C-H insertion approach to the synthesis of endo,exo-furofuranones: synthesis of (+/-)-asarinin, (+/-)-epimagnolin A, and (+/-)-fargesin

Copper-Catalyzed Radical Enantioselective Carbo-Esterification of Styrenes Enabled by a Perfluoroalkylated-PyBox Ligand

Chiral lactones are found in many natural products. The reaction of simple alkenes with iodoacetic acid is a powerful method to build lactones, but the enantioselective version of this reaction has not been implemented to date. Herein, we report the efficient catalytic radical enantioselective carbo-esterification of styrenes enabled by a newly developed Cu^I -perfluoroalkylated PyBox system. Simple styrenes have been converted to useful chiral lactones, whose synthetic applications are showcased. Mechanistic studies reveal that this reaction is a rare example of an efficient ligand-decelerated system, in which the ligand decelerates the reaction, but the reaction is still efficient with reduced amounts of ligand. This uncommon catalytic system may inspire further consideration of the effect of ligands in asymmetric catalysis.

Preparation and Synthetic Applications of Five-to-Seven-Membered Cyclic α-Diazo Monocarbonyl Compounds

The reactivity of cyclic α-diazo monocarbonyl compounds differs from that of their acyclic counterparts. In this review, we summarize the current literature available on the synthesis and synthetic applications of three major classes of cyclic α-diazo monocarbonyl compounds: α-diazo ketones, α-diazo lactones and α-diazo lactams.

Recent advances in transition-metal-catalyzed carbene insertion to C-H bonds

C-H functionalization has been emerging as a powerful method to establish carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. Many efforts have been devoted to transition-metal-catalyzed direct transformations of C-H bonds. Metal carbenes generated in situ from transition-metal compounds and diazo or its equivalents are usually applied as the transient reactive intermediates to furnish a catalytic cycle for new C-C and C-X bond formation. Using this strategy compounds from unactivated simple alkanes to complex molecules can be further functionalized or transformed to multi-functionalized compounds. In this area, transition-metal-catalyzed carbene insertion to C-H bonds has been paid continuous attention. Diverse catalyst design strategies, synthetic methods, and potential applications have been developed. This critical review will summarize the advance in transition-metal-catalyzed carbene insertion to C-H bonds dated up to July 2021, by the categories of C-H bonds from aliphatic C(sp³)-H, aryl (aromatic) C(sp²)-H, heteroaryl (heteroaromatic) C(sp²)-H bonds, alkenyl C(sp²)-H, and alkynyl C(sp)-H, as well as asymmetric carbene insertion to C-H bonds, and more coverage will be given to the recent work. Due to the rapid development of the C-H functionalization area, future directions in this topic are also discussed. This review will give the authors an overview of carbene insertion chemistry in C-H functionalization with focus on the catalytic systems and synthetic applications in C-C bond formation.

Regioselective Transition-Metal-Free Oxidative Cyclobutanol Ring Expansion to 4-Tetralones

A facile and transition-metal-free ring expansion of the cyclobutanol moiety to 4-tetralones fused to heteroaromatic systems is described. The oxidative ring expansion proceeds rapidly and regioselectively through mediation by N-bromosuccinimide and acetonitrile in satisfactory to good yields. The preparation of precursors and the ring expansion have proven to be scalable and are straightforward to carry out.

Epimagnolin A, a tetrahydrofurofuranoid lignan from Magnolia fargesii, reverses ABCB1-mediated drug resistance

BACKGROUND

Epimagnolin A is an ingredient of the Chinese crude drug Shin-i, derived from the dried flower buds of Magnolia fargesii and Magnolia flos, which has been traditionally used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and nasal congestion, empyema, and sinusitis. The pharmacokinetic activity of epimagnolin A remains to be evaluated.

PURPOSE

In this study, we examined the possible interactions of epimagnolin A with human ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCB1, a membrane protein vital in regulating the pharmacokinetics of drugs and xenobiotics.

STUDY DESIGN/METHODS

The interaction of epimagnolin A with ABCB1 was evaluated in calcein, ATPase, and MTT assays by using Flp-In-293/ABCB1 cells and purified ABCB1 and simulated in molecular docking studies.

RESULTS

Epimagnolin A inhibited calcein export by Flp-In-293/ABCB1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner in a calcein assay. ATPase assay revealed a concentration-dependent stimulation of the ATPase activity of ABCB1 by epimagnolin A. Epimagnolin A also showed saturation kinetics in the relationship between the compound-stimulated ATPase activity and the compound concentration, suggesting Michaelis-Menten kinetics similar to those of the control drug, verapamil. K_m and V_max values were calculated from Hanes-Woolf plots of (compound concentration) × (compound-stimulated ATPase activity)^-1 vs. (compound concentration); the K_m of epimagnolin and verapamil was 42.9 ± 7.53  μM and 12.3 ± 4.79  μM, respectively, and the corresponding V_max values were 156 ± 15.0  μM and 109 ± 3.18  μM. Molecular docking studies on human ABCB1 showed that epimagnolin A docked to the same binding pocket as verapamil, and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays showed that the sensitivities of Flp-In-293/ABCB1 cells against anti-cancer drugs were enhanced upon exposure to 10  μM epimagnolin A.

CONCLUSION

These results strongly suggest that epimagnolin A affects the transport activity of ABCB1 as a substrate.

Direct defluorinative amidation-hydrolysis reaction of gem-difluoroalkenes with N,N-dimethylformamide, and primary and secondary amines

A novel and efficient method for the synthesis of arylacetamides by the reactions of gem-difluoroalkenes with N,N-dialkylformamides, and primary and secondary amines with the assistance of KOtBu and water was developed.

Rhodium(II)-catalysed intramolecular C-H insertion α- to oxygen: reactivity, selectivity and applications to natural product synthesis

The selective functionalisation of C-H bonds is a powerful strategy for the construction of organic molecules and the Rh(II)-catalysed C-H insertion reaction is a particularly robust and useful tool for this purpose. This review discusses the insertion of Rh(II) carbenes into C-H bonds that are activated by α-oxygen substituents, focusing on the trends that have been observed in reactivity and selectivity, and the applications of this reaction to the total synthesis of complex natural products.

Acetal-initiated Prins bicyclization for the synthesis of hexahydrofuro-[3,4-c]furan lignans and octahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran derivatives

An acetal-initiated Prins bicyclization approach has been developed for the stereoselective synthesis of hexahydrofuro[3,4-c]furan lignans. This also provides a direct way to generate a new series of octahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran derivatives in a single-step process.

Rh-catalyzed intermolecular reactions of cyclic α-diazocarbonyl compounds with selectivity over tertiary C-H bond migration

Intermolecular Rh-catalyzed reactions of cyclic α-diazocarbonyl compounds with chemoselectivity over β-hydride elimination are described. These methods represent the first general intermolecular reactions of Rh-carbenoids that are selective over tertiary β-C-H bond migration. Successful transformations include cyclopropanation, cyclopropenation, and various X-H insertion reactions with a broad scope of substrates. We propose that the intermolecular approach of substrates to carbenes from acyclic diazo precursors may be relatively slow due to a steric interaction with the ester function, which is perpendicular to the π-system of the carbene. For carbenes derived from five- and six-membered cyclic α-diazocarbonyls, it is proposed that the carbene is constrained to be more conjugated with the carbonyl, thereby relieving the steric interaction for intermolecular reactions, and accelerating the rate of intermolecular reactivity relative to intramolecular β-hydride migration. However, attempts to use α-diazo-β-ethylcaprolactone in intermolecular cyclopropanation with styrene were unsuccessful. It is proposed that the conformational flexibility of the seven-membered ring allows the carbonyl to be oriented perpendicular to Rh-carbene. The significant intermolecular interaction between the carbonyl and approaching substrate is in agreement with the poor ability of α-diazo-β-ethylcaprolactone to participate in intermolecular cyclopropanation reactions. DFT calculations provide support for the mechanistic proposals that are described.

Biocatalytic organic synthesis of optically pure (S)-scoulerine and berbine and benzylisoquinoline alkaloids

A chemoenzymatic approach for the asymmetric total synthesis of the title compounds is described that employs an enantioselective oxidative C-C bond formation catalyzed by berberine bridge enzyme (BBE) in the asymmetric key step. This unique reaction yielded enantiomerically pure (R)-benzylisoquinoline derivatives and (S)-berbines such as the natural product (S)-scoulerine, a sedative and muscle relaxing agent. The racemic substrates rac-1 required for the biotransformation were prepared in 4-8 linear steps using either a Bischler-Napieralski cyclization or a C1-Cα alkylation approach. The chemoenzymatic synthesis was applied to the preparation of fourteen enantiomerically pure alkaloids, including the natural products (S)-scoulerine and (R)-reticuline, and gave overall yields of up to 20% over 5-9 linear steps.

Design and stereoselective preparation of a new class of chiral olefin metathesis catalysts and application to enantioselective synthesis of quebrachamine: catalyst development inspired by natural product synthesis

A total synthesis of the Aspidosperma alkaloid quebrachamine in racemic form is first described. A key catalytic ring-closing metathesis of an achiral triene is used to establish the all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center and the tetracyclic structure of the natural product; the catalytic transformation proceeds with reasonable efficiency through the use of existing achiral Ru or Mo catalysts. Ru- or Mo-based chiral olefin metathesis catalysts have proven to be inefficient and entirely nonselective in cases where the desired product is observed. In the present study, the synthesis route thus serves as a platform for the discovery of new olefin metathesis catalysts that allow for efficient completion of an enantioselective synthesis of quebrachamine. Accordingly, on the basis of mechanistic principles, stereogenic-at-Mo complexes bearing only monodentate ligands have been designed. The new catalysts provide significantly higher levels of activity than observed with the previously reported Ru- or Mo-based complexes. Enantiomerically enriched chiral alkylidenes are generated through diastereoselective reactions involving achiral Mo-based bispyrrolides and enantiomerically pure silyl-protected binaphthols. Such chiral catalysts initiate the key enantioselective ring-closing metathesis step in the total synthesis of quebrachamine efficiently (1 mol % loading, 22 degrees C, 1 h, >98% conversion, 84% yield) and with high selectivity (98:2 er, 96% ee).

Evaluation of insecticidal activity of diterpenes and lignans from Aristolochia malmeana against Anticarsia gemmatalis

The insecticidal activity of hexane extracts from the roots and leaves of Aristolochia malmeana was evaluated against Anticarsia gemmatalis larvae by topical application. Extract from the roots was the most active and caused 50% mortality in larvae at 308.4 microg/microL. From this extract, a clerodane diterpene, (-)-kolavenic acid, and three lignans, (-)-kusunokinin, (-)-hinokinin, and (8 S,8' R,9 S)-cubebin, were isolated by chromatography and partition procedures and then evaluated for their insecticidal activities either individually or in pairs. (-)-Kusunokinin showed higher activity against A. gemmatalis (LD10=9.3, LD50=230.1 microg/microL) than the crude extract, and its activity was dose-dependent, whereas the other constituents did not exhibit any significant activity. Together with (-)-kusunokinin and (-)-hinokinin, (-)-copalic acid, (-)-2-oxokolavenic acid, (-)- ent-6-beta-hydroxy-copalic acid, (8 R,8' R,9 R)- and (8 R,8' R,9 S)-cubebins, (-)-fargesin, and (-)-phillygenin were isolated from the hexane extract of the leaves. The compounds were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis.

Furoquinoline alkaloids of Ertela (Monnieria) trifolia (L.) Kuntze from the Suriname rainforest

7-(2'-Hydroxy-3'-chloroprenyloxy)-4,8-dimethoxyfuroquinoline (1) and 6-(2'-hydroxy-3'-chloroprenyloxy)-4,7-dimethoxyfuroquinoline (2), together with ten known compounds, have been isolated from the aerial parts of Ertela (Monnieria) trifolia (L.) Kuntze. All the isolates were tested for antiproliferative activity against the A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line.

Direct Lactone Formation by Using Hypervalent Iodine(III) Reagents with KBr via Selective C−H Abstraction Protocol

We have developed a new and reliable method for the direct construction of biologically important aryl lactones and phthalides from carboxylic and benzoic acids, using a combination of hypervalent iodine(III) reagents with KBr.

The dihydrofuran template approach to furofuran synthesis

Flash vacuum pyrrolysis of vinyl epoxides provides cis-dihydrofuran carboxylic esters in good yields and diastereoselectivities, which, on base-promoted epimerisation afford the complementary trans series. The compounds provide a viable template for a Lewis acid promoted cyclisation to provide the 2,6-diaryl-3,7-dioxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane core found in the furofuran series of natural lignans. This strategy is stereodivergent and can be controlled to provide the exo-exo, exo-endo or endo-endo stereochemistries. The approach has been exemplified in syntheses of the sesamyl furofurans (+/-)-epiasarinin and (+/-)-asarinin.

Allelochemicals from Stauranthus perforatus, a Rutaceous tree of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Aqueous leachates and a CHCl3-MeOH (1:1) extract of roots of Stauranthus perforatus showed a significant phytotoxic effect on Amaranthus hypochondriacus and Echinochloa crus-galli. Bioassay-directed fractionation of the active organic extract led to the isolation and characterization of ten secondary metabolites, which included two pyranocoumarins [xanthyletin (1) and 3-(1',1'-dimethylallyl)-xanthyletin (2)], four furanocoumarins [chalepensin (3), ammirin (4), chalepin (5) and 2'-isopropyl-psoralene (6)], two lignans [asarinin (7) and fargesin (8)], one sesquiterpene [4,5-epoxi-beta-caryophyllene (9)], and one alkamide [pellitorine (10)]. From these compounds, 2'-isopropyl-psoralene (6) or anhydromarmesin, is reported for the first time as a natural product, whereas compounds 4-10 are now reported as being present in S. perforatus. Metabolites 1, 3-5 and 10 caused significant inhibition of radicle growth of A. hypochondriacus and E. crus-galli. Furthermore, in a greenhouse experiment the decomposition of the leaves and roots in the soil had a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of weeds. The allelopathic action of the decomposition of roots was evident up to the sixth week of the experiment. The effect of leaves was comparable to that of DPCA (dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate), a commercial herbicide. Finally different concentrations of Stauranthus root powder were combined with maize kernels and used to feed corn weevil. The treatments resulted in high mortality of this insect.

Intramolecular C–H insertions adjacent to sulfur for the diastereoselective synthesis of thienofuranones

A new approach to the diastereoselective synthesis of thienofuranones is described in which an intramolecular 1,5-carbenoid C-H insertion adjacent to sulfur features as a key step.

A Versatile Stereoselective Synthesis of endo,exo-Furofuranones: Application to the Enantioselective Synthesis of Furofuran Lignans

A new stereoselective route to endo,exo-2,6-diarylfurofuranones has been developed using Mn(III)-mediated intramolecular cyclopropanation and C-H insertion reactions as key C-C bond-forming steps. Mn(III)-mediated oxidative cyclization of acetoacetate derivative 11 afforded 1-acetyl-4-aryl-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-one (12) with excellent diastereocontrol (d.r. 22:1). Subsequent Lewis acid-catalyzed opening of the activated cyclopropane ring present in 12 with benzylic alcohols then gave alpha-acetyl-gamma-butyrolactones 16 and 18-20, which reacted efficiently with in situ-generated TfN(3) to secure the key alpha-diazo-gamma-butyrolactones 22-25. Highly stereoselective rhodium-catalyzed C-H insertion reactions of diazolactones 22-25 completed the synthesis of endo,exo-2,6-diarylfurofuranones 26-29 in overall yields ranging from 41 to 48% from 1-phenylallyl alcohol (+/-)-10. The approach developed for the furofuranones 26-29 was then applied to the asymmetric syntheses of four furofuran lignans, (+)-xanthoxylol (1), (+)-methylxanthoxylol (2), (+)-epipinoresinol (3), and (+)-epieudesmin (4), starting from enantiomerically enriched 1-arylallyl alcohol (S)-31.