Synthesis of Pinguisane-Type Sesquiterpenoids Acutifolone A, Pinguisenol, and Bisacutifolones by a Diels–Alder Dimerization Reaction

Biomimetic Approaches to the Synthesis of Natural Disesquiterpenoids: An Update

Natural disesquiterpenoids represent a small group of secondary metabolites characterized by complex molecular scaffolds and interesting pharmacological profiles. In the last decade, more than 400 new disesquiterpenoids have been discovered and fully characterized, pointing out once more the "magic touch" of nature in the design of new compounds. The perfect blend of complex and unique architectures and biological activity has made sesquiterpene dimers an attractive and challenging synthetic target, inspiring organic chemists to find new and biomimetic approaches to replicate the efficiency and the selectivity of natural processes under laboratory conditions. In this work, we present a review covering the literature from 2010 to 2020 reporting all the efforts made in the total synthesis of complex natural disesquiterpenoids.

Naturally occurring [4 + 2] type terpenoid dimers: sources, bioactivities and total syntheses

This review article highlights recent progress on their sources, bioactivities, biosynthetic hypotheses and total chemical syntheses of naturally occurring [4 + 2] type terpenoid dimers.

Stereoselective Total Syntheses of Acutifolone A, Bisacutifolone A and B, Pinguisenol, and Isonaviculol

Stereoselective total syntheses of pinguisane type of sesquiterpenoids are described following a unified approach using a chiral building block derived from (R)-pulegone. The functionality embodied in the key intermediate enables their facile elaboration into more complex structures of biological relevance such as acutifolone A (9 steps, 22% overall yield) and bisacutifolone A and B (6 and 8%, respectively) following Furukawa's modified Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation, Luche reduction, Saegusa-Ito oxidation, pyridinium chlorochromate-mediated 1,3-oxidative transposition, and Diels-Alder dimerization as key steps.

Mukaiyama Aldol Reactions in Aqueous Media

Mukaiyama aldol reactions in aqueous media have been surveyed. While the original Mukaiyama aldol reactions entailed stoichiometric use of Lewis acids in organic solvents under strictly anhydrous conditions, Mukaiyama aldol reactions in aqueous media are not only suitable for green sustainable chemistry but are found to produce singular phenomena. These findings led to the discovery of a series of water-compatible Lewis acids such as lanthanide triflates in 1991. Our understanding on these beneficial effects in the presence of water will be deepened through the brilliant examples collected in this review. 1 Introduction 2 Rate Enhancement by Water in the Mukaiyama Aldol Reaction 3 Lewis Acid Catalysis in Aqueous or Organic Solvents 3.1 Water-Compatible Lewis Acids 4 Lewis-Base Catalysis in Aqueous or Organic Solvents 5 The Mukaiyama Aldol Reactions in 100% Water 6 Asymmetric Catalysts in Aqueous Media and Water 7 Conclusions and Perspective.

Cyclizations producing hydrindanones with two methyl groups at the juncture positions mediated by samarium diiodide and electrolysis

One-electron reductive intramolecular cyclization of enones with ketones or aldehydes mediated by samarium diiodide and electrolysis to afford cis-trimethyl- hydrindanolones. The reactions gave selectivities ranging from 1:1 to 100:0 depending on the conditions.

Natural sesquiterpenoids

This review covers the isolation, structural determination, synthesis and chemical and microbiological transformations of natural sesquiterpenoids. 423 references are cited.