Concise and divergent approach to 3-O-acyl-l-noviose derivatives and their 3-amino bioisosteres: 3-O-benzoyl-l-noviose and N-benzoyl-3-amino-l-noviose

Generally applicable concise approaches to 3-O-acyl-l-noviose derivatives and their 3-amino bioisosteres, represented by 5 and 6, were described. Chiral aldehyde 7 was thus prepared from dimethyl l-tartrate in five steps, and converted into 5 and 6 by employing substrate induced asymmetric aldehyde or N-sulfinyl aldimine allylation and dihydropyrane epoxidation as key steps, respectively.     

Alkaloids from alkaloids: total synthesis of (±)-7a-epi-hyacinthacine A1 from Z-protected tropenone via Baeyer-Villiger oxidation

Baeyer-Villiger oxidations of several tropane derivatives have been investigated. Whereas tropenones 15a-c underwent exclusive epoxidation to 21a-c, the corresponding 6-oxotropane derivative 28 yielded the desired lactone 29. Baeyer-Villiger oxidation was also possible for the O-isopropylidene-protected diols 32a,b. The resulting lactones 33a,b were employed in the total synthesis of (±)-7a-epi-hyacinthacine A₁ (7a-epi-7) via an intramolecular nucleophilic alkyllithium addition to a carbamate as the key lactamization step. The target compound was prepared from tropenone 15b in 10 steps and 14% overall yield. Enzymatic resolution of pyrrolidine (±)-36 provided a formal total synthesis to both enantiomers of 7.     

Synthesis of perfluoroalkyl-containing multifunctional groups compounds for textile finishing

A new kind of perfluoroalkyl-containing multifunctional groups compound was designed. Treatment of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltrichlorosilane (4) with allylmagnesium bromide provided key intermediate 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriallylsilane (2). Hydroboration followed by oxidation, epoxidation and dihydroxylation of 2 gave perfluoroalkyl-containing multifunctional groups compound 1a, 1b and 1c, respectively.     

Synthesis of C1- and C8a-epimers of (+)-castanospermine from d-glucose derived γ,δ-epoxyazide: intramolecular 5-endo epoxide opening approach

A concise synthesis of two diastereomers of (+)-castanospermine namely 1- and 8a-epi-castanospermine 1b and 1c, respectively, is reported from d-glucose. The methodology involves stereoselective cross metathesis of d-glucose derived alkene 2 with 4-bromo-1-butene followed by azide displacement and m-CPBA oxidation to afford diastereomeric γ,δ-epoxyazides 5a/5b. The Staudinger reaction of epoxyazide 5a followed by reaction with benzylchloroformate (CbzCl) unexpectedly furnished 1,3-oxazinan-2-one derivative 7 whose stereochemistry was establish by single crystal X-ray. This helps to assign the stereochemistry in the epoxidation reaction. The reduction of 5a/5b was then carried out by transfer hydrogenation to provide γ,δ-epoxyamine that concomitantly undergoes intramolecular 5-endo-tet cyclization to afford hydroxypyrrolidine ring skeleton with sugar framework-a precursor to castanospermine analogues 1b/1c.     

Aryl-2,3-oxaphosphabicyclo[2.2.2]octene derivatives—the precursors of oxoarylphosphine oxides (aryl metaphosphonates)

The Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 7-phosphanorbornene 7-oxides with sterically demanding substituents on the phosphorus atom (4a-d) by m-chloroperbenzoic acid afforded the title products (5a-d) as a mixture of two regioisomers (A and B). Isomer A, the result of thermodynamic control, was stable, while isomer B, the product of kinetic control, underwent decomposition and/or epoxidation. Single crystal X-ray analysis of P-(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl) oxaphosphabicyclooctene (5Ac) was not only useful in the evaluation of its structure, but, for the first time in the literature, a low-coordinated arylmetaphosphonate (15c) formed by fragmentation on X-ray irradiation could also be detected. The precursors (5Aa-c) were utilized in the thermoinduced and UV light-mediated fragmentation-related phosphorylations of alcohols. Beside the well-known elimination-addition mechanism via the metaphosphonate intermediate (15), a novel addition-elimination route involving a species with a pentavalent pentacoordinated phosphorus atom (16) was also substantiated.     

Synthesis of the common FGHI-ring part of ciguatoxins

The common FGHI-ring part (2) of ciguatoxins has been synthesized from the F- and I-ring parts (6 and 5, respectively). The Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi coupling of 6 with 5 followed by regio- and stereoselective epoxidation at C29 and C30 afforded an epoxide (4), which was transformed into a tricyclic compound (3) corresponding to the F-HI-ring part by 6-exo-epoxide opening and the subsequent inversion of the C29 stereocenter. Reductive cyclization of 3 forming the C31-O26 bond of the G-ring successfully produced 2.     

New synthesis of 3-arylpyrrolines

We present an easy and straightforward synthesis of 3-arylpyrrolines 4a-g by repeated treatment of 4-aryl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridines 2a-g with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (MCPBA) and boron trifluoride etherate (BF₃-OEt₂). The transformation proceeds via epoxidation, ring contraction, Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and elimination reaction and affords 3-arylpyrrolines 4a-g with 61-70% yield. This facile strategy was also used to synthesize racemic baclofen (6).     

Use of epoxidation and epoxide opening reactions for the synthesis of highly functionalized 1-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-ones and related compounds

Epoxidation of ethyl 3-(6-hydroxycyclohex-1-en-1-yl)propanoate (11) provided the syn epoxide 12. By invoking chelation controlled epoxide opening the triol derivatives 13 and 14 or the spiro lactone 25 could be obtained. Elimination of HBr from the bromides 26 and 27 produced the spiro cyclohexenones 28 and 29. Epoxidation of the double bond occurred in a diastereoselective manner to give epoxides 30 and 31, respectively. Treatment of the epoxide 31 with LiBr/AcOH gave the bromo hydrin 38. In a ‘merry go round’ fashion 38 was further functionalized on the cyclohexane ring by elimination, epoxidation, and epoxide opening resulting in the bromo hydrin 43. Other cyclohexane derivatives that were produced during these studies include the cyclohexenone 19 and the cyclohexanediol 23. In addition, enolate azidation of the spiro lactone 29 proceeded in a diastereoselective manner providing the α-azido lactone 32.     

Syntheses,structures and electrochemistry of manganese(III) complexes derived from N,N′-o-phenylenebis(3-ethoxysalicylaldimine): Efficient catalyst for styrene epoxidation

Syntheses, characterizations, electrochemistry and catalytic properties for styrene epoxidation of three manganese(III) compounds [Mn^IIIL¹(H₂O)(MeOH)](ClO₄) (1) [Mn^IIIL¹(N₃)(H₂O)]·dmf (2) [Mn^IIIL¹(Cl)(H₂O)] (3) derived from the Schiff base compartmental ligand N,N′-o-phenylenebis(3-ethoxysalicylaldimine) (H₂L¹) are reported. The three compounds are characterized by elemental analyses, IR, mass and UV–Vis spectra and conductance values. Single crystal X-ray structures of 1 and 2 have been determined. The structures of 1 and 2 show that these are mononuclear compounds having a salen type structure. In both structures, a dinuclear species is formed by bifurcated hydrogen bonding involving coordinated water molecule. The coordination of chloride in 3 is shown by conductance measurements. The compounds have also been characterized by UV–Vis and mass spectroscopic studies. Cyclic voltammetric and square wave voltammetric studies of the three compounds reveal that these undergo Mn(III)/Mn(II) reduction reversibly with the order of the ease of reduction as 3 > 2 > 1. This order has been explained proposing the composition of active species in solution. Catalytic properties for epoxidation of styrene by all the three complexes using PhIO and NaOCl as oxidant have been studied. The order of both the styrene conversion and styrene epoxidation using the three title compounds is 3 > 1 > 2. Again, it has been observed that more efficient conversion and epoxidation take place when PhIO is used as oxidant.     

Stereoselective synthesis of CD-ring precursors of vitamin D derivatives

Two expedious and useful approaches to the construction of Vitamin D trans-hydrindane building blocks are proposed. These involve the desymmetrization of the anti meso-acetylmethyldivinylcyclopentane 3 which proceeds through either the selective formation of epoxyketone 5 and intramolecular enolate cyclisation or a xanthate groupe transfer mediated radical cyclization to furnish trans-hydrindanes 7 and 16 respectively. Epoxyketone 5 is prepared by means of a three-step reaction process including reduction of the ketone moiety, bishomoallylic alcohol-directed epoxidation and Dess-Martin oxidation. Alternatively, an asymmetric reduction using borane/tetrahydrofuran complex and (R)-2-methyl-CBS-oxazaborolidin made accessible the epoxyketone in good optical purity. The xanthate 16 can undergo a Johnson sulfoximine ketone resolution that allows access to both enantiomers. Various derivatizations of 16 to more elaborated synthetic intermediates are also reported.     

Synthesis of the ABC and IJ ring fragments of yessotoxin

Synthesis of a 6/6/6 tricyclic ether system (3) corresponding to the ABC ring fragment of yessotoxin (1) has been achieved via coupling of a triflate and a 2-lithiofuran followed by intramolecular hetero-Michael addition. The IJ ring fragment (4) of 1 was readily synthesized via successive Sharpless epoxidation and 6-endo cyclization of the resulting vinyl epoxide.     

Total synthesis of cis-solamin and its inhibitory action with bovine heart mitochondrial complex I

A convergent total synthesis of cis-solamin (1a) and its diastereomer (1b) was accomplished. A key reaction of this approach was the use of VO(acac)₂-catalyzed diastereoselective epoxidation of (Z)-bis-homoallylic alcohol 3 followed by spontaneous cyclization for the cis-THF ring formation. By comparison of the optical rotation of the two possible diastereomers, it is suggested that the absolute configuration of natural cis-solamin is 1a. Inhibitory action of synthetic 1a and 1b with bovine heart mitochondrial complex I are reported.     

Face selectivity in the reactions of 2,4-disubstituted adamantanes and their modification by inclusion in β-cyclodextrin solutions

Sodium borohydride reduction reactions on 4-X-adamantan-2-ones (where X=ethyleneketal 11, ethylenethioketal 12, and methylene 15) were studied, which gave Z-alcohols 16 and 17 (from en-face attack) as the predominant products for ketones 11 and 12, but gave 1:1 mixture of Z- and E-18 alcohols for ketone 15. The en/zu face selectivity of 15 in sodium borohydride reduction was enhanced to 32/68 in β-CD solution. Both 1,3-dipolar addition and dichlorocarbene addition reactions on 4-ethyleneketal-2-methyleneadamantane 13 underwent again predominant en-face attack to give products in an E/Z ratio of >99:1 and 92:8, respectively. The exceptional high zu-face selectivity on the dichlorocarbene addition reaction of 15 may be explained by a temporal complexation between the carbene and the C₄-oxo group. In the epoxidation reaction of 13 and 15 the zu-face attack products were favored despite their steric congestions suggesting that hydrogen bonding interaction between the peroxide reagent and the C₄-oxo or 4-ethyleneketal is involved.     

A convergent total synthesis of antiplasmodial C2 symmetric (+)-ekeberin D4

The first concise total synthesis of C₂ symmetric (+)-ekeberin D₄ (1) that exhibits antiplasmodial activity has been achieved in total nine steps and 27% yield from the known diol 4. The efficient synthetic method features the regio- and diastereoselective epoxidation of 4 and convergent coupling between half fragments 2 and 3 by taking into account the C₂ symmetric property.     

Microwave-assisted epoxidation of hindered homoallylic alcohols using VO(acac)2: application to polypropionate synthesis

The VO(acac)₂ catalyzed epoxidation of hindered homoallylic alcohols was conducted under microwave irradiation in an open vessel using toluene as solvent. The reaction time for the epoxidation of a series of cis- and trans-2-methyl-3-alkenols was dramatically reduced from 6 to 10 days to less than 3 h when compared to conventional heating. The cis alkenols exhibited very high diastereoselectivity. The more elaborated polypropionate precursors 12, 14 and 16 were epoxidized in good yield and excellent diastereoselectivities using the microwave-assisted epoxidation technique described here, which is safe and suitable for multi-gram scales.     

Effect of α-fluorination on asymmetric epoxidation of trans-olefins using α-fluorinated cyclohexanone dioxiranes

Epoxidations of trans-β-methylstyrene, trans-stilbene and trans-methyl p-methoxycinnamate using chiral dioxiranes derived from both enantiopure diastereomers of α-fluoro cyclohexanones, (2S, 5R)-3a-6a and (2R, 5R)-3e-6e are studied and compared. From ab initio calculations at the HF/6-31G^∗ level of conformational inter-conversion for (2S, 5R)-D5a and (2R, 5R)-D5e dioxiranes it was found that, due to the α-fluorine atom, conformer K1 is more stable in the case of (2S, 5R)-D5a while conformer K2 is more stable in the case of (2R, 5R)-D5e. However, in both cases, the more stable conformers, K1 and K2, undergo rapid inter-conversion. Therefore, based on slow epoxidation reactions and rapid ring inversion of six-membered ring dioxiranes the Curtin-Hammett principle holds. Conformation K2 with axial fluorine having been found to be more reactive, the inversion of configuration observed for the epoxides obtained with ketones 3e-6e (compared with ketones 3a-6a) could be rationalized from competitive reactions of K2 and K1 conformations leading to simultaneous production of both (−) and (+) epoxides in the case of ketones 3e-6e.     

Enantioselective epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones catalyzed by stapled helical l-Leu-based peptides

Stapled helical l-leucine-based heptapeptides were synthesized and used as catalysts for the enantioselective epoxidation of α,β-unsaturated ketones. All N-terminal free stapled peptides were successfully used as chiral catalysts. Among them, the use of H-hS₃,₇hS-10 gave epoxide products with high enantioselectivities of up to 99% ee. Furthermore, the dominant conformations of the N-terminal protected stapled peptides R₃,₇R-10 and hS₃,₇hS-10 were investigated by ¹H NMR, IR, CD spectra, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The peptide R₃,₇R-10 formed a right-handed (P) α-helix in solution and in the crystalline state, while hS₃,₇hS-10 formed a right-handed (P) 3₁₀-helix in solution.     

Asymmetric epoxidation of cis-alkenes with arabinose-derived ketones: enantioselective synthesis of the side chain of Taxol

The ee values of asymmetric epoxidation of cis-ethyl cinnamate 15 with arabinose-derived ketones as catalyst and Oxone^® as the terminal oxidant were found to increase inversely with the size of the catalyst acetal blocking group. Ketone catalyst 2, with the least bulky methoxy acetal group, displayed the best enantioselectivity and afforded ethyl (2R,3R)-3-phenylglycidate 16 in 68% ee. Epoxide 16 was readily converted into a protected side chain of Taxol^® in five steps with an overall yield of 89%. The enantioselectivity of the epoxidation of other cis-alkenes was moderate to poor.     

Enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-decursin and related natural compounds using catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of an enone

The enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-decursin (1) and related natural dihydropyranocoumarins (−)-prantschimgin (3), (+)-decursinol (4), and (+)-marmesin (5) were achieved for the first time using catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of an enone as the key step. Catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of the enone was effectively promoted by the novel multifunctional asymmetric catalyst generated from La(O-i-Pr)₃, BINOL, and Ph₃AsO in a 1:1:1 ratio to afford epoxide in 94% yield and 96% ee, which was recrystallized to give optically pure epoxide. After conversion to the common key intermediate (−)-peucedanol (7), all natural dihydropyranocoumarins were synthesized through palladium-catalyzed intramolecular C-O coupling reactions. A possible reaction mechanism of the catalytic asymmetric epoxidation of enones is also described based on X-ray analysis, laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, kinetic studies, and asymmetric amplification studies.     

Oxovanadium(IV) complexes as molecular catalysts in epoxidation: Simple access to pyridylalkoxide derivatives

Reaction of bis(aryl)-2-pyridylmethanol ligands (1a-7a) with VO(SO₄) · 5H₂O results in the formation of metal-oxo complexes [VO(N-O)₂] (1-7), with N-O = bis(aryl)-2-pyridylmethanol. A molecular structure of (4) has been determined by single crystals X-ray diffraction study, which showed the expected square planar pyramidal geometry with the pyridine ring nitrogens in trans-position to each other. The metal-oxo complexes (1-4,6,7) demonstrated the ability to catalyse epoxidation reactions of alkenes with molecular oxygen.