Ferric sulfate hydrate-catalyzed O-glycosylation using glycals with or without microwave irradiation

We have developed a novel glycal-based O-glycosylation reaction, in which the substrates are not only peracetyl glycals but also perbenzyl glucals to afford the corresponding 2,3-unsaturated-O-glycosides via Ferrier rearrangement. The reaction of the perbenzyl glucal with various alcohols catalyzed by ferric sulfate hydrate (Fe₂(SO₄)₃·xH₂O) was successfully carried out to give 2,3-unsaturated d-O-glucosides with exclusive α-selectivity and no formation of addition products 2-deoxy hexopyranosides was observed. It is the first report on peralkyl glycal efficiently undergoing Ferrier rearrangement instead of addition of alcohols catalyzed by Lewis acids. Fe₂(SO₄)₃·xH₂O is an effective, convenient, and environmentally benign heterogeneous catalyst. It has low catalytic loading and recyclable without significant loss of activity.     

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed carbocyclization of allenic allylic carboxylates

Palladium(0)-catalyzed reaction of allene-substituted allylic carboxylates 3-8 employing 2-5 mol % of Pd(dba)(2) in refluxing toluene leads to the carbocyclization and elimination of carboxylic acid to give bicyclo[4.3.0]nonadiene and bicyclo[5.3.0]decadiene derivatives (12-17). The carbon-carbon bond formation is stereospecific, occurring syn with respect to the leaving group. Addition of maleic anhydride as a ligand to the above-mentioned procedures changed the outcome of the reaction, and under these conditions 3-5 afforded cycloisomerized products 21-23. The experimental results are consistent with a mechanism involving oxidative addition of the allylic carboxylate to Pd(0) to give an electron-deficient (pi-allyl)palladium intermediate, followed by nucleophilic attack by the allene on the face of the pi-allyl opposite to that of the palladium atom. Furthermore, it was found that the Pd(dba)(2)-catalyzed cyclization of the trans-cycloheptene derivative (trans-8) can be directed to give either the trans-fused (trans-17) or the cis-fused (cis-17) ring system by altering the solvent. The former reaction proceeds via a nucleophilic trans-allene attack on the (pi-allyl)palladium intermediate, whereas the latter involves a syn-allene insertion into the allyl-Pd bond of the same intermediate. The products from the carbocylization undergo stereoselective Diels-Alder reactions to give stereodefined polycyclic systems in high yields.     

Stereoselective O-glycosylation reactions using glycosyl donors with diphenylphosphinate and propane-1,3-diyl phosphate leaving groups

Glycosyl donors having a diphenylphosphinate and a propane-1,3-diyl phosphate leaving group were easily prepared by the addition of the anomeric hydroxyl group of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-α,β-d-glucopyranose to diphenylphosphinic and propane-1,3-diyldioxyphosphoryl chlorides. These glycosyl donors were selectively glycosylated with a number of primary and secondary oxygen nucleophiles in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf). The use of 1,3-diyl phosphate resulted in the stereoselective formation of β-O-linked glycosides.     

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylations of peptide amide enolates

Pd-catalyzed allylations are an excellent tool for stereoselective peptide modifications, being clearly superior to normal alkylations. The reactions proceed not only in high yield, but also high regio- and diastereoselectivities, and trans-products are formed exclusively. Therefore, this is a powerful synthetic tool for natural product and drug synthesis.     

Stereoselective synthesis of d-desosamine and related glycals via tungsten-catalyzed alkynol cycloisomerization

Stereoselective synthesis of d-desosamine diacetate ester (iii, R = Ac) was achieved from the glycal (ii). generated by tungsten carbonyl-catalyzed cycloisomerization of the corresponding amino-alkynol (i). A wide variety of N-substituents (R, R') are compatible with the cycloisomerization, provided that at least one R or R' is an acyl derivative.     

Stereoselective synthesis of vancosamine and saccharosamine glycals via tungsten-catalyzed alkynol cycloisomerization

[reaction: see text] A stereoselective synthesis of the C-3 branched amino glycals of vancosamine and saccharosamine is described that features a tungsten carbonyl catalyzed cycloisomerization of the corresponding alkynyl alcohol.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 3-alkylideneoxindoles via palladium-catalyzed domino reactions

We have developed efficient catalytic methods for the stereoselective and diversity synthesis of various (E)-, (Z)-, and disubstituted 3-alkylideneoxindoles and 3-alkylidenebenzofuran-2-ones via palladium-catalyzed Heck/Suzuki-Miyaura, Heck/Heck, and Heck/carbonylation/Suzuki-Miyaura domino reactions.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 1,3-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines through palladium-catalyzed three-component reaction

Chiral 1,3-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines have been synthesized in acceptable yield and diastereoselectivity through a three component reaction, starting from aromatic halides, enantiopure bromoalkyl derivatives and methyl acrylate, under palladium catalysis.     

Stereoselective propargylation of glycals with allenyltributyltin(IV) via a Ferrier type reaction

Stereoselective introduction of an unsubstituted propargyl group to various glycals was achieved using a Ferrier type reaction with allenyltributyltin(IV). The stereoselectivity was observed based on the conformational preference of glycals as well as steric control of rigid bicyclic systems.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the beta-anomer of 4'-thionucleosides based on electrophilic glycosidation to 4-thiofuranoid glycals

Three types of 4-thiofuranoid glycal with different 3,5-O-silyl protecting groups were prepared and their electrophilic glycosidation was investigated. The 3,5-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-4-thiofuranoid glycal (5) was obtained through mesylation of 2-deoxy-4-thio-D-erythro-pentofuranose (4) and subsequent base-promoted elimination, while thermal elimination of sulfoxide derivatives was suitable for the preparation of 3,5-O-(tetraisopropyldisiloxane-1,3-diyl) (9) and 3,5-O-(di-tert-butylsilylene) (11) 4-thioglycals. The glycosidation reactions of these 4-thioglycals were carried out, in the presence of either PhSeCl or NIS, by using silylated derivatives of uracil, thymine, cytosine, and N(6)-benzoyladenine. Among the three 4-thioglycals, 11 was found to be an excellent glycosyl donor, forming the desired beta-anomer exclusively irrespective of the nucleobase employed.     

Stereoselective synthesis of cis- and trans-oligo(phenylenevinylene)s via palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions

cis-Oligo(phenylenevinylene)s (OPVs) are synthesized by Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of arylboronic acids with (Z)-bromoalkenes in over 96% geometrical purity. On the other hand, trans-oligo(phenylenevinylene)s can be synthesized by Hiyama coupling of aryl iodide with (E)-alkenylsilanes in almost perfect purities. Effect of pi-conjugation chain length on photoisomerization behavior of OPVs is described.     

Predicting O-glycosylation sites in mammalian proteins by using SVMs

O-glycosylation is one of the most important, frequent and complex post-translational modifications. This modification can activate and affect protein functions. Here, we present three support vector machines models based on physical properties, 0/1 system, and the system combining the above two features. The prediction accuracies of the three models have reached 0.82, 0.85 and 0.85, respectively. The accuracies of the three SVMs methods were evaluated by 'leave-one-out' cross validation. This approach provides a useful tool to help identify the O-glycosylation sites in mammalian proteins. An online prediction web server is available at http://www.biosino.org/Oglyc.     

Solid-phase synthesis of indolecarboxylates using palladium-catalyzed reactions

Polymer-supported, palladium-catalyzed cyclization reactions effectively synthesized indolecarboxylates. Palladium-catalyzed carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions of immobilized enaminoesters followed by transesterification yielded indole 2- or 3-carboxylates with various functional groups on the benzene ring. Indolecarboxylates were efficiently cyclized via an intramolecular palladium-catalyzed amination reaction of immobilized N-substituted dehydrohalophenylalanines, and immobilized N-acetyl-dehydroalanines were efficiently converted into indolecarboxylates via tandem Heck-amination reactions.     

Development of palladium-catalyzed transformations using propargylic compounds

It is known that propargylic compounds having an ester and a halide at the propargylic positions react with palladium complexes leading to π-propargylpalladium and allenylpalladium complexes, which cause various transformations in the presence of the reactants. The aim of the present study was to develop novel palladium-catalyzed transformations using propargylic compounds. As diastereoselective reactions of propargylic compounds with bis-nucleophiles, we have developed palladium-catalyzed reactions of propargylic carbonates with 2-substituted cyclohexane-1,3-diones, 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)acetates and 2-oxocyclohex-3-enecarboxylates. These processes produce highly substituted cyclic compounds in a highly stereoselective manner. Through our studies on the construction of substituted 2,3-allenols by the reactions of propargylic oxiranes, it has been made clear that palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions occur in the presence of arylboronic acids and terminal alkynes. The processes can be carried out in mild conditions to yield substituted 4-aryl-2,3-allenols in a diastereoselective manner. In our attempt to develop CO2-recycling reactions, we developed a methodology for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates by palladium-catalyzed reactions of propargylic carbonates with phenols. Our findings suggested that the process proceeds through a pathway involving decarboxylation-followed fixation of the liberated CO2. Diastereoselective, enantioselective, and enantiospecific construction of cyclic carbonates have been achieved by the application of this methodology.     

Stereoselective synthesis of substituted 1,2-ethylenediaziridines and their use as ligands in palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

The double addition of organometallic reagents to fused oxazino-oxazines prepared from glyoxal and (S)-phenylglycinol afforded C₂- or C₁-symmetric 1,2-ethylenebis(β-aminoalcohols), depending on the nature of the organometallic reagent. This route was modified by the use of (S)-valinol and phenylglyoxal as starting materials, and by reduction of the oxazino-oxazines by diborane. Cyclization of the β-aminoalcohol moieties gave 1,2-ethylenediaziridines bearing one substituent/stereocenter on the ring carbon and one, two or no substituents/stereocenters in the ethylene tether. These bis(aziridines) were used as ligands in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation of dimethyl malonate. It was established that the substituent(s) in the carbon tether and the configuration of the corresponding stereocenters have limited influence on the enantioselectivity.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-C-methylene glycosides and disaccharides via direct allylic substitution of hydroxy group in benzylated glycals

InCl₃ efficiently catalyzes allylic substitution of the hydroxy group of 2-C-hydroxymethyl glycals to afford a diversity of 2-C-methylene alkyl and aryl glycosides as well as disaccharides in high yields. This protocol surpasses the existing methods for the synthesis of 2-C-methylene glycosides as it obviates the need for functionalizing the allylic hydroxy group of glycals. The interest of this methodology relies on the extremely mild conditions required even with a free hydroxyl group at the allylic position of the glycals and that too only with a catalytic amount of InCl₃. The reaction is fast (30 min.), stereoselective and is compatible with a variety of oxygenated nucleophiles including those possessing acid-labile groups. A mechanistic investigation on the direct formation of an α,α-(1→1)linked disaccharide derivative from 2-C-hydroxymethyl galactal reveals that the reaction proceeds through a domino Ferrier rearrangement followed by a facile 1,3-alkoxy migration.     

One-pot azidochlorination of glycals

A simple one-pot azidochlorination for the preparation of nitrogen-containing Koenigs-Knorr glycosyl donors proceeds upon reaction of protected glycals with sodium azide, ferric chloride, and hydrogen peroxide. Different mono- and disaccharide galactals and glucals are converted in a highly α-selective manner to the 2-azido glycosyl chlorides. Starting from disaccharide galactals, building blocks for the synthesis of the T-antigen are obtained in a straightforward manner. The simplicity of the reaction conditions allows for an efficient and scalable α-selective synthesis of 2-azido substituted glycosyl chlorides.     

Preparation of alpha-C-glycosides from glycals

[reaction: see text]. A novel approach to simple C-glycosides is reported. Reductive ring opening of 1,2-anhydro sugars with titanocene(III) chloride produces an anomeric radical that can be trapped with a variety of agents. The reaction stereospecifically affords alpha-glycosides and produces a free C-2 hydroxyl group allowing for further elaboration.     

Stereoselective biotransformations using fungi as biocatalysts

The development of novel biocatalytic methods is a continuously growing area of chemistry, microbiology, and genetic engineering due to the fact that biocatalysts are selective, easy-to-handle, and environmentally friendly. A wide range of reactions are catalyzed by microorganisms. Fungi can be considered as a promising source of new biocatalysts, mainly for chiral reactions. Chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective processes are very important in the synthesis of many chemical, pharmaceutical, and agrochemical intermediates; active pharmaceuticals; and food ingredients. This report reviews stereoselective reactions mediated by fungi, such as stereoselective hydroxylation, sulfoxidation, epoxidation, Baeyer–Villiger oxidation, deracemization, and stereo- and enantioselective reduction of ketones, published between 2000 and 2007.