Recent Advances in the Total Synthesis of Piperidine Azasugars

Metathesis access to monocyclic iminocyclitol-based therapeutic agents

By focusing on recent developments on natural and non-natural azasugars (iminocyclitols), this review bolsters the case for the role of olefin metathesis reactions (RCM, CM) as key transformations in the multistep syntheses of pyrrolidine-, piperidine- and azepane-based iminocyclitols, as important therapeutic agents against a range of common diseases and as tools for studying metabolic disorders. Considerable improvements brought about by introduction of one or more metathesis steps are outlined, with emphasis on the exquisite steric control and atom-economical outcome of the overall process. The comparative performance of several established metathesis catalysts is also highlighted.

One-pot stereoselective synthesis of 1,2-amino alcohol derivatives

Common β-hydroxy amino acids (such as threonine) can be readily transformed into 1,2-amino alcohols with excellent stereoselectivity. This one-pot decarboxylation-alkylation process allows the replacement of the carboxyl group by alkyl, allyl, or aryl groups, generally in high yields. A variation of the process (decarboxylation-Diels-Alder) allows the formation of bi- and polycyclic systems, which are useful precursors of alkaloid cores or iminosugars.

Organometallic enantiomeric scaffolding: a strategy for the enantiocontrolled construction of regio- and stereodivergent trisubstituted piperidines from a common precursor

Reported herein is a general and efficient method to construct 2,3,6-trisubstituted piperidines in a substituent-independent fashion. From the high enantiopurity organometallic scaffold (-)-Tp(CO)(2)[(η-2,3,4)-(1S,2S)-1-benzyloxycarbonyl-5-oxo-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyridin-2-yl)molybdenum (Tp = hydridotrispyrazolylborato), a variety of TpMo(CO)(2)-based 2,3,6-trifunctionalized complexes of the (η-3,4,5-dihydropyridinyl) ligand were easily obtained in 5 steps through a sequence of highly regio- and stereospecific metal-influenced transformations (15 examples). From the 2,3,6-trifunctionalized molybdenum complexes, either 2,6-cis-3-trans or 2,3,6-cis systems were selectively obtained through the choice of an appropriate stereodivergent demetalation protocol. The potential of this strategy in synthetic chemistry was demonstrated by the short total synthesis of four natural and one non-natural alkaloids: indolizidines (±)-209I and (±)-8-epi-219F in the racemic series, and enantiocontrolled syntheses of (-)-indolizidine 251N, (-)-quinolizidine 251AA, and (-)-dehydroindolizidine 233E.

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of 6-trichloromethyl-9-oxa-5-azatricyclo[6.2.1.01,5]undecan-10-one

6-Trichloromethyl-9-oxa-5-azatricyclo[6.2.1.01,5]undecan-10-one was prepared and its structure clearly established from spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure belongs to the orthorhombic system, space group P21 2121 with a = 8.4494(17), b = 9.3505(19), c = 15.315(3) Å, α = β γ = 90°, V = 01210.0(4) Å3, Z = 4, Flack = 0.00(10). The absolute configuration of the title compound was determined as (1 R,6 R).

Asymmetric 1,4-addition of arylboronic acids to 2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones catalyzed by axially chiral NHC-Pd(II) complexes

Axially chiral cis-chelated bidentate bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-palladium(II) complexes are effective catalysts for the asymmetric conjugate addition of arylboronic acids to 2,3-dihydro-4-pyridones, producing the synthetically and biologically important 2-aryl-4-piperidones in moderate-to-high yields (up to 96%) along with excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99.5% ee) in most cases under mild conditions.

Glycosphingolipids--nature, function, and pharmacological modulation

The discovery of the glycosphingolipids is generally attributed to Johan L. W. Thudichum, who in 1884 published on the chemical composition of the brain. In his studies he isolated several compounds from ethanolic brain extracts which he coined cerebrosides. He subjected one of these, phrenosin (now known as galactosylceramide), to acid hydrolysis, and this produced three distinct components. One he identified as a fatty acid and another proved to be an isomer of D-glucose, which is now known as D-galactose. The third component, with an "alkaloidal nature", presented "many enigmas" to Thudichum, and therefore he named it sphingosine, after the mythological riddle of the Sphinx. Today, sphingolipids and their glycosidated derivatives are the subjects of intense study aimed at elucidating their role in the structural integrity of the cell membrane, their participation in recognition and signaling events, and in particular their involvement in pathological processes that are at the basis of human disease (for example, sphingolipidoses and diabetes type 2). This Review details some of the recent findings on the biosynthesis, function, and degradation of glycosphingolipids in man, with a focus on the glycosphingolipid glucosylceramide. Special attention is paid to the clinical relevance of compounds directed at interfering with the factors responsible for glycosphingolipid metabolism.

An Expeditious Synthesis of Iminosugars

A short and expedient synthesis of the potent glycosidase inhibitors, 1-deoxynojirimycin, miglitol, miglustat, 1-deoxymannojirimycin, and 1-deoxygalactonojirimycin is presented.

Stereoselective synthesis of azetidines and pyrrolidines from N-tert-butylsulfonyl(2-aminoalkyl)oxiranes

Base-induced cyclization of enantiopure (2-aminoalkyl)oxiranes allowed the stereospecific formation of pyrrolidin-3-ols and/or 2-(hydroxymethyl)azetidines, depending on the reaction conditions. The oxidation of 2-(hydroxymethyl)azetidines led to azetidine-2-carboxylic acids in high yields.

Synthesis of N-substituted iminosugars from 2'-carbonyl-C-glycofuranosides

Under basic conditions 2'-carbonyl 5-N-substituted-C-glycofuranosides undergo a tandem beta-elimination and intramolecular hetero-Michael addition to form N-substituted iminosugar derivatives in good to excellent yields.

Total synthesis of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors schulzeine A, B, and C and a structural revision of schulzeine A

The enantioselective total synthesis of the potent alpha-glucosidase inhibitors schulzeine A, B, and C and a revision of the proposed C20' configuration of schulzeine A are reported. The central feature of our convergent route to this family of novel marine natural products is the preparation of the common benzo[a]quinolizidine subunit through a substrate-controlled, diastereoselective Pictet-Spengler cyclocondensation.