Structure and reactivity of bis(iodozincio)methane solution

Bis(iodozincio)methane, which has been shown to be an efficient reagent for organic synthesis, is obtained as THF solution. The structural information about the reagent as THF solution was corrected by small angle neutron scattering and by anomalous X-ray scattering. Those scattering experiments implied that the prepared bis(iodozincio)methane exists without forming any oligomer or aggregate. A coordination of tetrahydrothiophene to bis(iodozincio)methane enhances the nucleophilicity of the reagent and stabilizes its monomeric structure in the solution.     

Preparation of cis-2-aminocyclopropanol: [2+1] cycloaddition reaction of bis(iodozincio)methane with α-ketoimine

A reaction of α-ketoimine with bis(iodozincio)methane gave a cis-2-aminocyclopropanol derivative via [2+1] cycloaddition. The reaction proceeded via a sequential nucleophilic attack of bis(iodozincio)methane to a couple of carbonyl groups in the substrate, which was fixed into s-cis conformation with a couple of zinc atoms in the reagent. The reaction proceeded with high diastereoselectivity.     

Transition-metal-catalyzed sequential cross-coupling of bis(iodozincio)methane and -ethane with two different organic halides

Bis(iodozincio)methane, prepared from diiodomethane and zinc, reacts with an organic halide in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst to give an iodozinciomethylenated compound; this then reacts with another organic halide to form a C--C bond. The overall process connects two electrophiles with one carbon atom. Bis(iodozincio)ethane can also undergo this transformation, yielding a new stereogenic center. The asymmetric induction of this stereogenic center was investigated by using a chiral palladium catalyst.     

Nucleophilic Cyclopropanation Reaction with Bis(iodozincio)methane by 1,4‐Addition to α,β‐Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Treatment of α,β‐unsaturated ketones with an electrophilic site at the γ‐position in the presence of trimethylsilyl cyanide with bis(iodozincio)methane afforded the (Z)‐silyl enol ether of the β‐cyclopropyl substituted ketone in good yields. The reaction proceeds by 1,4‐addition to form an enolate, and its sequential intramolecular nucleophilic attack to an adjacent electrophilic site. The reaction of γ‐ethoxycarbonyl‐α,β‐unsaturated ketone and bis(iodozincio)methane in the presence of trimethylsilyl cyanide afforded 1‐ethoxy‐1‐trimethylsiloxycyclopropane derivatives, which can be regarded as the homoenolate equivalent. Additionally, reaction of the obtained homoenolate equivalents with imines give 1‐(E)‐alkenyl‐2‐(1‐aminoalkyl)alkanols diastereoselectively.     

Structural revision of terpenoids with a (3Z)-2-methyl-3-penten-2-ol moiety by the synthesis of (23E)- and (23Z)-cycloart-23-ene-3beta,25-diols

Synthesis of (23E)-cycloart-23-ene-3beta,25-diol (1) and its 23Z-isomer 2 was achieved by using cycloartenol as a starting material, thus revising the proposed structure of natural 2 to 1 unequivocally. These synthetic studies revealed that the structural revision (Z-form --> E-form) should also be applied to terpenoids such as (23Z)-3beta-acetoxyeupha-7,23-diene-25-ol, (23Z)-tirucalla-7,23-diene-3beta,25-diol, quadrangularol A, quadrangularic acid K, and daurichromene C.     

1,4‐Addition of Bis(iodozincio)methane to α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones: Chemical and Theoretical/Computational Studies

1,4‐Addition of bis(iodozincio)methane to simple α,β‐unsaturated ketones does not proceed well; the reaction is slightly endothermic according to DFT calculations. In the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane, the reaction proceeded efficiently to afford a silyl enol ether of β‐zinciomethyl ketone. The C? Zn bond of the silyl enol ether could be used in a cross‐coupling reaction to form another C? C bond in a one‐pot reaction. In contrast, 1,4‐addition of the dizinc reagent to enones carrying an acyloxy group proceeded very efficiently without any additive. In this case, the product was a 1,3‐diketone, which was generated in a novel tandem reaction. A theoretical/computational study indicates that the whole reaction pathway is exothermic, and that two zinc atoms of bis(iodozincio)methane accelerate each step cooperatively as effective Lewis acids.     

Terpenoids of the rhizomes ofRhodiola rosea

The structures of two new monoterpene compounds isolated from the rhizomes ofRhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) have been established: 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,4-diol (rosiridol) and 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,4-diol 1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (rosiridin). Daucosterol has been isolated from the rhizomes of this plant for the first time.     

Synthesis of 2,5-diethynyl substituted oxepins from trans-1,4-diethynylcyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diols

Reaction of trans-1,4-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diol with n-BuLi followed by methanesulfonyl chloride resulted in the formation of a dark red solid, which was identified as 2,5-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)oxepin. Deprotection of the silyl groups resulted in the formation of 2,5-diethynyloxepin, a red, shock sensitive solid. Reaction of a differentially substituted cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-diol gave a mixture of 2,5-diethynyl substituted oxepins.     

Dioxygenases, key enzymes to determine the aglycon structures of fusicoccin and brassicicene, diterpene compounds produced by fungi

Fusicoccin A and cotylenin A are structurally related diterpene glucosides and show a phytohormone-like activity. However, only cotylenin A induces the differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells. Since the cotylenin A producer lost its ability to proliferate during preservation, a study on the relationship between structure and activity was carried out and a modified fusicoccin A with hydroxyl group at the 3-position showed a similar biological activity with that of cotylenin A. We then searched for an enzyme source that catalyzes the introduction of a hydroxyl group into the 3-position and found that brassicicene C, which is structurally related to fusicoccin A with hydroxyl group at the 3-position, was produced by Alternaria brassicicola ATCC96836. We recently cloned a brassicicene C biosynthetic gene cluster including the genes encoding fusicocca-2,10(14)-diene synthase and two cytochrome P450s, which were responsible for the formation of fusicocca-2,10(14)-diene-8β,16-diol. In this study, we report that a α-ketoglutarate dependent dioxygenase, the gene coding for which was located in the cluster, catalyzed a hydroxylation at the 3-position of fusicocca-2,10(14)-diene-8β,16-diol. On the other hand, a α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, which had been identified in a fusicoccin A biosynthetic gene cluster, catalyzed the 16-oxidation of fusicocca-2,10(14)-diene-8β,16-diol to yield an aldehyde (8β-hydroxyfusicocca-1,10(14)-dien-16-al), although both dioxygenases had 51% amino acid sequence identity. These findings suggested that the dioxygenases played critical roles for the formation of the fusicoccin A-type and cotylenin A-/brassicicene C-type aglycons. Moreover, we showed that short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase located in the fusicoccin A biosynthetic gene cluster catalyzed the reduction of the aldehyde to yield fusicocca-1,10(14)-diene-8β,16-diol.     

7-Oxodihydrokarounidiol [7-oxo-D:C-friedo-olean-8-ene-3 alpha,29-diol], a novel triterpene from Trichosanthes kirilowii.

The structure of 7-oxodihydrokarounidiol [7-oxo-D:C-friedo-olean-8-ene-3 alpha,29-diol], isolates from the seeds of Trichosanthes kirilowii (Cucurbitaceae), was determined by chemical correlation with karounidiol [D:C-friedo-oleana-7,9(11)-diene-3 alpha,29-diol] from the same source. Two other natural products, viz. bryonolic acid (3 beta-hydroxy-D:C-friedo-olean-8-en-29-oic acid) and bryononic acid (3-oxo-D:C-friedo-olean-8-en-29-oic acid), were also correlated with karounidiol.     

Structure of a new sterol from the South China sponge Dysidea fragilis

A new sterol, 5a-cholesta-8(14),24(25)-diene-3/β, 6a-diol (1) and a known sterol (24Z)-24-ethyl-cholesta-7(8),24(28)-diene-3β,5a,6β-triol (2) have been isolated from the South China Seasponge Dysidea fragilis. The structure and relative stereochemistry of 1 were established by spectralanalysis, including 2D NMR experiments.     

Unusual sulfated marine steroids from the ophiuroid ophioderma longicaudum

Polar extracts of the ophiuroid Ophioderma longicaudun contain unusual sterol sulfates together with a mixture of common 3β-hydroxysterol sulfates. The more polar compound has been shown to be 5β-cholestane-3, 4,11β,12β,21-pentol 3,21-disulfate 1. A second group of unusual compounds are disulfated 3,21-dihydroxysteroids. After solvolysis to remove the sulfate groups they have been identified as : (20R)-5-cholestane-3, 21-diol 4a, (20R)-cholest-5-ene-3,21-diol 5a, (20R22E)-cholest-5,22-diene-3,21-diol 6a and (20R)-24-methylcholest-5,24(28)-diene-3,21-diol 7a. Analysis of the “non-sulfated” sterol fractions has shown the presence of common 3β-hydroxy sterols.     

A tandem reaction of organozinc reagent prepared from palladium-catalyzed umpolung method: diastereoselective formation of cyclohexene derivatives bearing three adjacent stereocenters

In the presence of a palladium catalyst, treatment of γ-acyloxy-α,β-unsaturated ketone with bis(iodozincio)methane caused umpolung of π-allylpalladium to give a zinc dienolate. Thus formed zinc species afforded a cyclohexene derivative via a self-condensation reaction. It is noteworthy that the three adjacent stereogenic centers were created in a single process with quite high diastereoselectivity.     

Preparation and reaction of 2-aryl-3-silyl-1,3-butadiene

[reaction: see text] A conjugated pi-electron compound, 2-aryl-3-silyl-1,3-butadiene, was easily prepared from 1-benzyloxy-3-silyl-2-propyne, bis(iodozincio)methane, and an aryl halide in the presence of nickel catalyst. A subsequent cross-coupling reaction of the product with another aryl halide gave an unsymmetrical 2,3-diaryl-1,3-butadiene efficiently.     

Terpenoids of the rhizomes ofRhodiola rosea

The structures of two new monoterpene compounds isolated from the rhizomes ofRhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) have been established: 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,4-diol (rosiridol) and 3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-diene-1,4-diol 1-O--D-glucopyranoside (rosiridin). Daucosterol has been isolated from the rhizomes of this plant for the first time.All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Medicinal Plants, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 632–636, September–October, 1985.     

The preparation of (1alpha,3beta)-3-hydroxycholestane-4,6-diene- 1,25-diol diacetate from a 5,7-diene precursor: a new method for the synthesis of heteroannular dienes

Starting from the 7alpha-bromide 5a, a regioselective synthesis of (1alpha,3beta)-3-hydroxycholestane-4,6-diene-1,25-diol diacetate (2) is described. The preparative removal of contaminating 5,7-diene 9 was accomplished by the formation of the corresponding Diels-Alder adduct 11. Acetylation of the diacetate 2 followed by acid-catalyzed elimination and rearrangement yielded styrene 13.     

Products of the ozonolysis of epitorulosol

Chemistry of Natural Compounds - The structure of the products of the ozonization of epitorulosol [13S-labda-8(20),14-diene-13,19-diol] (I) has been established. Compound (I) (1 g) was ozonized at...     

Synthesis of (+)-6beta-isovaleryloxylabda- 8,13-diene-7alpha,15-diol, a metabolite from Trismusculus reticulatus

[structures: see text] A seven-step synthesis of (+)-6beta-isovaleryloxylabda-8,13-diene-7alpha,15-diol has been achieved starting from (+)-larixol; this allowed determination of the absolute configuration of the metabolite isolated from the mucus of Trimusculus reticulatus.     

A two-directional approach to enantiopure 1,4-difluoro-cyclohexenes: synthesis of difluorinated cyclitol analogues

Enantiopure 1,4-difluoro-cyclohexenes were prepared from readily available acetonide-protected (3 S,4 S)-hexa-1,5-diene-3,4-diol. In a two-directional mode, a double cross-metathesis reaction using allyltrimethylsilane as the olefinic partner, followed by electrophilic fluorination, afforded diastereomeric acetonide-protected 3,6-difluoro-octa-1,7-diene-4,5-diols. These dienes were found to be suitable substrates for ring-closing metathesis, delivering cyclohexenes featuring fluorine atoms on the two allylic positions flanking the double bond. Upon dihydroxylation, novel difluorinated cyclitol analogues were formed.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of a New Non-Natural Gabosine

The preparation of a new non-natural gabosine is reported, in which the chirality is transferred from the toluene’s biotransformed metabolite (1R,2S)-3-methylcyclohexa-3.5-diene-1,2-diol. Further chemical transformations to introduce additional functionality and chirality to the molecule were also accomplished.