Spirobicyclic diamines. Part 2: Synthesis of homochiral diastereoisomeric proline derived [4.4]-spirolactams

l-Proline derived diastereoisomeric [4.4]-spirolactams have been prepared by a reductive-amination reaction of (R)- or (S)-alanine methyl ester, followed by thermal cyclisation of the resulting amine onto the proline ester group in refluxing toluene. Under similar conditions (R)- or (S)-phenylalanine methyl ester gave no cyclisation products, while R- or S-α-methylbenzylamine required treatment with NaNH₂ in refluxing toluene to induce cyclisation giving diastereoisomeric [4.4]-spirolactams.     

Synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted piperidine alkaloids from ladybird beetles Calvia 10-guttata and Calvia 14-guttata

Optically pure (+)-calvine, (+)-2-epicalvine, (2S,6S)-(6-pentylpiperidin-2-yl)acetic acid methyl ester and (2R,6S)-(6-pentylpiperidin-2-yl)acetic acid methyl ester, four piperidine alkaloids isolated from ladybird beetles of the genus Calvia (Coccinellidae), were synthesised from a common precursor using cyclisative Pd(II)/Cu(II)-catalysed carboamination-(methoxy)carbonylation tandem reaction of alkenylamines as a key step. The first single-crystal X-ray analysis of (+)-calvine confirmed its proposed absolute configuration to be (2S,6S) corresponding to that of natural product.     

Biocatalytic reduction system for the production of chiral methyl (R)/(S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate

An effective method for producing methyl 4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate enantiomers was developed using an engineered protein. Escherichia coli transformant cells containing a mutant β-keto ester reductase (KER-L54Q) from Penicillium citrinum and a cofactor-regeneration enzyme such as glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) or Leifsonia sp. alcohol dehydrogenase (LSADH) were used to produce methyl (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate from methyl 4-bromo-3-oxobutyrate. On the other hand, the production of methyl (R)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate was achieved by asymmetric reduction of methyl 4-bromo-3-oxobutyrate with a mutant phenylacetaldehyde reductase (PAR-HAR1) from Rhodococcus sp. ST-10.     

Chemoenzymatic syntheses of N-trifluoroacetyl-l-daunosamine,N-trifluoroacetyl-l-acosamine,N-benzoyl-d-acosamine,and N-benzoyl-d-ristosamine from an achiral precursor,methyl sorbate

A conjugated addition of benzylamine to methyl (4R,5S)-4,5-(isopropylidenedioxy)-(2E)-hexenoate 8a followed by lactonization under acidic condition proceeds to the formal total syntheses of l-daunosamine 4 and l-acosamine 2. On the other hand, direct conjugated addition of benzylamine to methyl (4S,5S)-4,5-epoxy-(2E)-hexenoate 5 and the subsequent intramolecular nucleophilic attack by the ester carbonyl group on the epoxy ring of the substrates leads to the formal total syntheses of d-acosamine 2 and d-ristosamine 1.     

A stereoselective synthesis of (2S,4R)-δ-hydroxyleucine methyl ester: a component of cyclomarin A

(2S,4R)-δ-Hydroxyleucine methyl ester, the N-demethyl analogue of an amino acid contained within the macrocycle of cyclomarin A, was successfully synthesized using Davis’ asymmetric Strecker reaction.     

Synthetic route towards (5R,2′S,5′S,6′S)-ribosyl-diazepanone,an analogue core of the liposidomycins

The synthesis of (5R,2′S,5′S,6′S)-ribosyl-diazepanone, an analogue core of liposidomycins is described. The core ribosyl seven-membered heterocycle of nucleoside antibiotic liposidomycins was formed by reductive amination of an α-ribosylamino ester derived from d-ribose, and an amino aldehyde derived from methyl 4-triisopropylsilyloxy-3-oxobutanoate, followed by a peptidic coupling reaction.     

On the “normalizing factor” for the tomato mutant “chloronerva”—XI: Mass and NMR spectroscopic investigations of the phytosiderophore nicotianamine and some of its derivatives

The “normalizing factor” for the tomato mutant “chloronerva” was shown to possess the structure of (2S:3'S':3''S)-N- [N-(3-amino-3-carboxypropyl)-3-amino-3-carboxypropyl]-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (1) and proved to be identical with nicolianamine, especially on the basis of high resolution mass, ¹H, and ¹³CNMR spectroscopie investigations of 1 as well as of its tetra-(trimethylsilyl), di-(4-bromobenzoyl) (trimethyl ester (3), 4-bromobenzoyl dimethyl ester, and diacetyl methyl ester (4) derivatives. 1 seems to be of general occurrence in higher plants and is considered a possible phytosiderophore with an essential function in the cellular iron transport and/or metabolism.     

Enantioselective syntheses of isoprostane and iridoid lactones intermediates by enzymatic transesterification

Crude Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (Amano PS-30) is a suitable biocatalyst for the kinetic resolution of the 1,2-cis-disubstituted cyclopentanoid building block (3aR*,4R*,6aS*)-(±)-4-hydroxymethyl-3,3a,4,6a-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]furan-2-one through enantioselective transesterification. Enantiomerically enriched acetic acid (3aS,4S,6aR)-(+)-2-oxo-3,3a,4,6a-tetrahydro-2H-cyclopenta[b]furan-4-yl methyl ester was utilized in a formal synthesis of the iridoids (+)-isoiridomyrmecin and (−)-teucriumlactone.     

Enantioselective formal synthesis of tridemethylisovelleral

A simple and efficient synthetic route to the bicyclic α,β-unsaturated β-keto ester methyl (3aS,7aS)-6-oxo-2,3,3a,6,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-indene-5-carboxylate, a versatile intermediate in the synthesis of biologically active unsaturated 1,4-dialdehydes, is described. The synthesis includes a chirality introducing nonenzymatic asymmetric desymmetrization (ADS) reaction of a cyclic meso-anhydride 4 and a modified Hofmann method for preparing exocyclic dienes. The ester was synthesized in a moderate overall yield (19%) from 6 and with an excellent enantioselectivity (>90%).     

Enantioselective protonation of prochiral enolates in the asymmetric synthesis of (S)-naproxen

Racemic methyl, iso-propyl, and tert-butyl ester derivatives of naproxen were treated with achiral LDA base to give the corresponding prochiral enolates 2-Li, 3-Li, and 4-Li. Protonation of these enolates with novel chiral proton sources (S)-10 and (S,S)-11, containing the α-phenylethylamino group, proceeded in a highly enantioselective manner. Saponification of enantioenriched ester derivatives 2-4 afforded naproxen, (S)-1, with no loss of enantiopurity.     

Proton magnetic resonance spectra of leukotriene a methyl ester (I), leukotriene B methyl ester diacetate (II) and 12-epi-6-E,8-Z-leukotriene B methyl ester diacetate (III; 5-S,12-di-HETE)

High resolution proton magnetic resonance (pmr) spectra of derivatives of three important 5-oxygenated eicosanoids of synthetic origin, leukotriene A methyl ester (I), leukotriene b methyl ester diacetate (II) and 5-S,12-S-di-HETE methyl ester diacetate (III) have been obtained. In the case of II and III, good spectra could also be obtained for samples of biological origin although only microgram amounts were available, and their identity with those from synthetic material provided independent confirmation of stereochemistry and structure for leukotriene B and 5-S,12-S-di-HETE. The complex pmr spectra of I, II and III were also analyzed systematically to determine peak assignments and coupling constants, and from these, significant information with regard to molecular conformation was derived.     

Practical method for the synthesis of (R)-homopipecolinic acid and (R)-homoproline esters from ω-chloroalkanoic acids and available chiral amines

A practical synthesis of (R)-homopipecolinic acid methyl ester 1 and (R)-homoproline methyl ester 2 was performed utilizing (i) a direct intramolecular cyclization of ω-chloro-β-enamino esters 11 and 12, which were prepared from available (S)-1-phenylethylamine or (S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine and ω-chloro-β-keto esters 5 and 10, respectively and (ii) a highly diastereoselective NaBH₄ reduction followed by hydrogenolysis. The present method is a short-step process using inexpensive and readily available substrates and reagents with fewer wasted materials.     

Improved Enantioselective Synthesis of Protected (3S,4S)-4-Amino-3,5-dihydroxypentanoic Acid (ADPA)

An improved enantioselective synthesis of protected (3S,4S)-4-amino-3,5-dihydroxypentanoic acid (ADPA) from L-serine has been developed. Enantioselectivity is improved by replacing the methyl ester with the tert-butyl ester and using neutral magnesium salt of esters to give β-keto ester.     

1′-Azido- and 1′-amino-1,3-dioxolan-4-ones

1,3-Dioxolanone alcohols, prepared via the addition of chiral lithium enolates of 1,3-dioxolan-4-ones to aldehydes, are suitable intermediates for the synthesis of chiral trisubstituted isoserines or trisubstituted 3-hydroxy-β-lactams. In particular, the methyl ester of 2-methyl-3-(2-furyl)isoserinic acid and two 3-methyl-3-hydroxy-β-lactams bearing either a 2-furyl or a phenyl substituent at C-(4) have been prepared. The (2R,3S) stereochemistry of the isoserine, and the (3R,4S) stereochemistry of the two β-lactams is that required for the synthesis of taxoid analogues having the side-chain with the proper (2′R,3′S) configuration.     

Enantioselective synthesis of preclavulone A and its methyl ester

A highly enantioselective synthesis of the (8S,12S)-enantiomer of preclavulone A and its methyl ester is described featuring the Julia protocol for installing the (Z)-double bond in the lower chain. This procedure is suitable for the preparation of labeled preclavulone analogues for biosynthetic studies on marine clavulones.     

Preliminary studies on a novel synthesis of β-amino acids: stereocontrolled transformation of d- and l-glyceraldehyde into 3-amino-2-(2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)propanoic acids

A stereocontrolled synthesis of the methyl ester of (2S)-3-amino-2-((4′S)-2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)propanoic acid from d-glyceraldehyde is described for the first time. This method involves the stereoselective Michael addition of the lithium salt of tris(phenylthio)methane to (S)-2,2-dimethyl-4-((E)-2-nitrovinyl)-1,3-dioxolane followed by hydrolysis of the resulting (4S)-2,2-dimethyl-4-((2′S)-3′-nitro-1′,1′,1′-tris(phenylthio)propan-2′-yl)-1,3-dioxolane to (2S)-methyl 2-((4′S)-2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)-3-nitropropanoate, which was finally reduced to the target compound. A similarly stereocontrolled transformation of l-glyceraldehyde into (2R)-methyl 3-amino-2-((4′R)-2′,2′-dimethyl-1′,3′-dioxolan-4′-yl)propanoate is also described.     

Asymmetric synthesis of both diastereomers of protected S-methyl-l-cysteine and S-n-propyl-l-cysteine sulphoxides

The preparation of both isomers at sulphur of N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-S-methyl (-propyl)-S-oxo-l-cysteine methyl ester has been carried out using l-cysteine and diacetone-d-glucose (DAG) as starting material and inductor of the chirality at sulphur, respectively.     

Synthesis and enantiomeric recognition studies of dialkyl-substituted 18-crown-6 ethers containing an acridine fluorophore unit

Selectivity of the reported dimethyl-substituted (R,R)-1, the diisobutyl-substituted (R,R)-2 acridino-18-crown-6 ethers and the newly synthesized acridino-crown ether (S,S)-3 containing the methyl groups one carbon-carbon bond further away from the acridine unit was studied towards the enantiomers of the hydrogen perchlorate salts of α-phenylethylamine, α-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine, phenylglycine methyl ester and phenylalanine methyl ester using fluorescence.     

Synthesis and structural determination of the C33-C42 fragment of symbiodinolide

Symbiodinolide (1) is a polyol macrolide with a molecular weight of 2859 mu. As one of the degradation reactions, cross-metathesis of 2, which is a methyl ester of 1, with ethylene was performed to give the C33-C42 degraded fragment 4. The absolute configuration of 4 was estimated to be (36S,40S) by Mosher method. Stereoselective synthesis of 4 was achieved in 14 steps from l-aspartic acid. Synthetic bis-(S)- and (R)-MTPA esters exhibited the spectroscopic data identical with those of bis-(S)- and (R)-MTPA esters derived from the degraded fragment 4. Thus, the absolute stereochemistry of 4 was elucidated to be (36S,40S).     

Synthesis of hydroxy-substituted unsaturated fatty acids and the amino-acid insect-derivative volicitin

An efficient synthesis of N-(17S-hydroxylinolenoyl)-l-glutamine (volicitin), a chemical elicitor from the herbivore-pest beet armyworm is presented. The synthesis, which utilizes a copper-catalyzed acetylene coupling, links (S)-3,6-heptadiyne-2-ol with a C-8 propargylic iodine methyl ester to form the (S)-17-hydroxylinolenate skeleton. By substituting different heptadiyne-2-ol groups, a series of methylene interrupted polyacetylene analogues were generated.