Epoxide-initiated cationic cyclization of azides: a novel method for the stereoselective construction of 5-hydroxymethyl azabicyclic compounds and application in the stereo- and enantioselective total synthesis of (+)- and (-)-indolizidine 167B and 209D

A novel and general method has been developed for the stereoselective construction of 5-hydroxymethyl azabicyclic ring skeletons based on epoxide-initiated cationic cyclization of azides. The key cyclization reaction was systematically studied with the model compound, 3-(1-oxa-spiro[2.4]hept-4-yl)propyl azide 3a, and EtAlCl(2) was found to be an ideal choice as the catalyst. The generality of this transformation was further tested with different ring sizes, where six- and seven-membered epoxyazides 3b,c underwent smooth cyclization to give 5-hydroxymethyl azepine 4b and 5-hydroxymethyl azocine 4c, respectively, as a single detectable diastereomer. This novel methodology was elegantly applied in the stereoselective total synthesis of indolizidine alkaloids 167B and 209D. Further, the enantioselective total synthesis of natural and unnatural indolizidine alkaloids 167B and 209D was accomplished by using Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as a key step.     

A stereoselective route toward polyhydoxylated piperidines. A total synthesis of (+/-)-deoxymannojirimycin

[reaction: see text] A chemo- and stereoselective palladium-catalyzed amination of silylated butenediol dicarbonates has allowed for the introduction of a glycine moiety to obtain a desired functionalized epoxysilane. A stereoselective aldolization then delivered the piperidine ring which may be used as a precursor for the synthesis of a variety of polyhydroxylated azasugars. This efficient approach has been illustrated by the synthesis of 1-deoxymannojirimycin including a stereoselective reduction with LAH and a Tamao-Fleming oxidation of a C-SiMe(2)Ph bond.     

Formal total synthesis of (+/-)-vindoline by tandem radical cyclization

A formal total synthesis of (+/-)-vindoline 1 has been achieved featuring the tandem cyclization of radicals produced from the iodoaryl azide 19a.     

Tandem radical cyclizations with iodoaryl azides: formal total synthesis of (+/-)-aspidospermidine

An iodoazide radical cascade cyclization strategy has been used as the key step in a formal synthesis of aspidospermidine. Specifically, this step generated the alkaloid's B- and E-rings in the ethylidene-functionalized tetracycle 5. In turn, this was converted into pentacycle 25, a known advanced synthetic precursor of aspidospermidine.     

A convenient new route to piperidines, pyrrolizidines, indolizidines, and quinolizidines by cyclization of acetylenic sulfones with beta and gamma-chloroamines. Enantioselective total synthesis of indolizidines (-)-167B, (-)-209D, (-)-209B, and (-)-207A

The methyl esters of (L)-phenylalanine and (L)-methionine underwent conjugate additions via their free amino groups to 1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)hexyne, followed by intramolecular acylation of the corresponding enamide anions and tautomerization to afford 2-benzyl-5-n-butyl-3-hydroxy-4-(p-toluenesulfonyl)pyrrole and 5-n-butyl-3-hydroxy-2-(2-methylthioethyl)-4-(p-toluenesulfonyl)pyr role, respectively. The conjugate additions of a series of acyclic and cyclic secondary beta- and gamma-chloroamines to acetylenic sulfones proceeded similarly under mild conditions. The resulting adducts were deprotonated with LDA in THF at -78 degrees C, and the resulting sulfone-stabilized carbanions underwent intramolecular alkylation to afford cyclic enamine sulfones. Thus, acyclic gamma-chloroalkyl-benzylamines afforded the corresponding 2- or 2,6-disubstituted piperidines, while 2-(chloromethyl)pyrrolidines, 2-(2-chloroethyl)pyrrolidines, 2-(chloromethyl)piperidines, and 2-(2-chloroethyl)piperidines produced the corresponding 3-substituted pyrrolizidines, 5- or 3-substituted indolizidines, and 4-substituted quinolizidines, respectively. 8-Methyl-5-substituted indolizidines were also prepared from the appropriate methyl-substituted chloroamine precursor. Enantioselective syntheses were achieved by employing chiral chloroamines derived from amino acids or other enantiopure precursors. Further transformations of several of the products provided concise syntheses of four dendrobatid alkaloids. Thus, reduction of (8aS)-5-n-propyl-6-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-delta5,6-indolizidine with sodium cyanoborohydride in trifluoroacetic acid, followed by reductive desulfonylation, afforded (-)-indolizidine 167B. The corresponding 5-n-hexyl derivative similarly produced (-)-indolizidine 209D, while (-)-(8R, 8aS)-8-methyl-5-n-pentyl-6-(p-toluenesulfonyl)-delta5,6-indo lizidine furnished (-)-indolizidine 209B. Finally, the similar reduction and debenzylation of (-)-(8R,8aS)-5-(2-benzyloxyethyl)-8-methyl-6-(p-toluenesulfo nyl)-delta5,6-indolizidine produced the corresponding 5-hydroxyethyl indolizidine. This was subjected to chlorination of the alcohol group with thionyl chloride and substitution with a higher order allyl cuprate reagent to afford (-)-indolizidine 207A.     

Concise stereocontrolled formal synthesis of (+/-)-quinine and total synthesis of (+/-)-7- hydroxyquinine via merged Morita-Baylis-Hillman-Tsuji-Trost cyclization

Concise stereoselective syntheses of (+/-)-quinine and (+/-)-7-hydroxyquinine are achieved using a catalytic enone cycloallylation that combines the nucleophilic features of the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction and the electrophilic features of the Tsuji-Trost reaction. Cyclization of enone-allyl carbonate 11 delivers the product of cycloallylation 13 in 68% yield. Diastereoselective conjugate reduction of the enone 13 (>20:1 dr) followed by exchange of the N-protecting group provides the saturated N-Boc-protected methyl ketone 19, which upon aldol dehydration provides quinoline containing enone 15, possessing all carbon atoms of quinine. Exposure of ketone 15 to L-selectride enables diastereoselective carbonyl reduction (>20:1 dr) to furnish the allylic alcohol 16. Stereoselective hydroxyl-directed epoxidation using an oxovanadium catalyst modified by N-hydroxy-N-Me-pivalamide delivers epoxide 17 (17:1 dr). Cyclization of the resulting amine-epoxide 17 provides (+/-)-7-hydroxyquinine in 13 steps and 11% overall yield from aminoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal. Notably, highly stereoselective formation of five contiguous stereocenters is achieved through a series of 1,2-asymmetric induction events. Deoxygenation of the N-Cbz-protected allylic acetate 22 provides olefin 23, which previously has been converted to quinine. Thus, (+/-)-quinine is accessible in 16 steps and 4% overall yield from commercial aminoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal.     

Asymmetric synthesis of (-)-indolizidine 209D via B-alkyl Suzuki coupling and amination reactions

(-)-Indolizidine 209D has been synthesized using consecutive amination reactions of compound 11. The precursor was prepared concisely using B-alkyl Suzuki cross coupling of chiral homoallyl amine and vinyl iodide compounds. Reaction: see text.     

A simple and stereospecfic route to 2,6-disubstituted 4-hydroxypiperidines. Synthesis of dendrobate alkaloid (+)-241D and formal synthesis of (-)-indolizidine 167B

The condensation of enantiopure beta-amino esters with beta-ketoesters followed by cyclization and decarboxylation afforded 2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones 3, which were selectively hydrogenated to provide 2,6-disubstituted 4-hydroxypiperdines.     

Efficient route to 4a-methyltetrahydrofluorenes: a total synthesis of (+/-)-dichroanal B via intramolecular Heck reaction

An efficient new route based on intramolecular Heck cyclization of the diene 11 was developed to prepare the 4a-methyltetrahydrofluorene diterpenoids and utilized for the total synthesis of (+/-)-dichroanal B with significantly improved overall yield.     

First total synthesis of (+/-)-taxifolial a and (+/-)-iso-caulerpenyne

The first synthesis of (+/-)-taxifolial A and iso-caulerpenyne was accomplished. The key steps in the sequence are (1) the stereoselective assembly of a vinyltin derived from butynediol and a functionalized aldehyde and (2) the construction of the dienyne moiety via a Stille cross-coupling.     

A novel stereocontrolled approach to eudesmanolides: total synthesis of (+/-)-gallicadiol and (+/-)-isogallicadiol

[reaction: see text] A novel approach for the stereocontrolled synthesis of eudesmanolides was developed based on a quasi-biomimetic strategy starting from a functionalized oxabicyclic template, as shown above, by which the first total syntheses of gallicadiol (6) and isogallicadiol (7) were achieved. The key elements of the synthesis include: (1) a facile and stereospecific synthesis of a functionalized epoxy aldehyde intermediate; (2) a mild Lewis acid-mediated stereoselective ene cyclization; and (3) a stereocontrolled gamma-lactonization.     

Radical cyclization of beta-aminoacrylates: synthesis of (-)-indolizidine 223AB

[reaction: see text] (-)-Indolizidine 223AB was synthesized via radical cyclization of the beta-aminoacrylate derivative of a trans-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidine. The trans-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidine substrate was prepared by radical cyclization of a Ses-protected beta-aminoacrylate.     

General route to 4a-methylhydrofluorene diterpenoids: total syntheses of (+/-)-taiwaniaquinones d and h, (+/-)-taiwaniaquinol B, (+/-)-dichroanal B, and (+/-)-dichroanone

A general and convergent route for the synthesis of the 4a-methylhydrofluorene diterpenoids has been established through a common hexahydrofluorenone intermediate (10) obtained via Pd(0)-catalyzed reductive cyclization of a substituted 2-(2-bromobenzyl) methylene cyclohexane (13). The strategy has been successfully utilized for the synthesis of (+/-)-taiwaniaquinones D (3) and H (5), (+/-)-taiwaniaquinol B (1), (+/-)-dichroanal B (7), and (+/-)-dichroanone (8).     

The fluoride ion-induced intramolecular conjugate addition of propargylsilanes to dihydropyridones. A novel method for the stereoselective construction of azabicyclic ring systems

The fluoride ion-induced intramolecular conjugate addition of propargylsilanes to dihydropyridones is reported. Our results revealed that tetrabutylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate (TBAT), an air-stable, non-hygroscopic fluoride ion source, catalyzes cyclocondensation to provide the corresponding 1-vinylidene indolizidines in a high yield as single isomers, while Lewis acid catalysts were ineffective. The scope of this method was further investigated in the reactions leading to compounds with larger ring size. In these cases dihydropyridones with the propargylsilane located in the side-chain underwent cyclization to give 9-vinylidene quinolizidines with significantly lower yields.     

Formal total synthesis of (+/-)-estrone and zirconocene-promoted cyclization of 2-fluoro-1,7-octadienes and ru-catalyzed ring closing metathesis

A new and diastereoselective method for the synthesis of the estrone skeleton from a substituted styrene based on sequential 3-fold use of Cp 2ZrBu 2 (oxidative addition-alkylation and two cyclization-alkylation sequences) and a ruthenium complex catalyzed RC-metathesis of a sterically hindered diene was developed. The prepared estratetraene was obtained in 7 steps from a commercially available starting material and thus the overall synthesis of estrone could be accomplished in 9 steps. Moreover, we have also found that the course of the reaction of substrates bearing the 2-halo-1,7-diene moiety with Cp 2ZrBu 2, i.e., cyclization or oxidative addition to the C-X bond, could be controlled by the nature of the halogen leaving group.     

First total synthesis of the 4a-methyltetrahydrofluorene diterpenoids (+/-)-dichroanal B and (+/-)-dichroanone

[reaction: see text] A simple synthesis of the 4a-methyltetrahydrofluorene diterpenoids (+/-)-dichroanal B and (+/-)-dichroanone has been achieved through a common hexahydrofluorenone intermediate obtained via Pd(0)-catalyzed reductive cyclization of a substituted 2-(2-bromobenzyl) methylene cyclohexane.     

First total synthesis of (+/-)-stemonamide and (+/-)-isostemonamide

[structure: see text] The total synthesis of the tetracyclic alkaloids stemonamide (1) and isostemonamide (2) is presented. The key step is the reaction between a silyloxyfuran and an N-acyliminium ion. The second quaternary center is created by an intramolecular aldol spirocyclization. After 1,4-addition of an appropriate side chain, the methyl and double bond are installed by Mannich reaction. The seven-membered ring is closed by intramolecular nucleophilic displacement.     

Total synthesis of (+/-)-herbindole B and (+/-)-cis-trikentrin B

[reaction: see text] Herbindole B and cis-trikentrin B are naturally occurring indoles having the unusual and synthetically challenging pattern of carbon substitution at the 4-7 and 5-7 positions, respectively, with no substitution at the 1-3 positions. The total syntheses of these polyalkylated indoles have been achieved in 19 and 12 steps, respectively. The synthesis of herbindole B relies on two iterations of a quinine monoimine Diels-Alder reaction, while cis-trikentrin B uses a single cycloaddition of a suitable quinone monoimine. Indolization of the adducts provides suitably substituted benzopyrrole nuclei for elaboration to the natural products.