Thermoconversion of Caryophyllene- to Farnesene-Type Sesquiterpenes. Short access to the enantiomers of (6RS,7RS)- and (6RS,7SR)-6,7-epoxy-6,7-dihydro-β-farnesenes

Flash-vacuum thermolysis of the four diastereoisomeric 5,6-epoxy-5,6-dihydro-caryophyllenes 1–4 at 500–550°/0.1–0.7 Torr leads to the hitherto unreported enantiomers of (6RS,7RS)- and (6RS,7SR)-6,7-epoxy-6,7-dihydro-β-farnesenes ((±)- 5 and (±)- 6 , resp.). In particular, (+)- 5 is formed in 45% yield (ca. 90% ee) and is, thus, an attractive chiral building block for natural-product synthesis.     

Nucleotides. Part XLIV. Synthesis,characterization, and biological activity of monomeric and trimeric cordycepin-cholesterol conjugates and inhibition of HIV-1 replication

The antivirally active 3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′–5′)-3′-deoxyadenylyl-(2′–5′)-3′-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin trimer core) was modified at the 2′- or 5′-terminus, by attachment of cholesterol via a carbonate bond (→ 15 ) or a succinate linker (→ 16 and 27 ) to improve cell permeability. The corresponding monomeric conjugates 4 , 7 , and 21 of cordycepin were prepared as model substances to study the applicability of the anticipated protecting groups – the monomethoxytrityl (MeOTr), the (tert-butyl)dimethylsilyl (tbds), and the β -eliminating 2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl (npe) and 2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethoxycarbonyl (npeoc) groups – for the final deblocking steps without harming the ester bonds of the conjugate trimers. The syntheses were performed in solution using phosphoramidite chemistry. The fully protected trimer conjugates 13 , 14 , and 26 as well as all intermediates were characterized by elemental analyses, UV and ¹H-NMR spectra. The deblocked conjugates 15 , 16 , and 27 were pure according to HPLC and showed the correct compositions by mass spectra. Comparative biological studies indicated that cordycepincholesterol conjugate trimers 16 and 27 were 333- and 1000-fold, respectively, more potent inhibitors of HIV-1-induced syncytia formation than cordycepin trimer core.