Efficient synthesis of neurotrophic honokiol using Suzuki–Miyaura reactions

Efficient synthesis of honokiol (1) was accomplished using two kinds of Suzuki–Miyaura reactions. The first Suzuki–Miyaura reaction was employed to couple 2-bromophenol (6) with 4-hydroxyphenylboronic acid (5), giving rise to biphenol 4, and the second coupling was used to introduce allyl groups at 5- and 3′-positions of honokiol. The total synthesis of 1 was completed in 74% yield over five steps from 6, or in 83% yield over four steps from biphenol 4.     

The first total synthesis of (±)-zenkequinone B

The first total synthesis of tetrahydrobenzo[a]anthraquinone natural product (±)-zenkequinone B (1) is reported. The key step involves the TiCl₄-promoted intramolecular cyclization of 4-aryl-2-hydroxybutanal diethyl acetal 4 to give compound 3. The total synthesis of (±)-zenekequinone B (1) has been accomplished in five steps from readily available 2-(chloromethyl)-9,10-dimethoxyanthracene (5) in 40.3% overall yield.     

Multicomponent synthesis of epoxy-tetrahydronaphthyridine and structural diversification by subsequent fragmentation

Three-component reaction of an α-isocyanoacetamide 7, an homoallylamine 8 and an aldehyde 9 in methanol at room temperature provides oxa-bridged tricycle 4 in good to excellent yield as a mixture of two separable diastereoisomers. In this one-pot multicomponent process, one C-N, one C-O and three C-C bonds are formed with concomitant creation of five asymmetric centers and three rings. Fragmentation of epoxy-tetrahydronaphthyridine 4 affords differentially substituted 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,7-naphthyridine (5, 6) depending on the reaction conditions, providing thus additional structural diversity. A one-pot three-component synthesis of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,7-naphthyridine (6) from 7, 8 and 9 is also documented.     

A novel and efficient synthesis of Entecavir

A practical synthesis of Entecavir (1) has been accomplished in 10 steps with 21% overall yield. The key steps to construct the five-membered carbocyclic framework 2 are a ring-closing metathesis and a diethyl-aluminum 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidide (DA-TMS) mediated epoxide isomerization. Furthermore, the guanine was introduced by modified Mitsunobu reaction.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of ieodomycin C

A concise stereoselective synthesis of the marine natural product ieodomycin C (3) has been achieved from commercially available pyridinium-1-sulfonate (8) in eight linear steps and 14% overall yield. The key synthetic steps included a B-alkyl Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction and an Evans–Nagao acetate aldol reaction. The same synthetic sequence was used for preparing the enantiomer of ieodomycin C (3). Our efforts confirmed the structure of the antibacterial natural product 3.     

A novel mercapto-bisphosphonate as an efficient anticalcification agent for bioprosthetic tissues

The synthesis of 2-(2-mercaptoethylamino)ethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid (2) is reported (overall yield >90%), via nucleophilic addition of cystamine to vinylidene-bisphosphonic acid (1) followed by reduction of disulfide bonds with Me₃P. Reaction of 1 with cysteamine forms the isomeric 2-(2-aminoethylthio)ethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (3) in an almost quantitative yield. Thiol groups of 2 in water at pH 7 react with epoxy rings more than 30 times faster compared to the known 2-mercaptoethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate. Elimination of the thiol group is observed as a side-reaction in the reduction of disulfides with phosphines. Stabilization of bioprosthetic tissues with triglycidylamine in the presence of 2 results in covalent immobilization of 2 via an epoxy-SH reaction; this inhibits the long-term calcification of bioprosthetic heart valve tissues to almost undetectable levels.     

Synthesis of (+)-perillyl alcohol from (+)-limonene

(+)-Perillyl alcohol (1) has been synthesised in four steps and 39% overall yield from commercially available limonene oxide (4). The sequence features, as its key step, a palladium(0)-mediated transformation of a secondary allylic acetate (6) into its primary isomer (7). An application of (+)-perillyl alcohol (1) in a formal synthesis of naturally occurring (−)-mesembrine (2) and (−)-mesembranol was demonstrated.     

Enantioselective synthesis of (+)-anatoxin-a via enyne metathesis

A concise synthesis of the potent nAChR agonist (+)-anatoxin-a (1) has been completed by a series of nine chemical operations and in 27% overall yield from commercially available d-methyl pyroglutamate (12). The strategy featured the application of a new protocol for the diastereoselective synthesis of cis-2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines bearing unsaturated side chains and an intramolecular enyne metathesis to provide the bridged bicyclic framework of 1. Thus, d-methyl pyroglutamate (12) was converted in five steps to 32, which underwent facile enyne metathesis to deliver the bicyclic diene 33. Selective oxidative cleavage of the less substituted carbon-carbon double bond in 33 followed by deprotection furnished (+)-anatoxin-a (1).     

Total synthesis of (+)-ambruticin S

A convergent total synthesis of the novel antifungal agent ambruticin S (1) has been completed from the assembly of intermediates 18, 33 and 52 that served as the respective A-, B-, and C-ring precursors. The first generation approach to a potential A-ring intermediate eventuated in the synthesis of 9a via a route that featured oxidation of the dihydroxy furan 2 and elaboration of the dihydropyranone 3 derived therefrom. Although 9a served as a precursor of 31E to complete a formal synthesis of 1, there were several inefficiencies associated with the preparation of 9a. A more expedient and efficient route to an A-ring subunit was devised that commenced with the carbohydrate-derived bisacetonide aldehyde 10 and produced 18 in five steps and 46% overall yield. The synthesis of the cyclopropyl sulfone 33 was initiated with the enantioselective cyclopropanation of 19 catalyzed by Rh₂[5(S)-MEPY]₄. Ring opening of the resultant lactone 20 followed by a series of refunctionalizations gave 33 in a total of seven steps and 46% yield from 19. Coupling of the A- and B-ring precursors 18 and 33 was then achieved via a modified Julia coupling followed by deprotection and oxidation to furnish the key intermediate 35. The dihydropyran core of the C-ring subunit precursor 49 was formed from the ring closing metathesis of the diene 48, which was prepared in three steps from the known epoxide 45, followed by oxidation. A chelation-controlled addition to the methyl ketone 49 set the stage for a stereoselective [2,3]-Wittig rearrangement that delivered the alcohol 51 that was then transformed in two steps to the sulfone 52. A traditional Julia coupling of 52 and 35 proceeded with excellent stereoselectivity, and subsequent removal of the various protecting groups gave ambruticin S (1). The longest linear sequence was 13 steps and proceeded in 4.3% overall yield.     

Total synthesis of (−)-2-epi-lentiginosine by use of chiral 5-hydroxy-1,5-dihydropyrrol-2-one as a building block

We have developed a practical synthesis of the chiral lactam as a new chiral building block for alkaloid synthesis. Lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution of hydroxylactam 8, followed by isolation-racemization of the chiral acetoxylactam 9 provided the optically pure hydroxylactam 8 in 96.0% yield with >99% ee after five cycles of kinetic resolution-racemization process. Chemical transformation of (S)-hydroxylactam 8 furnished chiral (−)-2-epi-lentiginosine (1) in 20% yield in 10 steps with no loss of enantiomeric excess.     

The Meinwald reaction of alkyl propionates. Synthesis of the C1-C9 fragment of aurisides

The C1-C9 northern fragment of aurisides 12a was prepared in eight steps and 41% overall yield starting from Grieco's bicyclic lactone (+)-4. The synthesis features a key stereoselective Meinwald reaction of the lithium enolate of alkyl propionate with the functionalized δ-lactone 3.     

Efficient access to isomeric 2,3-dihydroxy lupanes: first synthesis of alphitolic acid

Alphitolic acid (3) is a naturally occurring lupane type of pentacyclic triterpene, which possesses various pharmacological properties. Efficient synthesis of 3 has been accomplished in 10 steps with an overall yield of 19% starting from the readily available diketone 11. An alternative approach to the key intermediate 17 has also been developed, and based on this approach, 3 could be obtained in 10 steps with an overall yield of 26% starting from 11. Moreover, seven other isomeric 2,3-dihydroxy lupanes 4-10 have been synthesized. The synthesized triterpenes 3-10 were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against rabbit muscle GPa (RMGPa), and some of them exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against RMGPa.     

Synthesis of (±)-phthalascidin 650 analogue: new synthetic route to (±)-phthalascidin 622

A synthesis of functionalized phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 as synthetic precursor of the catechol tetrahydroisoquinoline structure of phthalascidin 650 is disclosed. Starting from 3-methylcatechol 5, eight steps of synthesis give rise to the synthesis of phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 in 27% overall yield. This synthetic strategy involves the elaboration of fully functionalized aromatic aldehyde 8 and its transformation into a phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13, through a Knoevenagel condensation, simultaneous reduction of nitroketene and ester functions and hydrogenolysis of the benzyl protecting group. The pentacycle (±)-18 was obtained after four additional steps. The Pictet-Spengler cyclisation between the phenolic α-amino-alcohol (±)-13 and N-protected α-amino-aldehyde 4 allowed to obtain (1,3′)-bis-tetrahydroisoquinoline 14 with N-methylated and N-Fmoc removed. The last step was a Swern oxidation for allowing an intramolecular condensation.     

First total synthesis of tripdiolide

The first total synthesis of tripdiolide 1 from the readily available abietic acid 3 in 22 steps is described and this synthesis furnishes a 5.8% overall yield of 1 with an average yield of 87%.     

Facile total synthesis of the (−)-Heliconol A

The facile total synthesis of the (−)-Heliconol A (ent-1) as well as its diastereoisomer 18 is described, in which different reaction sequences lead to different results. The osmylation of 15 followed by hydrolysis afforded a single isomer 18, otherwise, a mixture of ent-1 and 18 resulted. Other important processes include the catalytic asymmetric CBS reduction and induced osmylation. The synthesis proceeded with a sequence of 11 steps, affording ent-1 in 9.0% and 18 in 22% overall yield, respectively.     

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%.     

Convergent synthesis of the IJKLM-ring part of ciguatoxin CTX3C

Convergent synthesis of the IJKLM-ring part (2) of ciguatoxin CTX3C has been achieved from the I-ring and the L-ring parts (4 and 5) in total eight steps in 27% overall yield. The carbanion derived from 4, stabilized by a dimethyldithioacetal S-oxide group, was readily reacted with aldehyde 5 to give an adduct, which was facilely transformed into the corresponding α,ε-dihydroxy ketone 3. The JK-ring formation from 3 under reductive conditions followed by oxidative M-ring cyclization efficiently led to the pentacyclic ether 2. Improved synthesis of 6, a synthetic intermediate for 4, was also established.     

Linear and convergent approaches to 2-substituted adenosine-5′-N-alkylcarboxamides

Herein we report both linear and convergent pathways for the preparation of 2-alkynyl substituted adenosine-5′-N-ethylcarboxamides via the versatile synthetic intermediate, 2-iodoadenosine-5′-N-ethylcarboxamide (13). The linear approach afforded 13 in an overall yield of 30% from guanosine over eight synthetic steps. The convergent approach was shorter, but proceeded in lower yield (five steps, 20% yield). Both approaches compare favourably with previously reported syntheses of 13, which has been prepared in 15% yield from guanosine over nine steps. 2-Iodoadenosine-5′-N-ethylcarboxamide (13) was subsequently converted to HENECA (2) and PHPNECA (3) to exemplify the utility of this approach for the preparation of potent A_2A adenosine receptor agonists. The linear approach was also amenable to the synthesis of 2-fluoropurine ribosides, which were subsequently elaborated into 2-alkylaminoadenosine-5′-N-ethylcarboxamides. Furthermore, both of these synthetic approaches are readily amenable to the synthesis of adenosine analogues with varied 2-, 6- and 5′-substitution patterns.     

New synthesis of glycolipid immunostimulants RC-529 and CRX-524

An efficient and scalable synthesis of the potent vaccine adjuvant RC-529 (3) and TLR4 agonist CRX-524 (4) is described in eight steps from 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-amino-2-benzyloxycarbonyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranose (10c) in ca. 25% overall yield. The synthesis features the strategic use of the N-Cbz group for β-glycosylation and the selective N,N,O-triacylation of common advanced intermediate 15 with (R)-3-tetradecanoyloxy or decanoyloxytetradecanoic acid (8, 9) late in the synthesis. A new method for preparing and enhancing the enantiopurity of (R)-3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid (6), a key component of 3 and 4 as well as bacterial lipid A, is also described.