Stereoselective total synthesis of reveromycin B and C19-epi-reveromycin B

Our studies toward the total synthesis of the reveromycin family of natural products are described herein. Our synthetic approach is efficient, stereocontrolled, and convergent and has resulted in the first synthesis of reveromycin B (4) and C19-epi-reveromycin B (55). Key steps of this successful strategy include: a modified Negishi coupling (construction of C7-C8 bond) and a Kishi-Nozaki reaction (construction of C19-C20 bond), which were employed in the attachment of the target side chains. The key building blocks for the total synthesis were thus defined as vinyl iodide 6, alkyne 7, and alkyne 8. Our synthesis illustrates the utility of the modified Negishi coupling for the construction of complex dienes, confirms the proposed stereochemistry of reveromycins and paves the way for the preparation of designed analogues for biological study.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of (-)-spirofungin A by utilising hydrogen-bond controlled spiroketalisation

The stereoselective total synthesis of the spiroketal containing Streptomyces metabolite (?)‐spirofungin A ( 1 ) is described. A key step involved a spiroketalisation controlled by an intramolecular H‐bond which favoured the desired spiroketal 4 (13:1 ratio). The presence of the intramolecular H‐bond in 4 is possibly due to a 1,5‐alkyne–oxygen interaction. Other key steps include an efficient cross‐metathesis to form the spiroketal precursor, a tin mediated syn‐aldol reaction and a Stille cross‐coupling reaction to create the C22? C23 bond. A final Wittig extension followed by deprotection gave (?)‐spirofungin A ( 1 ).     

Short synthesis of the 6,6-spiroketal cores of spirofungins A and B

[reaction: see text] Initial efforts toward the total synthesis of the antifungal antibiotics spirofungins A and B are reported. A short and efficient synthesis of the C9-C20 6,6-spiroketal fragments of both compounds is described. This asymmetric approach uses a very efficient alkylation of a lithiated N,N-dimethylhydrazone followed by spiroketal formation under acidic conditions.     

Total synthesis of rutamycin B and oligomycin C

The asymmetric synthesis of the macrolide antibiotics (+)-rutamycin B (1) and (+)-oligomycin C (2) is described. The approach relied on the synthesis and coupling of the individual spiroketal fragments 3a and 3b with the C1-C17 polyproprionate fragment 4. The preparation of the spiroketal fragments was achieved using chiral (E)-crotylsilane bond construction methodology, which allowed the introduction of the stereogenic centers prior to spiroketalization. The present work details the synthesis of the C19-C28 and C29-C34 subunits as well as their convergent assembly through an alkylation reaction of the lithiated N,N-dimethylhydrazones 6 and 8 to afford the individual linear spiroketal intermediates 5a and 5b, respectively. After functional group adjustment, these advanced intermediates were cyclized to their respective spiroketal-coupling partners 40 and 41. The requisite polypropionate fragment was assembled in a convergent manner using asymmetric crotylation methodology for the introduction of six of the nine-stereogenic centers. The use of three consecutive crotylation reactions was used for the construction of the C3-C12 subunit 32. A Mukaiyama-type aldol reaction of 35 with the chiral alpha-methyl aldehyde 39 was used for the introduction of the C12-C13 stereocenters. This anti aldol finished the construction of the C3-C17 advanced intermediate 36. A two-carbon homologation completed the construction of the polypropionate fragment 38. The completion of the synthesis of the two macrolide antibiotics was accomplished by the union of two principal fragments that was achieved with an intermolecular palladium-(0) catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between the terminal vinylstannanes of the individual spiroketals 3a and 3b and the polypropionate fragment 4. The individual carboxylic acids 46 and 47 were cyclized to their respective macrocyclic lactones 48 and 49 under Yamaguchi reaction conditions. Deprotection of these macrolides completed the synthesis of the rutamycin B and oligomycin C.     

Total syntheses of epothilones B and d

A convergent, total synthesis of epothilones B (2) and D (4) is described. The key steps are Normant coupling to establish the desired (Z)-stereochemistry at C12-C13, Wadsworth-Emmons olefination of methyl ketone 28 with the phosphonate ester 8, diastereoselective aldol condensation of aldehyde 5 with the enolate of keto acid derivatives to form the C6-C7 bond, selective deprotection of acid 52, and macrolactonization.     

Ionic-liquid-promoted decaborane dehydrogenative alkyne-insertion reactions: a new route to o-carboranes

Unlike in conventional organic solvents, where Lewis base catalysts are required, decaborane dehydrogenative alkyne-insertion reactions proceed rapidly in biphasic ionic-liquid/toluene mixtures with a wide variety of terminal and internal alkynes, thus providing efficient, one-step routes to functional o-carborane 1-R-1,2-C2B10H11 and 1-R-2-R'-1,2-C2B10H10 derivatives, including R = C6H5- (1), C6H13- (2), HC[triple bond]C-(CH2)5- (3), (1-C2B10H11)-(CH2)5- (4), CH3CH2C(O)OCH2- (5), (C2H5)2NCH2- (6), NC-(CH2)3- (7), 3-HC[triple bond]C-C6H4- (8), (1-C2B10H11)-1,3-C6H4- (9), HC[triple bond]C-CH2-O-CH2- (10); R,R' = C2H5- (11); R = HOCH2-, R' = CH3- (12); R = BrCH2-; R' = CH3- (13); R = H2C=C(CH3)-, R' = C2H5- (14). The best results were obtained from reactions with only catalytic amounts of bmimCl (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride), where in many cases reaction times of less than 20 min were required. The experimental data for these reactions, the results observed for the reactions of B10H13(-) salts with alkynes, and the computational studies reported in the third paper in this series all support a reaction sequence involving (1) the initial ionic liquid promoted formation of the B10H13(-) anion, (2) addition of B10H13(-) to the alkyne to form an arachno-R,R'-C2B10H13(-) anion, and (3) protonation of arachno-R,R'-C2B10H13(-) to form the final neutral 1-R-2-R'-1,2-C2B10H10 product with loss of hydrogen.     

Enantioselective synthesis of the [6,6] spiroketal core of reveromycin A

[structure: see text] Reveromycin A (1) belongs to a family of microbial polyketides with unusual structural features and biological activities. The structure of 1 is composed of a [6,6] spiroketal core decorated with highly unsaturated side chains. As a prelude to the synthesis of 1, we present herein a short, efficient, and enantioselective synthesis of the C9-C21 fragment 5 (spiroketal core) of reveromycin A.     

Synthesis of the C9-C29 fragments of ajudazols A and B

The syntheses of both C9-C29 fragments 3 and 4 of the myxobacteria metabolites ajudazols A (1) and B (2) are described. The key steps were a cyclodehydration to form the oxazole, Sonogashira coupling to form the C18-C19 bond and a P-2 Ni mediated partial alkyne hydrogenation to install the C17-C18 Z-alkene. The C15 alkene in the ajudazol A fragment 3 was introduced in the final steps by elimination of the corresponding primary alcohol.     

Total synthesis of (-)-reveromycin B

[structure: see text] The total synthesis of the epidermal growth factor inhibitor reveromycin B (2) is described. A novel, convergent, and stereoselective reaction sequence was utilized to construct the 5,6-spiroketal system 10 which was converted into the natural product 2 by a 16-step sequence.     

Toward the synthesis of norzoanthamine: complete fragment assembly

The complex marine alkaloid norzoanthamine (2) was envisioned to be assembled from three key building blocks: the C1-C5 fragment A, the C6-C10 fragment B, and the C11-C24 fragment C. The synthesis of fragment A was achieved in 14 steps and 33% overall yield from (R)-gamma-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butyrolactone. Fragment B was made in two steps from PMB-protected 4-pentynol in 76% yield. The C11-C24 fragment C was made from (S)-carvone via (R)-isocarvone in 18 steps (6% overall yield). The convergent stereoselective synthesis of the entire carbon framework (C1-C24) of the target molecule was achieved via the following assemblage. Alkenyl iodide 20 derived from the C11-C24 fragment C was coupled to fragment B (C6-C10) through a high-yielding Stille coupling reaction of these two sterically very demanding coupling partners, affording the key Diels-Alder precursor 24. The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction proceeded smoothly in excellent yield and diastereoselectivity, generating the tricyclic trans-anti-trans perhydrophenanthrene motif of norzoanthamine (C6-C24). The final fragment coupling between lithiated fragment A (C1-C5) and aldehyde 40 (C6-C24) has also been successfully accomplished affording the entire carbon framework of the natural product.     

Natural (5-oxoheptene-1E,3E-dienyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one: total synthesis and revision of its absolute configuration

The synthesis of (5^′-oxoheptene-1^′E,3^′E-dienyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one has been performed in seven steps using four key steps: a ring-closing metathesis reaction to build up the unsaturated lactone, a Wittig reaction to control the C6-C7 (E) double bond, a cross-metathesis reaction to control the (E) double bond at C8-C9, and an enantioselective allyltitanation to control the absolute configuration at C5. Spectroscopic data (IR, MS, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR) were identical to those of the natural compound except for the optical rotation, which led us to re-assign the absolute configuration of the natural product.     

Total synthesis of 8-deshydroxyajudazol B

The total synthesis of a stereoisomer of 8-deshydroxyajudazol B (4), the putative biosynthetic intermediate of the ajudazols A (1) and B (2), is described. The key steps in the synthesis included an intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reaction to secure the isochromanone fragment, a novel selective acylation/O,N-shift to give a hydroxyamide which was cyclized to the oxazole and a high yielding Sonogashira coupling to form the C18-C19 bond. Partial alkyne reduction then afforded the target 4.     

Total synthesis of (-)-reveromycin a

The asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-reveromycin A is described. The key steps involved a Lewis acid catalyzed inverse electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction followed by hydroboration/oxidation to afford the spiroketal core 4 in a highly stereoselective manner and introduction of the C18 hemisuccinate by high-pressure acylation.     

Influence of diene substitution on Diels-Alder reactions between vinyl dihydronaphthalenes and (SS)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone

The asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction between 2-(E-2-acetoxyvinyl)-8-tert-butyl-3,4-dihydronaphthalene (8) and enantiopure (SS)-2-(p-tolylsulfinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone (1) takes place exclusively on the unsubstituted C(5)-C(6) double bond of (SS)-1 with a very high control of the chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselectivity of the process affording tetracyclic sulfinyl derivative 13a possessing five stereogenic centers. The analogue diene 9, lacking the tert-butyl group, gave a less chemoselective reaction (C(2)-C(3)/C(5)-C(6): 60/40) in favor of reaction through the sulfoxide-substituted double bond C(2)-C(3) of 1. Steric effects of the remote tert-butyl group and electronic factors due to the OAc substituent are controlling the process.     

Enantio- and diastereoselective allylmetalations: an easy and efficient access to the AB spiroketal of spongistatin

[reaction: see text] A unique combination of highly enantio- and diastereoselective allylmetalations and a one-pot "desacetalization/spiroketalization" have been employed to synthesize the AB spiroketal fragment (C1-C13) of spongistatin in 15 steps and in excellent diastereoselectivity.     

Access to isocarbacyclin derivatives via substrate-controlled enolate formation: total synthesis of 15-deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)- 17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin

[reaction: see text] We describe a convergent and flexible synthesis of 15-deoxy-16-(m-tolyl)-17,18,19,20-tetranorisocarbacyclin (15-deoxy-TIC), a simple isocarbacyclin derivative. The synthesis takes advantage of two key step reactions: a regioselective deprotonation of the described ketone under substrate control which is then trapped, as the enol triflate, to generate the C6-C9alpha endocyclic double bond, followed by an sp2-sp3 Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction (C5-C6) with a suitable primary alkyl Grignard reagent. Introduction of the C13-C14 (E)-double bond in the omega-side chain is performed by the Julia-Kocie?ski olefination.     

Nickel complexes supported by quinoline-based ligands: synthesis, characterization and catalysis in the cross-coupling of arylzinc reagents and aryl chlorides or aryltrimethylammonium salts

Lithium and nickel complexes bearing quinoline-based ligands have been synthesized and characterized. Reaction of 8-azidoquinoline with Ph(2)PNHR (R = p-MeC(6)H(4), Bu(t)) affords N-(8-quinolyl)iminophosphoranes RNHP(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N) (1a, R = p-MeC(6)H(4); 1b, R = Bu(t). C(9)H(6)N = quinolyl)). Reaction of 1a with (DME)NiCl(2) generates a nickel complex [NiCl(2){N(8-C(9)H(6)N)[double bond, length as m-dash]P(Ph(2))NH(p-MeC(6)H(4))}] (2a). Treatment of 1b with (DME)NiCl(2) and following with NaH produces [NiCl{(1,2-C(6)H(4))P(Ph)(NHBu(t))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N)}] (4). Complex 4 was also obtained by reaction of (DME)NiCl(2) with [Li{(1,2-C(6)H(4))P(Ph)(NHBu(t))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N)}] (5) prepared through lithiation of 1b. Reaction of 2-PyCH(2)P(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N) (6, Py = pyridyl) and PhN[double bond, length as m-dash]C(Ph)CH(2)P(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N) (8), respectively, with (DME)NiCl(2) yields two five-coordinate N,N,N-chelate nickel complexes, [NiCl(2){2-PyCH(2)P(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N)}] (7) and [NiCl(2){PhN[double bond, length as m-dash]C(Ph)CH(2)P(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N)}] (9). Similar reaction between Ph(2)PCH(2)P(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N) (10) and (DME)NiCl(2) results in five-coordinate N,N,P-chelate nickel complex [NiCl(2){Ph(2)PCH(2)P(Ph(2))[double bond, length as m-dash]N(8-C(9)H(6)N)}] (11). Treatment of [(8-C(9)H(6)N)N[double bond, length as m-dash]P(Ph(2))](2)CH(2) (12) [prepared from (Ph(2)P)(2)CH(2) and 2 equiv. of 8-azidoquinoline] with LiBu(n) and (DME)NiCl(2) successively affords [NiCl{(8-C(9)H(6)N)NP(Ph(2))}(2)CH] (13). The new compounds were characterized by (1)H, (13)C and (31)P NMR spectroscopy (for the diamagnetic compounds), IR spectroscopy (for the nickel complexes) and elemental analysis. Complexes 2a, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 13 were also characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The nickel complexes were evaluated for the catalysis in the cross-coupling reactions of arylzinc reagents with aryl chlorides and aryltrimethylammonium salts. Complex 7 exhibits the highest activity among the complexes in catalyzing the reactions of arylzinc reagents with either aryl chlorides or aryltrimethylammonium bromides.     

Total synthesis of cruentaren B

A convergent total synthesis of the cytotoxic natural product cruentaren B is completed in 26 steps (longest linear sequence) with an overall yield of 7.1%. For the construction of the C1-C11 benzolactone fragment of the molecule, the key steps used were O-methylation, using a Mitsunobu reaction, a Stille coupling method to construct the C7-C8 bond, and a Brown's asymmetric crotylboration reaction for the direct enantioselective installation of the two chiral centers present in this fragment. For diastereoselective installation of the chiral centers in the C12-C20 polyketide fragment, an Evans syn aldol reaction on a chiral aldehyde, derived from methyl (R)-3-hydroxyl-2-methylpropionate, and subsequently a Mukaiyama aldol reaction were employed. For the construction of the C21-C28 tail, a "non-Evans" syn aldol reaction was used. The three fragments were coupled by an SN2 reaction and a Wittig olefination reaction followed by standard functional group manipulations to furnish the target molecule.     

Chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of cis- and trans-12,13-cyclopropyl and 12,13-cyclobutyl epothilones and related pyridine side chain analogues

The design, chemical synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of cyclopropyl and cyclobutyl epothilone analogues (3-12, Figure 1) are described. The synthetic strategies toward these epothilones involved a Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi coupling to form the C15-C16 carbon-carbon bond, an aldol reaction to construct the C6-C7 carbon-carbon bond, and a Yamaguchi macrolactonization to complete the required skeletal framework. Biological studies with the synthesized compounds led to the identification of epothilone analogues 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 11 as potent tubulin polymerization promoters and cytotoxic agents with (12R,13S,15S)-cyclopropyl 5-methylpyridine epothilone A (11) as the most powerful compound whose potencies (e.g. IC(50) = 0.6 nM against the 1A9 ovarian carcinoma cell line) approach those of epothilone B. These investigations led to a number of important structure-activity relationships, including the conclusion that neither the epoxide nor the stereochemistry at C12 are essential, while the stereochemistry at both C13 and C15 are crucial for biological activity. These studies also confirmed the importance of both the cyclopropyl and 5-methylpyridine moieties in conferring potent and potentially clinically useful biological properties to the epothilone scaffold.