Novel asymmetric total synthesis of the natural (+)-6-epicastanospermine

An efficient noncarbohydrate-based enantioselective synthesis of (+)-6-epicastanospermine has been developed utilizing the Sharpless asymmetric aminohydroxylation of furyl acrylate and oxidation of α-furfurylamine derivative 17 as key steps.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-1-deoxy-6-epi-castanospermine

(+)-1-Deoxy-6-epi-castanospermine was asymmetrically synthesized in ten steps from α-furfuryl amine derivative 6 in 2.9% overall yield. The kinetic resolution of α-furfuryl amine derivative 6 and Sharpless AD reaction of 14 were used as key steps.     

Synthesis of (+)‐13‐Stemarene and (+)‐18‐Deoxystemarin: Expeditious Preparation of the Key 6‐exo‐Hydroxybicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐2‐one Ethylene Dithioacetal

An expeditious preparation of the 6‐exo‐hydroxybicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐2‐one ethylene dithioacetal 2b , a key intermediate in the synthesis of (+)‐13‐stemarene ( 4 ) and (+)‐18‐deoxystemarin ( 5 ) is described. Compound 2b was obtained as the major product by equilibrating the endo rich mixture of 6‐hydroxybicyclo[2.2.2]octan‐2‐one ethylene dithioacetals 2 with TsOH in benzene at reflux, easily available from the corresponding hydroxy ketones 9 . The model experiments which preceeded the above transformation, not previously described in the literature, are also presented.     

A Flexible Approach to Azasugars: Asymmetric Total Syntheses of (+)‐Castanospermine, (+)‐7‐Deoxy‐6‐epi‐castanospermine,and (+)‐1‐epi‐Castanospermine

The asymmetric total synthesis of natural azasugars (+)‐castanospermine, (+)‐7‐deoxy‐6‐epi‐castanospermine, and synthetic (+)‐1‐epi‐castanospermine has been accomplished in nine to ten steps from a common chiral building block (S)‐ 8 . The method features a powerful chiral relay strategy consisting of a highly diastereoselective vinylogous Mukaiyama‐type reaction with either chiral or achiral aldehydes (≥95 % de; de=diastereomeric excess) and a diastereodivergent reduction of tetramic acids, which allows formation of three continuous stereogenic centers with high diastereoselectivities. The method also provides a flexible access to structural arrays of 5‐(α‐hydroxyalkyl)tetramic acids, such as 17/34 , and 5‐(α‐hydroxyalkyl)‐4‐hydroxyl‐2‐pyrrolidinones, such as 18 and 25/35 a . The method constitutes the first realization of the challenging chiral synthons A and D and thus of the conceptually attractive retrosynthetic analysis shown in Scheme 1 in a highly enantioselective manner.     

Total Synthesis of (+)‐Chinensiolide B from α‐Santonin

A short and efficient total synthesis of (+)‐chinensiolide B is reported, starting from commercially available α ‐santonin. This strategy could be used for rapid preparation of chinensiolides and their derivative for further structure activity relationship studies.     

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.     

A novel concise total synthesis of (+)-lentiginosine

A total synthesis of (+)-lentiginosine was achieved by using ethyl 3-(pyridin-2-yl)acrylate N-oxide as the starting material and an improved Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as the key step.     

Biomimetic total synthesis of (+)-gelsemine

Challenging: (+)-gelsemine was synthesized from (R,R)-aziridine 1 in 25 steps with approximately 1 % overall yield. A multistep, one-pot enol-oxonium cyclization cascade was used to construct, simultaneously, the E ring, F ring, C3 stereocenter, and C7 quaternary stereocenter. This synthesis using the enol-oxonium cyclization reaction as a key step to make the cage structure has demonstrated the proposed biosynthetic pathway of the gelsemine family.     

First Synthesis of （＋）-2,14-Deoxyalatol from α-Santonin

A novel and general approach for synthesis of the multi-oxygenated dihydrofuran sesquiterpenes has been developed starting from santonin. The key steps involve: the strategic acid-catalyzed double-bond shifting affording 4, the novel base-promoted epoxide rearrangement of 5 generating two key functionals (the C5-OH and the Δ^7,11 double bond), and the stereoselective cyclization of tetrahydrofuran ring without pre-controlling the stereochemistry of C-7. As an example of this approach, synthesis of ( )-2,14-deoxyalatol was described in detail.     

First asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-curcutetraol

The first asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-curcutetraol, a marine phenolic bisabolane-type sesquiterpene, was achieved in eight steps in ca. 50% overall yield. The chiral tertiary benzylic alcohol moiety in the o-position of a phenol was constructed in high optical yield (99% ee) by an asymmetric synthesis using a chiral aminal, (2R,5S)-2-methoxycarbonyl-3-phenyl-1,3-diazabicyclo[3.3.0]octane.     

Total Synthesis of (+)‐Madangamine D

Madangamines are a group of bioactive marine sponge alkaloids, embodying an unprecedented diazapentacyclic skeletal type. The enantioselective total synthesis of madangamine D has been accomplished, and represents the first total synthesis of an alkaloid of the madangamine group. It involves the stereoselective construction of the diazatricyclic ABC core using a phenylglycinol‐derived lactam as the starting enantiomeric scaffold and the subsequent assembly of the peripheral macrocyclic rings. The synthesis provides, for the first time, a pure sample of madangamine D and confirms the absolute configuration of this alkaloid family.     

Formal total synthesis of (+)-wortmannin using catalytic asymmetric intramolecular aldol condensation reaction

A catalytic process for the synthesis of optically active C4-substituted tetrahydroindandiones using an asymmetric intramolecular aldol condensation reaction was developed. When 30 mol% of phenylalanine and 50 mol% of pyridinium p-toluenesulfonate were used under highly concentrated conditions, a variety of C4-substituted tetrahydroindandiones and octahydronaphthalenediones were obtained in high yield (up to 89% yield) and high enantiomeric excess (up to 94% ee). One of the products was successfully transformed into the key intermediate for the synthesis of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin, achieving formal total synthesis of (+)-wortmannin.     

A Facile Solid‐Phase Synthesis of (+)‐(S)‐Clopidogrel

Enantiomerically pure (+)‐(S)‐clopidogrel was prepared by solid‐phase synthesis using the commercially available Wang resin. This method offers mild reaction conditions and provides the (+)‐(S)‐clopidogrel in overall 52% yield over six steps and with optical purity of 98.0% ee.     

TiCl3‐Mediated Synthesis of 2,3,3‐Trisubstituted Indolenines: Total Synthesis of (+)‐1,2‐Dehydroaspidospermidine, (+)‐Condyfoline,and (−)‐Tubifoline

2,3,3‐Trisubstituted indolenine constitutes an integral part of many biologically important monoterpene indole alkaloids. We report herein an unprecedented access to this skeleton by a TiCl₃‐mediated reductive cyclization of tetrasubstituted alkenes bearing a 2‐nitrophenyl substituent. The proof of concept is demonstrated firstly by accomplishing a concise total synthesis of (+)‐1,2‐dehydroaspidospermidine featuring a late‐stage application of this key transformation. A sequence of reduction of nitroarene to nitrosoarene followed by 6π‐electron‐5‐atom electrocyclization and a 1,2‐alkyl shift of the resulting nitrone intermediate was proposed to account for the reaction outcome. A subsequent total synthesis of (+)‐condyfoline not only illustrates the generality of the reaction, but also provides a mechanistic insight into the nature of the 1,2‐alkyl shift. The exclusive formation of (+)‐condyfoline indicates that the 1,2‐alkyl migration follows a concerted Wagner–Meerwein pathway, rather than a stepwise retro‐Mannich/Mannich reaction sequence. Conditions for almost quantitative conversion of (+)‐condyfoline to (?)‐tubifoline by way of a retro‐Mannich/1,3‐prototropy/transannular cyclization cascade are also documented.