A stannylene strategy for regioselective acylation and phosphorylation of 1,2-cyclohexylidene-myo-inositol. Its convenient resolution and phosphatidylinositol synthesis

The bis(dibutylstannylene) derivative of 1,2-cyclohexylidene-myo-inositol reacted with (S)-O-acetylmandeloyl chloride and diphosphate tetraesters to give 3,6-dimandelate and 3-phosphate, respectively. Using the stannylene methodology for the optical resolution and regioselective phosphorylation of the ketal, a concise synthesis of phosphatidylinositol with the natural configuration was accomplished.     

A concise synthesis of (±)-pseudodeflectusin, an antitumor isochroman derivative isolated from Aspergillus sp.

A novel and concise synthesis of (±)-pseudodeflectusin (1), an antitumor isochroman derivative isolated from the culture broth of Aspergillus pseudodeflectus, was accomplished by starting from 4-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-1-pentyne (3) and diethyl 3-oxopentanedicarboxylate (5).     

Pd/C mediated synthesis of 2-substituted benzo[b]furans/nitrobenzo[b]furans in water

An efficient synthesis of 2-alkyl/aryl substituted benzo[b]furans/nitrobenzo[b]furans in water has been accomplished via Pd/C catalyzed reaction of o-iodophenols with terminal alkynes in the presence of PPh₃, CuI and prolinol. This method can tolerate a variety of functional groups present in the alkynes as well as base labile nitro group in the o-iodophenols. The protocol does not require the use of a phase transfer catalyst or water-soluble phosphine ligands and is free from the use of any organic co-solvent.     

A new synthesis of cyclic α-amino acid derivatives by the intramolecular reaction of magnesium carbenoid with N-magnesio arylamine as the key reaction

A new synthesis of pipecolic acid and homopipecolic acid derivative was accomplished from 1-chloroalkyl p-tolyl sulfoxides having a 2-aminophenyl group at the ω-position by treatment with i-PrMgCl via the intramolecular reaction of magnesium carbenoid with N-magnesio arylamine. In a similar way, proline and pipecolic acid derivatives were synthesized from 1-chloroalkyl p-tolyl sulfoxides having an arylamino group at the ω-position.     

Me3SiCl-promoted intramolecular cyclization of aromatic compounds tethered with N,O-acetals leading to the facile preparation of 1,4-benzodiazepine skeletons

The Me₃SiCl-promoted intramolecular aminomethylation of a novel type of N,O-acetals, which were prepared via a facile three-step synthesis from N-alkylaniline derivatives and N-alkyl-2-oxazolidinones that leads to the production of pharmaceutically useful 1,4-benzodiazepine skeletons with a variety of functional groups is described. This method was successfully applied to the facile preparation of both tricyclic benzodiazepine derivatives and a 1,4-benzoxazepine derivative via 7-exo-trig cyclization.     

Further studies on enantioselective synthesis of (+)-anatoxin-a using enyne metathesis: unexpected inversion of chirality via a skeletal rearrangement of 9-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nonene derivative

The formal total synthesis of (+)-anatoxin-a was accomplished using enyne metathesis as a key step. It is very interesting that (+)-anatoxin-a was synthesized from (S)-pyroglutamic acid via an unusual inversion of chirality, which is rationalized in terms of a skeletal rearrangement of 9-azabicyclo[4.2.1]nonene derivative at the stage of oxymercuration of the diene.     

Total synthesis of (−)-centrolobine

Stereoselective synthesis of (−)-centrolobine, an anti-Leishmania agent, was accomplished via an intramolecular Barbier-type reaction of iodo-ester with n- or t-butyllithium followed by Lewis acid-promoted Et₃SiH reduction of the resulting hemiacetal.     

Synthesis of corynantheidine alkaloids—III : The stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-dihydrocorynantheine

Starting from the normal cyano-acetate derivative 3b, obtained from the allo stereoisomer 3a via an unusual epimerization,¹ the stereoselective totalsynthesis of (±)-dihydrocorynantheine (1a) was accomplished.     

Computer-assisted design and lactonization of model seco-acid derivatives of lankanolide

In some cases, seco-acid derivatives (a precursor of macrolactone) did not cyclize to form the corresponding macrolactone. To design easily cyclizable seco-acid derivatives of lanaknolide, the conformation of several model seco-acids was calculated, and lactonization experiments of the seco-acids prepared from oleandomycin were carried out to elucidate the efficiency of the cyclization of the model seco-acid. The easily cyclable seco-acid was designed to be C8 exomethylene derivative of lankanolide seco-acid. On the other hand, seco-acid derivative having tertiary alcohol at C8 was predicted not to cyclize to form macrolactone.     

Revised structure of zamamistatin

The structure of zamamistatin, a novel bromotyrosine derivative from the Okinawan sponge Pseudoceratina sp. was revised by comparison of the ¹³C NMR data of zamamistatin with those of synthetic model compounds.     

Synthesis of 4-aza analog of ramelteon: a novel tricyclic 1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-cyclopenta[d]furo[2,3-b]pyridine derivative as melatonin receptor ligand

The 4-aza analog of ramelteon (−)-1, a novel tricyclic 1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-cyclopenta[d]furo[2,3-b]pyridine derivative, was synthesized via the intramolecular inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction followed by fluoride-induced desilylation-cyclization.     

Synthetic studies on basidifferquinones: the first synthesis of (±)-basidifferquinone C

Basidifferquinones, isolated from Streptomyces sp., are potent inducers for fruiting-body formation of a basidiomycete Polyporus arcularius. Construction of the basic framework of basidifferquinones and the first synthesis of (±)-basidifferquinone C were accomplished by starting from 3,5-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid.     

Synthesis,resolution and absolute configuration of 4-amino-3-phenylpiperidine

Racemic cis-4-amino-1-benzyl-3-phenylpiperidine was prepared by reductive amination of the respective 4-piperidone via its oxime. The resolution of the racemate was accomplished by crystallization as the mandelate. The enantiomeric purity of this material was checked by NMR after derivatization to the corresponding camphorsulfonamide to be 97% ee. The absolute configuration of one enantiomer was confirmed by X-ray single crystal diffraction of the para-bromobenzenesulfonamide derivative.     

Synthesis of 1,2-dihydro-4H-3,1-benzoxazine derivatives via ZnCl2 catalyzed cyclocondensation reaction

A short and facile synthesis of a series of 1,2-dihydro-4H-3,1-benzoxazine derivatives was accomplished in moderate to good yields via the novel cyclocondensation of substituted o-aminobenzonitrile with aldehydes or ketones catalyzed by ZnCl₂.     

Practical syntheses of optically active carbagalactose and their potential application to the carbocyclic analogues of KRN7000

Carba-α- and β-d-galactose derivatives were efficiently prepared from a cyclohex-3-ene-1,2-diol derivative 1. Regioselective inversion of 2-OH, and stereoselective dihydroxylation of 1 were accomplished to provide a carba-β-d-galactose derivative 6 in a good yield and with a high stereoselectivity. Stereo-inversion of 1-OH of 6 via oxidation/reduction gave carba-α-d-galactose derivative 12 with a high stereoselectivity. An efficient coupling of carba-α-galactose 12 with an aziridine derivative of sphingosine has been demonstrated to give 1-O-carba-α-galactosyl sphingosine derivative 14.     

Synthesis of new benzo[b]thieno fused ring systems via transition metal-mediated cyclisations

The compact synthesis of a new ring fused benzo[b]thieno derivative with an embedded nine-membered ring system via ring closing metathesis methodology is described. The preparation of the novel 11H-benzo[b]thieno[2,3-c]pyrrolo[2,3-a]indol-11-one via palladium-mediated oxidative cyclisation of benzo[b]thien-2-oyl indole derivatives is also reported.     

Diastereoselective total synthesis of (+)-morusimic acid B, an amino acid from Morus alba

An efficient, flexible and diastereoselective synthesis of the naturally occurring pyrrolidine amino acid, (+)-morusimic acid B, has been accomplished. Starting from chiral, optically active (+)-(3S)-hydroxy butyric acid methyl ester the key steps of our synthesis are diastereoselective α-alkylation of its dianion to introduce the main part of the side chain, Curtius rearrangement of the hydrazide derivative to a 2-oxazolidinone followed by N→π-cyclization with mercury(II) acetate to generate the cis-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidine ring. The remote C-3 stereocentre is established after chain elongation with the dianion of methyl acetoacetate and asymmetric hydrogenation of the resulting β-oxoester with Noyori's Ru(II)-(R)-BINAP catalyst.     

Novel stereocontrolled approach to conformationally constrained analogues of l-glutamic acid and l-proline via stereoselective cyclopropanation of 3,4-didehydro-l-pyroglutamic ABO ester

A new stereocontrolled approach to l-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycines (l-CCGs) and 3,4-methano-l-prolines, conformationally constrained analogues of l-glutamic acid and l-proline, respectively, was developed using a 3,4-didehydro-l-pyroglutamate derivative as a common chiral template. The unsaturated l-pyroglutamate derivative employed in this work is a novel chiral synthon in which the carboxyl functionality is protected as a 2,7,8-trioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl group (ABO ester). Stereospecific cyclopropanation of the olefin using diazomethane followed by appropriate functional group interconversion gave l-CCG-III and trans-3,4-methano-l-proline with complete stereocontrol. Synthesis of other diastereomers of l-CCG and cis-3,4-methano-l-proline was accomplished by alteration of the 3,4-methanoglutamic acid framework via carboxycyclopropanation of the olefin with sulfur ylide and subsequent Barton decarboxylation reaction of the original γ-carboxyl group included in the pyroglutamate skeleton.     

Total syntheses of chaetocin and ent-chaetocin

The first total synthesis of chaetocin (1), a potent histone methyltransferase inhibitor, is described in detail. Key reactions were radical bromination for α-oxidation of the diketopiperazine ring, and reductive radical coupling for construction of the dimeric core structure. Stereoselective construction of the disulfide bridges was achieved via substitution reaction with H₂S. The total synthesis of 1 was accomplished in nine steps starting from known d-amino acid derivatives. Total synthesis of non-natural ent-chaetocin (ent-1) was also achieved via the established synthetic route, starting from l-amino acid derivatives.     

First synthesis of 2′-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexyl nucleosides with a north conformation

The first synthesis of 2′-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexyl nucleosides, a novel class of bicyclonucleosides, with a north conformation was successfully accomplished starting from (S)-epichlorohydrin via a tandem alkylation-lactonization, a less steric hindrance-dependent silylation in equilibrium and a coupling reaction with nucleobases under Vorbruggen conditions. Addition of acetic acid prevented a benzoyl group from migrating during desilylation with TBAF. ¹H NMR and X-ray crystallographic analysis indicated that the anomeric effect worked on the β-2′-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexyl nucleosides.