(R)-2,3-Cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde, a novel template for stereoselective preparation of functionalized δ-lactones: synthesis of mosquito oviposition pheromone

(R)-2,3-Cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde 1 has been used to prepare functionalized δ-lactones. This was exemplified by a simple and efficient synthesis of the oviposition pheromone 10 of Culex pipens fatigans.     

Synthesis of γ-lactones by desymmetrization. A synthesis of (−)-muricatacin

A short synthesis of the natural potent cytotoxic agent (−)-muricatacin 1 and related unsaturated lactones from a versatile common intermediate, dienedioate 2, derived from d-mannitol or tartaric acid, is described. The strategy depends upon the desymmetrization of 7 by dihydroxylation and elaboration of the hydroxy alkyl sidechain. A route to unsaturated lactones is also described using a cis selective Wittig reaction. Since the enantiomers of 2 are available from the corresponding tartaric acids, this method provides access to both enantiomers of the described compounds and a wide range of derivatives.     

A novel stereoselective synthesis of (−)-β-conhydrine from (R)-2,3-O-cyclohexylidine glyceraldehyde

A novel stereoselective synthesis of (−)-β-conhydrine is achieved. Stereoselective Grignard reaction of (R)-2,3-O-cyclohexylidine glyceraldehyde with ethyl magnesium bromide, chelation controlled stereoselective Grignard reaction of allyl imine derivative with allyl magnesium bromide, and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of the diallyl product provides (−)-β-conhydrine in high yield.     

Application of a one-pot lipase resolution strategy for the synthesis of chiral γ- and δ-lactones

A successful one-pot reduction of γ-ketoesters, δ-ketoesters and lactones to the corresponding 1,4- and 1,5-diols followed by a lipase catalyzed kinetic resolution coupled with hydrolysis to afford optically active diols is described. The synthetic utility of this one-pot method was illustrated by the oxidation of these chiral diols to respective chiral γ-butyrolactone and δ-lactones. Lipase from Pseudomonas cepacia, immobilized on ceramic afforded the product with high enantiomeric excess in good yields under mild reaction conditions. This approach has been used to develop a convenient enantioselective route for several γ- and δ-lactones using achiral and corresponding racemic starting material.     

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.     

Reagent-controlled diastereoselective synthesis of (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-2,3-diaminobutanoic acid derivatives using proline-catalyzed α-hydrazination reaction

(2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-2,3-Diaminobutanoic acid (Dab) derivatives were efficiently synthesized from Cbz-(R)-alanine using the proline-catalyzed diastereoselective α-hydrazination reaction and the SmI₂-promoted reductive cleavage of the N-N bond as the key steps.     

Facile synthesis of (−)-tabtoxinine-β-lactam and its (3′R)-isomer

A concise and high yielding synthesis of (−)-tabtoxinine-β-lactam 1, the cause of tobacco wildfire disease, was achieved from l-serine using a zinc-mediated coupling reaction, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and lactamization of N-OBn amide as the key steps.     

Practical method for the synthesis of (R)-homopipecolinic acid and (R)-homoproline esters from ω-chloroalkanoic acids and available chiral amines

A practical synthesis of (R)-homopipecolinic acid methyl ester 1 and (R)-homoproline methyl ester 2 was performed utilizing (i) a direct intramolecular cyclization of ω-chloro-β-enamino esters 11 and 12, which were prepared from available (S)-1-phenylethylamine or (S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine and ω-chloro-β-keto esters 5 and 10, respectively and (ii) a highly diastereoselective NaBH₄ reduction followed by hydrogenolysis. The present method is a short-step process using inexpensive and readily available substrates and reagents with fewer wasted materials.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-β-hydroxyornithine

An efficient and short synthesis of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-β-hydroxyornithine 1a-b is described using Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and regioselective nucleophilic opening of a cyclic sulfite as the key steps.     

The first asymmetric total synthesis of (R)-tuberolactone, (S)-jasmine lactone and (R)-δ-decalactone

A general synthetic approach has been developed for the first asymmetric total synthesis of tuberolactone 1, jasmine lactone 2 and δ-decalactone 3. The key step is the selective hydrogenation of triple and endocyclic double bonds in the key intermediate 4.     

The resolution of trans-2,2-dichloro-3-methylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid via crystallization of its salts with (+)- and (−)-α-phenylethylamine, and the transformation of the resulting enantiomers into (R)- and (S)-dimethyl 2-methylsuccinates

The resolution of trans-2,2-dichloro-3-methylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid trans-1 was achieved by crystallization of its salts with (+)- and (−)-α-phenylethylamine. The chiral acids were converted into methyl esters 9, which upon reaction with sodium methoxide in methanol underwent a three-carbon ring cleavage, leading to the corresponding mono-orthoester derivatives 10. Acidic hydrolysis then gave the known (R)- and (S)-dimethyl 2-methylsuccinates 12.     

Enantioselective henry reactions catalyzed by chiral N-metal complexes containing R(+)/S(−)-α-ethylphenyl amines

A series of novel N-metal complexes containing chiral α-ethylphenyl amines was synthesized and they catalyzed asymmetric Henry reactions affording products with high enantioselectivity.     

Concise synthesis of enantiopure (S)- and (R)-α-trifluoromethyl aspartic acid and α-trifluoromethyl serine from chiral trifluoromethyl oxazolidines (Fox) via a Strecker-type reaction

A concise synthesis of enantiopure (S)- and (R)-α-Tfm-aspartic acid and α-Tfm-serine is reported. The key step involves a Strecker-type reaction on chiral CF₃-oxazolidines (Fox) derived from ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate (ETFAA) or ethyl trifluoropyruvate.     

Chemical and enzymatic synthesis of 2-(2-carbamoylethyl)- and 2-(2-carboxyethyl)aziridines and their conversion into δ-lactams and γ-lactones

Treatment of 1-arylmethyl-2-(2-cyanoethyl)aziridines with a nitrile hydratase afforded the corresponding 2-(2-carbamoylethyl)aziridines, which underwent rearrangement into 5-hydroxypiperidin-2-ones upon heating under microwave irradiation. In addition, treatment of 2-(2-cyanoethyl)aziridines with a nitrilase selectively afforded 5-hydroxypiperidin-2-ones in good yields. On the other hand, chemical hydrolysis of 2-(2-cyanoethyl)aziridines using KOH in EtOH/H(2)O furnished the corresponding potassium 3-(aziridin-2-yl)propanoates, which, upon acidification with acetic acid, smoothly rearranged into 4-(aminomethyl)butyrolactones.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of syn-aminoalcohols via contributing CH-π interaction: simple synthesis of (−)-bestatin

¹H NMR and X-ray crystallography studies revealed that a CH-π and chelation control in aromatic aminoaldehydes (1-6) effects a highly diastereoselective addition to afford optically active syn-aminoalcohols (1a-6a). This methodology was applied to the synthesis of (−)-bestatin.     

Improved synthesis of (R)-7-hydroxycarvone from (S)-α-pinene

A three-step synthesis of (R)-7-hydroxycarvone (1), which is anticipated to be a valuable building block for the versatile preparation of natural products, is described. Optimization of the reaction conditions for photooxygenation and migration of (S)-α-pinene 2, tetrapropylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) oxidation of the generated alcohol, and a subsequent ring-opening reaction in the presence of Cu(OTf)₂ led to the synthesis of 1 with good reproducibility. The desired product 1 was thus obtained in 46% yield over three steps.     

A practical synthesis of the PPARα agonist, (R)-K-13675, starting from (S)-2-hydroxybutyrolactone

A practical synthesis of optically pure PPARα agonist, (R)-K-13675, is described. This process is based on the use of (S)-2-hydroxybutyrolactone, which can be transformed into the requisite n-butyl (S)-2-hydroxybutanoate in an efficient manner. A key reaction is the etherification between the phenol and n-butyl (S)-2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxybutanoate to give the phenyl ether in excellent yield without loss of optical purity.     

Total synthesis of (−)-funebrine via Au-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective γ-butyrolactonization of allenylsilane

The stereoselective total synthesis of (−)-funebrine from 2-butyn-1-ol was described. The crucial steps in the synthesis involved the stereoselective enolate Claisen rearrangement of the (S)-α-acyloxy-α-alkynylsilane 8, the Au-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective lactonization of the allenylsilane 7, and the Paal-Knorr pyrrole condensation using an unsymmetrical 1,4-diketone 4b.