Enantioselective synthesis of a trans-7,8-dimethoxycalamenene

trans-7,8-dimethoxy-11,12-dehydrocalamenene, a projected intermediate for the total synthesis of marine serrulatane and amphilectane diterpenes, was efficiently synthesized. Starting from a styrene, asymmetric Rh-catalyzed hydroboration using a novel chiral P,P-bidentate ligand afforded an organoboron intermediate (93% ee) which was directly used for C-C bond formation (double homologation, Suzuki coupling). The 1,4-trans-disubstituted tetralin skeleton was selectively formed by a Friedel-Crafts-type cationic cyclization under strictly aprotic conditions (Me2AlCl) to suppress a remarkable proton-catalyzed disproportionation via diastereoselective hydride transfer.     

Enantioselective synthesis of indolizidine alkaloid trans-209D

(S)-N-Boc-baikiain, readily accessible from enantiomerically enriched 2,3-epoxy-5-hexen-1-ol 4 (prepared by Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation), was used as the starting material in the synthesis of indolizidine alkaloid trans-209D , which was obtained in 13 steps and 14% yield from 1 (5% from 4).     

Enantioselective synthesis of pentacycloanammoxic acid

A highly effective enantioselective synthesis of pentacycloanammoxic acid (1), an unusual naturally occurring fatty acid from Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans, has been accomplished. The C20-structure of 1 was assembled with stereocontrol from four building blocks, cyclobutene, 2-cyclopentenone, the chiral silylcyclopentenone 6, and 7-bromoheptanoic acid. Both 1 and its enantiomer are now available in quantities that should facilitate future studies on the mode of biosynthesis which appears to be unprecedented.     

Asymmetric synthesis of trans-2,3-piperidinedicarboxylic acid and trans-3,4-piperidinedicarboxylic acid derivatives

Asymmetric syntheses of (2S,3S)-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2-piperidinecarboxylic acid (1b), (3R,4S)-4-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-3-piperidinecarboxylic acid (2b), and their corresponding N-Boc and N-Cbz protected analogues 8a,b and 17a,b are described. Enantiomerically pure 1b has been synthesized in five steps starting from L-aspartic acid beta-tert-butyl ester. Tribenzylation of the starting material followed by alkylation with allyl iodide using KHMDS produces the key intermediate 5a in a 6:1 diastereomeric excess. Upon hydroboration, the alcohol 6a is oxidized, and the resulting aldehyde 7 is subjected to a ring closure via reductive amination, providing 1b in an overall yield of 38%. Optically pure 2b has been synthesized beginning with N-Cbz-beta-alanine. The synthesis involves the induction of the first stereogenic center using Evans's chemistry and sequential LDA-promoted alkylations with tert-butyl bromoacetate and allyl iodide. Further elaboration by ozonolysis and reductive amination affords 2b in an overall yield of 28%.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of cis-(+)- and trans-(+)-disparlure

An expedient enantioselective synthetic approach for the gypsy moth sex-attractant pheromone cis-(+)-1 and trans-(+)-disparlure 2 is described employing the optimized combination of organocatalytic MacMillan’s self aldol reaction, Wittig olefination, regioselective ring opening of an epoxide and Mitsunobu esterification reactions as key steps.     

Stereocontrolled synthesis of (-)-kainic acid from trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline

[reaction: see text] A highly stereoselective synthesis of (-)-kainic acid has been achieved in 14 steps and >7% overall yield starting from inexpensive trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline. The key steps are diastereoselective enolate alkylation and cuprate substitution reactions.     

Enantioselective synthesis of arylmethoxyacetic acid derivatives

The preparation of several arylmethoxyacetic acids by a sequence of asymmetric dihydroxylation and further oxidation of the resulting glycol with TEMPO/NaClO/NaClO₂ is described. The scope and limitations of the reaction are discussed.     

Enantioselective synthesis of valoneic acid derivative

The enantioselective synthesis of trimethyl octa-O-methylvaloneate (1) was accomplished using the Bringmann’s ‘lactone concept’, which involves the intramolecular biaryl coupling reaction of a phenyl benzoate derivative and the asymmetric lactone-opening reaction.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of pteridic acid A

Pteridic acid A, a potent plant growth promoter with auxin-like activity, was synthesized enantioselectively by using the Evans asymmetric aldol reaction as the key C-C bond forming step.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of phomallenic acid C

The newly isolated bacterial FAS II inhibitor phomallenic acid C (3) was synthesized for the first time as a 16:1 mixture of the (R)- and (S)-isomer with the diyne-allene motif constructed using a coupling under Negishi conditions. By comparison with the synthetic sample, the natural phomallenic acid C was estimated to be a 3.8:1 mixture of (R)-/(S)-isomers. This synthesis describes a new synthetic entry to optically active allene diynes.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (-)-cis-clavicipitic acid

An enantioselective synthetic method for (-)-cis-clavicipitic acid (1) was reported. 1 was obtained in 10 steps (99% ee and 20% overall yield) from 1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester (9) via asymmetric phase-transfer catalytic alkylation and diastereoselective Pd(II)-catalyzed intramolecular aminocyclization as key steps.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (-)-roccellaric acid

[reaction in text] A new strategy for the synthesis of anti-4,5-disubstituted gamma-butyrolactones starting from inexpensive furan-2-carboxylic methyl ester was developed. By applying this methodology, the enantioselective synthesis of (-)-roccellaric acid ((-)-17) was accomplished using a copper(I)-catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation, a tin(IV)-catalyzed retroaldol/lactonization sequence of cyclopropanols, and a ruthenium-catalyzed intermolecular metathesis reaction as key steps.     

Enantioselective syntheses of trans-3,4-difluoropyrrolidines and investigation of their applications in catalytic asymmetric synthesis

[reaction: see text] Asymmetric syntheses of enantiopure trans-3,4-difluoropyrrolidines have been prepared by the introduction of fluorine at both centers in a single operation; asymmetric epoxidations and additions to benzaldehyde were conducted using catalysts whose chirality depends on organofluorine asymmetry.     

First asymmetric synthesis of trans-3,4-dimethyl-4-arylpiperidines

The first asymmetric synthesis of the trans-3,4-dimethyl-4-arylpiperidine opioid antagonist scaffold is reported. C-3 stereochemistry was established via CBS reduction and stereoselective anti-SN2' cuprate displacement of the derived allylic phosphonate. The resultant vinyl bromide was then elaborated to the target compound by Suzuki coupling and trans-selective 4-methylation. Extension of this methodology should allow general enantioselective access to highly substituted piperidine ring systems.     

Enantioselective de novo synthesis of 4-deoxy-D-hexopyranoses via hetero-Diels-Alder cycloadditions: total synthesis of ezoaminuroic acid and neosidomycin

The de novo synthesis of carbohydrates constitutes an important aspect of organic chemistry, and its application toward deoxy sugars is particularly noteworthy in targeting biologically active compounds. The enantioselective preparation of 4-deoxy-D-ribo-, 4-deoxy-D-lyxo-, and 4-deoxy-D-xylo-hexopyranosides, along with their uronate counterparts has been successfully accomplished using hetero-Diels-Alder reactions as the key step. Jacobsen chromium(III) catalyst and a titanium-binaphthol complex have been used to successfully catalyze diene and aldehyde cycloadditions, leading to optically active dihydropyran templates. 6-Hydroxydesosamine, orthogonally protected ezoaminuroic acid, and neosidomycin were synthesized using a comparative study. Also, a novel chiron approach to 4-deoxy-lyxo-hexopyranosiduronic acid methyl ester derivatives was efficiently accomplished starting from readily accessible starting materials. This work represents a systematic and comprehensive study toward a de novo synthesis of 4-deoxy-hexopyranoses via enantioselective hetero-Diels-Alder reactions.     

Enantioselective alpha-silyl amino acid synthesis by reverse-aza-Brook rearrangement

[reaction: see text] Asymmetric reverse-aza-Brook rearrangement of N-Boc-N-trialkylsilyl allylamine yields an enantiomerically enriched alpha-amino allylsilane. Oxidative cleavage of the alkene leads to a Boc-protected amino acid with the configuration of naturally occurring amino acids (L). Standard coupling protocols, including the use of trifluoroacetic acid for removal of the Boc group, yield a tripeptide with a central silane amino acid.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of cis- and trans-3-hydroxypipecolic acid

[reaction: see text] 3-Hydroxypipecolic acid, a nonproteinogenic cyclic alpha-amino acid, is a common structural moiety found in a large number of natural and synthetic compounds of medicinal significance. Utilizing D-serine as a chiral template, the present research describes efficient and straightforward routes to cis- and trans-3-hydroxypipecolic acids in enantiopure form. The key steps in the syntheses involve chelation-controlled addition of a homoallyl Grignard reagent to a protected serinal derivative toward stereoselective formation of the corresponding syn-amino alcohol adduct 3. On the other hand, zinc borohydride-mediated chelation-controlled reduction of a serine-derived alpha-aminoketone precursor leads to the formation of the corresponding anti-amino alcohol adduct 4 with high stereoselectivity. Following an efficient sequence of reactions, the above amino alcohol derivatives were subsequently transformed to the corresponding cis- and trans- title compounds, respectively.     

Enantioselective total synthesis and absolute configuration of apiosporic acid

The first total synthesis of the polyketide apiosporic acid is presented. Key steps are a Julia-Kocienski olefination, a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, and an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction. The absolute configuration of the natural product was determined.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (−)-galantinic acid

An efficient enantioselective synthesis of (−)-galantinic acid 1, a non-proteogenic amino acid is described using Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, dihydroxylation and the regioselective nucleophilic opening of a cyclic sulfite as the key steps.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (−)-elenolic acid and (−)-ajmalicine

A secoiridoid monoterpene (?)-elenolic acid and a representative heteroyohimbine alkaloid (?)-ajmalicine have been synthesized enantio- and stereoselectively using L-ethyl lactate as a chiral starting material.