Alkaline hydrolysis of N-bromoiminothianthrene derivatives

5-(N-Bromo)iminothianthrene (2) and 5-(N-bromo)iminothianthrene 10-oxide (5) and 10,10-dioxide (8) were prepared and their alkaline hydrolyses were studied. The compound 2 and cis-5-(N-bromo)iminothianthrene 10-oxide (cis-5) afforded the corresponding sulfoximine exclusively. While, unexpectedly, both trans-5-(N-bromo)iminothianthrene 10-oxide (trans-5) and 8 afforded mainly de-brominated products, trans-5-iminothianthrene 10-oxide (trans-4) and 5-iminothianthrene 10,10-dioxide (7), respectively. In these cases, 5-iminothianthrene 5,10-dioxide (6) (Z- and E-mixture) and 5-iminothianthrene 5,10,10-trioxide (9) and further de-iminated products were also formed respectively as minor products. The stereochemical considerations on the S_N reactions are described in view of the steric effect and ‘flip-flap’ motion of the thianthrene framework.     

The first asymmetric synthesis of all four isomers of cis- and trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin

Asymmetric synthesis of all the four stereoisomers of cis-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugins 4 and 6 and trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugins 5 and 7 was achieved. The O-methoxymethyl mollugin derivatives were dihydroxylated to (−)- and (+)-cis-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin derivatives using both AD-mix-α and AD-mix-β. Deprotection of the MOM-ethers of cis-dihydroxy compounds resulted in the targeted stereoisomers (−)-(3R,4R)-cis-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin 4, (−)-(3R,4S)-trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin 5, (+)-(3S,4S)-cis-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin 6 and (+)-(3S,4R)-trans-3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydromollugin 7. These routes were paved with difficulties, for example, incompatibility of the substrates with AD-mixes, the unexpected formation of trans-dihydroxy compounds and failures in deprotection protocols.     

The resolution of trans-2,2-dichloro-3-methylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid via crystallization of its salts with (+)- and (−)-α-phenylethylamine, and the transformation of the resulting enantiomers into (R)- and (S)-dimethyl 2-methylsuccinates

The resolution of trans-2,2-dichloro-3-methylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid trans-1 was achieved by crystallization of its salts with (+)- and (−)-α-phenylethylamine. The chiral acids were converted into methyl esters 9, which upon reaction with sodium methoxide in methanol underwent a three-carbon ring cleavage, leading to the corresponding mono-orthoester derivatives 10. Acidic hydrolysis then gave the known (R)- and (S)-dimethyl 2-methylsuccinates 12.     

Selective and efficient transformation of N-(4-substituted benzoyl)-α-dehydroarylalanine alkyl esters into 4,5-dihydrooxazole derivatives via photoinduced electron transfer

The irradiation of N-(4-substituted benzoyl)-α-dehydroarylalanine alkyl esters (1) in methanol containing triethylamine (TEA) was found to quantitatively give cis- and trans-4,5-dihydrooxazole derivatives (2), which were described as being formed via electron transfer from TEA to the excited-state (E)-1 followed by kinetically-controlled cyclization of the (E)-1-derived anion radical. A product composition analysis showed that the cis-2/trans-2 composition ratio is greatly varied depending on the stereoelectronic properties of the substituents, the polarity of protic solvents and the concentration of TEA.     

Synthesis of the novel conjugated ω,ω′-diaryl/heteroaryl hexatriene system with the central double bond in a heteroaromatic ring: photochemical transformations of 2,3-divinylfuran derivatives

New β,β′-aryl/heteroaryl 2,3-divinylfuran derivatives (9a-d) in which a hexatriene system is a part of heteroaromatic ring have been synthesized and their photochemical properties were investigated. The primary process observed was the isomerization to trans,trans-isomers 9a-d followed by photochemical rearrangement of the furan ring giving the phototransposition products (I-IV). Stilbenes (20, 21) and phenanthrenes (22, 25, and 26), formed as secondary products from the competitive intermolecular cycloadditions, were also observed.     

Facile access to stereodefined dienoates and cyclopropylenoates containing a trifluoromethyl group

Ethyl (2E,4E)-3-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dienoates 1a-e and ethyl (E)-3-trans-alkylcyclopropyl-4,4,4-trifluoro-2-butenoates 2a-e were prepared from the trans-alkenylboronic acids 3a-e and the trans-cyclopropylboronic acids 4a-e with ethyl (Z)-3-iodo-4,4,4-trifluoro-2-butenoate (5) by the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction in high yields (88-95%). The configurations of both 3a-e or 4a-e and 5 were retained in the reaction.     

Synthesis and molecular structures of dinuclear complexes with 1,2-dihydro-1,2-diphenyl-naphtho[1,8-c,d]1,2-diphosphole as a bridging ligand

A bisphosphine in which a PhP-PPh bond bridges 1,8-positions of naphthalene, 1,2-dihydro-1,2-diphenyl-naphtho[1,8-cd]-1,2-diphosphole (1), was used as a bridging ligand for the preparation of dinuclear group 6 metal complexes. Free trans-1, a more stable isomer having two phenyl groups on phosphorus centers mutually trans with respect to a naphthalene plane, was allowed to react with two equivalents of M(CO)₅(thf) (M = W, Mo, Cr) at room temperature to give dinuclear complexes (OC)₅M(μ-trans-1)M(CO)₅ (M = W (2a), Mo (2b), Cr (2c)). The preparation of the corresponding dinuclear complexes bridged by the cis isomer of 1 was also carried out starting from the free trans-1 in the following way. Mono-nuclear complexes M(trans-1)(CO)₅ (M = W (3a), Mo (3b), Cr (3c)) which had been prepared by a reaction of trans-1 with one equivalent of the corresponding M(CO)₅(thf) (M = W, Mo, Cr) complex, were heated in toluene, wherein a part of the trans-3a-c was converted to their respective cis isomer M(cis-1)(CO)₅. Each cis trans mixture of the mono-nuclear complexes 3a-c was treated with the corresponding M(CO)₅(thf) to give a cis trans mixture of the respective dinuclear complexes 2a-c. The cis isomer of the ditungsten complex 2a was isolated, and its molecular structure was confirmed by X-ray analysis, showing a shorter W?W distance of 5.1661(3) Å than that of 5.8317(2) Å in trans-2a.     

Convenient construction of a variety of glycosidic linkages using a universal glucosyl donor

This letter deals with the concept of constructing four types (cis-α, trans-α, cis-β, and trans-β) of glycosidic linkages using a universal glucosyl donor. The selectively protected universal glucosyl donor 8 was synthesized in 36% yield from d-glucose (eight steps). The donor 8 undergoes glycosidation with a primary carbohydrate alcohol 7 to give disaccharide 9 having a 1,2-cis-α-glycosidic linkage in 90% yield. The construction of the corresponding 1,2-trans-α-glycosidic linkage was performed in 68% yield (three steps) from 9. A similar glycosidation of the 2-O-(N-phenylcarbamoyl)-glucosyl donor 6 derived from 8 with 7 gave disaccharide 11 having a 1,2-trans-β-glycosidic linkage in 75% yield. The construction of the corresponding 1,2-cis-β-linkage was performed in 53% yield (three steps) from 11.     

Synthesis and application of monoterpene-based chiral aminodiols

Primary, secondary and tertiary aminodiols were synthetized regio- and stereoselectively from (−)-α-pinene 1 via α-pinene oxide 2, (−)-trans-pinocarveol 3 and key intermediate epoxy alcohol 4. N-Benzyl derivative 5 was transformed to spiro-fused oxazolidine 13 in a highly regioselective ring closure. Aminodiols and their derivatives 5-13 were applied as chiral catalysts in the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde, resulting in chiral 1-phenyl-1-propanol. The substituent effect on the nitrogen was studied in detail and the best enantioselectivity was observed in the case of N-methyl-N-benzyl-substituted derivative 8. The phenomenon was interpreted by using molecular modelling at an ab initio level.     

Samarium diiodide-mediated reductive couplings of chiral nitrones with aldehydes/ketones and acyl chlorides

The SmI₂-mediated and H₂O-promoted reductive cross-coupling reactions of the l-tartaric acid derived nitrone (3S,4S)-8 with aldehydes/ketones, and the l-malic acid derived nitrone (S)-6 with aliphatic acyl chlorides have been investigated, respectively. (2R,3S,4S)-1,3,4-Trihydroxyprolinol derivatives 9a-f were obtained with high C-2/C-3 trans-selectivities, and 72:28-85:15 diastereoselectivities at the carbinol center from aromatic ketones/aldehydes, while low diastereoselectivities for aliphatic aldehydes. Conditions have been established for the syntheses of (2R,3S,4S)-3,4-dihydroxyprolinol derivatives such as 18, by N-O bond cleavage of the corresponding N-hydroxyprolinol derivatives 9b-f, or more conveniently by a one-pot reductive coupling of nitrone 8 and in situ N-O bond cleavage of the resultant coupling product. The 2-acyl-3-benzyloxy-1-hydroxypyrrolidines 10a-f were formed in 48-82% yields, and in 74:26-78:22 diastereoselectivities. It was revealed that the amount of water required for the reaction is substrate-depending.     

Asymmetric synthesis of 1-deoxynojirimycin and its congeners from a common chiral building block

A new, promising chiral building block 9 for the synthesis of 1-deoxy-4,5-trans-oriented azasugars such as 1-deoxynojirimycin (1) was prepared in only four steps from the Garner aldehyde 10 using catalytic ring-closing metathesis (RCM) for the construction of the piperidine ring. In practical test, the first synthesis of all four isomers (1 and 6-8) of trans-4,5-orientated 1-deoxyiminosugars using 9 as a common chiral building block was demonstrated.     

PhP-PPh group bound to 1,8-positions of naphthalene: Preparation of cis isomer and synthesis of binuclear complex

A thermodynamically less stable cis isomer of 1,2-diphosphacycle was prepared from the corresponding trans isomer. Diphosphine, in which a PhP-PPh bond bridges the 1,8-positions of naphthalene, 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-dihydronaphtho[1,8-cd][1,2]diphosphole (1), was first prepared according to a previously reported method, and the trans isomer of 1 was irradiated in tetrahydrofuran with UV-vis light to reach equilibrium with cis-1 in a trans:cis ratio of 1:2. When a similar photochemical conversion was carried out using a saturated hexane solution of trans-1, cis-1 was precipitated in a good yield of 94%. The configuration of cis-1 was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Both cis- and trans-1 diphosphine ligands were used for the preparation of binuclear gold complexes. The crystal structure of (μ-cis-1)-[AuCl]₂ demonstrated that the two lone pairs of cis-1 are suitably directed for arrangement of the two gold centers in close proximity to each other. The two independent (μ-cis-1)-[AuCl]₂ molecules in the crystal were found to form a dimer through the multiple intermolecular interaction among the gold centers.     

Effect of α-fluorination on asymmetric epoxidation of trans-olefins using α-fluorinated cyclohexanone dioxiranes

Epoxidations of trans-β-methylstyrene, trans-stilbene and trans-methyl p-methoxycinnamate using chiral dioxiranes derived from both enantiopure diastereomers of α-fluoro cyclohexanones, (2S, 5R)-3a-6a and (2R, 5R)-3e-6e are studied and compared. From ab initio calculations at the HF/6-31G^∗ level of conformational inter-conversion for (2S, 5R)-D5a and (2R, 5R)-D5e dioxiranes it was found that, due to the α-fluorine atom, conformer K1 is more stable in the case of (2S, 5R)-D5a while conformer K2 is more stable in the case of (2R, 5R)-D5e. However, in both cases, the more stable conformers, K1 and K2, undergo rapid inter-conversion. Therefore, based on slow epoxidation reactions and rapid ring inversion of six-membered ring dioxiranes the Curtin-Hammett principle holds. Conformation K2 with axial fluorine having been found to be more reactive, the inversion of configuration observed for the epoxides obtained with ketones 3e-6e (compared with ketones 3a-6a) could be rationalized from competitive reactions of K2 and K1 conformations leading to simultaneous production of both (−) and (+) epoxides in the case of ketones 3e-6e.     

Chemoenzymatic resolution of epimeric cis 3-carboxycyclopentylglycine derivatives

Epimeric 3-carboxycyclopentylglycines (+)-10/(−)-10 and (+)-11/(−)-11 were efficiently prepared by the way of a sequence of Diels-Alder and retro-Claisen reactions. The synthesis incorporates a concise and inexpensive chemoenzymatic resolution of racemic compounds 4,5a, the N,O-protected derivatives of amino acids 10,11. Systematic screening with different enzymes and microorganisms was performed to select a very efficient catalyst for the separation of the racemic mixtures. The reaction conditions allowing deprotection of both ester and amino functions and to avoiding epimerization processes were studied. Enantiomers (i.e., (+)-10/(−)-10 and (+)-11/(−)-11) were obtained in high enantiopurity. The absolute configuration of all stereocenters was unequivocally assigned.     

Preferential formation of cis-4,5-dihydrooxazole derivatives via photoinduced electron transfer-initiated cyclization of N-acyl-α-dehydroarylalanine alkyl esters

The alkyl, aryl, and acyl substituent effects on the photoinduced electron transfer-initiated cyclization reaction of the title compounds (1) were investigated in polar solvents from mechanistic and synthetic points of view. The irradiation of (Z)-1 in methanol containing triethylamine (TEA) was found to quantitatively give cis- and trans-4,5-dihydrooxazole derivatives (cis-2 and trans-2). In addition to thermodynamic considerations for electron transfer and fluorescence quenching in the presence of TEA, acyl and aryl substituent effects on the emission intensity and photoreactivity of 1 confirmed the involvement of consecutive electron transfer reactions that form (E)-arylmethylene radical anion and (E)-N-acyl radical anion intermediates. It was also confirmed that the cyclization of the latter intermediate eventually leads to 2. On the basis of the finding that the selectivity for cis-2 is greatly increased with increasing the steric bulkiness of alkyl and aryl substituents in 1, it was concluded that steric hindrance of these substituents toward hydrogen shift in the cyclized biradical intermediate, precursor of 2, is responsible for the kinetically controlled hydrogen shift in this intermediate. A product composition analysis showed that the protic polar solvent, methanol, of hydrogen-bonding solvation ability is a most suitable solvent for the photocyclization reactions examined.     

The behaviour of the natural pyranonaphthoquinone pentalongin in alcoholic solvents

Pentalongin, the major constituent of the roots of the East African medicinal plant Pentas longiflora Oliv., undergoes degradation reactions when dissolved in alcoholic solvents. Although these reactions were thought initially to be of a photochemical nature, it is proven that degradation occurs also in the dark. These degradation reactions result in four new derivatives of pentalongin, which were elucidated as 3,4-dihydro-3-methoxypentalongin 4, 3,4-dihydro-trans-3,4-dimethoxypentalongin 5, 10b-hydroxy-3-methoxy-2a,3,6,10b-tetrahydro-2H,5H-furo[2,3,4-ed]naphtho-[2,3-c]pyran-6-one 6 and 3,4-dihydro-trans-3,4-diethoxypentalongin 7.     

Total syntheses of the sesquiterpenoids (+)-trans-dracunculifoliol and (+)-4-hydroxyoppositan-7-one

Sesquiterpenoids (+)-trans-dracuncuflifoliol (1) and (+)-4-hydroxyoppositan-7-one (2) were prepared stereoselectively from enantiomerically pure (7aR)-7a-methyl-1,2,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4H-inden-4-one ((−)-6), whose synthesis was described herein. Conjugate addition of the organocopper (I) reagent 10 to (−)-6, followed by epimerization of the ring junction, generated 3 of the 4 contiguous chiral centers of both natural products.     

Photoinduced electron transfer-initiated asymmetric cyclization of N-benzoyl-α-dehydronaphthylalanine alkyl esters carrying chiral and bulky auxiliaries

The irradiation of the title compounds [(Z)-1] having (S)-(+)-sec-butyl, (−)-mentyl and related chiral auxiliaries in methanol and 1,2-dichloroethane containing 2-(diethylamino)ethanol afforded chiral auxiliary-substituted (4S,5S)-, (4R,5R)-, (4R,5S)- and (4S,5R)-4,5-dihydrooxazole derivatives (2) along with (E)-1. It was found that the photoinduced electron transfer-initiated cyclization of 1 gives either of the two diastereomers for cis-2 and trans-2 in diastereomeric excess whose value varies from 6% to 81% depending on solvent and chiral auxiliary.     

An efficient electrochemical method for a unique synthesis of new derivatives of 7H-thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazin-7-one

The electrochemical oxidation of catechols (1a-c) has been studied in the presence of 6-methyl-1,2,4-triazine-3-thion-5-one 3 in aqueous sodium acetate, using cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential coulometry. A plausible mechanism for the oxidation of catechols and their reaction with 3 is presented. All the catechol derivatives (1a-c) were converted into 7H-thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazin-7-one derivatives (6a-c) through a Michael-type addition reaction of 3 to anodically generated o-quinones. The electrochemical syntheses of 6a-c were successfully performed in one pot in an undivided cell using an environmentally friendly method with high atomic economy.     

Synthesis of 1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-dienes

Title compounds of the type 2,3,5,6-tetraphenyl-1,4-di-X-1,4-di-Y-1,4-disilacyclohexa-2,5-diene wherein X=Y=NMe₂ (4); X=NMe₂, Y=Cl (cis, trans-5); X=NMe₂, Y=Me [(trans)-6] and X=t-Bu, Y=Cl (trans-8) were synthesized from Si₂(NMe₂)₅Cl, sym-Si₂(NMe₂)₄Cl₂, sym-Si₂(NMe₂)₄Me₂, and sym-Si₂Cl₄(t-Bu)₂, respectively, in the presence of diphenylacetylene at 200 °C. Similarly the analogous title compound from the combination of 1-phenyl-1-propyne and Si₂(NMe₂)₅Cl [X=Y=NMe₂ (cis and trans-7) was synthesized. In all cases where cis/trans diastereomers could arise from two different silicon substituents (5, 6, 8) the trans isomer was the sole or dominant product. Evidence for the intermediacy of the silylene Si(NMe₂)₂ in these reactions was gained from a trapping experiment. Compound 4 upon treatment with SiCl₄, SiBr₄ or PI₃ provided the corresponding 1,1,4,4-tetrahalo derivatives 9a-c, respectively. Treatment of 4 with MeOH or PhOH gave the 1,1,4,4-tetramethoxy and tetraphenoxy analogues 9d and 9e, respectively. The tetrachloro derivative 9a upon LAH reduction led to the corresponding tetrahydro compound 10, while the reaction of 9a with H₂O gave the tetrahydroxy derivative 11. Allowing (trans)-6 to react with SiCl₄ provided a ca. 1:1 cis/trans ratio of the derivative 12 in which X=Cl, Y=Me, and possible pathways that rationalize this loss of stereochemistry are proposed. Synthesis of trans-13 in which X=t-Bu, Y=H was achieved by LAH reduction of 8. All of the title compounds except 8 experience free phenyl rotation at room temperature. At −30 °C this rotation in 8 is essentially halted. The molecular structures of 4, 8, 9c, 9e, 10 and 13 were determined by X-ray crystallography.