A simple synthesis of cis-inositol

The "Other" Inositols and Their Phosphates: Synthesis, Biology, and Medicine (with Recent Advances in myo-Inositol Chemistry)

Cell signaling via inositol phosphates, in particular via the second messenger myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, and phosphoinositides comprises a huge field of biology. Of the nine 1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol isomers, myo-inositol is pre-eminent, with "other" inositols (cis-, epi-, allo-, muco-, neo-, L-chiro-, D-chiro-, and scyllo-) and derivatives rarer or thought not to exist in nature. However, neo- and d-chiro-inositol hexakisphosphates were recently revealed in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, thus highlighting the paucity of knowledge of the origins and potential biological functions of such stereoisomers, a prevalent group of environmental organic phosphates, and their parent inositols. Some "other" inositols are medically relevant, for example, scyllo-inositol (neurodegenerative diseases) and d-chiro-inositol (diabetes). It is timely to consider exploration of the roles and applications of the "other" isomers and their derivatives, likely by exploiting techniques now well developed for the myo series.

Synthesis of bishomoinositols and an entry for construction of a substituted 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane skeleton

1,3,3a,7a-Tetrahydro-2-benzofuran was used as key compound for the synthesis of various bishomoinositol derivatives. The diene was subjected to an epoxidation reaction for further functionalization of the diene unit. The bisepoxide obtained was submitted to a ring-opening reaction with acid in the presence of water. Various bishomoinositols were synthesized. However, when the reaction was carried out in the presence of acetic anhydride, a substituted 3-oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane skeleton was formed. The mechanism of the formation of the products is discussed.

[Synthetic studies on sugar-related bioactive substances based on the ring transformation]

The development of two novel ring conversions of sugar derivatives is described. The first is an efficient conversion of 5-enopyranosides and 6-O-acetyl-5-enopyranosides to the corresponding substituted cyclohexanones mediated by a catalytic amount of palladium dichloride. After a survey of various substrates, the reaction was confirmed to be general and useful. Syntheses of bioactive compounds utilizing this method were therefore investigated. Cyclophellitol, which is a potent beta-glucoidase inhibitor, and its diastereoisomer were efficiently synthesized. Furthermore, novel synthesis of all enantiomerically pure diastereoisomers of inositol starting with 6-O-acetyl-5-enopyranosides was investigated. Good accessibility of these enantiomerically pure inositol diastereoisomers results in the efficient syntheses of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. The second investigation involved novel and efficient conversion of D-glycono-1,5-lactones into the corresponding L-sugars. The important intermediate, delta-hydroxyalkoxamate, was provided by a practical alkoxyamination of D-glycono-1,5-lactones mediated by Me3Al. In contrast to the preparation of beta-lactam skeletons from beta-hydroxyalkoxamates, the cyclization of delta-hydroxyalkoxamates under Mitsunobu conditions resulted in O-alkylation rather than N-alkylation. It is noteworthy that delta-hydroxyalkoxamates derived from D-mannono-1,5-lactones afforded the O-alkylation product in 91% yield. No N-alkylation product was detected in this case. These O-cyclized oximes, in which the inversion of the configuration at C5 was secured, were efficiently converted into L-sugars.

Facile syntheses of all possible diastereomers of conduritol and various derivatives of inositol stereoisomers in high enantiopurity from myo-inositol

Phosphoinositide-based signaling processes are crucially important in intracellular signal transduction events. Inositol phosphate analogues have been useful in probing the structure-activity relationships between inositol phosphates and biomacromolecules, and in studying biological functions of newly found inositol phosphates. Thus, a systematic and ready access to inositol stereoisomers is highly desirable. And practical and convenient syntheses of conduritols and related compounds are also important because of their biological activities and their synthetic utilities in the preparation of other bioactive molecules. We herein report the first syntheses of all possible diastereomers of conduritol and various derivatives of eight inositol stereoisomers in high enantiopurity from myo-inositol, which involve efficient enzymatic resolution of the intermediates conduritol B and C derivatives, followed by oxidation-reduction or the Mitsunobu reaction, and cis-dihydroxylation in stereo- and regioselective manners.

Novel synthesis of enantiomerically pure natural inositols and their diastereoisomers

The various inositol polyphosphates have been found to trigger many important biological processes. Although the knowledge of this phosphoinositide signaling system has been discovered in the past 10 years, many factors remain unclear. For this reason, there is an increased demand for supplies of D-myo-inositol and particularly of novel analogues to investigate these biological mechanisms in more detail. Herein, we report the efficient syntheses of all diastereoisomers of inositol starting with 6-O-acetyl-5-enopyranosides. Conversion of 6-O-acetyl-5-enopyranosides into the corresponding substituted cyclohexanones (Ferrier-II rearrangement) was found to proceed efficiently with a catalytic amount of palladium dichloride. Stereoselective reduction of beta-hydroxy ketones obtained provided the precursors to all inositol diastereoisomers in good to excellent yields and with high stereoselectivities. Good accessibility of these enantiomerically pure inositol diastereoisomers results in the efficient syntheses of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate.

myo-Inositol 4,6-carbonate: an easily prepared small molecule with three syn-axial hydroxyl groups

myo-Inositol 4,6-carbonate, a compound having three syn-axial hydroxyl groups, was synthesized in four steps suitable for gram-scale preparation. It readily forms complexes with cations.

Practical synthesis of all inositol stereoisomers from myo-inositol

Synthesis of six inositol stereoisomers was successfully carried out via conduritol intermediates prepared from myo-inositol. Dihydroxylation and epoxidation followed by ring opening of the conduritol B, C and F derivatives gave epi-, allo-, muco-, neo-, DL-chiro- and scyllo-inositol. The cis-inositol derivative, which may not be prepared by this approach, was synthesized in 5 steps via 2-O-benzoyl-myo-inositol orthoformate as the key intermediate.

Siderophore-mediated iron transport: crystal structure of FhuA with bound lipopolysaccharide

FhuA, the receptor for ferrichrome-iron in Escherichia coli, is a member of a family of integral outer membrane proteins, which, together with the energy-transducing protein TonB, mediate the active transport of ferric siderophores across the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. The three-dimensional structure of FhuA is presented here in two conformations: with and without ferrichrome-iron at resolutions of 2.7 and 2.5 angstroms, respectively. FhuA is a beta barrel composed of 22 antiparallel beta strands. In contrast to the typical trimeric arrangement found in porins, FhuA is monomeric. Located within the beta barrel is a structurally distinct domain, the "cork," which mainly consists of a four-stranded beta sheet and four short alpha helices. A single lipopolysaccharide molecule is noncovalently associated with the membrane-embedded region of the protein. Upon binding of ferrichrome-iron, conformational changes are transduced to the periplasmic pocket of FhuA, signaling the ligand-loaded status of the receptor. Sequence homologies and mutagenesis data are used to propose a structural mechanism for TonB-dependent siderophore-mediated transport across the outer membrane.