Novel resolution of the anthracyclinone intermediate by the use of (2r, 3r)-(+)- and (2s, 3s)-(-).1,4-bis(4-chlorobenzyloxy)butane-2,3-diol

Synthesis of l-threitol-based crown ethers and their application as enantioselective phase transfer catalyst in Michael additions

A few new l-threitol-based lariat ethers incorporating a monoaza-15-crown-5 unit were synthesized starting from diethyl l-tartrate. These macrocycles were used as phase transfer catalysts in asymmetric Michael addition reactions under mild conditions to afford the adducts in a few cases in good to excellent enantioselectivities. The addition of 2-nitropropane to trans-chalcone, and the reaction of diethyl acetamidomalonate with β-nitrostyrene resulted in the chiral Michael adducts in good enantioselectivities (90% and 95%, respectively). The substituents of chalcone had a significant impact on the yield and enantioselectivity in the reaction of diethyl acetoxymalonate. The highest enantiomeric excess (ee) values (99% ee) were measured in the case of 4-chloro- and 4-methoxychalcone. The phase transfer catalyzed cyclopropanation reaction of chalcone and benzylidene-malononitriles using diethyl bromomalonate as the nucleophile (MIRC reaction) was also developed. The corresponding chiral cyclopropane diesters were obtained in moderate to good (up to 99%) enantioselectivities in the presence of the threitol-based crown ethers.

Novel use of N-benzoyl-N,O-acetals as N-acylimine equivalents in asymmetric heterocycloaddition: an extended enantioselective pathway to beta-benzamido aldehydes

For the first time, easily available N-(alpha-methoxyalkyl)amides were successfully used as synthetic equivalents of N-acylimines in an asymmetric heterocycloaddition process. The facial-controlled formation of 6-alkoxydihydrooxazines was thus achieved by SnCl(4)-promoted heterocycloaddition of (R)-O-vinyl pantolactone. By simple acidic hydrolysis of the crude heteroadducts, new beta-aryl- and beta-alkyl-substituted benzamido aldehydes were thus obtained in good overall yields with high enantioselectivities.

Asymmetric Synthesis and DNA Intercalation of (-)-6-[[(Aminoalkyl)oxy]methyl]-4-demethoxy-6,7- dideoxydaunomycinones(1)(,)

The BF(3).Et(2)O-promoted Diels-Alder addition of 1-acetylvinyl RADO(Et)-ate (RADO(Et)-ate = 3-ethyl-2-oxo-6,8-dioxa-3-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-7-exo-carboxylate) to 1-(dimethoxymethyl)-2,3,5,6-tetramethylidene-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane led to one major monoadduct that added to 1,2-didehydrobenzene and was converted into (-)-4-demethoxy-7-deoxydaunomycinone and (2R)-12-acetoxy-2-acetyl-5-(bromomethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthacen-2-yl RADO(Et)-ate. The latter compound was used to construct (8R)-8-acetyl-6,8-dihydroxy-11-[[(3'-[(aminopropyl)oxy]-, -4'-[(aminobutyl)oxy], and -5'-[(aminopentyl)oxy]methyl]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione hydrochloride (-)-8, (-)-9, (-)-10, respectively, as well as (8R)-8-acetyl-6,8-dihydroxy-11- [[[2'-[(3"-aminopropyl)amino]ethyl]oxy]- ((-)-11) and -[[3'-[(3"-aminopropyl)amino]propyl]oxy]methyl]-7,8,9, 10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione hydrochloride ((-)-12). (8R)-8-Acetyl-6,8-dihydroxy-11-[[(alpha-L-daunosaminyl)oxy]methyl]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione hydrochloride ((-)-13), a mimic of idarubicin, was also prepared. Absorbance and fluorescence titration experiments showed (-)-8, (-)-9, and (-)-10 to intercalate calf thymus DNA whereas (-)-11, (-)-12, and (-)-13 did not. The best intercalator was (-)-9 (K(b) = (1.1 +/- 0.1) x 10(5) M(-)(1)) with the [(4'-aminobutyl)oxy]methyl chain. Inhibition of topoisomerase II-induced DNA strand religation was observed for (-)-8 at a concentration of 50 &mgr;M.