4-(Trinitromethyl)tetrahydro-2-furanol and 4-(fluorodinitromethyl)tetrahydro-2-furanol via lactone reduction with borane. The preparation of cis/trans-2-polynitroalkoxy-4-polynitromethyltetrahydrofurans

Normally borane reduces lactones too rapidly to allow the isolation of intermediates but 4-(trinitromethyl)-tetrahydro-2-furanol and 4-(fluorodinitromethyl)tetrahydro-2-furanol are isolated in 72 and 36% yield from the reduction of 4-hydroxy-3-(trinitromethyl)butyric acid, γ-lactone and 4-hydroxy-3-(fluorodinitromethyl)-butyric acid, γ-lactone with borane-tetrahydrofuran complex. The preparation of 2-polynitroalkoxy-4-polynitromethyltetrahydrofurans from the 2-furanols is described.     

Analogues of the Quararibea metabolite chiral enolic-γ-lactone from (2S,3S)- and (2S,3R)-tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-5-oxo-2,3-furandicarboxylic acids

Reaction of dialkyl (2S,3S)- or (2S,3R)-tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-5-oxo-2,3-furandicarboxylates with POCl₃ in pyridine followed by diazomethane resulted in the isolation of dialkyl 2S-4-methoxy-5-oxo-2,5-dihydro-2,3-furandicarboxylates, which are analogues of the Quararibea metabolite chiral enolic-γ-lactone (3-hydroxy-4,5-(R)-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone). An unusual α-hydroxylation of γ-butyrolactone takes place involving POCl₃ in pyridine. When the dehydration was facilitated with methanesulfonyl chloride in triethylamine, instead of POCl₃, aromatic dialkyl 5-[(methylsulfonyl)oxy]-2,3-furandicarboxylates were obtained.     

Fungal strains as catalysts for the biotransformation of halolactones by hydrolytic dehalogenation with the dimethylcyclohexane system

Bicyclic chloro-, bromo- and iodo-γ-lactones with dimethylcyclohexane rings were used as substrates for bioconversion by several fungal strains (Fusarium, Botrytis and Beauveria). Most of the selected microorganisms transformed these lactones by hydrolytic dehalogenation into the new compound cis-2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethyl-9-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]- nonan-8-one, mainly the (-)-isomer. When iodo-γ-lactone was used as the substrate, two products were observed: a hydroxy-γ-lactone and an unsaturated lactone. The structures of all substrates and products were established on the basis of their spectral data. The mechanism of dehalogenation of three halolactones was also studied.     

Oxidation of bicyclic monoterpene ketones with Caro’s acid

Previously unknown seven-membered lactones, (1R,1??R,5S,5??S)-5,5??-oxybis(1,8,8-trimethyl-2-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-one), 2,2-dimethyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[2.6]nonan-7-one, 4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-7-methyloxepan-2-one, and (4R,4??R,7S,7??S)-4,4??-[oxybis(propane-2,2-diyl)]bis(7-methyloxepan-2-one), were synthesized by the Baeyer-Villiger reaction using Caro??s acid as a result of oxidative and skeletal transformations of bicyclic monoterpene ketones, (+)-camphor, (+)-nopinone, and (?)-isocaranone.     

Synthetic routes to l-carnitine and l-gamma-amino-beta-hydroxybutyric acid from (S)-3-hydroxybutyrolactone by functional group priority switching

(R)-3-Hydroxy-4-trimethylaminobutyric acid (l-carnitine) and (R)-4-amino-3-hydroxybutyric acid (GABOB) are two compounds with a very high level of medical significance. They can be prepared from (R)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone which is not readily available in significant quantities. The corresponding (S)-lactone is available in large quantities but attempts at inverting the stereochemistry of the hydroxyl group lead to elimination to give the furanone. Here we describe a straightforward route to these two compounds, starting from (S)-3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone by adding a highly oxidized carbon at one end whilst removing one carbon from the other, thus switching the functional group priorities. In this method, the lactone is transformed to an (R)-4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid ester which is then converted to an acyl hydrazide by treatment with hydrazine. This stable, crystalline hydrazide has not been described before. It is readily converted to (R)-4-amino-3-hydroxybutyronitrile, a precursor of l-carnitine and GABOB, by Curtius rearrangement under conditions that do not result in deamination.     

A new enantiodivergent synthesis of the Geissman-Waiss lactone

Intramolecular Michael reaction of methyl (R)-6-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)oxy-4-hydroxy-2-hexenoate, in turn obtained from tert-butyl (R)-3-hydroxy-4-pentenoate, paved the way to the synthesis of both enantiomers of 2-oxa-6-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one (the Geissman-Waiss lactone), a precursor for necine bases. Key intermediates in this approach were represented by enantiomeric bicyclic lactones incorporating a [1,2]-oxazinane nucleus, which has been conveniently used to install the pyrrolidine framework of the target compounds through a synthetic scheme featuring the reduction of the nitrogen-oxygen bond and an intramolecular S_N2 reaction.     

The first stereoselective total synthesis of (6S)-5,6-dihydro-6-[(2R)-2-hydroxy-6-phenylhexyl]-2H-pyran-2-one

Iterative asymmetric allylations and ring-closing metathesis have been effectively performed for the first stereoselective total synthesis of (6S)-5,6-dihydro-6-[(2R)-2-hydroxy-6-phenylhexyl]-2H-pyran-2-one, a novel α,β-unsaturated-δ-lactone having antifungal activity, isolated from Ravensara crassifolia.     

Enantioselective synthesis of 11-substituted 2- or 3-methoxy-17-vinylgona-1,3,5(10)-trien-13-ols

The acylation of the (±)-spiro-γ-lactone 1 lithium enolate (3 equiv) by the O-TBDMS methyl (−)-(S)-lactate, the O-TBDMS methyl (+)-(S)-mandelate, or the diacetone-d-glucose carbonate (1 equiv each) occurs with a kinetic resolution. The (S,S)-enolate is the most reactive with the lactate and it is the (R,R)-enolate, which selectively reacts with the mandelate or the DAG carbonate. After alkylation of the resulting acyl lactones with 4- or 5-methoxy-1-iodobenzocyclobutene and heating, title compounds were obtained and, after deprotection, the structures of the optically pure new steroids were ascertained by single crystal X-ray analysis.     

A new approach to (S)-4-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinone and its 3-substituted analogues

Successive treatment of a phenyl thioether derived from (S)-malic acid with n-BuLi, lithium naphthalenide (LN), and electrophiles led to 4-hydroxy-3-substituted 2-pyrrolidinones in one-pot and in high regio- and diastereoselectivity at C-3. N-Debenzylation of 1-benzyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinone using LN afforded naturally occurring (−)-(S)-4-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidinone. (−)-(3S,4S)-4-Hydroxy-3-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, the lactam form of the γ-amino acid residue found in marine natural products, bistramides, was prepared by the same method.     

Synthesis of methyl (E)-2-[(3S,4S)-4-hydroxy-3-(pent-3-yloxy)-pyrrolidin-2-ylidene]propanoate and its unusual recyclization

Methyl (2E,4S,5S)-5-hydroxy-6-mesyloxy-2-methyl-4-(pent-3-yloxy)hex-2-enoate was synthesized from l-tartaric acid. Attempted substitution of the mesyloxy group by the reaction with NaN₃ directly led to methyl (E)-2-[(3S,4S)-4-hydroxy-3-(pent-3-yloxy)pyrrolidin-2-ylidene]propanoate. The latter on treatment with CF₃COOH and then NaOH gave methyl (2E)-2-methyl-4-[(S)-oxiran-2-yl]-4-(pent-3-yloxy)but-2-enoate.     

Green aldose isomerisation: 2-C-methyl-1,4-lactones from the reaction of Amadori ketoses with calcium hydroxide

Saccharinic acids, branched 2-C-methyl-aldonic acids, may be accessed via a green procedure from aldoses by sequential conversion to an Amadori ketose and treatment with calcium hydroxide; d-galactose and d-glucose are converted to 2-C-methyl-d-lyxono-1,4-lactone (with a small amount of 2-C-methyl-d-xylono-1,4-lactone) and 2-C-methyl-d-ribono-1,4-lactone. Inversion of configuration at C-4 of the branched lactones allows access to 2-C-methyl-l-ribono-1,4-lactone and 2-C-methyl-l-lyxono-1,4-lactone, respectively. d-Xylose affords 2-C-methyl-d-threono-1,4-lactone and 2-C-methyl-d-erythrono-1,4-lactone, whereas l-arabinose, under similar conditions, gave the enantiomers 2-C-methyl-l-threono-1,4-lactone and 2-C-methyl-l-erythrono-1,4-lactone.     

Studies on the Michael addition of naphthoquinones to sugar nitro olefins: first synthesis of polyhydroxylated hexahydro-11H-benzo[a]carbazole-5,6-diones and hexahydro-11bH-benzo[b]carbazole-6,11-diones

A strategy for the synthesis of the novel (6bR,7R,8S,9S,10S,10aR)-8-(benzyloxy)-7,9,10-trihydroxy-6b,7,8,9,10,10a-hexahydro-11H-benzo[a]carbazole-5,6-dione is reported. The key steps were the Michael addition of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone to 1-nitrocyclohexene or 3-O-benzyl-5,6-dideoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-6-nitro-α-d-xylo-hex-5-enefuranose and the diastereoselective intramolecular Henry reaction of 3-O-benzyl-5,6-dideoxy-5-C-(3′-hydroxy-1′,4′-naphthoquinon-2′-yl)-1,2-O-isopropylidene-6-nitro-α-d-glucofuranose to give the key (1S,2S,3S,4R,5R,6R)-3-(benzyloxy)-1,2,4-trihydroxy-5-(3′-hydroxy-1′,4′-naphthoquinon-2′-yl)-6-nitrocyclohexane. When 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone was replaced by (1,4-dimethoxynaphthalen-2-yl)lithium, the novel (1R,2S,3S,4R,4aS,11bS)-2-(benzyloxy)-1,3,4-trihydroxy-1,2,3,4,4a,5-hexahydro-11bH-benzo[b]carbazole-6,11-dione was obtained.     

Preparation of both enantiomers of a chiral lactone through combined microbiological reduction and oxidation.: An application of an enantioselective biological Baeyer-Villiger reaction

The Baeyer-Villiger-like oxidation of (R,S)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-hydroxy -cyclohexanone by several fungal strains was highly enantioselective, affording a rearranged (S)-hydroxy-γ-lactone. The recovery of the nearly optically pure (R)-hydroxyketone allowed its conversion to the enantiomeric (R)-hydroxylactone through a classical Baeyer-Villiger oxidation.     

Synthesis of diarylheptanoids, (5S)-5-acetoxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-heptanone and (3S,5S)-3,5-diacetoxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)heptane

The total syntheses of the first examples of diarylheptanoid natural products (5S)-5-acetoxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-heptanone 1, and (3S,5S)-3,5-diacetoxy-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)heptane 2 isolated from the rhizomes of Zingiber officinale were accomplished using Sharpless epoxidation and cross-metathesis reactions as the key steps.     

Confirmation of the structure of a glucono-1,4-lactone derivative obtained from silylation of glucono-1,5-lactone

Silylation reactions of glucono-1,5-lactone can give the persilylated glucono-1,5-lactone or the persilylated 1,4-lactone depending on the reaction conditions employed. The structure of 2,3,5,6-tetra-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-d-glucono-1,4-lactone, obtained in 84% yield from the reaction of glucono-1,5-lactone with TBSOTf and lutidine in dichloromethane, has been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Formation of the glucono-1,5-lactone and manno-1,5-lactone derivatives and other possible products has also been ruled out by synthesis of possible exo-glycal derivatives of these lactones using the Ramberg–Bäcklund rearrangement of the corresponding sulfones.     

Studies on the chemical modification of monensin. III. Synthesis and sodium ion transport activity of macrocyclic monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones.

Monensylglycine (2a) was lactonized to macrocyclic monensylglycine-1,29-lactone (3a) by Corey's method. Lactonization of monensylamino acids (2b--d) to monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones (3b--d) was carried out by utilizing the template effect of K+ ion. Monobenzyl esters of dicarboxylic monensylamino acids (5e--f) also were lactonized followed by debenzylation to yield carboxylic monensylamino acid-1,29-lactones (3e--f). Sodium ion transport activity of monensin (1) and the lactones (3) was measured in a liquid membrane and in guinea pig erythrocyte membrane. Monensylaspartic acid-1,29-lactone (3e) exhibited 2.5 times higher activity than 1 in the liquid membrane. Monensylalanine-1,29-lactone (3b), monensylphenylalanine-1,29-lactone (3c), and monensyltyrosine-1,29-lactone (3d), having smaller Na+ ion transport activity than 3e, showed weak antibacterial activity, while 3e was inactive in biological tests, probably due to the lower lipophilicity.     

Asymmetric synthesis of conformationally constrained 4-hydroxyprolines and their applications to the formal synthesis of (+)-epibatidine

This report describes the synthesis of enantiomerically pure (1S,3S,4R)- and (1S,3R,4R)-3-hydroxy-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylic acids, two new conformationally constrained 4-hydroxyprolines, using a straightforward synthetic route and starting from (−)-8-phenylmenthyl 2-acetamidoacrylate. The easy transformation of the pure (1S,3S,4R)-3-hydroxy-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylic acid into (1R,4S)-N-Boc-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one constitutes a new formal synthesis of (+)-epibatidine.     

Stereoselective synthesis of a new trihydroxyindolizidine lactone

A general approach to 1,6,7-trihydroxyindolizidin-8-carboxylates is illustrated through the synthesis of a γ-lactone in an enantiopure form in seven steps starting from (3S)-3-t-butyloxy-1-pyrroline N-oxide and the acetonide of (2E,4S)-4,5-dihydroxy-2-pentenoic acid derived from (S)-malic acid and mannitol, respectively. The process was completely stereoselective and allowed the total control of the relative and absolute configuration of the five contiguous stereocentres of the product.     

Stereoselective synthesis of (3R,4S,5S,9S)-3,5,9-trihydroxy-4-methylundecanoic acid δ-lactone

A stereoselective synthesis of the pentaketide lactone (3R,4S,5S,9S)-3,5,9-trihydroxy-4-methylundecanoic acid δ-lactone has been achieved.     

Two approaches to the enantioselective synthesis of (4R)-(−)-4-hydroxymethyl-4-thiobutyro-1,4-lactone

Enantiomerically pure (4R)-4-hydroxymethyl-4-thiobutyro-1,4-lactone [(5R)-dihydro-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2(3H)-thiophenone (12)] and derivatives were synthesized by two enantiospecific sequences employing d-ribono-1,4-lactone (1) and l-glutamic acid (6) as chiral templates. The key step in the first approach was the SmI₂-promoted 2,3-deoxygenation of a 4-thio-l-lyxono-1,4-lactone derivative, prepared from 1. The other strategy, which starts from 6, involves the (5S)-dihydro-5-(p-tolylsulfonyloxymethyl)-2-(3H)-furanone (8) as chiral precursor. This was converted into a 4,5-thiirane derivative via the corresponding 4,5-epoxide. Regioselective opening of the thiirane ring by acetate followed by O-deacetylation gave 12 (40% overall yield from 8).