Synthesis of the methylene bis-tetrahydropyran motif of (−)-exiguolide

A chiral-pool approach for the construction of methylene bis-tetrahydropyran subunit, C₁-C₁₆ fragment, of (−)-exiguolide is described. The synthesis was efficiently accomplished starting from l-glutamic acid and l-aspartic acid involving oxa-Michael reaction and an aldol-driven-reductive etherification as key steps for the formation of tetrahydropyran ring.     

Synthesis of triazole cages containing C3-symmetric α-cyclic tripeptide scaffold

Two water-soluble C₃-symmetric 1,2,3-triazole cages containing α-cyclic tripeptide were efficiently synthesized. The key steps include a click reaction to incorporate l-glutamic or l-aspartic acids to a tripodal linker and a unique one-pot cyclotrimerization.     

Synthesis of (S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin and isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinolinone derivatives from l-aspartic acid

This paper describes a new total synthesis for (S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin, (S)-7-MeO-AT, from l-aspartic acid in an overall yield of 10% over nine steps. The major loss was ascribed to a key intramolecular Friedel–Crafts cyclization step, which afforded up to 36% yield. Attempts to perform a Friedel–Crafts cyclization of an intermediate phthalimide protected amino alcohol 13 did not give the desired protected (S)-7-MeO-AT. On the other hand, two new isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinolinone derivatives 14 and 15, were isolated in 21 and 11% yield, respectively. The yield of 15 was improved to 70%.     

Enantioselective access to (−)-indolizidines 167B, 209D, 239AB, 195B and (−)-monomorine from a common chiral synthon

An enantioselective access to (?)-indolizidine alkaloids 167B, 209D, 239AB, 195B and (?)-monomorine from a new chiral synthon is described. The use of (S)-3-(Cbz-amino)-4-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)butanal, obtained from l-aspartic acid, has provided efficient access of the indolizidine frame work through a Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reaction and reductive cyclization as the key steps.     

Synthesis of substituted (S)-2-aminotetralins via ring-opening of aziridines prepared from l-aspartic acid β-tert-butyl ester

This paper describes the total synthesis of the hydrochloride salts of (2S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin (21-HCl) and (2S)-2-amino-6-fluoro-7-methoxytetralin (ST1214), from a common enantiomerically pure aziridine 4b, which was available from l-aspartic acid β-tert-butyl ester. The synthesis of 21-HCl and ST1214 proceeded in nine steps and 5 and 6% overall yields, respectively. Key steps are the regioselective ring-opening of 4b with ArMgBr/CuBr·SMe₂ and the intramolecular Friedel-Crafts cyclisation providing α-tetralone. Substituted naphthalenes were formed as side products in the latter reaction.     

Enantioselective approach to indolizidine and quinolizidine scaffolds. Application to the synthesis of peptide mimics

An enantioselective approach to substituted indolizidine and quinolizidine frameworks has been developed. Key steps of the synthesis are the enantioselective, palladium-catalyzed N-allylation of an imide, the nucleophilic allylation of an acyliminium ion and a ring closing metathesis. This general strategy has been applied to the synthesis of indolizidine peptide mimics, starting from a chiral imide derived from l-aspartic acid. It was observed that the preexisting stereogenic center of this substrate has a moderate influence on the stereoselectivity of the electrophilic allylation, which is mainly determined by the sense of chirality of the catalyst.     

Direct syntheses of Lan+1NinO3n+1 phases (n=1, 2, 3 and ∞) from nanosized co-crystallites

A new direct route for the “bottom up” syntheses of phases in the La_n+1Ni_nO_3n+1 series (n=1, 2, 3 and ∞) has been achieved via single-step heat treatments of nanosized co-crystallized precursors. The co-crystallized precursors were prepared using a continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis system that uses a superheated water flow at ca. 400 °C and 24.1 MPa to produce nanoparticulate slurries. Overall, a significant reduction in time and number of steps for the syntheses of La₃Ni₂O₇ and La₄Ni₃O₁₀ was achieved compared with more conventional synthesis methods, which typically require multiple homogenization and reheating steps over several days.     

Synthetic directions of acidic hexasaccharide repeating unit of the O-antigen of Cronobacter sakazakii HPB 2855 using one pot glycosylation

Synthesis of a hexasaccharide repeating unit of the O-antigen of Cronobacter sakazakii HPB 2855 has been achieved by sequential glycosylations and one-pot glycosylation-deprotection techniques. The synthetic method relies on the use of a p-methoxybenzyl ether as an in situ-removable protecting group to reduce the number of reaction steps significantly. All the glycosylations have been accomplished by the activation of the only one class of simple and stable thioglycosyl donors using NIS in the presence of sulfuric acid immobilized on silica (H₂SO₄-silica) as a Brönsted acid catalyst to work as a promoter. The stereo outcomes of all the glycosylation steps were excellent with satisfactory yield. TEMPO mediated selective oxidation of the primary hydroxyl group has been carried out at the late stage of the synthetic strategy to achieve the required uronic acid motif.     

Synthesis of a C3-symmetric macrocycle with alternating sugar amino acid and tyrosine residues

A C₃-symmetric macrocycle with alternating sugar amino acid and tyrosine residues was synthesized in seven steps from tyrosine tert-butyl ester and a sugar amino acid precursor derived from D-glucosamine. An Fmoc-protected D-glucosamine derivative was oxidized at C-6 to give the sugar amino acid, which was immediately coupled to tyrosine tert-butyl ester to produce an orthogonally protected building block. This building block was subsequently elongated to the trimer via the dimer, and finally cyclized to give the C₃-symmetric macrocycle.     

Enantioselective synthesis of 2-ethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran carboxylic acid, direct precursor of (+)-efaroxan, from a Baylis-Hillman adduct

We describe herein a new and straightforward enantioselective approach to R-(+)-2-ethyl-2,3-dihydrofuran carboxylic acid, the direct precursor of (+)-efaroxan, an α₂ adrenoreceptor antagonist, which is indicated to be used for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer and Parkinson), migraine and type II diabetes. Our goal was accomplished using a Baylis-Hillman adduct as starting material. The dihydrobenzofuran acid was obtained in eight steps with an overall yield of 14%.     

Asymmetric synthesis of nonproteinogenic amino acids with l-amino acid transaminase: synthesis of (2S)-2-amino-4-oxo-4-phenylbutyric and (3E,2S)-2-amino-4-phenylbutenoic acids

2,4-Dioxo-4-phenylbutyric acid and 2-oxo-4-phenylbut-3-enoic acid are converted to the corresponding (S)-2-amino acids by recombinant Escherichia coli whole cells over-expressing aromatic transaminase from Enterobacter sp. BK2K-1 (AroATEs) in high yields (68–78%) and high enantiomeric purity (>99%) using l-aspartic acid as an amino donor.     

Stereoselective synthesis of malyngic acid and fulgidic acid

A new stereoselective total synthesis of malyngic acid has been achieved from a known oxazolidinone derivative via eight steps involving the Evans asymmetric alkylation as the chirality-inducing step and chelation-controlled Zn(BH₄)₂ reduction of an α-hydroxy ketone intermediate for the installation of the 12,13-anti stereochemistry. Fulgidic acid, the C12-epimer of malyngic acid, has also been synthesized in eight steps from the same starting material by using syn-selective K-Selectride reduction of an α-alkoxy ketone intermediate.     

Synthesis of chiral, amphiphilic, and water-soluble macrocycles via urea formation

A simple, efficient, and flexible procedure for the synthesis of chiral, amphiphilic, and water-soluble macrocycles is reported. Acylation of p-xylylenediamine with N^α-Fmoc-protected glycine, l-aspartic acid, l-glutamic acid, and l-arginine, followed by removal of Fmoc-groups, gave amino acid:p-xylylene conjugate diamines, which were converted to ten macrocycles via stepwise urea formation using p-nitrophenyl chloroformate. l-Aspartic acid-containing macrocyles proved to be soluble in aqueous buffers and a macrocycle containing four aspartate residues was found to recognize arginine and arginine esters with moderate affinity.     

Zirconium-catalysed N-acylation of lactams using unactivated carboxylic acids

A large number of chemicals including surfactants, nootropic drugs and pesticides contain an N-acylated lactam moiety in their molecular structure. In this work, the direct, catalytic N-acylation of a number of lactams with various unactivated carboxylic acids is reported. Several Lewis acid catalysts were evaluated for their activity in the N-acylation of pyroglutamic acid methyl ester with palmitic acid; the highest activities were observed for zirconium-based catalysts. Yields of up to 97% were obtained utilising 10?mol% Zr(propoxide)₄ in mesitylene at reflux temperature, but ZrOCl₂·8H₂O was determined as the most stable catalyst. The substrate scope was investigated and a number of lactam-carboxylic acid combinations were successfully converted into the desired products in 57–97% yield. This method provides an alternative synthetic pathway towards the drug aniracetam, which can be produced in 84% yield. A plausible catalytic mechanism is presented based on kinetic experiments.     

Preparation of novel N-sulfonylated (S,S)-2,3-diaminosuccinate-type chiral auxiliaries and application to an asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrile oxides to allyl alcohol

Novel N-sulfonylated (S,S)-2,3-diaminosuccinate-type chiral auxiliaries, which have the tartaric acid-like framework with a sulfonamide group instead of a hydroxyl group, were synthesized from l-aspartic acid. The synthesized (S,S)-2,3-diaminosuccinate derivatives were applied to an asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrile oxides to allyl alcohol to afford the corresponding optically active 2-isoxazolines, with the enantioselectivities of up to 73% ee. The enantiofacial differentiation was intriguingly opposite to that by using diisopropyl tartrate as a chiral auxiliary.     

Development of β-hydroxyamide/titanium complexes for catalytic enantioselective silylcyanation of aldehydes

A highly enantioselective addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to aldehydes catalyzed by chiral titanium complexes is described. The chiral titanium complexes were prepared in situ from Ti(OⁱPr)₄ and β-hydroxyamide ligands, that could easily be synthesized from ketopinic acid and C₂ symmetrical chiral diamines in a small number of steps.     

Synthesis of the C1-C12 acid fragment of amphidinolide T marine macrolides via SmI2-mediated enantioselective reductive coupling of aldehydes with a chiral crotonate

A new strategy for enantioselective assembly of the trisubstituted tetrahydrofuran ring has been established for synthesis of the C1-C12 acid fragment of amphidinolide T series marine macrolides. The key steps involve the SmI₂-mediated highly enantioselective reductive coupling of an aldehyde with the (1S,2R)-N-methylephedrine-derived crotonate to form the cis-3,4-disubstituted γ-butyrolactone and the subsequent BF₃-mediated 1,3-anti-selective allylation of the five-membered-ring oxocarbenium ion with allyltrimethylsilane. The desired C1-C12 acid fragment was obtained in >25% overall yield via a 9-step sequence.     

Design and synthesis of novel water-soluble amino acid derivatives of chlorin p6 ethers as photosensitizer

Eight new water-soluble amino acid derivatives of chlorin p₆ ethers 6a-h were designed and synthesized using purpurin-18 (2) as key intermediate. All target compounds exhibited better phototoxicity than talaporfin and the most phototoxic compound 6d showed IC₅₀ values of 0.20 μmol/L against A549 cell and 0.41 μmol/L against B16-F10 cell, which represented 31- and 24-fold increase of PDT antitumor efficacy compared to talaporfin.     

Modular chiral selenium-containing oxazolines: synthesis and application in the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation

A new series of modular chiral selenium-containing oxazolines has been synthesized from inexpensive and commercially available l-serine and l-aspartic acid. These new compounds were evaluated as chiral ligands in the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation reaction, furnishing the product in high enantiomeric excess, using Cs₂CO₃/CH₂Cl₂ as the base/solvent system.     

6,7,14,15-Tetrahydro-15aH-azocino[1,2-a:6,5-b′]diindole. Synthesis of a novel pentacyclic ring system

In search of new lead structures for potent allosteric enhancers of antagonist binding to muscarinic M₂ receptors, a novel heterocyclic ring system, 6,7,14,15-tetrahydro-15aH-azocino[1,2-a:6,5-b′]diindole, has been synthesized. The new ring skeleton was obtained from indol-2-yl-acetic acid in three steps.