Study of the Endocyclic versus Exocyclic C–O Bond Cleavage Pathways of α- and β-Methyl Furanosides

Surfactant-mediated thioglycosylation of 1-hydroxy sugars in water

Thioglycosides are an important class of sugars, since they can be used as non-ionic biosurfactants, biomimetic glycosides, and building blocks for carbohydrate synthesis. Previously, Brønsted- or Lewis-acid-catalyzed dehydrative glycosylations between a 1-hydroxy sugar and a thiol have been reported to yield open-chain dithioacetal sugars as the major products instead of the desired thioglycosides. These dithioacetal sugars are by-products derived from the endocyclic bond cleavage of the thioglycosides. Herein, we report dehydrative glycosylation in water mediated by a Brønsted acid-surfactant combined catalyst (BASC). Glycosylations between 1-hydroxy furanosyl/pyranosyl sugars and primary, secondary, and tertiary aliphatic/aromatic thiols in the presence of dodecyl benzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) provided the thioglycoside products in moderate to good yields. Microwave irradiation led to improvements in the yields and a shortening of the reaction time. Remarkably, open-chain dithioacetal sugars were not detected in the DBSA-mediated glycosylations in water. This method is a simple, convenient, and rapid approach to produce a library of thioglycosides without the requirement of anhydrous conditions. Moreover, this work also provides an excellent example of complementary reactivity profiles of glycosylation in organic solvents and water.

Diastereoselective Synthesis of Arabino- and Ribo-like Nucleoside Analogues Bearing a Stereogenic C3' All-Carbon Quaternary Center

The synthesis of novel nucleoside analogues bearing a C3' all-carbon quaternary center and a C2'-hydroxy substituent is described. The all-carbon stereogenic center was generated through an intramolecular 7-endo attack of a silyl-tethered allyl moiety on a tertiary radical using photoredox catalysis. Subsequent allylic oxidation and diastereoselective hydride reductions provided the hydroxy substituent at C2', which then controls the stereoselective introduction of pyrimidine nucleobases on the corresponding furanose scaffold. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided insights into the origin of the high syn diastereoselectivity resulting from the radical cyclization. This original methodology grants access to a wide range of 1',2'-cis and 1',2'-trans arabino- and ribo-like analogues bearing an all-carbon quaternary center at C3'. These molecules are currently being tested for their antiviral and anticancer properties.

Synthetic utility of endocyclic cleavage reaction

Existence of endocyclic cleavage reaction is now clearly shown from experimental evidence of endocyclic cleavage reaction as well as computational chemistry. Not only stereoelectronic factor, several factors could be main factors for endocyclic cleavage reaction. Endocyclic cleavage reaction is useful for 1,2-cis aminoglycoside formation, which is difficult by conventional glycosylation. By using endocyclic cleavage reaction, several glycosides with 1,2-cis aminoglycoside were prepared.

Investigation of diastereoselective acyclic α-alkoxydithioacetal substitutions involving thiacarbenium intermediates

Reported herein is an experimental and theoretical study that elucidates why silylated nucleobase additions to acyclic α-alkoxythiacarbenium intermediates proceed with high 1,2-syn stereocontrol (anti-Felkin-Anh), which is opposite to what would be expected with corresponding activated aldehydes. The acyclic thioaminals formed undergo intramolecular cyclizations to provide nucleoside analogues with anticancer and antiviral properties. The factors influencing the selectivity of the substitution reaction have been examined thoroughly. Halothioether species initially form, ionize in the presence (low dielectric media) or absence (higher dielectric media) of the nucleophile, and react through SN2-like transition structures (TS A and D), where the α-alkoxy group is gauche to the thioether moiety. An important, and perhaps counterintuitive, observation in this work was that calculations done in the gas phase or low dielectric media (toluene) are essential to locate the product- and rate-determining transition structures (C-N bond formation) that allow the most reasonable prediction of selectivity and isotope effects for more polar solvents (THF, MeCN). The ΔΔG(⧧) (G(TSA-TSD)) obtained in silico are consistent with the preferential formation of 1,2-syn product and with the trends of stereocontrol displayed by 2,3-anti and 2,3-syn α,β-bis-alkoxydithioacetals.