One-pot acylation and fractional crystallization: preparation of optically active serinol monobenzoates

Mono-O-acylation of (R)-2-(α-methylbenzyl)amino-1,3-propanediol 1 with 4-nitrobenzoyl chloride and DMAP in dichloromethane at room temperature gave crystals of optically active (2S,αR)-3-hydroxy-2-(α-methylbenzyl)aminopropyl 4-nitrobenzoate hydrochloride [(2S)-2a·HCl] in 33% yield by fractional crystallization. Optically active oxazolidinones, aziridines, and serinol derivatives were synthesized from the benzoate (2S)-2a.     

Synthesis and crystal structures of the first C2-symmetric bis-aldimine NCN-pincer complexes of platinum and palladium

(S,S)-2,6-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]phenylpalladium bromide was synthesised by oxidative addition of palladium(0) to (S,S)-1-bromo-2,6-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]benzene. In contrast, (S,S)-2,6-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]phenylplatinum chloride was synthesised by direct C-H activation from the reaction of potassium tetrachloroplatinate with (S,S)-1,3-bis[(N-α-methylbenzyl)imino]benzene. The X-ray crystal structures of both pincer complexes were obtained. Treatment of both complexes with silver hexafluoroanimonate gave effective but not stereoselective catalysts for a Michael reaction between methyl vinyl ketone and methyl 2-cyanopropanoate.     

Asymmetric syntheses of dihydroxyhomoprolines via doubly diastereoselective lithium amide conjugate addition reactions

The asymmetric syntheses of novel dihydroxyhomoprolines have been achieved using the doubly diastereoselective conjugate additions of the antipodes of lithium N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to a set of four chiral α,β-unsaturated esters (derived from d-pentoses) as one of the key steps. A full account of the diastereoselectivity observed in these conjugate additions is presented and the stereochemical outcomes of these reactions have been established unambiguously via a combination of hydrogenolytic chemical correlation and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. A tandem hydrogenolysis/intramolecular reductive amination reaction was then used to create the corresponding enantiopure pyrrolidines, providing access to (2′S,3′S,4′R)-dihydroxyhomoproline and (2′S,3′R,4′S)-dihydroxyhomoproline after deprotection.     

Synthesis of enantiopure, axially chiral, C-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids with binaphthyl-based crowned side chains and 3D-structural analysis of their peptides

The syntheses of the terminally protected, crowned, C^α-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids with only axial chirality, the two diastereomers Boc-(S)-Bip[(R)-Binol-22-C-6]-OMe and Boc-(R)-Bip[(R)-Binol-22-C-6]-OMe, and their respective enantiomers Boc-(R)-Bip[(S)-Binol-22-C-6]-OMe and Boc-(S)-Bip[(S)-Binol-22-C-6]-OMe, all derived from 2′,1′:1,2; 1″,2″:3,4-dibenzcyclohepta-1,3-diene-6-amino-6-carboxylic acid (Bip), were performed by bis-alkylation with cyclization of racemic (R+S)-Boc-[HO]₂-Bip-OMe, possessing two phenolic OH groups at the 6,6′-positions of the biphenyl frame of Bip, using (+)-(R)- and (−)-(S)-Binol[(OCH₂CH₂)₂OTs]₂ (2,2′-bis[5-tosyloxy-3-oxa-1-pentyloxy]-1,1′-binaphthyl), respectively, as the alkylating agent followed by chromatographic separation. Two series of terminally protected model peptides to the hexamer level, containing the (R)-Bip[(S)-Binol-22-C-6] residue at i and i+3 positions of the sequence, combined with either l-Ala or l-Ala/Aib, were synthesized by solution methods. Their 3D-structural analyses by FTIR absorption and NMR suggest that these peptides preferentially adopt folded secondary structures.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of 3-amino-2-hydroxyalkyl diphenylphosphine oxides mediated by chiral azetidinium salts and epoxyamines

The stereocontrolled synthesis of amino hydroxyalkyl diphenylphosphine oxides has been achieved starting from (2S,3S)-N,N-dibenzyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylazetidinium bromide or (1R),[1′(S)-(dibenzylamino)ethyl]oxirane. The regioselective ring opening of both heterocyclic systems at the less substituted carbon atom with phosphorus nucleophiles proceeded with full stereochemical integrity.     

Asymmetric syntheses of (−)-isoretronecanol and (−)-trachelantamidine

Short and concise total asymmetric syntheses of (−)-isoretronecanol and (−)-trachelantamidine are reported. Oxidative cleavage of tert-butyl (S,S,S,Z)-7-[N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amino]cyclohept-3-ene-1-carboxylate, followed by hydrogenolysis promoted in situ cyclisation/reduction, which provided rapid access to the bicyclic core within (−)-isoretronecanol. Analogous treatment of the C(1)-epimer gave (−)-trachelantamidine. Overall, the syntheses of (−)-isoretronecanol and (−)-trachelantamidine were completed in eight and seven steps and 20 and 9.5% yield, respectively, from commercially available starting materials.     

Polyhydroxylated macrolide isolated from the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis mangiferae

A new polyhydroxylated macrolide, named mangiferaelactone (1) was isolated from a solid culture of the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis manguiferae, together with ten known compounds [(6S,1′S)-LL-P880α; (6S,1′S,2′R)-LL-P880β; (1′S,2′R)-LL-880γ; (1′R)-dehydropestalotin; (−)-5-carboxylmellein; (−)-5-methylmellein; (−)-5-hydroxylmethylmellein; arabenoic acid; 5,6-dihydro-4-methoxy-2H-pyran-2-one; and the (−)-2-hexylidene-3-methylsuccinic acid]. P. manguiferae was isolated from Hyptis dilatata, a small shrub common in the central region of Panama. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, optical rotation, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy). The absolute configuration of 1 was established as 4R,7R,8R,9S by application of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD). Compound 1 showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.6863 mg/mL against Listeria monocytogenes, and 0.5529 mg/mL against Bacillus cereus. No activity was observed for compound 1 against Plasmodium falciparum or Trypanosoma cruzi; likewise, no cytotoxic activity was observed against A2058 and H522-T1 cells.     

Studies on two different diastereoselective reaction pathways from a serinol derivative to 4-hydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidinones using 2-chloroethyl chloroformate and N,N′-disuccinimidyl carbonate

Two reaction pathways and their diastereoselectivity-determining steps of the asymmetric desymmetrization of (R)-2-(α-methylbenzyl)amino-1,3-propanediol 1 with 2-chloroethyl chloroformate (CCF) and with N,N′-disuccinimidyl carbonate giving (4S,αR)-4-hydroxymethyl-3-α-methylbenzyl-2-oxazolidinones (4S)-3 and its (4R,αR)-diastereomer (4R)-3 were investigated. The reaction of serinol 1 and CCF to give the corresponding carbonates was not a diastereoselectivity-determining step. The carbonates gave (R)-5-(α-methylbenzyl)amino-1,3-dioxan-2-one 4 after addition of DBU, and an intramolecular acyl transfer of 4 was found to be a diastereoselectivity-determining step to give (4S)-3. Conversely, the reaction of serinol 1 and N,N′-disuccinimidyl carbonate afforded directly the opposite diastereomer (4R)-3 but not via the intermediate 4. Thus, their diastereoselectivities depended on the acylating reagent.     

A novel dynamic kinetic resolution accompanied by intramolecular transesterification: asymmetric synthesis of a 4-hydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidinone from serinol derivatives

Reaction paths of the one-pot reaction of (R)-2-(α-methylbenzyl)amino-1,3-propanediol (1) and 2-chloroethyl chloroformate with DBU giving (4S,αR)-4-hydroxymethyl-3-(α-methylbenzyl)-2-oxazolidinone [(4S)-2] (94% de) were investigated. Intermediates of this reaction, 2-chloroethyl (2S)- and 2-chloroethyl (2R)-3-hydroxy-2-[(αR)-α-methylbenzyl]aminopropyl carbonates [(2S)-4 and (2R)-4], were synthesized individually. After the addition of DBU to the respective solution of the carbonate (2S)-4 and that of (2R)-4 in dichloromethane, the intramolecular transesterification between (2S)-4 and (2R)-4 and the diastereoselective intramolecular cyclization proceeded to afford (4S)-2 in high diastereomeric excess. Therefore, two monocarbonates (2S)-4 and (2R)-4 were kinetically resolved by this cyclization during the intramolecular transesterification between (2S)-4 and (2R)-4. We found that this process involved dynamic kinetic resolution accompanied by intramolecular transesterification.     

Synthesis, resolution and assignment of absolute configuration of trans 3-amino-1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-4-carboxylic acid (POAC), a cyclic, spin-labelled β-amino acid

Racemic trans 3-(9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonylamino)-1-oxyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-4-carboxylic acid (Fmoc-POAC-OH), prepared by conventional methods, was resolved upon esterification with (aR)-2,2′-dihydroxy-1,1′-binaphthyl. Separation of the obtained diastereomeric monoesters Fmoc-(±)-trans-POAC-O-(aR)-binaphthol by crystallization/chromatography, and removal of the chiral auxiliary by saponification of the aryl ester function furnished both enantiomers (+)-(3R,4R)-Fmoc-POAC-OH and (−)-(3S,4S)-Fmoc-POAC-OH. The absolute configuration of the asymmetric C³, C⁴ carbons of POAC were assigned from the induced circular dichroism of a flexible biphenyl probe present in the terminally protected dipeptide derivatives Boc-Bip-(+)-POAC-OMe and Boc-Bip-(−)-POAC-OMe (Bip, 2′,1′:1,2;1″,2″:3,4-dibenzcyclohepta-1,3-diene-6-amino-6-carboxylic acid). This assignment was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis of the diastereomeric monoester Fmoc-(+)-trans-POAC-O-(aR)-binaphthol, shown to be (aR,3R,4R). Solution synthesis of peptides to the hexamer level, based on the (3R,4R)-POAC enantiomer combined with (1S,2S)-2-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid, was carried out to examine coupling conditions at both C- and N-termini of the POAC residue, in view of further syntheses and 3D-structural investigations.     

Synthesis and characterization of cyclopentadienyl/alkoxo titanium dichlorides: structural analysis of monocyclopentadienyl titanium dichlorides with ligands derived from menthol and borneol

A variety of monocyclopentadienyl alkoxo titanium dichloride and bisalkoxo titanium dichloride complexes have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The titanium derivatives containing both cyclopentadienyl and various alkoxo ligands [Ti(η⁵-C₅H₅)(OR)Cl₂] (1-5) have been synthesized from the reaction of [Ti(η⁵-C₅H₅)Cl₃] with 1 equivalent of the corresponding alcohol in THF in the presence of triethylamine (ROH = Adamantanol, 1R,2S,5R-(−)-menthol, 1S-endo-(−)-borneol, cis-1,3-(−)-benzylideneglycerol, 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-galactopyranose). The bisalkoxo titanium dichloride derivatives [TiCl₂(OR)₂] (6-10) have been prepared by a redistribution reaction between Ti(OR)₄ and TiCl₄ compounds 6-8 (OR = Adamantanoxy, (1R,2S,5R)-(−)menthoxy, (1S-endo)-(−)-borneoxy) and by reaction of [Ti(OR)₂(OPrⁱ)₂]₂ with CH₃COCl compounds 9 and 10 (OR = 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-galactopyranoxy, and 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranoxy). The molecular structures of 2 and 3 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies.     

Synthesis of some new tertiary amines and their application as co-catalysts in combination with l-proline in enantioselective Baylis-Hillman reaction between o-nitrobenzaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone

A chiral benzodiazepine derivative 1 was synthesized starting from o-nitrobenzoyl chloride and methyl l-prolinate hydrochloride. Diastereomeric (1R,2R,1′S)-(+)-2-[N-methyl-N-(α-phenylethyl)amino]cyclohexanol 3a and (1S,2S,1′S)-(+)-2-[N-methyl-N-(α-phenylethyl)amino]cyclohexanol 3b were synthesized starting from (S)-α-phenylethylamine and cyclohexene oxide via ring-opening, diastereomer separation and N-methylation. (S,S)-octahydrodipyrrolo[1,2-a:1′,2′-d]pyrazin 5 was synthesized from methyl l-prolinate. Chiral tertiary amines 1, 3a, 3b and 5 almost cannot catalyze the Baylis-Hillman reaction between o-nitrobenzaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK). However, they functioned as efficient catalysts for this reaction in the presence of l-proline. The corresponding adducts were obtained in good yields with enantioselectivity of 83% ee, 81% ee, 51% ee and 66% ee, respectively.     

Ring opening of 2-acylaziridines by acid chlorides

Good nucleophilicity of the ring nitrogen in chiral (2R,1′R)-2-acyl-(1′-phenylethyl)aziridines initiated the reaction with various acid chlorides to form the corresponding acylaziridinium ion intermediates whose rings were opened by the chloride anion to yield the β-amino-α-chlorocarbonyl compounds. The subsequent displacement of the chloride with the internal oxygen nucleophile originated from methylchloroformate, acetyl chloride, and methyl chlorooxoacetate yielded oxazolidin-2-ones, β-amino-α-acetyloxypropionates, and morpholin-2,3-diones, respectively.     

Enantiospecific synthesis, separation and olfactory evaluation of all diastereomers of a homologue of the sandalwood odorant Polysantol

The four stereoisomers of (5E)-4,4-dimethyl-6-(2′,2′,3′-trimethylcyclopent-3′-en-1′-yl)-hex-5-en-3-ol, a homologue of the valuable sandalwood-type odorant Polysantol^®, were enantiospecifically synthesized from (+)- and (−)-α-pinene, through (−)- and (+)-campholenic aldehyde, by aldol condensation with 3-pentanone, deconjugative α-methylation and reduction. The mixtures of epimeric alcohols obtained after reduction were separated by means of derivatization with (−)-(1S)-camphanic chloride. The enantiomerically pure final products were evaluated organoleptically.     

Concise,efficient and highly selective asymmetric synthesis of (+)-(3S,4R)-cisapride

A concise asymmetric synthesis of the gastroprokinetic agent (+)-(3S,4R)-cisapride {(+)-(3S,4R)-N(1)-[3′-(4″-fluorophenoxy)propyl]-3-methoxy-4-(2″′-methoxy-4″′-amino-5″′-chlorobenzamido)piperidine} from commercially available starting materials has been developed. The key step of this synthesis employs the diastereoselective conjugate addition of lithium (R)-N-benzyl-N-(α-methylbenzyl)amide to tert-butyl 5-[N-3′-(4″-fluorophenoxy)propyl-N-allylamino]pent-2-enoate and in situ enolate oxidation with (?)-camphorsulfonyloxaziridine to set the (3S,4R)-configuration found within the piperidine ring of the product. This synthesis proceeds in 9 steps from commercially available 1-(4′-fluorophenoxy)-3-bromopropane with an overall yield of 19%.     

Non-enzymatic diastereoselective asymmetric desymmetrization of 2-benzylserinols giving optically active 4-benzyl-4-hydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidinones: asymmetric syntheses of α-(hydroxymethyl)phenylalanine,N-Boc-α-methylphenylalanine,cericlamine and BIRT-377

A reaction of (S)-2-benzyl-2-(α-methylbenzyl)amino-1,3-propanediol (S)-4a and 2-chloroethyl chloroformate, and the subsequent addition of DBU gave (4R,αS)-4-benzyl-4-hydroxymethyl-3-(α-methylbenzyl)-2-oxazolidinone (4R)-5a (92% de) via a diastereoselective asymmetric desymmetrization process. Debenzylation of (4R)-5a using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and anisole in MeNO₂ gave (R)-4-benzyl-4-hydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidinone (R)-15a, which was converted into (R)-(α-hydroxymethyl)phenylalanine (7) in two steps. N-Boc-α-methylphenylalanine (8), cericlami0ne (9) and BIRT-377 (10) were also synthesized using these asymmetric desymmetrization and debenzylation.     

Efficient synthesis of the cyclopentanone fragrances (Z)-3-(2-oxopropyl)-2-(pent-2-en-1-yl)cyclopentanone and Magnolione

This paper describes the selective syntheses of two cis-isomer-enriched cyclopentanone fragrances: (Z)-3-(2-oxopropyl)-2-(pent-2-en-1-yl)cyclopentanone (four steps, 62% overall yield, 67% cis) and Magnolione^® (five steps, 60% overall yield, 55% cis). In addition, the asymmetric synthesis of (3aR,7aS)-5-methyl-2,3,3a,4,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-inden-1-one as well as (3a′R,7a′S)-5′-methyl-2′,3′,3a′,4′,7′,7a′-hexahydrospiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,1′-indene] has been realized by an efficient kinetic resolution, which enables the selective synthesis of the 2S,3R-isomer-enriched 3 and 4.     

Total synthesis of a novel 2-thiabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-6-one analogue of penicillin N

A route has been developed which allows synthesis of novel cyclobutanone analogues of penicillin. This is illustrated by the synthesis of (1R,4R,5R,5′R,7S)-(1b) and (1S,4S,5S,5′R,7R)-7-[5′-amino-5′-carboxy]pentanamido]-2-thiabicyclo[3.2.0]heptan-6-one-4-carboxylate (1a), an analogue of penicillin N. The key steps in the synthesis were the formation of the bicyclic structure via a [2+2] cycloaddition and the introduction of nitrogen at C7 via an intramolecular nitrene insertion.     

Acid-catalyzed rearrangement of α-hydroxytrialkylsilanes

Cationic rearrangement of several α-hydroxysilanes is described. Treatment of both (1R,1′R,2′S)-α-hydroxycyclopropylsilane syn-9 and (1S,1′R,2′S)-anti-9 under aqueous H₂SO₄ underwent rearrangement via a common α-silyl cation intermediate A to give a mixture of the ring-opened (R)-vinylsilane 13, the tandem [1,2]-CC bond migration product (1R,2S,1′R)-14, and its 1′S isomer 15. On the other hand, the acidic treatment of (R,E)-α-hydroxyalkenylsilane 8 or (R,Z)-8 was each accompanied with partial racemization to give an enantiomeric isomer of allylic alcohol 23 via a preferential syn-facial S_N2′ reaction, respectively. Both α-hydroxyalkynylsilane 6 and α-hydroxyalkylsilane 12 were inert to the acidic conditions; however, treatment of (R)-α-mesyloxyalkynylsilane 26 under aqueous H₂SO₄ gave a mixture of the optically active rearranged allene 27, α,β-unsaturated ketone 28, and (S)-α-hydroxyalkynylsilane 6 with partial racemization. Comparisons of the reactivities of these α-hydroxysilanes under acidic conditions are also disclosed.     

Determination of the absolute configuration of the male aggregation pheromone, 2-methyl-6-(4′-methylenebicyclo[3.1.0]hexyl)hept-2-en-1-ol, of the stink bug Erysarcoris lewisi (Distant) as 2Z,6R,1′S,5′S by its synthesis

Lipase-catalyzed asymmetric acetylation of a mixture of (6R,1′S,4′S,5′R)- and (6R,1′R,4′R,5′S)-7′-norsesquisabinen-4′-ol (3) afforded a separable mixture of the recovered former and the acetate of the latter. The recovered alcohol was oxidized to (6R,1′S,5′R)-sesquisabina ketone (2), whose absolute configuration could be assigned by its CD comparison with (1R,5S)-sabina ketone (4). Conversion of (6R,1′S,5′R)-sesquisabina ketone (2) to the bioactive pheromone revealed the stereostructure of the male aggregation pheromone of the stink bug Erysarcoris lewisi (Distant) to be (2Z,6R,1′S,5′S)-2-methyl-6-(4′-methylenebicyclo[3.1.0]hexyl)hept-2-en-1-ol (sesquisabinen-1-ol, 1).