Maleimide cycloadditions by sulfinyldienes: is the sulfur configuration the only controller of the diastereofacial selectivity?

Cyclohexylsulfinyl-3-methyl-1,3-butadienes 5, 6, and 1-[1-(cyclohexylsulfinyl)ethenyl]cyclohexene (7), easily prepared from cyclohexanethiol (1) via transient cyclohexanesulfenic acid (4), were reacted with N-phenylmaleimide under different conditions, at normal and high pressure. The stereochemical outcome of these cycloadditions contributes a better understanding of the relationships among different factors controlling facial diastereoselection.     

N-Nosyl-α-amino acids in solution phase peptide synthesis

A highly efficient and practical synthesis of peptides in solution phase has been developed. The procedure is based on the use of p-nitrobenzenesulfonyl (nosyl) group for the protection of the amino function of α-amino acids. Every step of the procedure, protection of the amino function by the nosyl group, formation of the peptide bond, and removal of the sulfonamide group, is characterized by high yields and excellent purity of the final products. The described strategy allows the preparation of short peptide sequences keeping the chiral integrity of amino acid precursors. Compatibility of nosyl group with the side-chain protecting groups used in Fmoc-based strategy is demonstrated. The method here presented is an alternative strategy that could provide advantages for future peptide synthesis.     

Synthesis of new N-aryl oxindoles as intermediates for pharmacologically active compounds

Various new N-aryl oxindoles were synthesized as intermediates for the preparation of pharmacologically active 2-(N-arylamino)-phenylacetic acids. Two novel approaches were explored for the construction of diarylamine and N-aryl oxindole core structures, in addition to Buchwald-arylamination and Smiles rearrangement. Condensation of anilines with 2-oxo-cyclohexylidene-acetic acid derivatives and subsequent dehydrogenation is a new and viable method for the preparation of N-aryl oxindoles.     

Palladium-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of (E)-β,γ-unsaturated amides

A facile Suzuki type cross-coupling reaction of alkenylborane with 2-bromo-N,N-dimethylacetamide in the presence of a catalytic amount of tricyclohexylphosphine as the ligand has been demonstrated to be a convenient way for the synthesis of (E)-β,γ-unsaturated amides.     

Chemo-, regio- and stereospecific addition of amino acids to acylacetylenes: a facile synthesis of new N-acylvinyl derivatives of amino acids

The one-pot reaction of natural amino acids (glycine, β-alanine, γ-aminobutyric and ?-aminocapronic acids, d,l-valine, d,l-leucine, anthranilic acid) with bielectrophilic acylacetylenes proceeds chemo-, regio- and stereospecifically in the presence of NaOH (45-50 °C, 4 h, EtOH-H₂O) to give (after treatment of the reaction mixture with aqueous HCl) Z-isomers of N-acylvinyl derivatives of amino acids in 87-94% yield.     

Divergent and stereoselective synthesis of dafachronic acids

A new divergent synthesis of DAF-12 ligands, namely Δ⁴- and Δ⁷-dafachronic acid, is described starting from the natural bile acid hyodeoxycholic acid. Homologation of the side chain followed by stereoselective reduction of the Δ²⁴ olefinic linkage, 6α-dehydroxylation and C₃-oxidation affords dafachronic acids in good yields and high diastereoselectivity making this approach easily accessible and scalable.     

Aziridines derived from amino acids as synthons in pseudopeptide synthesis

The reactivity of the Z-protected aziridine derived from aspartic acid has been studied with various N- and O-nucleophiles. The optimized reaction conditions allow quick and easy access to 1, 2-diamines or amino alcohols. In the case of opening with N-nucleophiles, very good regioselectivity was observed. Use of an α-amino ester as the nucleophile yielded a methyleneamino pseudodipeptide.     

Design, synthesis and utilization of a novel coupling reagent for the preparation of O-alkyl hydroxamic acids

An efficient novel reagent, phosphoric acid diethyl ester 2-phenyl-benzimidazol-1-yl ester, was designed, and synthesized and its applicability was demonstrated for the preparation of O-alkyl hydroxamic acids. The O-alkyl hydroxamic acids of N-protected amino acids were also synthesized. The enantiomeric purity of the synthesized compounds were measured using chiral HPLC and the degree of racemization was found to be negligible.     

Facile and rapid regeneration of free amino acids from N-benzyloxycarbonyl-5-oxazolidinones and from N-benzyloxycarbonylamino derivatives by treatment with BCl3 in dichloromethane

Reaction of benzyloxycarbonyl-5-oxazolidinones and of N-benzyloxycarbonylamino acids with BCl₃ in dichloromethane at room temperature affords the corresponding free amino acids.     

A convenient microwave-assisted synthesis of N-glycosyl amino acids

Optimization of coupling reactions of glycosylamines with Fmoc-protected aspartic acid, by microwave approach, is described. Different reaction conditions, quantities of substrates and solvents were tested to develop simple and reproducible methodologies. The best results were obtained using new triazine-based coupling reagents with a monomode microwave Discover® BenchMate™ instrument (CEM). The N-glycosyl amino acids were then deprotected to achieve final products for SPPS.     

Novel stereoselective synthesis of enantiopure (+)-N-Boc-norpandamarilactonine-A, the intermediate for pandamarilactonines

A novel synthesis of enantiopure N-Boc-norpandamarilactonine-A was established by employing a double ring-closing metathesis of a tetraene derivative, as a key step, where two five-membered rings were constructed in one step. N-Boc-Norpandamarilactonine-A was also converted to ent-norpandamarilactonine-A, and subsequently to pandamarilactonine-A and B.     

Utility of a chiral 1,3-dioxane template in stereoselective intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions

The ethylidene acetal of d-erythrose was used as a template for stereoselective IMDA reactions: high endo selectivity and yields in favor of the cis product were observed with 1,3,9-trienes, resulting from a boat transition state. For natural product synthesis, the reaction was successfully applied to a diene with terminal Z-olefin.     

N,N′-Diisopropyl- and N,N′-dicyclohexylthiourea cadmium(II) complexes as precursors for the synthesis of CdS nanoparticles

Crystals of the cadmium(II) complexes of N,N-diisopropylthiourea and N,N-dicyclohexylthiourea were obtained and their X-ray single crystal structures determined. These complexes are air-stable, easy to prepare and inexpensive and decompose cleanly to give good quality crystalline CdS. The nanoparticles of CdS thus obtained showed quantum confinement effects in their optical spectra, with close to band-edge emission in luminescence experiments. The broad diffraction patterns observed are typical of nanodimensional particles. The variation of concentration of precursor-to-HDA ratio change the isolated materials from spheres to rod-shaped. TEM images showed agglomerates of needle-like plate of particles.     

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.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of β-aminocyclopentene sulfonic acid via hetero Diels-Alder reaction

A new cyclopentene GABA analogue was synthesized as a conformationally rigid analogue of the epilepsy drug vigabatrin. N-Sulfinyl dienophile Diels-Alder methodology, followed by alkaline hydrolysis of the corresponding dihydrothiazine oxide, oxidation and deprotection of the amino group gave cis-4-aminocyclopent-2-ene-1-sulfonic acid. The corresponding N,N-dimethylsulfinamide was also obtained.     

Environmentally benign process for the synthesis of N-formyl amino acid esters

Several amino acid ester hydrochlorides were reacted with ammonium formate to give N-formyl amino acid esters in good yields.     

N-Cbz sulfilimines as valuable intramolecular nucleophiles for the stereoselective synthesis of (−)-deoxocassine and (+)-desoxoprosophylline

N-Cbz sulfilimine, prepared from the corresponding sulfoxide using the Burgess reagent, has been employed as an intramolecular nucleophile for the regio- and stereoselective preparation of a bromo-carbamate from an alkene. The bromo-carbamate has been utilized as an advanced common synthon for the synthesis of deoxocassine and desoxoprosophylline employing the ene and amidomercuration as key reactions.     

Efficient synthesis of purines by inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder reactions of 1-substituted-1H-imidazol-5-amines with 1,3,5-triazines

The reaction of 1,3,5-triazine and 2,4,6-tri(trifluoromethyl)-1,3,5-triazine with in situ generated 1-substituted 5-amino-1H-imidazoles led to a set of functionalized purines. The developed practical route could serve as a fundament for the preparation of related ADA inhibitors.     

An efficient synthesis of sterically hindered arylboronic acids

Boronic acids are important intermediates and molecular recognition moieties in a wide variety of applications. In our research, we have found that the synthesis of ortho-substituted arylboronic acids is problematic with the commonly used bis(pinacolato)diboron in palladium-mediated borylation reactions. As a substitute, we have found that bis(neopentyl glycolato)diboron is a much more efficient borylation agent for the synthesis of sterically hindered ortho-substituted arylboronic acids.     

Stereoselective formal synthesis of the potent proteasome inhibitor: salinosporamide A

(2R,3S)-α-Methylenelactam 3, the key intermediate in Corey’s syntheses of salinosporamide A, has been synthesized from (S)-methyl 2-hydroxymethylpyroglutamate through chemoselective O-protection, regio- and stereoselective N-methylnitrone cycloaddition and quaternarization-elimination reactions as the main steps.