Synthesis and molecular structure of di(4-hydroxy-2,6-diisoborn-2-ylphenyl)methane

Di(4-hydroxy-2-{(1R*,2S*,4S*)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl}-6-{(1S*,2R*,4R*)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl})methane was synthesized by condensation of the meso-diastereomer of 2,6-diisobornylphenol with paraformaldehyde under acid catalysis. The product structure as a meso-forms was confirmed by XRD analysis.     

Aromastoffe der roten Passionsfrucht. Zwei neue Edulanderivate

Aroma Constituents of the Purple Passion Fruit. Two New Edulan Derivatives The isolation of (2R*, 4S*, 4aS*, 8aS*)-4,4a-epoxy-4,4a-dihydroedulan ( 1 ), and (2R*, 3S*, 8aS*)-3-hydroxyedulan ( 2 ), two new constituents of the purple passion-fruit (Passiflora edulis SIMS ), is reported. Racemic epoxide 1 was synthesized by oxidation of edulan 6 with peracidic acid, and racemate of alcohol 2 was obtained by reduction of ketone 7 , one of the chromic acid oxidation-products of edulan 6 .     

Highly Oxygenated Triterpenoids and Diterpenoids from Fructus Rubi (Rubus chingii Hu) and Their NF-kappa B Inhibitory Effects

During a phytochemical investigation of the unripe fruits of Rubus chingii Hu (i.e., Fructus Rubi, a traditional Chinese medicine named “Fu-Pen-Zi”), a number of highly oxygenated terpenoids were isolated and characterized. These included nine ursane-type (1, 2, and 4–10), five oleanane-type (3, 11–14), and six cucurbitane-type (15–20) triterpenoids, together with five ent-kaurane-type diterpenoids (21–25). Among them, (4R,5R,8R,9R,10R,14S,17S,18S,19R,20R)-2,19α,23-trihydroxy-3-oxo-urs-1,12-dien-28-oic acid (rubusacid A, 1), (2R*,4S*,5R*,8R*,9R*,10R*,14S*,17S*, 18S*,19R*,20R*)-2α,19α,24-trihydroxy-3-oxo-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (rubusacid B, 2), (5R,8R,9R,10R, 14S,17R,18S,19S)-2,19α-dihydroxy-olean-1,12-dien-28-oic acid (rubusacid C, 3), and (3S,5S,8S,9R, 10S,13R,16R)-3α,16α,17-trihydroxy-ent-kaur-2-one (rubusone, 21) were previously undescribed. Their chemical structures and absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analyses. Compounds 1 and 3 are rare naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoids featuring a special α,β-unsaturated keto-enol (diosphenol) unit in ring A. Cucurbitacin B (15), cucurbitacin D (16), and 3α,16α,20(R),25-tetrahydroxy-cucurbita-5,23- dien-2,11,22-trione (17) were found to have remarkable inhibitory effects against NF-κB, with IC₅₀ values of 0.08, 0.61, and 1.60 μM, respectively.     

Reactions of N- and C-alkenylanilines: IX. Synthesis, oxidation, and nitration of some 7-methyl-1,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles

Heating of 4-acyl-3-iodo-7-methyl-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles in piperidine gave 4-acyl-7-methyl-1,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles which were oxidized with KMnO4 to obtain the corresponding 4-acyl-7-methyl-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indole-1,2-diols. Oxidation of 4-acyl-7-methyl-1,3a,4,8b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indoles at the olefinic double bond with hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile in the presence of formic acid afforded stereoisomeric epoxides with cis and trans orientation of the nitrogen-containing and oxirane rings. Nitration with a mixture of ammonium nitrate and trifluoroacetic anhydride produced 5-nitro derivatives. The structure of 1-{(1aR*,1bR*,6bS*,7aS*)-5-methyl-1a,1b,2,6b,7,7ahexahydrooxireno[4,5]cyclopenta[1,2-b]indol-2-yl}ethanone was determined by X-ray analysis.     

Synthesis of N-allyl- and N-acyl-2-vinylindoline

Heating a mixture of (2R*,3R*)- and (2R*,3S*)-2-[(1S*)-1-iodoethyl]-3,5-dimethyl-1-[(2-nitrophenyl) sulfonyl]indolines with N-isopropylpiperidine in xylene resulted in (2S*,3R*)-3,5-dimethyl-1-[(2-nitrophenyl) sulfonyl]-2-vinylindoline. The latter reacted with thiophenol to afford (2S*,3R*)-3,5-dimethyl-2-vinylindoline, whose reaction with allyl halides or acetyl bromide gave rise to N-allyl-, N-propenyl-, or N-acetyl derivatives. Nitration of 1-acetyl-3,5-dimethyl-2-vinylindoline yielded ortho-nitro derivative.     

Efficient synthesis of new tricyclic pyrano[3,2-c]pyridine derivatives

Reaction between arylidenemalononitriles and acetoacetanilide in the presence of piperazine hydrate in methanol at room temperature affords new tricyclic pyrano[3,2-c]pyridine derivatives of (rac-1S*,2R*,3R*,7R*,8R*,11R*)-2,11-diaryl-4,10-diimino-8-methyl-5-phenyl-6-oxo-9-oxa-5-azatricyclo-[5.3.1.0^3,8]undecane-1,3-dicarbonitrile family in yields of 55–84%. The molecular structures of the products were confirmed by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy.     

Synthesis of (5R*)- and (5S*)-5,7,11-trimethyl-3a-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-3aH-1,4-methano[1,3]oxazolo[3,2-a]quinolin-2-ones

Heating of N-benzoyl-N-[2-(1-methylbut-2-en-1-yl)-4-methylphenyl]glycine with ethyl chloroformate or acetic anhydride gave (5R*) and (5S*) isomers of (1R*,3aS*,4S*,11S*)-5,7,11-trimethyl-3a-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-3aH-1,4-methano[1,3]oxazolo[3,2-a]quinolin-2-one.     

New aspects of reactions of methyl (thio)ureas with benzil

New pathways of reaction between 1-methylthiourea or 1-methylurea and benzil bring about new derivatives of (2S*,3aR*,6aS*)-perhydro-3aH-[1,3]dioxolo[4,5-d]imidazole and racemic (4S*,5R*)-4-alkoxy-5-hydroxy-1-methyl-4,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2-thiones. Some of the obtained urea-and thiourea derivatives were characterized by X-ray diffraction, which showed their supramolecular organization governed by the directionality of hydrogen bonds at the acceptor side C=O or C=S groups.     

Asymmetric synthesis of passifloricin A: a correction in structure

The structure reported in the literature for the pharmacologically active, natural lactone passifloricin A (δ-lactone of 2Z,5R*S*,7R*,9S*,11S*-tetrahydroxyhexacos-2-enoic acid) is incorrect not only as regards stereochemical issues, but also in the placement of one of the hydroxyl groups of the side chain. By means of an unambiguous synthesis, passifloricin A is shown to be the δ-lactone of 2Z,5R,7S,9S,12S-tetrahydroxyhexacos-2-enoic acid. All of the stereogenic centres were created with the aid of Brown's asymmetric allylation methodology. The lactone ring was made via ring-closing metathesis.     

Synthesis of (5S*,4aS*,7aS*)-5-hydroxyhexahydro-cyclopenta[c]pyran-3(1H)-one

(5S*,4aS*,7aS*)-5-Hydroxyhexahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-3(1H)-one, the promising isoprostane building block, was synthesized using intramolecular [3+2] cycloaddition of silyl nitronate generated from 4-benzyloxy-3-nitroocta-2,7-diene on the key step.     

Regioselectivity in the formation of norbornene-fused pyrazoles: preparation of 1-substituted derivatives of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-4,7-methanoindazole

The structural characteristics of (±)-(exo,exo)-3-(hydroxymethylene)-5,6-(isopropylidenedioxy)bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one make the reactions between this β-diketone and hydrazines particularly interesting for elucidating the mechanism of pyrazole formation. The isolation and X-ray structure determination of two 5-hydroxy substituted Δ²-pyrazolines [(±)-(3aR*,4R*,5R*,6S*,7R*,7aR*)-7a-hydroxy-5,6-(isopropylidenedioxy)-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indazole] and [(±)-(3aS*,4R*,5R*,6S*,7R*,7aR*)-7a-hydroxy-5,6-(isopropylidene-dioxy)-1-phenyl-3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexa-hydro-4,7-methano-1H-indazole] has been determinant for proposing a mechanism. Besides B3LYP/6-31G* calculations have been carried out on all intermediate dihydroxypyrazolidines and 5-hydroxypyrazolines. Finally, the annular tautomerism of the NH-methanotetrahydroindazoles has been studied both experimentally (¹³C NMR) and theoretically: the Mills-Nixon effect favours the 2H-tautomer.     

New Dolabellane Derivatives from the Brown Alga Dictyota pardalis

Reinvestigation of the brown alga Dictyota pardalis f. pseudohamata CRIBB led to the crystallization of 1 and to the isolation of the two new dolabellane derivatives 2 and 3 . X-Ray analysis of 1 and 2 , together with detailed 1D-and 2D-NMR studies on 2 and 3 , allowed their structures to be elucidated as (1R*,3S*,7S*,11R*,4Z)-dolabella-4,8(17), 12(18)-triene-3,7-diol ( 1 ), (1R*,3S*,4S*,7S*,8S*,11R*,14R*,12E)-3,4:7,8-diepoxydolabe11-12-ene-14, 18-diol ( 2 ), and (1R*,3S*,4S*,7S*,8S*,11R*,14R*)-3,4:7,8-diepoxy-l,4,8,12,12-pentamethylbicyclo[9. 3. 0]tetra-decan-14-ol( 3 ).     

Synthesis and structures of 1,1"-dialkyl-3,3"-bidiaziridines

First representatives of 3,3"-bidiaziridines, viz., 1,1"-dialkyl-3,3"-bidiaziridines, were synthesized and isolated as mixtures of two diastereomers. In the case of Alk = Me, the diastereomers were separated. It was demonstrated by nuclear Overhauser effect experiments and X-ray diffraction analysis that the diastereomers are the racemate (rac-1R*,2R*,3S*,1"R*,2"R*,3"S*) and the meso-form (1S*,2S*,3R*,1"R*,2"R*,3"S*).     

Tautomeric and conformational equilibria of γ-lactones derived from (3,5-dibromo-1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-yl)acetic acid

Tautomeric transformation of (3,5-dibromo-1-hydroxy-4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-yl)acetic acid into previously unknown stereoisomeric γ-lactones, (3aS*,7S*,7aR*)- and (3aS*,7R*,7aR*)-5,7-dibromo-3ahydroxy-3,3a,7,7a-tetrahydro-1-benzofuran-2,6-diones, was revealed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The concentration of the acid tautomer increases as the solvent polarity rises. The ability of the cycloxexene ring in the lactones to undergo inversion in solution is determined by orientation of the bromine atom on C⁷.     

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.     

New synthesis of (5S*,7aS*)-5-benzyloxy-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-3(1H)-one

To increase the efficiency of the recently suggested total synthesis of iso- and neuroprostanes, a possibility of transformation of its side products, i.e., syn- and anti-2-[(2S*,5S*)-2-benzyloxy-5-hydroxymethyl-Z-cyclopentylidene]ethanaldoximes, to (5S*,7aS*)-5-benzyloxy-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydrocyclopenta[c]pyran-3(1H)-one was studied.     

Trimethylaluminium-induced diastereoselective methylation onto ethyl 2-oxocyclopentane-1-carboxylate and isomerization between the dimethylaluminium-alkoxide products

Methylation of α-disubstituted cyclopentanone 1 with Me₃Al in CH₂Cl₂ at 0 °C for 30 min gave diastereoselectively a mixture of (1R*,2S*)-2 and (1R*,2R*)-2 in a 96:4 ratio and 83% total yield. When the same methylation was carried out at 0 °C for 1 h and then at room temperature for 120 h, a diastereomeric mixture of (1R*,2S*)-2 and (1R*,2R*)-2 was obtained in a 12:88 ratio and in 88% total yield. The stereochemistry of the two diastereomers was determined by the results of acetalization of their diol derivatives 3 and 5. Isomerization between the Me₂Al-alkoxides of (1R*,2S*)-2 and (1R*,2R*)-2 and its possible mechanism were investigated by HPLC analysis of the methylation reaction process at 0 °C for 1 h and then at room temperature for 56 h and also by their mutual epimerization reactions.     

Synthese von optisch aktiven Carotinoiden mit 3,5,6-Trihydroxy-5-6-dihydro-β-Endgruppen

Syntheses of Optically Active Carotenoids with 3,5,6-Trihydroxy-5,6-dihydro β-End Groups For the specification of the relative and absolute configuration in carotenoids with 3,5,6-trihydroxy-5-6-dihydro β-end groups, several ionone derivatives and carotenoids bearing this end group were synthesized. Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of (3S,5S,6R)– acetoxy-5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-β-ionone ( 7 ) and of its (3S,5R,6S)-isomer ( 13 ) gave the diols 8 and 15 , respectively, with exclusive inversion at c(5) (Scheme 2). Compared to this, mild acid hydrolysis of caroten-5-6-expoxides in the presence of H₂O resulted in the formation of 5,6-diols with either inversion or retention of the configuration at C(6) (Scheme 3). Spectroscopic data allowed us to distinguish the relative configurations (3R*,5S*,6S*) (see A ), (3R*,5R*,6R*) (see B ), (3R*,5S*,6R*) (see C ), and (3R*,5R*,6S*) (see D ), of the 3,5,6-trihydroxy-5-6-dihydro β-end groups. Syntheses of the optically active carotene-hexols 20 and 21 and comparison with published data led to a revision of the structure of mectrazanthin (now formulated as 20 ), heteroxanthin (now formulated as 28 ), and further carotenoids with 3,5,6-trihydroxy end groups.     

Spirostaphylotrichin W,a spirocyclic γ-lactam isolated from liquid culture of Pyrenophora semeniperda, a potential mycoherbicide for cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) biocontrol

A novel spirocyclic γ-lactam, named spirostaphylotrichin W (1), was isolated together with the well known and closely related spirostaphylotrichins A, C, D, R and V, as well as triticone E, from the liquid cultures of Pyrenophora semeniperda (anamorph: Drechslera), a seed pathogen proposed for cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) biocontrol. Spirostaphylotrichin W was characterized as (3S*,4S*,5S*,6S*,9Z,10Z)-4,6-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethoxy-3-methyl-10-propyliden-2-azaspiro [4.5]dec-8-ene-1,7-dione, by spectroscopic and chemical methods. The relative stereochemistry of spirostaphylotrichin W was assigned using NOESY experiments and in comparison to those of spirostaphylotrichin V (2) and triticone E (6). In fact, the relative stereochemistry at C-3 was the same of that of 2, while that at C-4 and C-6 was inverted in respect to that reported, respectively, for 2 and 6. In a B. tectorum coleoptile bioassay at concentration of 10⁻³, spirostaphylotrichin A proved to be the most active compound, followed by spirostaphylotrichins C and D. Spirostaphylotrichin W and V showed mild toxicity while spirostaphylotrichin R and triticone E were not active. When tested on host and non-host plants by leaf puncture bioassay, spirostaphylotrichins A, C and D caused the appearance of necrotic spots while the other compounds were inactive.     

A novel glyceryl ester (glyceryl dendryphiellate A), a trinor-eremophilane (dendryphiellin A1), and eremophilanes (dendryphiellin E1 and E2) from the marine deuteromycete Dendryphiella salina (SUTHERLAND) PUGH et NICOT

Continuing studies of the global extracts from cultures of the marine deuteromycete Dendryphiella salina have led to the isolation of novel compounds that add to the scarce list of marine fungal metabolites. Besides (22E)-ergosta-4.6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one which, though known from basidiomycetes, was unknown in the sea, they are an unusual glyceryl ester, i.e. glycer-1-yl dendryphiellale A (= (+)-(2R)-2,3-dihydroxyprop-l-yl (6S,2E,4E)6-methylocta-2,4-dienoate; (+)- 1 ), a trinor-eremophilane, i.e. dendryphiellin A1 ( = (+)-(3R*,4E,6E)-7-{[(1R*,2S*,7R*,8aR*)-1,2,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-7-hydroxy-1,8a-dimethyl-6-oxonaphthalen-2yl]oxycarbonyl}-3-methylhepta-4,6-dienoic acid; (+)- 11 ), and two eremophilanes, i.e. dendryphiellin El ( = (+)-(1R*, 2S*, 7S*,8aR*)-1,2,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-1,8a-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethenyl)-6-oxonaphthalen-2-yl(6S,2E,4E)-6-methyl-octa-2,4-dienoate; (+)- 13 ) and dendryphiellin E2 ( = (+)-(1R*, 2S*, 8aR*)-1,2,6,7,8,8a-hexahydro-7-isopropyl-idene-1,8a-dimethyl-6-oxonaphthalen-2-yl (6S,2E,4E)-6-Methylocta-2,4-dienoate; (+)- 14 ). Absolute configurations have been established for (+)- 1 via total synthesis and for the acid portion of (+)- 13 and (+)- 14 via transesterification in NaOMe/MeOH which gave in both cases melhyl dendryphiellate A ((+)- 16 ) of known configuration and the free alcoholic moiety of (+)- 14 , i.e. (+)- 17 .