A new synthesis of serricornin [(4s,6s,7s)-7-hydroxy-4,6-dimethyl-3-nonanone], the sex pheromone of the cigarette beetle

Serricornin, the sex pheromone of Lasioderma serricorne F, was synthesised in 7.6% overall yield starting from methyl (R)-3-hydroxypentanoate of microbial origin. Its (4R,6S,7S)-isomer was also synthesised.     

Lipase-catalyzed preparation of both enantiomers of methyl jasmonate

Preparation of both enantiomeric methyl jasmonates 1 was achieved via lipase-catalyzed resolution of (±)-methyl 7-epicucurbate 3. Lipase P (Amano) provided good selectivity both for acylation of (±)-3 (E=370) and hydrolysis of the corresponding acetate (E=41). Resolution of (±)-methyl 6,7-diepicucurbate 2 gave poor results. It was found that the (6R,7S)-configuration was suitable for the selective enzymatic reaction and the C-(3) stereochemistry of the substrate did not influence the enzymatic reaction.     

Doubly carbon-branched pentoses: synthesis of both enantiomers of 2,4-di-C-methyl arabinose and 2-deoxy-2,4-di-C-methyl arabinose using only acetonide protection

An acetonide is the only protecting group used in the synthesis of both the enantiomers of 2,4-di-C-methyl arabinose and 2-deoxy-2,4-di-C-methyl arabinose via the enantiomeric 3-C-methyl-l-erythronolactone [from 2-C-methyl-d-ribono-lactone or d-ribose] and 3-C-methyl-d-erythronolactone [from d-tagatose or l-ribose]. NMR studies on unprotected C-methyl arabinoses show that methyl branching significantly affects the ratios of pyranose and furanose forms present in aqueous solution.     

Biocatalytic reduction system for the production of chiral methyl (R)/(S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate

An effective method for producing methyl 4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate enantiomers was developed using an engineered protein. Escherichia coli transformant cells containing a mutant β-keto ester reductase (KER-L54Q) from Penicillium citrinum and a cofactor-regeneration enzyme such as glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) or Leifsonia sp. alcohol dehydrogenase (LSADH) were used to produce methyl (S)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate from methyl 4-bromo-3-oxobutyrate. On the other hand, the production of methyl (R)-4-bromo-3-hydroxybutyrate was achieved by asymmetric reduction of methyl 4-bromo-3-oxobutyrate with a mutant phenylacetaldehyde reductase (PAR-HAR1) from Rhodococcus sp. ST-10.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (R)-(+)-1-methoxyspirobrassinin, (2R,3R)-(−)-1-methoxyspirobrassinol methyl ether and their enantiomers or diastereoisomers

Stereoselective synthesis of cruciferous indole phytoalexin (R)-(+)-1-methoxyspirobrassinin and its unnatural (S)-(−)-enantiomer was achieved by spirocyclization of 1-methoxybrassinin in the presence of (+)- and (−)-menthol and subsequent oxidation of the obtained menthyl ethers. Methanolysis of menthyl ethers in the presence of TFA afforded (2R,3R)-(−)-1-methoxyspirobrassinol methyl ether as well its unnatural (2S,3S)-, (2R,3S)-, and (2S,3R)-isomers.     

High-pressure initiated synthesis of dominicalures 1 and 2 by the Baylis-Hillman method

The dimerization of methyl acrylate to dimethyl -methyleneglutarate by the action of tributylphosphine in the absence of a solvent was investigated. Methyl -methylene--hydroxypentanoate was obtained with a moderate yield by the condensation of propionaldehyde with methyl acrylate catalyzed by triphenylphosphine or 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and initiated by high pressure. In the last of these data a three-stage stereospecific synthesis of dominicalures 1 and 2 (components of the aggregation pheromone of the grain beetle) was realized from sec-amyl acrylate and propionaldehyde or isobutyraldehyde.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 595–599, March, 1990.     

Synthesis of the two enantiomers of the sex pheromone of Diabrotica Undecimpunct at a Howardi and of chiral precursors of other pheromones starting from enantiomerically pure methyl hydrogen (R)-3-methylglutarate

Readily available methyl hydrogen (R)-3-methylglutarate(2) is a useful chiral building block for the synthesis of several biologically active compounds. Enantiomerically pure (R)-2 has been employed to synthesize stereospecifically each of the two enantiomers, 1a and 1b, of 10-methyl-2-tridecanone, the sex pheromone of the southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber. Compound (R)-2 has been also used to prepare 99% optically pure (R)-3-methyl-1-pentanol (6) and enantiomerically pure (R)-5-methyl-i-tricosyne (7). These compounds are useful building blocks suitable for the further elaboration to other chiral insect pheromones.     

Preparation of the enantiomers of 19-epoxy docosahexaenoic acids and their 4-hydroxy derivatives

By the action of NBS in aq. DME, dl-19-bromo-20-hydroxy-DHA methyl ester 5 was prepared, which was effectively resolved by lipase PS and vinyl acetate in the presence of a thiacrown ether to give 7 and 8, each being transformed into the corresponding epoxides, 1 and 2, respectively. The absolute configuration of 8 was established by the Kusumi–Moscher method. For the purpose of biological evaluation, both epoxides were converted to the γ-lactones 3 and their 4-hydroxy derivatives 4.     

Liquid chromatographic resolution of enantiomers containing single aromatic rings with β-cyclodextrin-bonded phases

Racemic compounds containing two or more ring moieties are thought to be of optimal size for complexation and resolution on β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) bonded-phase liquid chromatographic columns. There are few reports on the separation of racemates containing one or no rings. Here, seventeen single-ring-containing racemates are resolved via β-CD complexation: (±)-1-phenyl- ethyl propionate; (±)-α-methylbenzyl acetate, (±)-2-chloro-2-phenylacetic acid, (±)-ethyl- 3-phenylglycidate, d,l-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-α-propylacetamide; (±)-2-methoxy-α-methylbenzyl alcohol, d,l-2-phenylpropionaldehyde, d,l-α-amino-3-thiopheneacetic acid, (±)-mandelic acid, (±)-mandelic acid methyl ester, (±)-O-acetylmandelic acid, (±)-ephedrine; d,l-phenyl- alanineamide, d,l-tyrosine, d,l-tyrosine methyl ester, 3-hydroxy-d,l-kynurenine and N-(3,5- dinitrobenzoyl)-d,l-leucine. These compounds can be separated on β-CD media, and have certain common structural properties that enhance chiral recognition. The factors that permit the resolution of single-ring-containing racemates on β-CD columns are discussed.     

An unexpected aromatization during the N-alkylation reaction of 3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrazole derivatives: insight into the reaction mechanism

In this letter we describe the unexpected aromatization that takes place during the N-alkylation reaction performed on several 3-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid methyl esters, giving rise to a mixture of 1-alkyl-3-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid methyl esters and 1-alkyl-3-(2-nitrobenzoyl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid methyl esters.     

Towards the biotechnological isomerization of branched sugars: d-tagatose-3-epimerase equilibrates both enantiomers of 4-C-methyl-ribulose with both enantiomers of 4-C-methyl-xylulose

Microbial oxidation of 2-C-methyl-d-ribitol and 2-C-methyl-d-arabinitol by Gluconobacter thailandicus NBRC 3254 produces 4-C-methyl-l-ribulose and 4-C-methyl-d-ribulose, respectively. Further, 4-C-methyl-l-ribulose and 4-C-methyl-d-ribulose were equilibrated by d-tagatose-3-epimerase (DTE) with 4-C-methyl-l-xylulose and 4-C-methyl-d-xylulose, respectively. These transformations demonstrate that polyol dehydrogenase and DTE act on branched synthetic sugars. The green preparation of all of the stereoisomers of 4-C-methyl pentuloses illustrates the ability of biotechnology to generate novel branched monosaccharides.     

A concise approach to both enantiomers of phytoprostane B1 type II

The synthesis of enantiomeric phytoprostane B₁ type II methyl esters has been accomplished in approximately 30% overall yield via two basic transformations starting from 3-[(dimethoxyphosphoryl)methyl]cyclopentenone as a key reagent. They include ethylation of the ring C(2) carbon and a Horner olefination reaction using the phosphonate moiety at C(3). The novel components of the Horner reaction, the enantiomeric methyl 9-formyl-9-hydroxynanoates, were easily prepared from racemic methyl 9-hydroxy-10-undecenoate via asymmetric Sharpless epoxidation (kinetic resolution) followed by ozonolysis.     

A formal asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of the Erythrina alkaloid 3-demethoxyerythratidinone

A formal asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of the Erythrina alkaloid 3-demethoxyerythratidinone is reported through the application of a highly functionalised lactam template as an N-acyliminium precursor.     

New methodology for the preparation of N-tosyl aziridine-2-carboxylates

N-Tosyl aziridine-2-carboxylate methyl esters were prepared from methyl N-tosyl-l-serinate or N-tosyl-l-threoninate, tosyl chloride, and K₂CO₃, under phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) conditions. The same methodology, as applied to the tert-butyl N-tosyl-l-serine amide, afforded the corresponding newly prepared aziridine-2-carboxamide, as an enantiomerically pure compound.     

A unified approach to the synthesis of both enantiomers of anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a cyanotoxins

Anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a are highly neurotoxic compounds produced by cyanobacteria, principally during surface water-blooms (SWBs). Owing to their powerful biological activity and unique structural characteristics, these natural alkaloids have been the subject of extensive research work in both pharmacological and synthetic studies. In this contribution we report a simple and efficient synthetic approach for the preparation of both the natural and unnatural enantiomers of these cyanotoxins, [(+)-1 and (+)-2] and [(?)-1 and (?)-2] respectively. Key features of this approach include: i) construction of the azabicyclic homotropane framework in both enantiomeric forms from cis-5,6-epoxycyclooctene, based on a microwave mediated epoxide ring opening reaction by a chiral benzyl amine followed by a transannular amine-alkene cyclization; ii) elaboration of the characteristic methyl or ethyl enone by means of a Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of an enol-triflate with a C2 or C3 terminal alkyne, followed by a chemo- and regio-selective hydration of the resulting conjugated enyne group.     

Synthesis of both RP and SP enantiomers of unsymmetrical methylphosphonates based on a new approach utilizing a P-ester bond with α-hydroxyacids

Condensation of methyl methylphosphonochloridate with the dilithium salt of 2-methyllactic acid gave P-racemic methylphosphonates which unexpectedly contained two units of α-hydroxyacid linked via carboxylic ester bond. The racemic mixture was chromatographically separated via diastereomeric salts with quinine or cinchonine to give, based on the X-ray analysis, pure (R_P)-(+) and (S_P)-(−) enantiomers. Both enantiomers were immobilized on the ArgoGel^®–OH solid support. Condensation of methyl methylphosphonochloridate with α-hydroxyacid methyl esters [2-methyllactate, (S_C)-(−)-lactate, methyl (S_C)-(+) and (R_C)-(−)-mandelates] gave chromatographically inseparable 1:1 mixtures of diastereomers in 63–69% yields. A basic hydrolysis of the latter resulted in a selective and unexpected cleavage of the P–OMe group in a quantitative yield [(S_C)-(+) and (R_C)-(−)-mandelates, (S_C)-(−)-lactate] or simultaneous cleavages of P–OMe and C(O)OMe groups (2-methyllactate).     

Relative quantification of enantiomers of chiral amines by high-throughput LC–ESI-MS/MS using isotopic variants of light and heavy l-pyroglutamic acids as the derivatization reagents

l-Pyroglutamic acid (l-PGA) was evaluated as a chiral labeling reagent for the enantioseparation of chiral amines in terms of separation efficiency by reversed-phase chromatography and detection sensitivity by ESI-MS/MS. Several amines and amino acid methyl esters were used as typical representatives of the chiral amines. Both enantiomers of the chiral amines were easily labeled with l-PGAs at room temperature for 60 min in the presence of 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide and 1-hydroxy-1H-benzotriazole as the activation reagents. The resulting diastereomers were completely separated by reversed-phase chromatography using the small particle (1.7 μm) ODS column (Rs = 1.6–6.8). A highly sensitive detection at a low-fmol level (1–4 fmol) was also obtained from the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) chromatograms. Therefore, a high-throughput determination was achieved by the present UPLC–ESI-MS/MS method.     

A Raman spectroscopic study of the low-frequency vibrations in anisole and anisole-d3

Low-frequency Raman spectra of solid anisole and of solid anisole-d₃ have been recorded at 130 K. The phenyl torsion observed at 148 cm^?1 is shifted to 133 cm^?1 upon deuteration of the methyl group. The twofold torsional barriers calculated from these frequencies are 4033 ± 110 cm^?1 and 4094 ± 123 cm^?1 indicating that coupling to other low-frequency modes in both cases is of the same order of magnitude. The methyl torsional mode was observed at 285 cm^?1 in the spectrum of solid anisole and at 183 cm^?1 in the spectrum of anisole-d₃. The threefold barriers calculated using these frequencies are 1847 ± 20 cm^?1 and 1465 ± 18 cm^?1 respectively. These barrier values indicate that the methyl torsion is coupled to another low-frequency mode. A doublet centered at 230 cm^?1 in anisole is shifted to 245 cm^?1 in anisole-d₃; it is proposed that this is due to a ring mode coupled to the methyl torsion. The splitting is interpreted as an example of Davydov splitting.     

A CNDO/2 investigation of the CH3/CF3 substitution effect

The variation of the A-C bond lengths with substitution of methyl by perfluoromethyl in molecules of the kind A(CH₃ )_n is investigated using the CNDO/2 method. Calculations were performed with A as fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorous and n = 1, 2 or 3. The variation of the A-C bond length can be explained qualitatively by combining two effects, (1) changes in the covalent bond order and (2) changes in the ionic bond strength. While the covalent bond order decreases in all cases, the extent of the decrease depending largely on the electronegativity of A, the ionic bond order increases for fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur and decreases in the case of phosphorous. The variations in the ionic bond strength are found to depend on the electronegativity of A as well as on the number of substituted methyl groups.     

Bismuth triflate-catalyzed rearrangement of acetates of the Baylis-Hillman adducts into (E)-trisubstituted alkenes

In the presence of a catalytic amount of bismuth triflate, methyl 3-acetoxy-3-aryl-2-methylenepropanoates and 3-acetoxy-3-aryl-2-methylenepropanitriles were smoothly converted into methyl (2E)-2-(acetoxymethyl)-3-arylprop-2-enoates and (2E)-2-(acetoxymethyl)-3-arylprop-2-enenitriles, respectively. A remarkable reversal in stereochemical directions from ester to nitrile was observed. 3-Aryl-3-hydroxy-2-methylenepropanoates and 3-aryl-3-hydroxy-2-methylenepropanitriles could be easily obtained as Baylis-Hillman adducts from methyl acrylate and acrylonitrile, respectively. The overall process is an efficient isomerization of the Baylis-Hillman adducts to the corresponding cinnamyl derivatives. The isomerization reaction proceeded rapidly and afforded smoothly the cinnamyl acetates in moderate to very good yields using catalytic amounts of Bi(OTf)₃·4H₂O (10 mol %).