Stereoselective synthesis of alpha- and beta-L-C-fucosyl aldehydes and their utility in the assembly of C-fucosides of biological relevance

An efficient synthesis of O-benzylated derivatives of the title sugar aldehydes via thiazole addition to tri-O-benzyl-l-fuconolactone followed by highly stereoselective deoxygenation of the resulting thiazolylketose and thiazole to formyl transformation is described. Wittig olefination of these aldehydes with galactopyranose and glucopyranose 6-phosphoranes and reduction of the resulting alkenes afforded alpha- and beta-linked (1-->6)-L-C-fucosyl disaccharides, namely, beta-L-C-Fuc-(1-->6)-alpha-D-Gal, alpha-L-C-Fuc-(1-->6)-alpha-D-Gal, and alpha-L-C-Fuc-(1-->6)-alpha-d-Glc. The alpha-anomer of the above C-fucosyl aldehydes was transformed into a C-fucosylmethyl triphenylphosphonium iodide from which the corresponding C-fucosylmethylene phosphorane was generated upon treatment with BuLi. This phosphorane reacted with the Garner aldehyde (N-Boc D-serinal acetonide) and its one-carbon higher homologue to give alkenes whose reduction and unveiling of the glycinyl group from the oxazolidine ring afforded C-fucosyl alpha-amino acids, namely alpha-L-linked C-fucosyl serines and C-fucosyl asparagines. As a final test of the synthetic utility of the title aldehydes, the beta-anomer was employed as starting material in the stereoselective synthesis of both R- and S-epimer L-C-fucosyl phenylhydroxy acetates. One epimer was obtained by reaction of the sugar aldehyde with phenylmagnesium bromide, oxidation of the resulting alcohol to ketone, addition of 2-lithiothiazole to the latter, and transformation of the thiazole ring into the carboxyl group through an aldehyde intermediate. The other epimer was obtained by the same procedure and inverting the timing of phenyl and thiazolyl group addition. In both routes, the key step establishing the configuration of the quaternary carbon atom of the aliphatic chain was the highly stereoselective addition of the organometal to the ketone intermediate.     

Total synthesis of salicylihalamides A and B

The paper illustrates two efficient routes to macrolactone 19 containing a 3-(para-methoxybenzyloxy)propyl side chain at C-15. The chiral center at C-15 was introduced by a Noyori reduction of keto ester 5. The intermediate common to both routes, aldehyde 8, was prepared from keto ester 5. The subsequent chain extension utilized Evans aldol reactions. The first route leads to the alkene 14, which was used, after hydroboration, for a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction with vinyl iodide 15. The derived seco acid 18 was converted into the macrolactone 19 by a Mitsunobu lactonization by using immobilized triphenylphosphine. Alternatively, an aldol reaction of 8 with the 4-pentenoyl derivative 20 was used to prepare alkene 26. This building block led to ester 28, which could also be converted into macrolactone 19 by the classical ring-closing metathesis. After conversion of the C-15 side chain to the corresponding aldehyde, the enamide was introduced through hemiaminal formation and formal elimination of water. Separation of the double-bond isomers and removal of the silyl protecting groups provided salicylihalamides A (E)-1 and B (Z)-1.     

Total synthesis of an antitumor antibiotic,Fostriecin (CI-920)

The total synthesis of an antitumor antibiotic, fostriecin (CI-920), via a highly convergent route is described. A characteristic feature of the present total synthesis is that the synthesis was achieved via a coupling procedure of three segments A, B, and C. The unsaturated lactone moiety of fostriecin, corresponding to segment A, was constructed from a known Horner-Emmons reagent, and the stereochemistry of the C-5 position was introduced by asymmetric reduction with (R)-BINAl-H. Segment B having a series of stereogenic centers was synthesized from (R)-malic acid and the stereogenic centers at the C-8 and C-9 positions were prepared by a combination of Wittig reaction and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction. The conjugated Z,Z,E-triene moiety of fostriecin, corresponding to segment C, was eventually constructed by Wittig reaction and Stille coupling reaction. The phosphate moiety, which is known to be essentially important for the antitumor activity, was introduced via two routes: (i) direct phosphorylation of the monohydroxyl derivative in which other hydroxyl groups are protected with silyl groups; (ii) cyclic phosphorylation and selective cleavage of the cyclic phosphate derivative. Although the former route is basically the same as those reported by other groups, the latter route is novel and more effective than the former one. The present total synthesis would serve as a versatile synthetic route to not only fostriecin, but also its various analogues including stereoisomers.     

A modular procedure for the synthesis of functionalised β-substituted terthiophene monomers for conducting polymer applications

An efficient modular strategy has been developed for the synthesis of β-functionalised terthiophene monomers using Suzuki-Miyaura and Wittig/Horner-Emmons chemistries. This paper discusses the problems encountered with converting the β-terthiophene aldehyde building block to the β-terthiophene phosphonium salt and the use of this material in a Wittig condensation. An improved strategy using the β-terthiophene phosphonate building block constructed via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling protocols was developed. We have synthesised and characterised a broad range of functionalised terthiophene materials that have been designed for specific end-use applications. The availability of these building blocks has dramatically increased access to a range of key monomers.     

Synthesis of the phthalide-containing anti-Helicobacter pylori agents CJ-13,015, CJ-13,102, CJ-13,103, CJ-13,104 and CJ-13,108

Flexible racemic syntheses of the phthalide-containing antibiotics CJ-13,015, CJ-13,102, CJ-13,103, CJ-13,104 and CJ-13,108 that inhibit Helicobacter pylori have been carried out in a convergent fashion by Wittig coupling of a phthalide-containing aldehyde fragment with an appropriate phosphorous ylide.     

Total synthesis of myxothiazols, novel bis-thiazole beta-methoxyacrylate-based anti-fungal compounds from myxobacteria

Convergent total syntheses of myxothiazols A and Z are described. The syntheses are based on elaboration of the (S)-E,E-diene thioamide 22, conversion of 22 into the bis-thiazole 27 and Wittig reactions between 27c and the aldehyde 30. The substituted beta-methoxyacrylate aldehyde 30 was produced via an Evans asymmetric aldol protocol or via the 2H-pyran-2-one 31. An E-selective Wittig reaction between the ylide derived from the phosphonium salt 27c and the (+)-aldehyde 30 led to (+)-myxothiazol Z (1b), and a corresponding reaction with the (+/-)-acrylamide aldehyde 44 gave (+/-)-myxothiazol A (1a). Complementary studies led to synthesis of the ester 47b, corresponding to myxothiazol R and myxothiazol S.     

Stereoselective syntheses of the antihistaminic drug olopatadine and its E-isomer

Practical stereoselective synthetic routes to the antihistaminic drug olopatadine and its E-isomer have been developed, the key steps being a trans stereoselective Wittig olefination using a nonstabilized phosphorus ylide and a stereoselective Heck cyclization. The stereoselectivity of the Wittig reaction depends on both the phosphonium salt anion and the cation present in the base used to generate the ylide.     

Toward functionalized conducting polymers: synthesis and characterization of novel beta-(styryl)terthiophenes

Metal-catalyzed coupling methodologies have been employed in the synthesis of the key building block 3'-formyl-2,2':5',2"-terthiophene. Wittig olefinations with this aldehyde have produced five novel beta-styryl-substituted terthiophene monomers. These materials have been fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy, microanalysis, mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystal structure analysis. The results from the UV/visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetric investigations are reported.     

Oxidation of 3-alkyl-substituted 2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes: a new formyl-containing building block for fullerene chemistry

A new building block for fullerene chemistry, endowed with a formyl group on C-3 of the 2-pyrazoline ring, has been prepared in a simple two-step synthesis by oxidation of readily available 3-alkyl-substituted 2-pyrazolino[60]fullerenes; the new building block paves the way for the preparation of new light-harvesting fullerenes.     

Pectenotoxin-2 synthetic studies. 3. Assessment of the capacity for stereocontrolled cyclization to form the entire C1-C26 subunit based upon the double bond geometry across C15-C16

Second-generation synthetic routes to enantiopure sulfone 21 and aldehyde 24 are described. The union of these two intermediates by means of a Julia-Kocienski coupling gave rise to a series of E-configured building blocks that did not prove amenable to transannular cyclization. Alternatively, when the C15-C16 double bond was introduced with Z-geometry by Wittig olefination, spontaneous closure to generate a tetrahydrofuran culminated an ensuing direct dihydroxylation step. The structural assignment to 35, undergirded by detailed 1H and 13C NMR studies, is consistent with proper transannular bonding so as to deliver the entire C1-C26 fragment of PTX2.     

Unequivocal experimental evidence for a unified lithium salt-free Wittig reaction mechanism for all phosphonium Ylide types: reactions with β-heteroatom-substituted aldehydes are consistently selective for cis-oxaphosphetane-derived products

The true course of the lithium salt-free Wittig reaction has long been a contentious issue in organic chemistry. Herein we report an experimental effect that is common to the Wittig reactions of all of the three major phosphonium ylide classes (non-stabilized, semi-stabilized, and stabilized): there is consistently increased selectivity for cis-oxaphosphetane and its derived products (Z-alkene and erythro-β-hydroxyphosphonium salt) in reactions involving aldehydes bearing heteroatom substituents in the β-position. The effect operates with both benzaldehydes and aliphatic aldehydes and is shown not to operate in the absence of the heteroatom substituent on the aldehyde. The discovery of an effect that is common to reactions of all ylide types strongly argues for the operation of a common mechanism in all Li salt-free Wittig reactions. In addition, the results are shown to be most easily explained by the [2+2] cycloaddition mechanism proposed by Vedejs and co-workers as supplemented by Aggarwal, Harvey, and co-workers, thus providing strong confirmatory evidence in support of that mechanism. Notably, a cooperative effect of ortho-substituents in the case of semi-stabilized ylides is confirmed and is accommodated by the cycloaddition mechanism. The effect is also shown to operate in reactions of triphenylphosphine-derived ylides and has previously been observed for reactions under aqueous conditions, thus for the first time providing evidence that kinetic control is in operation in both of these cases.     

Multiple component approaches to C-glycosyl beta-amino acids by complementary one-pot Mannich-type and Reformatsky-type reactions

The development of new methods for the preparation of C-glycosyl beta-amino acid libraries with chemical and stereochemical diversity levels was investigated and the results are described herein. Two complementary one-pot three-component Mannich-type and Reformatsky-type synthetic strategies have been developed for the construction of chiral 3-amino propanoate fragments (eventually bis-substituted at C-2) directly linked to the anomeric carbon of pyranose and furanose residues. Both methods involved as the initial step the coupling of a sugar aldehyde to p-methoxybenzylamine but differed in the nucleophile (a d(2) synthon equivalent) which was successively added: a ketene silyl acetal (Mannich route) or a bromozinc enolate (Reformatsky route). Individual C-glycosyl beta-amino esters were isolated as single 3R diastereoisomers in fair to excellent yield (60-90%) and their structure assigned by NMR spectroscopy (Riguera protocol) supported by X-ray crystallography. A tentative explanation of the observed stereochemical outcome based on transition-state models is provided. A preliminary study on the synthesis of alpha,alpha-difluoro C-glycosyl beta-amino acids via a more traditional Reformatsky route is also reported.     

Easy and stereoselective approach to alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-lactones fused to pyranoses from furanose scaffolds

The first facile and efficient route to pyranose-fused butenolides from furanose scaffolds, convenient for scaling up production, is described. Wittig olefination of 1,2-O-isopropylidene pentofuranos- or hexofuranos-3-uloses with a resonance-stabilized ylide led to the stereoselective formation of the (Z)-alpha,beta-unsaturated ester. In the presence of acid labile 5-O- or 5,6-di-O-protecting groups, acid hydrolysis of the Wittig product resulted in isomerization to the pyranose form and spontaneous lactonization to give the target molecules in good overall yield.     

A modified Wittig polycondensation--to high-trans- and high-molecular weight PPVs

A modified Wittig polycondensation was developed by replacing the bulky −PPh₃ with −PBu₃ ylide. Our studies suggested that the modified polymerization dramatically enhances trans-selectivity due to the decreased 1,3-steric interaction between butyl chain and triphenylamine group, together with the 1,2-steric interaction between the phenyl ring of the ylide and the triphenylamine group of the aldehyde. Moreover, the method also enhances high-molecular weight products by increasing the activity and solubility of the ylide.     

Diastereoselective reactions at enantiomerically pure, sterically congested cyclohexanes as an entry to wailupemycins A and B: total synthesis of (+)-wailupemycin B

Wailupemycin A (1) and B (2) are polyketide natural products with a highly substituted cyclohexanone core. Three different routes for the syntheses of these compounds were pursued, which commenced from either (R)-(-)-carvone (ent-5) or (S)-(+)-carvone (5). In the first approach it was attempted to construct the skeleton of wailupemycin A from triol 19 (nine steps from ent-5; 19 % yield) by a sequence of diastereoselective epoxidation, nucleophilic ring opening at C-13 and carbonyl addition at C-5. The synthetic plan failed at the stage of the carbonyl addition to aldehyde 27, which had been obtained in seven steps (18 % yield) from triol 19. The second route included an epoxide ring opening at C-13 and a carbonyl addition at C-7 as key steps. It could have led to either wailupemycin A or B depending on the diastereoselectivity of the addition step. Starting from allylic alcohol 30 (six steps from ent-5; 59 % yield) the cyclohexanone 28 was obtained in five steps (54 % yield). Unfortunately, the carbonyl addition failed also in this instance. In the eventually successful third attempt the skeleton of wailupemycin B was built from cyclohexanone 43 (eight steps from 5; 53 % yield) by highly diastereoselective carbonyl addition reactions at C-7 and C-12. The phenyl group at C-14 was introduced at a late stage of the synthetic sequence. Careful protecting group manipulation finally allowed for the total synthesis of (+)-wailupemycin B. The absolute and relative configuration of the natural product was unambiguously confirmed. The total yield of wailupemycin B amounted to 6 % over 23 steps starting from (S)-(+)-carvone (5).     

Carbon-branched carbohydrate chirons: synthesis of C-3 and C-4-branched sugar lactones derived from d-erythronolactone

Two carbon chain extensions using a Wittig reaction on both a 1-deoxy ribulose derivative and a C-2-branched erythrose derivative are reported. Subsequent dihydroxylation resulted in the synthesis of C-3 and C-4 methyl-branched sugar lactones, the useful synthetic building blocks. Control of the stereoselectivity of both the Wittig reaction and the dihydroxylation is investigated, and 3-C-methyl and 4-C-methyl d-altrono-1,4-lactones and d-glucono-1,4-lactone and 4-C-hydroxymethyl-d-altrono-1,4-lactone were synthesised.     

Synthesis of novel cyclic oligosaccharides: beta-1,6-thio-linked cycloglucopyranosides

[structure: see text] A protocol for the synthesis of novel cyclic beta-1,6-S-linked glucopyranosides is developed. The key intermediate is a linear thiooligosaccharide bearing an iodo group at C-6 of the nonreducing sugar and a thioacetyl group at the anomeric center of the reducing end sugar. The crucial macrocyclization step was achieved through base-promoted intramolecular S(N)2 glycosylation in remarkably high yields (92-95%) and with well-controlled stereochemistry.     

Concise syntheses of cystothiazoles A, C, D, and melithiazol B

A convergent synthesis of cystothiazoles C 1 and D 3 was achieved based on Julia coupling between the functionalized aldehyde 5b, corresponding to left half of the final molecule, and aryl sulfone 6 or 7, bearing a bithiazole moiety, corresponding to right half. Methylation of 1 and 3 gave cystothiazole A 2 and melithiazol B 4, respectively. The overall yield (5 steps from (2R,3S)-3-methylpent-4-yne-1,2-diol 10; 57%) of 5b via the present route was improved in comparison to that of the previously reported functionalized aldehyde 5a (7 steps from 10; 13%). By applying the modified Julia coupling method, selectivity (6E/6Z=20 : 1-26 : 1) toward the (6E)-form of the coupled products (15 or 19) against the corresponding (6Z)-form was improved in comparison to the Wittig method (6E/6Z=4 : 1-6.9 : 1).     

A study of influence of temperature and <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-acyl protected keto ylides structure on their predominant transformations

The effect of temperature and keto ylides structure on preference of their intramolecular cyclization leading to N-containing heterocyclic compounds or linear products formation has been investigated at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. It has been determined that the thermodynamic advantage of the cyclization reactions of ylides increases with temperature, while Gibbs free energies of linear products formation reactions depend insignificantly on temperature. The Wittig and the Corey–Chaykovsky reactions are least probable in the case of the sulfonium and ammonium ylides considered. However, for phosphonium ylides the Wittig reaction must be considerably preferable in comparison with other routes, while behavior of the arsonium ylides is predicted to be more complex. Research of S-ylides transformations shows that formation of methylthio-substituted heterocycles with five-, six- or seven- membered rings is possible from a thermodynamic standpoint, while conversion of the corresponding ylide to a four-membered heterocycle is disadvantageous. Presence of a methyl substituent and its position in the ylide carbon chain depends ambiguously on the behavior of sulfur keto ylides.     

Synthesis of the ABC fragment of the pectenotoxins

[reaction: see text] A highly stereocontrolled synthesis of the C1-C16 ABC spiroacetal-containing fragment 5 of PTX7 (4) has been achieved. Appendage of the C ring to the AB fragment involved Wittig reaction of spiroacetal aldehyde 8 with a stabilized ylide 9 followed by displacement of allylic iodide 27 with a lithium acetylide to afford enyne 7. Fructose-derived chiral dioxirane and dihydroxylation were then used to introduce the correct functionality in the tetrahydrofuran C ring.