Synthesis of Cyclic Phosphonate Analogues of (Lyso)phosphatidic Acid Using a Ring-Closing Metathesis Reaction

Rapid Entry into Biologically Relevant α,α-Difluoroalkylphosphonates Bearing Allyl Protection-Deblocking under Ru(II)/(IV)-Catalysis

A convenient synthetic route to α,α-difluoroalkylphosphonates is described. Structurally diverse aldehydes are condensed with LiF2CP(O)(OCH2CH═CH2)2. The resultant alcohols are captured as the pentafluorophenyl thionocarbonates and efficiently deoxygenated with HSnBu3, BEt3, and O2, and then smoothly deblocked with CpRu(IV)(π-allyl)quinoline-2-carboxylate (1-2 mol %) in methanol as an allyl cation scavenger. These mild deprotection conditions provide access to free α,α-difluoroalkylphosphonates in nearly quantitative yield. This methodology is used to rapidly construct new bis-α,α-difluoroalkyl phosphonate inhibitors of PTPIB (protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase-1B).

Synthesis of Phostones via the Palladium-Catalyzed Ring Opening of Epoxy Vinyl Phosphonates

The reaction of epoxy aldehydes with tetraethyl methylenediphosphonate gave γ,δ-epoxy vinyl phosphonates. The palladium-catalyzed addition of primary alcohols gave the monoprotected diols as single diastereoisomers. The trans- and cis-epoxides lead to opposite ( syn and anti) diastereoisomers of the addition products. The alkene of the vinyl phosphonates was subjected to hydrogenation, and the resulting saturated phosphonates underwent base-catalyzed cyclization to give phostones with a very high diastereoselectivity in the formation of the new chiral center at the phosphorus atom.

Synthesis of polycyclic phosphonates via an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of 2-benzoylbenzalaldehyde and alkenyl phosphites

In this paper, we present a Lewis-acid-promoted reaction of 2-benzoylbenzaldehyde and trialkenyl phosphites, which resulted in the formation of polycyclic phosphonates. The reaction proceeded via nucleophilic attack of trialkenyl phosphite on the carbonyl carbon of 2-benzoylbenzaldehyde. The subsequent intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction led to the formation of the cyclic phosphonate.

Synthesis and biological activity of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphorothioate

Metabolically-stabilized analogs of PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) have shown long-lived agonist activity for cellular events mediated by this phosphoinositide. We describe an efficient method for the total asymmetric synthesis of the trisphosphorothioate (PT) analog of PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3). Intracellular delivery of dipalmitoyl PtdIns(3,4,5)PT(3)-mimicked insulin in activating sodium transport in A6 cells.

Discovery of potent LPA2 (EDG4) antagonists as potential anticancer agents

The LPA(2) protein is overexpressed in many tumor cells. We report the optimization of a series of LPA(2) antagonists using calcium mobilization assay (aequorin assay) that led to the discovery of the first reported inhibitors selective for LPA(2). Key compounds were evaluated in vitro for inhibition of LPA(2) mediated Erk activation and proliferation of HCT-116 cells. These compounds could be used to evaluate the benefits of LPA(2) inhibition both in vitro and in vivo.