Synthetic Approach to the ABCD Ring System of Anticancer Agent Fredericamycin A via Claisen Rearrangement and Ring-Closing Metathesis as Key Steps

Total Synthesis, structure revision and antifungal activity of palmarumycin B8 and B7

Palmarymycins B8 (1), its regioisomer (2) and B7 (3) were synthesized via 10-, 9-, and 11-steps in 6.5 %, 2.3 % and 0.54 % overall yields from chroman-4-one (4), 4-hydroxyindanone (12), and 2,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (20) as the starting materials, using benzyl protection, enol trimethylsilyl ether by TMSOTf, Rubottom oxidation and deprotection with hydrogenation under Pd/C catalyst as the key steps, respectively. Their structures were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, COSY, HSQC, HMBC and HR-ESI-MS spectral data. The structure of palmarumycin B8 was revised from 1 to 2 based on the total synthesis, 2D NMR analysis and DFT calculation. The antifungal assay results indicated that palmarumycin B8 (1) showed moderate inhibitory activity against Phytophthora capsica. Compounds 15 and 16 exhibited excellent in vitro antifungal activities against P. capsica with EC50 values of 2.17 and 8.50 μg/mL, respectively.

Spirocyclization and Michael addition of 3-benzylidene succinimides: route to spirocyclopentapyrrolidine-tetraones and benzylidene N-arylpyrrolidine-diones

Reactions of 3-benzylidene succinimides with 2-substituted 2-hydroxy-indane-1,3-diones and unsaturated pyrazolones are carried out under basic conditions to afford spirocyclized derivatives and Michael adducts, respectively, with high regio- and stereo-selectivities. The most notable aspect of the reaction is the ability of highly reactive benzylidene succinimide to act as both an electrophile and a nucleophile causing spirocyclization. The reaction proceeded under mild and metal-free conditions and products were isolated in good to high yields. The current strategy utilizes simple and easily accessible precursors, and provides functionally rich products of medicinal interest with two to four contiguous stereogenic centres and complete regioselectivity with excellent diastereoselectivity.

A consecutive synthesis of spiro[cyclopenta[b]pyrrole-5,2'-indene] derivatives via spirocyclization/annulation reactions

The reaction between ninhydrin-malononitrile adduct [2-(1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-inden-2-ylidene)malononitrile] and ethyl 2-(alkylamino)-4-aryl-4-oxo-but-2-enoates (prepared from ethyl 2,4-dioxo-4-arylbutanoate and alkylamines) in the presence of Et3N in MeCN at room temperature afforded 3-alkylamino-2-aryloyl-1',3',4-trioxo-1',3'-dihydrospiro[cyclopentane-1,2'-inden]-2-ene-5,5-dicarbonitriles in 78-95% yields. Five derivatives of these NH-acidic compounds are used to intercept the reactive zwitterionic intermediates generated from dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and Ph3P to produce dimethyl 4,4-dicyano-6-aryloyl-1-alkyl-1',3'-dioxo-1',2,3',4-tetrahydro-1H-spiro[cyclopenta[b]pyrrole-5,2'-indene]-2,3-dicarboxylates. Radical scavenging activity of four derivatives was investigated by radical trapping of diphenylpicrylhydrazine and ferric reduction power experiments. The antibacterial activities of six derivatives were studied by disk diffusion test on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Annulations involving 1-indanones to access fused- and spiro frameworks

Indanones are prominent motifs found in number of natural products and pharmaceuticals. Particularly, 1-indanones occupy important niche in chemical landscape due to their easy accessibility and versatile reactivity. In the past few years, significant advancement has been achieved regarding cyclization of 1-indanone core. The present review focuses on recent (2016-2022) annulations involving 1-indanones for the construction of fused- and spirocyclic frameworks. In this context, new strategies for synthesis of various carbocyclic as well as heterocyclic skeletons are demonstrated. Mechanistic aspects of representative reactions are illustrated for better understanding of reaction pathways. A large number of transformations described in this review offer stereoselective formation of desired polycyclic compounds. Importantly, several reactions provide biologically relevant compounds and natural products, such as, plecarpenene/plecarpenone, swinhoeisterol A, cephanolides A-D, diptoindonesin G and atlanticone C.

Modular Approaches to Cyclopentanoids and their Heteroanalogs

Cyclopentanoids and their derivatives are interesting targets in synthetic organic chemistry due to their extensive applications in various branches of chemical sciences like pharmaceuticals, natural and non-natural products. In view of these applications, several synthetic strategies have been developed in the past three to four decades. In this article, we describe our work towards the synthesis of cyclopentanoids and their heteroanalogs involving diverse synthetic strategies during the past two decades. Among these, photo-thermal olefin metathesis, ring-closing metathesis, ring-rearrangement metathesis, cyclopentane annulation, [2+2+2] cycloaddition and Diels–Alder reactions have been used to assemble cyclopentane rings of diverse architecture.

1 Introduction

2 Synthesis of Spiro[4.4]nonane (A1) Derivatives

3 Synthesis of Octahydropentalene (A2) Derivatives

4 Synthesis of Linear Triquinanes (A3)

5 Synthesis Spiro Triquinanes (A4)

6 Synthesis of Angular Triquinane (A5) Systems

7 Synthesis of Hexahydro-2′H-spiro[cyclopentane-1,1′-pentalene] (A6) Ring System

8 Synthesis of Dispiro[4.1.47.25]tridecane (A7) Ring System

9 Synthesis of Hexahydro-1H-3a,7a-propanoindene Ring System

10 Synthesis of Linear Tetraquinanes (A11 and A12)

11 Synthesis of Tetrahydro-1′H,3′H-dispiro[cyclopentane-1,2′-pentalene-5′,1′′-cyclopentane] (A13) Ring System

12 Synthesis of Decahydro-1H,8H-dicyclopenta[a,h]pentalene (A14) Ring System

13 Synthesis of Dodecahydro-1H-dicyclopenta[a,d]pentalene (A15) Ring System

14 Synthesis of Octahydro-1′H-spiro[cyclopentane-1,2′-cyclopenta[c]pentalene] (A16) Ring System

15 Synthesis of Decahydrospiro[cyclopentane-1,7′-cyclopenta-[a]pentalene] (A17) Ring System

16 Synthesis of Compact Tetraquinane (A18)

17 Synthesis of Higher Polyquinanes

18 Conclusions

19 Acronyms