Synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-α,β-difluorourocanic acid

Horner-Emmons fluoroolefination of an aryl aldehyde followed by introduction of a second fluorine via “FBr” addition provides an original approach to the preparation of 1-alkyl-2-aryl-1,2-difluoroethenes. The utility of this procedure is demonstrated by the preparation of (E and Z)-α,β-difluorourocanic acid.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-β-hydroxyornithine

An efficient and short synthesis of (2R,3R)- and (2S,3S)-β-hydroxyornithine 1a-b is described using Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and regioselective nucleophilic opening of a cyclic sulfite as the key steps.     

The first asymmetric total synthesis of (R)-tuberolactone, (S)-jasmine lactone and (R)-δ-decalactone

A general synthetic approach has been developed for the first asymmetric total synthesis of tuberolactone 1, jasmine lactone 2 and δ-decalactone 3. The key step is the selective hydrogenation of triple and endocyclic double bonds in the key intermediate 4.     

Improved synthesis of (R)-7-hydroxycarvone from (S)-α-pinene

A three-step synthesis of (R)-7-hydroxycarvone (1), which is anticipated to be a valuable building block for the versatile preparation of natural products, is described. Optimization of the reaction conditions for photooxygenation and migration of (S)-α-pinene 2, tetrapropylammonium perruthenate (TPAP) oxidation of the generated alcohol, and a subsequent ring-opening reaction in the presence of Cu(OTf)₂ led to the synthesis of 1 with good reproducibility. The desired product 1 was thus obtained in 46% yield over three steps.     

SmI2-induced cyclization of optically active (E)- and (Z)-β-alkoxyvinyl sulfoxides with aldehydes

SmI₂-induced reaction of (E)-β-alkoxyvinyl (R)- and (S)-sulfoxides with aldehydes effected a highly stereoselective intramolecular cyclization to give 2,6-anti-2,3-cis- and 2,6-syn-2,3-trans-tetrahydropyran-3-ols, respectively. The reaction of (Z)-(R)-isomer gave 2,6-syn-2,3-cis-tetrahydropyran-3-ol and a ring-opened product, and that of (Z)-(S)-isomer yielded many products.     

Synthesis of β-chloro α-amino acids: (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-3-chloroleucine

The first syntheses of (2S,3R)- and (2S,3S)-3-chloroleucine (3-chloro-d-leucines 1 and 2) have been achieved from d-3-hydroxyleucine and allo-d-3-hydroxyleucine, respectively, through the formation of the corresponding N-Cbz β-lactones, followed by a ring opening promoted by lithium chloride and a debenzylation process.     

The first stereoselective total synthesis of (3S,4R)-dihydroxy-(6S)-undecyl-α-pyranone and total synthesis of (2S,3R,5S)-(−)-2,3-dihydroxytetradecan-5-olide

The first total synthesis of (3S,4R)-dihydroxy-(6S)-undecyl-α-pyranone 1 and total synthesis of (2S,3R,5S)-(−)-2,3-dihydroxytetradecan-5-olide 2 have been achieved in five steps in a highly stereoselective manner using Maruoka allylation, olefin cross-metathesis, and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as key steps.     

Reagent-controlled diastereoselective synthesis of (2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-2,3-diaminobutanoic acid derivatives using proline-catalyzed α-hydrazination reaction

(2S,3R)- and (2R,3R)-2,3-Diaminobutanoic acid (Dab) derivatives were efficiently synthesized from Cbz-(R)-alanine using the proline-catalyzed diastereoselective α-hydrazination reaction and the SmI₂-promoted reductive cleavage of the N-N bond as the key steps.     

Practical method for the synthesis of (R)-homopipecolinic acid and (R)-homoproline esters from ω-chloroalkanoic acids and available chiral amines

A practical synthesis of (R)-homopipecolinic acid methyl ester 1 and (R)-homoproline methyl ester 2 was performed utilizing (i) a direct intramolecular cyclization of ω-chloro-β-enamino esters 11 and 12, which were prepared from available (S)-1-phenylethylamine or (S)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethylamine and ω-chloro-β-keto esters 5 and 10, respectively and (ii) a highly diastereoselective NaBH₄ reduction followed by hydrogenolysis. The present method is a short-step process using inexpensive and readily available substrates and reagents with fewer wasted materials.     

Aerobic copper-catalyzed synthesis of (E)-alkenyl sulfones and (E)-β-halo-alkenyl sulfones via addition of sodium sulfinates to alkynes

Copper-catalyzed sulfonylation of alkynes using sodium sulfinates in air produced regio- and stereoselectively (E)-alkenyl sulfones. When a CuCl catalyst was employed, the hydrosulfonylation proceeded syn-selectively, and (E)-alkenyl sulfones were synthesized in excellent yields. In contrast, the reaction using CuI catalyst produced (E)-β-haloalkenyl sulfones anti-selectively in the presence of potassium halides. Furthermore, the (E)-β-bromoalkenyl sulfones are possible to convert into various alkenyl sulfones by Suzuki–Miyaura coupling.     

π-Extended conjugate phenylacetylenes. Synthesis of 4-[(E) and (Z)-2-(4-ethenylphenyl)ethenyl]pyridine. Dimerization, quaternation and formation of charge-transfer complexes

The conjugate (E)- and (Z)-(4′-pyridylethenyl)-4-phenylethyne (E-4 and Z-4) has been satisfactorily prepared by two different routes: (a) by dehydrohalogenation of 4′-pyridylethenyl-4-phenyl-β-chloroethene; (b) by the Wittig reaction between p-(iodobenzyl)(triphenyl)phosphine ylide and 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, E/Z isomer separation, and cross-coupling with 2-methyl-but-3-yn-2-ol followed the propanone elimination. The Glaser oxidative dimerization of (Z)-4 yields (Z,Z)-1,4-di[(4′-pyridylethenyl)-4-phenyl]-buta-1,3-diyne in good yield, (Z,Z)-5. (E,E)-5 was obtained by phase transfer oxidative dimerisation of (E)-4 in presence of their N-methyl salt (E)-10. Mono- and di-N-methylated salts of conjugate (E,E)-5 and (Z,Z)-5, were obtained by quaternation with iodomethane. The (Z,Z)-5 di-N-methylated salt forms charge-transfer complexes with TCNE, TCNQ and TMPD.     

Concise synthesis of enantiopure (S)- and (R)-α-trifluoromethyl aspartic acid and α-trifluoromethyl serine from chiral trifluoromethyl oxazolidines (Fox) via a Strecker-type reaction

A concise synthesis of enantiopure (S)- and (R)-α-Tfm-aspartic acid and α-Tfm-serine is reported. The key step involves a Strecker-type reaction on chiral CF₃-oxazolidines (Fox) derived from ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate (ETFAA) or ethyl trifluoropyruvate.     

Facile synthesis of (Z)- and (E)-3-allylidene-β-lactams via thermal β-elimination of trans-3-allyl-3-sulfinyl-β-lactams

A competent synthetic route for the synthesis of novel (Z)- and (E)-3-allylidene-β-lactams is described. The strategy involves oxidation of trans-3-allyl-3-phenylthio-β-lactams 1 using sodium metaperiodate (NaIO₄) to diastereomeric trans-3-allyl-3-phenylsulfinyl-β-lactams 2 and 3, which further undergo thermal β-elimination in refluxing carbon tetrachloride to furnish (Z)- and (E)-3-allylidene-β-lactams 5 and 6 in good to excellent yields. The molecular structure of 3b has been established with the help of single crystal X-ray analysis.     

A practical synthesis of the PPARα agonist, (R)-K-13675, starting from (S)-2-hydroxybutyrolactone

A practical synthesis of optically pure PPARα agonist, (R)-K-13675, is described. This process is based on the use of (S)-2-hydroxybutyrolactone, which can be transformed into the requisite n-butyl (S)-2-hydroxybutanoate in an efficient manner. A key reaction is the etherification between the phenol and n-butyl (S)-2-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxybutanoate to give the phenyl ether in excellent yield without loss of optical purity.     

Synthesis and dynamics of atropisomeric (S)-N-(α-phenylethyl)benzamides

The synthesis of atropisomeric 2-substituted benzamides 2a-e, 3a-e, and 4a-e, and characterization by X-ray structure analysis of 2d, 2e, 3c, 3e, 4c, and 4e are reported. Dynamic ¹H NMR spectroscopic studies of benzamides 2b-d, 3b-d, and 4b-d indicate that only two of the four possible rotamers are present in solution, with population ratios ranging between 1.5:1 and 4.1:1. The measured free energy of activation to interconversion of the rotamers ranged from 12.4 to 18.9 kcal mol⁻¹. Benzamides ArCON[(S)-phenethyl]₂ (2e, 3e, and 4e), exhibited atropisomer ratios between 1.7:1 and 1:1, and free energies of interconversion of the rotamers ranged from 11.5 to 17.6 kcal mol⁻¹. The highest rotation barriers were observed for the ortho-nitro derivatives 2a-e. Molecular calculations at the semiempirical level (PM3MM) gave free energies of activation for benzamides 2e and 3e of 23.6 and 12.4 kcal mol⁻¹, respectively, which are comparable to the experimental values.     

Conversion of γ-substituted bicyclo[2.2.1] (Z)-vinylsulfones to the corresponding (E)-allylsulfones

The preparation of bicyclo[2.2.1] (E)-allylsulfones starting from the corresponding (Z)-vinylsulfones is described. Starting from 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)norbornadiene 1, the Michael addition of organometallic reagents followed by the base catalyzed isomerization affords (E)-allylsulfones in high yields. The procedure allows to obtain vinylidenic norbornenes which are characteristic nuclei of valuable biologically active compounds.     

Conformationally restricted analogues of both (S)-β-homoserine and (S)-aspartic acid from chiral 3-acylamino pyrrolidin-2-ones

Starting from chiral 3,4-trans-disubstituted pyrrolidin-2-ones 11a and 11b, obtained from a Baylis-Hillman adduct, conformationally restricted analogues of both (S)-β-homoserine, 17, and (S)-aspartic acid, 21, were synthesized, respectively, and these compounds are suitable either for introduction in peptidomimetics or for synthesis of novel β-foldamers.     

Orthoamides by selective borohydride reduction of N,N′,N″-triacyl- and N,N′,N″-tri(alkoxycarbonyl)-guanidines

N,N′,N″-Triacylguanidines and N,N′,N″-tri(alkoxycarbonyl)guanidines were prepared and reduced with borohydride salts in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran and acetic acid to give triacyl and tri(alkoxycarbonyl) orthoamides in yields of 40–85%. However, similar reduction of N,N′,N″-tri(t-butoxycarbonyl)guanidine did not give orthoamide but the aminal di(t-butyl) methylenedicarbamate.     

Facile and clean synthesis of α-alkenoyl ketene-(S,S)-acetals via the aldol condensation reactions in water

The aldol condensation reactions of α,α-diacetyl ketene-(S,S)-acetals, 1a and 1b, with aromatic aldehydes 2 in the presence of NaOH in water have been investigated. At room temperature, the base-mediated condensations proceed smoothly to afford the corresponding mono-condensed products, α-alkenoyl ketene-(S,S)-acetals 3, in high yields. At reflux temperature, the reactions produce high yields of symmetric double condensed α,α-dialkenoyl ketene-(S,S)-acetals 4 when 2 equiv of aldehyde are employed. Moreover, compounds 3 can condense with a different aldehyde to give unsymmetric double condensed α,α-dialkenoyl ketene-(S,S)-acetals 5.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (22Z)-25-hydroxyvitamin D2 and (22Z)-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2

Two new vitamin D₂ analogues, (22Z)-25-(OH)-D₂ and (22Z)-1α,25-(OH)₂-D₂, were serendipitously synthesized from vitamin D₂ and using the Julia-Kocienski olefination.