Total synthesis of mappicine ketone (nothapodytine B) by means of sulfur-directed 5-exo-selective aryl radical cyclization onto enamides

Cu(I)-Catalyzed Oxygen and Nitrogen Nucleophiles Triggered Regioselective Synthesis of Furo/Pyrrolo-Annulated Quinolines

Cu(I)-catalyzed intramolecular annulation of o-ethynylquinoline-3-carbaldehydes leads to the synthesis of alkoxy/imidazole-substituted 1,3-dihydrofuro[3,4-b]quinolines via C-O and C-N bond formation. The scope of the reaction was further extended to o-ethynylquinoline-3-carbonitriles for the synthesis of alkoxy-substituted 3H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]quinolines using alcohols as nucleophiles. These reactions are regioselectively favoring the 5-exo-dig cyclizations in all the annulation processes.

Iron(ii)-catalyzed sulfur directed C(sp3)–H bond amination/C–S cross coupling reaction

An efficient iron(ii)-catalyzed sulfur directed C(sp³)–H bond amination/C–S cross coupling reaction has been developed, and the mechanism corresponds to a Fe(ii)/Fe(iii) catalytic cycle.

Copper-catalyzed C–C direct cross-coupling: an efficient approach to phenyl-2-(phenylthiophenyl)-methanones

An efficient copper-catalyzed C–C bond direct cross-coupling reaction has been developed. This new methodology provides an economical and environmentally friendly approach toward C(sp²)–C(sp²) bond formation.

Experimental and computational study of 6-exo and 7-endo cyclization of aryl radicals followed by tandem S(RN)1 substitution

The reaction of N-allyl-N-(2-halobenzyl)-acetamides and derivatives was investigated in liquid ammonia under irradiation with the nucleophiles Me3Sn(-), Ph2P(-) and O2NCH2(-). Following this procedure, novel substituted 2-acetyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines and substituted 2-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzo[c]azepines were obtained in good yields. These reactions are proposed to occur through the intermediacy of aryl radicals, which by intramolecular 6-exo or 7-endo attack to a double bond cyclize to give aliphatic radicals, which react along the propagation steps of the S(RN)1 chain cycle to afford the cyclic substituted compounds as main products. The reactions were modeled with DFT methods, which provide a rational understanding that relates the product distribution to the structure of the aliphatic radicals proposed as intermediates and the kinetic of their formation.

Development of potent and selective indomethacin analogues for the inhibition of AKR1C3 (Type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/prostaglandin F synthase) in castrate-resistant prostate cancer

Castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a fatal, metastatic form of prostate cancer. CRPC is characterized by reactivation of the androgen axis due to changes in androgen receptor signaling and/or adaptive intratumoral androgen biosynthesis. AKR1C3 is upregulated in CRPC where it catalyzes the formation of potent androgens. This makes AKR1C3 a target for the treatment of CRPC. AKR1C3 inhibitors should not inhibit AKR1C1/AKR1C2, which inactivate 5α-dihydrotestosterone. Indomethacin, used to inhibit cyclooxygenase, also inhibits AKR1C3 and displays selectivity over AKR1C1/AKR1C2. Parallel synthetic strategies were used to generate libraries of indomethacin analogues, which exhibit reduced cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity but retain AKR1C3 inhibitory potency and selectivity. The lead compounds inhibited AKR1C3 with nanomolar potency, displayed >100-fold selectivity over AKR1C1/AKR1C2, and blocked testosterone formation in LNCaP-AKR1C3 cells. The AKR1C3·NADP(+)·2'-des-methyl-indomethacin crystal structure was determined, and it revealed a unique inhibitor binding mode. The compounds reported are promising agents for the development of therapeutics for CRPC.

Directed aromatic functionalization in natural-product synthesis: Fredericamycin A, nothapodytine B, and topopyrones B and D

THIS IS A REVIEW OF OUR EFFORTS TOWARD THE SYNTHESIS OF A GROUP OF NATURAL PRODUCTS THAT DISPLAY NOTEWORTHY BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY: Fredericamycin A, nothapodytine B, and topopyrones B and D. In each case, directed aromatic functionalization methodology greatly facilitated the assembly of the key molecular subunits.

Photochemical reactions as key steps in natural product synthesis

Photochemical reactions contribute in a significant way to the existing repertoire of carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions by allowing access to exceptional molecular structures that cannot be obtained by conventional means. In this Review, the most important photochemical transformations that have been employed in natural product synthesis are presented. Selected total syntheses are discussed as examples, with particular attention given to the photochemical key step and its stereoselectivity. The structural relationship between the photochemically generated molecule and the natural product is shown, and, where necessary, the consecutive reactions in the synthesis are illustrated and classified.

Controlling the regiochemistry of radical cyclizations

This review describes the results of our recent studies on the control of the regiochemistry of radical cyclizations. N-vinylic alpha-chloroacetamides generally cyclized in a 5-endo-trig manner to give five-membered lactams, whereas 4-exo-trig cyclization occurred when the cyclized radical intermediates were highly stabilized by an adjacent phenyl or phenylthio group to afford beta-lactams. The 5-exo or 6-exo cyclization of aryl radicals onto the alkenic bond of enamides could be shifted to the corresponding 6-endo or 7-endo mode of cyclization by a positional change of the carbonyl group of enamides. The 6-endo- and 7-endo-selective aryl radical cyclizations were applied to radical cascades for the synthesis of alkaloids such as phenanthroindolizidine, cephalotaxine skeleton, and lennoxamine. The 5-exo-trig cyclization of an alkyl radical onto the alkenyl bond of enamides could also be shifted to the 6-endo mode by a positional change of the carbonyl group of enamides. The 6-endo- selective cyclization was applied to the radical cascade to afford a cylindricine skeleton. Other examples of controlling the regiochemistry of radical cyclizations and their applications to the synthesis of natural products are also discussed.

Studies on a novel safety-catch linker cleaved by Pummerer rearrangement

We describe the use of a sulfide linkage as a safety-catch linker. This linker is significantly stable to acidic as well as basic conditions and allows transformations to be carried out on solid supports. Moreover, its cleavage is facile by applying Pummerer rearrangement after transforming it to sulfoxide.