Consecutive reactions with sulfoximines: a direct access to 2-sulfonimidoylylidene tetrahydrofurans and 6-sulfonimidoylmethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans

2-Sulfonimidoylylidene tetrahydrofurans and 2-sulfonimidoylylidene-5-vinyl tetrahydrofurans were readily synthesized via a consecutive acylation/SN2 sequence with total regio- and chemoselectivity from Johnson's sulfoximine derivatives. The same consecutive reaction could also be applied to the expeditious synthesis of 6-sulfonimidoylmethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans.     

First synthesis of enantiopure 1,6-difunctionalized dodecahydrobenz[f]indenes

An enantiospecific route to the previously unreported 1,6-difunctionalized dodecahydrobenz[f]indene ring system is described. Optically pure Hajos-Parrish ketone is used as the building block for preparation of a 6-methyleneinden-5-ol. This allylic alcohol is then utilized in a Claisen rearrangement under Johnson's conditions to introduce a side chain that is further modified and cyclized to produce the benz[f]indene ring system.     

A stereoselective synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene/GEX1A

A stereoselective synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene is described. The convergent synthesis utilized a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction to assemble the key segments. The synthesis of the functionalized tetrahydropyran ring utilized an Achmatowicz reaction as the key step. The synthesis of the C10-C19 segment was accomplished using Brown's crotylboration, asymmetric alkylation, and a stereoselective allylic chlorination reactions.     

Total synthesis of antitumor depsipeptide (-)-doliculide

[reaction: see text] (-)-Doliculide, a potent antitumor agent, is synthesized stereoselectively in a convergent manner. The key strategy involves a stereoselective synthesis of the polyketide unit and synthesis of the D-tyrosine derivative, followed by assembly of the fragments by an esterification and cycloamidation reaction sequence. The synthesis of the polyketide fragment was achieved by an iterative asymmetric synthesis to install stereoselectively both 1,3-dimethyl groups and the 1,3-diol unit by utilizing asymmetric cyclopropanations and Sharpless asymmetric epoxidations as the key steps.     

Synthesis of balsaminone A, a naturally occurring pentacyclic dinaphthofuran quinone

A short synthesis of the natural product balsaminone A, a dinaphthofuran quinone, is described. The key steps of the synthesis are base-induced coupling of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthaldehyde with 2,3-dichloronaphthoquinone to give a pentacyclic dinaphthofuran directly, followed by conversion of the aldehyde into the desired methoxy group via the corresponding phenol. The synthesis, in which the structure of a key pentacyclic intermediate is corroborated by X-ray crystallography, confirms the original structural assignment of the natural product.     

Formal total synthesis of (±)-cortistatin A

A second-generation synthesis of the pentacyclic core of the cortistatins, a family of rearranged steroidal alkaloids that have recently attracted much attention, is reported. The improved sequence provides access to significant quantities of this key compound, which enabled a formal total synthesis of (±)-cortistatin A by conversion to the key Nicolaou/Hirama dienone. It is anticipated that this new, robust route to the pentacyclic core will facilitate the total synthesis of a range of natural products in the cortistatin family, as well as the construction of key structural analogs to probe the promising biological activity of these important compounds.     

Gram‐Scale Enantioselective Formal Synthesis of Morphine through an ortho–para Oxidative Phenolic Coupling Strategy

A gram‐scale catalytic enantioselective formal synthesis of morphine is described. The key steps of the synthesis involve an ortho–para oxidative phenolic coupling and a highly diastereoselective “desymmetrization” of the resulting cyclohexadienone that generates three of the four morphinan ring junction stereocenters in one step. The stereochemistry is controlled from a single carbinol center installed through catalytic enantioselective hydrogenation. These transformations enabled the preparation of large quantities of key intermediates and could support a practical and scalable synthesis of morphine and related derivatives.     

Second-generation total synthesis of haterumalide NA using B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura coupling

Second-generation total synthesis of haterumalide NA, a potent cytotoxic marine macrolide, was achieved by using B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi coupling as key steps (1.2% in 33 steps). Compared to our first-generation approach, the second-generation synthesis is much improved in the yield of key intermediate.     

Formal synthesis of erythrodiene and spirojatamol via rhodium-catalysed Claisen rearrangement/hydroacylation

A novel procedure allows the synthesis of spiro[4.5]decane-1,6-dione 1, a key intermediate in the total synthesis of erythrodiene and spirojatamol. The key step is a combination of Claisen rearrangement of allyl vinyl ethers followed by an intramolecular hydroacylation catalysed by RhCl(cod)(dppe).     

A practical synthesis of nitrocefin

Nitrocefin is a key reagent for high and low throughput assays of the activities of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and beta-lactamases, the former used for discovery of antibiotics and the latter for inhibitors of resistance determinants for beta-lactam antibiotics. This compound is commercially available but is prohibitively expensive because of the circuitous routes to its synthesis. We describe herein a three-step synthesis of nitrocefin that gives an overall yield of 44%. This is a practical route to the synthesis of this key reagent for drug discovery.     

Total synthesis of (±) zoapatanol: a stereospecific synthesis of a key intermediate

The development of a stereospecific synthesis of a key intermediate in the synthesis of (±)-zoapatanol from the Weiland-Miescher ketone is described.     

A stereocontrolled synthesis of delta-trans-tocotrienoloic acid

[reaction: see text] A concise stereoselective total synthesis of a naturally occurring polymerase beta inhibitor, delta-trans-tocotrienoloic acid (2), is described. The key step in the synthesis is an acid-catalyzed cyclodehydration reaction. Additionally, this report corrects a previously reported structural assignment, defines the absolute stereochemistry of 2, and defines key structural requirements for polymerase beta inhibition.     

CONVENIENT SYNTHESIS OF 2-(2-PHENYLETHYL)BENZOIC ACID: A KEY INTERMEDIATE IN THE SYNTHESIS OF DIBENZOSUBERONE

A convenient and improved synthesis of 2-(2-phenylethyl) benzoicacid, a key intermediate in the synthesis of dibenzosuberone is described.     

A concise and improved synthesis of (+)-eleutherin, (+)-allo-eleutherin and a formal synthesis of (+)-nocardione B

A concise and improved stereoselective synthesis of (+)-eleutherin, (+)-allo-eleutherin and the formal synthesis of (+)-nocardione B is described. The synthesis is based on a Dötz benzannulation and an improved oxa-Pictet-Spengler cyclization as the key steps. The synthesis is achieved in six steps in overall yields of 18% for eleutherin and 20% for allo-eleutherin.     

Unified strategy for the synthesis of the "miscellaneous" lycopodium alkaloids: total synthesis of (+/-)-lyconadin A

Total synthesis of the Lycopodium alkaloid lyconadin A was achieved in 18 steps starting from a readily available vinylogous ester and bromopicoline. The key step in the total synthesis is a proximity-driven oxidative C-N bond-forming reaction that yields the lyconadin pentacycle from a tetracyclic precursor. The key tetracycle, which has been prepared for the first time, is a versatile intermediate that may be utilized for the total synthesis of a variety of Lycopodium alkaloids. Critical to the success of this plan was the efficient preparation of a pyridine-annulated cycloheptadiene tricycle that promises to be a general strategy to access a variety of seven-membered ring containing natural products.     

Concise total synthesis of (-)-spongotine A

The first asymmetric total synthesis of spongotine A is described. The oxidative synthesis of the imidazoline/ketone unit from keto aldehyde and diamine is a key step in this synthesis. The absolute stereochemistry of the asymmetric center of natural spongotine A is revealed as the (S)-configuration.     

Solid-phase synthesis of N-9-substituted 2,8-diaminopurines

A general and efficient solid-phase synthesis of N-9-substituted 2,8-diaminopurines from 5-nitrouracil is described. The key synthetic transformation employs a carbodiimide-mediated cyclization of a thiourea. Thiourea formation on solid phase is performed using both thermal and microwave reaction conditions. Regiospecific solution-phase synthesis of key building blocks allows the incorporation of desired substituents at N-9 of the purine nucleus.     

An expedient enyne metathesis approach to dysidiolide

A short and efficient enyne metathesis route is reported for the construction of a key intermediate required in the synthesis of dysidiolide thus completing its formal synthesis.     

A concise and straightforward total synthesis of (+/-)-salinosporamide A, based on a biosynthesis model

A 14-step total synthesis of (+/-)-salinosporamide A (1), a potent inhibitor of the 20S proteasome isolated from the marine bacterium Salinospora tropica, is described. The synthesis is based on a diastereoselective intramolecular aldolisation of a substituted beta-keto amide intermediate, i.e. 13, derived from a beta-keto acid, viz. 21, and an alpha-amino malonate, leading to the pyrrolidinone ring 24 in the natural product. This synthetic approach closely mimics the origin of the pyrrolidinone ring in salinosporamide A in vivo. Another key feature of the total synthesis is a regioselective reduction of the malonate derivative 31 to the key aldehyde intermediate 32, using Super-hydride.