A Synthesis of (+)-Cyclophellitol from D-Xylose

Carbasugar Synthesis via Vinylogous Ketal: Total Syntheses of (+)-MK7607, (-)-MK7607, (-)-Gabosine A, (-)-Epoxydine B, (-)-Epoxydine C, epi-(+)-Gabosine E and epi-(+)-MK7607

Carbasugars, the carbocyclic analogues of sugars, constitute an important class of natural products with more than 140 members known and have attracted much attention due to their diverse biological activities like anticancer, antibacterial, herbicidal, and various enzyme inhibitory activities. As many carbohydrates are involved in various cellular signaling pathways, there is great interest in synthesis and biological exploration of carbasugars. Herein, we have developed a methodology to install an α,β-unsaturated aldehyde functionality on different inositols and derivatives by vinylogous elimination of the O-protecting group under mildly acidic condition. We have illustrated the versatility and utility of our methodology by the total syntheses of seven carbasugars viz. (-)-MK7607, (-)-gabosine A, (-)-epoxydine B, (-)-epoxydine C, (+)-MK7607, 1-epi-(+)-MK7607 and 1-epi-(+)-gabosine E.

Synthesis and evaluation of hydroxymethylaminocyclitols as glycosidase inhibitors

Four series of C7N aminocyclitol analogues of glucose were synthesized by stereocontrolled epoxide opening of hydroxyl protected forms of the cyclohexane epoxides cyclophellitol and 1,6-epi-cyclophellitol. The resulting hydroxymethyl substituted aminocyclitols were tested as glycosidase inhibitors. Cyclitols having an amino group in an α configuration at a position equivalent to the anomeric in the sugar were found to be low micromolar inhibitors of the α-glucosidase from baker's yeast with Ki's near to 2 μM. On the other hand, N-octyl aminocyclitols having the nitrogen substituents in an α or β configuration were found to be good inhibitors of recombinant β-glucocerebrosidase with Ki values between 8.3 and 17 μM, and also inhibited lysosomal β-glucosidase activity in live cells at low-micromolar concentrations. A computational docking study suggests a differential binding among the different series of β-glucocerebrosidase inhibitors. In agreement with the experimental results, the binding poses obtained indicate that the presence of an alkyl lipid substituent in the inhibitor mimicking one of the lipid chains in the substrate is critical for potency. In contrast, the matching of hydroxymethyl substituents in the aminocyclitols and the parent glucosylceramide does not seem to be strictly necessary for potent inhibition, indicating the risk of simplifying structural analogies in sugar mimetic design.

Total syntheses and structural validation of lincitol A, lincitol B, uvacalol I, uvacalol J, and uvacalol K

First total syntheses of lincitol A, lincitol B, uvacalol I, uvacalol J and uvacalol K were achieved in racemic form, validating their structure from a common intermediate, which was synthesized in six steps from low-cost and extensively available myo-inositol.

The first total synthesis of sporiolide A

The first total synthesis of the natural cytotoxic agent sporiolide A has been accomplished from D-glucal in 16 steps with 6.1% overall yield. Carbohydrates were applied as the chiral templates to manipulate the absolute configuration during the synthesis. Pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC)-promoted transformation of the cyclic enol-ether to lactone, followed by Yamaguchi esterification and intramolecular ring closure metathesis, greatly facilitates synthesis of the target compound.

Selectivity guidelines and a reductive elimination-based model for predicting the stereochemical course of conjugate addition reactions of organocuprates to gamma-alkoxy-alpha,beta-enoates

Current models used to predict the stereochemical outcome of organocopper conjugate addition processes focus on the nucleophilic addition step as stereochemistry-determining. Recent kinetic, NMR, kinetic isotope effect, and theoretical density functional studies strongly support the proposal that stereochemical preferences in these processes are dictated by the reductive elimination step, transforming Cu(III) to Cu(I) intermediates. A new model that considers various steric and stereoelectronic factors involved in the transition state of the reductive elimination step is proposed and then used to interpret the results of systematic studies of arylcuprate conjugate addition reactions with cis and trans gamma-alkoxy-alpha,beta-enoates. The results give rise to the following selectivity guidelines for this process. To achieve high anti-addition diastereoselectivities the use of trans esters with a bulky nonalkoxy substituent at the gamma-position is recommended. While stereoelectronics disfavor syn-addition, a judicious choice of properly sized gamma-substituents may lead to the predominant formation of syn-products, especially with cis enoates. However, high syn-selectivities may be achieved by using gamma-amino-alpha,beta-enoates.

A solution to the stereochemical problems posed by amaryllidaceae constituents using a highly syn-selective arylcuprate conjugate addition to γ-amino and γ-carbamato-α,β-enoates

Various substituted arylcuprates undergo stereocontrolled additions to L-serine-derived γamino- and γ-carbamato-α,β-enoates with high syn-selectivities. The stereochemical outcome of these reactions is fully consistent with the reductive elimination-based model proposed previously. This method is well suited for the preparation of a broad range of biologically active amaryllidaceae constituents and their aromatic analogues.

Stereoselective synthesis of cytotoxic anhydrophytosphingosine pachastrissamine (jaspine B) from D-xylose

The first naturally occurring anhydrophytosphingosine, pachastrissamine (jaspine B), a marine compound cytotoxic toward P388, A549, HT29, and MEL28 cell lines at IC(50) = 0.01 microg/mL level, has been stereoselectively synthesized from D-xylose in 10 linear steps with 25.7% overall yield.

Stereospecific synthesis of a new class of compounds: bis-homoconduritol-A, -D, and -F

Bis-homoconduritol derivatives with conduritol-A, -D, and -F structures have been synthesized starting from cyclooctatetraene. The photooxygenation of trans-7,8-dibromo- and cis-7,8-dichlorobicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4-dienes afforded the bicyclic endoperoxides. Reduction of the endoperoxides with thiourea followed by acetylation gave the corresponding diacetates. The KMnO(4) oxidation and epoxidation of the diacetates followed by acetylation gave the tetraacetates. Removal of the halides either with zinc-dust or Na-anthracene followed by the ammonolysis of tetraacetates afforded the bis-homoconduritol derivatives in high yield.

AAA in KAT/DYKAT processes: first- and second-generation asymmetric syntheses of (+)- and (-)-cyclophellitol

Kinetic resolutions and kinetic asymmetric transformations (KAT) as well as dynamic kinetic resolutions and dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformations (DYKAT) are important synthetic protocols. The feasibility of KAT and DYKAT processes for asymmetric allylic alkylations (AAA) is explored utilizing a single substrate--conduritol B tetraesters. Both processes can be performed resulting in excellent enantioselectivity. The impact of nucleophile and leaving group on the effectiveness of each is outlined. The ability to differentiate the various hydroxyl groups is also described. For this purpose, 4-tert-butyldimethylsiloxy-2,2-dimethylbutyric acid was developed as a nucleophile. The utility of effecting KAT/DYKAT processes through the Pd-catalyzed AAA reaction is demonstrated by efficient syntheses of both enantiomers of the potent glycosidase inhibitor cyclophellitol.

Variable and stereoselective synthesis of azasugar analogues by a ruthenium-catalyzed ring rearrangement

A novel ruthenium-catalyzed ring opening/ring closing tandem metathesis reaction with a catalytic transfer of stereocenters from a ring to an olefinic chain is described. This ring rearrangement serves as the key step in the stereoselective synthesis of the new azasugar analogues 1 and 2.

Stereoselective preparation of enantiomerically pure annulated carbohydrates using ring-closing metathesis

Ring-closing metathesis has been applied to a series of glucose derivatives to produce cyclopentene derivatives 5a and 5b, cyclohexene derivatives 8 and 9, cycloheptene 12, and cyclooctene 14. Spirocyclic dihydrofurans 19, 26a, and 26b, along with dihydropyran 22, were also produced. A range of fused oxepine derivatives 29a-c and one oxo-cyclononene 31 were also prepared. Cyclopentene 5b was subjected to a sequence of hydrogenation, NBS bromination, and treatment with powdered zinc to furnish the ring-expanded product 35. No such ring expansion occurred when the cyclohexaannulated compound 8 was treated with NBS followed by powdered zinc, leading to aldehyde 39. The spiro dihydrofuran derivative 19 was converted to the aldehyde 42 via the same reaction sequence used to fragment cyclopentene derivative 5b.