New protecting groups for 1,2-diols (boc- and moc-ethylidene). Cleavage of acetals with bases

2',3'-Protected Nucleotides as Building Blocks for Enzymatic de novo RNA Synthesis

Besides being a key player in numerous fundamental biological processes, RNA also represents a versatile platform for the creation of therapeutic agents and efficient vaccines. The production of RNA oligonucleotides, especially those decorated with chemical modifications, cannot meet the exponential demand. Due to the inherent limits of solid-phase synthesis and in vitro transcription, alternative, biocatalytic approaches are in dire need to facilitate the production of RNA oligonucleotides. Here, we present a first step towards the controlled enzymatic synthesis of RNA oligonucleotides. We have explored the possibility of a simple protection step of the vicinal cis-diol moiety to temporarily block ribonucleotides. We demonstrate that pyrimidine nucleotides protected with acetals, particularly 2',3'-O-isopropylidene, are well-tolerated by the template-independent RNA polymerase PUP (polyU polymerase) and highly efficient coupling reactions can be achieved within minutes - an important feature for the development of enzymatic de novo synthesis protocols. Even though purines are not equally well-tolerated, these findings clearly demonstrate the possibility of using cis-diol-protected ribonucleotides combined with template-independent polymerases for the stepwise construction of RNA oligonucleotides.

Recent advances of carbonyl olefination via McMurry coupling reaction

McMurry coupling reaction utilizes the low-valent titanium reagents and carbonyl compounds to produce olefins. The wide synthetic application of McMurry reagents in intermolecular and intramolecular coupling reactions, tandem coupling reactions, and keto ester coupling reactions of carbonyl compounds for the last five years have been reviewed. The resulting coupling reaction produces natural and non-natural products, including strained olefins and unusual molecules as a candidate for nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, and so forth. The advantages, scope, and limitations along with the improvement of the McMurry coupling reaction, including the addition of high functional group compatibility, McMurry reagents substitution, and several other treatments, have also been discussed.

McMurry coupling reaction utilizes the low-valent titanium reagents and carbonyl compounds to produce olefins.

Base-Free and Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Functionalized Dihydrobenzoxazoles via Vinylogous Carbonate to Carbamate Rearrangement

An unexpected, catalyst-free, and base-free intramolecular cyclization of N-aryloxyacrylate aldimines, under thermal conditions leading to the synthesis of functionalized dihydrobenzoxazoles, is reported. The reaction features a unique rearrangement of vinylogous carbonates to vinylogous carbamates resulting in a new carbon-oxygen and carbon-nitrogen bond construction. The reaction tolerates a broad range of functional groups and the desired products are formed in moderate to good yields.

Enantioselective Synthesis of (+)-Mitomycin K by a Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Tandem Cyclization

The mitomycins, a family of bioactive natural products, feature a compact 6/5/5-fused polycyclic ring structure densely decorated with highly reactive and/or fragile quinone, amino ketal, and aziridine as well as carbamate moieties. It is this striking feature that has defeated numerous synthetic attempts towards these apparently small molecules, rendering them one of the most formidable targets for total synthesis. We herein report the first enantioselective synthesis of (+)-mitomycin K, a representative of G series mitomycins. The key step of this synthesis is an enantioselective oxidative cyclization catalyzed by a palladium/(+)-sparteine system that had previously been developed by our group. The robustness of this method bodes well for further applications in the asymmetric total synthesis of natural products, particularly those with characteristic 6/5/5-fused pyrroloindole skeletons.

Structure-guided design of fluorescent S-adenosylmethionine analogs for a high-throughput screen to target SAM-I riboswitch RNAs

Many classes of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-binding RNAs and proteins are of interest as potential drug targets in diverse therapeutic areas, from infectious diseases to cancer. In the former case, the SAM-I riboswitch is an attractive target because this structured RNA element is found only in bacterial mRNAs and regulates multiple genes in several human pathogens. Here, we describe the synthesis of stable and fluorescent analogs of SAM in which the fluorophore is introduced through a functionalizable linker to the ribose. A Cy5-labeled SAM analog was shown to bind several SAM-I riboswitches via in-line probing and fluorescence polarization assays, including one from Staphylococcus aureus that controls the expression of SAM synthetase in this organism. A fluorescent ligand displacement assay was developed and validated for high-throughput screening of compounds to target the SAM-I riboswitch class.

Bisphosphine-catalyzed mixed double-Michael reactions: asymmetric synthesis of oxazolidines, thiazolidines, and pyrrolidines

Bisphosphine-catalyzed mixed double-Michael reactions have been developed to afford β-amino carbonyl derivatives of oxazolidines, thiozolidines, and pyrrolidines in excellent yields and with high diastereoselectivities. Efficient reactions between amino acid-derived pronucleophiles, e.g., β-amino alcohols,β-amino thiols, and γ-amino diesters, as Michael donors and electron-deficient acetylenes, e.g., propiolates, acetylacetylene, and tosylacetylene, as Michael acceptors provided access to azolidines containing both diversity of substituents and asymmetry. This methodology—the first examples of mixed double-Michael reactions of acetylenes—is operationally simple and involves mild conditions. Mechanistically, it constitutes a rare example of the anchimeric assistance of bisphosphines in organocatalysis.

A heterocycle-forming double michael reaction. [5 + 1] annulation route to highly substituted and functionalized piperidines

[reaction: see text]. Nitrogen-containing tethered diacids, easily prepared by reductive alkylation of diethyl aminomalonate or ethyl cyanoglycinate, undergo double Michael reactions with 3-butyn-2-one to give highly functionalized and substituted piperidines (pipecolic acid derivatives) with surprisingly high stereoselectivity. The heterocyclic double Michael adducts can be induced to undergo further cyclizations to give a variety of azabicyclic and diazabicyclic compounds.

Bocdene and Mocdene Derivatives of Catechols and Catecholamines

[reaction in text] Catechols react chemoselectively, in the presence of either alcohols, 1,2-diols, or simple phenols, with tert-butyl propynoate and with methyl propynoate to give 2-Boc-ethylidene (Bocdene) and 2-Moc-ethylidene (Mocdene) acetals, respectively, in 96-100% yields within 30 min at room temperature, provided that 150 mol % of DMAP is added. Cleavage of these acetals with pyrrolidine readily takes place (at room temperature!) in 95-100% yields. By taking advantage of the features of Bocdene acetals, novel catecholamine-related phosphate mimetics have been prepared.