Synthesis of Highly Substituted γ‐Butyrolactones by a Gold‐Catalyzed Cascade Reaction of Benzyl Esters

Easily accessible benzylic esters of 3‐butynoic acids in a gold‐catalyzed cyclization/rearrangement cascade reaction provided 3‐propargyl γ‐butyrolactones with the alkene and the carbonyl group not being conjugated. Crossover experiments showed that the formation of the new C?C bond is an intermolecular process. Initially propargylic–benzylic esters were used, but alkyl‐substituted benzylic esters worked equally well. In the case of the propargylic–benzylic products, a simple treatment of the products with aluminum oxide initiated a twofold tautomerization to the allenyl‐substituted γ‐butyrolactones with conjugation of the carbonyl group, the olefin, and the allene. The synthetic sequence can be conducted stepwise or as a one‐pot cascade reaction with similar yields. Even in the presence of the gold catalyst the new allene remains intact.     

A convenient method for the preparation of α-vinylfurans by phosphine-initiated reactions of various substituted enynes bearing a carbonyl group with aldehydes

α-Vinylfurans were obtained by phosphine-initiated cyclization of various enynes bearing a carbonyl group at the ene end in the presence of various aldehydes, in moderate to high yields. The reaction may consist of 1,6-addition of phosphine to the enynes, ring closure, and Wittig reaction between the ylid resulting from cyclization and an aldehyde. Thus, various aldehydes were able to be used in the reaction. The reaction was influenced greatly by the substituents at the acetylene position (R¹) and the α-position of the carbonyl group (R³).     

Glycosyl azide—a novel substrate for enzymatic transglycosylations

Glycosyl azides are new efficient donors for glycosidases. Their high water solubility facilitates transglycosylations with comparable or better yields than common O-glycosides. The azido group totally changes the β-GalNAc-ase/β-GlcNAc-ase ratio in β-N-acetylhexosaminidases (from the usual 0.3-1.0 to <0.01), contrary to all known aglycons.     

Intramolecular Diels—Alder reaction of 4-(N-furfuryl)aminobut-1-enes. New approach to the synthesis of 6,8a-epoxyoctahydroisoquinoline (3-aza-11-oxatricyclo[6.2.1.01,6]undec-9-ene) derivatives

The intramolecular Diels—Alder reaction of readily accessible 4-substituted 4-(N-furfuryl)aminobut-1-enes was studied and a new one-step method was developed for the synthesis of 6,8a-epoxy-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,8a-octahydroisoquinoline (3-aza-11-oxatricyclo[6.2.1.0^1,6]undec-9-ene) derivatives. The [4+2]-cycloaddition proceeds stereoselectively to form exo-adducts. The influence of substituents at the nitrogen atom in 4-(N-furfuryl)aminobut-1-enes on the cycloaddition pathway was examined.     

The use of trans-2,3-divinyl epoxides as precursors to carbonyl ylides

trans-2,3-Divinyl epoxides have been found to be good substrates for the generation of carbonyl ylides in CCl₄ and 145 °C. These ylides, to a limited extent, undergo isomerization to cis-2,3-divinyl epoxides, leading to the isolation of 4,5-dihydrooxepins. Of greater potential usefulness is the finding that these ylides can be efficiently trapped in an intermolecular sense by a dipolarophile, leading to dihydrofurans.     

A novel oxidation-ring-contraction of Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridines to polysubstituted furans

A novel oxidation-ring-contraction reaction took place when 4-substituted Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridines were treated with Oxone. This reaction pattern provided a convenient method for the synthesis of polysubstituted furans.     

The Purification of Glucose Type Glycosyl Nitrate and the Synthesis of Spacer—armed N—Acetyllactosamines and Their Dimers

Our previous paper1,2reported the results of selective synthesis of mannose type glycosides and their dimers in our attempt to synthesize derivatives of N-acetyllacto- samine, which could have potential activity of anti-metastasis3. Further studies on the glycosylation of the accepters exploiting glycosyl nitrate instead of the acetate as donor showed interesting chemoselectivity between the two kinds of donor, namely, the glucose type and the mannose type. The reactivity difference of the t…     

Furan ring opening-furan ring closure: cascade rearrangement of novel 4-acetoxy-9-furylnaphtho[2,3-b]furans

The cascade rearrangement of novel 4-acetoxy-9-furylnaphtho[2,3-b]furans leading to tetracyclic naphthodifurans derivatives has been developed. The reaction proceeds via double recyclization of both furan rings of the initial molecule, one of the furan rings serving as a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound equivalent.     

A new method for the synthesis of silicon-and germanium-containing 2-acetylfurans and 2-acetylthiophenes

A new method was developed for the synthesis of silicon-and germanium-containing acetylfurans and acetylthiophene by metallation of 2-acetylfuran or 2-acetylthiophene with n-BuLi at low temperature after protection of the carbonyl group with lithium N-methylpiperazide and reaction of the lithium derivative with various trialkyl-, alkylphenyl-, and cycloalkylchlorosilanes or trialkylchloro(bromo)germanes. The cytotoxic activity of the new compounds was studied, and it was established that the silicon-and germanium-containing acetylfurans and acetylthiophenes are substances with low toxicity (LD₅₀ 312->2000 mg/kg) and have low cytotoxicity toward HT-1080 and MG-22A tumor cells. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 192–199, February, 2007.     

The Synthesis of 1,4‐Bis[N‐(4/6‐Substituted Benzothiazole‐2‐yl)‐N′‐Glycosylguanidino]Benzenes

The starting material O‐protected glycosyl isothiocyanate ( 1?3 ) was refluxed with 1,4‐diaminobenzene in CHCl₃ under nitrogen atmosphere to give 1,4‐bis(N‐glycosyl)thioureidobenzene ( 4?6 ). Then 1,4‐bis[N‐(4/6‐substituted benzothiazole‐2‐yl)‐N′‐glycosylguanidino]benzenes ( 8a?8e , 9a?9e , 10a?10e ) were obtained in good yield by reaction of compounds ( 4?6 ) with 2‐amino‐4/6‐benzothizoles ( 7a?7e ) and HgCl₂ in the presence of TEA in DMF. The structures of all 18 new compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, LC‐MS and elemental analysis. The bioactivity of anti‐HIV‐1 protease (HIV‐1 PR) and against angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) have been evaluated.