Synthesis of methyl (5Z,8Z,10E,12E,14Z)-eicosapentaenoate

The first total synthesis of methyl (5Z,8Z,10E,12E,14Z)-eicosapentaenoate has been achieved in seven steps and in 16% overall yield. The synthesis confirmed the assigned structure of this polyunsaturated natural product.     

Concise total synthesis of flavone C-glycoside having potent anti-inflammatory activity

The total synthesis of anti-inflammatory active flavone C-glycoside isolated from oolong tea extract is achieved. Introducing a C-glucosyl moiety to an aryl system and constructing a fused tetracyclic ring characteristic to this natural product were conducted based on the O-to-C rearrangement of sugar moiety and the successive intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction, respectively. This concise and efficient synthetic pathway is applicable to the large-scale synthesis of target flavone and for constructing a large library of related compounds.     

Reactivity of azafulvenium methides derived from pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazole-2,2-dioxides: synthesis of functionalised pyrroles

Extrusion of sulfur dioxide from pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazole-2,2-dioxides led to the synthesis of functionalised pyrroles via the generation of 1-azafulvenium methides. Sealed tube reaction conditions allowed the synthesis of N- and C-vinylpyrroles whereas from FVP methyl 1,3-dimethyl-5-oxo-5H-pyrrolizine-2-carboxylate and 4-oxo-1,4-dihydro-1-aza-benzo[f]azulene-3-carboxylates were obtained. These last compounds could also be obtained from the FVP of the N- and C-vinylpyrroles.     

Investigation towards an efficient synthesis of benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones

As part of our research on 2-aza analogues of pentalongin, the active principle of Pentas longiflora Oliv., the first synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones via 3,4-disubstituted 6-hydroxybenzo[g]furo[4,3,2-de]isoquinoline-2,5(4H)-diones as the key intermediates is reported. The latter compounds have been prepared by treating 2-methoxycarbonyl-1,4-naphthoquinone with N-substituted enaminoesters under acidic conditions. These reagents are easily accessible from readily available 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, β-ketoesters and primary amines. Finally, a short synthesis of substituted benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones is achieved by an oxidative addition of N-substituted enaminoesters onto methyl 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylate.     

The synthesis of P-stereogenic MOP analogues and their use in rhodium catalysed asymmetric addition

The synthesis is reported of novel P-stereogenic binaphthyl substituted monophosphines via a short five-step synthesis using a nickel coupling reaction with separation of the borane-protected diastereomeric products. Extensive coordination studies of these ligands with a number of well-known metal precursors were performed to more effectively understand their behaviour during catalysis.These ligands and some previously reported P-stereogenic ligands were tested in the rhodium catalysed asymmetric addition of phenyl boronic acid to napthaldehyde. These studies in asymmetric catalysis were used to compare the chiral induction of ligands that combine both axial and central chirality with ligands lacking P-stereogenicity.     

‘O-Acyl isopeptide method’ for the efficient synthesis of difficult sequence-containing peptides: use of ‘O-acyl isodipeptide unit’

A novel ‘O-acyl isodipeptide unit’, Boc-Thr(Fmoc-Val)-OH 5 has been successfully used for the efficient synthesis of a difficult sequence-containing pentapeptide based on the ‘O-acyl isopeptide method’, in which racemization-inducible esterification could be omitted, suggesting that the use of O-acyl isodipeptide units allows the application of this method to fully automated protocols for the synthesis of long peptides or proteins.     

Novel organomagnesium reagents in synthesis. Catalytic cyclomagnesiation of allenes in the synthesis of N-, O-, and Si-substituted 1Z,5Z-dienes

An efficient method for the synthesis of valuable N-, O-, and Si-containing 1Z,5Z-diene compounds was developed. The method comprises Cp₂TiCl₂-catalyzed homo- and cross-cyclomagnesiation of 1,2-dienes by Grignard reagents (RMgR′) to give 2,5-dialkylidenemagnesacyclopentanes in up to 96% yield. This approach was successfully used in the synthesis of 5Z,9Z-dienoic acids, precursors of acetogenins and insect pheromones.     

Chemical and electrochemical procedures for the synthesis of diisopropyltetrahydroquinoxalinedione derivatives

Diisopropyltetrahydroquinoxalinedione derivatives are synthesized from the reaction of various catechols with N,N′-diisopropylethylenediamine. Both chemical and electrochemical methods give the same products. While the chemical synthesis is faster, the electrochemical synthesis provides higher yields.     

Synthesis of N-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenz[g]isoquinoline-5,10-diones

The synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenz[g]isoquinoline-5,10-dione hydrochlorides is reported starting from 1,4-dihydrobenz[g]isoquinoline-3(2H)-ones or ethyl (3-aminomethyl-1,4-dimethoxynaphth-2-yl)acetates. A third strategy relies on the synthesis of the title compounds via an N-protected 2-(3-bromomethyl-1,4-dimethoxynaphth-2-yl)ethylamine. The synthesized 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-benz[g]isoquinoline-5,10-diones are a new class of quinones, which have not been reported yet.     

PTSA catalyzed straightforward protocol for the synthesis of 2-(N-acyl)aminobenzimidazoles and 2-(N-acyl)aminobenzothiazoles in PEG

An efficient PTSA catalyzed synthesis of 2-(N-acyl)aminobenzimidazoles and 2-(N-acyl)aminobenzothiazoles has been described using S-ethylated-N-acylthioureas as substrates and polyethylene glycol as solvent.     

An efficient synthesis of furano analogs of duocarmycin C1 and C2: seco-iso-cyclopropylfurano[e]indoline-trimethoxyindole and seco-cyclopropylfurano[f]quinoline-trimethoxyindole

seco-Iso-cyclopropylfurano[e]indoline-trimethoxyindole 1 and seco-cyclopropylfurano[f]quinoline-trimethoxyindole 2 are potent cytotoxic agents. Previous synthesis of these compounds was inefficient and the approach required separation of a mixture containing the isomeric indoline and quinoline intermediates 11 and 12, formed from radical cyclization of allylic bromide 10. Reported herein is an efficient and selective synthesis of either intermediate 11 or 12, thus product 1 or 2, as needed. The conditions of the Stobbe condensation, bromination, 5-exo-trig radical cyclization, amine-carboxylic acid coupling, and debenzylation were optimized for multi gram scale. As a result, the reaction times were shortened, the products were readily isolated, and the yields and purity improved.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids via enantioselective reduction of cyclic meso-imide

Stereoselective synthesis of (3S,4S)- and (3R,4R)-series of 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids was investigated. The key reaction in this synthesis is asymmetric reduction of meso-imide derived from meso-tartaric acid. Lewis acid-promoted cyanation of the obtained optically active lactam via the acyliminium intermediate followed by standard deprotection procedure afforded the desired 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids.     

A new approach to fluorinated 4(3H)-quinazolinones

A new approach for the synthesis of fluorinated 1H-quinazolin-4-ones and 4-substituted quinazolines has been developed. 6-Fluoro-1H-quinazolin-4-ones were obtained by intramolecular cyclization of fluorine-containing S-ethyl N-benzoylisothioureas. Nucleophilic substitution reactions at positions 2 and 7, as well as alkylation at 1-position of quinazolinones were investigated. In addition, the synthesis of fluorine-containing 4-aminoquinazolines was carried out.     

Synthesis of N-linked glycan derived from Gram-negative bacterium, Campylobacter jejuni

Recent research has revealed the presence of asparagine (Asn)-linked (N-linked) glycoproteins in certain prokaryotes. In this paper, we describe the chemical synthesis of a novel N-glycan derived from Campylobacter jejuni, a heptasaccharide composed of Asn-linked bacillosamine (Bac), repeating GalNAc, and branching Glc, namely GalNAc-α(1,4)-GalNAc-α(1,4)-[Glc-β(1,3)-]GalNAc-α(1,4)-GalNAc-α(1,4)-GalNAc-α(1,3)-Bac. The synthesis started from a Bac-acceptor, which was consecutively glycosylated with 4-O-pentafluoropropionyl (PFP) protected donors to give heptasaccharide. Reduction of azide groups was followed by debenzylation to complete the synthesis of the target oligosaccharide.     

Synthesis of 5,6-dihydrophenanthridines via N,O-acetal TMS ethers

A concise and high-yielding protocol for the synthesis of 5,6-dihydrophenanthridines is disclosed. The key feature includes a sequential reduction-cyclization reaction of N-acylcarbamates via N,O-acetal TMS ethers as a stable N-acyliminium ion precursor.     

A convenient and efficient synthesis of (S)-lysine and (S)-arginine homologues via olefin cross-metathesis

A convenient five step synthesis of (S)-homolysine, incorporating a key olefin cross-metathesis step in the chain extension methodology, has been developed, together with a six step related synthesis of a new homologue of arginine, (S)-bishomoarginine.     

Solvent-free reaction between acenaphthoquinone, various benzils and ammonium acetate: synthesis of 9,10-diaryl-7H-benzo[d,e]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-7-ones

A simple synthesis of benzo[d,e]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines is described. Heating a mixture of acenaphthoquinone, a benzil, and ammonium acetate under solvent-free conditions afforded 9,10-diaryl-7H-benzo[d,e]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-7-ones in good to excellent yields.     

An efficient synthesis of semiplenamide C

Semiplenamides are anandamide-like fatty acid amide metabolites previously isolated from a marine cyanobacterium that display a range of biological activity. Novel syn-aldol/dehydration methodology has been developed for the stereoselective synthesis of the core (E)-α,β-unsaturated amide functionality of this class of natural product, and employed for the efficient synthesis of semiplenamide C.     

Synthesis of α-conhydrine

A synthesis of α-conhydrine has been achieved from trans-(2S,4R)-4-hydroxyproline via diastereoselective Grignard addition, regioselective Baeyer-Villiger reaction, and ring-closing metathesis as the key steps.     

Efficient one-pot trans-dihydroxylation of 2H-pyrans using dimethyldioxirane (DMD): synthesis of trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-O-methyloctandreolones, orixalone D, and trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin natural products

An efficient one-pot formation of trans-diols on 2H-pyranyl rings was achieved by dimethyldioxirane in wet acetone. This new methodology was applied to the synthesis of natural products containing trans-diol on the pyranyl rings such as trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-O-methyloctandreolones, orixalone D, and trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin.