Short Stereoselective Synthesis of the Phytophthora Universal Mating Hormone α1 Using Lithiation/Borylation Reactions

The universal mating hormone α 1 of the virulent plant pathogen Phytophthora has been synthesized in 12 steps and 28 % overall yield. Key C? C bond‐forming steps involved the use of two lithiation/borylation reactions to couple together enantioenriched building blocks, one of which also set up the stereochemistry of the tertiary alcohol at C11. Detailed analysis showed that the diastereomeric purity of the target molecule was >91 %, the highest obtained to date.     

Tandem Allylboration–Prins Reaction for the Rapid Construction of Substituted Tetrahydropyrans: Application to the Total Synthesis of (−)‐Clavosolide A

Tetrahydropyrans are common motifs in natural products and have now been constructed with high stereocontrol through a three‐component allylboration‐Prins reaction sequence. This methodology has been applied to a concise (13 steps) and efficient (14 % overall yield) synthesis of the macrolide (?)‐clavosolide A. The synthesis also features an early stage glycosidation reaction to introduce the xylose moiety and a lithiation‐borylation reaction to attach the cyclopropyl‐containing side chain.     

Crotylsilane reagents in the synthesis of complex polyketide natural products: total synthesis of (+)-discodermolide

An efficient, highly convergent stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-discodermolide has been achieved with 2.1% overall yield (27 steps longest linear sequence). The absolute stereochemistry of the C1-C6 (12), C7-C14 (13), and C15-C24 (11) subunits was introduced using asymmetric crotylation methodology. Key elements of the synthesis include the use of hydrozirconation-cross-coupling methodology for the construction of C13-C14 (Z)-olefin, acetate aldol reaction to construct the C6-C7 bond and install the C7 stereocenter with high levels of 1,5-anti stereoinduction, and the use of palladium-mediated sp(2)-sp(3) cross-coupling reaction to join the advanced fragments, which assembled the carbon framework of discodermolide.     

Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Adjacent Acyclic Quaternary‐Tertiary Motifs: Application to a Concise Total Synthesis of (−)‐Filiformin

Lithiation/borylation methodology has been developed for the synthesis of acyclic quaternary‐tertiary motifs with full control of relative and absolute stereochemistry, thus leading to all four possible isomers of a stereodiad. A novel intramolecular Zweifel‐type olefination enabled acyclic stereocontrol to be transformed into cyclic stereocontrol. These key steps have been applied to the shortest enantioselective synthesis of (?)‐filiformin to date (9 steps) with full stereocontrol.     

Total synthesis of (+)-cystothiazole A

[structure: see text]. The total synthesis of cystothiazole A is described. Key steps of the synthesis include an Evans asymmetric catalytic aldol reaction, which established the required C4-C5 stereochemistry. The [2,4']-bis(thiazole) was obtained applying our methodology of electrophilic activation of amide. Semistabilized Wittig reaction between the phosphonium salt 3 and the aldehyde 2 afforded 1 in nine linear steps and 38% overall yield.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted 3-piperidinols: application to the expedient synthesis of (+)-julifloridine

[reaction: see text] The asymmetric synthesis of 2,6-disubstituted 3-piperidinols having a 2,3-cis and 2,6-trans relative stereochemistry was accomplished in three steps using the following sequence: stereocontrolled nucleophilic addition of an organomagnesium reagent to a chiral pyridinium salt; monohydrogenation of the resulting 2-substituted 1,2-dihydropyridine; and a one-pot, highly diastereoselective epoxidation-nucleophilic addition with a heteroatom nucleophile or an organometallic reagent. This methodology was applied to the expedient asymmetric synthesis of (+)-julifloridine in four steps.     

Short Convergent Synthesis of the Mycolactone Core Through Lithiation–Borylation Homologations

Using iterative lithiation–borylation homologations, the mycolactone toxin core has been synthesized in 13 steps and 17 % overall yield. The rapid build‐up of molecular complexity, high convergence and high stereoselectivity are noteworthy features of this synthesis.     

Toward the synthesis of thapsigargin: enantioselective synthesis of 7,11-dihydroxyguaianolides

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective synthesis of a 7,11-dihydroxyguaianolide bearing the stereochemistry present in thapsigargin, a potent and selective inhibitor of the Ca(2+) SERCA-ATPase pumps, is described. Starting from (+)-dihydrocarvone, the synthesis presents two key steps. The first one involves the photochemical rearrangement of a gamma,delta-unsaturated ketone eudesmane into the corresponding guaiane. The second step consists of the regioselective oxidation of an unprotected tetrahydroxylated ketone to provide a dihydroxylactone with the required stereochemistry.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the macrolactone core of (+)-neopeltolide

A stereoselective synthesis of the macrolactone core of the potent anticancer agent neopeltolide is disclosed. The key steps of the synthesis include asymmetric allylation using Krische' protocol, conjugate reduction using MacMillan's methodology, and an asymmetric hetero-Diels-Alder reaction using Jacobsen's catalyst. Substrate controlled diastereoselective 1,3-anti reduction of a keto alcohol, Luche reduction followed by Ireland-Claisen rearrangement, oxymercuration, and reductive lithiation are other key steps.     

Stereocontrolled Total Synthesis of (−)‐Stemaphylline

Homologation of readily available α‐boryl pyrrolidines with metal carbenoids is especially challenging even when good leaving groups (Cl⁻) are employed. By performing a solvent switch from Et₂O to CHCl₃, efficient 1,2‐metalate rearrangement of the intermediate boronate occurs with both halide and ester leaving groups. The methodology was used in the total synthesis of the Stemona alkaloid (−)‐stemaphylline in just 11 steps (longest linear sequence), with high stereocontrol (>20:1 d.r.) and 11 % overall yield. The synthesis also features a late‐stage lithiation–borylation reaction with a tertiary amine containing carbenoid.     

Concise enantioselective total synthesis of neopeltolide macrolactone highlighted by ether transfer

A concise total synthesis of neopeltolide macrolactone has been accomplished in 14 steps in the longest linear sequence, 15 steps overall from commercially available materials. The present synthesis was highlighted by successful exploitation of ether transfer methodology and a radical cyclization reaction to directly establish the requisite stereochemistry of the tetrahydropyran core.     

Total synthesis of (+)-zaragozic acid C

A total synthesis of (+)-zaragozic acid C is described. Key features of the synthesis are the use of a double Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction of diene 6 to control stereochemistry at four contiguous stereocenters from C3 to C6; the introduction of the C1-side chain by reaction between the anion derived from the dithiane monosulfoxide 27 and the core aldehyde 12; a high yielding, acid-mediated simultaneous acetonide deprotection-dithiane removal-ketalization procedure leading exclusively to the 2, 8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane core 34; and a novel triple oxidation procedure allowing installation of the tricarboxylic acid.     

Total synthesis of (-)-bitungolide F and determination of its absolute stereochemistry

A highly convergent total synthesis of bitungolide F leading to the assignment of its absolute stereochemistry is described. The key steps include a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination to construct the C7-C8 bond, a Wittig reaction to introduce the conjugate E,E-olefinic moiety in the molecule, and finally a ring-closing metathesis reaction to construct the six-membered alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactone of the molecule. Modified Evans's syn-aldol reaction, using Crimmins's protocol, was used to install the stereochemistries at the C4 and C5 centers. The stereochemistry at C9 was introduced by means of hydroxy-directed reduction of the C9 keto using Evans's protocol.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the atropisomers of myristinin B/C

[reaction: see text] The first stereoselective synthesis of a potent DNA damaging agent, (-)-myristinin B/C, has been accomplished. This efficient synthesis allowed for unambiguous confirmation of the structure and absolute stereochemistry of the atropisomeric natural product. The antipode, (+)-myristinin B/C, was also synthesized, providing ample material for biological evaluation of both enantiomers.     

Total synthesis of the polyenoyltetramic acid polycephalin C

The total synthesis of the polyenoyltetramic acid polycephalin C is described. Key steps of the synthesis include a double Swern oxidation, double Takai reaction and a double Stille reaction. In addition, the absolute stereochemistry of the ring junction has been determined by synthesis of both isomers and comparison of their CD spectra with natural polycephalin C.     

Total synthesis of (-)-(alpha)-kainic acid via a diastereoselective methylenecyclopropane ring expansion

[reaction: see text] A concise and enantioselective synthesis of (-)-(alpha)-kainic acid in 13 steps with an overall yield of 15% is reported. The pyrrolidine kainoid precursor with the required C2/C3 trans stereochemistry was prepared with excellent diastereoselectivity (>20:1) via a MgI(2)-mediated ring expansion of a tertiary methylenecyclopropyl amide. A selective hydroboration was then employed to set the remaining stereochemistry at the C4 position en route to (-)-(alpha)-kainic acid.     

Total synthesis of (+)-geldanamycin and (-)-o-quinogeldanamycin: asymmetric glycolate aldol reactions and biological evaluation

The total synthesis of (+)-geldanamycin (GA), following a linear route, has been completed using a demethylative quinone-forming reaction as the last step. Key steps include the use of two new asymmetric boron glycolate aldol reactions. To set the anti-C11,12 hydroxymethoxy functionality, (S,S)-5,6-bis-4-methoxyphenyldioxanone 8 was used. Methylglycolate derived from norephedrine 5 set the C6,7 methoxyurethane stereochemistry. The quinone formation step using nitric acid gave the non-natural o-quino-GA product 55 10:1 over geldanamycin. Other known oxidants gave an unusual azaquinone product 49. o-Quino-GA 55 binds Hsp90 with good affinity but is less cytotoxic compared to GA.     

A practical synthesis of (+)-discodermolide and analogues: fragment union by complex aldol reactions

A practical stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-discodermolide (1) has been completed in 10.3% overall yield (23 steps longest linear sequence). The absolute stereochemistry of the C(1)-C(6) (7), C(9)-C(16) (8), and C(17)-C(24) (9) subunits was established via substrate-controlled, boron-mediated, aldol reactions of the chiral ethyl ketones 10, 11, and 12. Key fragment coupling reactions were a lithium-mediated, anti-selective, aldol reaction of aryl ester 8 (under Felkin-Anh induction from the aldehyde component 9), followed by in situ reduction to produce the 1,3-diol 40, and a (+)-diisopinocampheylboron chloride-mediated aldol reaction of methyl ketone 7 (overturning the inherent substrate induction from the aldehyde component 52) to give the (7S)-adduct 58. The flexibility of our overall strategy is illustrated by the synthesis of a number of diastereomers and structural analogues of discodermolide, which should serve as valuable probes for structure-activity studies.     

Total Synthesis of (+)-Erogorgiaene and the Pseudopterosin A−F Aglycone via Enantioselective Cobalt-Catalyzed Hydrovinylation

Due to their pronounced bioactivity and limited availability from natural resources, metabolites of the soft coral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae, such as erogorgiaene and the pseudopterosines, represent important target molecules for chemical synthesis. We have now developed a particularly short and efficient route towards these marine diterpenes exploiting an operationally convenient enantioselective cobalt-catalyzed hydrovinylation as the chirogenic step. Other noteworthy C−C bond forming transformations include diastereoselective Lewis acid-mediated cyclizations, a Suzuki coupling and a carbonyl ene reaction. Starting from 4-methyl-styrene the anti-tubercular agent (+)-erogorgiaene (>98 % ee) was prepared in only 7 steps with 46 % overall yield. In addition, the synthesis of the pseudopterosin A aglycone was achieved in 12 steps with 30 % overall yield and, surprisingly, was found to exhibit a similar anti-inflammatory activity (inhibition of LPS-induced NF-κB activation) as a natural mixture of pseudopterosins A−D or iso-pseudopterosin A, prepared by β-D-xylosylation of the synthetic aglycone.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (-)-dihydrocodeinone: a short formal synthesis of (-)-morphine

[reaction: see text] The radical cyclization approach to the morphine alkaloids has been applied in an asymmetric synthesis of (-)-dihydrocodeinone. A chiral cyclohexenol (R-32), from the CBS reduction of the enone, is the source of chirality. The first key step, tandem closure in which stereochemistry is controlled by geometric constraints, (-)-15b --> (+)-16, was followed by an unprecedented reductive hydroamination, completing the synthesis of (-)-dihydroisocodeine ((-)-17) in 13 steps from commercially available materials.