FeCl3-catalyzed tandem Prins and Friedel–Crafts cyclization: a highly diastereoselective route to polycyclic ring structures

Catalytic FeCl₃ in the presence of 4 Å molecular sieves has been shown to effect highly diastereoselective tandem Prins and Friedel–Crafts cyclization of substituted (E/Z)-6-phenylhex-3-en-1-ol and a variety of aldehydes to provide a range of polycyclic compounds in good to excellent yields. The reaction of an enantioenriched alcohol with an aldehyde provided the cyclization product without loss of optical activity. Furthermore, a Lewis acid catalyzed ring opening resulted in functionalized tetralin derivatives with multiple chiral centers.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Cephanolide A

The first asymmetric total synthesis of cephanolide A, a complex hexacyclic C₁₈ dinorditerpenoid from cephalotaxus sinensis, was achieved. The synthesis features a convergent strategy, which provides a flexible approach to prepare the biogenetically cephalotaxus diterpenoids and structurally related derivatives for biological studies. A mild intramolecular Prins cyclization was developed to construct the central hexahydrofluorenol skeleton (A-B-C ring), which relies on the originally proposed hydroacylation strategy. A remote hydroxy group directed hydrogenation was applied to stereospecifically reduce the tetra-substituted enone unit. A sequence of ring forming steps, including lactonization, cation mediated etherification and Friedel–Crafts cyclization, was efficiently utilized to forge the cage-like skeleton.     

Cascade reaction including a formal [5 + 2] cycloaddition by use of alkyne-Co2(CO)6 complex

A new cascade reaction including formal [5?+?2] cycloaddition was developed. Treatment of homocinnamyl alcohol and Co₂(CO)₆-complexed arylpropynal with BF₃·OEt₂ resulted in the generation of hydrobenzocycloheptafuran having an alkyne-Co₂(CO)₆ complex. The reaction consists of 5-membered ring selective Prins cyclization and subsequent Friedel-Crafts cyclization. The cascade reaction was applied to a further multi-step cascade cyclization, which resulted in the formation of more complex polycyclic hydrofurans.     

Total synthesis of 7-desmethoxyfusarentin and its methyl ether

A concise total synthesis of 7-desmethoxyfusarentin and its methyl ether has been accomplished involving a sequence of reactions such as Prins cyclization, ring opening of tetrahydropyran ring and Alder-Rickerts reaction as key steps. This is the first report on the construction of anti-1,3-diol unit of 7-desmethoxyfusarentin by means of Prins cyclization.     

负载型离子液体催化芳香烯和甲醛的Prins缩合反应

采用溶胶凝胶法制备了一系列硅胶负载型离子液体催化剂(IL/sg),并成功应用于甲醛与苯乙烯及其衍生物的Prins反应中.利用红外光谱(FT-IR)、元素分析(EA)和氮气吸附-脱附等对催化剂结构进行了表征.研究表明,磺酸功能化离子液体1-甲基-3-丁磺酸基咪唑硫酸氢盐固载得到的负载型催化剂(Bs MIm HSO4/sg)表现出最佳的催化活性.在催化剂投料量为烯烃的3%,甲醛与烯烃摩尔比为4∶1,80℃下反应8 h,苯乙烯转化率达到了100%,产物选择性为90%.催化剂经简单的过滤分离后重复使用5次,仍保持良好的催化活性.此外,该催化体系具有较好的底物适用性.     

The stereoselective total synthesis of xestodecalactone C and epi-sporostatin via the Prins cyclisation

Syntheses of xestodecalactone C and epi-sporostatin are described utilising Prins cyclisations, Mitsunobu reaction and intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation. The approach is convergent and highly stereoselective.     

A novel synthesis of (−)-callicarpenal

Callicarpenal, isolated from the leaves of American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) and Japanese beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica), exhibits significant mosquito bite-deterring activity and repellent activity against ticks and fire ants. The mosquito bite-deterring activity level of callicarpenal was reported to be similar to that of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. The novel synthesis of (?)-callicarpenal reported herein was accomplished by starting from (+)-pulegone. In our original approach, a novel Prins-type cyclization based on Meyer–Schuster rearrangement was featured as a key step.     

Bicyclic oxygen heterocycles from γ,δ-unsaturated alcohols: synthetic targets inspired by blepharocalyxin D

trans-2,8-Dioxabicyclodecanes were prepared in high yield with the creation of up to three stereocenters in a single pot by the acid-mediated reaction of γ,δ-unsaturated alcohols with aldehydes (see scheme, Bn=benzyl). This versatile reaction enables the stereoselective introduction of substituents at the C3, C4, C7, and C9 positions of the bicyclic framework.     

Barbier allylation-Prins reaction of PEG-bound aldehydes—soluble polymer-supported synthesis of 2,4,6-trisubstituted tetrahydropyrans

PEG-bound aldehydes undergo zinc-mediated Barbier allylation to form homoallylic alcohols, which on further reaction with various aldehydes in the presence of BF₃·Et₂O through a Prins cyclization afford 4-hydroxytetrahydropyrans and 4-fluorotetrahydropyrans.     

Synthesis of an austrodorane sesquiterpenoid core via a transannular Prins cyclization

The bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane core of the austrodorane family of sesquiterpenoids has been synthesized via a novel transannular Prins cyclization. This strategy formed the fused 5,6-ring system and installed the required quaternary stereocentre at the ring fusion in a single step.