Insight into and Practical Application of pH-Controlled Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Aromatic Ketones in Water

Chemical and biological studies of nakiterpiosin and nakiterpiosinone

Nakiterpiosin and nakiterpiosinone are two related C-nor-D-homosteroids isolated from the sponge Terpios hoshinota that show promise as anticancer agents. We have previously described the asymmetric synthesis and revision of the relative configuration of nakiterpiosin. We now provide detailed information on the stereochemical analysis that supports our structure revision and the synthesis of the originally proposed and revised nakiterpiosin. In addition, we herein describe a refined approach for the synthesis of nakiterpiosin, the first synthesis of nakiterpiosinone, and preliminary mechanistic studies of nakiterpiosin's action in mammalian cells. Cells treated with nakiterpiosin exhibit compromised formation of the primary cilium, an organelle that functions as an assembly point for components of the Hedgehog signal transduction pathway. We provide evidence that the biological effects exhibited by nakiterpiosin are mechanistically distinct from those of well-established antimitotic agents such as taxol. Nakiterpiosin may be useful as an anticancer agent in those tumors resistant to existing antimitotic agents and those dependent on Hedgehog pathway responses for growth.

Synthesis and structure revision of nakiterpiosin

This manuscript describes a convergent synthesis and the revision of the relative stereochemistry of nakiterpiosin, a marine C-nor-D-homosteroid. Our synthesis features a late-stage carbonylative Stille cross-coupling reaction and a photo-Nazarov cyclization reaction that deliver the complete nakiterpiosin skeleton efficiently.

Aqueous-phase asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones ? a greener approach to chiral alcohols

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) has emerged as a practical, powerful alternative to asymmetric hydrogenation for the production of chiral alcohols, one of the most valuable intermediates in chemical synthesis. In the last a few years, ATH in neat water has proved to be viable, affording chiral alcohols in fast rates, high productivity and high enantioselectivity. The reduction can be carried out with unmodified or tailor-made catalysts by using mild, readily available formate salt as reductant with no organic solvents required, thus providing a simple, economic and green pathway for alcohol production. This Feature Article attempts to present an account of the progress made on aqueous-phase transfer hydrogenation (TH) reactions, with a focus on ATH. The coverage includes a brief background of the chemistry, TH and ATH reactions in water, and the mechanistic aspects of the aqueous-phase reduction.

The use of a [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction for the preparation of a series of ‘tethered’ Ru(ii)–diamine and aminoalcohol complexes

A series of catalysts have been prepared for use in the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones. The complexes were prepared using a [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction at a key step in the reaction sequence. This provides a means for the synthesis of catalysts with modifications at specific sites.