Stereoselective total synthesis of (−)-cleistenolide

A stereoselective total synthesis of (−)-cleistenolide (1) derived from d-(−)-isoascorbic acid has been described. The new synthetic strategy involves highly diastereoselective reduction, one-pot protection of required benzoyl, acetyl groups, and the RCM reaction by using Grubbs catalyst are the key steps with considerable yields.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide

Stereoselective synthesis of styryllactone (+)-cardiobutanolide was accomplished in good overall yield from d-(-)-tartaric acid. Key features of the synthesis include the elaboration of a gamma-hydroxy butyramide obtained from the dimethylamide of tartaric acid, involving a combination of the addition of 1,3-dithian-2-yllithium and stereoselective reduction.     

A new synthesis of the phytotoxic 10-membered lactone herbarumin I

Herbarumin I a phytotoxic 10-membered lactone has been synthesized from d-(?)-isoascorbic acid in 12 steps with an overall yield of 16.8%. The methodology involved in generating the stereogenic center at C-8 is a Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, as well 1,2-asymmetric induction followed by macrolactonization via RCM.     

Total synthesis of d-(+)-biotin

A total synthesis of d-(+)-biotin is described starting from d-(+)-glucosamine using acyliminium chemistry.     

The enantiospecific,stereospecific total synthesis of the ring-A oxygenated sarpagine indole alkaloids (+)-majvinine, (+)-10-methoxyaffinisine,and (+)-N(a)-methylsarpagine,as well as the total synthesis of the alstonia bisindole alkaloid macralstonidine

The first stereospecific, enantiospecific total synthesis of the ring-A oxygenated sarpagine indole alkaloids (+)-N(a)-methylsarpagine (8), (+)-majvinine (14), and (+)-10-methoxyaffinisine (49), as well as the first total synthesis of the Alstonia bisindole alkaloid macralstonidine (9), has been accomplished. This approach employed the Sch?llkopf chiral auxiliary for the stereospecific construction of the desired d-(+)-tryptophan unit required for the asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction. In addition, the strategy was doubly convergent for the enolate-mediated Pd(0) coupling process and the asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction can be employed to synthesize both macroline (2) and N(a)-methylsarpagine (8), the coupling of which provides macralstonidine (9). This approach to ring-A substituted alkoxyindole alkaloids should find wide application for the synthesis of other alkaloids for it is stereospecific and either enantiomer can be prepared with ease.     

A novel and enantioselective synthesis of d-(+)-biotin via a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation strategy

A novel and enantioselective synthesis of d-(+)-biotin has been accomplished starting from commercially available cyclohexanone. The key steps in the sequence are the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation of a (E)-ethyl 3-(2-chlorocyclohex-1-en-1-yl)acrylate derivative to establish the stereocenters of d-(+)-biotin, the carboxyalkyl side chain is introduced by unmasking the cyclohexene by ozonolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis of a thioacetate.     

A general strategy for the synthesis of vincamajine-related indole alkaloids: stereocontrolled total synthesis of (+)-dehydrovoachalotine, (-)-vincamajinine, and (-)-11-methoxy-17-epivincamajine as well as the related quebrachidine diol, vincamajine diol, and vincarinol

[structures: see text] The highly convergent stereocontrolled total synthesis of (-)-vincamajinine (7), (-)-11-methoxy-17-epivincamajine (9), and the oxygen-bridged (+)-dehydrovoachalotine (22) are described. Key steps in the synthesis of 7 and 9 involved the stereospecific enolate-driven palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction, a Tollens reaction, an acid-assisted intramolecular cyclization to form the C(7)-C(17) quaternary center, and two stereospecific reductions. The efficiency of this strategy is illustrated by the completion of the synthesis of 7 and 9 in 16 [from d-(+)-tryptophan methyl ester 17] and 17 (from the Sch?llkopf chiral auxiliary 27) reaction vessels, respectively. This constitutes the first total synthesis of these indole alkaloids and provides the first regiospecific route to 11-methoxy-substituted ajmaline/vincamajine-related alkaloids. The synthesis of 22 required a novel DDQ-mediated cyclization to furnish the C(6)-O(17) bond, executed in stereospecific fashion. Completion of these syntheses illustrates a concise and versatile strategy for the synthesis of vincamajine-related alkaloids, which has also been employed to prepare the related compounds quebrachidine diol (53), vincamajine diol (56), and vincarinol (59).     

General approach for the synthesis of sarpagine indole alkaloids. Enantiospecific total synthesis of (+)-vellosimine, (+)-normacusine B, (-)-alkaloid Q3, (-)-panarine, (+)-Na-methylvellosimine, and (+)-Na-methyl-16-epipericyclivine

The first total synthesis of (+)-Na-methyl-16-epipericyclivine (9) was completed [from d-(+)-tryptophan methyl ester] in an overall yield of 42% (eight reaction vessels). The optical rotation [[alpha]D +22.8 (c 0.50, CHCl3)] obtained on this material confirmed that the reported optical rotation [[alpha]D 0 (c 0.50, CHCl3)]47 was biogenetically unreasonable. The total syntheses of (+)-vellosimine, (+)-normacusine B, (-)-alkaloid Q3, (-)-panarine, and (+)-Na-methylvellosimine are also described. Moreover, a mixed sample (1:1) of synthetic (-)-panarine and natural (-)-panarine yielded only one set of signals in the 13C NMR; this indicated that the two compounds are identical and further confirmed the correct configuration of (+)-vellosimine, (+)-normacusine B, and (-)-alkaloid Q3. In this approach, the key templates, (-)-Na-H,Nb-benzyltetracyclic ketone 15a and (-)-Na-methyl,Nb-benzyltetracyclic ketone 43 were synthesized on multihundred gram scale by the asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction and a stereocontrolled Dieckmann cyclization via improved sequences. An intramolecular palladium (enolate-mediated) coupling reaction was employed to introduce the C(19)-C(20) E-ethylidene function in the sarpagine alkaloids for the first time in stereospecific fashion.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol, an antitumor natural product, was accomplished by two versatile strategies starting from the commercially available d-(−)-ribose and ethyl (S)-lactate. The key steps involved in the synthesis of the target molecule are epoxidation, cyclization, dihydroxylation and Diels-Alder reaction.     

A facile synthesis of a new trihydroxy piperidine derivative and (+)-proto-quercitol from d-(−)-quinic acid

We described herein the new synthesis of a trihydroxy piperidine derivative (1,4,5-trideoxy-1,5-imino-d-ribo-hexitol) and (+)-proto-quercitol from d-(−)-quinic acid, both are considered as inhibitors for glycosidases.     

Synthesis of a biotinated amphiphile

The synthesis of a biotinated amphiphile assembled from d-(+)-biotin, ethylene diamine as spacer, galactaric acid and 1-dodecylamine was achieved in six steps. The key step was the synthesis of a bisacetonide protected galactaric ester, the structure of which was determined by X-ray analysis. Aminolysis, spacer attachment, coupling with biotin and deprotection led to the amphiphilic galactaramide.     

Enantioefficient synthesis of alpha-ergocryptine: first direct synthesis of (+)-lysergic acid

The first direct synthesis of (+)-lysergic acid (2a) suitable for scale-up has been achieved by the following reaction sequence. Bromoketones 4d or 4g were allowed to react with amine 5 followed by deprotection, and the resulting diketone 6c was transformed into the unsaturated ketone (+/-)-7 by the LiBr/Et(3)N system. Resolution afforded (+)-7, which was further transformed by Sch?llkopf's method into the mixture of esters 2e and 2f. Upon hydrolysis the latter mixture afforded (+)-2a. The peptide part of alpha-ergocryptine (1) was prepared according to the Sandoz method; the stereoefficiency, however, has been significantly improved by applying a new resolution method and recycling the undesired enantiomer. Coupling the peptide part with lysergic acid afforded 1. Having synthetic (+)-7 in hand, we can claim the total synthesis of all the alkaloids which were prepared earlier from (+)-7 that had been obtained through degradation of natural lysergic acid.     

Total synthesis of (+)-benzastatin E via diastereoselective Grignard addition to 2-acylindoline

[reaction: see text] A stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-benzastatin E (1) is described. The synthesis involves a diastereoselective Grignard addition to 2-acylindoline 2, which is derived from commercially available (S)-2-indolinecarboxylic acid (3). The unknown absolute configuration of (+)-1 is determined as (9S,10R).     

A practical synthesis of (-)-kainic acid

A highly practical stereoselective total synthesis of (-)-kainic acid is described. This synthesis features the stereoselective alkylation of an iodolactone intermediate that was efficiently prepared from (+)-carvone and introduction of carboxylic acid by hydrolysis of a nitrile accompanied by epimerizaion. This synthetic route enabled us to obtain 14.6 g of (-)-kainic acid.     

Synthesis of d-camphor based γ-amino acid (1S,3R)-3-amino-2,2,3-trimethylcyclopentane carboxylic acid

Synthesis of a γ-amino acid derived from (1R,3S)-camphoric acid is described. d-(+)-Camphoric anhydride, prepared from d-(+)-camphoric acid by treatment with methanesulfonyl chloride and triethylamine, was reacted with benzyl alcohol and catalytic DMAP, and subsequently reacted in a Curtius rearrangement to afford the corresponding carbamate derivative. This derivative was converted to the desired γ-amino acid through hydrogenolysis.     

Synthesis of d- and l-2,3-trans-3,4-cis-4,5-trans-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethylproline and tripeptides containing them

Enantiomerically pure (-)-(1R,4R,5R,6S)- and (+)-(1S,4S,5S,6R)-7-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-5,6-exo-isopropylidenedioxy-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-one ((-)-3 and (+)-3) have been obtained from the Diels-Alder adduct of N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)pyrrole and 2-bromo-1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)acetylene, including the Alexakis optical resolution of ketone (+/-)-3 via formation of cyclic aminals with (1R,2R)-diphenylethylenediamine. Compounds (-)-3 and (+)-3 were converted into d- and l-2,3-trans-3,4-cis-4,5-trans-N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-5-hydroxymethyl-3,4-isopropylidenedioxyprolines (-)-4 and (+)-4, respectively. Applying the Boc and Fmoc strategies of peptide synthesis, these compounds were used to construct two tripeptides containing the d- or l-2,3-trans-3,4-cis-4,5-trans-3,4-dihydroxy-5-hydroxymethylproline.     

A convergent approach for the total synthesis of the α-glucosidase inhibitor (−)-panaxjapyne-C

The stereoselective total synthesis of (?)-panaxjapyne-C was accomplished in a convergent fashion. The synthesis utilizes the readily available enantiomers l-(+)-diethyltartrate and d-(?)-diethyltartrate and involves a Cadiot–Chodkiewicz coupling reaction, and an Ohira–Bestmann reaction as the key steps.     

A convenient chiron approach to (4R,5R)-5-hydroxyalkylbutan-4-olides and the corresponding 7-oxa analogues from d-(+)-mannitol via an advanced common precursor: syntheses of (−)-muricatacin, 7-oxa-(−)-muricatacin, (4R,5R)-(−)-5-hydroxy-4-decanolide,and (4R,5R)-(−)-7-oxa-5-hydroxy-4-dodecanolide

An efficient and concise chiron approach toward the synthesis of (−)-muricatacin and its unnatural 7-oxa analogue starting from commercially available and inexpensive d-(+)-mannitol via an advanced common chiral precursor has been described. In addition, (4R,5R)-(−)-5-hydroxy-4-decanolide and (4R,5R)-(−)-7-oxa-5-hydroxy-4-dodecanolide were also synthesized to show the versatility of this synthetic strategy. The methodology involves the conversion of a common chiral intermediate, prepared from d-(+)-mannitol in six steps, to a variety of target molecules in only two steps.     

Total synthesis of (+)-synargentolide A

The highly stereoselective total synthesis of polyacetate α,β-unsaturated δ-lactone natural product (+)-synargentolide A has been accomplished from inexpensive d-1,5-gluconolactone. Key reactions involved in the synthesis are hydroboration, Wittig olefination, Brown’s asymmetric allylation, and a ring closing metathesis reaction.     

Concise enantiospecific, stereoselective syntheses of (+)-crispine A and its (-)-antipode

An enantiospecific and stereoselective total synthesis of the natural product (+)-crispine A has been demonstrated employing a Pictet-Spengler bis-cyclization reaction between commercially available (R)-(-)-methyl 2-amino-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propanoate and 4-chloro-1,1-dimethoxybutane to preferentially provide the cis tricyclic adduct. Decarboxylation by a convenient two-step protocol provided the enantiopure natural product in three steps with an overall isolated yield of 32% from the amino acid. The unnatural antipode (-)-crispine A was similarly prepared in three steps from the commercially available (S)-(+)-amino acid.