Electrochemical synthesis and chemistry of chiral 1-cyanotetrahydroisoquinolines. An approach to the asymmetric syntheses of the alkaloid (-)-crispine a and its natural (+)-antipode

The stereoselective convergent total syntheses of both enantiomers of the tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) alkaloid crispine A are described. The THIQ precursors (-)-6 (90:10 dr) and (-)-11 (85:15 dr) were prepared from the alkylation-reduction sequence of a common α-amino nitrile (+)-4 derivative that has been conveniently prepared by anodic cyanation. Elaboration of the pyrrolidine ring of the title compound was cleanly achieved by two efficient ring closures methods involving (a) the displacement of a halogen atom and (b) the formation of a cyclic iminium cation to afford (-)-crispine A in 90% and 85% yields, respectively. A crystallization of enantioenriched (-)-crispine A (90:10 er) with 1 equiv of (-)-DBTA afforded the tartrate salt (-)-14 (≥98:2 dr) in 81% yield. The absolute S configuration of (-)-crispine A was simply deduced from examination of the X-ray data of tartrate salt (-)-14. Likewise, the natural (+)-crispine A was prepared in seven workup steps in an overall 30% yield, and reciprocal crystallization with (+)-DBTA afforded the enantiomeric tartrate salt (+)-14 in a ≥98:2 dr. Both enantiomers of crispine A were liberated from their respective DBTA salts in ≥98:2 er's which were determined by proton and carbon NMR spectroscopy, utilizing (R)-(+)-tert-butylphenylphosphinothioic acid (+)-15 as chiral solvating agent.     

Total synthesis of (S)-(+)-imperanene. Effective use of regio- and enantioselective intramolecular carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions catalyzed by chiral dirhodium(II) carboxamidates

The total synthesis of (S)-(+)-imperanene, a natural product found in Chinese medicine, has been completed in 12 steps from a commercially available cinnamic acid. The key step is highly enantioselective carbon-hydrogen insertion from a diazoacetate using a chiral dirhodium(II) carboxamidate catalyst. An elimination process essential to the construction has been optimized to avoid intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation.     

Concise total synthesis of (+)-crocacin C

The cytotoxic natural product (+)-crocacin C ( 1) has been synthesized in 10 linear steps from commercially available Evans' chiral propionimide in 5% overall yield (8 steps from Evans' chiral dipropionate synthon). No protecting groups were utilized.     

A concise approach for the total synthesis of pseudolaric acid A

A new strategy for the stereoselective total synthesis of natural product pseudolaric acid A (1) was accomplished in 16 steps from commercially available starting material, featuring a samarium diiodide (SmI(2))-mediated intramolecular alkene-ketyl radical cyclization and a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction to stereoselectively cast the unusual trans-fused [5-7]-bicyclic core of pseudolaric acid A (1).     

Total synthesis of (+)-achalensolide based on the rh(i)-catalyzed allenic Pauson-Khand-type reaction

The first total synthesis of (+)-achalensolide was achieved from a commercially available d-(-)-isoascorbic acid. The known epoxide, derived from d-(-)-isoascorbic acid, was converted into the allenyne, the Rh(I)-catalyzed Pauson-Khand-type reaction of which directly provided the bicyclo[5.3.0]decane system, a core framework of the title natural product. The construction of the gamma-lactone moiety and some chemical modifications resulted in the completion of the total synthesis of (+)-achalensolide.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (+)-gossonorol and related systems using organozinc reagents

The sesquiterpene (+)-gossonorol is prepared in only three synthetic steps in 60% overall yield and 82% ee from commercially available reagents. The key asymmetric step is the catalytic enantioselective addition of dimethylzinc to 5-methyl-1-(2-methylphenyl)hex-4-en-1-one catalyzed by chiral isoborneolsulfonamide ligands in the presence of titanium tetraisopropoxide. The modular approach allows the synthesis not only of the aforementioned natural product but also other products arising from the corresponding processes of ethylation, phenylation, and ethynylation, just by changing the final nucleophilic reagent and using the same isoborneol type ligand.     

A straightforward synthesis of (-)-phaseolinic acid

A concise approach to (-)-phaseolinic acid starting from commercially available (S)-oct-1-yn-3-ol is disclosed. The key steps are a ring-closing metathesis reaction to prepare a C(2)-symmetrical allylic diol and its desymmetrization to a gamma-butyrolactone by using an Ireland-Claisen rearrangement. The 2S,3S,4S configuration of the levogyre natural product has been confirmed.     

First total synthesis of (+)-varitriol

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol, an antitumor natural product, has been achieved for the first time from commercially available methyl alpha,D-mannopyranoside and 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid.     

Catalytic enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-dumetorine by ring-rearrangement metathesis

A concise, enantioselective synthesis of (+)-dumetorine is described, giving the natural product in six steps and a 27% overall yield from a readily available precursor. Among the key steps used, the synthesis entails a high-yielding ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM), using the commercially available first generation Grubbs catalyst 2 in combination with Ti(Oi-Pr)₄ as a co-catalyst. This constitutes the first enantioselective total synthesis of the alkaloid from a known chiral intermediate, and hence a confirmation of its absolute stereochemistry.     

Total synthesis of (+)-frondosin A. Application of the Ru-catalyzed [5+2] cycloaddition

The first total synthesis of (+)-frondosin A was accomplished in 19 longest linear and 21 total steps from commercially available materials. The key features of the synthesis include a Ru-catalyzed [5+2] cycloaddition, a Claisen rearrangement, and a ring expansion to construct the core of the frondosin A in a diastereoselective and regioselective fashion. This is the first application of a Ru-catalyzed [5+2] cycloaddition in the total synthesis of a natural product. Through this synthesis, the absolute configuration of (+)-frondosin A was established.     

Total synthesis of the photoprotecting dipyrrolobenzoquinone (+)-terreusinone

The first synthesis of (+)-terreusinone 1, a dipyrrolobenzoquinone with a potent UV-A protecting capability, is described. Key transformations include a one-pot Larock indolization-Sonogashira coupling reaction and the hydroamination of an unsubstituted ortho-alkynylaniline catalyzed by a cationic gold(I) complex. The synthesis proceeds in eight steps from commercially available starting materials, confirming the structure and absolute configuration of the natural product.     

Asymmetric synthesis of four diastereomers of 3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethylheptanoic acid: proof of configurational assignment

Four unique diastereomers of 3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethylheptanoic acid--(2R,3R,4R), (2S,3R,4R), (2S,3R,4S), and (2R,3R,4S)--the fatty acid component of callipeltin A and D, have been synthesized from commercially available (+)- and (-)-pseudoephedrine propionamide in 6 steps and 59% average overall yield. Comparison of the 1H and 13C NMR and optical rotation data of the resulting isomers with the natural fragment unambiguously verifies the configurational assignment of the natural isomer as (2R,3R,4R).     

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol, an antitumor natural product, was accomplished by two versatile strategies starting from the commercially available d-(−)-ribose and ethyl (S)-lactate. The key steps involved in the synthesis of the target molecule are epoxidation, cyclization, dihydroxylation and Diels-Alder reaction.     

A concise enantioselective synthesis of the fungal metabolite (+)-decarestrictine L

A stereoselective 10-step synthesis of the fungal metabolite (+)-decarestrictine L from commercially available ethyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate is described in which tandem oxonium ylide formation and rearrangement is used to construct the tetrahydropyranyl core of the natural product.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-swainsonine

A concise asymmetric synthesis of (+)-swainsonine (ent-1) is described starting from 2, which was readily prepared from commercially available l-glutamic acid. The method features installation of the indolizidine ring via an intramolecular cyclisation of α-sulfinyl carbanion as a key step. (+)-Swainsonine was obtained in 11.8% overall yield in 10 steps.     

Selective synthesis of epolactaene featuring efficient construction of methyl (Z)-2-iodo-2-butenoate and (2R,3S,4S)-2-trimethylsilyl-2,3-epoxy-4-methyl- gamma-butyrolactone

[reaction: see text] (+)-Epolactaene was synthesized in 14 steps in the longest linear sequence. The synthesis is highlighted by a highly efficient preparation of the lactone intermediate 4, which only requires three steps from the commercially available (S)-3-butyn-2-ol. It also features a fully stereocontrolled synthesis of the intermediate 9, which was constructed through the use of Zr-catalyzed methylalumination of alkynes and a series of Pd-catalyzed organozinc cross-coupling reactions, such as homopropargylation, direct ethynylation, and alkenylation of the methyl ester of (Z)-alpha-iodocrotonic acid (3).     

A six-step synthetic approach to marine natural product (+)-aureol

A concise synthetic approach to the marine natural product (+)-aureol has been achieved from readily available starting materials using obviously fewer steps in comparison to the related report in literature (6 steps versus 12 steps from (+)-sclareolide). Key steps of this protocol include a boron trifluoride-catalyzed domino 1,2-H and 1,2-methyl shifts and a nickel(II)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between an alkyl iodide and an aryl Grignard reagent.     

Synthesis of amorpha-4,11-diene from dihydroartemisinic acid

Amorphadiene is a natural product involved in the biosynthesis of the antimalarial drug artemisinin. A convenient four-step synthesis of amorphadiene, starting from commercially available dihydroartemisinic acid, is reported. The targeted molecule is isolated with an overall yield of 85% on a multi-gram scale in four steps with only one chromatography.     

Relative and Absolute Configuration of Allohedycaryol. Enantiospecific Total Synthesis of Its Enantiomer

The enantiomer of (+)-allohedycaryol, a germacrane alcohol isolated from giant fennel (Ferula communis L.), has been synthesized, thereby elucidating the relative and absolute stereochemistry of the natural product. The synthesis of (-)-allohedycaryol started from (+)-alpha-cyperone (5) which was available in relatively large quantities via alkylation of imine 7 derived from (+)-dihydrocarvone and (R)-(+)-1-phenylethylamine. In a number of steps 5 was converted into the mesylate 4with a regio- and stereoselective epoxidation as the key step. A Marshall fragmentation of 4 was used to prepare the trans,trans-cyclodeca-1,6-diene ring present in allohedycaryol. The conformation of synthetic (-)-allohedycaryol was elucidated via photochemical conversion into a bourbonane system. The synthesis of (-)-allohedycaryol also showed that natural (+)-allohedycaryol has the opposite absolute stereochemistry to that normally found in higher plants.     

Synthesis of C-17-functionalized spongiane diterpenes: diastereoselective synthesis of (-)-spongian-16-oxo-17-al, (-)-acetyldendrillol-1, and (-)-aplyroseol-14

The diastereoselective synthesis of spongiane diterpenes (-)-spongian-16-oxo-17-al 2, (-)-acetyldendrillol-1 15, and (-)-aplyroseol-14 16 has been completed efficiently via the common intermediate 14. Compound 14 was prepared in five synthetic steps from (+)-podocarp-8(14)-en-13-one 13, easily available from commercial (-)-abietic acid. The key steps in the syntheses were a regioselective reduction of a 1,4-dialdehyde unit, a one-pot acetalization-acetylation, and a translactonization. The synthesis of 15 and 16 has led us to a revision of the configuration at C-17 for natural (-)-acetyldendrillol-1 and a structural reassignment for aplyroseol-14. Thus, aplyroseol-14 16 presents an unprecedented delta-lactone-based structure for spongiane-type diterpenoids. A theoretical study including a series of ab initio calculations for the mechanism involved in the conversion of ester 22 into natural product 2 has also been carried out.