Synthesis of novel simplified sarcodictyin/eleutherobin analogs with potent microtubule-stabilizing activity, using ring closing metathesis as the key-step

The synthesis of a number of novel simplified eleutheside analogs with potent tubulin-assembling and microtubule-stabilizing properties is described, using ring closing metathesis as the key-step for obtaining the 6-10 fused bicyclic ring system. The RCM precursors were synthesized starting from aldehyde 3 [prepared in 6 steps on a multigram scale from R-(−)-carvone in 30% overall yield] via multiple stereoselective Brown allylations. Second generation RCM catalyst 13 gave the desired ring closed 10-membered carbocycles as single Z stereoisomers in good yields. The RCM stereochemical course (100% Z) likely reflects thermodynamic control. The crucial role of the protecting groups of the homoallylic and allylic substituents for the efficiency of the RCM reactions is discussed. These simplified analogs of the natural product (lacking inter alia the C-4/C-7 ether bridge) retain potent microtubule-stabilizing activity. However, the cytotoxicity tests did not parallel the potent tubulin-assembling and microtubule-stabilizing properties: limited cytotoxicity was observed against three common tumor cell lines (human ovarian carcinoma and human colon carcinoma cell lines, IC₅₀ in the μM range given in Table 2), three orders of magnitude less than paclitaxel (IC₅₀ in the nM range).     

Synthesis of 12-aza analogs of epothilones and (E)-9,10-dehydroepothilones

N-Boc-12-aza-epothilone analog (azathilone) 1 is a potent inhibitor of human cancer cell growth and represents a structurally new class of natural product-derived microtubule-stabilizing agents. Compound 1 has been prepared employing a convergent strategy that is based on the consecutive assembly of building blocks 3, 4, and 19 into diene 20 and subsequent RCM-mediated macrocycle formation. The aldol reaction between aldehyde 3 and ketone 4 delivered the required 6R,7S diastereoisomer 5 with good selectivity and provided a reliable entry into the stereoselective synthesis of carboxylic acid 12. RCM with diene 20 was highly E-selective, thus giving efficient access to (E)-9,10-dehydro-1 (2). The latter is a key analog in SAR studies with 1.     

Total synthesis of aspergillide B and structural discrepancy of aspergillide A

Fourteen-membered cytotoxic macrolides 1 and 2 were synthesized from alcohol 10 in 15 steps utilizing stereospecific Pd(II)-catalyzed cyclization of ζ-hydroxy chiral allylic alcohol 7. Aspergillides A and B were isolated from marine fungus, and their structures were proposed as 1 and 2, respectively. The synthetic 1 was not matched with aspergillide A but matched with aspergillide B. The chiral center at C-13 position of aspergillide B was revised to be (S)-configuration. The key steps of the stereoselective synthesis include the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, cross-metathesis, stereospecific construction of tetrahydropyran ring of 16 using Pd^II catalyst, and the Yamaguchi macrolactonization.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (−)-allosedamine

A stereoselective synthesis of (−)-allosedamine is disclosed. β-Aminosulfoxide 4 was generated stereoselectively by condensation of the sulfinyl anion 2 with N-Ts imine 3. The bromohydrin 5 was obtained by intramolecular sulfinyl group participation and the piperidine ring of allosedamine was elaborated using the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction.     

A general methodology for the asymmetric synthesis of 1-deoxyiminosugars

A general methodology for the stereoselective synthesis of 1-deoxymannojirimycin and its three other stereoisomers is described. The achiral olefin 6 was converted through the common olefin intermediate 12 to the target compounds in a highly stereocontrolled manner. The regioselective asymmetric aminohydroxylation (AA) and diastereoselective dihydroxylation reactions were used for the introduction of all four stereocenters in the targets, and the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction was utilized for the construction of the required six-membered ring.     

A rapid access to chiral alkylidene cyclopentenone prostaglandins involving ring-closing metathesis reaction

A synthesis of the alkylidene cyclopentenone prostaglandin TEI 9826 has been realized. The synthesis involved the preparation of the chiral 1,5-diene 8 using a stereoselective Claisen rearrangement from the allylic alcohol 6 giving the ester 7 after vinylation. Then a key RCM reaction allowed the preparation of the cyclopentenol 9 which, after oxidation, gave the cyclopentenone 10, precursor of the prostaglandin.     

A strategy towards the synthesis of plumarellide based on biosynthesis speculation,featuring a transannular 4+2 type cyclisation from a cembranoid furanoxonium ion intermediate

In studies towards a biomimetic synthesis of plumarellide 1, acid-catalysed rearrangement of the furanobutenolide-based acetonide 10b led to the ring system 15b in plumarellide together with the cycloheptene-based ring system 11 found in rameswaralide 4, in a combined yield of 60%. RCM of the ω-dienes 30a and 30b led to the macrocycles 38a and 38b, respectively with the Z-configuration. Treatment of the vinyl bromide/vinyl stannanes 32a and 47 under Stille conditions failed to give the macrocycles 31a and 48, respectively. Reactions of the macrocycles 38a and 38b with TFA containing water produced the 5,6,7-tricyclic compounds 56a and 56b, respectively in >90% yield, instead of the plumarellide-based ring system 52. A summary and perspective on possible pathways from the C-13 acetoxy furanocembranoid 66 and from the C13–C14 unsaturated enol ether/cyclic hemiketal 9/59 to plumarellide 1 in vivo is given.     

C-Glycosylidene derivatives (exo-glycals): their synthesis by reaction of protected sugar lactones with tributylphosphonium ylids, conformational analysis and stereoselective reduction

Stabilised tributylphosphonium ylids Bu₃PCHCH(EWG), where EWG is CO₂Me, CO₂^tBu or CN, react with protected sugar lactones under mild conditions to give high yields of glycosylidene derivatives (4 and 5) with good Z/E selectivity. X-Ray crystallography shows that in the solid state the tetra-O-benzyl protected (Z)-glucosylideneacetonitrile (Z)-4c adopts a conformation intermediate between a boat and a twist-boat, whereas the isomeric galactose derivative (Z)-5c exists as a distorted chair. NMR data suggest that in solution chair-like conformations are again more favoured for galactosylidene derivatives than for their glucosylidene analogues. Solution phase NMR studies and molecular modelling show that the (E)-double bond geometry disfavours the chair-like geometry of the ring, even in the galactose series; this is consistent with the avoidance of allylic 1,3-strain. Reduction of the glycosylidene double bond to give stereoselective formation of β-C-glycoside derivatives may be achieved by using Et₃SiH-CF₃CO₂H or Et₃SiH-BF₃·Et₂O.     

Chemistry of xanthorrhizol: synthesis of several bisabolane sesquiterpenoids from xanthorrhizol

(−)-Xanthorrhizol (1) isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma xanthorrhiza has been transformed to several bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids, in a stereoselective manner. 10R- and 10S-10,11-dihydro-10,11-dihydroxyxanthorrhizols (2, 3), (−)-curcuquinone (4), (−)-curcuhydroquinone (5), helibisabonol A (7) and allylic alcohol 8 have been prepared from xanthorrhizol in optically active forms. All the routes involved a Sharpless AD to introduce the stereogenic centre at C-10.     

Oxidation of unsaturated steroid ketones with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by Fe(bpmen)(OTf)2. New methodology to access biologically active steroids by chemo-, and stereoselective processes

In this paper we describe a new environmentally friendly method to promote the oxidation of steroids. The chemo- and stereoselective aspects of the oxidation of conjugated enones, dienones, further unsaturated enones, estrone, and cholestane acetates were under study.The great facial stereoselectivity of the method has been shown on substrates 12, 14, and 18 improving some of the updated reported procedures in the literature. Reaction with substrate 16 displays the competition between the C4-C5 and the C9-C11 double bonds. The steric hindrance around C ring activates the C-H hydroxylation at the allylic position on C-12 by formation of the allylic alcohol 17c.The C-H activation at C-5 was proven to succeed on the oxidation reaction of androstane 26 by formation of the tertiary alcohol 27.     

Formation of spiro ketolactones versus alkoxy radical fragmentation-promoted three-atom ring enlarged lactones from cyclic ketones

A dual pathway from readily available 2-allyl-2-carboethoxycycloalkanones 1 provides a new facile stereoselective synthesis either of functionalized spiro ketolactones 4 or of ring enlarged lactones 7 in one-step. Thus, iodination of 5-8-membered 2-allyl-2-carboethoxycycloalkanones 1a-d led, in excellent yields, to spiro ketolactones 4a-d, respectively, as single stereoisomers. On the other hand, iodination of 1a-d under alkoxy radical fragmentation conditions via incipient hemiketals produced the 8-, 9-, 10-, or 11-membered, three-atom ring enlarged, poly-functionalized lactones 7a-c as two stereoisomers and 8 as a single isomer.     

Synthetic studies of mycalolide B, an actin-depolymerizing marine macrolide: construction of the tris-oxazole macrolactone using ring-closing metathesis

Tris-oxazole macrolactone 2, a key intermediate of mycalolide B (1), which has 13 stereogenic centres, was synthesized through the use of ring-closing metathesis (RCM). The E/Z ratio of the RCM product 2 was reversed by the use of CH₂Cl₂ and toluene, whereas a cross-metathesis reaction yielded the C1-C35 long-chain compound 19 in a highly E-selective manner. Thus, the loss of flexibility in aliphatic carbon chains and the steric hinderance of β- and γ-substituents of the C20 olefin in the precursor 11 may affect the stereoselectivity in RCM reactions.     

Synthesis and reactivity of Z and E functionalized allylic fluorides

The allylic fluorides 1 and 2 are used as models to study the effect of the allylic C-F bond on the diastereoselectivity of reactions occurring on the vicinal double bond, as well as the compatibility of this C-F bond with various reagents. The configurational stability of the Z double bonds in enals and enones 1 and 3 is noteworthy. This allowed us to perform various types of reactions (including thermal Diels-Alder cycloadditions) on derivatives 1 with full control of the Z geometry.     

Facile conversion of 2-azetidinones to 2-piperidones: application to a formal synthesis of Prosopis and Cassia alkaloids

Nonracemic 5,6-disubstituted 2-piperidones were prepared from readily accessible 3,4-disubstituted-2-azetidinones having pre-installed substituents by reductive ring opening of 2-azetidinones followed by stereoselective installation of Z-α,β-unsaturated ester and lactam formation. For the synthetic application to the naturally occurring piperidine alkaloids, such as Prosopis and Cassia alkaloids, 5-hydroxy-2-piperidones (+)-13 and (−)-24 were prepared from 2-azetidinones (−)-6b and (+)-18 via two-carbon ring homologation.     

Stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids: (−)-trolline, (+)-crispin A, (+)-oleracein E

Tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids, (S)-(−)-trolline, (R)-(+)-crispin A, and (R)-(+)-oleracein E, have been synthesized stereoselectively from the both enantiomers of common intermediate (S)-4 and (R)-4. The key step in the synthesis include a stereoselective Bi(OTf)₃-catalyzed intramolecular 1,3-chirality transfer reaction of chiral non-racemic amino allylic alcohols (S)-6 and (R)-6 to construct both enantiomers of (E)-1-propenyl tetrahydroisoquinoline 4.     

Studies on the Synthesis of Reidispongiolide A: Stereoselective Synthesis of the C(22)-C(36) Fragment

A highly stereoselective synthesis of the C(22)-C(36) fragment 2 of reidispongiolide A is described. This synthesis features the highly stereoselective mismatched double asymmetric crotylboration reaction of the aldehyde derived from 5 and the new chiral reagent (S)-(E)-7 that provides 12 with >15:1 dr. Subsequent coupling of the derived vinyl iodide 3 with aldehyde 16 provided allylic alcohol 17, that was elaborated by three steps into the targeted reidispongiolide fragment 2.     

Synthesis and structure of nitrones derived from 2-trifluoromethyl bornane 3-imines

Upon treatment with (trifluoromethyl)trimethylsilane (CF₃SiMe₃), 3-(N-alkyl or 3-N-aryl)imines of camphorquinone of type 1 smoothly undergo stereoselective conversion to yield 2-endo-trifluoromethylated 1:1 adducts 2, which, after subsequent desilylation with sodium borohydride in boiling alcoholic solutions, were converted into imino alcohols 3. Unexpectedly, oxidation of 3 with m-CPBA resulted in the formation of a new type of trifluoromethylated nitrones 5 (and not the expected oxaziridines) in a stereoselective manner. In the case of 5a, the (Z)-configuration of the CN double bond of the nitrone unit was unambiguously established by an X-ray crystal-structure determination. However, photolysis of 5a led to the exo,exo/exo,endo mixture of the isomeric oxaziridine 7; the two stereoisomers were separated chromatographically.     

Synthesis of a para-quinone macrolactam related to geldanamycin by ring closing metathesis

Model studies conducted with the α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated 3-alkenyl-2,4,5-trimethoxyanilides 11 revealed that a ring closing metathesis (RCM) of these compounds is possible if the ansa chain contains more than 14 atoms. The (Z)-configurated products 12c-e were obtained in good yields (77-87%) and with perfect simple diastereoselectivity. Since the oxidation of the 2,4,5-trimethoxyanilides led predominantly to undesired ortho-quinones such as 15 or to para-azaquinones such as 16 the macrocyclic 2,5-di-iso-propoxy-4-methoxyanilide 22 was prepared. The iso-propyl protecting groups could be selectively cleaved and the intermediate para-hydroquinone oxidized on air to the desired para-quinone 2 (86% yield). The compound shows some key features (macrolactam ring with the same ring size, α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated anilide, para-quinone) of geldanamycin.     

Synthesis of l-cyclopentenyl nucleosides using ring-closing metathesis and palladium-mediated allylic alkylation methodologies

The enantiomeric synthesis of l-cyclopentenyl nucleosides is described. The key intermediate (+)-cyclopentenyl alcohol (8) was prepared from methyl-α-d-galactopyranoside 1 using a ring closing metathesis reaction. Transformation of the allylic alcohol 8 into the allylic acetate (9) or carbonate (10), allows their coupling with purine and pyrimidine bases under Pd(0)-catalyzed Tsuji-Trost allylic alkylation's to yield 12a-c. The Pd catalyzed reaction was found to require the use of AlEt₃.     

Acanthifoliosides, minor steroidal saponins from the Caribbean sponge Pandaros acanthifolium

Seven novel steroid glycosides, acanthifoliosides A-F (1-6), and the methyl ester of 6 (7), were isolated from the marine sponge Pandaros acanthifolium as minor components. Acanthifoliosides are characterized by a rare C-15 and C-16 oxidized D ring, which was previously found in saponins produced by starfishes. Very uncommon is the presence of additional sugar residues at C-15 or C-16. Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses, including two-dimensional NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of the aglycones were assigned by comparison between experimental and TDDFT calculated CD spectra of 1, whereas the absolute configurations of the monosaccharide units were determined by chiral GC analyses of the acid methanolysates. Some of the acanthifoliosides exhibit moderate antiprotozoal activity but to a lesser extent than the most potent pandarosides.