Total synthesis of (-)-alpha-kainic acid by (-)-sparteine-mediated asymmetric deprotonation-cycloalkylation

[reaction: see text] We report a new enantioselective synthesis of (-)-alpha-kainic acid from d-serine methyl ester hydrochloride, based on a (-)-sparteine-mediated asymmetric deprotonation of an intermediate carbamate that, by stereospecific anti S(N)'S(E)' intramolecular cycloalkylation, leads to the pyrrolidine ring precursor of (-)-alpha-kainic acid, in high yield and diastereoselectivity. The intermediate pyrrolidine was further transformed to (-)-alpha-kainic acid in three steps.     

Oxidative cyclizations: the asymmetric synthesis of (-)-alliacol A

A tandem anodic coupling-Friedel-Crafts alkylation strategy has been used to rapidly complete the asymmetric synthesis of alliacol A. The anodic oxidation reaction allowed for the generation of a new bond between two nucleophiles. In the synthesis, the absolute stereochemistry of the final natural product is set relative to a methyl group that is incorporated early in the sequence using an asymmetric Michael reaction.     

A new route to methyl (R,E)-(-)-tetradeca-2,4,5-trienoate (pheromone of Acanthoscelides obtectus) utilizing a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allene formation reaction

[reaction: see text] A formal total synthesis of the sex attractant of male dried bean beetle, methyl (R,E)-(-)-tetradeca-2,4,5-trienoate, was achieved by a new efficient route utilizing the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allene synthesis reaction. It was found that the atropisomeric biaryl bisphosphine (R)-segphos showed better enantioselectivity than (R)-binap in the Pd-catalyzed reaction for preparing alkyl-substituted axially chiral allenes.     

A stereoselective synthesis of (-)-viridiofungin A utilizing a TiCl(4)-promoted asymmetric multicomponent reaction

A stereoselective synthesis of (-)-viridiofungin A is described. The convergent synthesis utilized a unique highly diastereoselective multicomponent reaction between optically active phenyldihydrofuran and an α-ketoester to provide two chiral centers including a quarternary carbon center in a single step. Other key steps include an acyloxycarbonium ion-mediated tetrahydrofuran ring-opening reaction and a Julia-Kocienski olefination.     

Enantiopure N-acyldihydropyridones as synthetic intermediates: asymmetric synthesis of (-)-slaframine

[formula: see text] An asymmetric synthesis of (-)-slaframine and N-acetylslaframine has been accomplished starting from an enantiopure dihydropyridone building block. The oxygen-carbon bond at C-1 was incorporated with complete stereoselectivity by using an efficient phenylselenocyclocarbamation reaction.     

Synthesis of 2,4,6-trisubstituted chiral piperidines and (-)-dendroprimine by one-pot asymmetric azaelectrocyclization protocol

[reaction: see text] Stereocontrolled synthesis of 2,4,6-trisubstituted piperidine diastereomers has been realized from common intermediates, obtained by a one-pot azaelectrocyclization protocol. Based on the method, the asymmetric synthesis of an indolizidine alkaloid, (-)-dendroprimine, was achieved.     

Improved asymmetric synthesis of aziridine 2-phosphonates using (S)-(+)-2,4,6-trimethylphenylsulfinamide

The aza-Darzens reaction of lithium diethyl iodomethylphosphonate with enantiopure N-(2,4,6-trimethylphenylsulfinyl)imines affords a single diastereomeric N-sulfinylaziridine 2-phosphonate which, on treatment with MeMgBr, gives the corresponding NH-aziridine 2-phosphonate chiral building blocks. An improved asymmetric synthesis of (S)-(+)-2,4,6-trimethylphenylsulfinamide is also given.     

Photomediated asymmetric synthesis of (-)-cuparene

Generation of a benzylic quaternary stereocentre via the photomediated cyclisation of a chiral alpha-(aminobutyl)styrene followed by a microwave-assisted Cope elimination has led to a total synthesis of the sesquiterpene (-)-cuparene.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-strychnine using the catalytic asymmetric Michael reaction and tandem cyclization

The enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-strychnine was accomplished through the use of the highly practical catalytic asymmetric Michael reaction (0.1 mol % of (R)-ALB, more than kilogram scale, without chromatography, 91% yield and >99% ee) as well as a tandem cyclization that simultaneously constructed B- and D-rings (>77% yield). Moreover, newly developed reaction conditions for thionium ion cyclization, NaBH3CN reduction of the imine moiety in the presence of Lewis acid to prevent ring opening reaction, and chemoselective reduction of the thioether (desulfurization) in the presence of exocyclic olefin were pivotal to complete the synthesis. The described chemistry paves the way for the synthesis of more advanced Strychnos alkaloids.     

An asymmetric aminohydroxylation approach to the azepine core of (-)-balanol

[reaction: see text]An efficient formal synthesis of the potent protein kinase C inhibitor (-)-balanol that relies on a modified asymmetric aminohydroxylation of the alpha,beta-unsaturated aryl ester (1) is reported. The aryl ester functionality and the dihydroquinyl alkaloid ligand system (DHQ)2-AQN are used to control the regio- and enantioselectivity of the process.     

Catalytic asymmetric assembly of stereodefined propionate units: an enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-pironetin

Double diastereoselection in alkaloid-catalyzed acyl halide-aldehyde cyclocondensation (AAC) reactions provides a strategy for realizing syn- or anti-selective propionate aldol additions from a common reaction manifold. Matched AAC homologation of enantioenriched aldehydes afford cis-disubstituted beta-lactones as surrogates for syn aldols; the mismatched AAC reactions provide anti-selective aldols in the form of trans-disubstituted 2-oxetanones. The utility of this reaction technology in synthesis activities is exemplified in a catalytic asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-pironetin.     

A concise asymmetric route to Nuphar alkaloids. A formal synthesis of (-)-deoxynupharidine

[reaction: see text] A stereocontrolled route to Nuphar alkaloids is described that employs a formal [3 + 3] cycloaddition strategy to assemble the piperidine nucleus. The addition of Pd-TMM complexes to aziridine 10 was found to be sluggish; however, the addition of a functionalized allyl Grignard reagent followed by a Mitsunobu condensation reaction provided 11 in high yield. The employment of this route in the formal synthesis of (-)-deoxynupharidine 1 is described.     

A new asymmetric synthesis of the anti-tumor alkaloid (R)-(+)-crispine A

We report a novel, facile, and asymmetric approach for the synthesis of the anti-tumor alkaloid (+)-crispine A via a highly diastereoselective N-acyliminium cyclization reaction as a key synthetic step.     

An enantio- and stereocontrolled synthesis of (-)-mycestericin E via cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed asymmetric Baylis-Hillman reaction

A new enantiocontrolled synthesis of a potent immunosuppressant(-)-mycestericin E has been accomplished by using cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed asymmetric Baylis-Hillman reaction of an aldehyde with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate and Lewis acid-promoted cyclisation of an epoxytrichloroacetimidate as the key steps.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (s)- and (R)-tolterodine by asymmetric hydrogenation of a coumarin derivative obtained by a Heck reaction

An efficient and short enantioselective synthesis of (S)- and (R)-tolterodine was performed by asymmetric hydrogenation of a coumarin intermediate, easily obtained by a Heck reaction from inexpensive and commercially available starting materials.     

Concise asymmetric synthesis of (-)-sparteine

A six-step asymmetric synthesis of natural (-)-sparteine from ethyl 7-iodohept-2-enoate is reported, involving a connective Michael addition of an amino ester-derived enolate to an alpha,beta-unsaturated amino ester.     

Total synthesis of (-)-20-epiuleine via stereocontrolled one-pot asymmetric azaelectrocyclization followed by novel 1,4-addition reaction

The first asymmetric total synthesis of an indole alkaloid, (-)-20-epiuleine, containing the 2,3,4-trisubstituted piperidine core, was achieved using a stereocontrolled one-pot asymmetric 6π-azaelectrocyclization followed by a stereoselective 1,4-addition reaction of the unsaturated ester with a Grignard reagent resulting from the novel neighboring participation of the hydroxyl group in cis-aminoindanol as a chiral nitrogen source.     

Concise asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide, a δ-lactonic marine natural product, was accomplished in seven steps from easily available starting materials with a 51% overall yield. An asymmetric synthesis of an α-hydroxy aldehyde having a stereogenic quaternary center, by the use of (S)-2-(anilinomethyl)pyrrolidine as a chiral auxiliary, was employed in a key step.     

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-ephedradine A (orantine)

The stereocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-ephedradine A has been accomplished. The synthesis features an asymmetric C-H insertion reaction, an intramolecular ester-amide exchange reaction, and a Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation reaction. Construction of the complex macrocyclic ring was performed by Ns-strategy and an intramolecular aza-Wittig reaction.     

Copper-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-1-alkenes

A copper-catalyzed conjugate addition of Grignard reagents to 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-1-alkenes led to 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-2-branched alkanes. Various copper ligands were screened for this reaction. From certain substrates and allylmagnesium bromide, several Josiphos ligands gave low to moderate asymmetric inductions, along with good diastereoselectivity. The stereochemistry of the 1-(N,N-diisopropylcarbamoyloxy)-1-tosyl-2-branched alkanes from this reaction was assigned by comparison with the same products from another synthetic route using chiral pool synthesis and stereoselective lithiation methods.