An approach to mimicking the sesquiterpene cyclase phase by nickel-promoted diene/alkyne cooligomerization

Accelerating Biphasic Biocatalysis through New Process Windows

Process intensification through continuous flow reactions has increased the production rates of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Catalytic reactions are accelerated through an unconventional and unprecedented use of a high-performance liquid/liquid counter current chromatography system. Product generation is significantly faster than in traditional batch reactors or in segmented flow systems, which is exemplified through stereoselective phase-transfer catalyzed reactions. This methodology also enables the intensification of biocatalysis as demonstrated in high yield esterifications and in the sesquiterpene cyclase-catalyzed synthesis of sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate as high-value natural products with applications in medicine, agriculture and the fragrance industry. Product release in sesquiterpene synthases is rate limiting due to the hydrophobic nature of sesquiterpenes, but a biphasic system exposed to centrifugal forces allows for highly efficient reactions.

Natural products as inspiration for the development of new synthetic methods

Natural products have played an important role in shaping modern synthetic organic chemistry. In particular, their complex molecular skeletons have stimulated the development of many new synthetic methods. We highlight in this article some recent examples of synthetic design inspired by the biosynthesis of natural products.

Nickel-Catalyzed Facile [2+2+2] Cyclotrimerization of Unactivated Internal Alkynes to Polysubstituted Benzenes

A catalytic [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization of unactivated internal alkynes providing cyclotrimerization products in excellent yields with high regioselectivity is described. The transformation is accomplished by using a simple catalytic mixture comprising Ni(acac)₂ , an imidazolium salt and a Grignard reagent at room temperature or 60 °C for 20 min or 1 h.

Short, Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Highly Oxidized Taxanes

In the realm of natural product chemistry, few isolates have risen to the level of fame justifiably accorded to Taxol (1) and its chemical siblings. This report describes the most concise route to date for accessing the highly oxidized members of this family. As representative members of taxanes containing five oxygen atoms, decinnamoyltaxinine E (2) and taxabaccatin III (3), have succumbed to enantioselective total synthesis for the first time in only 18 steps from a simple olefin starting material. The strategy holistically mimics nature's approach (two-phase synthesis) and features a carefully choreographed sequence of stereoselective oxidations and a remarkable redox-isomerization to set the key trans-diol present in 2 and 3. This work lays the critical groundwork necessary to access even higher oxidized taxanes such as 1 in a more practical fashion, thus empowering a medicinal chemistry campaign that is not wedded to semi-synthesis.

Room temperature, solventless telomerization of isoprene with alcohols using (N-heterocyclic carbene)–palladium catalysts

The use of a custom-made palladium complex for the telomerisation of isoprene with alcohols under green conditions is described.

Mechanism, reactivity, and selectivity of nickel-catalyzed [4 + 4 + 2] cycloadditions of dienes and alkynes

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations with B3LYP and M06 functionals elucidated the reactivities of alkynes and Z/E selectivity of cyclodecatriene products in the Ni-catalyzed [4 + 4 + 2] cycloadditions of dienes and alkynes. The Ni-mediated oxidative cyclization of butadienes determines the Z/E selectivity. Only the oxidative cyclization of one s-cis to one s-trans butadiene is facile and exergonic, leading to the observed 1Z,4Z,8E-cyclodecatriene product. The same step with two s-cis or s-trans butadienes is either kinetically or thermodynamically unfavorable, and the 1Z,4E,8E- and 1Z,4Z,8Z-cyclodecatriene isomers are not observed in experiments. In addition, the competition between the desired cooligomerization and [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions of alkynes depends on the coordination of alkynes. With either electron-deficient alkynes or alkynes with free hydroxyl groups, the coordination of alkynes is stronger than that of dienes, and alkyne trimerization prevails. With alkyl-substituted alkynes, the generation of alkyne-coordinated nickel complex is much less favorable, and the [4 + 4 + 2] cycloaddition occurs.