A diastereoselective synthesis of 4-azidotetrahydropyrans via the Prins-cyclization

One-pot construction of carbohydrate scaffolds mediated by metal catalysts

Owing to the environmental concern worldwide and also due to cost, time and labour issues, use of one-pot reactions [domino/cascade/tandem/multi-component (MC) or sequential] has gained much attention among the scientific and industrial communities for the generation of compound libraries having different scaffolds. Inclusion of sugars in such compounds is expected to increase the pharmacological efficacy because of the possibility of better interactions with the receptors of such unnatural glycoconjugates. In many of the one-pot transformations, the presence of a metal salt/complex can improve the reaction/change the course of reaction with remarkable increase in chemo-/regio-/stereo-selectivity. On the other hand because of the importance of natural polymeric glycoconjugates in life processes, the development and efficient synthesis of related oligosaccharides, particularly utilising one-pot MC-glycosylation techniques are necessary. The present review is an endeavour to discuss one-pot transformations involving carbohydrates catalysed by a metal salt/complex.

Diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydropyrans via Prins–Ritter and Prins–arylthiolation cyclization reactions

Highly diastereoselective Prins–Ritter and Prins-arylthiolation cyclization reactions have been developed for the synthesis of two novel classes of tetrahydropyran derivatives.

Enantioselective Prins cyclization: BINOL-derived phosphoric acid and CuCl synergistic catalysis

The synergistic catalysis between a chiral phosphoric acid and CuCl allows the development of the first enantioselective Prins cyclization.

Bismuth(III) salts as synthetic tools in organic transformations

Bismuth is the heaviest stable element of the periodic table and even though it carries the status of heavy metal, it is rated as relatively nontoxic and noncarcinogenic unlike its neighboring elements. Additionally, the fact that it tolerates air and moisture makes the chemistry of bismuth attractive to synthetic chemists. The catalytic nature of this metal is attributed to the capability of its salts to acts as Lewis acids in reactions. The nontoxicity together with the ability to endure moisture makes bismuth compounds favorites of chemists and scientists who are concerned about environmental hazards, and such properties are highly desirable for scale-up of a method. The Lewis acidic nature of salts of this element have been thoroughly investigated in various types of reactions such as cycloaddition reactions, reactions of sugars, protection and deprotection reactions, synthesis of heterocyclic systems etc. Since the 1990s, various research groups have successfully utilized this catalytic nature for many organic transformations. Our group's contribution towards the development of methodologies that are useful in accomplishing various functional group manipulations by making use of the catalytic properties of bismuth salts is portrayed here. The mechanistic aspects and the catalytic efficiency of the bismuth(III) salts are accented together with the synthetic utility and the biological and pharmacological applications of the methodologies developed.