An efficient and highly stereoselective approach to trans-2,5-disubstituted-tetrahydrofuran and trans-2,6-disubstituted-tetrahydropyran derivatives

Bis-epoxides were converted into trans-2,5-disubstituted-tetrahydrofuran and trans-2,6-disubstituted-tetrahydropyran derivatives using a kinetic resolution followed by cyclization, in an efficient and highly enantio- and diastereoselective manner.     

Total syntheses of the sesquiterpenoids (+)-trans-dracunculifoliol and (+)-4-hydroxyoppositan-7-one

Sesquiterpenoids (+)-trans-dracuncuflifoliol (1) and (+)-4-hydroxyoppositan-7-one (2) were prepared stereoselectively from enantiomerically pure (7aR)-7a-methyl-1,2,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4H-inden-4-one ((−)-6), whose synthesis was described herein. Conjugate addition of the organocopper (I) reagent 10 to (−)-6, followed by epimerization of the ring junction, generated 3 of the 4 contiguous chiral centers of both natural products.     

A facile approach to trans-4,5-pyrrolidine lactam and application in the synthesis of nemonapride and streptopyrrolidine

An efficient approach to trans-4-hydroxylpyrrolidine lactams 1 starting from amino acid is described. The utility of this method has been demonstrated in the synthesis of antipsychotic nemonapride 3 and antiangiogenic streptopyrrolidine 4. Compared four synthetic stereoisomers of natural streptopyrrolidine 4 in term of spectroscopic and physical data, the absolute structure of the natural product was proposed as (4S,5S)-configuration.     

Asymmetric synthetic approach to a functionalized azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane moiety of (+)-sarain A

This paper describes our efforts toward the asymmetric synthesis of sarain A which led to efficient preparation of a functionalized azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane moiety. The key to the synthesis relied on a base-catalyzed asymmetric Diels-Alder cycloaddition to establish multiple stereocenters of a highly substituted cyclohexenone unit and a facile intramolecular aza-Michael addition to form the desired bicyclic system.     

Divergent syntheses of L-733, 060 and CP-122721 from functionalized pieridinones made by one-pot tandem cyclization

An efficient diastereoselective approach to access trans-5-hydroxy-6-substituted 2-piperidinones skeleton has been developed through one-pot intramolecular tandem process of O-benzyl protected aldimine 11 with Grignard reagents. The diastereoselectivity of substitution at C-6 position of 2-piperidinone was controlled by α-benzyloxy group. In addition, the utility of this straightforward cascade process is demonstrated by the asymmetric syntheses of (+)-L-733, 060 (2) and its 2-substituted analogue 3, as well as (+)-CP-122721 (5).     

Asymmetric total syntheses of (+)-goniopypyrone and (+)-9-deoxygoniopypyrone

Asymmetric total syntheses of (+)-goniopypyrone (1) and (+)-deoxygoniopypyrone (2) from methyl cinnamate (7) via (DHQ)2-PHAL-OsO4 catalyzed asymmetric dihydroxylation and highly stereoselective 2-furylcopper addition in eight steps and eleven steps with overall yield of 20% and 13%,respectively,are described.     

Expeditious synthesis of 2,3-dihydro-2-alkoxy-3-methylenebenzofurans from N-benzofuran-3-ylmethyl N,N,N-trialkylammonium bromides: a new approach to access the natural product, 2-hydroxy-3-methylene-6-methyl-2, 3-dihydrobenzofuran

A highly efficient strategy was developed to construct a natural product-based library of 2-alkoxy-3-methylene-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans from N-benzofuran-3-ylmethyl N,N,N-trialkylammonium bromides.     

Kinetically distinct triplets in the photorearrangement of 2-phenylcyclohexanone to cis- and trans-6-phenyl-5-hexenals

A reinvestigation of the photochemistry of 2-phenylcyclohexanone reveals that the two aldehyde products, cis- and trans-6-phenyl-5-hexanal, come from triplets of different lifetimes. That the two distinct triplets are not simply the two conformers with phenyl axial and equatorial is demonstrated by the similar behavior of cis-4-t-butyl-2-phenylcyclohexanone. The trans isomer of this ketone is photostable. It is concluded that trans-enal arises by an almost concerted out-of-plane cleavage which forms a 1,6-biradical in the perfect geometry for disproportionation to trans-enal.The precursor to cis-enal may be a minor rotamer of 1 which is forced by nonbonded interactions into a cleavage mode which twists the biradical into a geometry suitable for at least partial formation of cis-enal. In both cases biradicals must be very short-lived and not rotationally equilibrated.     

Diastereoselective syntheses of 2-amino propargyl alcohols. Chiral building blocks for enantiopure amino γ-lactones and 5-hydroxy-piperidinone derivatives

α-Dibenzylamino aldehydes, derived from the corresponding natural α-amino acids, react with metal acetylides to yield anti-amino propargyl alcohols in good yield and diastereomeric excess. syn Amino alcohols are prepared from the anti diastereoisomers and all of them are elaborated in few steps to enantiopure amino lactones and hydroxy-piperidin-2-ones.     

A simple route to the syntheses of both enantiomers of trans-oak lactone and (+)-cis-oak lactone

Stereocontrolled syntheses of both enantiomers of trans-oak lactone and (+)-cis-oak lactone have been achieved from a common precursor.     

Facile stereoselective synthesis of cis- and trans-3-alkoxyazetidin-2-ones

A highly stereoselective synthesis of cis- and trans-3-alkoxy-3-phenyl/benzylthioazetidin-2-ones is described. The reaction of α-chlorosulfide-β-lactams with various alcohols catalyzed by a Lewis acid such as ZnCl₂ in the presence of molecular sieves (3-4 Å) leads to cis-3-alkoxy-3-phenyl/benzylthio-β-lactams whereas treatment of potassium 2-alkoxy-2-phenylthioethanoate with appropriate Schiff's base using POCl₃ in the presence of triethylamine leads to the formation of trans-3-alkoxy-3-phenylthioazetidin-2-ones as major products.     

Practical synthesis of four different pseudoenantiomeric organocatalysts with both cis- and trans-substituted 1,2-cis-cyclohexanediamine structures from a common intermediate

A new and convenient approach has been deviced for the practical synthesis of structurally robust, four different pseudoenantiomeric amino Tf-amido organocatalysts with the unique cis- and trans-substituted 1,2-cis-cyclohexanediamine structures. These pseudoenantiomeric organocatalysts are easily prepared by the Diels-Alder strategy of 2-phenyl-1,3-butadiene and maleic anhydride, and their chemical behavior was investigated by their application to asymmetric aldol synthesis for the practical synthesis of both enantiomeric aldols.     

Regioselective cleavage of cis- and trans-2-methyl-3,4-epoxy alcohols with diethylpropynyl aluminum

The regioselectivity of the reaction of diethylpropynyl aluminum with diastereomeric 2-methyl-3,4-epoxy alcohols was studied. The preferred side of attack (1,3-diol vs 1,4-diol product) depends on the stereochemical disposition of the substituents. NMR studies showed that the regiochemistry of this reaction is governed by the aluminum coordination pattern. Protection of the alcohol with MEM provides the 1,3-diol product in systems where the free alcohol produced the 1,4-diols.     

Total synthesis of (+)-eupomatilone 2 via asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement of highly oxygenated biphenylmethyl ethers

We have achieved the total synthesis of (±)- and (+)-eupomatilone 2 isolated from the Australian shrub Eupomatia bennettii. The key reaction was an asymmetric [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement employing a bis(oxazoline) chiral ligand. Although the highly oxygenated biphenylmethyl ether exhibited considerably lowered enantioselectivity as compared with the non-substituted biphenylmethyl ether, the selectivity was improved to 89% ee by using n-BuLi and ether as the base and the co-solvent, respectively.     

Total syntheses of cyclitol based natural products from myo-inositol: brahol and pinpollitol

Inositol and their derivatives are important class of biologically active natural products. Among the nine theoretically possible inositols, six are known to occur in nature. Interestingly one or more methyl ethers of these inositols have been isolated from plants and these methyl inositols are presumed to have important functions in plant biology. Brahol and pinpollitol are two naturally occurring methylated inositols reported to have allo-inositol and chiro-inositol configurations, respectively. Adopting our sulfonate inversion strategies for synthesizing protected chiro- and allo-inositols from cheaply available myo-inositol in combination with new methods we have achieved the total syntheses of these methylated inositols. The proposed structure of brahol has been synthesized in six steps from myo-inositol. We have not only disproved the proposed structure of brahol but also established its correct structure. Also, we have efficiently synthesized pinpollitol and its positional isomer from myo-inositol. These works involve several selective protection-deprotection strategies of inositol hydroxyl groups.     

Asymmetric synthesis using catalysts containing multiple stereogenic centres and a trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane core; reversal of predominant enantioselectivity upon N-alkylation

N-Methylation of ligands containing a trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane core and multiple stereogenic centres is shown to provide the product of the opposite configuration in significant enantiomeric excess, in the addition of diethylzinc to aldehydes. Some of the ligands were effective in an asymmetric Michael addition.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (−)-cytoxazone and (+)-epi-cytoxazone

Optically pure (−)-cytoxazone was synthesized, starting from methyl p-methoxycinnamate, in six steps and in 31% overall yield. The required anti-aminoalcohol configuration was established by combining Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation with the configurational inversion of the intermediate amidoalcohol via an oxazoline. The synthesis of (+)-epi-cytoxazone is also described.     

Assembly of the 6/3/5/6 tetracyclic core of rearranged-type C19-diterpenoid alkaloids

A synthetic study toward the structurally complex rearranged-type C₁₉-diterpenoid alkaloids leading to construction of the strained 6/3/5/6 tetracyclic core is presented. The synthesis features an intramolecular Diels–Alder cycloaddition reaction to assemble the highly substituted central cyclopropane motif, which may serve as a key strategy for the total synthesis of relevant natural product molecules.     

Formal syntheses of (−)- and (+)-aphanorphine from (2S,4R)-4-hydroxyproline

We describe the efficient formal syntheses of both natural (−)-aphanorphine and unnatural (+)-aphanorphine from the same commercially available amino acid, (2S,4R)-4-hydroxyproline. The tricyclic framework was constructed by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction. (1R,4S)-1-Methyl-8-methoxy-3-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,4-methano-3-benzazepine (8) was synthesized in six steps from sulfonamide 3; (−)-aphanorphine methyl ether 24 was obtained in seven steps from lactone 10. Intramolecular etherification of 18 proceeded with excellent stereoselectivity in the presence of BF₃·OEt₂, which has paved an efficient synthetic route to a series of medicinally attractive heterocycles.     

Concise syntheses of (+)-austrodoral and (+)-austrodoric acid Based on H2O2 mediated oxidative ring contraction

Asymmetric synthesis of the marine nor-sesquiterpenoid (+)-austrodoric acid and (+)-austrodoral in seven and nine steps respectively from Wieland-Miescher ketone was described herein. The synthesis featured an oxidative ring contraction of α-formyl cyclic ketone mediated by H₂O₂ to forge the hydrindane scaffold together with the contiguous quaternary carbon centers simultaneously.