An Efficient Synthesis of Optically Active trans‐(3R,4R)‐3‐Acetoxy‐4‐aryl‐1‐(chrysen‐6‐yl)azetidin‐2‐ones Using (+)‐Car‐3‐ene as a Chiral Auxiliary

An efficient enantioselective synthesis of 3‐acetoxy trans‐β‐lactams 7a and 7b via [2+2] cycloaddition reactions of imines 4a and 4b , derived from a polycyclic aromatic amine and bicyclic chiral acid obtained from (+)‐car‐3‐ene, is described. The cycloaddition was found to be highly enantioselective, producing only trans‐(3R,4R)‐N‐azetidin‐2‐one in very good yields. This is the first report of the synthesis of enantiomerically pure trans‐β‐lactams 7a and 7b with a polycyclic aromatic substituent at N(1) of the azetidin ring.     

(E)‐2‐(2‐Adamantylidene)‐3‐(1‐ferrocenylethylidene)succinic anhydride

The title compound, [Fe(C₅H₅)(C₂₁H₂₁O₃)], was obtained from successive Stobbe condensations between ketones and di­methyl succinate. The succinic anhydride five‐membered ring is distorted significantly from planarity, with the buta­diene moiety being twisted by 49.3 (2)° from planarity and the C atoms at the succinic anhydride end of the alkene bonds showing significant pyramidalization. The cyclo­penta­diene rings of the ferrocenyl moiety adopt an almost eclipsed conformation.     

(E)‐3‐(Benzo[b]thiophen‐2‐yl)‐2‐(3,4,5‐trimethoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile and (Z)‐3‐(benzo[b]thiophen‐2‐yl)‐2‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)acrylonitrile

The title compounds, C₂₀H₁₇NO₃S, (I), and C₁₉H₁₅NO₂S, (II), were prepared by the reaction of benzo[b]thiophene‐2‐carbaldehyde with (3,4,5‐trimethoxyphenyl)acetonitrile and (3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)acetonitrile, respectively, in the presence of methanolic potassium hydroxide. In (I), the C=C bond linking the benzo[b]thiophene and the 3,4,5‐trimethoxyphenyl units has E geometry, with dihedral angles between the plane of the bridging unit and the planes of the two adjacent ring systems of 5.2 (3) and 13.1 (2)°, respectively. However, in (II), the C=C bond has Z geometry, with dihedral angles between the plane of the bridging unit and the planes of the adjacent benzo[b]thiophene and 3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl units of 4.84 (17) and 76.09 (7)°, respectively. There are no significant intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interactions in the packing of (I) and (II). The packing is essentially stabilized via van der Waals forces.     

Ethyl (E)‐3‐(2‐hydroxy­phenyl)‐2‐(morpholino­carbonyl)­propenoate

The title compound, C₁₆H₁₉NO₅, crystallizes as a centrosymmetric dimer through strong O—H⋯O hydrogen‐bonding interactions between the hydroxy­phenyl and morpholino­carbonyl groups. The morpholino­carbonyl group is almost perpendicular to the propenoate moiety. Electron delocalization in the N—C(=O) fragment leads to the formation of hydrogen‐bonded S(5) ring motifs through C—H⋯O interactions.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐Hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐D‐valine]]‐ and [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐Hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐L‐valine]cyclosporin A

Addition of various amines to the 3,3‐bis(trifluoromethyl)acrylamides 10a and 10b gave the tripeptides 11a – 11f , mostly as mixtures of epimers (Scheme 3). The crystalline tripeptide 11f ₂ was found to be the N‐terminal (2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐substituted (R,S,S)‐ester HOCH₂CH₂O‐D ‐Val(F₆)‐MeLeu‐Ala‐O^tBu by X‐ray crystallography. The C‐terminal‐protected tripeptide 11f ₂ was condensed with the N‐terminus octapeptide 2b to the depsipeptide 12a which was thermally rearranged to the undecapeptide 13a (Scheme 4). The condensation of the epimeric tripeptide 11f ₁ with the octapeptide 2b gave the undecapeptide 13b directly. The undecapeptides 13a and 13b were fully deprotected and cyclized to the [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐D ‐valine]]‐ and [5‐[4,4,4,4′,4′,4′‐hexafluoro‐N‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)‐L ‐valine]]cyclosporins 14a and 14b , respectively (Scheme 5). Rate differences observed for the thermal rearrangements of 12a to 13a and of 12b to 13b are discussed.