Synthesis of the JKLM-ring fragment of ciguatoxin

Synthesis of the I-K Fused Polyether Array of CTX3C and Related Ciguatoxins by Use of a Gold-Catalyzed Cyclization Reaction

The I-K fragment (C31-C49) of the ciguatoxin CTX3C has been synthesized from a simple chiral pool derived tetrahydropyranyl alcohol. An efficient gold-catalyzed cyclization reaction of a γ'-hydroxy ynone has been used to accomplish efficient closure of ring K under mild conditions. The resulting vinylogous ester has been elaborated to give a complete tricyclic fragment bearing the dimethyl-substituted side chain required for assembly of the LM spirocyclic acetal portion of the target.

CuBr2-catalyzed diastereoselective allylation: total synthesis of decytospolides A and B and their C6-epimers

An efficient CuBr₂-catalyzed diastereoselective allylation of a cyclic hemiacetal with allyltrimethylsilane as a nucleophile has been developed. The protocol offers a cost effective, protecting group tolerant, and operationally simple approach to 2,6-trans-disubstituted tetrahydropyran with excellent diastereoselectivity. Furthermore, the application of this methodology has been demonstrated in the total synthesis of decytospolides A and B and their C6-epimers.

Enantioselective Intramolecular Nicholas Reaction Catalyzed by Chiral Phosphoric Acid: Enantioconvergent Synthesis of Seven-Membered Cyclic Ethers from Racemic Diols

An enantioconvergent intramolecular Nicholas reaction of racemic diols was developed using BINOL- and SPINOL-derived phosphoric acids as the chiral Brønsted acid catalyst. The developed reaction features an efficient approach to the synthesis of seven-membered cyclic ethers in a highly enantioselective manner. Further derivatization of the enantioenriched cyclic ethers, initiated by the de-complexation of the dicobalt species, afforded densely functionalized cyclic ethers having an unsaturated diester moiety without loss of enantiomeric excess.

Selective Functionalization of Achmatowicz Rearrangement Products by Reactions with Potassium Organotrifluoroborates under Transition-Metal-Free Conditions

The repertoire of synthetic transformations of the products of the Achmatowicz rearrangement has been expanded by exploring their reactivity with potassium organotrifluoroborates in the absence of transition metals. Depending on the reaction conditions and the substitution pattern of the starting material, the reaction may lead to the stereoselective synthesis of dihydropyranones (2,6- trans), tetrahydropyranones (2,3- cis-2,6- cis) or functionalized 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds. The method has also been adapted for the one-pot synthesis of functionalized pyrroles.

Vinylogous Nicholas reactions in the synthesis of bi- and tricyclic cycloheptynedicobalt complexes

The Lewis acid mediated intramolecular Nicholas reactions of allylic acetate enyne-Co₂(CO)₆ complexes afford bicyclic- and tricyclic cycloheptenyne-Co₂(CO)₆ complexes.

Antitumor agents 286. Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of 3'R,4'R-disubstituted-2',2'-dimethyldihydropyrano[2,3-f]chromone (DSP) analogues as potent chemosensitizers to overcome multidrug resistance

In this study, various 3'R,4'R-disubstituted-2',2'-dimethydihydropyrano[2,3-f]chromone (DSP) derivatives were discovered as potent chemosensitizers in the treatment of multidrug resistant cancer cells. Twenty-four DSP analogues (5-28) were synthesized and evaluated against a multidrug resistant (MDR) cell line (KB-Vin) with and without vincristine (VCR). All DSP analogues exhibited low intrinsic cytotoxicity. However, in combination treatment, most DSPs reversed resistance to VCR and lowered the GI₅₀ value of VCR by 12-349-fold. At a concentration of 1 μg/mL, three compounds, 11, 14, and 21, fully reversed resistance to VCR in KB-Vin cancer cells, a 2-fold increase compared to verapamil, a first-generation chemosensitizer. Detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) conclusions were established based on 3' and 4' substitutions. Moreover, a preliminary mechanism study indicated that the chemosensitizing activity of DSP analogues results from inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpressed in MDR cancer cells.

Intramolecular Nicholas reactions in the synthesis of dibenzocycloheptanes. Synthesis of allocolchicine NSC 51046 and analogues and the formal synthesis of (-)-allocolchicine

The preparation of dibenzocycloheptyne-Co(2)(CO)(6) complexes by intramolecular Nicholas reactions of biaryl-2-propargyl alcohol-Co(2)(CO)(6) derivatives is described. Reductive decomplexation of the dibenzocycloheptyne-Co(2)(CO)(6) complexes affords the corresponding dibenzocycloheptenes, individual members of which have been employed in a formal total synthesis of (-)-allocolchicine, the preparation of 6,7-dihydro-3,4,9,10,11-pentamethoxy-5H-dibenzo[a,c]cyclohepten-5-one, and the enantioselective total syntheses of NSC 51046 and its 3,8,9,10-tetramethoxy regioisomer.

Total synthesis of ciguatoxin

Something fishy: Ciguatoxin (see structure) is one of the principal toxins involved in ciguatera poisoning and the target of a total synthesis involving the coupling of three segments. The key transformations in this synthesis feature acetylene-dicobalthexacarbonyl complexation.

Stereocontrolled intramolecular aziridination of glycals: ready access to aminoglycosides and mechanistic insights from DFT studies

Stereocontrolled intramolecular aziridination of the glycal-derived sulfamates offers a highly efficient strategy to divergently prepare aminoglycosides. Rhodium-catalyzed nitrogen-atom transfer to C==C bonds formed semistable aziridines, which were subjected to various nucleophiles (C, O, S, and N) to give cyclic sulfamate-containing aminosugar derivatives selectively. The second nucleophilic displacement of sulfonyloxy moieties of [1,2,3]-oxathiazepane-2,2- dioxides allows straightforward access to aminoglycosides with selective alpha- or beta-linkages. This approach is operationally simple, complements existing methods, and is a versatile protocol for the synthesis of polyfunctionalized amino sugars. In addition, the mechanism of the rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular aziridination of glycals and its ring-opening reaction was extensively studied by using DFT calculations.

Convergent strategies for the total synthesis of polycyclic ether marine metabolites

Marine polycyclic ether natural products continue to fascinate chemists and biologists due to their exceptionally large and complex molecular architectures and potent and diverse biological activities. Tremendous progress has been made over the past decade toward the total synthesis of marine polycyclic ether natural products. In this area, a convergent strategy for assembling small fragments into an entire molecule always plays a key role in successful total synthesis. This review describes our efforts to develop convergent strategies for the synthesis of polycyclic ethers and their application to the total synthesis of gambierol, gymnocin-A, and brevenal, and to the partial synthesis of the central part of ciguatoxins and the nonacyclic polyether skeleton of gambieric acids.

The first total synthesis of sporiolide A

The first total synthesis of the natural cytotoxic agent sporiolide A has been accomplished from D-glucal in 16 steps with 6.1% overall yield. Carbohydrates were applied as the chiral templates to manipulate the absolute configuration during the synthesis. Pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC)-promoted transformation of the cyclic enol-ether to lactone, followed by Yamaguchi esterification and intramolecular ring closure metathesis, greatly facilitates synthesis of the target compound.

Synthesis of sporiolide B from d-glucal

A total synthesis of the 12-membered ring natural macrolide, sporiolide B, was achieved from D-glucal in 17 steps with 4.8% overall yield. The required stereochemical configuration at C-3 and C-5 in sporiolide B was easily introduced by applying a Mitsunobu reaction on the chiral template D-glucal. Yamaguchi esterification and ring closing metathesis greatly improved the access to the target compound.

Convergent Synthesis of the Right-Hand Segment of Ciguatoxin

[reaction: see text] A convergent synthesis of the right-hand half of ciguatoxin (the HIJKLM ring system) has been achieved with complete stereocontrol in the introduction of the stereocenters on the eight-membered I ring. Key steps are Sonogashira coupling, dicobalt complexation, intramolecular conjugate addition, and hydrogenation of an endo-olefin to provide the 39-alpha-methyl group.

Evolution of a practical total synthesis of ciguatoxin CTX3C

More than 20 000 people suffer annually from ciguatera seafood poisoning in subtropical and tropical regions. The extremely low content of the causative neurotoxins, designated as ciguatoxins, in fish has hampered their isolation, detailed biological study, and preparation of anti-ciguatoxin antibodies for detecting these toxins. Ciguatoxins consist of 12 trans-fused polycyclic ethers, ranging from six- to nine-membered, and include a spirally attached five-membered cyclic ether at one end. The large (3 nm in length) and complicated molecular structure of ciguatoxins has impeded chemists from completing their total synthesis. In 2001, we achieved the first total synthesis of ciguatoxin CTX3C by assembly of four structural fragments. Since then, protocols to combine the fragments have significantly improved in terms of overall stereoselectivity, efficiency, and practicality. In this Account, we describe recently evolved methodologies for the total synthesis of CTX3C.

Tethered 2 + 2 + 2 cycloaddition reactions of cobalt–cycloheptyne complexes

Cycloheptyne-dicobalt hexacarbonyl complexes, substituted by propargylic ether functions, undergo 2 + 2 + 2 cycloaddition reactions with alkynes to give tricyclic benzocycloheptanes; an all-intramolecular version of this transformation is also possible.