Syntheses of 6-fluoro-meta-tyrosine and of its metabolites

6-Fluoro-meta-tyrosine (1) was prepared from 2-fluoro-5-hydroxybenzaldehyde (6) based on an Erlenmeyer-Plöchl azlactone strategy. Products of expected metabolism of the amino acid, including 6-fluoro-meta-tyramine (2) and its O-sulfate conjugate (3), (2-fluoro-5-hydrxoyphenyl)acetic acid (4), and 6-fluoro-meta-octopamine (5) also were prepared from 1. The use of a recently reported ultrasound-catalyzed Henry reaction facilitated the preparation of the tyramine derivative 2. The compounds synthesized are available for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) standards in positron emission tomography (PET) studies employing 6-[¹⁸F]fluoro-meta-tyrosine and as reference samples for metabolic studies of the amino acid.     

Total synthesis and analgesic activity of 6-fluoroindan-1-carboxylic acid

6-Fluoroindan-1-carboxylic acid (4) was conveniently synthesised from 3-fluorobenzaldehyde in six steps. The structure of this new compound and three other intermediates, 3-fluorophenylcyanoethylacrylate (1), 3-fluorophenyl succinic acid (2) and 6-fluoro-3-oxo-indan-1-carboxylic acid (3) was elucidated by comprehensive spectral data analyses. The analgesic activity of compounds 3 and 4 was assessed by the acetic acid induced writhing in Swiss albino mice.     

A practical and efficient synthesis of 6-carboalkoxy-13-cycloalkyl-5H-indolo[2,1-a][2]benzazepine-10-carboxylic acid derivatives

A convenient and practical synthesis of 6-carboalkoxy-13-cycloalkyl-5H-indolo[2,1-a][2]benzazepine-10-carboxylic acid derivatives (6) has been developed. The key step in the synthesis utilizes an intramolecular tandem reaction sequence of a Michael addition followed by a Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) olefination reaction between hemi-aminal 11 and methyl 2-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)acrylate 12. The ring construction occurred efficiently and purification of the products 6 was straightforward. The C-10 methyl ester of 6a was hydrolyzed selectively to the carboxylic acid 13 while the olefin of 6d was converted to the cyclopropane 14 using trimethylsulfoxonium iodide in DMSO in the presence of NaH.     

Unusual amino acid derivatives from the mushroom Pleurocybella porrigens

Three new amino acid derivatives (1-3) and three known ones (4-6) were isolated from the mushroom Pleurocybella porrigens. The structures of 1-6 were determined by the interpretation of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1, 3, 4, and 5 were toxic to mouse cerebrum glial cells.     

Total syntheses of the highly potent anti-cancer polyacetylenes, (S)-18-hydroxyminquartynoic acid, (S)-minquartynoic acid and (E)-15,16-dihydrominquartynoic acid

The total syntheses of three polyacetylenic natural products, (S)-18-hydroxyminquartynoic acid (1), (S)-minquartynoic acid (2) and (E)-15,16-dihydrominquartynoic acid (3), has been achieved. The Cadiot-Chodkiewicz cross-coupling reaction was used as the key step for the construction of tetrayne and triyne units.     

Metachromins L-Q, new sesquiterpenoid quinones with an amino acid residue from sponge Spongia sp.

Six new sesquiterpenoid quinones with an amino acid residue, metachromins L-Q (1-6), have been isolated from an Okinawan marine sponge Spongia sp. The structures and stereochemistry of 1-6 were elucidated on the basis of the spectroscopic data and chemical correlations. Metachromins L (1) and M (2) showed modest cytotoxicity.     

Efficient and regioselective chromium(0)-catalyzed reaction of 2-substituted furans with diazo compounds: stereoselective synthesis of (2E,4Z)-2-aryl-hexadienedioic acid diesters

Pentacarbonyl(η²-cis-cyclooctene)chromium(0) (1) catalyzes efficiently reactions of diazo compounds with electron-rich furans. The reaction of 2-methoxyfuran (2) with alkyl α-diazoarylacetate (3a-g) furnishes the (2E,4Z)-2-aryl-hexadienedioic acid diesters (4a-g) in excellent yields. These reactions are highly regioselective. The cyclopropanation intermediates formed from 1 and diazo compounds 3a-g always arise from a carbene addition to the less substituted CC bond of 2. The resulting cyclopropanation product undergoes a ring opening reaction to form the corresponding (2E,4Z)-2-aryl-hexadienedioic acid diesters (4a-g). The pentacarbonylchromium(0)-catalyzed reactions of 2-alkylfuran (5a-b) with ethyl α-diazophenylacetate (3a) and 9-diazo-9H-fluorene (3h) produce the 1(E),3(E)-butadienes (6a-d) in very good yields.     

A facile synthesis of (6S,1′S)-(+)-hernandulcin and (6S,1′R)-(+)-epihernandulcin

A facile total synthesis of (+)-hernandulcin (1) was accomplished from (−)-isopulegol in 6 steps with 15% overall yield. Epoxidation of (−)-isopulegol with m-chloroperbenzoic acid followed by opening of the epoxide 3a with prenyl Grignard afforded the tertiary alcohol 4a with correct C-6 and C-1′ stereochemistry as a major product. Oxidation of the secondary alcohol in compound 4a to the ketone 5a was accomplished in high yield by using TPAP and N-methylmorpholine N-oxide. Conversion of the ketone 5a to α,β-unsaturated ketone via organoselenium intermediate gave (+)-hernandulcin (1). This method was also successfully applied to the synthesis of (+)-epihernandulcin (2).     

Coelodiol and coeloic acid, ent-isocopalane diterpenes from the Indonesian sponge Coelocarteria cfr. singaporensis

Two novel ent-isocopalane diterpenes, coelodiol (1) and coeloic acid (2), the latter characterized by an unique oxidative degradation of ring A, have been isolated from the Indonesian sponge Coelocarteria cfr. singaporensis. The stereostructure of these metabolites has been established through interpretation of NMR data and application of the exciton chirality CD method. Coelodiol (1) and coeloic acids (2) were found to inhibit the growth of MKN-45 cell line (human gastric adenocarcinoma).     

Syntheses of enantio-enriched chiral building blocks from l-glutamic acid

Starting from lactone-amide 8, easily derived from l-glutamic acid, enantioselective syntheses of (S)-tetrahydrofuran 2-carboxamide derivative 2 and a protected (S)-3-hydroxypiperidin-2-one (3) are reported. The building block 3 was converted to (2S,3R)-3-hydroxypipecolamide (6) by a three-step procedure. A solvent altered H-bonding capacity leading to a highly chemoselective tosylation of the primary hydroxyl group in the presence of an α-hydroxy-carboxamide was observed.     

Pd(0) catalyzed three-five-component C-2-arylallylation of active methylene heterocycles: pyrazolones, oxazolones, isoxazolones and N,N′-dimethylbarbituric acid

A Pd(0) catalyzed three-five-component cascade involving an aryl iodide, allene and a heterocyclic pronucleophile is used to prepare 2-arylallyl derivatives (10-12 and 16-24) from 3-phenyl-5-isoxazolone (6) and 1-phenyl-3-methylpyrazolin-5-one (7) in moderate yield. Similar cascade allylation of masked amino acids 4-methyl-2-phenyl-4H-oxazol-5-one (8a), 4-benzyl-2-phenyl-4H-oxazol-5-one (8b) and 4-isopropyl-2-phenyl-4H-oxazol-5-one (8c) gave analogous products (25-37) in good yield. N,N-Dimethylbarbiturates (38-49) are similarly prepared from N,N-dimethylbarbituric acid (9) in excellent yield.     

Application of chiral tetrahydropentalene ligands in rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of (E)-2-phenylethenyl- and (Z)-propenylboronic acids to enones

Chiral tetrahydropentalenes (3aR,6aR)-1 have been prepared and used as ligands in the Rh-catalyzed 1,4-addition of 1-alkenylboronic acids to cyclic enones 5. It has been discovered that the stereochemistry of the reaction was controlled by the steric properties of the aryl groups in 1 rather than their electronic nature. In the vinylation with (E)-2-phenylethenylboronic acid 5, ligands (3aR,6aR)-1 provided enantioselectivity up to 87% ee and gave high yields of ethenylketones 6 in the presence of 1 (6.6 mol %). The configuration of all ketone products obtained with (3aR,6aR)-1 is (S). Rh-catalyzed reaction of cyclopentenone 4a and (Z)-propenylboronic acid 7 in the presence of ligands (3aR,6aR)-1 yielded at 50 °C an inseparable mixture of (Z)- and (E)-ketones 8 with (Z)-8 as the major product and both in only moderate enantiomeric excess.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(+)-6-(1,4-dimethoxy-3-methyl-2-naphthyl)-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)hexanoic acid as a key intermediate for a neurodegenerative disease agent

An asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(+)-6-(1,4-dimethoxy-3-methyl-2-naphthyl)-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)hexanoic acid 2 as a key intermediate for a neurodegenerative disease agent 1 has been developed. A key reaction was an asymmetric hydrogenation of hindered acrylic acid 13 catalyzed by the Rh-JOSIPHOS system in the presence of a base to afford a chiral acid up to 93% ee.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel pyridyl/naphthyl/(diphenyl)methylseleno substituted alkanoic acids: X-ray structure of 2-pyridylselenoethanoic acid, 2-naphthylselenoethanoic acid and 2-(diphenyl)methylselenoethanoic acid

A number of novel and synthetically important pyridyl/naphthyl/(diphenyl)methylseleno substituted alkanoic acids (20-25) have been synthesized using an efficient and operationally simple strategy. Starting substrates, ethyl pyridyl/naphthyl/(diphenyl)methylseleno substituted alkanoates (8-13) were easily prepared by treatment of ethyl chloroalkanoates 7(a-c) with nucleophilic selenium reagent RSeNa⁺, generated from the cleavage of dipyridyl/dinaphthyl/bis(diphenylmethyl) diselenide (1-6) with sodium borohydride in ethanol. The ethyl pyridyl/naphthyl/(diphenyl)methylseleno substituted alkanoates (8-13) on basic hydrolysis and subsequent acidification afford pyridyl/naphthyl/(diphenyl) methylseleno substituted alkanoic acids (20-25) in excellent yields. These selenoalkanoates (8-13) and selenoalkanoic acids (20-25) have been characterized by elemental analysis and various spectroscopic techniques viz. NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ⁷⁷Se), IR and mass spectrometry. The molecular structure of 2-pyridylselenoethanoic acid (20a), 2-naphthylselenoethanoic acid (23a) and 2-(diphenyl)methylselenoethanoic acid (24a) has also been established with the help of single crystal X-ray analysis.     

Efficient synthesis of morolic acid and related triterpenes starting from betulin

Morolic acid (1) is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpene whose derivatives exhibit promising anti-HIV and other biological activities. An efficient synthesis of 1 has been accomplished in 11 steps with a total yield of 24% starting from betulin. Some related natural triterpenes including moradiol (4), acridocarpusic acid D (5), acridocarpusic acid E (6), and moronic aldehyde (7) have also been synthesized. Biological assay results showed that 1, 5, and 6 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against glycogen phosphorylase.     

Novel regiochemistry in the aqueous singlet oxygen ene reactions of carboxylic acid salts: a comparison of substrate structure

The singlet oxygen (¹Δ_g) photooxidations of angelic acid salt (1), tiglic acid salt (2), 2,3-dimethyl-2-butenoic acid salt (3), 3-ethoxycarbonyl-5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-4H-pyrane acid salt (4), cis-3-hexenoic acid salt (5), and trans-3-hexenoic acid salt (6) were conducted in deuterated water. The major and minor ene allylic hydroperoxide products were quantified and indicate that the allylic hydrogen geminal to the carboxylate group is preferentially abstracted in 1-4, whereas the allylic hydrogen α to the carboxylate is slightly favored for 5 and 6. We have attributed the observed regiochemistry in 1-4 to stabilizing hydrogen bonding interactions between the solvent and the perepoxide, which leads to the major ene product.     

Chemo- and diastereoselective control for a flexible approach to (5S,6S)-6-alkyl-5-benzyloxy-2-piperidinones

Chemo- and diastereoselective transformation of the N,O-acetals and their chain tautomers (4/5), readily derived from protected 3-hydroxyglutarimide 1a, was studied. It was uncovered that while the reaction with a combination of boron trifluoride etherate/zinc borohydride led to cyclic products (5S,6S/R)-6-alkyl-5-benzyloxy-2-piperidinones 3/2, and 6 in modest chemo- and diastereoselectivities, the reaction of 4/5 with zinc borohydride led exclusively to the formation of the ring-opening products 6 in excellent anti-diastereoselectivities. On the basis of the latter reaction, a flexible approach to (5S,6S)-6-alkyl-5-benzyloxy-2-piperidinones 3 was disclosed.     

Synthesis of ferrocenylarenes and heteroarenes through nucleophile induced ring transformation of 2H-pyran-2-ones

The synthesis of various ferrocenylarenes (3, 5a, 6) and heteroarenes (5b, c, 7) from 6-ferrocenyl-4-methylsulfanyl-2H-pyran-2-one-3-carbonitrile 1 through nucleophile induced ring transformation reactions has been delineated.     

New cytotoxic spongian diterpenes from the sponge Dysidea cf. arenaria

Seven new (1-7) and three known (8-10) spongian-class diterpenes have been isolated from the sponge Dysidea cf. arenaria collected in Okinawa. Compound 6 was also isolated from the nudibranch Chromodoris kuniei. The structures of the new entities were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. Three of the new spongians (2, 6, and 7) showed cytotoxicity against NBT-T2 rat bladder epithelial cells.     

Microwave-assisted Hantzsch thiazole synthesis of N-phenyl-4-(6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-5-yl)thiazol-2-amines from the reaction of 2-chloro-1-(6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-5-yl)ethanones and thioureas

N-Phenyl-4-(6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-5-yl)thiazol-2-amines (6a-q) have been synthesized by the Hantzsch thiazole reaction of 2-chloro-1-(6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazol-5-yl)ethanones (4a-e) with suitably substituted thioureas using microwave heating. The ethanones (4a-e) were prepared by the reaction of 6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles (3a-e) with chloroacetylchloride in refluxing 1,4-dioxane whereas the thiazoles (3a-e) were synthesized by the reaction of 2-bromo-1-phenylethanones (2a-e) with thiazol-2-amine in refluxing acetone.