Epoxides in the thermal oxidation of polybutadiene

Polybutadiene films were aged under air or high oxygen pressure (3.1 MPa). In both cases, the amount of epoxide formed was titrated. The results show that the epoxide formation rate is a decreasing function of oxygen concentration that validates the mechanism proposed by Mayo. According to this mechanism, epoxides are generated from the decomposition of β-peroxy alkyl radicals resulting from the addition of peroxy radicals on double bonds.     

Microwave assisted ring-opening of epoxides with N-biaryl sulfonamides in the synthesis of matrix metalloproteinase-9 inhibitors

A microwave accelerated epoxide ring-opening process with N-biaryl sulfonamides is described. Under this mild, highly efficient condition, an α-hydroxy-β-N-biaryl sulfonamide skeleton is rapidly assembled leading ultimately to a novel series of matrix metalloproteinase-9 inhibitors with single digit nanomolar activities.     

Recent progress toward synthesis of chlorosulfolipids: total synthesis and methodology

Chlorosulfolipids (CSLs) are an intriguing family of natural products featuring highly chlorinated linear hydrocarbon skeletons. Although CSLs were first isolated in 1962, chemical synthesis of CSLs was hampered because relevant methods for stereoselective construction of the polychlorinated motifs of CSLs were scarce. Since Carreira’s first total synthesis of the CSL mytilipin A in 2009, several groups, including our own, have reported total syntheses of CSLs. As a result of these total syntheses, important progress has been made in the development of reliable synthetic methods for stereoselective polychlorination. In this digest, we summarize the total syntheses of CSLs by focusing on synthetic methods for stereoselective polychlorination of the organic frameworks of CSLs.     

Total Synthesis of (±)‐Clavilactones A,B, and Proposed D through Iron‐Catalyzed Carbonylation–Peroxidation of Olefin

Biologically significant clavilactones A, B, and the previously proposed D have been synthesized through iron‐catalyzed carbonylation–peroxidation of a 1,5‐diene. Three steps from aldehydes, alkenes, and tert‐butylhydroperoxide build up α,β‐epoxy‐γ‐butyrolactone skeleton as a key building block for synthesis of clavilactone family and its derivatives. Based on our results, the structure of the proposed clavilactone D is not correct and requires revision.     

Isotope effects and the mechanism of deoxygenation of epoxides with dichlorocarbene

The deoxygenation of styrene oxide with dichlorocarbene is studied by a combination of isotope effects and theoretical calculations. A normal ¹³C isotope effect of 1.016 is observed for the α-carbon of the styrene oxide but a surprising inverse isotope effect of 0.995 is observed at the β-carbon. This is indicative of a highly asynchronous process in which the C_α-O bond is broken without any progress in the breakage of C_β-O bond. Theoretical calculations support this interpretation. This coarctate reaction is formally concerted as it avoids involving a high-energy intermediate, but it appears uninfluenced by transition state aromaticity.     

New synthesis of pentacyclic steroids by stereoselective epoxide ring opening

A stereoselective synthesis of pentacyclic steroids has been achieved. Starting from commercially available cholic acid 1, followed by asymmetric epoxidation and by stereoselective epoxide ring opening, employing nucleophilic species, the corresponding products were afforded in good yields. The compounds were being evaluated for their biological activity.     

A unified approach to the synthesis of both enantiomers of anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a cyanotoxins

Anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a are highly neurotoxic compounds produced by cyanobacteria, principally during surface water-blooms (SWBs). Owing to their powerful biological activity and unique structural characteristics, these natural alkaloids have been the subject of extensive research work in both pharmacological and synthetic studies. In this contribution we report a simple and efficient synthetic approach for the preparation of both the natural and unnatural enantiomers of these cyanotoxins, [(+)-1 and (+)-2] and [(?)-1 and (?)-2] respectively. Key features of this approach include: i) construction of the azabicyclic homotropane framework in both enantiomeric forms from cis-5,6-epoxycyclooctene, based on a microwave mediated epoxide ring opening reaction by a chiral benzyl amine followed by a transannular amine-alkene cyclization; ii) elaboration of the characteristic methyl or ethyl enone by means of a Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of an enol-triflate with a C2 or C3 terminal alkyne, followed by a chemo- and regio-selective hydration of the resulting conjugated enyne group.