Concise and practical synthesis of (2S,3R,4R,5R) and (2S,3R,4R,5S)-1,6-dideoxy-1,6-iminosugars

The syntheses of (2S,3R,4R,5R) and (2S,3R,4R,5S)-1,6-dideoxy-1,6 iminosugars 1a and 1b, respectively, from d-glucose are described. The key transformations in this reaction sequence include regio-selective epoxide ring opening with N-benzylamine followed by intramolecular reductive amination of amino-aldehyde.     

Asymmetric syntheses of (1R,1R,5R,7R) and (1S,1R,5R,7R)-1-hydroxy-exo-brevicomin and a formal synthesis of (+)-exo-brevicomin

Asymmetric syntheses of (1R,1^′R,5^′R,7^′R) and (1S,1^′R,5^′R,7^′R)-1-hydroxy-exo-brevicomins 1 and 2, volatiles of the male mountain pine beetle, and a formal synthesis of (+)-exo-brevicomin 3, a component of the attracting pheromone system of several bark beetles have been achieved. The key steps are Birch reduction of commercially available α-picoline, selective Wittig olefination, and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-(1R,2S,5S,7R)-2-hydroxy-exo-brevicomin

A stereoselective approach for the synthesis of (+)-(1R,2S,5S,7R)-2-hydroxy-exo-brevicomin from l-ascorbic acid has been described. The key steps are highly stereoselective nucleophilic addition reaction on aldehyde 8 and also a single pot transformation of 15 to (+)-(1R,2S,5S,7R)-2-hydroxy-exo-brevicomin. The later tandem reaction which involves the hydrogenation of double bond, debenzylation, MOM deprotection and bicyclic ketal formation was carried under Pd/C, H₂ followed by acid treatment.     

Synthesis of (4R,15R,16R,21S)- and (4R,15S,16S,21S)-rollicosin

A convergent synthesis of (4R,15R,16R,21S)-rollicosin (1) and (4R,15S,16S,21S)-rollicosin (2) was accomplished. Hydroxy lactone 6a and/or 6b were synthesized from 4-pentyn-1-ol, and α,β-unsaturated lactone 7 was synthesized from γ-lactone 8 and 5-hexen-1-ol. Inhibitory activity of these compounds was examined with bovine heart mitochondrial complex I.     

Synthesis of (±)-2R,4R,5S-2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone and (±)-2R,4S,5R-2-methoxy-5-nitro-4-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone as colchicine mimetics

Colchicine mimetic (±)-4S,5R-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexene (1) was epoxidized to afford a mixture of epoxides. The epoxides were separately converted in two steps, with high stereoselectivity, to two regioisomeric α-methoxyketones. One regioisomer, (±)-2R,4S,5R-2-methoxy-5-nitro-4-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (17), proved to be about 12-fold more potent than synthetic precursor 1 against HCT-116 tumor cells while the other regioisomer, (±)-2R,4R,5S-2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (16), and the synthetic intermediates tested showed no improvement in potency.     

A chiron approach to (1R,2R,5S,7R)-2-hydroxy-exo-brevicomin, a component of the volatiles produced by the male mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae

A chiron approach to a synthesis of (1R,2R,5S,7R)-2-hydroxy-exo-brevicomin 1, a component of the volatiles obtained from male mountain pine beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae has been achieved. Our synthesis started with commercially available d-mannitol and involved Wittig olefination, acid catalysed one-pot hydrogenation and internal acetalization as key steps.     

Synthesis of dihydroxylated prolines and iminocyclitols from five-membered endocyclic enecarbamates. Total synthesis of the potent glycosidase inhibitor (2R,3R,4R,5R)-2,5-dihydroxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine (DMDP)

cis- and trans-3,4-Dihydroxylated prolines and the iminocyclitol 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino ribitol were synthesized employing a strategy involving the Heck arylation of five-membered endocyclic enecarbamates with aryldiazonium salts followed by oxidative cleavage of the electron-rich aromatic ring. The total synthesis of the potent α- and β-glucosidase inhibitor (2R,3R,4R,5R)-2,5-hydroxymethyl-3,4-dihydroxypyrrolidine (DMDP) was also achieved by the same strategy in ten steps from a chiral five-membered enecarbamate in 12% overall yield.     

Synthetic studies on homophymine A: stereoselective synthesis of (2R,3R,4R,6R)-3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethyloctanoic acid

An efficient and highly stereocontrolled synthesis of (2R,3R,4R,6R)-3-hydroxy-2,4,6-trimethyloctanoic acid, the β-hydroxy acid unit that acylates the N-terminus of homophymine A, has been devised starting from iodoethane and (S,S)-pseudoephedrine propionamide in 9 steps and 36% average overall yield. Comparison of the ¹H and ¹³C NMR and optical rotation data of the resulting β-hydroxy acid with the natural fragment unambiguously verifies the configurational assignment as (2R,3R,4R,6R).     

Easy route to labeled and unlabeled R,R,R-γ-tocopherol by aryl demethylation of α-homologues

The interest in vitamin E research is increasingly focusing on the peculiar properties of the less investigated tocopherols and their metabolites, such as γ-tocopherol, which have been revealed as very important for human health. Metabolic studies of γ-tocopherol have been constricted by its high cost and the poor availability of stable isotope-labeled forms. An efficient, inexpensive and simple route is described for the preparation of labeled and unlabeled R,R,R-γ-tocopherol, starting from R,R,R-α-tocopherol, through simple thermal decarboxylation of γ-tocopherol-5-carboxylic acid.     

Stereoselective electrocatalytic transformation of arylidene- or alkylidenemalononitriles and malonate into alkyl (1R,5R,6R)* 6-substituted 5-cyano-4,4-dialkoxy-2-oxo-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-1-carboxylates

Electrolysis of arylidene- or alkylidenemalononitriles and malonate in alcohol in an undivided cell in the presence of sodium halide as mediator results in the stereoselective formation of alkyl (1R,5R,6R)* 6-substituted 5-cyano-4,4-dialkoxy-2-oxo-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-1-carboxylates in 50-70% yields.     

Regio- and stereoselective cycloadditions of (1Z,4R,5R)-1-arylmethylidene-4-benzoylamino-3-oxo-5-phenylpyrazolidin-1-ium-2-ides to methyl methacrylate

[3+2] Cycloadditions of (1Z,4R^∗,5R^∗)-1-arylmethylidene-4-benzoylamino-3-oxo-5-phenylpyrazolidin-1-ium-2-ides 1a-e to methyl methacrylate gave the 1-CO₂Me regioisomers 3/3′, exclusively, in 1-67% yields. Stereocontrol was dependent on the ortho-substituents at the 1′-aryl group in dipole 1: ortho-unsubstituted dipoles 1a-c gave the major (1R^∗,3R^∗,5R^∗,6R^∗)-isomers 3a-c, whilst ortho-disubstituted dipoles gave the major (1R^∗,3S^∗,5R^∗,6R^∗)-isomers 3′d,e. The structures of cycloadducts were determined by NMR and X-ray diffraction.     

(2S,5R/2R,5S)-Aminoethylpipecolyl aepip-aegPNA chimera: synthesis and duplex/triplex stability

This article reports the design and facile synthesis of novel chiral six-membered PNA analogues (2S,5R/2R,5S)-1-(N-Boc-aminoethyl)-5-(thymin-1-yl)pipecolic acid, aepipPNA IV that upon incorporation into standard aegPNA sequences effected stabilization of complexes with complementary target DNA. Substitution of aegPNA unit by the designed monomer at the C-terminus was more effective than substitution at N-terminus. The stabilizing behaviour improved with degree of substitution and was found to be dependent on their relative positions in the sequence. The six-membered piperidine ring in the design may freeze the rigid chair conformations and the relative stereochemistry of the substituents may in effect direct the complex formation with DNA/RNA by sequence-specific nucleobase recognition. In the present aepipPNA analogues, the l-trans stereochemical disposition of the substituents seems to lead to the favorable pre-organization of the PNA oligomers for complex formation with DNA. The results reported here further expand the repertoire of cyclic PNA analogues.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis of methyl (1S,2R,4S,5S)-7-aza-5-hydroxybicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylate through unexpected stereoselective substitution reaction

Methyl (1S,2R,4S,5R)-7-aza-5-bromo-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylate was synthesized in high yield in short time from methyl (1R,2S,4R,5R)-2-amino-4,5-dibromocyclohexanecarboxylate through intramolecular cycloamination under microwave-assisted conditions. The following substitution reaction by trifluoro-acetate anion also took place in microwave-assisted conditions to afford methyl (1S,2R,4S,5S)-7-aza-5-hydroxy-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylate. In the acyloxylation reaction, unusual endo-selectivity was observed owing to 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane skeleton.     

Enantioselective total synthesis of (2R,3R,6R)-N-methyl-6-(deca-1′,3′,5′-trienyl)-3-methoxy-2-methylpiperidine, an insecticidal alkaloid

An insecticidal piperidine alkaloid, (2R,3R,6R)-N-methyl-6-(deca-1′,3′,5′-trienyl)-3-methoxy-2-methylpiperidine, was efficiently synthesized in a stereoselective manner starting from d-alanine. Chiral center at C-6 was controlled by hydrogenation of imine and side chain was introduced by Julia olefination. The absolute configuration of natural product was determined to be 2R, 3R, 6R.     

Stereoselective cycloadditions of (1Z,4R,5R)-1-arylmethylidene-4-benzoylamino-5-phenylpyrazolidin-3-on-1-azomethine imines to maleimides

A library of 15 1,6,7,9-tetrasubstituted 6,7,9,9a-tetrahydro-5H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrazole-1,3,5(2H,3aH)-triones was prepared by combinatorial stereoselective cycloadditions of (1Z,4R^∗,5R^∗)-1-arylmethylidene-4-benzoylamino-5-phenylpyrazolidin-3-on-1-azomethine imines to N-substituted maleimides. Stereochemistry was controlled by the stereodirecting phenyl group at position-3 and by the ortho-substituents at the aromatic ring at position-1′ in azomethine imines. Consequently, two sets of diastereomeric cycloadducts were obtained, one set from the ortho-unsubstituted dipoles and the other set from the ortho-disubstituted dipoles.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (2R,3R) and (2R,3S)-3-hydroxyleucines

A stereoselective synthesis of (2R,3R) and (2R,3S)-3-hydroxyleucine is disclosed. The key step of the reaction sequence involves, stereo- and regioselective bromohydration of 7, using a brominating agent derived in situ from N-bromosuccinimide and 2,6-lutidine, via intramolecular sulfinyl group participation.     

Stereocontrol in cycloadditions of (1Z,4R*,5R*)-1-arylmethylidene-4-benzoylamino-5-phenylpyrazolidin-3-on-1-azomethine imines

Cycloadditions of (1Z,4R*,5R*)-4-benzoylamino-5-phenylpyrazolidin-3-on-1-azomethine imines to olefinic dipolarophiles were studied. Stereochemistry of cycloadditions to azomethine imines 3 was found to be controlled by stereodirecting phenyl group at position 3, as well as by the ortho-substituents at the aromatic ring at position 1′. The structures of dipoles and products were confirmed by NMR and X-ray diffraction.     

Enantioselective diethylzinc addition to aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes using (3R,5R)-dihydroxypiperidine derivatives catalyst

A series of chiral (3R,5R)-dihydroxypiperidine derivatives 3a-f were conveniently prepared from trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline and applied to the catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde and heptanal. Among them, 3d was found to show the best asymmetric induction in promoting the addition of Et₂Zn to various aldehydes, providing (R)-secondary alcohols in up to 98% ee.     

Practical, efficient, stereoselective, formal synthesis of (2R,3R,4R)-3-hydroxy-4-methylproline

A highly efficient and stereoselective synthesis of (2R,3R,4R)-HMP is disclosed employing the sulfinyl group as an internal nucleophile to functionalize an olefin in the key step of the reaction sequence. The proline ring is elaborated by a (4C+N) cyclization.     

Radical mediated stereoselective synthesis of (4R,8R)-4,8-dimethyldecanal, an aggregation pheromone of Tribolium flour beetles

(4R,8R)-4,8-Dimethyldecanal, a common aggregation pheromone of Tribolium flour beetles, has been synthesized from (R)-2,3-O-isopropylideneglyceraldehyde in 11 steps and 7% overall yield. The key step in the synthesis is the highly diastereoselective chelation-controlled radical reaction of ethyl (4S,5R)-4-benzyloxy-5,6-(isopropylidenedioxy)-2-methylenehexanoate with ethyl (R)-5-iodo-3-methylpentanoate performed in the presence of 7 equiv of MgBr₂·OEt₂.