A Stereoselective Synthesis of (±)-cis-γ-Irone

(±)-cis-γ-Irone( 1 ), a main constitutent of natural iris oil, has been stereoselectively synthesized from methyl (2E)-3 -[(2,2,4-trimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl)methoxy]-2-propenoate (3) (6 steps, overall yield 14%). The cis-configuration as the exocyclic position of the double bond of 1 were secured by the thermal ene reaction of the β-(alkenyloxy)acrylate 3 yielding the 3-oxabicyclo [3,3,1] nonane derivative 5 .     

Synthesis of(+)-(2S, 6S)-trans-α-Irone and of(-)-(2S, 6S)-trans-γ-Irone

A 3:1 mixture of (+)-(2S, 6S)-trans-α-irone ((+)-1) and (?)-(2S, 6S)-trans-γ-irone (?)-2) has been synthesized with ca. 70% e. e. by the ene reaction of (?)-(S)-3 and but-3-yn-2-one.     

An Alternative Access to (±)-α-Irones and (±)-β-Irone via Acid-Mediated Cyclisation

Acid-mediated cyclisation of trienone 8 , readily available from 2,3-dimethylbutanal ( 1 ; five steps: 47% yield), using fluorosulfonic acid (6.8 mol-equiv.) in 2-nitropropane at ?70°, afforded a 14:9:1 mixture (70% yield) of (±)-cis-α-irone ( 9 ), (±)-trans-α-irone ( 10 ), and (±)-β-irone ( 11 ). Other acidic conditions examined, using 95% aq. H₂SO₄ solution, 85% aq. H₃PO₄ solution, or SnCl₄, gave inferior results.     

Syntheses of (+)- and (–)-Methyl 8-Epinonactate and (+)- and (–)-Methyl Nonactate

In four synthetic steps, (+)- and (–)-methyl 8-epinonactate ((+)- and (–)− 4 ) have been derived from (+)- and (–)-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one ((+)- and (–)− 9 ), respectively. The (+)- and (–)-methyl nonactate ((+)- and (–)− 3 ) were obtained from (+)- and (–)− 4 , respectively, by Mitsunobu displacement reactions. Optical resolution of (±)− 9 via chromatographic separation of the corresponding N-methyl-S-alkyl-S-phenylsulfoximides 24 and 25 yielded the starting materials (+)- and (–)− 9 , respectively.     

Syntheses of (±)-17α- and (±)-17β-hydroxytacamonine; determination of configuration at C-17

Both (±)-17α-hydroxytacamonine (3) and its 17β-isomer (4) were synthesized in two steps (one-pot) from aldehyde mixture 5/6 via the cyanohydrin reaction. NMR spectral characterization of isomer 3 revealed it to be unidentical with natural 17-hydroxytacamonine, whereas spectral data of isomer 4 were in agreement with those published for the natural isomer. The configuration at C-17 was confirmed by NOE difference spectroscopy.     

Preparation and Absolute Configuration of (−)-(E)-α-trans-Bergamotenone

The synthesis, absolute configuration, and olfactive evaluation of (?)-(E)-α-trans-bergamotenone (= (?)-(1′S,6′R,E)-5-(2′,6′-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2′-en-6′-yl)pent-3-en-2-one; (?)- 1 ), as well as its homologue (?)- 19 are reperted. The previously arbitrarily attributed absolute configuration of 1 and of (?)-α-trans-bergamotene (= (?)-(1 S,6R)-2,6-dimethyl-6-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)bicyclo[3.1. 1]hept-2-ene; (?)- 2 ), together with those of the structurally related aldehydes (?)- 3a,b and alcohols (?)- 4a,b , have been rigorously assigned.     

Enzyme‐Mediated Preparation of (+)‐ and (−)‐β‐Irone and (+)‐ and (−)‐cis‐γ‐Irone from Irone alpha®

The (−)‐ and (+)‐β‐irones ((−)‐ and (+)‐ 2 , resp.), contaminated with ca. 7 – 9% of the (+)‐ and (−)‐trans‐α‐isomer, respectively, were obtained from racemic α‐irone via the 2,6‐trans‐epoxide (±)‐ 4 (Scheme 2). Relevant steps in the sequence were the LiAlH₄ reduction of the latter, to provide the diastereoisomeric‐4,5‐dihydro‐5‐hydroxy‐trans‐α‐irols (±)‐ 6 and (±)‐ 7 , resolved into the enantiomers by lipase‐PS‐mediated acetylation with vinyl acetate. The enantiomerically pure allylic acetate esters (+)‐ and (−)‐ 8 and (+)‐ and (−)‐ 9 , upon treatment with POCl₃/pyridine, were converted to the β‐irol acetate derivatives (+)‐ and (−)‐ 10 , and (+)‐ and (−)‐ 11 , respectively, eventually providing the desired ketones (+)‐ and (−)‐ 2 by base hydrolysis and MnO₂ oxidation. The 2,6‐cis‐epoxide (±)‐ 5 provided the 4,5‐dihydro‐4‐hydroxy‐cis‐α‐irols (±)‐ 13 and (±)‐ 14 in a 3 : 1 mixture with the isomeric 5‐hydroxy derivatives (±)‐ 15 and (±)‐ 16 on hydride treatment (Scheme 1). The POCl₃/pyridine treatment of the enantiomerically pure allylic acetate esters, obtained by enzymic resolution of (±)‐ 13 and (±)‐ 14 , provided enantiomerically pure cis‐α‐irol acetate esters, from which ketones (+)‐ and (−)‐ 22 were prepared (Scheme 4). The same materials were obtained from the (9S) alcohols (+)‐ 13 and (−)‐ 14 , treated first with MnO₂, then with POCl₃/pyridine (Scheme 4). Conversely, the dehydration with POCl₃/pyridine of the enantiomerically pure 2,6‐cis‐5‐hydroxy derivatives obtained from (±)‐ 15 and (±)‐ 16 gave rise to a mixture in which the γ‐irol acetates 25a and 25b and 26a and 26b prevailed over the α‐ and β‐isomers (Scheme 5). The (+)‐ and (−)‐cis‐γ‐irones ((+)‐ and (−)‐ 3 , resp.) were obtained from the latter mixture by a sequence involving as the key step the photochemical isomerization of the α‐double bond to the γ‐double bond. External panel olfactory evaluation assigned to (+)‐β‐irone ((+)‐ 2 ) and to (−)‐cis‐γ‐irone ((−)‐ 3 ) the strongest character and the possibility to be used as dry‐down note.     

(–)‐α‐Isosparteine copper(II) diazide

In the title complex, [Cu(N₃)₂(C₁₅H₂₆N₂)], the Cu atom is surrounded by the two N atoms of the chelating (?)‐α‐isosparteine ligand and another two N atoms from the two azide anions, forming a distorted CuN₄ tetrahedron. The two azide anions are terminally bound to the Cu^II atom, and the dihedral angle between the N_sparteine—Cu—N_sparteine and N_azide—Cu—N_azide planes is 50.0 (2)°.     

A Convergent Synthesis of (±)-α- and β-Himachalenes

(±)-α and β-Himachalene, 5 and 6 , have been synthesized in a convergent manner from 3,3-dimethylacrolein ( 9 ), the ester enolate 10 and the silyloxypentadienyllithium 7 . The key steps are the regioselective γ-addition of the dienal 13 to 7 and the intramolecular Diels-Alder addition 15 → 16 . Hydrogenolysis of the diethylphosphate group and functionalization at C (5) completed the synthesis of 5 and 6 .     

Novel synthesis of (−)-trans-Δ9,11-tetrahydrocannabinol

Addition of hydrogen chloride gas to a solution of Δ⁸-tetrahydrocannabinol in dry dichloromethane at -60° in the presence of zinc chloride results in the formation of a higher concentration of 9-α-chlorohexa-hydrocannabinol (75%) than the thermodynamically more stable 9-β-chlorohexahydrocannabinol (25%). The two isomers can be separated by reverse-phase hplc. Elimination of hydrogen chloride from 9-α-chlorohexa-hydrocannabinol using potassium t-amylate under anhydrous conditions gives exclusively Δ^9,11-tetrahydrocannabinol in overall yield of 65%.     

Synthesis and Olfactory Evaluation of (+)‐ and (−)‐γ‐Ionone

The synthesis of enantiomerically pure (+)‐ and (−)‐γ‐ionone 3 is reported. The first step in the synthesis is the diastereoisomeric enrichment of 4‐nitrobenzoate derivatives of racemic γ‐ionol 12 . The enantioselective lipase‐mediated kinetic acetylation of γ‐ionol 13b afforded the acetate 14 and the alcohol 15 , which are suitable precursors of the desired products (−)‐ and (+)‐ 3 , respectively. The olfactory evaluation of the γ‐ionone isomers shows a great difference between the two enantiomers both in fragrance response and in detection threshold. The selective reduction of (−)‐ 3 and (+)‐ 3 to the γ‐dihydroionones (−)‐(R)‐ 16 and (+)‐(S)‐ 17 , respectively, allowed us to assign unambiguously the absolute configuration of the γ‐ionones.