The Chemistry of Coumarin Derivatives. Part 5. Unusual course of the reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin and aliphatic aldehydes

Ultrasound-enhanced one-pot synthesis of 3-(Het)arylmethyl-4-hydroxycoumarins in water

3-(Aryl)methyl-4-hydroxycoumarins were produced in good to excellent yields by reaction between 4-hydroxycoumarin and (hetero)aromatic aldehydes in the presence of Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine (HEH) which works as an hydride donor (i.e., in a sequential Knoevenagel-reductive Michael addition). The sonochemical-assisted procedure (method B) provides an improved and accelerated conversion when compared to conventional silent reactions (method A). Experiments carried out according to method B showed that the reaction could be more efficiently run in the absence of organic solvents, at 30-40°C in open vessel, without the need of an excess HEH and with simplified work-up and separation procedures.

Arzanol, an anti-inflammatory and anti-HIV-1 phloroglucinol alpha-Pyrone from Helichrysum italicum ssp. microphyllum

An acetone extract of Helichrysum italicum ssp. microphyllum afforded the phloroglucinol alpha-pyrone arzanol (1a) as a potent NF-kappaB inhibitor. Arzanol is identical with homoarenol (2a), whose structure should be revised. The phloroglucinol-type structure of arzanol and the 1,2,4-trihydroxyphenyl-type structure of the base-induced fragmentation product of homoarenol could be reconciled in light of a retro-Fries-type fragmentation that triggers a change of the hydroxylation pattern of the aromatic moiety. On the basis of these findings, the structure of arenol, the major constituent of the clinically useful antibiotic arenarin, should be revised from 2b to 1b, solving a long-standing puzzle over its biogenetic derivation. An alpha-pyrone (micropyrone, 7), the monoterpene rac-E-omega-oleoyloxylinalol (10), four known tremetones (9a-d), and the dimeric pyrone helipyrone (8) were also obtained. Arzanol inhibited HIV-1 replication in T cells and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated primary monocytes, qualifying as a novel plant-derived anti-inflammatory and antiviral chemotype worth further investigation.

Stereoselective trans- and cis-dihydroxylations of 2H-pyranyl and dihydropyridinyl heterocycles synthesized from formal [3 + 3]-cycloaddition reactions of alpha,beta-unsaturated iminium ions with 1,3-dicarbonyl equivalents

[reaction: see text]We describe here an inherent problem in direct epoxidation of the endocyclic olefin in 2H-pyrans fused to 2-pyrones. Such difficulties led to the development of highly stereoselective trans- and cis-dihydroxylations of these olefinic systems in both 2H-pyrans and dihydropyridines fused to a 2-pyrones or a 2-cyclohexenone. Protocols for the removal of the activated allylic hydroxyl group are also reported.