Chemoenzymatic synthesis of conduritol analogues

Several conduritol and conduramine analogues have been synthesized from β-substituted naphthalenes via a chemoenzymatic approach, in a high regio- and stereocontrolled way.     

One-Pot,Fluoride-Promoted Wittig Reaction

A one-pot, fluoride-promoted Wittig reaction was developed. The reactions of ethyl α-bromoacetate with aliphatic, aromatic, and heteroaromatic aldehydes in the presence of tri-n-butylphosphine and tetrabutylammonium fluoride produced α,β-unsaturated esters in good to excellent yields and E-stereoselectivity. Under the same conditions, reactions of ethyl α-bromopropionate, α-bromo acetonitrile, and α-bromoacetophenone with aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of tri-n-butylphosphine and tetrabutylammonium fluoride produced the expected α,β-unsaturated derivatives in good E-stereoselectivity. The protocol was extended to semistabilized ylides and applied to the synthesis of some combretastatin analogs.     

Pairwise use of complexity-generating reactions in diversity-oriented organic synthesis

[reaction: see text] Two pairs of complexity-generating reactions with an essential product-substrate relationship along a synthetic pathway are demonstrated. This pathway illustrates a key element in a planning algorithm for diversity-oriented synthesis. This element facilitates the efficient synthesis of structurally complex compounds, and it can be integrated with ones that provide structurally diverse compounds.     

Multienzymatic preparation of 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]benzoic acid and (2S)-hydroxy(phenyl)ethanoic acid

The use of two oxidoreductases (an aldoketo reductase from Escherichia coli JM109 and an alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis) has demonstrated that it is possible to prepare enatiomerically pure diols in a one-pot operation. The reactions were applied to the synthesis of (1R)-1-[3-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]ethanol and (1S)-1-phenylethane-1,2-diol, using a two-step procedure. The yield is nearly quantitative and the enantiomeric purity is greater than 95%. A third step has been introduced by adding a cell biocatalyst showing dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity from Pseudomonas fluorescens N3. This allows for the preparation of 3-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]benzoic acid and (2S)-hydroxy(phenyl)ethanoic acid.     

Equipartition and rate of energy exchanges in a model of a radiant cavity

Results of calculations on a model of a radiant cavity, performed in order to explore the relation between stochasticity and geometrical structure of phase space, are presented. The rate of energy exchanges, as indicator of stochasticity, is found to be quite effective. Furthermore, a trend to equipartition for such a quantity is observed at increasing energy, and this implies an increasing rigidity of high harmonic modes also in the stochastic regime of motion. Such a feature may be correlated to the shape of the spectrum which characterizes the radiant cavity with respect to nonlinear chains.     

Selective enzymatic reduction of aldehydes

Highly selective enzymatic reductions of aldehydes to the corresponding alcohols was performed using an E. coli JM109 whole cell biocatalyst. A selective enzymatic method for the reduction of aldehydes could provide an eco-compatible alternative to chemical methods. The simplicity, fairly wide scope and the very high observed chemoselectivity of this approach are its most unique features.     

Replication of biosynthetic reactions enables efficient synthesis of A-factor, a γ-butyrolactone autoinducer from Streptomyces griseus

We report a concise synthesis of A-factor, the prototypical γ-butyrolactone signalling compound of Streptomyces bacteria. In analogy to enzymatic reactions in A-factor biosynthesis, our synthesis features a tandem esterification-Knoevenagel condensation yielding a 2-acyl butenolide and a surprising, chemoselective conjugate reduction of this α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound using sodium cyanoborohydride.     

Synthetic Approach to Kdo Glycosides Via Exo-Glycal Epoxides and Rationalization of the Stereo Chemical Outcome

Abstract

The use of epoxides obtained by dimethyldioxirane epoxidation of 2,3-anhydro-1,3-dideoxy-4,5:7,8-di-O-isopropylidene-D-manno-oct-1-enitol as glycosyl donors is described. This method offers a simple and stereoselective access to precursors of Kdo glycosides. The stereochemical outcome of the reaction is rationalized by means of semiempirical calculations of the transition states leading to glycosides formation.