Tetrahydrofuran-podands, stereoselective synthesis of trans-2,5-oligo-tetrahydrofurans

Construction of Iterative Tetrahydrofuran Ring Units and Total Synthesis of (+)-Goniocin

Cytotoxic acetogenin (+)-goniocin has been synthesized in 17 steps from (R)-O-tritylglycidol. The core structure of the contiguous C22-C10 threo-trans-threo-trans-threo-trans-tris-tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring involving an iterative THF-ring unit was synthesized. An iterative THF ring unit was constructed from an alkenyl-substituted THF ring in four steps including a Pd(II)-catalyzed ring-closing reaction and cross-metathesis. This method is general and allows the preparation of both trans-threo-trans- and trans-threo-cis-THF ring units flexibly.

[3 + 2]-Annulation Reactions of Chiral Allylsilanes and Chiral Aldehydes. Studies on the Synthesis of Bis-tetrahydrofuran Substructures of Annonaceous Acetogenins

[Structure: See text] Double asymmetric [3 + 2]-annulation reactions of chiral beta-silyloxyallylsilanes with chiral 2-tetrahydrofuranyl carboxaldehydes have been studied, leading to the stereocontrolled synthesis of six diastereomeric bis-tetrahydrofuran structures corresponding to the core subunits of members of the Annonaceous acetogenin family of natural products. Transition-state models are proposed to account for the stereoselectivity of the double-stereodifferentiating [3 + 2]-annulation reactions.

Highly diastereoselective synthesis of trans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans

trans-2,5-Disubstituted tetrahydrofurans were obtained as major diastereomers (trans/cis ratio 90:10-100:0) when acetylated gamma-lactols derived from (S)-glutamic acid were treated with titanium enolates of N-acetyl (R)-oxazolidin-2-thiones. A simple transesterification allowed us to obtain the corresponding methyl esters and recover the chiral auxiliary.

Systematic synthesis of Bis-THF ring cores in annonaceous acetogenins

Systematic synthesis of bis-THF ring cores, synthetic intermediates of adjacent bis-THF annonaceous acetogenins, has been achieved by asymmetric alkynylation and subsequent stereodivergent THF ring formation. The asymmetric alkynylation of alpha-tetrahydrofuranic aldehyde with (S)-3-butyne-1,2-diol derivatives gave good yields of erythro- and threo-adducts with very high diastereoselectivity. These adducts were converted into four types of bis-THF cores via two kinds of one-pot THF ring formation. [reaction: see text]

Highly stereoselective and stereodivergent synthesis of four types of THF cores in acetogenins using a C4-chiral building block

[reaction: see text] Four stereoisomers of the THF cores, synthetic intermediates of acetogenins, have been synthesized with high diastereoselectivity by asymmetric alkynylation and subsequent stereodivergent THF ring formation. The asymmetric alkynylation of alpha-oxyaldehyde with (S)-3-butyne-1,2-diol derivatives (C4-unit) gave good yields of syn and anti adducts with >97:3 dr and 94:6 dr, respectively. These adducts were converted into the four types of THF compounds via one-pot THF formation or via intramolecular Williamson synthesis.

Total asymmetric synthesis of the putative structure of the cytotoxic diterpenoid (-)-sclerophytin a and of the authentic natural sclerophytins A and B

An enantioselective synthetic route to the thermodynamically most stable diastereomer of the structure assigned to sclerophytin A (5) has been realized. The required tricyclic ketone 33 was prepared by sequential Tebbe-Claisen rearrangement of lactones 29 and 30, which originated from the Diels-Alder cycloaddition of Danishefsky's diene to (5S)-5-(d-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone (14). An allyl and a cyano group were introduced into the resulting adduct by means of stereocontrolled allylindation under aqueous Barbier-like conditions and by way of cyanotrimethylsilane, respectively. Following stereocontrolled nucleophilic addition of a methyl group to 33, ring A was elaborated by formation of the silyl enol ether, ytterbium triflate-catalyzed condensation with formaldehyde, O-silylation, and Cu(I)-promoted 1,4-addition of isopropylmagnesium chloride. The superfluous ketone carbonyl was subsequently removed and the second ether bridge introduced by means of oxymercuration chemistry. Only then was the exocyclic methylene group unmasked via elimination. An alternative approach to the alpha-carbinol diastereomer proceeds by initial alpha-oxygenation of 37 and ensuing 1,2-carbonyl transposition. Neither this series of steps nor the Wittig olefination to follow induced epimerization at C10. Through deployment of oxymercuration chemistry, it was again possible to elaborate the dual oxygen-bridge network of the target ring system. Oxidation of the organomercurial products with O(2) in the presence of sodium borohydride furnished 72, which was readily separated from its isomer 73 after oxidation to 61. Hydride attack on this ketone proceeded with high selectivity from the beta-direction to deliver (-)-60. Comparison of the high-field (1)H and (13)C NMR properties and polarity of synthetic 5 with natural material required that structural revision be made. Following a complete spectral reassessment of the structural assignments to many sclerophytin diterpenes, a general approach to sclerophytin A, three diastereomers thereof, and of sclerophytin B was devised. The presence of two oxygen bridges as originally formulated was thereby ruled out, and absolute configurations were properly determined. Key elements of the strategy include dihydroxylation of a medium-ring double bond, oxidation of the secondary hydroxyl in the two resulting diols, unmasking of an exocyclic methylene group at C-11, and stereocontrolled 1,2-reduction of the alpha-hydroxy ketone functionality made available earlier.

Formal synthesis of uvaricin via palladium-mediated double cyclization

[see reaction]. A novel palladium-mediated, ligand-controlled double cyclization is reported. The C2-symmetric diene produced was desymmetrized via Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and was further transformed into a known intermediate in the synthesis of uvaricin.

Synthesis of the alleged structure of sclerophytin A. The setting of two oxygen bridges within the fused cyclodecanol B ring is not Nature's Way

[reaction: see text] The structure attributed to sclerophytin A, a cytotoxic soft coral metabolite, was synthesized in an enantioselective manner from (5S)-5-(d-menthyloxy)-2(5H)-furanone. The spectral properties and polarity of the synthetic product require that the structural assignment to the natural material be revised.