Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiomerically enriched kavalactones

Lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of methyl-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoate and (6E)-ethyl 5-hydroxy-3-oxo-7-phenylhept-6-enoate is described in high enantiomeric excess and good yields. The effect of different lipases in different solvents has been screened using different acylating agents. This protocol has been extended for the preparation of enantiomerically pure biologically important kavalactones.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiomerically enriched aminoalkenols and glycosides thereof

1-t-Butoxycarbonylamido-3-pentene-1-ol 3 and 2-azido-4-phenyl-3-butene-1-ol 4 were enantiomerically enriched by enzymatic acetylation using various lipases and esterases (CHIRAZYM) to give acetylated compounds 5 and 7, respectively. Compound 3 gave the best results (E=94) with Candida antarctica A lipase (CHIRAZYM L-5), whereas 4 could not be separated into the enantiomers with satisfactory E values. The absolute configurations were proven for both compounds via independently prepared derivatives. Both enantiomers of 5, as well as racemic 7, were N-deblocked and condensed with octonic acid derivatives 14 to give the corresponding C-glycosides 17 and 22 after deprotection of the intermediates in good overall yield. Compound 4 was similarly condensed with glucose imidate 11 to give the diastereomeric O-glycosides 13 after deprotection. The latter glycosides were prepared as precursors for the generation of the corresponding aldehydes as substrates for aldolase catalyzed reactions.     

Diastereoselective Manipulations of Bicyclo[m.1.0]alkane Derivatives. 2. Nucleophilic Additions to the Carbonyl Carbons of Bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones(1)

Enantiomerically enriched bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones having larger ring sizes between five and 16 members were prepared and subjected to additions of nucleophiles to the carbonyl carbon. Such additions were efficient and highly diastereoselective for all nucleophiles for bicycles with ring sizes greater than seven. Diastereoselectivity for these additions is rationalized by assuming early transition states and exposure of the same carbonyl face to the ring exterior in the vast majority of populated conformers for each bicyclic ketone.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiomerically enriched α-chiral 3-oxy-propionaldehydes by lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution and desymmetrization

Enantiomerically enriched phenylalanine- and leucine aldehyde analogues have been prepared by lipase catalyzed desymmetrization or kinetic resolution of 1,3-propanediol derivatives as key steps. Observations of unusual enantioselectivity were made, and most notably, Candida antarctica lipase B showed an opposite enantiopreference from other lipases, which was exploited in the synthesis. A thorough evaluation of chemoenzymatic routes to both enantiomers of the target α-chiral 3-oxy-propionaldehydes resulted in simple, inexpensive, and efficient procedures that provide the products in up to 92% enantiomeric excess and 55% total yield in five steps from easily accessible starting materials.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched secondary alcohols with a thiazolic core

Stereoselective preparative enzymatic acylation and hydrolysis/methanolysis of various C-substituted rac-thiazol-2-yl-methanols were achieved for the preparation of enantiopure or enantiomerically enriched, naturally occurring 2-hydroxymethylthiazoles. The absolute configurations of the resulting secondary alcohols were determined by a detailed ¹H NMR study of Mosher’s derivatives.     

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure [2.2]paracyclophane derivatives

[2.2]Paracyclophane is a fascinating molecule that offers great potential in a wide range of chemical disciplines. Currently, the synthesis of the majority of enantiomerically pure [2.2]paracyclophane derivatives is based on the resolution of a small number of starting materials or individual resolution procedures are developed for each new compound. The development of more general routes to these valuable compounds via the resolution of a common intermediate is discussed. Ultimately, it would be preferable to synthesise these valuable compounds without recourse to resolution and ideas for this rewarding goal are postulated.     

Diastereoselective Manipulations of Bicyclo[m.1.0]alkane Derivatives. 4. Reactions of Nucleophiles with Bicyclo[m.1.0]alk-3-en-2-ones

Enantiomerically enriched bicyclo[m.1.0]alk-3-en-2-ones possessing 8-, 12-, and 15-membered rings were prepared and subjected to additions of nucleophiles. 1,2-Additions of n-butyllithium were highly diastereoselective for all cyclopropyl enones examined. Reactions of (Z)-bicyclo[6.1.0]non-3-en-2-one and (E)-bicyclo[13.1.0]hexadec-3-en-2-one with dimethyloxosulfonium methylide were highly diastereoselective, while reaction of (E)-bicyclo[10.1.0]tridec-3-en-2-one with this reagent was not diastereoselective. In contrast, 1,4-additions of lithium diorganocuprates were highly diastereoselective for the 8- and 12-membered enones but were not diastereoselective for the 15-membered enone. All reactions were chemically efficient. The diastereoselectivities observed for 1,2-additions, which are thought to involve early transition states, can be rationalized by consideration of the low-energy conformations of each cyclopropyl enone. The diastereoselectivities observed for 1,4-additions, which may involve late transition states, do not correlate simply with the lowest energy conformations of these enones.     

Synthesis of enantiomerically enriched oxazolinyl[1,2]oxazetidines

The first stereoselective synthesis of oxazolinyl[1,2]oxazetidines based on the reaction of lithiated 2-(1-chloroethyl)-2-oxazolines with nitrones is described. Highly enantioenriched oxazolinyl[1,2]oxazetidines have also been prepared starting from a 1:1 diastereomeric mixture of optically active 2-(1-chloroethyl)-2-oxazolines.     

3 + 2] Cycloreversion of bicyclo[m.3.0]alkan-3-on-2-yl-1-oxonium ylides to alkenyloxyketenes. Stereospecific aspect

Rhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular reaction of diazoketones 1 bearing a cyclic ethereal moiety transiently formed bicyclo[m.3.0]octan-3-one-1-oxonium-2-ylides (2), which underwent sigmatropic and stereospecific [3 + 2] cycloreversion reaction to form alkenyloxyketenes 3. The ketenes were efficiently trapped by methanol to form the corresponding esters 4. Mechanistic studies revealed that the size of ethereal ring can be variable at least from THF to the THP, oxepane, and oxocane moiety, i.e., m = 3-6. On the other hand, the size of the ylide ring containing the carbonyl unit is limited to a five-membered ring. The cycloreversion was found to be stereospecific as was proven by the reactions of diastereoisomeric pairs bearing a methyl group at the bond-cleaving position. From threo isomers 7, (E)-alkenyloxyacetates 15 were exclusively formed (77-84%), whereas from erythro isomers 8, (Z)-isomers 16 were formed (80-88%). Mechanism of the cleavage from diazoacetonyl-substituted cyclic ethers to alkenyloxyketenes via bicyclic oxonium ylides was analyzed on the basis of calculations employing the hybrid density functional B3LYP and the highly correlated quadratic configuration interaction QCISD method to reveal that the concerted [3 + 2] cycloreversion is the key step of this reaction.     

Oxiranyl anion-mediated synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched styrene oxide derivatives

[reaction: see text] The stereospecific alpha-lithiation of optically active styrene oxides and the trapping reaction of the corresponding highly reactive intermediates with electrophiles to produce optically active styrene oxide derivatives are described. This methodology has been applied to the synthesis of an optically active oral antifungal agent of industrial interest.     

Development of Molecular Mechanics Torsion Parameters for alpha,beta-Cyclopropyl Ketones and Conformational Analysis of Bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones

Conformations of cyclopropyl methyl ketone have been studied using ab initio methods in an effort to quantify the effects of conjugative overlap between the cyclopropane ring and an adjacent ketone carbonyl. Results were comparable with previous experimental and theoretical studies. Cyclopropyl methyl ketone exhibits a global energy minimum in the s-cis conformer and a local energy minimum near the s-trans conformer. The potential energy curve obtained was used to derive torsion parameters which were employed in molecular mechanics studies of the conformations of the set of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones having larger ring sizes from five- to 16-membered. Similar conformations for the cyclopropyl ketone substructure are observed for all the medium and large ring systems examined. Possible synthetic ramifications of local conformational anchoring by this functional group array are discussed.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of glycosylated enantiomerically pure 4-pentene 1,2- and 1,3-diol derivatives

1-Dimethylthexylsiloxy-2-chloroacetoxy-4-pentene 2 and 1-dimethylthexylsiloxy-3-chloroacetoxy-4-pentene 3 were saponified with Pseudomonas lipase to give (R)-1-dimethylthexylsiloxy-4-pentene-2-ol (ee=99%) and (S)-2 (ee=99%) and (S)-1-dimethylthexylsiloxy-4-pentene-3-ol (ee=99%) and (R)-3 (ee=98%), respectively. All enantiomers were chemically transformed into the corresponding enatiomerically pure 2-benzoyloxy-4-pentene-1-ols 8 and 3-benzoyloxy-4-pentene-1-ols 14, respectively. Mannosylation of (R)-8 and (S)-14 with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-a-d-mannopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate afforded the corresponding mannopyranosides.     

Intramolecular alkene carboamination reactions for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched tropane derivatives

The synthesis of tropane derivatives via intramolecular Pd-catalyzed alkene difunctionalization reactions is described. Enantiopure N-aryl-γ-aminoalkenes bearing an aryl or alkenyl halide adjacent to the amino group were converted to benzo- or cycloalkenyl-fused tropane products in good yield and with no loss of enantiopurity.     

Photochemical studies on exo-bicyclo[2.1.1]hexyl and bicyclo[3.1.0]hexyl aryl ketones: two approaches for synthesis of enantiomerically enriched cyclopentene derivatives

Two approaches for the photochemical synthesis of cyclopentene derivatives through the Norrish type II cleavage reaction were described. Asymmetric studies using ionic chiral auxiliaries afforded enantiomeric excesses of up to 98% at the conversion of 85%. The results were rationalized by single X-ray crystal structures.     

Tetrahydrothiophene-catalyzed synthesis of benzo[n.1.0] bicycloalkanes

A catalytic intramolecular cyclopropanation for the preparation of benzobicyclic compounds with [n.1.0] units has been developed. In the presence of 20 mol % of tetrahydrothiophene, the reactions of compounds 2a-2h afford versatile benzo[n.1.0]bicycloalkanes with excellent stereoselectivity in moderate to good isolated yields.     

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure 4-substituted [2.2]paracyclophane derivatives by sulfoxide-metal exchange

A general strategy for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure 4-substituted [2.2]paracyclophanes from a common sulfoxide precursor is described.     

Stereochemistry of terpene derivatives. Part 6: Chemoenzymatic synthesis of chiral bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane derivatives with olfactory properties

Starting from (+)-3-carene 1, several chiral fragrant compounds with the bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane system were synthesized. These compounds were used as substrates for the biotransformation with lipases as biocatalysts. Pure diastereoisomers were obtained and their absolute configuration was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The olfactory properties of new compounds were determined.