Stereospecific palladium(0)-catalyzed reduction of 2-cyclobutylidenepropyl esters. A versatile preparation of diastereomeric monoterpenoids: (±)-fragranol and (±)-grandisol

Mixtures of (E and Z)-2-cyclobutylidenepropyl sulfonates, readily available from α,α-disubstituted cyclobutanones arising from suitable cyclopropane derivatives ring expansion, underwent regioselective and stereospecific reduction by formate anion to offer, through π-1,1-trimethyleneallylpalladium complexes formed upon treatment with palladium(0), a new and convenient entry to the diastereomeric four-membered ring monoterpenoids (±)-fragranol and (±)-grandisol.     

Total synthesis of (±)-brazilin and formal synthesis of (±)-brazilein, (±)-brazilide A using m-CPBA

Total synthesis of (±)-brazilin has been accomplished. m-CPBA epoxidation of allyl alcohol 10 and epoxy opening reaction mediated by m-chlorobenzoic acid, formed in situ as a byproduct, gave advanced intermediate diol 14. O-alkylation and cyclization gave phenol 6 which enabled the formal synthesis of (±)-brazilein and (±)-brazilide A.     

A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol

A general strategy for the synthesis of both trans/syn- and trans/anti-sphenolobane diterpenes has been developed, which utilizes an intramolecular ester enolate alkylation (IEEA) as a key step. A stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tormesol (1), an unusual trans/syn-sphenolobane diterpene, was accomplished in 18 steps in 4.1% overall yield from readily available aldehyde 16.     

A general approach to crinine-type Amaryllidaceae alkaloids: total syntheses of (±)-haemanthidine, (±)-pretazettine, (±)-tazettine, and (±)-crinamine

A general strategy for synthesizing the crinine-type Amaryllidaceae alkaloids was developed. And total syntheses of four representative crinine-type Amaryllidaceae alkaloids: (±)-haemanthidine, (±)-pretazettine, (±)-tazettine, and (±)-crinamine, were accomplished via a common intermediate 17. This crucial precursor was achieved on the basis of the NBS-promoted semipinacol rearrangement recently developed by our group and an intramolecular Michael addition, which efficiently constructed the sterically congested quaternary carbon center and the hydroindole skeleton of the crinine-type alkaloids, respectively.     

A new total synthesis of (±)-oestrone

A conceptually new total synthesis of oestrone, based on a novel cascade of radical cyclisations from the iodo aryl vinylcyclopropane 2, via 10, 15, 16 and 17, leading to the intermediate trans,anti,trans-oestradiol derivative 11 in one step, is described. Oxidation of 11, followed by demethylation of the resulting aryl methyl ether 18 then gives (±)-oestrone 1.     

Total syntheses of lindenane-type sesquiterpenoids: (±)-chloranthalactones A, B, F, (±)-9-hydroxy heterogorgiolide, and (±)-shizukanolide E

Chloranthalactones A, B, F, 9-hydroxy heterogorgiolide, and shizukanolide E are a family of natural lindenane-type sesquiterpenoids isolated mainly from chloranthaceae. A general synthetic strategy was accomplished by us for the racemic total syntheses of the five natural products. The key steps included substrate-controlled Matteson epoxidation of ketone and highly diastereoselective intramolecular Hodgson cyclopropanation to construct the challenging cis, trans-3/5/6 tricyclic skeleton, along with a methodology developed for the γ-alkylidenebutenolide ring formation.     

Synthesis and bioactivity of (±)-tetrahydrohaliclonacyclamine A

The total synthesis of tetrahydrohaliclonacyclamine A (5) is described. A key step involves the hydrogenation of an unsaturated bis-piperidine incorporated into a 17-membered macrocycle to provide the cis-syn-cis stereochemistry common to haliclonacyclamines A-D. The hydrogenation product is advanced to the title compound following a five-step reaction sequence. Tetrahydrohaliclonacyclamine A is shown to bind to a variety of ion channels/GPCRs and act as a muscarinic M₁ antagonist.     

A new route to eremophilanes: synthesis of (±)-eremophilenolide, (±)-eremophiledinone, and (±)-deoxyeremopetasidione

A new and efficient route to the family of eremophilanes is reported. Key steps are the highly stereocontrolled Diels-Alder reaction and aldol condensation to furnish a cis-decalin system with the desired stereochemistry present in the eremophilane family of natural products. This approach is general and was utilized for the synthesis of (±)-eremophilenolide, (±)-eremophiledinone, and (±)-deoxyeremopetasidione.     

Total synthesis of (±)-stemonamide, (±)-isostemonamide, (±)-stemonamine, and (±)-isostemonamine using a radical cascade

A total synthesis of (±)-stemonamide and (±)-isostemonamide has been achieved by using a radical cascade that involves two endo-selective cyclizations. (±)-Stemonamine and (±)-isostemonamine are synthesized by chemoselective reduction of (±)-stemonamide and (±)-isostemonamide, respectively.     

Efficient syntheses of (±)-hydrangenol, (±)-phyllodulcin and (±)-macrophyllol

In this paper we report on a efficient and flexible synthetic route towards the total syntheses of the dihydrocoumarine derivatives hydrangenol (1), phyllodulcin (1a) and macrophyllol (6b). The syntheses started with a readily available phosphonium salt 2 and suitable modified benzaldehydes 3/3a/3b resulting in 46 to 61% overall yields in three to four-steps sequences. The racemic products could be separated by chiral HPLC. The evidence of the (R)-enantiomer for sweetness could be demonstrated for 1a.     

A facile three-step synthesis of (±)-crispine A via an acyliminium ion cyclisation

A high yielding cyclisation of the readily available N-(4,4-diethoxybutyl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acetamide to 8,9-bis(methyloxy)-2,3,6,10b-tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-5(1H)-one is described. The latter can be reduced with either AlH₃ or BH₃ to (±)-crispine A in an overall yield of 55%.     

A stereocontrolled total synthesis of methyl (±)-O-methylpodocarpate

A stereocontrolled total synthesis of methyl (±)-O-methyl podocarpate (4) has been successfully accomplished using the trans-fused diester 21 as a key intermediate. Intramolecular Michael reaction of the enone-diester 18 afforded the cis-fused keto-diester 19 in high yield which was stereoselectively converted into 21 via the enone 20.     

A new approach to the synthesis of ethyl (4E)-alkenoates

A new approach to the preparation of ethyl (4E)-alkenoates was developed on the basis of Fe-catalyzed cross-coupling of ethyl (4E)-5-chloropent-4-enoate with the Grignard reagents. The starting ethyl (4E)-5-chloropent-4-enoate was obtained by alkylation of malonic ester of (E)-1,3-dichloropropene followed by decarbethoxylation.     

Synthesis of (±)-phthalascidin 650 analogue: new synthetic route to (±)-phthalascidin 622

A synthesis of functionalized phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 as synthetic precursor of the catechol tetrahydroisoquinoline structure of phthalascidin 650 is disclosed. Starting from 3-methylcatechol 5, eight steps of synthesis give rise to the synthesis of phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 in 27% overall yield. This synthetic strategy involves the elaboration of fully functionalized aromatic aldehyde 8 and its transformation into a phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13, through a Knoevenagel condensation, simultaneous reduction of nitroketene and ester functions and hydrogenolysis of the benzyl protecting group. The pentacycle (±)-18 was obtained after four additional steps. The Pictet-Spengler cyclisation between the phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 and N-protected α-amino-aldehyde 4 allowed to obtain (1,3′)-bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline 14 with N-methylated and N-Fmoc removed. The last step was a Swern oxidation for allowing an intramolecular condensation.     

Synthesis of (±)-solanapyrones A and B

In this paper we report the development of a stereoselective IMDA approach to the phytotoxic polyketides (±)-solanapyrones A and B. The stereoselectivity of the key IMDA cycloaddition was optimized by investigating a range of 2,8,10-dodecatrienoic acid derivatives. This established that use of the Weinreb amide led to the desired exo-selectivity and also facilitated construction of the pyrone moiety. A novel approach to the installation of the C-3 formyl group in solanapyrone A is also described.     

Total synthesis of (±)-protoemetinol

A new approach to the benzo[a]quinolizidine alkaloid was described. Total synthesis of (±)-protoemetinol (1) was reported.     

Total synthesis of (±)-luminacin D

A 15-step synthesis of (±)-luminacin D from ethyl pent-2-ynoate is reported. The pivotal step involves the formation of the central C-2′/C-3′ bond of the natural product by condensation of the titanium enolate derived from aromatic ketone 1 with aldehyde 2a. A remote asymmetric centre in aldehyde 2a exerts control over the stereochemical course of this reaction, with the major adduct (3a, 54% yield) possessing the required (2′S^∗,3′R^∗,5′R^∗)-stereochemistry. This assignment was unambiguously established by X-ray crystallography of late stage synthetic intermediate, 17. Further manipulation of 3a (six steps) yielded synthetic (±)-luminacin D spectroscopically identical to material isolated from Streptomyces sp. Mer-VD1207 by Naruse et al.     

Protecting group free syntheses of (±)-columbianetin and (±)-angelmarin

A five-step and protecting group free synthesis of (±)-columbianetin from cyclohexane-1,3-dione is reported. The former compound was converted into its p-hydroxycinnamate derivative, (±)-angelmarin, using Coster’s esterification procedure. Efforts to modify the synthesis so as to prepare angelmarin and columbianetin in an enantioselective manner are described.     

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of (±)-pisiferol and (±)-pisiferal

The stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-pisiferol (1) and (±)-pisiferal (2) has been successfully accomplished using the trans-octahydrophenanthrene derivative 20 as a key intermediate. Intramolecular cyclisation of the diazoketone 15 followed by catalytic hydrogenation provided, stereoselectively, the keto-ester 17 which was converted into the acetate 20 through the intermediates 18 and 19.     

First total syntheses of (±)-3-aza-11-selena and (±)-3-aza-11-tellura steroids

An efficient synthesis of 11-selena and 11-tellura steroids bearing a pyridine as an A ring was achieved via an intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition of o-quinodimethanes, which were generated from a 3-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octa-1,3,5-trien-7-one ketal. The major isomer matches the trans-anti-trans ring configuration of natural products. Finally, the vinyl groups of the synthesized 11-hetero steroids have been oxidized by the Wacker process in good yields. The characteristic ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic features of the synthesized compounds are reported.