Synthesis of 2S-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3R-hydroxy-4S-(thymin-1-yl or adenin-9-yl)-tetrahydrofuran

Two synthetic strategies were developed to obtain isonucleosides 2a and 2b. Starting from the known compound 4, an extension of one carbon unit at sugar 6-terminal was achieved by Wittig reaction and Stannyl-desulfonylation reaction. After oxidation of the double bond, the isonucleosides with elongated side chain 2a and 2b were synthesized. For the synthesis of isonucleosides containing different bases, an epoxide intermediate approach was developed. Isonucleosides 2a and 2b were synthesized by regioselective epoxide opening reaction of 18 in good yield.     

Synthesis of α-S-galactosylceramides with a truncated sphingoid chain

We present here a convenient synthesis of the truncated sphingoid iodide 15 from d-galactose, in which Mitsunobu reaction was utilized to retrieve successfully an unwanted intermediate, thereby increasing greatly the synthetic efficiency. Subsequent reaction of 15 with the pre-prepared α-galactosyl thiol 16 led smoothly to the desired thioglycoside 17 in good yield, from which the catabolically stable thioglycoside analogs of OCH 4 and 22 were synthesized.     

Design and synthesis of 3,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-oxadiazole containing retinoids from a retinoic acid receptor agonist

We previously synthesized novel retinoid libraries, and after screening for bioactivity found one compound BT10 that functions as a specific agonist for retinoic acid receptors. This lead compound was further derivatized using SAR and LRD to obtain 3,5-disubstituted-1,2,4-oxadiazole-containing retinoids. The new oxadiazole (amide bioisosters)-containing retinoids (compounds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) were synthesized in 42-65% yield by reacting with (E)-4-((3-ethyl,2-4,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-enylidene)methyl)benzoic acid and phenyl substituted amidoxime in DMF using CDI as the coupling reagent. The biological activities of the synthesized compounds are currently being evaluated.     

General and efficient synthetic approach to novel tricyclic spiroketones

A general and efficient synthetic approach to tricyclic spiroketones of interest as useful scaffolds in drug discovery was developed. Starting from commercially available benzyl 4-oxo-1-piperidinecarboxylate (5), spirocyclic tetralone 4, spirocyclic indanone 14, and spirocyclic benzocycloheptanone 15 were synthesized via six reaction steps in excellent overall yield.     

Design and synthesis of (E)-4-((3-ethyl-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-enylidene)methyl)benzoic acid

(E)-4-((3-Ethyl-2,4,4-trimethylcyclohex-2-enylidene)methyl)benzoic acid, 6, was synthesized in 87% starting from β-cyclocitral. The target compound 6 was synthesized starting from 1 via a Grignard reaction to form alcohol 2. Compound 2 was converted to Wittig salt 3 by treatment with aldehyde 4 in butyllithium and hexane at −78 °C to form ester 5. Ester 5 was saponified and, following acidification, acid 6 was isolated as white solid yield 87%.     

Cyclopalladation of enantiopure oxazolines having the prochiral CMe2 moiety at position 2 of the heterocycle

(R)-4-Ethyl-2-(1,1-dimethylpropyl)-2-oxazoline (1) and (S)-4-tert-butyl-2-(1,1-dimethylbutyl)-2-oxazoline (2) were synthesized in two steps from the corresponding enantiopure amino alcohols and acid chlorides in a total yield of 95% and 72%, respectively. (S)-2-(1-Adamantyl-1-methylethyl)-4-isobutyl-2-oxazoline (3) was obtained from adamantyl bromide and l-leucinol in five steps in a total yield of 82%. Reactions of oxazolines 1–3 with Pd(OAc)₂ in AcOH or CH₂Cl₂ followed by treatment with LiCl afforded the corresponding μ-Cl dimeric cyclopalladated complexes 15, 17, and 20 in good yield. Compounds 15, 17, and 20 reacted with PPh₃ to furnish the corresponding mononuclear complexes 16, 19, and 21. The ³¹P NMR spectra of trans(N,P) adducts 16, 19, and 21 contained signals of two diastereomers in a ratio of ca. 1.3:1.     

A convenient synthesis of 1′-H-spiro-(indoline-3,4′-piperidine) and its derivatives

A simple synthetic route has been developed to prepare 1′-H-spiro(indoline-3,4′-piperidine) (1d). Dialkylation of 2-fluorophenylacetonitrile with N-(tert-butyloxycarbonyl)-bis(2-chloroethyl)amine (5) gave 6. Deprotection of Boc followed by cyclization resulted 1d in 67% overall yield. Selective Boc or Cbz protection of 1′-N gave 1a or 1b with 90 and 85% yield, respectively. Thus, in a five-step procedure, 1a and 1b were synthesized from commercially available reagents in over 50% overall yield. All 3 compounds (1a, 1b and 1d) can be utilized as templates to synthesize compounds for GPCR targets.     

Modular synthesis of ruthenium tripodal system with variable anchoring groups positions for semiconductor sensitization

We describe an improved synthetic approach to access tripodal compounds with variable footprints and anchor groups. Two ruthenium(II) bipyridine tripodal complexes with three carboxylic acid groups in meta (Ru-m-COOH, 1) and para (Ru-p-COOH, 2) positions, and with large (180-250 Å²) footprints were synthesized and bound to the surface of nanostructured TiO₂. Selected properties of 1 and 2 in solution and bound are reported.     

Synthetic study of kosinostatin aglycone: synthesis of BCDE rings using alkoxycarbonylmethylation of diazonaphthoquinone

A synthetic study of kosinostatin aglycone is reported. Synthesis of key intermediate lactone 3, which corresponds to the BCDE ring fragment, was accomplished, and the precursor BCD ring fragment 5 was synthesized via two routes. First, 5 was synthesized from 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde 16 by the combination of typical known transformations including efficient application of non-aqueous OsO₄ oxidation in the presence of PhB(OH)₂. However the synthesis required 15 long steps, and its main difficulty was ortho-alkoxycarbonylmethylation of 1-naphthol. Next we attempted to apply our recently developed alkoxycarbonylmethylation of diazonaphthoquinone for the synthesis of 5, and 5 was successfully synthesized in 9 steps from the same starting compound 16. Finally, 5 was stereoselectively converted to lactone 3 via trifluoroacetic acid-mediated cyclization of the 3,4-epoxycylohexanecarboxylic acid derivative.     

Efficient synthesis of morolic acid and related triterpenes starting from betulin

Morolic acid (1) is a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpene whose derivatives exhibit promising anti-HIV and other biological activities. An efficient synthesis of 1 has been accomplished in 11 steps with a total yield of 24% starting from betulin. Some related natural triterpenes including moradiol (4), acridocarpusic acid D (5), acridocarpusic acid E (6), and moronic aldehyde (7) have also been synthesized. Biological assay results showed that 1, 5, and 6 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against glycogen phosphorylase.     

Novel electrosynthesis of a condensed thioheterocyclic system containing a 1,2,4-triazole ring

An efficient and convenient electrosynthesis of thioheterocyclic compounds 6a-d is described via a one-pot, two-component condensation of triazoles (1a,b) or triazine (1c) with acetylenedicarboxylic acid esters (2a,b).     

Enantiocontrolled synthesis of the epoxycyclohexenone moieties of scyphostatin, a potent and specific inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase

The epoxycyclohexenone moieties 2 and 3b of scyphostatin (1), a potent and specific inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase, were synthesized in enantiomerically pure forms starting from (−)-quinic acid (11). The synthetic method features (i) the preparation of the olefin masked enones 25 and 29, the precursors for the key aldol-type coupling reaction, (ii) the efficient and stereocontrolled aldol-type coupling reactions between 25 (or 29) and benzaldehyde (8) and Garner's aldehyde analogue 9 to deliver alcohols 23 and 24, respectively, both of which possess the requisite asymmetric quaternary carbon center at the C6 position, and (iii) the stereospecific S_N2-type epoxide ring formation of the mesylates 35 and 47 under mild basic conditions to produce the targeted compounds 2 and 3b, respectively.     

Studies on the α-acetylation of δ-valerolactone and ε-caprolactone

The synthetic approach to α-acetylated δ-valero- (7a) and ε-caprolactone (7b) is reported. While 7a was isolated in 21% yield from the respective iodoester 5a by an alkylation sequence involving transesterification and Finkelstein reaction, 7b was not obtained from 5b but the dimer 8. Also transesterification and olefin ring closing metathesis (RCM) failed to prepare 7b. RCM resulted in the dimeric lactone 10, showing that the formation of 14-membered rings is favored over that of seven-membered rings. A Mukaiyama-type Claisen reaction finally gave α-acetyl lactones 7a and 7b in practically useful quantity of about 10 g (62% yield): starting lactones 13a,b were converted to silylenolethers 14a,b, which were acetylated with acetic anhydride in presence of the Lewis acid catalyst TiCl₄. However, acetylation depends on the addition sequence of starting materials: if the mixture of Ac₂O/TiCl₄ is added to 14b, lactone 7b can be further converted to give bis-oxepanonyl ethanols 15a,b. Both compounds 15 were characterized by X-ray crystallography and NMR.     

Oxidative synthesis of azacyclic derivatives through the nitrenium ion: application of a hypervalent iodine species electrochemically generated from iodobenzene

Oxidation of the methoxyamide derivatives 1, 4, and 7 has been examined to elaborate efficient synthetic methodology of the azacyclic derivatives 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8, which would be applicable as synthetic intermediates of complicated bioactive substances. In addition to direct anodic and PIFA [phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate)] oxidations, an active species derived from iodobenzene generated under electrolytic conditions was examined as an oxidant, and its synthetic efficacy was demonstrated in comparison of the reaction outcomes with other oxidation methods. In the oxidation, the methoxy substitution of substrates modulated the cyclization mode to provide the azaspiro- (2, 8) or quinolinone-type (3, 5, 6) products.     

Captodative olefins: methyl 2-aryloxy-3-dimethyl-aminopropenoates and their application in a new synthesis of benzofurans

The β-substituted captodative olefins methyl 2-aryloxy-3-dimethylaminopropenoates 4a-h were synthesized, via aminomethylenation of the corresponding 2-phenoxyacetic esters 9a-h. Lewis acid promoted intramolecular cyclization of alkenes 4 led to benzofurans 7a-h, in an efficient synthetic approach to the benzofuran frame.     

Synthesis of nicotinonitrile derivatives as a new class of NLO materials

4,6-Diaryl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-nicotinonitriles 2a-k and 3-amino-2,4-dicyano-5-aryl-biphenyls 3a-c were synthesized from 1,3-diaryl-prop-2-en-1-ones 1a-k and malononitrile by a convenient one-pot method. Likewise, the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with malononitrile afforded 6-amino-4-aryl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-pyridine-3,5-dicarbonitriles 6a-f. The reaction of mesityl oxide with malononitrile gave 5-amino-7-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-2,4,4-trimethyl-1,4-dihydro-1,6-naphthyridine-8-carbonitrile 8. The NLO studies of the pyridinedinitrile derivatives 6a, b, f showed a high value while that of nicotinonitrile 2b was weak.     

Incorporation of siloxanes in hydrolytically degradable structures: I. Poly(anhydride)s synthesis

New poly(anhydride)s containing amino acids and siloxane segments have been synthesized. The synthetic method involves the polycondensation in solution of the organic diacids (N-trimellitylimidoglycine, 1a, N-trimellitylimido-γ-aminobutiric acid, 1b, and N-trimellitylimido-ε-aminocapronic acid, 1c) obtained from the proper amino acids with a siloxane diacid (1,3-bis(3-carboxypropyl)tetramethyldisiloxane, 2a, α,ω-bis(3-carboxypropyl)oligodimethylsiloxane, 2b, or 1,3-bis(sebacomethyl)tetramethyl-disiloxane, 2c). The acetylation method was used for the activation of the two types of diacids (organic and siloxanic). Optimization of synthesis parameters was made.The structures and morphology of partial and final products were determined by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Inherent viscosities were determined and some preliminary solubility and hydrolytic stability tests were also performed.     

Synthesis of the fungal natural product (−)-xylariamide A

The first synthesis of the fungal natural product (−)-xylariamide A 1 is reported. N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide induced coupling of d-tyrosine with (E)-but-2-enedioic acid 2,5-dioxo-pyrrolidin-1-yl ester methyl ester 5 produced the dechloro natural product 6, which was subsequently monochlorinated using oxone and KCl to yield synthetic 1. (−)-Xylariamide A 1, (+)-xylariamide A 2 and (−)-dechloroxylariamide A 6 displayed no cytotoxic or antimicrobial activity.     

Synthesis of leucine-enkephalin analogs containing α-amino squaric acid

Novel Leu-enkephalin analogs 10a-c in which the Tyr¹, Gly², or Gly³ residue of Leu-enkephalin 9 was replaced with α-amino squaric acid analog Sq-Tyr 8b or Sq-Gly 8a were synthesized starting from 14 or 18. Conformational analysis of 10a-c together with its model compound 26 and their opioid receptor binding activity were evaluated.     

Design of a stabilized short helical peptide and its application to catalytic enantioselective epoxidation of (E)-chalcone

Stabilized short helical heptapeptides containing a combination of an α-aminoisobutyric acid as a helical promoter and l/d-serine derivatives to produce cross-linked units were synthesized. The cyclic peptide R₃,₇R-2, which had d-serine derivatives at its 3rd and 7th positions, formed a stable right-handed (P) α-helix in solution and the crystalline state. Furthermore, its N-terminal free helical peptide catalyzed the enantioselective epoxidation of (E)-chalcone to afford the epoxide in a high yield and moderate enantioselectivity.