Total synthesis of the macrolide antibiotic cytovaricin

"Black Swan events" in organic synthesis

When a research area "goes viral", the event typically occurs in conjunction with a major change in "conventional wisdom". In retrospect, the literature often contains earlier hints that the original judgment was not correct. These antecedents are referred to as "Black Swan" events. The picture shows research on homogeneous gold catalysis "going viral".

Enantioselective synthesis of anti- and syn-homopropargyl alcohols via chiral Brønsted acid catalyzed asymmetric allenylboration reactions

Chiral Brønsted acid catalyzed asymmetric allenylboration reactions are described. Under optimized conditions, anti-homopropargyl alcohols 2 are obtained in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities from stereochemically matched aldehyde allenylboration reactions with (M)-1 catalyzed by the chiral phosphoric acid (S)-4. The syn-isomers 3 can also be obtained in good diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities from the mismatched allenylboration reactions of aromatic aldehydes using (M)-1 in the presence of the enantiomeric phosphoric acid (R)-4. The stereochemistry of the methyl group introduced into 2 and 3 is controlled by the chirality of the allenylboronate (M)-1, whereas the configuration of the new hydroxyl stereocenter is controlled by the enantioselectivity of the chiral phosphoric acid catalyst used in these reactions. The synthetic utility of this methodology was further demonstrated in highly diastereoselective syntheses of a variety of anti, anti-stereotriads, the direct synthesis of which has constituted a significant challenge using previous generations of aldol and crotylmetal reagents.

Completely β-selective glycosylation using 3,6-O-(o-xylylene)-bridged axial-rich glucosyl fluoride

A completely β-selective glycosylation that does not rely on neighboring group participation is described. The novelty of this work is the design of the glycosyl donor locked into the axial-rich form by the o-xylylene bridge between the 3-O and 6-O of d-glucopyranose. The synthesized 2,4-di-O-benzyl-3,6-O-(o-xylyene)glucopyranosyl fluoride could efficiently react with various alcohols in a SnCl(2)-AgB(C(6)F(5))(4) catalytic system. The mechanism composed of the glycosylation and isomerization cycles was revealed through comparative experiments using acidic and basic molecular sieves. The achieved perfect stereocontrol is attributed to the synergy of the axial-rich conformation and convergent isomerization caused by HB(C(6)F(5))(4) generated in situ.

Highly stereoselective synthesis of anti,anti-dipropionate stereotriads: a solution to the long-standing problem of challenging mismatched double asymmetric crotylboration reactions

The stereocontrolled synthesis of the β-branched anti,anti-dipropionate stereotriad 4 via aldol or crotylmetal chemistry represents a historical challenge to the organic synthesis community. Here we describe a general solution to the long-standing problem associated with the synthesis of 4 by utilizing mismatched double asymmetric crotylboration reactions of enantioenriched α-methyl substituted aldehydes with the chiral, nonracemic crotylborane reagent (S)-(E)-22 (or its enantiomer). This method not only provides direct access to anti,anti-dipropionate stereotriads 24 [a synthetic equivalent of 4] with very good (5-8:1) if not excellent (≥15:1) diastereoselectivity from β-branched chiral aldehydes with ≤50:1 intrinsic diastereofacial selectivity preferences but also provides a vinylstannane unit in the products that is properly functionalized for use in subsequent C-C bond-forming events. We anticipate that this method will be widely applicable and will lead to substantial simplification of strategies for synthesis of polyketide natural products.

Diarylpropionitrile (DPN) enantiomers: synthesis and evaluation of estrogen receptor β-selective ligands

Two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERα and ERβ, mediate the actions of estrogens in diverse reproductive and nonreproductive target tissues. ER subtype-selective ligands, which bind to and activate these subtypes differentially, have proved to be useful in elucidating which actions of estrogens proceed through ERα vs ERβ. Some of these ligands show potential as novel therapeutic agents. Diarylpropionitrile (DPN), an ERβ selective ligand that we developed, is a chiral molecule, but it has been studied almost exclusively as the racemic mixture (rac-DPN, 1). Herein we report the development of an efficient enantioselective synthesis of the two isomers, R-DPN (3) and S-DPN (2), and we have compared the in vitro ligand binding affinities, coactivator binding affinities, recruitment potencies, and cellular transcriptional potencies of these isomers. Both enantiomers show a very high affinity and potency preference for ERβ over ERα, typically in the range of 80-300-fold. Although the enantioselectivity is only modest (3-4-fold), the R-enantiomer is the higher affinity and more potent isomer. While ERβ can be effectively and selectively stimulated by rac-DPN or by either R-DPN or S-DPN, R-DPN might be the preferred member of this isomeric series for biological studies of ERβ function.

Total synthesis of Lys(3) tamandarin M: a potential affinity ligand

The synthesis of Lys(3) tamandarin M is described. This analogue can be used as a protein affinity ligand to probe the mechanism of action of this unique class of molecules.

Total synthesis and stereochemical assignment of (-)-ushikulide A

We report the determination of the full stereostructure of (-)-ushikulide A (1), a spiroketal containing macrolide by total synthesis. Ushikulide A (1) was isolated from a culture broth of Streptomyces sp. IUK-102 and exhibits potent immunosuppressant activity (IC(50) = 70 nM). To embark upon an ushikulide A synthesis, a tentative assignment was made based on analogy to cytovaricin (2), a related macrolide isolated from a culture of Streptomyces diastatochromogenes whose full structure was previously established via synthesis and X-ray crystallography. This report delineates studies on several key steps, namely a direct aldol reaction catalyzed by the dinuclear zinc ProPhenol complex, a metal catalyzed spiroketalization, as well as application of an unprecedented asymmetric alkynylation of a simple saturated aldehyde with methyl propiolate to prepare the nucleophilic partner for a Marshall-Tamaru propargylation. These studies culminated in the first total synthesis and stereochemical assignment of (-)-ushikulide A and significantly extended the scope of the above-mentioned methodologies.

Exploiting orthogonally reactive functionality: synthesis and stereochemical assignment of (-)-ushikulide A

In spite of the tremendous advances in modern spectroscopic methods, organic synthesis continues to play a pivotal role in elucidating the full structures of complex natural products. This method has the advantage that, even in the absence of a firm structural assignment, a combination of logic and spectroscopic comparison can arrive at the correct structure. Herein, we report execution of this strategy with respect to ushikulide A, a newly isolated and previously stereochemically undefined member of the oligomycin-rutamycin family. To maximize synthetic efficiency, we envisioned chemoselective manipulation of orthogonally reactive functional groups, notably alkenes and alkynes as surrogates for certain carbonyl and hydroxyl functionalities. This approach has the dual effect of minimizing the number of steps and protecting groups required for our synthetic route. This strategy culminated in the efficient synthesis and stereochemical assignment of ushikulide A.

Highly diastereoselective anti-aldol reactions of glycolate titanium enolates

Diastereoselective aldol reactions of enolates of alpha-hydroxy ester with different aldehydes are metal tunable, providing either anti- or syn- products. The highest anti-selectivities were obtained with TiCl(OiPr)(3), while Ti(OiPr)(4) provides the opposite syn-products.

Total synthesis of (+)-azaspiracid-1. An exhibition of the intricacies of complex molecule synthesis

The synthesis of the marine neurotoxin azaspiracid-1 has been accomplished. The individual fragments were synthesized by catalytic enantioselective processes: A hetero-Diels-Alder reaction to afford the E- and HI-ring fragments, a carbonyl-ene reaction to furnish the CD-ring fragment, and a Mukaiyama aldol reaction to deliver the FG-ring fragment. The subsequent fragment couplings were accomplished by aldol and sulfone anion methodologies. All ketalization events to form the nonacyclic target were accomplished under equilibrating conditions utilizing the imbedded configurations of the molecule to adopt one favored conformation. A final fragment coupling of the anomeric EFGHI-sulfone anion to the ABCD-aldehyde completed the convergent synthesis of (+)-azaspiracid-1.

Studies on the synthesis of durhamycin A: stereoselective synthesis of a model aglycone

A stereoselective synthesis of the model aglycone corresponding to the anti-HIV aureolic acids durhamycins A (1) and B (2) is described.

Strategic efficiency — The new thrust for synthetic organic chemists

A standard for gauging the efficiency of synthetic strategies has been proposed. Synthetic efficiency is correlated to the molecular-complexity index, which is the cumulative total number of chiral centers, independent functional groups, and rings contained in a molecule. The number of reaction steps for an efficient synthetic design must be smaller than that of molecular-complexity index. This standard will motivate organic chemists to work harder on the synthetic design prior to execution.Key words: strategic efficiency, total synthesis, synthetic design, complexity index.

A Formal Synthesis of Psymberin

A formal synthesis of psymberin (irciniastatin A) is presented. Notable features of the synthesis include the chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective oxidation of a 1,3-disubstituted allene, a configuration-dependent spirodiepoxide opening, the efficient syntheses of functionalized trans-2,6-disubstituted pyrans, and the union of a highly functionalized aldehyde with a pentasubstituted aryl homoenolate to give a dihydroisocumarin. [structure: see text]

Total synthesis of cyclic diterpene tonantzitlolone based on a highly stereoselective substrate-controlled aldol reaction and ring-closing metathesis

The total synthesis of the cyclic diterpene ent-tonantzitlolone (ent-1) is presented. Key steps for assembling the macrocyclic core structure of 1 are a highly selective aldol reaction and an E selective ring-closing metathesis reaction. A detailed investigation of these two steps and the final transformations towards the completion of the synthesis is disclosed.

Studies on the synthesis of the inostamycin natural products: a reductive aldol/reductive Claisen approach to the C10-C24 ketone fragment

[reaction: see text] An approach to the C10-C24 ketone fragment of the inostamycin family of polyether antibiotics is described. The synthetic strategy utilizes an asymmetric Rh-catalyzed reductive aldol reaction and a stereoselective Rh-catalyzed reductive Claisen rearrangement as the key steps in formation of alkene and vinyl iodide synthons, respectively.

Convenient Method for the Preparation of Weinreb Amides via Pd-Catalyzed Aminocarbonylation of Aryl Bromides at Atmospheric Pressure

[reaction: see text] The direct transformation of aryl bromides into the corresponding Weinreb amides via Pd-catalyzed aminocarbonylation at atmospheric pressure is reported.