Regiospecific epoxide opening with acetylenic alanes. An improved total synthesis of E and F prostaglandins

Regiocontrolled ring opening of monoprotected 2,3-epoxy-1,4-diols using alkynyl aluminum reagents. Synthesis of differentially monoprotected alkynyl triol derivatives

The regioselectivity of the epoxide ring opening reaction of cis and trans TIPS-monoprotected 2,3-epoxy-1,4-diols with diethylalkynyl aluminum reagents was studied. Alane and alanate conditions in toluene or dichloromethane were explored. The alkynyl attack at the C2 epoxide carbon was favored for both, the alane and alanate conditions in toluene, while in dichloromethane the C3 attack was preferred. The best regioselectivities were obtained using the alanate conditions in toluene. This methodology provides access to differentially monoprotected alkynyl triols with high diastereoselectivity. These compounds are useful building bocks for polypropionate synthesis and are precursors for the introduction of the hydroxymethyl moiety found in some polyketide systems.

Chemical synthesis, pharmacological characterization, and possible formation in unicellular fungi of 3-hydroxy-anandamide

The fungal pathogen Candida albicans transforms arachidonic acid (AA) into 3-hydroxyarachidonic acid [3R-HETE], and we investigated if its nonpathogenic and 3R-HETE-producing close relative, Dipodascopsis uninucleata, could similarly transform the endocannabinoid/endovanilloid anandamide into 3-hydroxyanandamide (3-HAEA). We found that D. uninucleata converts anandamide into 3-HAEA, and we therefore developed an enantiodivergent synthesis for this compound to study its pharmacological activity. Both enantiomers of 3-HAEA were as active as anandamide at elevating intracellular Ca2+ via TRPV1 receptors overexpressed in HEK-293 cells, while a approximately 70-90-fold and approximately 45-60-fold lower affinity at cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors was instead observed. Patch clamp recordings showed that 3R-HAEA activates a TRPV1-like current in TRPV1-expressing HEK-293 cells. Thus, 3R-HETE-producing yeasts might convert anandamide released by host cells at the site of infection into 3R-HAEA, and this event might contribute to the inflammatory and algogenous responses associated to fungal diseases.

Regioselective Cleavage of 3,4-Epoxy Alcohols with Substituted Alkynylaluminum Reagents: Application to the Stereoselective Synthesis of Polypropionates

The reaction of 3-O-substituted propynyl aluminum reagents with a TIPS-protected 2,3-epoxy alcohol and several diastereomeric 2-methyl-3,4-epoxy alcohols offers a convenient synthetic approach for the subsequent preparation and epoxidation of allylic alcohols. The yields are low to moderate and the regioselectivity (internal vs external attack) similar to that of the standard diethylpropynyl aluminum reagent. The TMS-acetylide alane reagent gives improved yields and good regioselectivity, and constitutes the reagent of choice for the cleavage of the hindered epoxides. This attractive methodology is applied to the elaboration of two advanced polypropionate precursor fragments.

Ruthenium-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of diynols

A wide variety of diynols containing tertiary, secondary, and primary propargylic alcohols undergo a cycloisomerization reaction to form dienones and dienals in the presence of a catalytic amount of [CpRu(CH(3)CN)(3)]PF(6). The formation of five- and six-membered rings is possible using this methodology. Secondary diynols react to form single geometrical isomeric dienones and -als. Primary diynols undergo a cycloisomerization as well as a hydrative cyclization process. The utility of primary diynol cycloisomerization is demonstrated in a synthesis of (+)-alpha-kainic acid.

Lobatamide C: total synthesis, stereochemical assignment, preparation of simplified analogues, and V-ATPase inhibition studies

The total synthesis and stereochemical assignment of the potent antitumor macrolide lobatamide C, as well as synthesis of simplified lobatamide analogues, is reported. Cu(I)-mediated enamide formation methodology has been developed to prepare the highly unsaturated enamide side chain of the natural product and analogues. A key fragment coupling employs base-mediated esterification of a beta-hydroxy acid and a salicylate cyanomethyl ester. Three additional stereoisomers of lobatamide C have been prepared using related synthetic routes. The stereochemistry at C8, C11, and C15 of lobatamide C was assigned by comparison of stereoisomers and X-ray analysis of a crystalline derivative. Synthetic lobatamide C, stereoisomers, and simplified analogues have been evaluated for inhibition of bovine chromaffin granule membrane V-ATPase. The salicylate phenol, enamide NH, and ortho-substitution of the salicylate ester have been shown to be important for V-ATPase inhibitory activity.

Asymmetric synthesis of anti-homopropargylic alcohols from aldehydes and chiral sulfonimidoyl substituted bis(allyl)titanium complexes through generation and elimination of novel chiral alkylidenecarbene (dimethylamino)sulfoxonium ylides

A new method for the asymmetric synthesis of anti-configured homopropargylic alcohols 1 is described, which features the addition of chiral sulfonimidoyl substituted bis(allyl)titanium complexes 3 to aldehydes, the methylation of sulfonimidoyl substituted homoallylic alcohols 2 at the N-atom, and the elimination of alkenyl (dimethylamino)sulfoxonium salts 7 with LiN(H)tBu. The reaction of isopropyl, cyclohexyl, and methyl substituted allylic titanium complexes 3a-c with benzaldehyde, p-bromobenzaldehyde, p-chlorobenzaldehyde, p-methoxybenzaldehyde, (E)-3-phenylpropenal, and phenylpropynal afforded with high regio- and diastereoselectivities the anti-configured sulfonimidoyl substituted homoallylic alcohols 2a-j, respectively. Only one allylic unit of the titanium complexes 3a-c was transferred in the case of unsaturated aldehydes, and the starting allylic sulfoximines 2a-g were recovered in approximately 50% yield. The methylation of the silyl protected alkenyl sulfoximines 6a-j with Me(3)OBF(4) gave in practically quantitative yields the (dimethylamino)sulfoxonium salts 7a-j, respectively. Salts 7a-e, 7g, 7h, and 7j delivered upon treatment with 2 equiv of LiN(H)tBu the enantio- and diastereomerically pure saturated and unsaturated alkynes 9a-e, 9g, 9h, and 9j, respectively, in high yields. Besides the alkynes the sulfinamide 8 (96% ee) was isolated. Aminosulfoxonium salts 9f and 9i, which carry a CC triple bond, also suffered an elimination under these conditions but did not yield the corresponding diynes. Elimination of salts 7a-e, 7g, 7h, and 7j proceeds most likely through deprotonation at the alpha-position with formation of the novel alkylidenecarbene aminosulfoxonium ylides 19a-e, 19g, 19h, and 19j, respectively. The ylides 19a-e, 19g, 19h, and 19j presumably eliminate sulfinamide 8 with generation of the chiral nonracemic (beta-siloxyalkylidene)carbenes 20a-e, 20g, 20h, and 20j, which suffer a 1,2-H-shift with formation of alkynes 9. Support for the formation of the putative alkylidenecarbenes 20 as intermediates comes from the elimination of the beta-methyl substituted aminosulfoxonium salt 24, which delivered the enantio- and diastereomerically pure 2,3-dihydrofuran derivative 28 upon treatment with LiN(H)tBu in high yield. Here, the putative (beta-siloxyalkylidene)carbene 26 suffers a 1,5-O,Si bond insertion rather than a 1,2-Me shift. Methylation of the alkenyl sulfoximine 6a at the alpha-position with formation of 13 was achieved through deprotonation of the former with formation of the alpha-lithioalkenyl sulfoximine 11a and its treatment MeI. Reaction of the alpha-methylated alkenyl aminosulfoxonium salt 14a with LiNiPr(2) at low temperatures gave the enantio- and diastereomerically pure anti-configured homoallenylic alcohol derivative 15, while reaction of the salt with LiNiPr(2) or LiN(H)tBu at higher temperatures afforded the enantio- and diastereomerically pure nonterminal homopropargylic alcohol derivative 17. Deprotonation of the alkenyl (dimethylamino)sulfoxonium salts 7a and 7b with nBuLi afforded the novel alkylidenecarbene aminosulfoxonium ylides 19a and 19b, respectively, which upon treatment with MeI yielded the methylated aminosulfoxonium salts 14a and 14b, respectively.