Enantioselective synthesis of (+)-α-vetivone through the Michael reaction of chiral imines

(+)-α-Vetivone has been synthesised in nine steps. The absolute stereochemistry of the two stereogenic centres is controlled in the same key step involving the stereoselective Michael addition of a chiral imine of 4-isopropylidene-2-methylcyclohexanone to phenyl crotonate.     

Isolierung von (2S, 4S)-(+)-γ-Hydroxynorvalin und (2S, 4R)-(−)-γ-Hydroxynorvalin aus Boletus satanas Lenz

We have isolated from the carpophores of Boletus satanas Lenz (Basidiomycetae) (2S,4S)-(+)-γ-hydroxynorvaline ( 1 ) and (2S,4R)-(?)-γ-hydroxynorvaline ( 2 ). The chirality of each diastereomer has been determined by chemical synthesis starting from optically active precursors and by application of different chiroptical methods. Gaschromatographic separation of the derived diastereomeric N-[(S)-α-methoxypropionyl]-lactones reveals that the optical purity of natural 2 is 88% whereas 1 exists as a partial racemate: (2S,4S): (2R,4R) = 3:2. Muscarine could not be detected in the carpophores of B. satanas, contrary to some literature data but basic substances of unknown structure are present in low concentration.     

Efficient Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure α-Ionone from (R)- and (S)-α-Damascone

(R)- and (S)-α-ionone ((R)- and (S)- 1 , resp.) were prepared from (R)- and (S)-α-damascone ((R)- and (S)- 3 , resp.) without racemization in 48% yield employing a new enone transposition. The described transposition is complementary to existing methods whose application is often prohibited by the structural requirements of the substrate. The now easily accessible α-ionones of desired absolute configuration are useful as chiral building blocks for terpenoid synthesis.     

Die photochemische synthese von μ-(1-2-η:2-3-η-allen)-octacarbonyldimangan(0)

Novel dihydroiridium(III) complexes containing mono- and bi-dentate sulfur ligands have been isolated. The cationic complexes [Ir(COD)L₂]ClO₄ (COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, L = tetrahydrothiophene (tht) or trimethylene sulfide (tms); L₂ = (CH₃S)₂(CH₂)₃ (dth)), [Ir(COD)(L-L)]₂(ClO₄)₂ (L-L = 1,4-dithiacyclohexane (dt) or (t-BuS)₂(CH₂)₂ (tmdto)) and [Ir(CO)₂(tmdto)]₂-(ClO₄)₂ react with H₂ to give the corresponding iridium(III) dihydrides: [IrH₂COD)L₂]ClO₄ (Ia: L = tht, Ib: L = tms, Ic: L₂ = dth), [IrH₂(COD)-(L-L)]₂(ClO₄)₂ (IIa: L-L = tmdto, IIb: L-L = dt) and [IrH₂(CO)₂(tmdto)]₂-(ClO₄)₂ (III). The ¹H NMR chemical shifts and ν(IrH) data are discussed.     

(S)-β3-Homolysine- and (S)-β3-Homoserine-Containing β-Peptides: CD Spectra in Aqueous Solution

For further structural studies and for physiological investigations of β-peptides, it is necessary to have H₂O-soluble derivatives. Thus, we have prepared β-hexa-, β-hepta-, and β-nonapeptides ( 1 – 6 ) with two, three, and seven side chains of lysine and serine. To detect possible π-π interactions, we also included the β-amino acid β²-HHop, resulting from homologation of so-called homophenylalanine (Hop) ( 5 and 6 ). The Fmoc-β²- and β³-amino-acid derivatives ( 11 – 14 and 19 ), and the corresponding β-peptides were prepared by methods previously described (solid-phase peptide coupling; HPLC-pure samples, Fig. 1). Circular-dichroism spectra (Fig. 2) indicate the presence of less pronounced secondary structures (especially of the lysine analogues with multiple positive charge) in H₂O as compared to MeOH. The β³-heptapeptide ( 3 ) with two serine side chains is well soluble in H₂O and exhibits the CD pattern typical of the 3₁-helical structure.     

Synthesis of(+)-(2S, 6S)-trans-α-Irone and of(-)-(2S, 6S)-trans-γ-Irone

A 3:1 mixture of (+)-(2S, 6S)-trans-α-irone ((+)-1) and (?)-(2S, 6S)-trans-γ-irone (?)-2) has been synthesized with ca. 70% e. e. by the ene reaction of (?)-(S)-3 and but-3-yn-2-one.     

A New General Approach to Enantiomerically Pure Cyclic and Open-Chain (R)- and (S)-α,α-Disubstituted α-Amino Acids

A wide range of cyclic and open-chain α,α-disubstituted α-amino acids 1a-p were prepared. The racemic N-acylated α,α-disubstituted amino acids were resolved by coupling to chiral amines 15-18 derived from (S)-phenylalanine to form diastereoisomers 19/20 or 21/22 that could be separated by crystallization and/or flash chromatography on silica gel (Scheme 3). Selective cleavage via the 1,3-oxazol-5(4H)-ones 10a-p gave the corresponding optically pure α,α-disubstituted amino-acid derivatives 11 or 12 in high yield (Scheme 3). The absolute configurations of the α,α-disubstituted amino acids were determined from X-ray structures of the diastereoisomers 20, 21g′, 22d .     

Novel open-chain and cyclic conformationally constrained (R)- and (S)-α,α-disubstituted tyrosine analogues

A series of novel open-chain and cyclic conformationally constrained (R)- and (S)-α,α-disubstituted tyrosine analogues 1a–e were synthesized in good yields and high optical purities (Schemes 1 and 2). The absolute configurations of these tyrosine analogues were unambiguously determined based on the X-ray structures of the precursor diastereoisomeric peptides of type 4 and 5 . Four of these structures are described (Figs. 1–4), showing β-turn type-I geometries for dipeptides 4a, 5b , and 4c and an extended conformation for peptide 5c (Table 3). The conversion of the free amino acids 1a–c into suitably protected building blocks 11a–d and 15d,e for peptide synthesis is discussed (Schemes 3 and 4).