Allylation and highly diastereoselective syn or anti crotylation of N-toluenesulfonylimines using potassium allyl- and crotyltrifluoroborates

Air and moisture stable potassium allyl- and crotyltrifluoroborates undergo addition to N-sulfonyl and N-sulfinyl aldimines in the presence of Lewis acids, to provide the corresponding homoallylic amines in high yields and excellent diastereoselectivity.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of homologous bicyclic lactams--potential building blocks for peptide mimics

Bicyclic lactams serve as building blocks for the synthesis of conformationally restricted peptides. A route to these building blocks is described. They can serve as cis- and trans-peptide bond surrogates. Due to the de novo synthesis, both enantiomeric forms of these products can be produced. Key steps are a lipase-catalyzed saponification of oximes and a highly diastereoselective cyclization utilizing phenylselenyl bromide. In addition, attachment to a solid support has been achieved.     

From p-benzoquinone to useful chiral cyclohexane building blocks

A straightforward and efficient access to 12 new cyclohexane chirons from an easily available enantiopure monoketal of p-benzoquinone is described. These chirons possess a variety of functional groups which render them useful for further synthetic elaboration.     

Diastereoselective construction of chiral building blocks for the synthesis of indole alkaloids using an intramolecular Heck reaction

Highly diastereoselective construction of the chiral building blocks, with an allylic quaternary carbon stereogenic center, for the synthesis of indole alkaloids has been accomplished by employing a 1,4-chirality transfer via the intramolecular Heck reaction.     

A mild protocol for allylation and highly diastereoselective syn or anti crotylation of aldehydes in biphasic and aqueous media utilizing potassium allyl- and crotyltrifluoroborates

[formula: see text] Potassium allyl- and crotyltrifluoroborates undergo addition to aldehydes in biphasic media as well as water to provide the corresponding homoallylic alcohols in high yields (> or = 94%), excellent diastereoselectivity (dr > or = 98:2), and without the necessity of any subsequent purification. The presence of a phase transfer catalyst (e.g., nBu4NI) significantly accelerates the rate of reaction, whereas added fluoride ion retards the reaction.     

Diastereoselective allylation and crotylation of N-unsubstituted imines derived from ketones

A wide variety of tertiary carbinamines are synthesized in high yields via diastereoselective allylation and crotylation of in situ generated N-unsubstituted ketimines.     

Synthesis of new ribosylated Asn building blocks as useful tools for glycopeptide and glycoprotein synthesis

We performed the first synthesis of new Asn derivatives bearing α- or β-ribose as pure anomers, linked by an N-glycosidic bond, on the side chain of the Asn residue orthogonally protected for Fmoc/^tBu SPPS, by an efficient five-step strategy with a global yield of 73% starting from d-ribose. These building blocks are obtained in a large scale and can be useful tools for glycopeptide and glycoproteins synthesis.     

New oxazole-based peptidomimetics: useful building blocks for the synthesis of orthogonally protected macrocyclic scaffolds

[structure: see text] The synthesis of a new family of densely functionalized oxazole-containing amino acids is described. These building blocks were employed for preparing macrocycles containing Lys and Glu residues by a combination of solid- and solution-phase synthesis. The resulting structures are presented as orthogonally protected scaffolds for supramolecular chemistry.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of α,α′-disubstituted β-ketophosphonates derivatives as building blocks for automated syntheses

A convenient and efficient synthesis of α,α′-disubstituted β-ketophosphonic derivatives in good to excellent de’s and yields has been achieved by α-acylation followed by diastereoselective α-alkylation of chiral 5-membered cyclic phosphonamidates.     

Rational synthesis of meso-substituted chlorin building blocks

Chlorins provide the basis for plant photosynthesis, but synthetic model systems have generally employed porphyrins as surrogates due to the unavailability of suitable chlorin building blocks. We have adapted a route pioneered by Battersby to gain access to chlorins that bear two meso substituents, a geminal dimethyl group to lock in the chlorin hydrogenation level, and no flanking meso and beta substituents. The synthesis involves convergent joining of an Eastern half and a Western half. A 3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrodipyrrin (Western half) was synthesized in four steps from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde. A bromodipyrromethane carbinol (Eastern half) was prepared by sequential acylation and bromination of a 5-substituted dipyrromethane followed by reduction. Chlorin formation is achieved by a two-flask process of acid-catalyzed condensation followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization. The latter reaction has heretofore been performed with copper templates. Investigation of conditions for this multistep process led to copper-free conditions (zinc acetate, AgIO(3), and piperidine in toluene at 80 degrees C for 2 h). The zinc chlorin was obtained in yields of approximately 10% and could be easily demetalated to give the corresponding free base chlorin. The synthetic process is compatible with a range of meso substituents (p-tolyl, mesityl, pentafluorophenyl, 4-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]phenyl, 4-iodophenyl). Altogether four free base and four zinc chlorins have been prepared. The chlorins exhibit typical absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence quantum yields. The ease of synthetic access, presence of appropriate substituents, and characteristic spectral features make these types of chlorins well suited for incorporation in synthetic model systems.     

Rational synthesis of beta-substituted chlorin building blocks

Chlorins bearing synthetic handles at specific sites about the perimeter of the macrocycle constitute valuable building blocks. We previously developed methodology for preparing meso-substituted chlorin building blocks and now present methodology for preparing several complementary beta-substituted chlorin building blocks. The chlorins bear one or two beta substituents, one meso substituent, a geminal dimethyl group to lock in the chlorin hydrogenation level, and no flanking meso and beta substituents. The synthesis involves convergent joining of an Eastern half and a Western half. New routes have been developed to two beta-substituted bromo-dipyrromethane monocarbinols (Eastern halves). A new beta-substituted Western half was prepared following the method for preparing an unsubstituted Western half (3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrodipyrrin). Chlorin formation is achieved by a two-flask process of acid-catalyzed condensation followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization. beta-Substituted chlorins have been prepared in 18-24% yield bearing a 4-iodophenyl group at the 8-position, a 4-iodophenyl group or a 4-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]phenyl group at the 12-position, and a 4-iodophenyl group and a 4-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]phenyl group at diametrically opposed beta-positions (2, 12). The latter building block makes possible the stepwise construction of linear multi-chlorin architectures. The chlorins exhibit typical absorption and fluorescence spectra. A systematic shift in the absorption maximum (637-655 nm for the free base chlorins, 606-628 nm for the zinc chlorins) and intensity of the chlorin Q(y)() band (epsilon up to 79 000 M(-)(1) cm(-)(1)) is observed depending on the location of the substituents. The characteristic spectral features and location of substituents in defined positions make these chlorins well suited for a variety of applications in biomimetic and materials chemistry.     

Synthesis of useful building blocks for monofluorinated compounds derived from trifluoroethene

A synthetic approach to monofluorinated compounds starts from the Friedel-Crafts acylhalogenation of trifluoroethene to give chlorotrifluoroketones and thence trifluorovinyl ketones. These are converted to phenylthio-adducts and thence monofluorinated α, β-unsaturated phenylthioesters, which by reduction afford β-fluoroallylic alcohols.     

Fast identification by FAB-mass spectrometry of building blocks for oligonucleotide synthesis

Negative ion FAB-MS is recommended for the rapid routine identification of monomeric as well as oligomeric building blocks used in the phosphotriester synthesis of DNA fragments.     

Convenient synthesis and isolation of trifluoromethylthio-substituted building blocks

Various aryl-, heteroaryl-, and alkyl mercaptanes (RSH, 1a–r) were treated with a slight excess of NaH suspended in DMF to make the appropriate sodium thiolates (RSNa), which then reacted with 1.3 equivalent of CF₃I at room temperature for overnight to afford the appropriate trifluoromethyl sulfides (CF₃SR, 2) in fair to good yields. The radical chain alkylation reaction was effective without the use of UV irradiation with all but three substrates (thiosalicylic acid, 1k; 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 1q; and 3-mercaptopropionic acid, 1r).Steam-distillation was found as an effective and easy to upscale means for the isolation of these volatile and water immiscible sulfides. The CF₃I reagent gas was conveniently weighed and delivered to the reaction mixture by the balloon technique or as a preliminary made stock solution in DMF or DMSO. The sulfides 2 obtained here were assayed by GC and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹F NMR and MS spectroscopy.     

Solid-phase synthesis of new S-glycoamino acid building blocks

Efficient synthesis of unprotected S-glycoamino acid building blocks in the solid phase by coupling a sugar 1-thiolate with iodine activated fluoren-9-ylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) protected amino acids.     

Simple preparations of 4 and 5-iodinated pyrazoles as useful building blocks

The pyrazole nucleus has recently become a recurrent scaffold in the research fields of CropScience and oncology. We report here the preparation of an array of 4- and 5-iodinated pyrazole derivatives, such as 4-iodo-3-trifluoromethylpyrazole or ethyl 5-iodo-4-carboxy-3-trifluoromethylpyrazoles. This work provide access to many new pyrazole derivative, including 11 original out of 16 iodinated building blocks, thus opening accesses to new chemical entities featuring a pyrazole nucleus.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of 5-(trialkylsilyl)cyclohex-2-enones and the transformation into useful building blocks

A simple organocatalytic approach to highly attractive chiral building blocks is presented. By the reaction of beta-ketoesters with alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes using a chiral TMS-protected prolinol as the catalyst, optically active 5-(trialkylsilyl)cyclohex-2-enones are formed in good yields and with 98-99% ee. The applications of 5-(trialkylsilyl)cyclohex-2-enones for the formation of 5-(hydroxy)cyclohex-2-enones and the A-ring of 19- nor-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 are also presented.     

Asymmetric synthesis of alkaloids using polyfunctionalized chiral building blocks

Enantiopure N‐sulfinyl‐δ‐amino‐β‐ketoesters and isoquinolones, prepared from sulfinimines (N‐sulfinyl imines) are a new class of polyfunctionalized chiral building blocks. These building blocks provide easy access to enantiomerically pure, functionalized piperidines and tetrahydroisoquinolines with a minimum of chemical manipulation and protecting‐group chemistry. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 13:486–492, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10090