Synthetic studies on statins. Part 3: A facile synthesis of rosuvastatin calcium through catalytic enantioselective allylation strategy

A concise and stereocontrolled synthesis of rosuvastatin calcium has been accomplished, with the key steps including a Keck enantioselective allylation of chloroacetaldehyde with allyltributylstannane to install 5R-stereocenter and a VO(acac)₂-catalyzed syn-diastereoselective epoxidation of (S)-1-chloropent-4-en-2-ol to set the requisite 3R-chirality.     

Synthetic studies on apoptolidin: synthesis of the C12-C28 fragment via a highly stereoselective aldol reaction

The stereoselective and convergent synthesis of the C12-C28 segment 2 of the apoptosis inducing macrolide antibiotic, apoptolidin (1), is described. The synthesis involves a highly stereoselective tin(II)-mediated aldol reaction between the C17-C22 ethyl ketone 3 and the C23-C28 aldehyde 4 as the key step.     

Synthetic studies on borrelidin: enantioselective synthesis of the C1-C12 fragment

[structure: see text] An efficient, enantioselective synthesis of the C1-C12 fragment 2 of borrelidin is presented. Construction of the "skipped" polymethylene chain of 2 was accomplished by iteration of Myers' alkylation, while formation of the C3 stereocenter was achieved by Roush's asymmetric allylboration methodology.     

Synthetic studies of trichothecenes,an enantioselective synthesis of a C-ring precursor of anguidine

An enantioselective synthesis of a cyclopentanoid C-ring precursor $\text{1}$$\text{9}$ of anguidine $\text{3}$, a representative trichothecene with antitumor activity, from 2-allyl-2-methylcyclopentane-1,3-dione is described.     

A simplified catalytic system for direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of thioamides; application to an enantioselective synthesis of atorvastatin

A new catalytic system was developed for the direct catalytic asymmetric aldol reaction of thioamides. The new lithium-free Cu catalyst (second-generation catalyst) exhibited enhanced catalytic efficiency over the previously developed catalyst comprising [Cu(CH₃CN)₄]PF₆/Ph-BPE/LiOAr (first-generation catalyst), which required a tedious catalyst preparation process. In the reaction with the second-generation catalyst, the intermediate Cu-aldolate functioned as a Brønsted base to generate thioamide enolate, efficiently driving the catalytic cycle. The present aldol methodology culminated in a concise asymmetric synthesis of atorvastatin (Lipitor^®: atorvastatin calcium), a widely prescribed HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.     

Synthetic studies on the phorboxazoles: a short synthesis of an epi-C23 tetrahydropyran core

Studies on the synthesis of the anticancer natural products, the phorboxazoles have led to the synthesis of the C21-C32 penta-substituted tetrahydropyran core which is epimeric to the natural product at C23. The synthesis was achieved in only seven linear steps. The key steps were the use of a Masamune-Abiko anti-aldol reaction, the formation of a dihydropyran precursor molecule by the use of a new ‘Maitland-Japp-like’ cyclisation, and a highly diastereoselective reductive alkylation of the dihydropyran double bond, to generate the corresponding tetrahydropyran ring in an excellent yield.     

Synthetic studies on cyathins: enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-allocyathin B2

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-allocyathin B(2) has been achieved. Our approach features a convergent enantioselective construction of the 5-6-7 tricyclic core system using the originally developed chiral building blocks via asymmetric catalysis, the intramolecular aldol reaction in high yield, successful samarium diiodide-mediated ring expansion, and a newly developed double-bond installation method.     

An approach to an enantioselective synthesis of crisamicin A via a novel double Hauser-Kraus annulation strategy

A double Hauser-Kraus annulation between biscyanophthalide 4 and the d-mannose derived enone 39 provides access to an advanced intermediate 54 that is an excellent scaffold to effect an enantioselective total synthesis of crisamicin A 1.     

Total synthesis of buergerinin F via effective construction of the asymmetric quaternary carbons using an enantioselective aldol reaction

An efficient method for the synthesis of (+)-buergerinin F is established via the enantioselective aldol reaction of a tetra-substituted ketene silyl acetal with crotonaldehyde, followed by intramolecular Wacker-type ketalization.     

Synthetic studies toward merrilactone A: a short synthesis of AB ring motif

An efficient route to the AB ring motif of merrilactone A has been established by remarkable regioselective reduction of cyclic anhydrides 3 and 8 to the γ-lactone moiety, followed by the successive Stille and Heck reactions of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkene.     

Asymmetric synthesis of all-carbon quaternary spirocycles via a catalytic enantioselective allylic alkylation strategy

Rapid access to enantioenriched spirocycles possessing a 1,4-dicarbonyl moiety spanning an all-carbon quaternary stereogenic spirocenter was achieved using a masked bromomethyl vinyl ketone reagent. The developed protocol entails an enantioselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation reaction followed by a one-pot unmasking/RCM sequence that provides access to the spirocyclic compounds in good yields and selectivities.     

Synthetic studies on carbapenem antibiotics from penicillins.II. regio- and stereoselective aldol reaction of a chiral azetidinone: a synthesis of optically active 6-epicarpetimycins

Aldol and alkylation reactions of the chiral 4-allylazetidinone 1 gave 3,4-trans-azetidinones as major products, in which 10 was converted in several steps to the optically active 6-epicarpetimycins 2.     

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 short enantioselective synthesis of (+)-L-733,060 via Shi epoxidation of a homoallylic carboxylate

A short and efficient enantioselective synthesis of (+)-L-733,060 in 92% ee via Shi epoxidation of a homoallylic carboxylate is described. Johnson-Claisen rearrangement was employed to obtain the required carbon backbone, whilst intramolecular reductive O-to-N-ring expansion of a δ-azidolactone was used in the construction of the piperidine moiety.     

Synthetic studies toward GKK1032s, novel antibiotic antitumor agents: enantioselective synthesis of the fully elaborated tricyclic core via an intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition

An enantioselective synthesis of the fully elaborated tricyclic decahydrofluorene core (ABC-ring system) of GKK1032s, novel antimicrobial and antitumor agents, has been accomplished for the first time by employing a highly diastereoselective intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reaction. The key substrate for the IMDA reaction was efficiently prepared through (i) an intermolecular Diels-Alder reaction between a siloxydiene and an optically active enone derived from D-mannitol to construct the appropriately functionalized C-ring and (ii) CuCl-promoted Stille coupling of an (E)-vinyl iodide and a vinylstannane to install the requisite triene side chain as the crucial steps.     

Total synthesis and bioactivity of an unnatural enantiomer of merrilactone a: development of an enantioselective desymmetrization strategy

(-)-Merrilactone A [(-)-1], isolated from Illicium merrillianum in 2000, possesses neurite outgrowth activity in cultures of fetal rat cortical neurons, and, therefore, is expected to show therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Apart from its biological aspects, the caged pentacyclic skeleton of 1 poses interesting synthetic challenges. Here, we report the total synthesis of the unnatural enantiomer of merrilactone A [(+)-1], based on a novel desymmetrization strategy. The chiral lithium amide 16g promoted an enantioselective transannular aldol reaction of eight-membered meso-diketone 3d, establishing the absolute stereochemistries of four chiral centers of the cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octane framework of 1 in a single step. The obtained compound 4d served as a platform for the subsequent functional group manipulations necessary for the construction of (+)-1. Surprisingly, both the natural and unnatural enantiomers of synthetic merrilactone A equally promoted neurite outgrowth in primary neuronal cultures.     

Formal synthesis of TMC-69-6H via a one-pot enantioselective domino proline-mediated aldol/olefin homologation procedure

Enantioselective synthesis of TMC-69-6H was accomplished from readily accessible pyridone derivative via a domino proline-mediated aldol reaction/olefin homologation, followed by tandem ring-closing and cross metathesis.     

Synthetic studies on the icetexones: enantioselective formal syntheses of icetexone and epi-icetexone

Two strategies for the synthesis of the icetexane diterpenoids icetexone and epi-icetexone that rely on Ga(III)-catalyzed cycloisomerization of alkynyl indene substrates to yield fused [6-7-6] tricycles have been explored. In the first approach, access to a tricycle bearing a gem-dimethyl group paved the way for explorations of C–H functionalization of one of the methyl groups in close proximity to a hydroxyl-directing group. This approach was ultimately unsuccessful and led only to ring cleaved products. In the second approach, an alkynyl indene substrate bearing a cyano substituent was utilized, which was effective in providing a functional handle to access the icetexone subclass of diterpenoids. A key epoxide opening/diazene rearrangement sequence was utilized to complete a formal synthesis of icetexone and epi-icetexone, which is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the cyano-containing substrate has been prepared in enantioenriched form using a Rh-catalyzed conjugate addition reaction, which now provides a route to the enantioselective synthesis of these natural products.