Thirty-five years of synthetic studies directed towards the histrionicotoxin family of alkaloids

This article brings together for the first time reviews of all the synthetic attempts towards the spirocyclic histrionicotoxin alkaloids published since the discovery of the group in 1971. This covers 5 total syntheses of the fully unsaturated parent alkaloid HTX-283A, 7 total syntheses of perhydrohistrionicotoxin, 15 total syntheses of other members of this alkaloid family, 25 formal syntheses, and 19 partial syntheses involving the successful formation of the core azaspirocyclic structure but lacking advancement towards the target structure.     

Total synthesis of the topopyrones: a new class of topoisomerase I poisons

The topopyrones represent a new class of highly cytotoxic topoisomerase I poisons. Efficient total syntheses of all four naturally occurring members of this class have been accomplished. Key elements of the syntheses include Diels-Alder reactions employing two novel dienes and a titanium-mediated ortho-directed Friedel-Crafts acylation. Additionally, the syntheses of two chlorinated analogues accessible from an advanced intermediate are described.     

Syntheses of the tedanolides and myriaporones

This review covers the synthetic contributions leading to the syntheses of the polyketides tedanolide, 13-deoxytedanolide and the structurally related myriaporones. Fragment syntheses that lead to valuable insight into the subtle synthetic problems of the tedanolides are also presented.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of briarellins E and F: the first total syntheses of briarellin diterpenes

Enantioselective total syntheses of briarellin E (4) and briarellin F (5) have been achieved starting with (S)-(+)-carvone and (S)-(-)-glycidol. These total syntheses are the first of briarellin diterpenes. The central step in these syntheses is acid-promoted condensation of cyclohexadienyl diol 15 and (Z)-alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde 16 to form, with complete stereocontrol, the hexahydroisobenzofuran core and six stereocenters of these coral metabolites. These syntheses also feature stereospecific photolytic deformylation of beta,gamma-unsaturated aldehyde 17 to remove the extraneous carbon introduced in the Prins-pinacol step, chemo- and stereoselective hydroxyl-directed epoxidation of dienyl alcohol 18 to incorporate the C3 oxygen stereocenter, regio- and stereoselective rearrangement of epoxy ester 19 to install the C4 oxygen substituent, efficient dehydrative cyclization of a 1,6-diol intermediate to form the oxepane ring, and diastereoselective Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi cyclization of vinyl iodide aldehyde 25 to forge the oxacyclononane ring and the C6 hydroxyl stereocenter. These total syntheses establish the absolute configurations of 4 and 5, define a concise strategy for the total synthesis of briarellin diterpenes, and provide additional illustrations of the uncommon utility of pinacol-terminated cationic cyclizations for stereocontrolled synthesis of complex oxacyclic natural products.     

The unambiguous synthesis of lignans of the 2,6-diaryl-3,7-dioxabicyclo-[3.3.0]octane series. The synthesis of eudesmin and 4,8-dihydroxysesamin.

The syntheses of two lignans are described. The syntheses are based on dilactones of unambiguous structure and proceed in such a way that ring opened intermediates are not involved and structures can be unequivocally assigned.     

Stereoselective synthesis and determination of the cytotoxic properties of spicigerolide and three of its stereoisomers

Stereoselective syntheses of the naturally occurring, cytotoxic lactone spicigerolide and three nonnatural stereoisomers thereof are described. The commercially available sugar l-rhamnose was in all cases the chiral starting material. Key steps in each of these syntheses were asymmetric Brown allylations and ring-closing metatheses. The cytotoxic activities of the four lactones against a range of tumoral lines were then determined.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of the endo- and exo-spirotetronate subunits of the quartromicins. The first enantioselective Diels-Alder reaction of an acyclic (Z)-1,3-diene

[reaction: see text]. Diastereoselective syntheses of the endo- and exo-spirotetronates 1 and 2, corresponding to the galacto and agalacto fragments of quartromicins A3 and D3, are described. The key step of these syntheses are highly enantio- and diastereoselective Lewis acid catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions of the 1,1,3,4-tetrasubstituted diene 3.     

Total synthesis of cytotoxic macrolide amphidinolide B1 and the proposed structure of amphidinolide B2

The first enantioselective total syntheses of cytotoxic macrolide amphidinolide B1 and the proposed structure for amphidinolide B2 have been accomplished. Key features of the syntheses include a diastereoselective aldol condensation, a spontaneous Wadsworth-Emmons macrocyclization and a directed epoxidation/elimination sequence.     

Occurrence, biological activity and synthesis of drimane sesquiterpenoids

In this review the names, structures and occurrence of all new drimanes and rearranged drimanes which have been published between January 1990 and January 2003 have been collected. Subjects that have been treated are biosynthesis, analysis, biological activities, with special attention to cytotoxic activity and antifeedant and insecticidal activity and mode of action. An important part of the review deals with the synthesis of drimanes. This part has been subdivided into syntheses by transformation of natural products, syntheses starting from chiral compounds obtained by enzymatic resolution, syntheses by cationic polyolefin cyclizations, syntheses from trans-decalones, syntheses by radical cyclizations and syntheses by cycloaddition reactions. The review contains about 350 references.     

Asymmetric synthesis of the dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans interiotherin a and gomisin R

[structure: see text] Asymmetric total syntheses of the dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans interiotherin A and angeloylgomisin R are reported. The syntheses were based on an atropdiastereoselective, copper-promoted biaryl coupling reaction, a diastereoselective hydroboration/Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction sequence, and an asymmetric boron-mediated tiglylation of an aryl aldehyde precursor.     

Concise, protecting group free total syntheses of (+)-sattabacin and (+)-4-hydroxysattabacin

The first asymmetric total syntheses of the antiviral natural products (+)-sattabacin and (+)-4-hydroxysattabacin are reported. Both total syntheses are remarkably concise and were completed without the use of protecting groups. These syntheses allowed the unambiguous assignment of the absolute configuration of both natural products. The syntheses of these natural products, which exhibit marked antiviral activity, are readily amenable to the preparation of structural analogs and progress in this regard is also reported.     

Iodo-cyclizations: novel strategy for the total syntheses of polyrhacitide A and epi-cryptocaryolone

Highly stereoselective total syntheses of polyrhacitide A and epi-cryptocaryolone have been achieved in 11 steps with high overall yield of 24% and 28%, respectively, following a recently developed strategy for the construction of trans-2,6-disubstituted-3,4-dihydropyrans. In this report, the versatility of iodo-cyclization for the total syntheses of polyrhacitide A and epi-cryptocaryolone is demonstrated.     

Total syntheses of tumor-related antigens N3: probing the feasibility limits of the glycal assembly method

The total syntheses of two octasaccharide antigens isolated from human milk, 1 and 2, and their corresponding allyl glycosides, 3 and 4, have been achieved by utilizing the glycal method. Convergent assembly of the core hexasaccharides and concurrent introduction of two alpha-L-fucosyl moieties at the late stage of the syntheses provided these complex carbohydrates in a concise manner. With synthetic material obtained, biological evaluations of these antigens as potential gastrointestinal cancer immunotherapeutic agents have been initiated.     

Total synthesis and repudiation of the helianane family

Total syntheses of two structures purported as (+)-heliananes were completed in six pots. Spectral comparisons, between the synthetic and natural compounds, revealed a misassignment of the eight-membered ring in the heliananes. The key step in the syntheses of the proposed structures and the confirmation of their actual structures was a diastereoselective inverse-demand Diels-Alder reaction between an optically active enol ether and an ortho-quinone methide species, which was generated in situ at low temperature by the sequential addition of methylmagnesium bromide and di-tert-butyl dicarbonate to a salicylaldehyde.     

Mechanistic observations in the gewald syntheses of 2-aminothiophenes

The Gewald syntheses were employed to prepare a series of 2-amino-3-carboethoxythiophenes, and the syntheses of two of these, namely, the 3,4-trimethylene ( 1f ) and 3,4-tetramethylene ( 1g ) derivatives, were examined in detail. In two preparations of 1f , octahydro-6a-(4-morpholinyl)-2-thioxocyclopenta[b]pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid ( 7 ) was a co-product. The structure of 7 was ascertained from its 300 MHz ¹H nmr and ¹³C nmr spectra, and by its conversion to 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-mercaptocyclopenta[b]pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 8 ). Isolation of 7 and other observations led to postulated mechanisms for three of the Gewald thiophene syntheses.     

Recent advances in the transition-metal catalyzed synthesis of multisubstituted pentenolides and related pyranones

This digest focuses on the transition-metal catalyzed syntheses of variously substituted pentenolides, published recently. The review is based on methodologies for the synthesis of pentenolides rather than isolated examples, and covers post-2007 publications reported on this subject. Brief discussion of the strategies, strengths and drawbacks of the syntheses is also included.     

Pd-catalyzed enantioselective aerobic oxidation of secondary alcohols: applications to the total synthesis of alkaloids

Enantioselective syntheses of the alkaloids (-)-aurantioclavine, (+)-amurensinine, (-)-lobeline, and (-)- and (+)-sedamine are described. The syntheses demonstrate the effectiveness of the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric oxidation of secondary alcohols in diverse contexts and the ability of this methodology to set the absolute configuration of multiple stereocenters in a single operation. The utility of an aryne C-C insertion reaction in accessing complex polycyclic frameworks is also described.     

Short total syntheses of the avenaciolide family of natural products

The avenaciolide family of natural products are small α-methylene bis-γ-lactones that exhibit a wide variety of biological activities. Herein we report concise syntheses of five members of this family of natural products along with the synthesis of one non-natural analogue. The syntheses proceed in five or six steps from simple, commercially available compounds and feature a key oxidative cyclization/lactonization reaction that likely occurs via a radical mechanism.     

Alternative Syntheses of 3-Hydrazino-1,2,4-Triazino-[4,3-a]Benzimidazole: Evidence for the Dihydrazino Intermediate

2-S-methyl-mercapto-benzimidazole and 2-chloro-1-methoxy-carbonylmethyl-benzimidazole were utilized as starting materials for the two independent syntheses of 3-Hydrazino-1,2,4-triazino[4,3-a] benzimidazole. The probability of the formation of a dihydrazino compound as the key intermediate in these syntheses as well as in the previously reported synthesis has been confirmed.     

Skeletal diverse synthesis of N-fused polycyclic heterocycles via the sequence of Ugi-type MCR and CuI-catalyzed coupling/tandem Pictet-Spengler reaction

Several diversity-oriented syntheses of N-fused polycyclic heterocycles have been demonstrated but most of them are based on point diversity within the same library and usually involve time-consuming sequential multistep syntheses, which also suffer from low yields and/or poor precursor scopes. We have developed a new strategy for the syntheses of skeletal diverse N-fused polycyclic compounds via an Ugi-type MCR followed by a CuI-catalyzed coupling reaction or tandem Pictet-Spengler reaction. This two-step sequence provides eight distinct skeleton of fused {6-5-5-6}, {5-5-5-6}, {6-5-6-6}, and {5-5-6-6} ring systems that have applications in medicinal chemistry and chemical genetics too.