Regiospecific synthesis of mono- and bicyclic 6-alkoxy-2-pyrones and their use in the preparation of substituted aromatics, anthraquinones, and tetracyclic intermediates for 11-deoxyanthracycline synthesis

Highly Enantioselective [3 + 2] Annulation of 3-Butynoates with β-Trifluoromethyl Enones Promoted by an Amine-Phosphine Binary Catalytic System

We report a highly enantioselective [3 + 2] annulation between 3-butynoates and β-trifluoromethyl enones, furnishing trifluoromethylated cyclopentenes with three contiguous stereogenic centers in good yields, high diastereoselectivities, and excellent enantioselectivities. A unique catalytic system consisting of a simple amine and a chiral phosphine was devised, and the synergistic play of Lewis basic amine and phosphine was crucial for alkyne isomerization and subsequent cyclization. The protocol disclosed herein allows facile activation of 3-butynoates in phosphine-mediated asymmetric transformations.

Unusual tandem sequence of oxa Diels–Alder reaction, retro Diels–Alder reaction, and oxa 6π-electrocyclic ring opening in the reaction of 6-amino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2H-pyran-2-ones with benzaldehydes

The oxa Diels–Alder reaction of 6-amino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2H-pyran-2-ones with benzaldehydes took an unusual path whereby an unexpected tandem sequence of three reactions yielded 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-1-(piperidin-1-yl/pyrrolidin-1-yl)penta-2,4-dien-1-ones.

In situ intramolecular catalytic 1,2-addition of allenoates to cyclic ketones towards polycyclic allenoates

Sequential deprotonation, isomerization of 3-alkynoates and subsequent 1,2-addition led to bicyclic allenoate in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cs₂CO₃.

Antiviral activity of Aloe hijazensis against some haemagglutinating viruses infection and its phytoconstituents

Evaluation of the antiviral activities of flowers, flower-peduncles, leaves, and roots of Aloe hijazensis against haemagglutinating viruses of avian paramyxovirus type-1 (APMV-1), avian influenza virus type A (AI-H5N1), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and egg-drop syndrome virus (EDSV) in specific pathogen free (SPF) chicken embryos were carried out. Extract of the flowers and leaves showed relatively higher activity than the extracts of other plant parts. Thirteen compounds were isolated from both the flowers and flower-peduncles of A. hijazensis. The isolated compounds were classified into: five anthraquinones; ziganein, ziganein-5-methyl ether, aloesaponarin I, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, one dihydroisocoumarin; feralolide, four flavonoids; homoplantaginin, isoorientin, luteolin 7-glucuronopyranoside, isovitexin, one phenolic acid; p-coumaric acid, the anthrone; barbaloin together with aloenin. Eleven compounds were attributed to the flowers and seven to the flower-peduncles. Homoplantaginin and luteolin 7-glucuronopyranoside are reported here for the first time from Aloe spp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the chemical composition and biological activity of those plant parts.

Copper-catalyzed synthesis of 2,4-disubstituted allenoates from α-diazoesters

A Cu-catalyzed method for coupling α-substituted-α-diazoesters with terminal alkynes to give substituted allenoates is described. Key to the development of a selective method was the recognition that an adventitous base catalyzes the isomerization to form the allenoate product. A plausible mechanism is proposed, based in part on evidence against a mechanism that involves a Cu(I)-acetylide as a low-valent intermediate.

New bioactive compounds from Aloe hijazensis

The chemical constituents and biological activities of leaves and roots of Aloe hijazensis, collected in Saudi Arabia, are reported here for the first time. Twenty-two compounds were obtained, among them eight hydroxyquinones: aloe-emodin (1), emodin (2), chrysophanol (3), aloesaponarin II 3-methyl ether (4), ziganein (5), ziganein-5-methyl ether (6a), aloesaponarin I (7) and chrysophanein (8), the dihydro-isocoumarin feralolide (9), 4,7-dichloro-quinoline (10), the triterpene lupeol (11), the anthrone aloin (12), three aloenin derivatives, aloenin (13) ethylidene-aloenin (14), and aloenin B (15), four flavonoids, quercetin (16), kaempferol (17) cosmosiin (18) and isovitexin (19), and cinnamic acid (20) and two further analogues, caffeic acid (21) and ferulic acid (22). While 15 of the isolated compounds were found in the leaves, 12 were isolated from roots of the plant. Compounds 6a and 10 are reported as new natural constituents, while the compounds 4, 5, 8, and 18 are reported here for the first time from Aloe spp. The structures of the compounds were deduced by intensive studies of their UV, NMR, MS data and by comparison with related structures. The biological activity of plant extracts was studied against various microbial strains, and potent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities were found. [image omitted] [image omitted].

Monodictyquinone A: a New Antimicrobial Anthraquinone from a Sea Urchin-Derived Fungus Monodictys sp

A new antimicrobial anthraquinone, 1,8-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-6-methylanthraquinone, monodictyquinone A (1), was isolated from a culture of a marine-derived fungus of the genus Monodictys which was isolated from the sea urchin, Anthocidaris crassispina, along with three known compounds, pachybasin (2), chrysophanol (3), and emodin (4).

Atropo-enantioselective total synthesis of knipholone and related antiplasmodial phenylanthraquinones

The "lactone concept" has been efficiently employed for the first atropo-enantioselective synthesis of knipholone and related natural phenylanthraquinones. Besides the regio- and stereoselective construction of the biaryl axis, another important step was the "synthetically late" introduction of the C-acetyl group, either by a Friedel-Crafts type acetylation or by an ortho-selective Fries rearrangement first tested on simplified model systems and subsequently applied to the highly atroposelective preparation of the natural products and of simplified analogs thereof for biotesting. The synthetic availability of these natural biaryls, their precursors, and their unnatural analogs permitted a broader investigation of the antiplasmodial activities of these interesting biaryls.

Discovery, total synthesis, HRV 3C-protease inhibitory activity, and structure-activity relationships of 2-methoxystypandrone and its analogues

2-Methoxystypandrone, a naphthoquinone, was isolated from a Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum by bioassay guided fractionation using HRV 3C-protease assay. It showed an IC(50) value of 4.6 microM and is moderately selective. A new 10-step, total synthesis of 2-methoxystypandrone was accomplished in 45% overall yield using a Diels-Alder approach. Several analogues of this compound were prepared. Isolation, synthesis and HRV 3C-protease structure-activity relationships of these compounds have been described.

The detection of 3-methylglutarylcarnitine and a new dicarboxylic conjugate, 3-methylglutaconylcarnitine, in 3-methylglutaconic aciduria

Two patients, diagnosed with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, who presented with diverse clinical and metabolic manifestations, were studied. Glycine conjugation as a possible detoxification mechanism in these two patients yielded negative results. Carnitine conjugates were however detected. 3-Methylglutarylcarnitine was observed in the urine of both patients, while one of the patients excreted detectable quantities of 3-methylglutaconylcarnitine, a previously unknown metabolite. The presence of this metabolite in urine samples from one patient and the apparent correlation between administered carnitine and the conjugate excretion profile seems to indicate that carnitine may play an important role in future therapeutic programmes.