An efficient parallel synthesis of capsazepine and capsazepine analogs

Capsazepine (CPZ, 1) is a well-known vanilloid receptor (VR1) antagonist that has been cited widely used in the literature. However the current synthetic methods used for the total synthesis of CPZ are lengthy, involve multiple purification steps, and produce low yields. Here we describe a new and highly efficient synthesis of benzazepine 3, a synthetic precursor of CPZ, in only two steps and 59% overall yield from a commercially available tetralone 2 via a Schmidt reaction as a key step. Moreover, we apply parallel synthesis techniques to prepare CPZ and CPZ analogs. Our approach enables the possibility of preparing larger, and more diverse libraries of CPZ analogs.     

An improved synthesis of resveratrol

In this article we report an improved total synthesis of resveratrol, increasing the overall yield from 22 to 71%. The synthesis reported in our previous publication was made up of two fundamental steps: a Wittig reaction and a Heck coupling. Here we studied these steps separately to increase the individual yields. The yield of the Wittig reaction was increased up to 98%; however, we could not find better reaction conditions for the Heck coupling than those reported in the previous article.     

Total synthesis of a novel macrotetrolide

The total synthesis of a novel macrotetrolide, an isobutyl nonactin analog, has been achieved in 15% yield by coupling both enantiomers of the corresponding nonactic acid analogs followed by macrolactonization. These building blocks were prepared starting from β-ketoester in nine steps and 34% overall yield, in an efficient and highly stereoselective sequence. The key steps of the strategy are asymmetric hydrogenation, chelation-controlled allylation, intramolecular haloetherification of bishomoallylic ether presenting a trisubstituted double bond deactivated by an ester, and finally a stereoselective reduction of α-bromoester.     

Expedient total synthesis of pyrrothine natural products and analogs

This paper describes an expedient and straightforward total synthesis of the two pyrrothine natural products holomycin (7 steps, 11% overall) and xenorhabdin I (7 steps, 11% overall) and analogs thereof via a common late-stage intermediate. The pathway proceeds via the pyrrothine hydrochloride intermediate (6 steps, 17% overall) which also gave access to very fast synthesis of analogs as demonstrated by the synthesis of , and (7 steps, 11-12% overall).     

Combined coinage metal catalysis in natural product synthesis: total synthesis of (+)-varitriol and seven analogs

A modular total synthesis of the natural product (+)-varitriol (1) and seven analogs was achieved by using combined coinage metal catalysis. Starting from enynol 13, reagent-controlled introduction of stereogenic centers and efficient center-to-axis-to-center chirality transfer viaα-hydroxyallene 5 afforded (+)-varitriol with 6.4% yield over 10 steps.     

Synthetic studies on indolocarbazoles: total synthesis of staurosporine aglycon

A synthesis of staurosporine aglycon and its analogs was achieved in a 28-36% overall yield starting from 2-methylindole. The prominent key steps for the synthesis of the indolocarbazole alkaloids involved electrocyclization and nitrene insertion reactions.     

Concise synthesis of the bioactive natural polyhydroxynaphthoate parvinaphthol B via Hauser-Kraus annulation

Herein, we describe the first total synthesis of parvinaphthol B, a polyhydroxynaphthoate derived from the root of Pentas parvifolia which exhibits cytotoxic effects against the TNBC cell line. The key feature of the synthesis involves a Hauser-Kraus annulation to provide the polyhydroxynaphthoate skeleton. The synthesis requires only six linear steps and afforded the product in 26.5% overall yield, thus representing a simple method for the further preparation of analogs and biological studies.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of cladosporin and isocladosporin

The first asymmetric total syntheses of cladosporin and isocladosporin were accomplished in 8 steps with 8% overall yield and 10 steps with 26% overall yield, respectively. The relative configuration of isocladosporin was determined via this total synthesis.     

Improved synthesis of UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)galactose and a first synthesis of UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)glucose for the site-specific linking of biomolecules via modified glycan residues using glycosyltransferases

The potential of wild-type and mutant glycosyltransferases to produce glycoconjugates carrying sugar moieties with chemical handles has made it possible to conjugate biomolecules with orthogonal reacting groups at specific sites. The synthesis of UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)galactose has been previously carried out, albeit with difficulty and low efficiency. A modified approach has been developed for the synthesis of UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)glucose and UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)galactose, allowing better access to the desired test compounds, the UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)glucose and UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)galactose analogs were synthesized in eight steps and 4.8% and 5.3% overall yield, respectively, an improvement over the first generation synthesis involving eight steps and an overall yield of 0.7%.     

Total synthesis of the tricyclic marine alkaloids (-)-lepadiformine, (+)-cylindricine c, and (-)-fasicularin via a common intermediate formed by formic acid-induced intramolecular conjugate azaspirocyclization

A very short and efficient enantioselective total synthesis of the tricyclic marine alkaloids (-)-lepadiformine (3), (+)-cylindricine C (1c), and (-)-fasicularin (4) has been developed utilizing the formyloxy 1-azaspiro[4.5]decane 5 as a common intermediate. The key strategic element for the synthesis was the formic acid-induced intramolecular conjugate azaspirocyclization, which proved to be a highly efficient and stereoselective way to rapid construction of the 1-azaspirocyclic substructure of these natural products in a single operation. Thus, the common intermediate 5, synthesized in two steps with 70% overall yield starting from the known (S)-N-Boc-2-pyrrolidinone 7 via the conjugate spirocyclization using an acyclic ketoamide 6, was utilized for the concise and stereoselective total synthesis of (-)-lepadiformine (3), which was accomplished in seven steps with 45% overall yield from 5 (31% yield from 7). The developed strategy based on the conjugate spirocyclization was also applied to the stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-cylindricine C (1c), which was achieved in 10 steps from 5 in 18% overall yield (12% yield from 7). Further application of this approach using 5 led to the synthesis of (-)-fasicularin (4), wherein an extremely efficient method for the introduction of the thiocyanato group via an aziridinium intermediate at the last step was developed. Thus, the highly efficient first enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-fasicularin was accomplished in nine steps with an overall yield of 41% from 5 (28% yield from 7).     

Facile Synthesis of Mutagen X (MX): 3-Chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-5H-furan-2-one

3-Chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydroxy-5H-furan-2-one (Mutagen X, MX) was synthesized in six steps from commercially-available and inexpensive starting materials (27% overall yield). This synthesis enables the preparation of MX analogs and does not require the use of chlorine gas, as do previously reported methods.     

Total synthesis of BE-43547A2

An asymmetric total synthesis of BE-43547A₂ has been achieved in 16 steps (longest linear) on a 3.2 gram scale. The details of our efforts that led to the total synthesis of BE-43547A₂ were reported, the final 6 steps were optimized, and the overall yield was improved from 4.5% to 9.7%. The procedure utilized in the final 2 steps may serve as a better method for separating unstable APD compounds.     

A Protecting-Group-Free Synthesis of (−)-Salvinorin A

A concise enantioselective total synthesis of the neoclerodane diterpene (−)-salvinorin A is reported. The stereogenic center at C-12 was installed by catalytic asymmetric propargylation with excellent enantioselectivity, and the remaining six stereogenic centers were set up highly diastereoselectively under substrate control. As for our previous synthesis of racemic salvinorin A, two intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions were applied to generate the tricyclic core. A chemoselective Mitsunobu inversion of a syn 1,2-diol allowed for further streamlining of the original reaction sequence by two steps. Overall, (−)-salvinorin A was synthesized in only 16 steps starting from 3-furaldehyde with 1.4 % total yield. Furthermore, an alternative intramolecular Diels-Alder strategy employing a 2-bromo-1,3-diene moiety was investigated.     

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).     

Biological Investigations of (+)‐Danicalipin A Enabled Through Synthesis

A total synthesis of the chlorosulfolipid (+)‐danicalipin A has been accomplished in 12 steps and 4.4 % overall yield. The efficient and scalable synthesis enabled in‐depth investigations of the lipid’s biological properties, in particular cytotoxicity towards various mammalian cell lines. Furthermore, the ability of (+)‐danicalipin A to increase the uptake of fluorophores into bacteria and mammalian cells was demonstrated, indicating it may enhance membrane permeability. By comparing (+)‐danicalipin A with racemic 1,14‐docosane disulfate, and the diol precursor of (+)‐danicalipin A, we have shown that both chlorine and sulfate functionalities are necessary for biological activity.     

Total synthesis of (-)-indolactam V

The total synthesis of protein kinase C activator (-)-indolactam V (IL-V) has been successfully completed with two separate approaches: From known 4-nitrotryptophan derivative 3 in 8 steps (49% overall yield) and from L-glutamic acid in 12 steps (18% overall yield), where 4-nitrotryptophanol derivative 4 served as a key intermediate. Derivatives 3 and 4, both incorporating indole 4-substitution and the C-9 stereocenter in IL-V, were synthesized via the Pd-catalyzed indole synthesis from 3-nitro-2-iodoaniline 5 with aldehydes 6 and 7, respectively. Aldehyde 7 was, meanwhile, synthesized from l-glutamic acid in 5 steps (68% yield). Lactamization of the 9-membered ring was achieved using HATU in THF in good yield.     

Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of fenbufen amide analogs

The previous discoveries of butyl fenbufen amide analogs with antitumor effects were further examined. The amide analogs with 1, 3, 4 and 8 carbons chains were prepared in 70-80% yield. Fenbufen had no cytotoxic effects at concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 μM. Methyl fenbufen amide had significant cytotoxic effects at a concentration of 100 μM. As the length of the alkyl amide side chain increased, the cytotoxic effects increased, and the octyl fenbufen amide had the greatest cytotoxic effect. After treatment with 30 μM octyl fenbufen amide, nearly seventy percent of the cells lost their viability. At the concentration of 10 μM, fenbufen amide analogs did not show cytotoxicity according to the MTT assay results. The NO scavenging activities of the fenbufen amide analogs were not significantly different from those of fenbufen.     

First total synthesis of rhuscholide A,glabralide B and denudalide

The first total synthesis of rhuscholide A, a benzofuran lactone possessing anti-HIV-1 activity, had been accomplished in 14 linear steps with 10.6% overall yield. In this synthesis, base-mediated phenol ortho-alkylation and piperidine promoted aldol condensation were exploited as key steps. The synthesis was flexible and allowed for the convenient preparation of two analogous natural products glabralide B and denudalide.     

Diastereoselective one-pot Wittig olefination-Michael addition and olefin cross metathesis strategy for total synthesis of cytotoxic natural product (+)-varitriol and its higher analogues

A stereoselective route for the total synthesis of anticancer marine natural product (+)-varitriol (1) is detailed herein. The impressive biological activity and interesting structural features of natural (+)-varitriol fuelled us to undertake the synthesis of some higher analogues (1a-j) of this molecule. The key features of the synthetic strategy include one-pot Wittig olefination followed by a highly diastereoselective oxa-Michael addition to assemble stereochemically pure tetrasubstituted THF moiety of the natural varitriol and olefin cross metathesis to couple the aromatic part with tetrasubstituted THF moiety. The total synthesis of title natural product is efficient with 21.8% overall yield for 9 linear steps from D-ribose and thus facilitates the more scaled-up practical route for the synthesis of 1 and its analogues as well. The synthetic (+)-varitriol (1) and its analogues were screened for their cytotoxicity. The present synthetic approach paves the way for preparation of numerous analogues of the title natural product for drug development.     

Diastereoselective construction of syn-α-oxyamines via three-component α-oxyaldehyde-dibenzylamine-alkyne coupling reaction: application in the synthesis of (+)-β-conhydrine and its analogues

A Cu(i)-catalyzed α-oxyaldehyde-dibenzylamine-alkyne coupling reaction was delineated for the construction of α-oxyamines with excellent yields and diastereoselectivity. Crystal structure analysis and theoretical calculations were also supportive of the formation of syn-α-oxyamines as the major products. Application of the methodology addresses the synthesis of (+)-β-conhydrine along with analogs having two different diversity features. A ring size variation allows construction of piperidine and pyrrolidine rings while a variation of side arm functionality is achieved by complete regioselective opening of epoxide by different organocopper ylides (Gilman reagents). A lactam-Cu(i) complexation motif is proposed which allows an intramolecular attack of ylides at the terminal epoxy carbon via the six-membered cyclic transition state. The present work features the synthesis of (+)-β-conhydrine over eight steps in 26% yield and its seven analogs in 21-28% yields.