A new one-Pot synthesis of alkynylphosphonates

A method for the palladium-catalyzed synthesis of alkynylphosphonates from 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes has been developed. In general, the best catalyst system for this transformation was found to be Pd(OAc)(2), dppf, H-phosphonate, propylene oxide, DMF, 80 degrees C. The reaction appears tolerant of a range of functional groups in both the 1,1-dibromo-1-alkene and H-phosphonate coupling partners. The synthesis of a backbone-modified thymidine dimer is used to illustrate the application of this methodology in the synthesis of complex target molecules.     

Total synthesis of phorboxazole A. 2. Assembly of subunits and completion of the synthesis

[Structure: see text] Subunits of phorboxazole A containing C1-C2, C3-C8, C9-C19, C20-C32, C33-C41, and C42-C46 were connected in a sequence that first linked C32 with C33 and then C41 with C42. A C3-C8 fragment was joined to C9-C19, and the assembled unit was then joined with the left half of 1. Closure of the macrolide was accomplished by esterification of the C24 alcohol followed by intramolecular Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons condensation to set the (E)-C2-C3 alkene.     

Total synthesis of merrilactone A

Merrilactone A (1) has been shown to possess neurotrophic activity and thus is expected to hold therapeutic potential in the treatment of neurodegeneration diseases. In this paper, we report the total synthesis of (+/-)-1, employing, as key steps, a novel desymmetrization protocol of meso-diketone to construct the core cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octyl system of 1 (3 --> 2) and a radical cyclization to install the highly congested C9-quaternary carbon (16 --> 17).     

Radicals in the synthesis of sulphur dioxide-based copolymers

Free radicals generated from a number of olefinic, acetylenic, and vinyl monomers in the presence of sulphur dioxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide were investigated. In all reaction systems a sulphonyl propagating radical first appears which depropagates into the corresponding carbon radical at higher temperatures. The sulphonyl radicals were observed between ?119 and ?44°C, whereas the carbon radicals were observed from ?63 to ?1°C. The order of decreasing reactivity of the reaction system was: 3-hexyne > 1-heptene > methyl acrylate > acrylonitrile > 1-heptyne. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Total synthesis of the ristocetin aglycon

The first total synthesis of the ristocetin aglycon is described employing a modular and highly convergent strategy. An effective 12-step (12% overall) synthesis of the ABCD ring system 3 from its amino acid subunits sequentially features an intramolecular aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction for formation of the diaryl ether and closure of the 16-membered CD ring system (65%), a respectively diastereoselective (3:1, 86%) Suzuki coupling for installation of the AB biaryl linkage on which the atropisomer stereochemistry can be further thermally adjusted, and an effective macrolactamization (51%) for closure of the 12-membered AB ring system. A similarly effective 13-step (14% overall) synthesis of the 14-membered EFG ring system 4 was implemented employing a room-temperature intermolecular S(N)Ar reaction of an o-fluoronitroaromatic for formation of the FG diaryl ether (69%) and a key macrolactamization (92%) with formation of the amide linking residues 1 and 2. The two key fragments 3 and 4 were coupled, and the remaining 16-membered DE ring system was closed via diaryl ether formation to provide the ristocetin tetracyclic ring system (15 steps, 8% overall) enlisting an unusually facile (25 degrees C, 8 h, DMF, >/=95%) and diastereoselective (>/=15:1) aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction that benefits from substrate preorganization.     

Selective synthesis of isomeric dithioglycerols

Reactions of 2,3-dibromopropan-1-ol and 1,3-dichloropropan-2-ol with elemental sulfur activated in the system hydrazine hydrate-2-aminoethanol at 30–35°C gave oligomeric polysulfides which were subjected to reductive cleavage with formation of individual dithioglycerol isomers. Activation of sulfur with the use of alkali gives rise to mixtures of isomeric products.     

Total synthesis of resolvin E1

Resolvin E1 (RvE1), which is an endogenous mediator to resolve inflammation, was synthesized by Wittig reaction between the C15-C20 aldehyde and the C10-C14 phosphonium salt possessing the vinyl iodo moiety followed by Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of the resulting vinyl iodide with the vinyl borane of the C1-C9 part, which was derived from the corresponding acetylene by hydroboration. The C5 and C18 chiral centers in these parts were created by the kinetic resolution of the racemic γ-TMS allylic alcohols using the asymmetric epoxidation, while that of the C10-C14 part was constructed by the asymmetric hydrogen transfer reaction of the corresponding γ-TMS acetylene ketone.     

New approaches towards the synthesis of the side-chain of mycolactones A and B

New approaches towards the synthesis of the C1'-C16' side-chain of mycolactones A and B from Mycobacterium ulcerans are reported. Chiral building block 4 (Fig. 2) with the correct stereochemistry was obtained starting from naturally occurring monosaccharides, i.e. D-glucose or L-rhamnose. The polyunsaturated moiety 3 was synthesized in only 3 steps from 2,4-dimethylfuran. The building blocks were connected through a Sonogashira coupling resulting in the fast and convergent assembly of an 8,9-dehydro analogue 2 of the side-chain of mycolactones A and B. The synthesis of 1 is at this stage hampered by the lack of a selective partial hydrogenation protocol for alkynes embedded in a conjugated system. Alternative strategies involving palladium catalyzed sp2-sp2 coupling between C7' and C8' or C9' and C10' (Fig. 1) were also explored.     

Total synthesis of everninomicin 13,384-1--Part 3: synthesis of the DE fragment and completion of the total synthesis

The stereoselective construction of the DE fragment (2) of everninomicin 13,384-1 (1) is reported. From the two possible ways of inserting the DE fragment between the A1B(A)C and FGHA2 domains of the natural product, the sequence involving the DEFGHA2 segment was found to be the most viable. This coupling was followed by attachment of a suitably protected and activated A1B(A)C fragment which led, after orthoester construction and final deprotection to the targeted everninomicin 13,384-1 (1), completing the total synthesis of this complex naturally occurring substance.     

Total synthesis of (+)-strictifolione

[reaction: see text] The synthesis of (+)-strictifolione was achieved from 3-phenylproprionaldehyde by using enantioselective allyltitanations to control the stereogenic centers at C6, C4', and C6' and a cross-methathesis to control the configuration of the double bond at C1'-C2'.     

Total synthesis of pamamycin-649B

The first total synthesis of the macrodiolide antibiotic pamamycin-649B (1) was achieved by using sultone methodology. The diethyl substituted larger hydroxy acid fragment was constructed in a concise fashion through domino elimination/alkoxide-directed 1,6-additions of ethyllithium to sultones derived from intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of furan-containing vinylsulfonates. Intermolecular Yamaguchi esterification of the two hydroxy acid building blocks and subsequent Yamaguchi cyclization eventually provided the target macrocycle 1. Since the final lactonization with formation of the ester linkage between C1' and the C8 oxygen proceeded with complete C2' epimerization, the more readily available C2' epimeric smaller fragment could be used to streamline the synthetic sequence.     

Halichondrin B: synthesis of the C1-C22 subunit

[Reaction: see text]. Two efficient routes to the C1-C22 subunit of halichondrin B are described. The cage ketal 7, which contains 11 asymmetric centers embedded within the ABCDEF-ring framework, was assembled from (+)-conduritol E (27) in 18 steps and 4% overall yield. In a separate route, 7 was also synthesized in 18 steps and 2% overall yield from a derivative of alpha-d-glucoheptonic acid gamma-lactone (62). While the former route installs the fully elaborated C-ring endowed with the correct C12 stereochemistry early in the synthesis, the latter features a late-stage introduction of the C12 stereocenter during the ultimate one-pot Michael addition/ketalization cascade to form the CDE-ring system of the cage. The importance of the C12 stereocenter to the crucial ketalization event is discussed through comparison of these two strategies.     

Total synthesis of (-)-hennoxazole A

An enantioselective, convergent total synthesis of the antiviral marine natural product (-)-hennoxazole A is completed in 14 steps (longest linear sequence) from commercially available 4-methyloxazole-2-carboxylic acid. Synthesis of the C(1)-C(15) pyran/bisoxazole fragment takes advantage of an aldol-like coupling between a dimethyl acetal and an N-acetylthiazolidinethione for the direct, stereoselective installation of the C(8)-methoxy-bearing stereocenter. A one-pot acetoacetate acylation/decarboxylation/cyclodehydration of another elaborate thiazolidinethione allows for rapid assembly of the pyran-based ring system. Synthesis of the C(15)-C(25) skipped triene side chain fragment makes use of a [2,3]-Wittig-Still rearrangement for efficient installation of the trisubstituted Z-double bond. Key late-stage coupling of the two fragments is effected by deprotonation of the methyl group on the bisoxazole system using lithium diethylamide, followed by alkylation with an allylic bromide side chain segment to form the C(15)-C(16) bond.     

Mitomycin synthetic studies: stereocontrolled and convergent synthesis of a fully elaborated aziridinomitosane

Full details of a stereocontrolled and convergent synthetic route to 9a-desmethoxymitomycin A (1) are reported. The target molecule possesses the parent tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]indole ring system characteristic of the mitomycin family of antitumor agents. The synthesis was based on the diastereocontrolled addition of a fully elaborated cinnamylstannane to a pyrrolidine-based N-acyliminium ion as the key convergent step, which resulted in the installation of the C9 and C9a stereogenic centers.     

A formal synthesis of the auriside aglycon

A highly convergent formal synthesis of the auriside aglycon was achieved. An indene-based thiazolidinethione chiral auxiliary was used for the construction of both the C1-C9 and C10-C17 fragments via acetate aldol reactions. A Meinwald reaction was utilized to install the stereocenter at C2, and a conjugated addition to an ynone was used to construct the C9-C11 enone.     

Studies directed toward the synthesis of rhizopodin: stereoselective synthesis of the C1-C15 fragment

A stereoselective synthesis of the C1-C15 fragment of a G-actin binding natural macrodiolide, rhizopodin was achieved using, as key steps, highly stereoselective acetate aldol reactions to build the C1-C7 fragment, one pot oxazole synthesis and an asymmetric Keck allylation reaction to build the C8-C15 fragment and finally, a Stille reaction to couple both the fragments.     

Total synthesis of herbimycin A

[structure: see text] Hsp90 has recently emerged as a promising biological target for treatment of cancer. Herbimycin A and other members of the benzoquinoid ansamycin class of natural products are known to inhibit Hsp90 activity. The total synthesis of herbimycin A was achieved from the commercially available Roche ester 1 by using allylmetals to control the stereogenic centers at C6, C7, C10, C11, and C12 and a ring-closing metathesis to control the (Z)-double bond of the (E,Z)-dienic moiety.     

Diastereoselective total synthesis of (+)-13-stemarene by fourth generation methods: a formal total synthesis of (+)-18-deoxystemarin

The problem of constructing diastereoselectively the C/D ring system of stemarane diterpenes from a bicyclo[2.2.2]octane intermediate was solved resulting in very simple synthesis of (+)-13-stemarene 1. The obtaining of the latter represents also a formal synthesis of (+)-18-deoxystemarin 2. In the key step, the epimeric mixture 10, dissolved in toluene, was converted by the action of TsOH into (+)-stemar-13-en-15-one 28.     

Combinatorial synthesis of the 1,5-polyol system based on cross metathesis: structure revision of amphidinol 3

Combinatorial synthesis of a 1,5-polyol system corresponding to the C1-C14 unit of amphidinol 3 (AM3) and its diastereomers was achieved via chemoselective cross metathesis as the key step. Comparison of (13)C NMR data of the synthetic specimens with that of AM3 led to a controversy regarding the originally proposed structure. From GC-MS analysis of the degradation product, the absolute configuration at C2 of AM3 has been revised to be R.     

Fragmentation of carbohydrate anomeric alkoxy radicals: a new synthesis of chiral 1-halo-1-iodo alditols

Treatment of 1,2-fluorohydrins, 1,2-chlorohydrins, 1,2-bromohydrins, and 1,2-iodohydrins of the D-gluco, D-galacto, D-lacto, L-rhamno, D-allo, L-arabino, 3-deoxy-D-gluco, and 3,4-dideoxy-D-gluco families of carbohydrates with the (diacetoxyiodo)benzene/iodine system afforded 1-fluoro-1-iodo, 1-chloro-1-iodo, 1-bromo-1-iodo, and 1,1-diiodo alditols, respectively, in excellent yields. The reaction was achieved by radical fragmentation of the C1bond;C2 bond, triggered by the initially formed anomeric alkoxy radical, and subsequent trapping of the C2-radical by iodine atoms. This methodology is compatible with the stability of the protective groups most frequently used in carbohydrate chemistry. The potential utility of these 1-halo-1-iodo alditols as chiral synthons was evaluated by their transformation into alk-1-enyl iodides and in the Takai E-olefination reaction.