A short stereocontrolled synthesis of leukotriene B4

A Stereocontrolled Total Synthesis of Lipoxin B4 and its Biological Activity as a Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediator of Neuroinflammation

Two stereocontrolled, efficient, and modular syntheses of eicosanoid lipoxin B4 (LXB4 ) are reported. One features a stereoselective reduction followed by an asymmetric epoxidation sequence to set the vicinal diol stereocentres. The dienyne was installed via a one-pot Wittig olefination and base-mediated epoxide ring opening cascade. The other approach installed the diol through an asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction followed by a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination to afford the common dienyne intermediate. Finally, a Sonogashira coupling and an alkyne hydrosilylation/proto-desilylation protocol furnished LXB4 in 25 % overall yield in just 10 steps. For the first time, LXB4 has been fully characterized spectroscopically with its structure confirmed as previously reported. We have demonstrated that the synthesized LXB4 showed similar biological activity to commercial sources in a cellular neuroprotection model. This synthetic route can be employed to synthesize large quantities of LXB4 , enable synthesis of new analogs, and chemical probes for receptor and pathway characterization.

Total Synthesis and Biological Activity of the Arachidonic Acid Metabolite Hemiketal E2

The total synthesis of hemiketal E₂ (HKE₂) has been accomplished using a gold(I)-mediated cycloisomerization followed by oxidation of the enol ether product to introduce a unique keto-hemiketal, the core structure of HKE₂. Synthetic hemiketal E₂ reproduced biosynthetically derived HKE₂ in the inhibition of human platelet aggregation.

An efficient total synthesis of leukotriene B4

A convergent and stereoselective synthesis of leukotriene B₄ has been achived in 5% yield over 10 steps in the longest linear sequence.

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of the potent anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediator resolvin D3 and its aspirin-triggered 17R-epimer

The first total synthesis of stereochemically pure resolvin D3 and aspirin-triggered resolvin D3 is reported. These enzymatic metabolites of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have potent anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving actions. The convergent synthetic strategy is based on enantiomerically pure starting materials, and it is highly stereocontrolled.

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of neuroprotectin D1 / protectin D1 and its aspirin-triggered stereoisomer

Neuroprotectin D1 / protectin D1, a potent anti-inflammatory, proresolving, and neuroprotective lipid mediator derived biosynthetically from docosahexaenoic acid, was prepared in enantiomerically pure form via total organic synthesis. The synthetic strategy is highly stereocontrolled and convergent, featuring epoxide opening of glycidol starting materials for the introduction of the 10(R) and 17(S) hydroxyl groups. The desired alkene Z geometry was secured via the cis-reduction of alkyne precursors, while the conjugated E,E,Z triene was introduced at the end, in order to minimize Z/E isomerization. The same strategy, was also employed for the total synthesis of aspirin-triggered neuroprotectin D1 / protectin D1 having the 17(R)-stereochemistry. Synthetic compounds obtained with the reported method were matched with endogenously derived materials, and helped establish their complete stereochemistry.

Tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF)-catalyzed addition of substituted trialkylsilylalkynes to aldehydes, ketones, and trifluoromethyl ketones

Herein we report that tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF) is a very efficient catalyst for the addition of trialkylsilylalkynes to aldehydes, ketones, and trifluoromethyl ketones in THF solvent at room temperature. The reaction conditions are mild and operationally simple, and a variety of aryl functional groups, such as chloro, trifluoromethyl, bromo, and fluoro groups, are tolerated. Impressively, using our protocol, useful CF(3)-bearing tertiary propargylic alcohols can be synthesized. Product yields are generally better than or comparable to those in the literature. 1-Phenyl-2-trimethylsilyl acetylene, trimethyl ((4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)ethynyl)silane, 1-trimethylsilyl-1-hexyne, and trimethyl(thiophen-3-ylethynyl)silane underwent clean conversion to their corresponding propargylic alcohols as products under our conditions. Heterocyclic carbonyl compounds, such as furan-3-carboxaldehyde, thiophene-3-carboxaldehyde, and 2-pyridyl ketone, gave good yields of propargylic alcohols.

An atom-economic and selective ruthenium-catalyzed redox isomerization of propargylic alcohols. An efficient strategy for the synthesis of leukotrienes

Catalytic ruthenium complexes in conjunction with an indium cocatalyst and Bronsted acid isomerize primary and secondary propargylic alcohols in good yields to provide trans enals and enones exclusively. Readily available indenylbis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium chloride, in the presence of indium triflate and camphorsulfonic acid, gives the best turnover numbers and reactivity with the broadest range of substrates. Deuterium labeling experiments suggest that the process occurs through propargylic hydride migration followed by protic cleavage of the resultant vinylruthenium intermediate. Application of this method to the synthesis of leukotriene B4 demonstrates its utility and extraordinary selectivity.

Highly enantioselective alkyne additions to aldehydes in the presence of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol and hexamethylphosphoramide

It is found that the addition of hexamethylphosphoramide to the solution of an alkyne, Et(2)Zn, and (S)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol in methylene chloride allows the generation of an alkynylzinc at room temperature and shows highly enantioselective additions to aldehydes. The mild condition for the formation of the alkynylzinc reagent enables the use of functional alkynes in this asymmetric reaction with excellent enantioselectivity. It avoids the reflux of the toluene solutions of the alkynes and Et(2)Zn as previously reported.

Synthesis and structure of trigonal and tetragonal connectors for a "Tinkertoy" construction set

We describe a convergent synthesis of eight 1,3,5- and 1,2,4,5-substituted benzene derivatives with long rigid arms containing 4-pyridyl, 2,2'-bipyridyl, and 2,2'-bipyrimidyl termini, meant to be used as trigonal or tetragonal connectors for the construction of large molecular structures. The synthesis involved copper-free Pd-mediated coupling of terminal acetylenes to aryl halides. First, one of the termini of 1,3-diethynylbicyclo[1.1.1]pentane was coupled with a brominated aza heterocycle, and second, 3 equiv of the resulting extended arm were coupled with 1,3,5-triiodobenzene or 4 with 1,2,4,5-tetraiodobenzene. An improved large-scale synthesis for 1,3-diethynylbicyclo[1.1.1]pentane is described. The structures of two of the arms were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Several long molecular rods with 4-pyridyl termini were obtained as byproducts, and a single-crystal X-ray structure is reported for the shortest of these.

A Key Intermediate towards Oxylipins. A Formal Synthesis of (12S)-HETE and (12S)-LTB4

A key intermediate in the synthesis of various oxylipins, the optically active (3 S,5 Z)-3-methoxymethoxyundec-5-en-1-yne, has been obtained in 11 steps starting from propane-1,3-diol, with an overall yield of 14%.