Asymmetric total synthesis of natural (-)-and unnatural (+)-steganacin : Determination of the absolute configuration of natural antitumor steganacin

A virtually complete asymmetric control in the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted butan-4-olide (10) was demonstrated by employing the butenolide (12) as the chiral acceptor for the conjugate 1,4-addition. Highly efficient asymmetric total synthesis of natural (-)- and unnatural (+)-steganacin was accomplished. The absolute stereostructure of natural antitumor steganain was determined to be 1.     

Stereoselective synthesis of enantiopure analogues of (−)-cephalotaxine

The asymmetric total synthesis of three analogues of (?)-cephalotaxine with structural modification of the aromatic ring was achieved in 16 steps and acceptable overall yields. The procedure used was quite similar to that reported by our group for the total synthesis of (?)-cephalotaxine in 2004. The enantiopure spiranic compound 4 is a common intermediate on which various aromatic groups can be introduced. Unexpected and interesting different chemical behaviors were observed during these syntheses.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of all four isomers of 6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide: the major component of mosquito oviposition attractant pheromones

An asymmetric total synthesis of (5S,6R)-(+)-erythro-6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide 1a has been accomplished from readily available hex-5-yn-1-ol via Shi’s asymmetric epoxidation as the key step, in eight steps with an overall yield of 33.5%. In addition, the stereoselective synthesis of all four isomers of 6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide 1a–1d were obtained via Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and Mitsunobu reaction as the key steps with overall yields of 16.5–21.2%, respectively.     

Asymmetric synthesis of tert-butyl ((1R,4aR,8R,8aR)-1-hydroxyoctahydro-1H-isochromen-8-yl)carbamate

The asymmetric synthesis of methyl (E)-4-((1R,2S,3R)-3-amino-2-((E)-2-methoxycarbonyl-eten-1-yl)cyclohexyl)but-2-enoate 14 has been achieved from dimethyl (2E,7E)-nona-2,7-dienedioate 2. A key step is the asymmetric synthesis of 1-hydroxyoctahydro-1H-isochromene derivative 5 whose X-ray analysis corroborated the stereochemistry of the new stereocenters. The asymmetric synthesis of the isochromenyl acetate derivative 11 shows the potential of this methodology for fused cyclohexanic system heterocyclic synthesis.     

The first stereoselective total synthesis of (3S,4R)-dihydroxy-(6S)-undecyl-α-pyranone and total synthesis of (2S,3R,5S)-(−)-2,3-dihydroxytetradecan-5-olide

The first total synthesis of (3S,4R)-dihydroxy-(6S)-undecyl-α-pyranone 1 and total synthesis of (2S,3R,5S)-(−)-2,3-dihydroxytetradecan-5-olide 2 have been achieved in five steps in a highly stereoselective manner using Maruoka allylation, olefin cross-metathesis, and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as key steps.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (S)-(−)-acromelobinic acid

A total synthesis of (S)-(−)-acromelobinic acid 2, which was isolated from clitocybe acromelalga, was achieved via an asymmetric hydrogenation protocol. Dehydroamino acid derivative 12 was prepared from 2,5-lutidine 5 and subjected to asymmetric hydrogenation using (S,S)-[Rh(Et-DuPHOS)(COD)]BF₄ to give the (S)-(+)-pyridylalanine derivative 13 in 93% yield and >96% e.e. Removal of the protecting groups in (S)-(+)-13 afforded (S)-(−)-acromelobinic acid 2.     

An expedient total synthesis of optically active piperidine and indolizidine alkaloids (−)-β-conhydrine and (−)-lentiginosine

Attempts directed toward the stereocontroled total synthesis of piperidine and indolizidine alkaloids resulted in the synthesis of (−)-β-conhydrine 1 and (−)-lentiginosine 3. The synthesis of 1 and 3 were developed from protected d-mannitol as the chiral precursor, which involved nucleophilic addition and azide nucleophilic substitution, Barbier allylation, ring closing metathesis, and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as the key steps.     

Formal synthesis of amphidinin B

An efficient, convergent, and highly stereoselective formal synthesis of amphidinin B (1) is reported herein. In Amphidinin B both C10–C21 (4) and C1–C9 (5) fragments were derived from geraniol 6 and mono-PMB ether of 1,4-butane diol 7 in 19 and 9 steps, respectively. The key steps involved in this synthesis are Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, Evans aldol, Julia olefination, oxa-Michael, Keck allylation, Mannich reaction, Evans asymmetric alkylation, and Yamaguchi esterification.     

An enantioselective approach to 3-substituted pyrrolidines: Asymmetric synthesis for pyrrolidine core of serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

A novel and efficient synthetic approach to enantiopure 3-substituted pyrrolidine skeleton from readily available (S)-PMB glycidyl ether as a starting material and its application to the asymmetric synthesis of pyrrolidine core 1 of serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) 2 and 3 are described. The synthesis utilizes the organocatalyzed asymmetric Michael addition reaction as key step.     

Formal total synthesis of (−)-spongidepsin

The formal total synthesis of (−)-spongidepsin is described. Three fragments I, II, and III were first prepared from readily available starting materials and then assembled to the target compound. The key steps involved in the synthesis are asymmetric α-hydroxylation, Ender's alkylation, and ring-closing metathesis reactions. An alternative route for the fragment II is also achieved involving Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and Gilman's alkylation as key reactions.     

An asymmetric synthesis of 7-hydroxy-9-propylnonenolide (herbarumin III)

An asymmetric synthesis of herbarumin III has been developed using (R)-cyclohexylidene glyceraldehyde 1 as the chiral template. The key steps of the synthesis were the enantioselective preparation of the required homoallylic alcohol from 1, an asymmetric dihydroxylation, and a ring-closing metathesis reaction for the macrolactonization.     

An enantioselective total synthesis of (S)-(−)-licochalcone E: determination of the absolute configuration

The absolute configuration of (−)-licochalcone E (1) was determined to be (S) via the first enantioselective total synthesis of the compound. The chirality in (S)-(−)-licochalcone E (1) was installed by asymmetric methylation of the Evans' oxazolidinone derivatives.     

Synthesis of indole alkaloid (−)-corynantheidol and formal synthesis of (−)-corynantheidine via one-pot asymmetric azaelectrocyclization

The highly efficient asymmetric total synthesis of indole alkaloid, (−)-corynantheidol, containing a 2,4,5-trisubstituted piperidine core, was achieved using a new version of the one-pot azaelectrocyclization reaction. The formal synthesis of (−)-corynantheidine was also achieved using the common synthetic intermediate for these corynantheines.     

Synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one as a key intermediate of sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists

Herein we report the asymmetric synthesis of (3S)-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)methylcyclopentan-1-one (S)-3 as a practical chiral synthon for a wide range of pharmaceutical and/or natural products, using Lipshutz’s asymmetric copper-catalyzed conjugate reduction. This method makes it feasible to prepare a conformationally constrained cyclopentane analogue 12, which is one of the key intermediates for the synthesis of novel sphingosine 1-phosphate-1 receptor agonists.     

Biomimetically inspired total synthesis of (12S)-12-hydroxymonocerin and (12R)-12-hydroxymonocerin

A concise asymmetric total synthesis of (12S)-12-hydroxymonocerin (1) and (12R)-12-hydroxymonocerin (2) were efficiently achieved from the known 4-bromo-2,6-dimethoxyphenol. The synthetic approach was inspired by our biomimetic synthesis of (+)-monocerin (3) and 7-O-demethylmonocerin (4). The cis-fused furobenzopyranones of 1 and 2 was efficiently constructed via an intramolecular nucleophilic trapping of a quinonemethide intermediate, which was obtained by benzylic oxidation of compound 10 using 2,3-Dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ).     

First stereoselective total synthesis of triumfettamide

The first total synthesis of triumfettamide (1) is described. The asymmetric syntheses of two highly functionalized units—α-hydroxylated C17 monounsaturated fatty acid unit (2) and C26 phytosphingosine (3) have been accomplished involving Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, Sharpless kinetic resolution, regioselective epoxide opening, regioselective DIBAL-H reduction of acetal, Wittig olefination as the key steps. Finally N-acylation of phytosphingosine 3 with (2R,6Z)-2-hydroxy-6-heptadecenoic acid 2 followed by DDQ deprotection of PMB, provided target compound 1.     

A simple synthesis of (−)-(R)-ipsdienol and (−)-(S)-ipsenol

A short and efficient synthesis of the unnatural enantiomer of (+)-(S)-ipsdienol 1 and (−)-(S)-ipsenol 2 is presented via an asymmetric allylboration. The synthesis was achieved by using a one-pot reduction–methylenation of an exo-methylene lactone intermediate.     

Asymmetric synthesis of L-cyclopentyl carbocyclic nucleosides

Asymmetric synthesis of L-carbocyclic nucleosides, (+)-β-L-aristeromycin (11) and its thymine analog (12) was accomplished. The key intermediate 3 was synthesized by a regioselective conjugate addition to the enone 1 followed by DIBAL-H reduction. Coupling of 4 with heterocycle or construction of heterocyle by a linear approach gave 11 and 12. This is the first asymmetric synthesis of L-cyclopentyl carbocyclic nucleosides.     

A short asymmetric synthesis of 4,4-disubstituted-γ-butyrolactones from racemic 2-methylcyclohexanone in multigram scale

A short and efficient asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers (R)-1a–c and (S)-1a–c has been performed on a large scale and with high stereoselectivities from 2-methylcyclohexanone.     

Asymmetric halolactonisation reaction—4: Asymmetric synthesis of optically active α,β-epoxyaldehydes from α,β-unsaturated acids

The bromolactones (5) stereoselectively produced by the asymmetric bromolactonisation of (S)-N-(α,β-unsaturated) acylprolines(3), were elaborated to highly optically active 2(R),3(S)-epoxyaldehydes(8)(84–98% ee) by successive epoxide formation and reductive cleavage of the proline moiety. The overall process constitutes a highly efficient asymmetric synthesis of 8 from α,β-unsaturated acids(1).