Concise Synthesis of theneo-Clerodane Skeleton of Teucrolivin A Using a Pericyclic Reaction Cascade

Synthesis of the ABC ring system of kadlongilactones

A racemic approach towards the synthesis of the ABC (7/7/5) ring system of Schisandra triterpenoid kadlongilactones is described. The synthesis features two key transformations: (1) conjugate addition followed by iodolactonization to build the cis-fused 7/7 ring; and (2) conjugate addition-Rubottom oxidation cascade followed by ring-closing metathesis to construct the 7/7/5 tricyclic ring.

A Unified Strategy for the Asymmetric Synthesis of Highly Substituted 1,2-Amino Alcohols Leading to Highly Substituted Bisoxazoline Ligands

A general procedure for the asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted 1,2-amino alcohols in high yield and diastereoselectivity is described that uses organometallic additions of a wide range of nucleophiles to tert-butylsulfinimines as the key step. The addition of organolithium reagents to these imines follows a modified Davis model. The diastereoselectivity for this reaction depends significantly on both the nucleophile and electrophile. These highly substituted 1,2-amino alcohols are used to synthesize stereochemically diverse and structurally novel, polysubstituted 2,2'-methylene(bisoxazoline) ligands in high yields.

Total Syntheses of Clerodane Diterpenoids—A Review

Total syntheses of clerodane diterpenoids have been reviewed from the literature since 2000.

Design, synthesis and SAR studies of GABA uptake inhibitors derived from 2-substituted pyrrolidine-2-yl-acetic acids

In this paper, we disclose the design and synthesis of a series of 2-substituted pyrrolidine-2-yl-acetic acid as core structures and the N-arylalkyl derivatives thereof as potential GABA transport inhibitors. The 2-position in the side chain of pyrrolidine-2-yl-acetic acid derivatives was substituted with alkyl, hydroxy and amino groups to modulate the activity and selectivity to mGAT1 and mGAT4 proteins. SAR studies of the compounds performed for the four mouse GABA transporter proteins (mGAT1-mGAT4) implied significant potencies and subtype selectivities for 2-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidine-2-yl-acetic acid derivatives. The racemate rac-(u)-13c exhibited the highest potency (pIC50 5.67) at and selectivity for mGAT1 in GABA uptake assays. In fact, the potency of rac-(u)-13c at hGAT-1 (pIC50 6.14) was even higher than its potency at mGAT1. These uptake results for rac-(u)-13c are in line with the binding affinities to the aforesaid proteins mGAT1 (pKi 6.99) and hGAT-1 (pKi 7.18) determined by MS Binding Assay based on NO711 as marker quantified by LC-ESI-MS-MS analysis. Interestingly, the 2-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidine-2-yl-acetic acid rac-(u)-13d containing 2-{[tris(4-methoxyphenyl)]methoxy} ethyl group at the nitrogen atom of the pyrrolidine ring showed high potency at mGAT4 and a comparatively better selectivity for this protein (>15 against mGAT3) than the well known mGAT4 uptake inhibitor (S)-SNAP-5114.

Base-mediated cascade rearrangements of aryl-substituted diallyl ethers

Two base-mediated cascade rearrangement reactions of diallyl ethers were developed leading to selective [2,3]-Wittig-oxy-Cope and isomerization-Claisen rearrangements. Both diaryl and arylsilyl-substituted 1,3-substituted propenyl substrates were examined, and each exhibits unique reactivity and different reaction pathways. Detailed mechanistic and computational analysis was conducted, which demonstrated that the role of the base and solvent was key to the reactivity and selectivity observed. Crossover experiments also suggest that these reactions proceed with a certain degree of dissociation, and the mechanistic pathway is highly complex with multiple competing routes.

Potassium hydride in paraffin: a useful base for organic synthesis

The preparation of potassium hydride as a 1:1 homogenate with paraffin, termed KH(P), is reported. KH(P), a solid at room temperature, is stable without special handling. On suspension in THF with a phosphonium salt, KH(P) rapidly generates the ylide. Wittig condensation with aromatic, aliphatic, and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes proceeds with high Z selectivity. KH(P) should be a generally useful base for organic synthesis.

Cascading pericyclic reactions: building complex carbon frameworks for natural product synthesis

Tandem reactions have emerged as powerful strategies to synthesize complex structures, in particular, processes involving pericyclic reactions. This article describes recent advancement by our group in the development of novel tandem pericyclic reactions aimed at constructing diterpene frameworks.

Origin of Diastereoselectivity in the Tandem Oxy-Cope/Claisen/Ene Reaction: Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the Ring Inversion Mechanism

We report herein a detailed investigation into the reaction mechanism of the oxy-Cope/Claisen/ene reaction. A series of chiral substrates was prepared, subjected to the tandem sequence, and the enantiomeric excess of the final products was evaluated. The observed conservation of enantiomeric excess was taken as evidence that the ring inversion of the intermediary enol ether does not occur. DFT calculations were used to map out the potential energy surface for the reaction and evaluate the relative energies of the ring inversions relative to those of the Claisen and ene reactions. Transition state energies thus obtained were found to support the presence of a high-energy transition state for the ring inversion of B to D provided R(1) not equal H. In addition, the calculations lent further support to the hypothesis that the selectivity of the transannular ene reaction is under Curtin-Hammett control.