natural product as the (2S,3R,4aR,9aR)-isomer.     

Synthesis of optically active forms of faranal,the trail pheromone of Pharaoh's ant

Both (3S,4R)-(+)- and (3R,4S)-(?)-enantiomers of faranal [(6E,10Z)-3,4,7,11-tetramethyl-6,10-tride- cadienal] were synthesized. The former was comparable in bioactivity with that of the natural trail pheromone isolated from Monomorium pharaonis.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis and HPLC analysis of the stereoisomers of miyakosyne A [(4E,24E)-14-methyloctacosa-4,24-diene-1,27-diyne-3,26-diol], a cytotoxic metabolite of a marine sponge Petrosia sp., to determine the absolute configuration of its major component as 3R,14R,26R

Six samples [(3R,14R,26R)-, (3R,14S,26R)-, (3S,14R,26S)-, and (3S,14S,26S)-1, a mixture of (3R,14R,26S)- and (3S,14R,26R)-1, and a mixture of (3R,14S,26S)- and (3S,14S,26R)-1] of miyakosyne A [1, (4E,24E)-14-methyloctacosa-4,24-diene-1,27-diyne-3,26-diol] were synthesized starting from the enantiomers of citronellal (2), employing olefin cross metathesis and R-selective asymmetric acetylation of a stereoisomeric mixture of acetylenic alcohols with vinyl acetate and lipase PS as key reactions. Separation of the eight stereoisomer of 1 by reversed phase HPLC at −56 °C was achieved after their esterification with (1R,2R)-2-(anthracene-2,3-dicarboximido)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (16), and the natural miyakosyne A was found to be a mixture of 95.7% of (3R,14R,26R)-1 and 4.3% of (3R,14S,26R)-1. This is different from the (3R,14S,26R)-configuration of 1 as tentatively assigned by X-ray analysis.     

Enantioselective, chemoenzymatic synthesis, and absolute configuration of the antioxidant (−)-gloeosporiol

The natural antioxidant (−)-gloeosporiol, isolated as a peracetylated derivative from a culture of the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, has been enantioselectively prepared from 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde by means of a chemoenzymatic synthesis. The key intermediate was obtained by resolution with a lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia. Its stereochemistry, initially assigned as R, according to the Kazlaukas empirical rule for secondary alcohols, was independently confirmed by NMR and chirooptic methods. This, in turn, allowed the assignment of compound (−)-1 as (−)-(2S,3R,4R)-2-(3′,4′dihydroxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran-3,4-diol.     

Studies on the transformation of nitrosugars into iminosugars III: synthesis of (2R,3R,4R,5R,6R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)azepane-3,4,5,6-tetraol and (2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)azepane-3,4,5,6-tetraol

A divergent synthesis of the two novel polyhydroxylated azepanes (2R,3R,4R,5R,6R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)azepane-3,4,5,6-tetraol and (2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)azepane-3,4,5,6-tetraol from d-mannose is described. The method involves a Henry reaction between dimethyl-tert-butylsilyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-lyxo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside and 2-nitroethanol followed by a reductive ring closure of the resulting epimeric nitro aldols. Glycosidase inhibition tests showed that (2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)azepane-3,4,5,6-tetraol exhibits a weak but selective inhibition against α-l-fucosides.     

Synthesis of the enantiomers of (3Z,9Z)-cis-6,7-epoxy-3,9-octadecadiene,one of the major components of the sex pheromone of Ectropis oblique Prout

Both enantiomers of (3Z,9Z)-cis-6,7-epoxy-3,9-octadecadiene, one of which is the major component of the sex pheromone of Ectropis oblique Prout, were synthesized in 23% overall yield for the (?)-(6S,7R)-enantiomer and 18% yield for the (+)-(6R,7S)-isomer. This protocol uses a sequential regioselective ring-opening strategy and provides a convenient and reliable access to other structurally related insect sex pheromones. Preliminary biological studies revealed that (?)-(6S,7R)-2a was roughly as active as the natural pheromone, while racemic (±)-2 was less bioactive and (+)-2b was much less bioactive.     

Synthesis and stereochemical determination of an antifeeding bisabolanoid from Japanese cedar

The first enantioselective synthesis of (1S,3R,6R)-1-hydroxy-7(14),10-bisaboladien-4-one, a potent antifeedant isolated from the Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica, was achieved starting from methyl (R)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoate via a stereoselective carbonyl ene cyclization reaction as the key step. Comparison of the spectral data and specific rotation of the synthetic material with those of the natural product led to unambiguous stereochemical assignment of the antifeedant as 1S, 3R, and 6R.     

Pheromone synthesis. Part 250: Determination of the stereostructure of CH503, a sex pheromone of male Drosophila melanogaster,as (3R,11Z,19Z)-3-acetoxy-11,19-octacosadien-1-ol by synthesis and chromatographic analysis of its eight isomers

All the eight stereoisomers of 3-acetoxy-11,19-octacosadien-1-ol (1), the male sex pheromone (CH503) of Drosophila melanogaster, were synthesized from two acetylenic starting materials and the enantiomers of 3,4-epoxy-1-butanol PMB ether. Complete separation of the eight isomers of 1 by reversed phase HPLC at ?20 °C was achieved after their esterification with (1R,2R)-2-(2,3-anthracenedicarboximido)cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (27), and the natural CH503 was found to be (3R,11Z,19Z)-1.     

Isolation,structural assignment and insecticidal activity of (−)-(1S,2R,3R,4S)-1,2-epoxy-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-cyclohex-3-yl acetate,a natural product from Minthostachys tomentosa

(−)-(1S,2R,3R,4S)-1,2-Epoxy-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-cyclohex-3-yl acetate has previously been identified as the active compound of Minthostachys tomentosa responsible for the insecticidal activity against Oncopeltus fasciatus. Its structure was initially assigned on the basis of spectral data. In order to confirm the structure and to define the stereochemistry, stereoselective synthesis of its enantiomer, (+)-(1R,2S,3S,4R)-1,2-epoxy-1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-cyclohex-3-yl acetate, starting from (R)-(−)-piperitone, was carried out using a Sharpless reaction as the key step. The natural product is dextro-rotatory while the synthetic product is levo-rotatory. Measurements of insecticidal activities of the different steroisomers revealed that only the natural product is active.     

Synthesis and single crystal structures of ternary phosphides Li4SrP2 and AAeP (A=Li, Na; Ae=Sr, Ba)

Two new (NaSrP, Li₄SrP₂) and two known (LiSrP, LiBaP) ternary phosphides have been synthesized and characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. NaSrP crystallizes in the non-centrosymmetric hexagonal space group (#189, a=7.6357(3) Å, c=4.4698(3) Å, V=225.69(2) Å³, Z=3, and R/wR=0.0173/0.0268). NaSrP adopts an ordered Fe₂P structure type. PSr₆ trigonal prisms share trigonal (pinacoid) faces to form 1D chains. Those chains define large channels along the [001] direction through edge-sharing. The channels are filled by chains of PNa₆ face-sharing trigonal prisms. Li₄SrP₂ crystallizes in the rhombohedral space group (#166, a=4.2813(2) Å, c=23.437(2) Å, V=372.04(4) Å³, Z=3, and R/wR=0.0142/0.0222). In contrast to previous reports, LiSrP and LiBaP crystallize in the centrosymmetric hexagonal space group P6₃/mmc (#194, a=4.3674(3) Å, c=7.9802(11) Å, V=131.82(2) Å³, Z=2, and R/wR=0.0099/0.0217 for LiSrP; a=4.5003(2) Å, c=8.6049(7) Å, V=150.92(2) Å³, Z=2, and R/wR=0.0098/0.0210 for LiBaP). Li₄SrP₂, LiSrP, and LiBaP can be described as Li₃P derivatives. Li atoms and P atoms make a graphite-like hexagonal layer, . In LiSrP and LiBaP, Sr or Ba atoms reside between layers to substitute for two Li atoms of Li₃P, while in Li₄SrP₂, Sr substitutes only between every other layer.     

An enantioselective total synthesis of the stilbenolignan (−)-aiphanol and the determination of its absolute stereochemistry

The title natural product (−)-aiphanol has been prepared by total synthesis. A key step involved the asymmetric dihydroxylation of (E)-3,5-dimethoxy-4-(methoxymethoxy)cinnamyl alcohol with the AD-mix-β to give triol (1R,2R)-1-(3′,5′-dimethoxy-4′-methoxymethoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydroxypropanol, the absolute stereochemistry of which was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis of a readily available bromo-derivative. These studies have established that the naturally occurring enantiomer of aiphanol possesses the (S)-configuration at each of C-2′ and C-3′.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (3S,4R)-3,4-dimethyl-(S)-glutamine and the absolute stereochemistry of the natural product from papuamides and callipeltin

(3S,4R)-3,4-Dimethyl-(S)-glutamine, a common component of cyclodepsipeptides, papuamide A and callipeltin A, was stereoselectively prepared from (S)-pyroglutamic acid. The stereostructure of natural dimethylglutamine was unambiguously confirmed to be (2S,3S,4R) by comparison of the CD and NMR spectra of the synthetic 3,4-dimethylpyroglutamic acid with the hydrolysate of callipeltin A.     

The absolute configuration of the palmarumycins C9, C10, and C12 by quantum-mechanical calculations of CD spectra

The absolute configurations of the palmarumycins C₉ 1a, C₁₀ 2, and C₁₂ 3 were assigned by comparison of the quantum-mechanically calculated with the experimental CD spectra as (2R,3S,4aS,8aR), (2R,3R,4S,4aS,8aR), and (2R,3R,4R), respectively.     

Asymmetric synthesis of tert-butyl ((1R,4aR,8R,8aR)-1-hydroxyoctahydro-1H-isochromen-8-yl)carbamate

The asymmetric synthesis of methyl (E)-4-((1R,2S,3R)-3-amino-2-((E)-2-methoxycarbonyl-eten-1-yl)cyclohexyl)but-2-enoate 14 has been achieved from dimethyl (2E,7E)-nona-2,7-dienedioate 2. A key step is the asymmetric synthesis of 1-hydroxyoctahydro-1H-isochromene derivative 5 whose X-ray analysis corroborated the stereochemistry of the new stereocenters. The asymmetric synthesis of the isochromenyl acetate derivative 11 shows the potential of this methodology for fused cyclohexanic system heterocyclic synthesis.     

Absolute configuration of (−)-4-methylheptan-3-ol,a pheromone of the smaller european elm bark beetle,as determined by the synthesis of its (3R,4R)-(+)- and (3S,4R)-(+)-isomers

Nerol and geraniol were stereoselectively converted to (±)-threo- and (±)-erythro-4-methylheptan-3-ol respectively. (R)-(+)-Citronellic acid was converted to a mixture of (3R,4R)-(+)-threo- and (3S,4R)-(+)-erythro-isomers which was separable by GLC. These syntheses established the absolute configuration of the naturally occurring (?)-4-methylheptan-3-ol to be 3S,4S.     

First synthesis of 5-fluoro-(+)-MK7607, its 1-epimer and 6-deoxy derivative

(+)-MK7607 is a patented naturally occurring unsaturated pseudo-carbasugar possessing herbicidal activity. We present herein the first synthesis of the 5-fluorinated analogue (1S, 2S, 3R, 4R)-5-fluoro-6-(hydroxymethyl)cyclohex-5-ene-1,2,3,4-tetrol as well as that of two related compounds, namely its 1-epimer and its 6-deoxy derivative.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (2R,3R,6R)-N-methyl-6-(deca-1′,3′,5′-trienyl)-3-methoxy-2-methylpiperidine, an insecticidal alkaloid

An insecticidal piperidine alkaloid, (2R,3R,6R)-N-methyl-6-(deca-1′,3′,5′-trienyl)-3-methoxy-2-methylpiperidine, was efficiently synthesized in a stereoselective manner starting from d-alanine. Chiral center at C-6 was controlled by hydrogenation of imine and side chain was introduced by Julia olefination. The absolute configuration of natural product was determined to be 2R, 3R, 6R.     

Synthesis and structure revision of tyroscherin, and bioactivities of its stereoisomers against IGF-1-dependent tumor cells

Synthesis of the proposed structure of tyroscherin, a growth inhibitor of IGF-1-dependent cancer cells, was succeeded by one-pot Julia coupling. However, spectral data of the synthetic compound were not identical with those of natural tyroscherin. The stereochemistry of tyroscherin is revised to be 2S,3R,8R,10R by syntheses of stereoisomers. Synthetic tyroscherin showed more potent activity than its stereoisomers against IGF-1-dependent cancer cells.