Mechanistic Investigation of Enediyne-Connected Amino Ester Rearrangement. Theoretical Rationale for the Exclusive Preference for 1,6- or 1,5-Hydrogen Atom Transfer Depending on the Substrate. A Potential Route to Chiral Naphthoazepines

Studies on Instructive Construction of exo-Olefin Terminated Five- and Six-Membered Nitrogen Heterocycles: SmI2-Mediated Intramolecular Cyclization of Haloalkynals

Stereoselective construction of exo-olefin terminated pyrrolidine and piperidine frameworks was developed by employing SmI₂-mediated intramolecular radical cyclization of haloalkynaks. The radical cyclization affording 2,3-disubstituted pyrrolidines and piperidines proceeded in a highly stereoselective manner. However, decreasing stereoselectivety was observed in the preparation of 2,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine and 3,4-disubstituted piperidine derivatives in the cyclization.

Enediynes bearing polyfluoroaryl sulfoxide as new antiproliferative agents with dual targeting of microtubules and DNA

A novel series of enediynes possessing pentafluorophenylsulfoxide have been developed. The innovative compounds possess antiproliferative activity against a broad panel of human cancer cells originating from breast, blood, lung, kidney, colon, prostate, pancreas or skin with IC₅₀ ranging from 0.6 to 3.4 μM. The antiproliferative activity of enediynes in darkness is associated to their ability to compromise microtubule network. In addition, exposure to UV leads to double-stranded DNA cleavage caused by the newly synthesized molecules reducing further their IC₅₀ in nanomolar range against human tumor cells, including chemo-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, the examined data demonstrate that enediynes possessing pentafluorosulfoxide are promising molecules in the cancer therapy.

Organocopper triggered cyclization of conjugated dienynes via tandem SN2′/Alder-ene reaction

Propargylic carbonates were converted to indenes through a S_N2′/Alder-ene cascade triggered by organocopper reagents.

Intramolecular 1,5-H transfer reaction of aryl iodides through visible-light photoredox catalysis: a concise method for the synthesis of natural product scaffolds

The intramolecular 1,5-H transfer reaction of the aryl radicals generated from unactivated aryl iodides by photocatalysis is described. The features of this transformation are operational simplicity, excellent yields, mild reaction conditions, and good functional group tolerance. With this approach, a more concise formal synthesis of (±)-coerulescine and (±)-physovenine is accomplished.