gem-Dihalocyclopropanes as Building Blocks in Natural-Product Synthesis: Enantioselective Total Syntheses ofent-Erythramine and 3-epi-Erythramine

Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Dearomative [4π + 2σ] Cycloaddition of Bicyclobutanes with Isoquinolinium Methylides for the Synthesis of Ring-Fused Azabicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes

Dearomative cycloadditions are valuable for efficiently generating three-dimensional molecular complexity. However, despite recent reports of cycloadditions of bicyclobutanes (BCBs) for the synthesis of aza-bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes (aza-BCHeps), which are bioisosteres of meta-substituted aza-arenes, dearomative cycloaddition of BCBs with N-heteroarenes for the synthesis of ring-fused aza-BCHeps has yet to be achieved. Herein, we disclose a method for Lewis acid-catalyzed [4π + 2σ] cycloaddition of isoquinolinium methylides with BCBs, which furnished a diverse array of previously inaccessible ring-fused 3-aza-BCHeps. We demonstrated the synthetic utility of the method by carrying out scaled-up reactions and transforming the products.

Application of Electrocyclic Ring-Opening and Desymmetrizing Nucleophilic Trappings of meso-6,6-Dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes to Total Syntheses of Crinine and Haemanthamine Alkaloids

The thermally induced electrocyclic ring-opening of C₂-symmetric ( meso) 6,6-dibromobicyclo[3.1.0]hexanes such as 10 in the presence of the chiral, nonracemic 1°-amine 28 afforded a ca. 1:1 mixture of the diastereoisomeric and chromatographically separable 1-amino-2-bromo-2-cyclohexenes 37 (42%) and 38 (45%). Each of these was elaborated over 13 steps, including Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, radical cyclization, and Pictet-Spengler reactions, into (-)- or (+)-crinane (1 or ent-1, respectively). Variations on these protocols were applied to the total syntheses of (+)- and (-)-11-hydroxyvattitine [(+)- and (-)-3], (+)- and (-)-bulbispermine [(+)- and (-)-4], (+)- and (-)-haemanthamine [(+)- and (-)-5], (+)- and (-)-pretazettine [(+)- and (-)-6], and (+)- and (-)-tazettine [(+)- and (-)-7] as well as (±)-hamayne [(±)-8] and (±)-apohaemanthamine [(±)-9]. A number of these alkaloids were synthesized for the first time.

Mechanistic Studies on the Base-Promoted Conversion of Alkoxy-Substituted, Ring-Fused gem-Dihalocyclopropanes into Furans: Evidence for a Process Involving Electrocyclic Ring Closure of a Carbonyl Ylide Intermediate

The mechanism associated with the base-promoted conversion of alkoxy-substituted and ring-fused gem-dihalocyclopropanes such as 40 into annulated furans has been explored. Treatment of compound 40 with potassium tert-butoxide affords a mixture of furans 23/27 and 41, an outcome that suggests the intermediacy of the slowly interconverting carbonyl ylides 42 and 43 that undergo rapid [1,5]-electrocyclizations and subsequent dehydrohalogenation to afford the observed products. This proposal is supported by ab initio MO and DFT calculations that also suggest a vinylcarbene insertion pathway is less likely to be operative.

An Approach to the 9-Oxo-10-oxabicyclo[5.3.0]dec-2-ene Core of the Guaianolide and Pseudoguaianolide Sesquiterpenes via a Domino Electrocyclic Ring-Opening/Carboxylic Acid Trapping of a gem-Dibromocyclopropane

A domino silver(I)-promoted electrocyclic 2π-disrotatory electrocyclic ring-opening/intramolecular nucleophilic trapping of [ n.1.0]-dibromocyclopropanes by tethered carboxylic acids results in cyclization to butyrolactones fused to six- and seven-membered carbocycles. In the case of bicyclic [4.3.0] lactones the cis-fused stereoisomer was formed, whereas for the bicyclic [5.3.0] lactones the trans-fused stereoisomer was formed. Optimal conditions for the reaction used silver(I) trifluoroacetate (2.0 equiv) in trifluoroethanol or with added pyridine (2.0 equiv) and NaPF₆ (5.0 equiv). The dibromocyclopropane precursors were made through cyclopropanation with in situ-generated dibromocarbene. The trans-fused lactones are potentially useful building blocks for pseudoguaianolide, guaianolide, and xanthanolide total synthesis. A computational study on the conformational preferences of these systems indicates that the trans-fused bicyclic [5.3.0] butyrolactones are lower in energy than the corresponding cis-fused lactones at the B3LYP/cc-pVTZ level of theory.

Efficient Preparation of TMSCCl2 Br and Its Use in Dichlorocyclopropanation of Electron-Deficient Alkenes

The reaction of excess TMSCl and LiCCl2 Br at low temperature is a technically simple high yield route to TMSCCl2 Br. The latter is a stable source of the dichlorobromomethide carbanion, which undergoes 1,4-addition with cyclic nitroalkenes and (E)-fumarates leading to dichlorocyclopropanes after bromide expulsion. For nitrostyrenes the reaction arrests at the 1,4-addition product. Low temperature NMR spectroscopy studies and DFT calculations suggest the formation of an "ate" species [(nitronate)SiFMe3 ](-) which, upon boil-off of TMSF at 10-20 °C, yields the cyclopropane. DFT calculations also support the experimental differences between fluoride and acetate as promotors.

An Enantioselective Approach to 4-O-Protected-2-cyclopentene-l,4-diol Derivatives via a Rhodium-Catalyzed Redox-Isomerization Reaction

Kinetic resolution of a series of cyclopentene-1,4-diol derivatives has been successfully achieved with enantiomeric excess up to 99.4% and a kf/ks ratio of 55 by a rhodium-catalyzed redox-isomerization reaction in a noncoordinating solvent.

Stereodivergent synthesis of enantioenriched 4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentenones

Protected 4-hydroxycyclopentenones (4-HCPs) constitute an important class of intermediates in chemical synthesis. A route to this class of compound has been developed. Key steps include Noyori reduction (which establishes the stereochemistry of the product), ring-closing metathesis, and simple functional group conversions to provide a set of substituted 4-HCPs in either enantiomeric form.

Total syntheses of lyconadins A-C

The total synthesis of the Lycopodium alkaloid lyconadin A was accomplished and it was applied to the total syntheses of the related congeners, lyconadins B and C. Lyconadin A has attracted attention as a challenging target for total synthesis due to the unprecedented pentacyclic skeleton. Our synthesis of lyconadin A features a facile construction of the highly fused tetracyclic skeleton through a combination of an aza-Prins reaction and an electrocyclic ring opening, followed by formation of a C-N bond. Transformation of the bromoalkene moiety of the tetracycle to a key enone intermediate was extensively investigated, and three methods via sulfide, oxime, or azide intermediates were established. A pyridone ring was constructed from the key enone intermediate to complete the synthesis of lyconadin A. A dihydropyridone ring could also be formed from the same enone intermediate, leading to a synthesis of lyconadin B. Establishment of the conditions for an electrocyclic ring opening without formation of the C-N bond resulted in completion of the total synthesis of lyconadin C.

A chemoenzymatic total synthesis of the structure assigned to the alkaloid (+)-montabuphine

An enantioselective synthesis of the structure, 3, assigned to the alkaloid (+)-montabuphine has been achieved using the readily available metabolite 4 as starting material. A comparison of the physical and spectral data recorded on compound 3 with those reported for (+)-montabuphine suggests that they are different compounds.

New processes for the synthesis of biologically relevant heterocycles

This article describes the utility of certain readily accessible, ring-fusedgem-dihalogenocyclopropanes as building blocks for the synthesis of heterocyclic and biologically active compounds.