The first stereoselective synthesis of (+)-nuciferol and (+)-nuciferal

Using (S)-benzyl 2,3-epoxypropyl ether (1), the first stereoselective synthesis of (+)-nuciferol (14) and (+)-nuciferal (16) has been achieved. Employing the same methodology an enantioselective synthesis of (+)--curcumene (17) is also described.     

Total synthesis of (+)-boronolide, (+)-deacetylboronolide,and (+)-dideacetylboronolide

Total synthesis of (+)-boronolide, (+)-deacetylboronolide, and (+)-dideacetylboronolide has been achieved from a single intermediate 26, which was synthesized in 11 steps from a d-mannitol-derived intermediate 8 in an overall yield of 10%. The key steps in the synthesis are inversion of a chiral center by taking an advantage of the inherent mechanism involved in the ring closing to an epoxide via intramolecular S(N)2 reaction and lactonization of a diol using Fetizons reagent. The strategy is amenable to preparation of analogues of (+)-boronolide in sufficient amount for further screening of biological activity.     

Total synthesis of (+)-dactylolide

[reaction: see text] The total synthesis of the new cytotoxic marine macrolide (+)-dactylolide (1) has been achieved in nine steps from known vinyl bromide (-)-AB. In addition, (+)-zampanolide (2) has been converted to (+)-dactylolide (1) via thermolysis.     

A concise total synthesis of (+)-FR900482 and (+)-FR66979

The concise, enantioselective total synthesis of the potent antitumor antibiotics (+)-FR900482 and (+)-FR66979 are described. Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation technology has been deployed to construct the optically active aziridine-containing fragment that is joined to the aromatic moiety in a highly convergent manner. Dimethyldioxirane effects the remarkable one-step deprotection/oxidative cyclization of an eight-membered ring amino-ketone to the unique hydroxylamine hemiketal ring system that is a distinctive structural motif of FR900482. This reaction has been exploited in a concise 33-step enantioselective total synthesis of FR900482.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (+)-phosphinothricin and (+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid

Asymmetric synthesis of (+)-phosphinothricin, (+)-2-amino-4-phosphono-butyric acid, and their enantiomers has been achieved by the Michael addition of chiral glycine Schiff bases to vinyl phosphorus compounds.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide

A formal total synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide has been accomplished from d-glucose, a readily available precursor.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-lauthisan

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-lauthisan has been accomplished starting from d-glyceraldehyde acetonide by combination of diastereoselective alkylation and ring-closing metathesis. High degree of 1,3-asymmetric induction has been realized in ether system.     

Intramolecular amidomercurations under allylic control: a stereoselective synthesis of (+)-pseudohygroline and (+)-3-hydroxypyrrolizidine

The diastereoselectivity of intramolecular amidomercurations can be reversed by altering the remote allylic substituent of ω-alkenylcarbamates. This methodology has been applied to the synthesis of (+)-pseudohygroline and (+)-3-hydroxypyrrolizidine.     

A chemoenzymatic approach to (+)-pilocarpine

A short synthesis for the alkaloid (+)-pilocarpine has been developed. Key step of this synthesis is a chemoenzymatic resolution utilizing the lipase AP.     

Catalytic asymmetric formal total synthesis of (+)-dichroanone and (+)-taiwaniaquinone H

Catalytic asymmetric formal total synthesis of (+)-dichroanone and (+)-taiwaniaquinone H has been achieved. Key step involved construction of all-carbon quaternary carbon by palladium-catalyzed conjugate addition of arylboronic acid to 3-methyl cyclohexenone. Furthermore, a new approach to build [6-5-6] tricyclic backbone via formyl introduction and subsequent aldol-type condensation was also explored.     

Total synthesis of (+)-macquarimicin A

The first total synthesis of (+)-macquarimicin A (1), a novel inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase (N-SMase) with antiinflammatory activity, has been accomplished. The present work determined the absolute configuration of (+)-1 and revised the C(2)-C(3) geometry to be Z. The synthesis features a transannular Diels-Alder reaction, which constructed the tetracyclic framework stereoselectively, and a convergent and efficient synthetic pathway, which afforded (+)-macquarimicin A (1) in 27 steps (longest linear sequence) with 9.9% overall yield.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of styryl-lactones: (+)-crassalactones B and C, (+)-howiionol A, (+)-tricinnamate, (+)-goniofufurone and (+)-dicinnamoyl goniofufurone

The total synthesis of (+)-crassalactone B, (+)-crassalactone C, (+)-howiionol A, (+)-tricinnamate, (+)-goniofufurone, and (+)-dicinnamoyl goniofufurone is achieved by a ‘chiron approach’ starting from diacetone d-glucose (DAG). Mitsunobu inversion, Wittig olefination and ring closing metatheses were used as key steps for (+)-howiionol A and (+)-tricinnamate. Meldrum’s acid was used for the synthesis of (+)-crassalactone C, (+)-goniofufurone, and (+)-dicinnamoyl goniofufurone. Yamaguchi esterification was used for (+)-crassalactone B, while a Grignard reaction followed by concomitant deallylation was first reported in the synthesis of (+)-dicinnamoyl goniofufurone.     

Total Synthesis of (+)‐Pleuromutilin

The first enantiospecific total synthesis of the antibacterial natural product (+)‐pleuromutilin has been achieved. The approach includes the synthesis of a non‐racemic cyclisation substrate from (+)‐trans‐dihydrocarvone, a highly selective SmI₂‐mediated cyclisation cascade, an electron transfer reduction of a hindered ester, and the first efficient conversion of (+)‐mutilin to the target.     

A short enantioselective synthesis of (+)-eleutherin, (+)-allo-eleutherin and a formal synthesis of (+)-nocardione B

A short enantioselective synthesis of (+)-eleutherin, (+)-allo-eleutherin and the formal synthesis of (+)-nocardione B is described. The synthesis is completed in six steps in overall yields of 8% for eleutherin and 14% for allo-eleutherin. The synthetic strategy features an efficient combination of the Dötz annulation reaction with a chiral alkyne and an oxa-Pictet Spengler reaction as the keys steps in the stereodivergent synthesis of (+)-eleutherin and (+)-allo-eleutherin. The synthesis of (S)-(+)-2-(2′-hydroxypropyl)-5-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone entails the formal synthesis of (+)-nocardione B.     

Gram-scale synthesis of (+)-discodermolide

[formula: see text] A triply convergent, highly efficient second-generation synthesis of the potent antimitotic agent (+)-discodermolide (1) has been achieved on a 1-g scale.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-secosyrin 1

A Chiron approach for the synthesis of (+)-secosyrin 1 from d-mannitol has been described. The key steps are a stereoselective Wittig reaction and an intramolecular Michael addition on the disubstituted butenolide, leading to a highly stereoselective formation of the tertiary chiral centre of (+)-secosyrin 1.     

Total synthesis of (+)-thiazinotrienomycin E

[formula: see text] The first total synthesis of (+)-thiazinotrienomycin E (1), member of a novel class of cytotoxic ansamycin antibiotics, has been achieved. The synthesis features a highly efficient construction of the aromatic fragment 3 incorporating TBS protection of the aniline, a significantly improved synthesis of (-)-19, an intermediate employed in our trienomycins A and F total syntheses, application of the Kocienski modified Julia protocol to elaborate the E,E,E-triene subunit, an efficient union of 3 and (+)-4, and Mukaiyama macrolactamization to access the thiazinotrienomycin macrolide.     

A practical total synthesis of (+)-isogalbulin and (+)-galbulin

A practical total synthesis of the natural products (+)-isogalbulin and (+)-galbulin has been achieved in 10 steps from readily available 3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propanoic acid. The total yields were 12.3% and 12.9%, respectively. The key steps involved Evans asymmetric alkylation, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, and a highly regioselective opening of 1-benzyloxy-2,3-epoxides with an organoaluminum ate-complex formed by Me₃Al and n-BuLi.     

A short synthesis of (+)-cyclophellitol

[reaction: see text] A new synthesis of (+)-cyclophellitol, a potent beta-glucosidase inhibitor, has been completed in nine steps from D-xylose. The key transformations involve a zinc-mediated fragmentation of benzyl-protected methyl 5-deoxy-5-iodo-xylofuranoside followed by a highly diastereoselective indium-mediated coupling with ethyl 4-bromocrotonate. Subsequent ring-closing olefin metathesis, ester reduction, olefin epoxidation, and deprotection then afford the natural product. This constitutes the shortest synthesis of (+)-cyclophellitol reported to date.     

A Convenient Synthesis of (R)-(+)-Perillaldehyde

A short and efficient synthesis of the commercially unavailable (R)-(+) isomer of perillaldehyde from (+)-limonene oxide has been developed.