Asymmetric Syntheses Aided by Biocatalysts

This article summarizes the achievements of the authors‘ group in the area of biocatalyst-catalyzed organic reactions in recent 10 years. A strain of Geotrichum sp. obtained by screeninu is capable of stereoselectlvely reducing a number of carbonyl compounds. In many cases, the stermghemistry is complementary with that obtained by baker‘ s yeast. Therefore, this microorganism provides a useful pathway to the preparation of alcohol eompounds with specific configurations. On the other hand, a nmmber of plant sourees have been screened for oxynitrilases and the hydrocyanation reactions of various arylcarboxalde-hydes have been investigated.A“micro-aqueous reaction system“ was invented,by which a serles of novel optically active cyanohydrins were prepared.On this hasis,a high through-put comtimasous reaction system has been designed.This paper also deseribes examples of the syntheses of bio-active compounds by using the optieally active compounds obtained from the above mentioned catalytic reactions as precursors.     

Asymmetric Syntheses of Pharmaceutically Interesting Piperidines

Alkyl-3-hydroxyl piperidine is a structural unit found in numerous bioactive natural products, drugs and drug candidates. For example, (+)-L-733 060 (1)1 and (+)-CP-99, 994 (2)2 are selective and potent neurokinin substance P receptor antagonists, which have been shown to possess potent antiemetic activity; febrifugine (3)3 and isofebrifugine (4)3 are well-known candidates of antimalarial agents isolated from Chinese medicinal plants Dichroa febrifuga. The important bioactivities, common str…     

Unified Asymmetric Total Syntheses of (−)-Alotaketals A–D and (−)-Phorbaketal A

The novel tricyclic spiroketal alotane-type sesterterpenoids showed strikingly different biological activities and potency with subtle structural alterations. Asymmetric total syntheses of the tricyclic sesterterpenoids (−)-alotaketals A–D and (−)-phorbaketal A were accomplished [29–31 steps from (−)-malic acid] in a collective way for the first time. The key features of the strategy included 1) a new cascade cyclization of vinyl epoxy δ-keto-alcohols to forge the common tricyclic spiroketal intermediate, 2) a late-stage allylic C−H oxidation, and 3) olefin cross-metathesis to install the different side chains.     

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Di- and Sesquiterpenoids by Catalytic C−C Activation of Cyclopentanones

To show the synthetic utility of the catalytic C−C activation of less strained substrates, described here are the collective and concise syntheses of the natural products (−)-microthecaline A, (−)-leubehanol, (+)-pseudopteroxazole, (+)-seco-pseudopteroxazole, pseudopterosin A–F and G—J aglycones, and (+)-heritonin. The key step in these syntheses involve a Rh-catalyzed C−C/C−H activation cascade of 3-arylcyclopentanones, which provides a rapid and enantioselective route to access the polysubstituted tetrahydronaphthalene cores presented in these natural products. Other important features include 1) the direct C−H amination of the tetralone substrate in the synthesis of (−)-microthecaline A, 2) the use of phosphoric acid to enhance efficiency and regioselectivity for problematic cyclopentanone substrates in the C−C activation reactions, and 3) the direct conversion of serrulatane into amphilectane diterpenes by an allylic cyclodehydrogenation coupling.     

Bent π-Conjugation within a Macrocycle: Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Spirohexenolides A and B

Macrocycles with bent π-conjugation motif are extremely rare in nature and synthetically daunting and anticancer haouamines and spirohexenolides were representative of such rare natural products with synthetically challenging bent π-conjugation within a macrocycle. While the total synthesis of haouamines has been elegantly achieved, spirohexenolides remains an unmet synthetic challenge due to the highly strained bent 1,3,5-triene conjugation within C15 macrocycle. Inspired by the chemical synthesis of cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) and haouamines, herein we devise a synthetic strategy to overcome the highly strained bent 1,3,5-triene conjugation within the macrocycle and achieve the first, asymmetric total synthesis of spirohexenolides A (>20 mg) and B (>50 mg). Our synthesis features strategic design of ring-closing metathesis (RCM) macrocyclization followed by double dehydration to achieve the C15 macrocycle with the deformed nonplanar 1,3,5-triene conjugation. In addition, we have developed a new enantioselective construction of highly functionalized spirotetronate fragment (northeast moiety) through RCM and Ireland–Claisen rearrangement. Our in vitro bioassay studies reveal that both spirohexenolides are cytotoxic against a panel of human cancer cells with IC₅₀ 1.2–13.3 μM and spirohexenolide A is consistently more potent (up to 3 times) than spirohexenolide B, suggesting the importance of alcohol for their bioactivity and for medicinal chemistry development.     

Syntheses of Novel Asymmetric Cyclopentanone Dyes and Measurement of Two－photon Absorption Cross－section

A simple synthesis route with a high yield of novel asymmetric cyclopentanone dyes 3a—3e and their highly two-photon up-converted fluorescences are reported. The dyes have good solubilities in most of ordi-nary solvents, a wide UV absorption wavelength range from 380—540 nm, and high fluorescence quantum yields. The two-photon absorption cross-sections of dyes 3a—M were measured in chloroform by a two-pho-ton induced fluorescence method. All of these properties of the new dyes make them suitable for being used as two-photon fluorescent probes.     

Two Metal-organic Frameworks（MOFs） Assembled from One Asymmetric Semirigid Multicarboxylate Ligand：Syntheses and Crystal Structural Characterizations

Hydrothermal reactions between a new flexible multicarboxylate ligand of 3-(2-carboxy-phenoxy)-benzoic acid(H2L) and transitional metal cations of M2+(M = Cu2+,Ni2+) in the presence of the secondary ligands of 1,10-phenanthroline(phen),2,2'-bipyridine(2,2?-bpy),and 4,4'-bipyridine(4,4'-bpy) afford two novel coordination polymers Ni2(H2O)2L2(phen)(μ-4,4'-bpy)(1) and CuIIL(2,2'-bpy)(2).Both compounds were characterized by X-ray crystallography.Crystal data of 1:C31H24N3NiO7,Mr = 609.24,monoclinic,space group P21/c,a = 17.560(8),b = 10.528(5),c = 30.613(15) ,V = 5659(5) 3,Z = 4,Dc = 1.430 g/cm3,F(000) = 502,μ = 0.739 mm-1,R = 0.0902,wR = 0.1346(I > 2σ(I)),S = 1.002.Crystal data of 2:C24H16CuN2O5,Mr = 475.93,monoclinic,space group P21/n,a = 9.8904(13),b = 11.0782(16),c = 18.321(3) ,β = 11.0782(16)°,V = 1993.8(5) 3,Z = 4,Dc = 1.585 g/cm3,F(000) = 972,μ = 1.137 mm-1,R = 0.0433,wR = 0.0723(I > 2σ(I)) and S = 1.004.Compound 1 displays a one-dimensional(1D) zigzag chain structure constructed from phen ligands and the deprotonated ligands of L2-,which further forms a ladder-shaped supramolecular architecture via the bridge of 4,4'-bpy ligand.Complex 2 also possesses a ladder-shaped architecture based on the dinuclear CuII units.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Anisodine

Anisodine was synthesized from 3α-hydroxy-6β-acetyltropine in 11 steps. Laevorotary isomer of anisodine was prepared from the asymmetric dihydroxylation of compound 10 via the osmium catalyzed process employing p-chlorobenzoyl dihydroquinidine as the chiral ligands.     

Asymmetric Syntheses of Osmundalactones and 5-Hydroxy-2-hexen 4-olides from 4-Benzyloxy-5-hydroxy-2（E）-hexenoate

( )-(4S,5R)-Osmundalactone 1 was isolated from the fungus Paxillus atrotomentosus (Paxillaceae) by Buchanan1. (-)-(4R,5S)-Osmundalactone 1 and ( )-(4R,5S)-5-hydroxy- 2-hexen-4-olide 2 were isolated from Osmunda japonica (Osmundaceae) as feeding inhibitors…     

Three Ni(Ⅱ) Coordination Polymers with Various Architectures Based on Asymmetric Bis-pyridyl-amide and Polycarboxylates: Syntheses,Structures and Properties

Three different dimensional Ni(Ⅱ) coordination polymers,[Ni(3-pna)(HIP)(H₂O)₃]·H₂O(1),[Ni(3-pna)· (1,3,5-HBTC)](2) and [Ni₂(H₂O)(3-pna)₂(1,4-CHDC)₂]₄(3)(3-pna=3-pyridylnicotinamide, H₂HIP=5-hydroxyisoph-thalic acid, 1,3,5-H₃BTC=1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, 1,4-H₂CHDC=1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by means of infrared spectra(IR), thermal gravimetric (TG) analyses, powder X-ray diffraction(PXRD) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 has a structure of 1D single-stranded chain, which is further stretched by hydrogen-bond interactions to form a 2D supramolecular sheet. Complex 2 shows a 2D network, which is stretched to 3D supramolecular frameworks through hydrogen-bond interactions. Complex 3 reveals a 3D skeleton with a (3,3,6,6)-connected {3·7²}{3²·4}{3³·4²·5·7³·8⁵·9}{3³·4⁵·5²·7²·8²·9} topology. The effects of different polycarboxylates on the ultimate architectures of the complexes 1-3 were discussed. Furthermore, the fluorescent and photocatalytic properties of the title complexes were also investigated.     

Synthesis of Asymmetric Propanetriol Analogues

Form natural tartaric acid,(R)-2-benzyloxy-3-(2-tertrahydropyranyloxy) propanol 3 was designed and synthesized, and (R)-2-benzyloxy-3-(4-methoxybenzyloxy)propanol 7 was prepared in a new method. They can be used as chiral synthons of lysophosphatidic acid and other compounds with asymmetric propanetriol backbone.     

Syntheses of New Crowned Indolinospirobenzopyrans

Indo1inospirobenzopyranderivatives,describedasbelow,arewe1lknownphotochromicorganiccompounds,whichcanbereversiblyisomerizedbyUVdndvisiblelightirradiation[1].Whi1ecrownmoietiesareincorporatedtotheindolinospirobenzopyrans,theymayprovidespirobenzopyranderiva-tiveswithspecificcationbindingabilities,whichcaninduceisomerizationoftheindolinospirobenzopyrans,thusdrasticallyaffectingtheisomerizatione-quilibriumbetweenthespiropyranandthemerocyanineforms[2.3].Thesecrownedspirobenzopyranderivativesaremore…     

Syntheses of Benzoxepinoquinolinone and Benzothiepinoquinolinone

l-Benzoxepino(3, 4-b)quinolin-l3(6H)-one and its halogen,alkyl, alkoxy derivatives Va'-d' and 1-benzothiepino(3,4-b}-quinolin- 13 ( 6H)-one Vf, and its alkyl derivatives Vg, weresynthesized through cyclization of 2-(substituted phenoxymethyl)-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids Va-d and 2-[ (un)substituted phen-ylthiomethyll-3-quinolinecarboxylic acids IVf-g in the presence ofpolyphosphoric acid.The acids IV were obtained from the corresponding ethyl-esters @ whcih were prepared through refluxing ethyl 2-bromo-methyl-3-quinolinecarboxylate(1) with substituted phenol or (un)substituted thiophenol in the presence of NaOEt.The compound Vg, was allowed to react with NBS, KaBH4, NH2OH-HCl to give compounds VII , VIII, and IX, respectively.The structures of 24 new compounds have been confirmed by elemental analysis, IR and 1H NMR.     

Syntheses of 5′-O-glycosylnucleosides

A general synthetic approach to 2,3-unsaturated glycosides connecting with nucleosides involving Ferrier rearrangements of glycals is discussed. The new compounds were identified by NMR and MS (HRFAB⁺). The hydroxylation of the resulting 2,3-unsaturated glycosides was completed using OsO₄ to give 5′-O-glycosylnucleosides in good yield.     

Bioinspired Asymmetric Synthesis of Hispidanin A

The first enantiospecific synthesis of hispidanin A ( 4 ), a dimeric diterpenoid from the rhizomes of Isodon hispida, was achieved with a longest linear sequence of 12 steps in 6.5 % overall yield. A key component is the use of the abundant and naturally occurring diterpenoids (+)-sclareolide and (+)-sclareol as starting materials, which enables the gram-scale preparation of the key intermediates totarane ( 1 ) and s-trans-12E,14-labdadien-20,8β-olide ( 2 ). Subsequently a thermal or an erbium-catalyzed intermolecular Diels–Alder reaction of totarane ( 1 ) with labdadienolide ( 2 ) provide convergent and rapid access to the natural product hispidanin A ( 4 ). The synthetic studies have offered significant impetus for the efficient construction of these architecturally complex natural products.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Cephanolide A

The first asymmetric total synthesis of cephanolide A, a complex hexacyclic C₁₈ dinorditerpenoid from cephalotaxus sinensis, was achieved. The synthesis features a convergent strategy, which provides a flexible approach to prepare the biogenetically cephalotaxus diterpenoids and structurally related derivatives for biological studies. A mild intramolecular Prins cyclization was developed to construct the central hexahydrofluorenol skeleton (A-B-C ring), which relies on the originally proposed hydroacylation strategy. A remote hydroxy group directed hydrogenation was applied to stereospecifically reduce the tetra-substituted enone unit. A sequence of ring forming steps, including lactonization, cation mediated etherification and Friedel–Crafts cyclization, was efficiently utilized to forge the cage-like skeleton.     

Asymmetric α-oxyacylation of cyclic ketones

Reaction of cyclic ketones with chiral N-alkyl-O-acyl hydroxylamines leads to the corresponding α-oxyacylated carbonyl compound in up to 89% ee. The levels of asymmetric induction were influenced by solvent polarity, acid strength and, to a lesser extent, temperature. Increasing the steric bulk around the nitrogen atom of the hydroxylamine reagent led to increased levels of asymmetric induction, which was also found to be detrimental to the yield observed for the transformation. Examination of N- and O-substituents along with substrates revealed the scope and limitations of the procedure.     

Asymmetric synthesis of α-acetylenic epoxides

Chiral α-acetylenic oxiranes were easily synthesized from readily available propargylic esters by a four-step sequence involving the stereoselective reduction of α′-alkynyl β-keto sulfoxides with DIBAH (de 66–78%) and DIBAH/ZnBr₂ (de 78–88%), followed by further reduction of the resulting hydroxy sulfoxides into the corresponding sulfenyl derivatives and final epoxy ring closure via sulfonium salt.     

Asymmetric Strecker synthesis of α-arylglycines

A practically simple three-component Strecker reaction for the asymmetric synthesis of enantiopure α-arylglycines has been developed. Addition of a range of aryl-aldehydes to a solution of sodium cyanide and (S)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylamine affords highly crystalline (S,S)-α-aminonitriles that are easily obtained in diastereomerically pure form. Heating the resultant (S,S)-α-aminonitriles in 6 M aqueous HCl at reflux resulted in cleavage of their chiral auxiliary fragments and concomitant hydrolysis of their nitrile groups to afford enantiopure (S)-α-arylglycines. The enantiopurities of these (S)-α-arylglycines were determined via derivatization of their corresponding methyl esters with 2-formylphenylboronic acid and (S)-BINOL, followed by (1)H NMR spectroscopic analysis of the resultant mixtures of diastereomeric iminoboronate esters.     

Preparation of D-Phenylalanine by Asymmetric Transformation

The method of preparing D-phenylalanine by asymmetric transformation is reported.D-phenylalanine was prepared from DL-phenylalanine by two-step reaction.D-phenylalanine(2S,3S)-tartrate was prepared by heating DL-phenylalanine,salicylaldehyde,and (2S,3S)-tartaric acid in propionic acid;the obtained D-phenylalanine(2S,3S)-tartrate was treated with triethylamine in ethanol giving D-phenylalanine with 98% optical purity in 69% yield.