Sequential cross-metathesis/cyclopropanation: short syntheses of (+/−)-cascarillic acid and (+/−)-grenadamide

Simmons-Smith Cyclopropanation: A Multifaceted Synthetic Protocol toward the Synthesis of Natural Products and Drugs: A Review

Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation is a widely used reaction in organic synthesis for stereospecific conversion of alkenes into cyclopropane. The utility of this reaction can be realized by the fact that the cyclopropane motif is a privileged synthetic intermediate and a core structural unit of many biologically active natural compounds such as terpenoids, alkaloids, nucleosides, amino acids, fatty acids, polyketides and drugs. The modified form of Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation involves the employment of Et2Zn and CH2I2 (Furukawa reagent) toward the total synthesis of a variety of structurally complex natural products that possess broad range of biological activities including anticancer, antimicrobial and antiviral activities. This review aims to provide an intriguing glimpse of the Furukawa-modified Simmons-Smith cyclopropanation, within the year range of 2005 to 2022.

Cannabinomimetric Lipids: From Natural Extract to Artificial Synthesis

Endocannabinoid system is related with various physiological and cognitive processes including fertility, pregnancy, during pre- and postnatal development, pain-sensation, mood, appetite, and memory. In the latest decades, an important milestone concerning the endocannabinoid system was the discovery of the existence of the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2. Anandamide was the first reported endogenous metabolite, which adjusted the release of some neurotransmitters through binding to the CB1 or CB2 receptors. Then a series of cannabinomimetric lipids were extracted from marine organisms, which possessed similar structure with anandamide. This review will provide a short account about cannabinomimetric lipids for their extraction and synthesis.

Recent advances in the syntheses, transformations and applications of 1,1-dihalocyclopropanes

gem-Dihalocyclopropanes have wide-spread applications in organic synthesis due to their versatile chemistry. They can serve as substrates for a large range of useful materials such as natural products, alkaloids, cyclopropanes, heterocycles, aromatic ring systems etc. Normally the dihalocyclopropanes are prepared by the addition of dihalocarbene to alkene, but due to the great synthetic efficacy of gem-dihalocyclopropanes a number of methods have been developed for their synthesis. Generally gem-dihalocyclopropanes exist as strained cyclic systems with astonishing kinetic stability. They are capable of undergoing transformations leading to a variety of products which have potential applications in various synthetic organic chemistry fields.

Marine natural products: synthetic aspects

An overview of marine natural products synthesis during 2007 is provided. As with earlier installments in this series, the emphasis is on total syntheses of molecules of contemporary interest, new total syntheses, and syntheses that have resulted in structure confirmation or stereochemical assignments.1 Introduction, 2 Review articles, 3 Azaspiracid, 4 Polyethers, 5 Guanidinium alkaloids, 6 Amphidinolides, 7 Total syntheses of other compounds, 8 Acknowledgements, 9 References.