Total synthesis of GEX1A

An efficient and readily modifiable synthesis of GEX1A/herboxidiene/TAN-1609 ( 1) was developed. This modular synthesis featured a Suzuki coupling to install the conjugated diene and a Ru-catalyzed lactonization and Roush crotylation to construct the functionalized tetrahydropyran moiety. Myers' alkylation, cross-metathesis, and Keck crotylation were employed for assembly of the biologically essential side-chain domain.     

Botcinolide/botcinin: asymmetric synthesis of the key fragments

The asymmetric synthesis of key fragments of the phytotoxic toxins botcinolide/botcinin is reported. The synthesis of 1 and 1a are based on a convergent route via esterification and alkene metathesis of fragments A, B or C, B, which were obtained by Evans aldol condensation and stereoselective crotylation, respectively.     

Enantioselective imidazole-directed allylation of aldimines and ketimines

A new chiral allylchlorosilane has been developed that allows the highly enantioselective allylation and crotylation of a range of 2-imidazolylaldimines and ketimines. The method may be exploited for the protecting group-free synthesis of a diverse array of imidazole-bearing chiral carbinamines and, when coupled with ring-closing metathesis reactions, allows the one-pot synthesis of unusual heterocyclic motifs with potential relevance in medicinal chemistry.     

Total synthesis of herboxidiene/GEX 1A

A convergent enantioselective synthesis of herboxidiene/GEX 1A (1) is described that features a double stereodifferentiating crotylation, [4 + 2] annulation, and a silicon-based sp2-sp2 cross-coupling to assemble the conjugated diene.     

A convenient asymmetric synthesis of the octalactin lactone

A facile asymmetric synthesis of the octalactin lactone was developed staring from (R)-cyclohexylideneglyceraldehyde (1). The key step of the synthesis is an In-mediated diastereoselective crotylation of 1 in water, which furnished the building blocks with the required stereochemistry under operationally simple conditions. Their conversion to the appropriate intermediates, invertive esterification and a ring closing metathesis reaction furnished the target compound.     

Crotylations of alpha-carbonyl radicals with crotylstannane

Electrophilic radicals undergo crotylation with crotylstannane with moderate to good efficiency. The reaction provides the syn isomer as the major product. The present methodology is complementary to Claisen protocols for the synthesis of gamma,delta-unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives. Details of the new radical methodology are presented. [reaction: see text]     

The first stereoselective synthesis of orostanal isolated from a marine sponge Stelletta hiwasaensis

The synthesis of orostanal, containing novel 6-5-6-5 fused rings and exhibiting meaningful bioactivity against HL-60 cells, has been achieved via 12 steps in 18% total yield from a readily accessible intermediate 7. The key steps for the synthesis entailed an alumina-mediated intramolecular aldol cyclization and asymmetric crotylation to construct the chirality of carbon-25.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (−)‐Erogorgiaene and Its C‐11 Epimer and Investigation of Their Antimycobacterial Activity

A short, nine‐step, highly enantioselective synthesis of (?)‐erogorgiaene and its C‐11 epimer is reported. The key stereochemistry controlling steps involve catalytic asymmetric crotylation, anionic oxy‐Cope rearrangement and cationic cyclisation. (?)‐Erogorgiaene exhibited promising antitubercular activity against multidrug‐resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.     

A concise route to (+)-lactacystin

A facile chromatography-free route to Kang's intermediate for the synthesis of (+)-lactacystin, a potent proteasome inhibitor, has been developed starting with Brown's asymmetric crotylation of tert-butyl 5-formyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxan-5-ylcarbamate, easily available from 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol (Tris).     

First stereoselective total synthesis of pectinolide A

The enantioselective synthesis of bio-active 5,6-dihydro-α-pyrone, pectinolide A, has been achieved in 10 steps in good overall yield. Of the three stereogenic centres, the C-5/C-6 vic-diol was obtained using diastereo- and enantioselective Brown hydroxyl crotylation, while the C-3′ stereocentre was created by Jacobsen hydrolytic kinetic resolution method.     

Highly enantioenriched tetrahydropyridines from chiral organosilanes: application to the synthesis of quinolizidine alkaloid (-)-217A

The tetrahydropyridine and piperidine subunits are widely found in biologically active molecules and natural products. Alhough considerable synthetic efforts have been made to reach these systems, there are few direct methods available for the preparation of enantionenriched tetrahydropyridines. A Lewis acid-promoted intramolecular imine crotylation is described and results in direct access to enantioenriched 2,6-cis- and 2,6-trans-3-trans-trisubstituted tetrahydropyridines with high diastereoselectivity. An example of the application of this methodology was demonstrated in an expedient total synthesis of (-)-quinolizidine 217A. The absolute stereochemistry of this natural product was established by the total synthesis.     

Total synthesis of the Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin

An enantioselective synthesis of the Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin was achieved in 20 linear steps and 2.0% overall yield from 2-methoxyhydroquinone. The synthesis is highlighted by a regio- and stereoselective hydroboration reaction; a Sc(OTf)(3)/Et(3)SiH-mediated pyran ring-opening reaction; an enantioselective crotylation to simultaneously install the C8-C9 (E) -trisubstituted olefin, the C10 and C11 stereocenters; a chelation-controlled asymmetric metallated acetylide addition; and an intramolecular copper(I)-mediated aryl amidation reaction to close the 19-membered macrolactam.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of useful building blocks by crotylation of beta-branched alpha-methylaldehydes with potassium crotyltrifluoroborates

The diastereoselective construction of stereotriads having consecutive methyl, hydroxy, and methyl substituents was realized by the substrate-controlled crotylation of beta-branched alpha-methylaldehydes with potassium crotyltrifluoroborates. Especially, crotylation of 2-(1,3-dithian-2-yl)propanal with potassium ( E)-crotyltrifluoroborate afforded, in good yield and with excellent diastereoselectivity, a useful building block that has different and potential functional groups on both ends.     

Synthesis of the bis-spiroacetal moiety of spirolides B and D

An enantioselective synthesis of the bis-spiroacetal fragment of spirolides B and D is reported. The carbon framework was constructed via Barbier reaction of dihydropyran 3 with aldehyde 4, followed by a double oxidative radical cyclization to construct the bis-spiroacetal. A silyl-modified Prins cyclization and enantioselective crotylation successfully installed the stereocenters in the cyclization precursor. The initial unsaturated bis-spiroacetals 2a-d underwent equilibration during epoxidation to trans-epoxide 14 that was converted to a tertiary alcohol. [reaction: see text]     

Total synthesis of rutamycin B and oligomycin C

The asymmetric synthesis of the macrolide antibiotics (+)-rutamycin B (1) and (+)-oligomycin C (2) is described. The approach relied on the synthesis and coupling of the individual spiroketal fragments 3a and 3b with the C1-C17 polyproprionate fragment 4. The preparation of the spiroketal fragments was achieved using chiral (E)-crotylsilane bond construction methodology, which allowed the introduction of the stereogenic centers prior to spiroketalization. The present work details the synthesis of the C19-C28 and C29-C34 subunits as well as their convergent assembly through an alkylation reaction of the lithiated N,N-dimethylhydrazones 6 and 8 to afford the individual linear spiroketal intermediates 5a and 5b, respectively. After functional group adjustment, these advanced intermediates were cyclized to their respective spiroketal-coupling partners 40 and 41. The requisite polypropionate fragment was assembled in a convergent manner using asymmetric crotylation methodology for the introduction of six of the nine-stereogenic centers. The use of three consecutive crotylation reactions was used for the construction of the C3-C12 subunit 32. A Mukaiyama-type aldol reaction of 35 with the chiral alpha-methyl aldehyde 39 was used for the introduction of the C12-C13 stereocenters. This anti aldol finished the construction of the C3-C17 advanced intermediate 36. A two-carbon homologation completed the construction of the polypropionate fragment 38. The completion of the synthesis of the two macrolide antibiotics was accomplished by the union of two principal fragments that was achieved with an intermolecular palladium-(0) catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between the terminal vinylstannanes of the individual spiroketals 3a and 3b and the polypropionate fragment 4. The individual carboxylic acids 46 and 47 were cyclized to their respective macrocyclic lactones 48 and 49 under Yamaguchi reaction conditions. Deprotection of these macrolides completed the synthesis of the rutamycin B and oligomycin C.     

Synthesis of the bis-spiroacetal moiety of the shellfish toxins spirolides B and D using an iterative oxidative radical cyclization strategy

The enantioselective synthesis of the bis-spiroacetal fragment of the shellfish toxins, spirolides B 1 and D 2, is reported. The carbon framework was constructed via a Barbier reaction of dihydropyran 10 with aldehyde 11, followed by two oxidative radical cyclizations to construct the bis-spiroacetal ring system. A silyl-modified Prins cyclization and enantioselective crotylation successfully installed the stereocenters in the cyclization precursor 21. The initial unsaturated bis-spiroacetals 9a-d underwent equilibration during epoxidation to trans-epoxide 24 that was converted to tertiary alcohol 7.     

Diastereoselective chain-elongation reactions using microreactors for applications in complex molecule assembly

Diastereoselective chain-elongation reactions are important transformations for the assembly of complex molecular structures, such as those present in polyketide natural products. Here we report new methods for performing crotylation reactions and homopropargylation reactions by using newly developed low-temperature flow-chemistry technology. In-line purification protocols are described, as well as the application of the crotylation protocol in an automated multi-step sequence.     

A more comprehensive and highly practical solution to enantioselective aldehyde crotylation

The enantioselective crotylation of aldehydes with 1,2-diaminochlorocrotylsilane reagents is effectively catalyzed by Sc(OTf)(3). The one significant limitation on the utility of these reagents--substrate scope--has thus been addressed. The net result is the most comprehensive and highly practical method for enantioselective aldehyde crotylation yet advanced.     

Total Synthesis of (+)-Lactacystin

A double stereodifferentiating crotylation between aldehyde 1 and silane (S)- 2 to afford homoallylic alcohol 3 is the key diastereoselective step (anti:syn >30:1) in an efficient asymmetric synthesis of (+)-lactacystin. This compound is a metabolite isolated from Streptomyces sp. OM-6519 that exhibits significant neurotrophic activity. An additional important step in the synthesis is a catalytic asymmetric aminohydroxylation used as the key step in the synthesis of the (2R,3S)-hydroxyleucine synthon.     

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.