The first asymmetric total syntheses of both enantiomers of cryptocaryone

The first asymmetric total syntheses of the (+)- and (−)-cryptocaryones are described. Removal of the acetal unit of the enone acetal 5, which was obtained in our previous study from the cyclohexadiene acetal 3, afforded the enone acetal 8 in a one-pot procedure. The acylation of 8 with cinnamoyl chloride and subsequent hydrolysis of the resulting acetal gave the lactol 11. Its oxidation with NIS and tetra-n-butylammonium iodide (TBAI) finally furnished the natural (+)-cryptocaryone 2. The same procedure from ent-3 afforded the unnatural one 1.     

Concise asymmetric total synthesis of scyphostatin, a potent inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase

The concise asymmetric total synthesis of scyphostatin has been achieved by condensation of the optically active cyclohexane unit, prepared from the commercially available 1,4-cyclohexadiene by our own method, and the side chain, prepared by the method developed by Hoye and Tennakoon (T. R. Hoye, M. A. Tennakoon, Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 1481-1483). The modification of the epoxy cyclohexenone unit was achieved in a late stage of the total synthesis, and deprotection of the primary alcohol was conducted in the final step. During the synthesis several key reactions were attained: 1) intramolecular bromoetherification of the cyclohexadiene acetal; 2) stereoselective introduction of the tertiary alcohol, 3) deprotection of the acetal function to the aldehyde by combination with silyl triflate/2,4,6-collidine and the one-pot synthesis of the disilyl aldehyde compounds, with different types of silyl groups, from the dihydroxy acetal compounds; and 4) facile deprotection of the 2,4-dimethoxyphenylmethyl ((2,4)DMPM) protecting group of the primary alcohol.     

Magnesium Lewis Acid Assisted Oxidative Bromoetherification Involving Bromine Transfer from Alkyl Bromides with Aldehydes by Umpolung of Bromide

An oxidative bromoetherification involving a bromine transfer from alkyl bromides upon reacting them with aldehydes in a Grignard reaction with a concurrent oxidation of bromide was developed to provide substituted tetrahydrofurans in high yields. This reaction, which proceeds through two types of bromine transfer, was promoted by the addition of a Brønsted acid. Mechanistic studies suggested that a magnesium Lewis acid activates hypobromate, which is generated in situ from the reaction of bromide and Oxone to improve the electrophilicity of the bromonium ion (Br⁺) for the oxidative bromoetherification of alkenyl alcohols. Furthermore, the magnesium Lewis acid catalyzed oxidative bromoetherification of an alkenyl alcohol proceeded to provide a cyclization product in 92 % yield.