Studies directed towards the total synthesis of koshikalide: stereoselective synthesis of the macrocyclic core

The stereoselective synthesis of the macrolactone core of the natural product koshikalide is described. Starting with readily available 1,4-butanediol and malic acid as synthons, our synthetic strategy involved the reiterative application of Gilman’s reaction, Swern oxidation and Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation to establish the required stereocentres. Other key steps in the synthesis include Negishi cross coupling and Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) reactions for construction of the main fragments. The 14-membered lactone ring was prepared by a selective Mitsunobu macrolactonization approach.     

Total synthesis of (+)-anamarine

An enantiospecific total synthesis of polyhydroxy δ-pyrone natural product (+)-anamarine is accomplished. The main features of the synthesis include the stereoselective reduction of the ketone obtained by the desymmetrization of the bis-dimethyl amide of tartaric acid and further elaboration involving asymmetric Brown's allylation and ring closing metathesis.     

Deracemization By Simultaneous Bio‐oxidative Kinetic Resolution and Stereoinversion

Deracemization, that is, the transformation of a racemate into a single product enantiomer with theoretically 100 % conversion and 100 % ee, is an appealing but also challenging option for asymmetric synthesis. Herein a novel chemo‐enzymatic deracemization concept by a cascade is described: the pathway involves two enantioselective oxidation steps and one non‐stereoselective reduction step, enabling stereoinversion and a simultaneous kinetic resolution. The concept was exemplified for the transformation of rac‐benzylisoquinolines to optically pure (S)‐berbines. The racemic substrates were transformed to optically pure products (ee>97 %) with up to 98 % conversion and up to 88 % yield of isolated product.     

Formal synthesis of dictyostatin and synthesis of two dictyostatin analogues

A formal convergent synthesis of dictyostatin from (R)-Roche ester is described. Synthetic highlights include a Ni-catalyzed Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi coupling between an aldehyde and a Z vinyl iodide to assemble the two main fragments, a diastereoselective Myers alkylation, a stereoselective Evans aldolization, two asymmetric Duthaler crotyltitanations, and a stereoselective Pd-catalyzed Marshall allenylindium addition to install the stereogenic centers of dictyostatin. The synthesis of (9R)-epi-dictyostatin and a new ring-contracted dictyostatin isomer were also achieved.     

An enantioselective synthesis of a MEM-protected aetheramide A derivative

Aetheramides A and B are very potent anti-HIV agents. An enantioselective synthesis of a MEM-protected aetheramide A derivative is described. The synthesis was accomplished in a convergent and stereoselective manner. The key reactions involved asymmetric dihydroxylation, asymmetric allylation, asymmetric syn-aldol reactions, and asymmetric hydrogenation.     

Enantioselective Aldol Reaction of α-Ketoester and Cyclopentaone Catalyzed by L-Proline

A concise and enantioselective synthesis of (S)‐ethyl 2‐cyclopentyl‐2‐hydroxy‐2‐arylacetate, a key intermediate for the muscarinic receptor, is reported. The tertiary stereogenic center was constructed with good stereoselectivity through the L‐proline‐catalyzed direct asymmetric aldol reaction of ethyl arylglyoxylate and cyclopentanone. The carbonyl of the condensation product was reduced using a modified Clemmensen reaction which provided an easier workup and was more environmentally acceptable. The enantioselectivity of the aldol reactions was between 58.3%–93.2%, which means that the stereoselective is efficient in controlling configuration of reaction product.     

Chemoenzymatic total synthesis of stagonolide-E

Asymmetric total synthesis of small ring macrolide stagonolide-E has been described in this communication. The main highlight of our synthetic strategy is the application of ME-DKR (metal enzyme combo dynamic kinetic resolution) reaction, asymmetric reduction with Noyori’s BINAL-H reagent system, stereoselective cross metathesis, and RCM (ring closing metathesis) reaction at a late stage enables us to achieve the synthesis of the target molecule in an efficient way.     

A stereoselective synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene/GEX1A

A stereoselective synthesis of (+)-herboxidiene is described. The convergent synthesis utilized a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction to assemble the key segments. The synthesis of the functionalized tetrahydropyran ring utilized an Achmatowicz reaction as the key step. The synthesis of the C10-C19 segment was accomplished using Brown's crotylboration, asymmetric alkylation, and a stereoselective allylic chlorination reactions.     

Concise asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of (R)-(+)-tanikolide, a δ-lactonic marine natural product, was accomplished in seven steps from easily available starting materials with a 51% overall yield. An asymmetric synthesis of an α-hydroxy aldehyde having a stereogenic quaternary center, by the use of (S)-2-(anilinomethyl)pyrrolidine as a chiral auxiliary, was employed in a key step.     

Stereoselective synthesis of anamarine

A stereoselective synthesis of the naturally occurring, α,β-unsaturated lactone anamarine is described. The key step was a highly stereoselective aldol reaction of a protected erythrulose derivative with a chiral aldehyde. Another relevant step was an asymmetric aldehyde allylation with a chiral allylborane. The lactone ring was made by means of a ring-closing metathesis.     

A highly stereoselective asymmetric synthesis of (--)-lobeline and (--)-sedamine

A highly stereoselective asymmetric synthesis of (--)-sedamine and (--)-lobeline is described from benzaldehyde in 16 and 17 steps with an overall yield of 20% and 14%, respectively. The key intermediate syn-3,4-epoxyalcohol was prepared in a highly diastereomeric fashion (>99% ee, dr) and served as a common intermediate for both alkaloids.     

Novel and practical asymmetric synthesis of an azetidine alkaloid, penaresidin B

A novel and efficient asymmetric synthesis of the potent actomyosin ATPase activator, penaresidin B, is described in a short and complete stereoselective manner by featuring the elaboration of the fully functionalized homochiral lactam, which can also be regarded as an advanced intermediate for the synthesis of other azetidine alkaloids.     

The first stereoselective and the total synthesis of Leiocarpin C and total synthesis of (+)-Goniodiol

The synthesis of the styryl lactone Leiocarpin C has been achieved in a highly stereoselective manner using Jacobsen’s kinetic resolution, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation as key steps. This is the first total synthesis of Leiocarpin C, and thus establishes for the first time the absolute stereochemistry of this natural product.     

Total synthesis of stagonolide B

Asymmetric total synthesis of nonenolide stagonolide-B has been presented in this Letter. The main highlight of our synthetic strategy is the application of hydroxynitrile lyase (ParsHNL) mediated asymmetric synthesis of cyanohydrin, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, cross metathesis (CM) reaction, stereoselective Keck allylation reaction and Yamaguchi macrolactonization at a late stage enables us to achieve the synthesis of the target molecule in an efficient way.     

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution of 2-arylcyclohexenol derivatives: asymmetric total syntheses of (+)-crinamine, (-)-haemanthidine, and (+)-pretazettine

Much interest has been shown in Amaryllidaceae alkaloids as synthetic targets due to their wide range of biological activities. Over 100 alkaloids have been isolated from members of the Amaryllidaceae family; most of them can be classified into eight skeletally homogeneous groups. We have succeeded in the first asymmetric total syntheses of the crinane-type alkaloids (+)-crinamine (1), (-)-haemanthidine (2), and (+)-pretazettine (3). The starting cyclohexenylamine 14 was obtained from allyl phosphonate 11c by palladium-catalyzed asymmetric amination in 82% yield and with 74% ee. The product was recrystallized from MeOH. Interestingly, (-)-14 with 99% ee was obtained from the mother liquor (74% recovery). Intramolecular carbonyl-ene reaction of (-)-10 proceeds in a highly stereoselective manner to give hexahydroindole derivative 9 as the sole product. In the Lewis-acid-catalyzed carbonyl-ene reaction, an interesting rearrangement product, 20, was isolated in high yield. From 9, (+)-crinamine was synthesized. Thus, the asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-crinamine was achieved in 10 steps from 11c, and the overall yield is 19%. The total synthesis of (-)-haemanthidine was also achieved from 9 by a short sequence of steps.     

A Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Decarestrictine I

A convergent and stereoselective total synthesis of decarestrictine I, a polyketide natural product, is described. Both acid and alcohol fragments were prepared from the readily available L ‐malic acid via Still? Gennari olefination and Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation. The Steglich esterification and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM) are employed to combine both acid and alcohol fragments.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide via an iterative asymmetric dihydroxylation in PEG

The stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-cardiobutanolide, a polyhydroxylated natural product, is achieved in high yield through Lu and Guo diene synthesis, Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, and one-pot deprotection-lactonization. The utility of a recyclable reagent system in PEG for asymmetric dihydroxylation is demonstrated.     

Asymmetric formal synthesis of schulzeines A and C

The asymmetric formal synthesis of schulzeines A and C is described. Key features of the synthesis include the efficient and stereoselective construction of the benzoquinolizidine skeleton via the aza-Claisen rearrangement-induced ring expansion of the 1-vinyl-N-glycyl-isoquinoline, which was prepared by the highly enantioselective asymmetric allylation of the 8-benzyloxy-substituted dihydroisoquinoline and by the acid-catalyzed transannulation of the resulting 10-membered lactam.     

The stereoselective total synthesis of isocladosorpin

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of isocladosorpin is described. The key steps involved in this synthesis are oxa-Michael reaction, asymmetric propargylation, and Alder–Rickerts reaction.     

Practical stereoselective synthesis of an alpha-trifluoromethyl-alpha-alkyl epoxide via a diastereoselective trifluoromethylation reaction

A practical stereoselective synthesis is reported for an alpha-trifluoromethyl-alpha-alkyl epoxide (1), which is an important pharmaceutical intermediate. The key step involves a chiral auxiliary-controlled asymmetric trifluoromethylation reaction for the introduction of the unique trifluoromethyl-substituted tertiary alcohol stereogenic center in the target molecule. The fluoride-initiated CF3 addition to chiral keto ester 6a proceeded with a diastereoselectivity up to 86:14. The major diastereomer was readily obtained with a >99.5:0.5 dr through a simple crystallization of the crude product mixture.