Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of (R)- and (S)-3,4-dichlorophenylbutanolide intermediate in the synthesis of sertraline

3,4-Dichlorophenacylchloride was reduced with whole cell biocatalysts to give the (R)- or (S)-chlorohydrine in high yields and good to high enantiomeric excess. Yields and enantiomeric purity of the (S)-enantiomer were increased to 95 and >98%, respectively, using growing cells from Geotrichum candidum (CBS 233.76) in the presence of hydrophobic adsorbing resins at 4 g/l. The latter compound was transformed into (R)-3,4-dichlorophenylbutanolide, intermediate in the synthesis of (+)-cis-1S,4S-sertraline.     

An efficient synthesis of (R)- and (S)-8-ethoxy-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-nitro-2H-chromene

Racemic 8-ethoxy-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-nitro-2H-chromene (S14161) was recently identified as a potent inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). In order to investigate the effects of its two enantiomers on tumor cell lines, we designed a novel synthesis for (R)-S14161 and (S)-S14161 using a chemical resolution and derivation strategy. The readily available 3-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-salicylaldehyde underwent a tandem oxa-Michael–Henry reaction with trans-4-fluoro-β-nitrostyrene in the presence of a catalytic amount of l-proline and triethylamine to give the 3-nitro-2H-chromene. Upon removal of the TBS protecting group, the resolution of the resulting racemic 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-8-hydroxy-3-nitro-2H-chromene was achieved via diastereomeric ester formation using (S)-(+)-α-methoxyphenylacetic acid as the derivatizing agent, followed by aminolysis. Finally, the ethyl ether formation of each enantiomer furnished (R)-S14161 and (S)-S14161 in enantiomerically pure forms. The absolute configurations of these chiral molecules were determined by a circular dichroism method. The two enantiomers showed no marked differences in inhibition of growth of human myeloma LP1 and OPM-2 cells.     

Enantioselective synthesis of phosphonate analogues of (R)- and (S)-homoserine

The enantioselective synthesis of (R)- and (S)-1-amino-3-hydroxypropylphosphonic acid, the phosphonate analogues of (S)- and (R)-homoserine, has been accomplished in four steps and good overall yield starting from diethyl (3R,5R)- or (3S,5S)-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-[(S)-1-phenylethyl]isoxazolidinyl-3-phosphonate, respectively.     

First chemoenzymatic synthesis of (R)- and (S)-1-(9H-fluoren-9-yl)ethanol

A simple chemoenzymatic synthesis of 1-(9H-fluoren-9-yl)ethanol stereoisomers is described. The enantiomers were resolved by a kinetically controlled transesterification with vinyl acetate in the presence of commercially available lipases. High-throughput screening and subsequent exhaustive investigation of the utility of the lipases in a stereoselective process of introducing chirality have been carried out. Lipase A from Candida antarctica as a cross-linked aggregate (CAL-A-CLEA) was the most efficient enzyme for the resolution of the title compound providing (S)-1-(9H-fluoren-9-yl)ethanol and its (R)-acetate in enantiopure form (>99% ee). Under mild reaction conditions, excellent enantioselectivity (E = 407), and good isolated yields of the products were obtained.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (-)-4-epiaxinyssamine

The synthetic studies towards axinyssamine, a cytotoxic and coral-lethal compound isolated from the Caribbean sponge Axinyssa ambrosia were performed. The Ritter reaction on the key intermediate with chloroacetonitrile, resulted in the introduction of the amino group at C-4 generating the configuration of this stereocentre opposite to that of the natural product. As a result, the first total synthesis of the unnatural (-)-4-epiaxinyssamine was achieved.     

A scalable synthesis of (R)-3-(2-aminopropyl)-7-benzyloxyindole via resolution

(±)-3-(2-Aminopropyl)-7-benzyloxyindole 1, assembled from 7-benzyloxyindole 3 in 59% overall yield, is resolved with O,O′-di-p-toluoyl l-(2R,3R)-tartaric acid 7 into (R)-1, a key intermediate of AJ-9677 2 (selective adrenaline β₃-agonist) in 99.5% e.e. and 36% overall yield. The unwanted enantiomer (S)-1 (61.9% e.e.; recovered in 57% yield from the crystallization filtrate) can be reused in another round of resolution after its enantiomeric purity is lowered to 3.7% by Raney Co treatment under a hydrogen atmosphere.     

(R)- and (S)-N-(Benzyloxycarbonyl)-3,4-epoxybutylamine. New 4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl synthons for the synthesis of hypusine reagents and (R)-6- and (S)-7-hydroxyspermidine

The synthesis and application of the chiral reagents (R)- and (S)-N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-3,4-epoxybutylamine is described for the first time. These 4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl synthons are successfully employed in the assembly of two hydroxylated triamines, (R)-6- and (S)-7-hydroxyspermidine, and a previously described hypusine reagent, (2S,9R)-11-[(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino]-7-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-2-[(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)amino]-9-(tetrahydropyran-2-yloxy)-7-azaundecanoic acid, useful for solution- and solid-phase peptide synthesis.     

Regioselective synthesis of cytotoxic 4-(1-alkynyl)-substituted 2-(5H)-furanones

4-(1-Alkynyl)-3-bromo- and 4-(1-alkynyl)-3-chloro-2(5H)-furanones have been regioselectively synthesized in moderate to good yields by a new version of the Pd/Cu-catalyzed Sonogashira reaction involving treatment of 1-alkynes with 3,4-dibromo- and 3,4-dichloro-2(5H)-furanone, respectively, in the presence of KF as a base. 4-(1-Alkynyl)-3-bromo-2(5H)-furanones have been found to be able to undergo Stille-type and Suzuki-type reactions with aryl(tributyl)tins and arylboronic acids, respectively, to give 4-(1-alkynyl)-3-aryl-2(5H)-furanones in modest to satisfactory yields. Some 4-(1-alkynyl)-substituted 2(5H)-furanones so prepared have been found to exhibit significant cytotoxic activities, especially against human leukemia cell lines.     

Collagen cross-links: a convenient synthesis of tert-butyl-(2S)-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-4-(2-oxiranyl)butanoate

An efficient synthesis of tert-butyl-(2S)-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-4-(2-oxiranyl) butanoate (5), the key intermediate for preparation of collagen cross-links (+)-pyridinoline (Pyd, 1) and (+)-deoxypyridinoline (Dpd, 2) was described from (4S)-5-(tert-butoxy)-4-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-5-oxopentanoic acid (6) in six steps. Also, an improved synthesis of iodide (2S)-(−)-4b was presented.     

Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-3-(10-alkyl-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)propanoic acids

Starting from the racemic ethyl 3-hydroxy-3-(10-alkyl-10H-phenothiazin-3-yl)propanoates as substrates, a multienzymatic procedure was developed for the efficient synthesis of the corresponding highly enantiomerically enriched (R)- and (S)-3-heteroaryl-3-hydroxypropanoic acids.     

Concise asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide, a δ-lactonic marine natural product, was accomplished in seven steps from easily available starting materials with a 51% overall yield. An asymmetric synthesis of an α-hydroxy aldehyde having a stereogenic quaternary center, by the use of (S)-2-(anilinomethyl)pyrrolidine as a chiral auxiliary, was employed in a key step.     

An expeditious synthesis of 3-(difluoromethoxy)- and 3-(trifluoromethoxy)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridines

An expeditious and concise synthesis of 3-(difluoromethoxy)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridine and 3-(trifluoromethoxy)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,6-naphthyridines is described. Starting from N-benzyl piperidone, the key intermediates leading to these two biologically desirable synthones were rapidly assembled by inverse electron demand Diels-Alder (IEDA) reaction utilizing microwave irradiation. The scope of the microwave methodology developed herein was extended to other ketones.     

Chiral synthesis of (R)-( -)-mellein and (3R,4aS)-( + )-ramulosin

By employing an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction as the key-step, (R)-(—)-mellein 1a (a metabolite of Aspergittus melleus) and (3R,4aS)-( +)-ramulosin 2 (a metabolite of Pestalotia ramulosa) were synthesised from ethyl (R)-3-hydroxybutanoate 3a.     

Efficient synthesis of benzyl 2-(S)-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-ω-iodoalkanoates

The efficient synthesis of four benzyl 2-(S)-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-ω-iodoalkanoates {benzyl 2-(S)-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-3-iodopropanoate, benzyl 2-(S)-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-4-iodobutanoate, benzyl 2-(S)-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-5-iodopentanoate, benzyl 2-(S)-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-6-iodohexanoate} from natural or protected l-amino acids is described.     

Selective reductive cleavage of 2-(phenylthio)pyrimidines for efficient synthesis of 2-(H)pyrimidines

A reaction method is described for selective reductive cleavage of 2-(phenylthio)pyrimidines using Pd(OAc)₂ and Et₃SiH to produce 2-(H)pyrimidines. The reaction proceeds efficiently with a wide range of 2-(phenylthio)pyrimidines. Considering the ready availability of 2-(arylthio)pyrimidines derived from oxidative CS cross coupling of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-1H-2-thiones (DHPMs), this method unambiguously provides a shortcut to the preparation of 2-(H)pyrimidines with unprecedented diversity.     

Efficient synthesis of (Z)- and (E)-methyl 2-(methoxyimino)-2-phenylacetate

Direct oximation of 2-oxo-2-phenylacetate (3) gave the (Z)-methyl 2-(methoxyimino)-2-phenylacetate (1) in 71% yield, while the E oxime 2 was prepared from 3 in 65% yield via oxime isomerization of 2-(methoxyimino)-2-phenylacetic acid (5). Computational studies suggest that the isomerization of 5 is thermodynamically driven, while the direct oximation of ketoester 3 is kinetically controlled.     

An enantioselective synthesis of (S)- and (R)-curcuphenol

The enantioselective synthesis of the phenolic sesquiterenses (S)- and (R)-curcuphenol is reported. The key step in this synthesis is the asymmetric conjugate addition using a readily available enantiomerically pure sulfoxide as the chiral auxiliary.     

Efficient synthesis of the cyclopentanone fragrances (Z)-3-(2-oxopropyl)-2-(pent-2-en-1-yl)cyclopentanone and Magnolione

This paper describes the selective syntheses of two cis-isomer-enriched cyclopentanone fragrances: (Z)-3-(2-oxopropyl)-2-(pent-2-en-1-yl)cyclopentanone (four steps, 62% overall yield, 67% cis) and Magnolione^® (five steps, 60% overall yield, 55% cis). In addition, the asymmetric synthesis of (3aR,7aS)-5-methyl-2,3,3a,4,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-inden-1-one as well as (3a′R,7a′S)-5′-methyl-2′,3′,3a′,4′,7′,7a′-hexahydrospiro[[1,3]dioxolane-2,1′-indene] has been realized by an efficient kinetic resolution, which enables the selective synthesis of the 2S,3R-isomer-enriched 3 and 4.     

A facile synthesis of (Z)-5-(substituted)-2-(methylthio)thiazol-4(5H)-one using microwave irradiation and conventional method

A new effective approach to the synthesis of some new (Z)-5-(substituted)-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one 3a–l and (Z)-5-(substituted)-2-(methylthio)thiazol-4(5H)-one 5a–l is reported under microwave irradiation as well as conventional conditions.     

Efficient synthesis of new 1-alkyl(aryl)-5-(3,3,3-trihalo-2-oxopropylidene)-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-ones

The synthesis of 1-alkyl(aryl)-5-(3,3,3-trihalo-2-oxopropylidene)-1H-pyrrol-2(5H)-ones 5, 6a-d from 1-alkyl(aryl)-4-bromo-5-(3,3,3-trihalo-2-oxopropylidene)-1H-pyrrolidin-2-ones 3, 4a-d is reported. The 1-alkyl(aryl)-4-bromo-5-(3,3,3-trihalo-2-oxopropylidene)-1H-pyrrolidin-2-ones 3, 4a-d were obtained from regiospecific bromination of 1-alkyl(aryl)-5-(3,3,3-trihalo-2-oxopropylidene)-1H-pyrrolidin-2-ones 1, 2a-d with molecular bromine. The NMR and X-ray diffraction data showed that 1-alkyl(aryl)-5-(3,3,3-trihalo-2-oxopropylidene)-1H-pyrrolidin-2-ones were brominated at 4-position in the pyrrolidin-2-one ring.