Effects of allylic and homoallylic substituents on the ring closing metathesis reaction used to synthesise simplified eleuthesides

During the course of our synthetic studies towards simplified eleuthesides, we have found that p-methoxyphenyl (PMP) protected allylic alcohols are compatible with the RCM reaction and can give better yields than the corresponding free allylic alcohols.     

Enzymatic degradation of highly phenolic lignin-based polymers (lignophenols)

Enzymatic degradation of two lignin-based polymers (lignophenols), lignocatechol and lignocresol, prepared by selectively grafting catechol and p-cresol to C_α positions of lignin, respectively, were carried out in aqueous organic solvents. Both lignophenols showed high reactivity in the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation. Structural analyses by NMR spectroscopies revealed that the degraded lignophenols contained aliphatic chain content, which might be mainly formed in the reduction of the intermediate initially generated by the aromatic ring cleavage. Lower amount of aromatic units in the lignophenols after degraded by peroxidase also indicted the cleavage of aromatic rings. Due to the substitution of phenols at C_α positions of lignin, the degraded lignophenols did not have carbonyl structure, which was abundant in the biodegradation products of native lignin. The two lignophenols were also degraded by Rhus vernicifera laccase. But the degree of degradation was lower than that of the degradation by peroxidase, which might be due to the low activity of laccase on the lignin moieties in lignophenols.     

Borchelate und Bormetallchelate, 4. Mitt.

The i.r., u. v.,¹H n.m.r.,¹³C n.m.r., and¹¹B n.m.r. spectra of several substituted diphenylboron chelates derived from salicylaldehyde azomethines were compared with respect to the influence of the amine substituentR. O–B–N-6-ring constitution of the chelates29–32 [R=OH, NH₂, NHC₆H₅, N(CH₃)₂] can be deduced from the spectra.

Als 3. Mitt. gilt:F. Umland undE. Hohaus mit Beiträgen vonW. Riepe, K. Brodte, C. Schleyerbach undD. Szonn. Untersuchungen über borhaltige Ringsysteme vom Chelattyp. Forschungsbericht des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen Nr. 2538. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag. 1976.     

Base- and light-assisted synthesis of anthracenes from 3-allylnaphthalene-2-carbaldehydes

The synthesis of substituted anthracenes from naphthalene precursors is described. The key step involved heating ortho-allyl substituted naphthalene-2-carbaldehydes and potassium t-butoxide in DMF with concomitant irradiation from a high pressure mercury lamp to afford anthracenes in yields of 76-98%.     

Selective methodologies for the synthesis of biologically active piperidinic compounds

The synthesis of optically active substituted piperidines has been achieved by using four different methodologies. The first one is an intramolecular nucleophilic displacement of activated alcohol moieties that was used to build up the piperidine ring of (-)-prosophylline and (-)-slaframine, and the second one is a ring-closing metathesis of unsaturated amines which was employed in the synthesis of (+)-sedamine and 4a,5-dihydrostreptazoline. The third methodology is the alpha-functionalization of N-Boc piperidines which was particularly useful in the synthesis of argatroban, and the fourth one is a ring expansion of prolinols to 3-chloropiperidines or 3-hydroxypiperidines which was utilized to synthesize (-)-paroxetine, (-)-pseudoconhydrine, the piperidine ring of (-)-velbanamine and (+)-zamifenacin.     

Theoretical studies on the conformation of saccharides

Conformations of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran as a model for the six-membered ring in aldopyranosides have been calculated by the PCILO method using the algorithm of the conjugated gradient to optimize the geometry. The calculated geometry of the fourteen basic forms of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran was found to be in agreement with the available data obtained by X-ray diffraction of pyranosides. The results indicate differences in the geometry of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran resulting from the change of the axial vs. equatorial position of the methoxyl group. These changes are particularly meaningful in the values of bond angles and they are in agreement with the anomeric and exoanomeric effects. The experimentally found differences in the energies of an axial (⁴ C ₁) and equatorial (¹ C ₄) conformer, G = 2.9–3.7 kJ/mol, and the dipole moment, = 1.20 ± 0.05 D (1D = 3.33 10^–30mAs) agree well with the calculated values E = 3.18 kJ/mol and <> = 1.18 D which, in turn, suggest that the axial conformer is preferred over the equatorial one by a ratio a:e = 78:22.     

New synthetic pathways into dithiazolyl radicals: Preparation and characterisation of 3′-methyl-benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolyl, M’BDTA

A general three-step synthesis to a range of benzo-fused-1,3,2-dithiazolylium salts bearing both electron-withdrawing (CN) and electron-donating (Me) groups is described. This methodology has also been extended to pyridyl derivatives and offers a potential route to a diversity of 1,3,2-dithiazolylium rings and their corresponding 1,3,2-dithiazolyl free radicals. The key steps in the reaction are treatment of a substituted 1,2,-dichlorobenzene with two equivalents of [^tBuS]Na, followed by chlorination to yield the corresponding bis(sulfenyl chloride). Subsequent ring closure with Me₃SiN₃ yields the target 1,3,2-dithiazolylium ring system in good yield. The preparation and crystal structures of 3′-methyl-benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolylium chloride and 3′-methyl-benzo-1,3,2-dithiazolyl are described and the electronic properties of the radical examined through EPR spectroscopy, DFT calculations and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements.     

Symmetry or asymmetry in cheletropic additions forming cyclopropanes

Cheletropic additions forming cyclopropane rings were studied theoretically. Ten addition paths were traced by means of density-functional-theory calculations. Two 1,4-dienes, 1,4-pentadiene, and tricyclo[5.3.1.0^4,9]undeca-2,5-diene were adopted as substrates. CO, SO₂, C₂H₅PCl₂, CCl₂ and SiCl₂ were employed as cheletropic reagents (Xs). An orbital correlation diagram of the Woodward–Hoffmann (W–H) rule and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) interactions between them were investigated in detail. The FMO interactions, HOMO (1,4-diene)lumo (X) and homo (X)LUMO (diene), work reasonably for the progress of the reactions. Those cause the formation of two C–X bonds and a cyclopropane ring, and alternation of double bonds to single bonds. All the additions are concerted. The easiness of the ring formation depends upon the energy gap between HOMO and lumo and that between homo and LUMO, and the spatial directions of HOMO and LUMO extensions. Symmetry conservation of the W–H rule does not hold necessarily for those addition paths. The symmetry-breaking was discussed in terms of FMO interactions.Acknowledgement This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan and by Nishida Memorial Foundation for Fundamental Chemical Research.     

Stereoselective synthesis of the ABCD ring framework of azaspiracids

A stereoselective synthesis of the ABCD ring framework of azaspiracid-1 and azaspiracid-3 has been achieved using a tandem bis-spiroketalization protocol in the presence of a mild proton source from 1,4-diketone precursor. A tetrahydrofuran intermediate with the correct stereochemistry for the D ring of azaspiracids-1 and 3 was then taken through a linear sequence of reactions to afford the desired diketone precursor. The D-ring of azaspiracid-1 was then constructed by employing a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation followed by etherification using a homoallyl derivative. The structure of the ABCD ring framework with four contiguous rings was established by extensive NMR analysis.     

Ring‐Rearrangement Metathesis

Ring‐rearrangement metathesis (RRM) refers to the combination of several metathesis transformations into a domino process, in which an endocyclic double bond of a cycloolefin reacts with an exocyclic alkene. RRM has proven to be a powerful method for the rapid construction of complex structures. The extension of the basic ring‐opening–ring‐closing metathesis process by further metathesis steps as well as an examination of the driving forces, limits, scope, recent advantages, and future perspectives of these domino sequences is presented with various examples, thus reflecting the high efficiency and utility of RRM in organic synthesis.