A short approach to the bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane fragment of stawamycin

The bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane (C₁₁-C₂₁) fragment of stawamycin has been prepared by a sequence involving 11 steps (10% overall yield) from methyl (R)-(−)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate. Key steps are a Pd-catalysed Stille coupling reaction between a vinyl iodide and a vinyl stannane followed by an intramolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction to give the desired adduct as the major isomer in 21% overall yield.     

Synthesis of a transmembrane ionophore based on a C2-symmetric polyhydroxysteroid derivative

The synthesis of the C₂-symmetric bis-(20S)-5α-23,24-bisnorchol-16-en-3β,6α,7β-triol-22-terephthaloate (1), active as Na⁺-transporting transmembrane channel, has been achieved in 16 steps (10% overall yield) starting from the commercially available androst-5-en-3β-ol-17-one (3). The straightforward stereospecific functionalization of the side-chain, via the ‘ene’ reaction, and the successful regioselective terephthaloylation of the C-22 hydroxy group, illustrate the efficiency of the synthetic strategy.     

A biomimetic approach to the synthesis of a mycolic acid motif

A new method for the stereoselective synthesis of the (R,R)-β-hydroxy-α-alkyl fatty acid fragment of mycolic acids, via an asymmetric anti-aldol reaction is reported. The ‘mycolic acid motif’ fragment was prepared in three steps and >98% ee.     

Total synthesis of hapalindoles J and U

The total synthesis of D,L-hapalindoles J and U has been accomplished. Hapalindole J was prepared in 11% overall yield over 11 synthetic steps and hapalindole U was prepared in 25% overall yield over 13 synthetic steps from commercially available materials. The route employs a novel silyl ether-based strategy for accessing the 6:5:6:6 ring system of the hapalindoles rapidly and in good yields.     

Step-economic synthesis of (±)-debromoflustramine A using indole C3 activation strategy

A concise and practical strategy to obtain C3 reverse-prenylated pyrrolidinoindoline scaffold has been executed in 28.8% overall yield. The key conjugative step involved a Booker-Milburn-Feudoloff reaction involving an NCS-mediated activation of indole, followed by coupling to C₅ dimethylallylalcohol. This linchpin step proceeded in 74% yield. The overall sequence proceeded in five steps from commercially available N-methyltryptamine with a single protection-deprotection operation and a single redox manipulation. Mechanistic insights of NCS activation, and an ensuing rearrangement of the isoprene unit were gained by rationally varying the C3 substituent.     

The first total synthesis of (±)-4-methoxydecanoic acid: a novel antifungal fatty acid

The hitherto unknown (±)-4-methoxydecanoic acid was synthesized in six steps and in 25% overall yield starting from commercially available 4-penten-1-ol. The title compound demonstrated 17-fold higher antifungal activity (MIC = 1.5 mM) against Candida albicans ATCC 60193 and Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 66031 when compared to unsubstituted n-decanoic acid. Our results demonstrate that mid-chain methoxylation appears to be a viable strategy for increasing the fungitoxicity of fatty acids.     

Total syntheses of the sesquiterpenes β-corymbolol and corymbolone

The first total synthesis of racemic corymbolone, an eudesmane sesquiterpene isolated from Cyperus species used in traditional medicine to treat many diseases, is reported. In the developed sequence, the immediate precursor of corymbolone is the diol β-corymbolol, an epimer at C₁ of the natural α-corymbolol. Thus, starting from the readily available Wieland-Miescher Ketone, the title compounds were achieved in 11 and 12 steps, respectively, in ca. 3% overall yield.     

The first total synthesis of the (±)-17-methyl-trans-4,5-methyleneoctadecanoic acid and related analogs with antileishmanial activity

The first total synthesis of the marine cyclopropane fatty acid (±)-17-methyl-trans-4,5-methyleneoctadecanoic acid was accomplished in eight steps and in 9.1% overall yield starting from 1-bromo-12-methyltridecane. The cis analog (±)-17-methyl-cis-4,5-methyleneoctadecanoic acid was also synthesized but in seven steps and in 16.4% overall yield. With the two isomeric cyclopropane fatty acids at hand it was possible to unequivocally corroborate the trans relative configuration of the naturally occurring fatty acid by gas chromatographic co-elution of the corresponding methyl esters. The cis isomer was cytotoxic to Leishmania donovani promastigotes with an IC₅₀ of 300.2 ± 4.2 μM.     

Synthesis of saramycetic acid

The first reported synthesis of saramycetic acid, a degradation product of the complex thiopeptide antibiotic cyclothiazomycin, is achieved in nine steps and 11% overall yield from diethoxyacetonitrile by a strategy, which incorporates two Hantzsch thiazole syntheses using thioamides prepared from the corresponding nitriles without the use of gaseous H₂S. The synthetic material was transformed to methyl saramycetate, which had spectroscopic properties in excellent agreement with the literature data.     

(-)-（3S, 6R）-3, 6-羟基-10-甲基十一酸及其三聚体的全合成

以廉价易得的异戊基溴为起始原料,以烯丙基二异松莰烷基硼烷参与的不对称烯丙基化反应和Yamaguchi酯化反应为关键步骤,实现了对(-)-(3S,6R)-3,6-二羟基-10-甲基十一酸(总收率27.5％)及其三聚体(总收率24.5％)的不对称全合成。     

A new approach to (+)-anisomycin

An efficient approach to enantiomerically pure (+)-deacetylanisomycin 2a and a formal synthesis of (+)-anisomycin 2 (11% overall yield in 10 steps) have been achieved through simple and good yielding reactions, starting from 1,2:3,4:5,6-tri-O-isopropylidene-d-mannitol 3. Grignard reaction and intramolecular cyclisation reactions are key steps in the strategy.     

Total synthesis of a dienynone from Echinacea pallida

The first total synthesis of (8Z,13Z)-pentadeca-8,13-dien-11-yn-2-one is described. This dienynone was recently isolated from the n-hexane extract of Echinacea pallida roots and displayed a selective cytotoxic activity toward cancer cells, thus featuring as a potential anticancer lead. The product was obtained in 11 steps in 25% overall yield.     

Concise total syntheses of variolin B and deoxyvariolin B

The total synthesis of the marine alkaloid variolin B has been achieved in 8 steps and 17% overall yield, starting from commercially available 4-chloro-2-methylthiopyrimidine. The key reaction involves the tandem deoxygenation and cyclization of a triarylmethanol using a combination of triethylsilane and trifluoroacetic acid. In addition, the deoxygenated analogue was prepared in 6 steps and 23% overall yield, starting from the same starting material.     

First total synthesis of (−)-(3S,6R)-3,6-dihydroxy-10-methylundecanoic acid

The first total synthesis of (3S,6R)-3,6-dihydroxy-10-methylundecanoic acid was accomplished from commercially available 1-bromo-3-methylbutane in 11 steps and 25.8% overall yield. The key steps were asymmetric allylic alkylations via allyldiisopinocampheylborane and hydroboration-oxidation.     

Synthesis and conformational analysis of a novel carbohydrate-fused bis-crown ether: crown-CyPLOS

A novel sugar-based macrocycle consisting of a phosphate-linked 12-membered disaccharide ring (cyclic phosphate-linked oligosaccharide, CyPLOS), fused to two 18-crown-6 ether residues, is here described. The synthesis of the target compound has been accomplished in 23% overall yield for 11 reaction steps, exploiting phosphoramidite chemistry for the dimerization and a classical phosphotriester methodology for the cyclization reaction. NMR-based conformational analysis studies have been carried out on the fully deprotected macrocycle, showing a characteristic arched-structure with C₂-symmetry.     

Total synthesis of (−)-incarvilline and (−)-incarvillateine

An enantioselective, concise total synthesis of (−)-incarvilline and (−)-incarvillateine has been achieved in longest linear 9 steps (24.3% overall yield) and in 11 steps (16.5% overall yield) from (−)-carvone, respectively. The present synthesis features a notable Favorskii rearrangement of the O-protected chlorohydrin derivative of (−)-carvone to construct four of the five contiguous stereocenters on the bicyclic piperidine moiety and DMAP-catalyzed esterification of incarvilline with α-truxillic acid anhydride to generate incarvillateine skeleton.     

Synthesis of (S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin and isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinolinone derivatives from l-aspartic acid

This paper describes a new total synthesis for (S)-2-amino-7-methoxytetralin, (S)-7-MeO-AT, from l-aspartic acid in an overall yield of 10% over nine steps. The major loss was ascribed to a key intramolecular Friedel–Crafts cyclization step, which afforded up to 36% yield. Attempts to perform a Friedel–Crafts cyclization of an intermediate phthalimide protected amino alcohol 13 did not give the desired protected (S)-7-MeO-AT. On the other hand, two new isoindolo[1,2-a]isoquinolinone derivatives 14 and 15, were isolated in 21 and 11% yield, respectively. The yield of 15 was improved to 70%.     

Enantioselective construction of 6-substituted-α,β-unsaturated-δ-lactone: total synthesis of anti-bacterial agent (−)-cleistenolide

An efficient and straightforward stereoselective synthesis of α,β-unsaturated lactone (1) cleistenolide is described. The synthesis was started from commercially available d-tartaric acid and completed within 13 steps with an overall yield of 7.92%. The cis-olefin was generated from Still–Gennari protocol and one of the hydroxyl groups was from dihydroxylation methodology. All the reactions were very clean and the products were obtained in very good yields.     

Studies towards the total synthesis of contignasterol

The (17R,20S,22S,24S) C₂₀-C₂₉ segment of contignasterol has been stereoselectively prepared in 8 steps and 40% overall yield from (S)-carvone. Synthetic studies towards contignasterol's C/D ring functionalization/isomerization are also reported.     

A concise synthesis of pinellic acid using a cross-metathesis approach

A new enantioselective synthesis of pinellic acid, a trihydroxy unsaturated fatty acid exhibiting oral adjuvant activity for nasally administered influenza vaccine, has been accomplished using a cross-metathesis reaction between two terminal olefin intermediates as the key step. This synthesis is the shortest to date, furnishing pinellic acid in 17% overall yield via only seven steps from a readily available known dihydroxy ester.